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Just like last year, I spent the first hour of 2008 in reflection and prayer. I admit my prayer time is very different from last year’s (sometimes even non-existent…hay), but this year’s first ever prayer time is still a prayer nonetheless.

I re-read my journal from last year and I just have to laugh at my old goals. I won’t list them down anymore since I hardly fulfilled any (see, 2007 was a difficult year), but this year, I want it to be different. As what Bo Sanchez said in today’s Didache reflection: Friend, write your dreams! So…here we go!

2008 Goals (The Year of Big, Fun and Scary Stuff):

• Go to Sydney for World Youth Day 2008. The thought of this scares and excites me, and a part of me feels like I should not push through. Sometimes I feel too lazy to save up or plan…but this is the first BIG trip I’m planning for myself. I want this. And by God’s grace, I will get to Sydney…with friends, of course. :) I heard the screening for Philippine delegates (the sponsored ones, I think?) is over, but I can still go! This just means I’m going to have to be stricter with my budget (say goodbye to any plans of getting anything big and expensive, like plasma tv lifts) and do a lot of planning. Hmm.
• And speaking of traveling…visit at least two other places in the Philippines. 2007 was a year without beaches, or special trips out of town, except for Naga and Singapore. This year, I want to be able to go to out of town trips around the country. Not necessarily the beach, but at least somewhere outside Manila. Oh, and properly document it.
• Drive on my own. This has been on my goals list since I learned how to drive, and I haven’t done it. Ehehe. The only driving I do lately is take out the car from the garage. I just keep on having visions of myself crashing whenever I drive. Or bumping someone. Bah. This year, I promise to practice driving whenever I can and to get rid of all the bad visions and trust that I would not get into a car crash nor scratch the car or be the cause of traffic.
• Lose at least 20 lbs and/or 3 inches. I’d say 50 lbs, but I figured I should start slow. I will eat healthier: more fruits and veggies, less meat. I will stop eating too many sweets and fast food, drink more water and juice instead of soda. And I will exercise. Time to get those boxing gloves out again!
• Learn how to jumprope. My coordination skills are so blah. This year, I promise to master the jumprope!
• Finish my 2006 NaNoWriMo novel. Because I missed writing chicklit last year and I really want to finish Rain’s story.
• Establish the PinoyWrimo community and bring attendance to events to at least 20 people. After the success of last year’s events, this year should be better, right? :)
• Read at least 50 books in one year, and review at least half of it. Hello, 50 book challenge! This means I’ll be reviewing more books come 2008.
• Reward myself with new clothes/shoes every month. This is in connection with what I elaborated with in this post. Yes, this is a goal, because I am not a “shopper”, even if I am a girl. I’d rather spend my money on food or books, instead of this one, really.
• Revive Godchicks. The group of girls are okay, but the website is dying. ^^;
• Start my own blog hosting/hosting business. I did not sign up for Dreamhost for nothing. :)
• Bake any one of the following: apple pie, double-layered cake or cheesecake. It’s time to expand my baking abilities, yes?
• Try/learn something new. What “something” is, it’s yet to be determined. New food, new sport, new place, new anything. I’ll have to make a list of this after this year’s over. :P
• Give time for Gawad Kalinga. I read the company’s report on GK for last year and I got psyched again. This year, I’ll volunteer for Gawad Kalinga again, and bring some teammates as well. :)
• Renew my prayer time and grow in my faith. In what way I will accomplish that, I have no idea. But I will do my best to attend first Wednesday and first Friday mass and confess at least every two months.

And in an attempt to watch over these goals (which I bet will still grow), I created a new category just for this one to keep track of my goals. Oh wait, one more goal:

• Document everything. Bring my camera everywhere to “capture moments” and write about everything I can (online and offline).

There you go. Like I said, this list will most probably grow and I will favorite this so I can keep track. Also, feel free to bug me about these goals every now and then, especially if I’m not posting anything about them. :D

Before the first day of 2008 ends, I’d like to share something from Pareng Oswald (Chambers), in his My Utmost for His Highest devotional. I wrote this in my journal last year, and I wrote it again this year because it’s beautiful:

It is true that we have lost opportunities that will never return, but God can transform this destructive anxiety into a constructive thoughtfulness for the future. Let the past rest, but let it rest in the sweet embrace of God. Leave the broken, irreversible past in His hands and step out into the invincible future with Him.

Good night everyone!