Thursday, July 29, 2010

Goals After Submitting My GIR

It was liberating to change my Governance Innovation Report (GIR) topic so I can fully finish my graduate degree with the Ateneo School of Government (ASoG). Changed topic, changed adviser and what I did not expect was the dean - Tony La Vina - specifically telling me that he insisted to help me in accomplishing it. How wonderful is that?!

With renewed interest and "aggression", I am intent to finish my "thesis" this year. Target: November 2010. I can almost smell that Masters in Public Management or MPM attachment at the end of my name.

Now that the GIR has captured my time and attention, I intend to treat myself to hobbies I took up and seemingly left "hanging". So here I am churning up a list of things I would like to pursue again after I am done.

1. Ballet (with Dione Estabillo) - Whenever I look at my pointes or toe shoes, I can't help but feel the strong tug to go back and dance. This will be the third time I will go back to the first thing I love. So Magdalena Dione, expect me to be with you in the dance studio around January 2011.

2. Piano - I used to enjoy pounding on the keyboard until I grew out of it. (Read as bored.) Now that our old piano is gone and I've rekindled a love to play tunes, I'd like to fill our home with soothing music my mom and I can hum, sing and sway to.

3. German and Spanish lessons - It's such a waste that I did not get to fully utilize these. Especially my German since I graduated with a minor in that language. Time to take out the rustiness by reviewing my notes, lessons and books. This will also prepare me for another round of studies - this time overseas. More on this in a later post.

4. Target shooting - Aside from the fact that I am trigger happy, this activity will be my bonding with my cousin Pinggoy. Plus, I can't wait to earn my license to own a gun for my protection.

5. Scuba diving (!) - Ah yes, my dive master and my diving friends have been wondering about when I am going back to diving. I miss the sea and everything in it. It was also another sanctuary and a relief from stress when I was into it.

There are more I know but these are the "immediate" so to speak. Will share more of my goals in another post. But because I took these up and never bother to sustain these interests, I think it is about time that I took these seriously.

The initial investments made and seeing the materials/ equipment I purchased haunt, nag and remind me (and yeah I guess whisper at me disturbingly). I should add ultimate frisbee here but it will depend on how healed my left hip is.

So much to look forward to after the GIR. Another way of providing myself incentives. Not bad really.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Magdalena Feast

While toggling over recent posts on Facebook (via Tweetdeck, which I am loving tremendously), I encountered this status message from a friend: "Today (July 21) is the feast day of [St.] Mary Magdalene."

Hastily I texted my other three girl friends - Camille, Dione and Vero. We bunch actually nicknamed ourselves "Magdalenas" after embarking on a pilgrimage last May 2009 (not because of the Da Vinci Code). Why we did, upcoming posts will uncover it. In fact, I'm actually keeping a list of our adventures and its corresponding highlights be it as a complete group or less.

Needless to say, Vero and Camille were giggling upon stumbling on this fact. Happy feast day indeed to us!

For now, I just had to refresh and update this blog of mine, which I have been negligent towards to. Sorry dear blog. I shall infuse you with many of my thoughts and my stories soon. That is a promise.