So I was busy minding my own business last Monday, doing some work stuff and such when an unknown number suddenly calls my personal number. I look at it for a while, wondering if it’s a possible employer who found out about my skillz…so I answered it.

Me: Hello?
Smart Man (SM): Hello, good morning, is this [insert my Mom's name here]?

I was dumbfounded for a while — why are they calling my number to look for my mom? Then I realized that it could be Smart.

Me: Uh…no, this is her daughter, I’m the one using this line…who is this?
SM: This is from Smart, we just want to inform you that your unit, Nokia 6233, is here.
Me: [pause] Ah okay.

At this point, I wanted to tell him off, at how this retention thing sucks and why I have to wait for so long when I could just buy a phone and say goodbye to having a Smart postpaid line and get a Globe prepaid line, who has unlimited texting privileges unlike Smart…

…but of course I didn’t.

Me: Ah okay. I could pick it up anytime?
SM: Yes, ma’am, at Robinson’s Galleria Smart Wireless Center.
Me: Okay, thank you.

Now enter the dilemma. I stated my convictions pretty well about this issue and I was preparing myself to have a prepaid again. But of course, I’d have to wait and save for a phone, which means I must have a stable job for the next six months if I want to buy it using the credit card. And I’d have to wait. Waiting isn’t such a big thing for me, actually (I’m so used to it that sometimes I get unnerved when I don’t have to wait). But when it’s already in front of me, calling for me to just claim it and yet I still have to wait, well that’s a different story.

But then the Php1,000+ monthly bill for the next 24 months feels a bit painful to the wallet as compared to paying around Php2,000+ for six months…wait, the latter’s painful too, especially since I have to give out a bigger amount of money.

So I talked to my mom, who owned the line and we came to an agreement: we’ll still get the phone and continue the line, but she will help me pay for the bills by splitting it in half and anything in excess to that bill is also mine. If ever I get a raise within the time of retention, then I’ll shoulder the bill again (operative word: IF EVER :P). I pay for the phone too, so it’s mine.

But wait, I thought I was so angry at Smart that I vowed never to get a Smart SIM (or not)? My mom (M) and I (T) came up with these reasons:

1. (M) It would be hard to get a postpaid line if we have this one cut off. My brother’s planning to have his disconnected (after serving him for four years) and that is under my dad’s name. My line is under my mom’s name because my dad helped her find a way to get it approved. Since she’s already retired, she won’t be able to get another line if we want to. Obviously, I can’t get one yet since my salary isn’t enough and my brother is too.
2. (T) I want to get the phone already.
3. (T) It would be easy for me to make calls to my dad in case of emergency or something else (i.e. having major arguments at home where my dad needs to mediate). Hm…if my mom calls my dad through that, would she pay for that part of the bill?
4. (M) My mom plans to get a Globe prepaid SIM together with her Smart, and she wants to get my N6020, but I told her I’d be using that…but she can use it if she wants, I’ll just get myself one when I save enough. My brother and I agreed, though, to buy her a new phone for her birthday if she really wants to get a Globe. Or earlier.
5. (T/M) I have more PasaLoad privileges if ever my mom runs out of load and doesn’t have access to any load whatsoever.
6. (T) It’s such a pain to change numbers again.
7. (T/M) Like what was mentioned in # 3, calling privileges. 200 minutes, baby. :P But if people keep on calling, I should ask for payments, ano? Payphone? :P
   .

So I guess my going back to prepaid is not going to come true anytime soon. I’m still going to have to carry three phones (Smart, Globe, Sun) and I will still have to load Globe every once in a while…but I guess it’s okay. But at least I have a stable, will-never-run-out-of-credits-unless-I-forget-to-pay-my-bill phone line.

And a new phone. Must not forget that!

Ah, what the heck. I feel like I’m going to eat my words sometime in the middle of my renewed plan, but at least I am assured of some sort of financial assistance from my mom. I sort of feel bad that I’m still asking them for financial help for things I would be using more than they do now that I have a job. :-s But I still hold my ground that Smart should have more promos for their postpaid lines (i.e. unlimited texting for Smart to Smart, etc). Seriously! It would definitely boost up loyalty points with the subscribers. Hello, Smart?

And can I just say? I can’t wait to get that phone. 6233, you’re mine!

