What A Decade!

I was thinking of doing this but was keeping it in the backburner until I had time. And when I saw Celine do hers, I thought why wait, it looks so much fun to look back at the decade that was and see how things turned out in ten years. Here's mine:

2000 - Started a new job in Starbucks Philippines. Worked as the COO's project assistant and bonded immediately with the other project assistant Gretchen, and Nina, the store development assistant, over our love for Mango, fashion, and all things silly! My gossip girls, lunch time shopping buddies, who are up to now - two of my bestest friends! The group was completed by Bic-bic and Jenny!

2001 - Career-wise, I got promoted as merchandising manager. Folks, if you collected Starbucks merchandise from 2001 to 2003 - yes, it's me to love/blame for choosing what goes into those Starbucks merchandise etageres! I still remember when Starbucks water bottles first made it to the merchandise list, I knew they were going to sell like hotcakes because everyone was into working out at the gym. And well, it discouraged the use of those nasty plastic mineral water bottles. My boss was like, "Water bottles?" and I was like "Yes! Every one would want to bring one with them when they work out!" True enough, it became such a huge hit when they first hit the stores! Soon enough so many water bottles found their way into the Philippine market - Nalgene, Sigg, and a host of others. Didn't water bottles become popular corporate giveaways years down the road too? Oh, news wise, this was the year EDSA II happened. I remember my dad calling me at work to tell me the military was withdrawing support. I should have bought stocks right away. Soon after, the AFP Chief was on his way to the EDSA Shrine to join the throngs of citizens happy to see Erap leave. (Thing is though, he is running again for President this 2010. Jeez.)

2002 - I met the love-of-my life who is now well known as, you guessed it, Dear Hubby! Started the process of applying to graduate schools. The year was a flurry of KAPLAN reviews, TOEFL, GMAT and AIMAT exams and writing essays. Wanted to study in NYU and live in New York, but love-of-my-life asked me to stay and study in Manila. It was a matter of choosing love or career. I took a leap of faith and chose love! Yihee! Traveling was limited to Singapore and Malaysia.

2003 - started MBA school in AIM. The year was spent reading case studies, writing business plans, WACS, doing financial statements, analyzing financial ratios, preparing powerpoint presentations with CAN group mates. Best thing about my dorm stay - my girl friends Jaraiza, Conci and Alisa! 

Current events wise, highlight of the year was the Oakwood mutiny. I was at home in Camp Aguinaldo and the camp was on red alert. My best friend Nina, who was (and still is) reporting for ABS-CBN was there waiting for news to break. When my dad confirmed that there was movement and Nina was doing a live report by phone, I was texting people to stay away from Makati CBD. The excitement was short lived. We soon found ourselves praying non-stop for a peaceful end to the mutiny because my dad, who headed Task Force Libra, was right smack in Makati leading the government forces. Latter part of the year, we moved to Fort Bonifacio when my dad became CG. Exciting things for Dear Hubby too! He graduated valedictorian from law school in Ateneo and was #2 in the bar exams.

2004 - Second year of grad school churning out papers, reports and presentations. Worked on the MRR with Conci. My dad became CSAFP. Moved to the White House in Camp Aguinaldo. School trips to Shanghai and Hong Kong. Stayed behind for a couple more days to explore Hong Kong with Jaraiza and Isabelle. Started writing "My Money" for Lifestyle Asia magazine (thanks to Celine!). Such a high to see my name on print! My grandpa passed away =( 

2005 - Started the year with a school trip to Vietnam and Thailand. Graduated and got my MBA. Became a management associate in Citi along with grad school classmates Aset and Mike, we hit it off with fellow MAs Jong and Jacob. Such a fun bunch!

Took pattern making classes in Lasalle College in Makati. Highlight of the year - Got engaged to Dear Hubby, who was accepted into Harvard's LLM program! News Trivia - Remember the Hello Garci days? One time, as Dear Hubby and I were preparing to go out on a date, we went to the ground floor of the White House to get something from the communications room. I saw two kids running around there. As we stepped out of the house, the driveway was filled with cars and a news van. Soon after, Sgt. Doble claimed his family was held hostage in the basement of our (then) home! Turns out those two kids were his. Hostage? What basement? Where? What a liar! If walls could talk!

2006 - Joined cards marketing in the bank. Got promoted.



Went on a family trip to Palawan.

Visited the future in-laws in Vancouver. Dear Hubby started school in Cambridge, MA. Took sewing classes at FIP in Ortigas. Started this blog as an outlet to document my fashion/style obsessions and observations! Soon after, got featured in Inquirer and asked by Jill of Kikay Exchange to contribute blog posts.

2007 - Got married in the Supreme Court. Was interviewed on TV when my friend Pam asked me to be the spokesperson for her site, Steal That Look (don't we all miss that site!). Visited Dear Hubby in Harvard, their family friend Uni in CT, and my friend Me-an in NJ. 

Before graduation, Dear Hubby got a job offer from a law firm in Manhattan. He accepted. 3 months later, I joined him in the US and became a housewife (God's way of saying, "See, isn't this a better way of getting you to New York?" He answered my prayer plus I was married to Dear Hubby! God really works in mysterious ways!). Spent my days exploring the city while Dear Hubby worked. Spent weekends hanging out with our friends Me-an & Eric.

Became a regular window shopper and occasional shoe customer at Barneys and Bergdorfs. Hahaha!

Started blogging in Sanriotown (to be revived again very soon)! Re-connected with my high school friend Tet who moved to New York from Frankfurt with her husband and daughter. Became good friends with online buddies Ruby and Ingrid and neighbor Paz!

2008 - Greeted the New Year with Dear Hubby's Harvard friends atop their apartment building in New York's west side. Church wedding in Manila.

Reunion with my bestest friends from high school.


Met Cecile and Grace in Pepper Lunch and found myself in Manila Style.

Got to dress models backstage for New York Fashion Week. Got to watch a couple of runway shows too. Started my column for The Radar in the Philippine Star. Again, amazing and super exhilarating to see my work in the paper I've read since I was 9. It never gets old. Re-connected with college friend, Sarj, who turned out to be a real housewife of New York City. Met-up with friends in Orlando, FL during the fall and spent Christmas in Vancouver. Best news of all, we became pregnant with Berry.

2009 - Visited my friend Xsa in PA. Went to the Bryant Park tents to watch a show with Sarj during NY Fashion Week and got photographed too. This blog got featured in a Preview supplement thanks to Joanna F. Pierra L. asked me to share my Boston travel tips in Lifestyle Asia Travel. Berry was born in June and 6 months later, became googoo&gaga's Kooky Kid of 2009! 

Went through ge lai. I can imagine getting pregnant again, but I am not ready for ge lai any time soon. In fairness, ge lai helped me recover from the birthing process super fast. I strongly suggest all new moms to practice this. I got my cousin-in-law and her friends who are all chic, sophisticated New York moms convinced, they said I should write a book about it. I think I will! If any of you have ge lai tips, recipes and anecdotes to share, email me at manilafashionobserver@gmail.com. You will definitely be credited for it of course! Finding a literary agent here in New York should be on my 2010 to do list.

In a nutshell, in ten surprisingly short years (it seems like the decade went by in a flash - although graduate school seemed like forever) I earned my MBA, made a career shift from retail to banking (then banking to housewifing!), found myself on the front row seat of Philippine historical events, got engaged and married to the most wonderful guy in the wholed universe, started my blogs (MFO and MFO for Sanriotown), moved to the US and became a homemaker, fulfilled my dream of going into the Bryant Park tents for New York Fashion Week, had our beautiful baby Berry, became a columnist for the Radar in the Philippine Star, met lovely and sincere people who became treasured friends, traveled considerably (but not as much as I wanted to) and moved at least 6 times in the past decade. Whew! What a decade! Each year just keeps on getting better and better! And with God's grace, I just know there are still much more beauty and blessings to unfold for each one of us! Can't wait!