Anyway, today’s the last day of work for the YEAR! Wow. Somehow the idea of work for the next year kind of scares me, like all I’m seeing for the coming year is a year full of work work work, unlike back in school where there’s summer vacation to look forward to. Hay, the costs of adulthood. But then again, it’s useless to look around and wish I am somewhere else because I believe I am here for a purpose, and because God has been faithful and is still faithful, I will stick to this until He tells me to move on. Lord, just give me a God-listening heart so I know when it is time to let go.

Anyway, because there’s nothing else to do, here’s one of the 2006 year-end surveys that can be found around the Internet.

What did you do in 2006 that you’d never done before?
Get a proper job and get paid for it. Turn 20 years old. Go to a Hillsong United-led worship. Go to Davao. Be really accountable to people.

Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I made 10 and I successfully fulfiled 4. ^^; The others are done in half, like I did it sometimes or did it for the half of the year then stopped. I will make resolutions again next year, but this I’m going to make them different. More specific and such. :P

Did anyone close to you give birth?
My cousin’s wife, who gave birth to my beautiful godson, Sean. :)

Did anyone close to you die?
No.

What countries did you visit?
Stayed in the good old Philippines. :D

What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
A better prayer life, more friends (as in close friends, not mere acquaintances), higher salary, more confidence in driving and more memory for my laptop. :P Or a new laptop, God willing. :)

What date from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 13, 2006 – the day we passed our thesis defense
April 7-9, 2006: Davao ILC
April 24-30, 2006 – Kalinga Luzon
June 17, 2006 – College graduation
September 4, 2006 – first day at work
November 21, 2006 – Hillsong United-led worship.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting to know God better, being truly accountable to other people, and being able to go to confession before the year ends. Oh, and graduating college and getting a job, too.

What was your biggest failure?
Committing the same sin over and over again. :(

Did you suffer illness or injury?
Colds and asthma only, nothing that serious.

What was the best thing you bought?
Books! Books! Books! :) Oh and a wireless router.

Whose behavior merited celebration?
Hmm…my brother for being more responsible, and Prince, for living up to his name. ;)

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Mine, especially from July to December. There are other people, but I’d rather not say who.

Where did most of your money go?
Books, and that wireless router.

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Davao ILC, Kalinga Luzon, and Hillsong United in Manila.

What song(s) will always remind you of 2006?
Okay, so many songs! Take My Love by Shane & Shane, From the Inside Out by Hillsong United, Miracle and Dance to Me by Storyside:B, all songs of Building 429, Big Enough, Days and Beauty by Ayiesha Woods, Unafraid and Say Goodbye by Joy Williams and For My Love by Bethany Dillon. And the theme song: By Your Side by Hillsong. :)

Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? happier, although there are those sad moments…then again everyone has them.
ii. thinner or fatter? fatter. :( Or wait, I think I didn’t grow fatter, but I didn’t get thinner either
iii. richer or poorer? both? I now have a semi-steady salary (will be steady once I am a regular), but I also started spending more. ^^;

What do you wish you’d done more?
Pray before anything else.

What do you wish you’d done less of?
Talk and do things without praying.

What was your favorite TV program?
I fell in love with Disney this year: Martin Mystery, Kim Possible, Totally Spies, Lilo & Stitch, American Dragon Jake Long, Hannah Montana, The Emperor’s New School, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, DCOM! Wohoo! :D Oh yeah, Daria, CSI: New York and Joan of Arcadia. :)

Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I don’t like hating people.

What was the best book you read?
There’s so many to choose from…but the three I really, really liked: Dreaming in Black and White by Laura Jensen Walker, Thr3e by Ted Dekker and the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde (okay so the last one’s four books, but let’s count it as a set).

What was your greatest musical discovery?
Ayiesha Woods and Jessie Daniels, much thanks to Tuesday. :)

What did you want and get?
Books. Haha. What else? That’s pretty much it.

What was your favorite film of this year?
High School Musical and Cars. Especially Cars. :D

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 20. My birthday was spent in school, meeting with my PHILHIS groupmates for a report, getting annoyed at this person who tried to help us and then the Covenant Orientation and expecting a surprise but not getting one and realizing that even my birthday is not about me.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
To be totally honest? An honest to goodness I-can’t-believe-you-guys-went-through-all-this-for-me birthday surprise. Complete with me getting a bit miffed, a cake (tiramisu meltdown!), a sunflower and a big birthday card where everyone I know signed. Oh and a video would be nice too. :P

I’d ask for a boyfriend, but I’m not that kind of person. :P

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?
A bit more girly in some sense, and a lot more formal because I started working.

What kept you sane?
Prayer, writing and music.

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Hmm…Jad Gillies? Haha. =)

What political issue stirred you the most?
The Sex Education issue.

Who did you miss?
My Docu Household and my YFC friends when I graduated.

Who was the best new person you met?
Hmmm. This is kinda hard? I guess my officemates.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006:
It’s not wrong to dream big dreams and to be able to reach those dreams, the first thing you have to do is to take a leap of faith.

What was the nicest thing someone told you about yourself:
From my best friend Bea, and I quote:

tins, i know that you know you’re beautiful db? :) how can you not be? you have long black hair that most old people envy (because instead of growing long black hair they have long grey hair and they are forced to tie it in a bun most of the time) long black hair that most people who have pre-mature greying hair envy, you have smooth brown skin that most foreigners envy. you have nice slightly chinita eyes that glimmer when you smile. you have a very well-modulated voice, inspite of its pitch its still well-modulated perfect for call centers like sykes! hahaha :) and of course, you have love handles (which i also have) that your future GG wouldn’t get enough of. i’m sure he would love to keep pinching it because he just wouldn’t be able to get over your charm, your alluring beauty that he finds extremely attractive. and most of all, you have a heart of gold, that not most people have. you have the grace of God that unethical and immoral people don’t even find appealing. but who cares right? you are you because that’s how God wants it to be.. because i can see Him in you. you are you and you are special in every way. you must be loved in every way. no one can tell you that you’re too fat or too thin or that you need to go to belo just to have “it” fixed. i believe that with what you’re doing with your life, you are attracting the right kind of man. the man most women want and long for but is only attracted to women like you :)

:D

The most touching experience you’ve had this year?
The feeling of being taken care of at work.

What did you like most about yourself this year?
Being a bit more friendly.

What did you hate most about yourself this year?
Giving in to temptations and not praying.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
For every moment that I live and breathe, this is a moment made for worshipping. – Steven Curtis Chapman

Was 2006 a good year for you?
Yes, in a lot of ways.

What was your favorite moment of the year?
My summer vacation.

What was your least favorite moment of the year?
The finding-a-job woes.

Where were you when 2006 began?
At home.

Who were you with?
My brother.

Where will you be when 2006 ends?
At home too.

Who will you be with when 2006 ends?
With my entire family. :)

Do you have a new years resolution for 2007?
I have this for now: P.L.E.D.G.E.S.: Pray, Love, Excel, Drive, Give, Exercise, Save. :P I’ll figure out specifics next time.

What was your favorite month of 2006?
April. :)

Did you lose anybody close to you in 2006?
Hmm…no, not really.

Did you miss anybody in the past year?
So many people, especially when I graduated.

What was your favorite record from 2006?
Introducing Ayiesha Woods by Ayiesha Woods, Destination: Beautiful and The Everglow by Mae, Everything and More by Storyside:B, United We Stand by Hillsong United and Mighty to Save by Hillsong.

How many concerts did you see in 2006?
Two, but only one is a real concert. May 7 – Steven Curtis Chapman and November 21 – Hillsong United.

Did you drink a lot of alchohol in 2006?
Only in the latter part of the year. But not too many.

Do a lot of drugs in 2006?
Do vitamins count? :)

You do anything you are ashamed of this year?
Yes, and it’s between me and God.

How much money did you spend in 2006?
So much? I basically spent a lot of money because I’m earning them now. :P

What was your proudest moment of 2006?
College graduation. :)

What was your most embarrassing moment of 2006?
Answering a phone interview with “Yup”. :))

If you could go back in time to any moment of 2006 and change something, what would it be?
Nothing. :)

What are your plans for 2007?
Be a better daughter, sister, friend and employee. Love my work, love people and love God above all. Know more, learn more, read more, write more. Specifics to be figured out soon.

How are you different now that the year has ended?
I’m a more loving person than I was last year.

What are your wishes for the new year?
May God’s light and love shine in all aspects of my life. :)