Swabeng Thoughts: The 2014 that changed my perspective entirely

The year 2014 was very much fruitful and meaningful to me. For me, 2014 was just a continuation of 2013 where I received blessing after blessing despite challenges and obstacles came along the way. 

On family, it was a sight to behold to witness how my daughter grow so fast that only a few years back, she's only crawling and utter simple words. And now she can do things on her own like taking a bath, brushing her teeth and even helping out with some household chores at home. Also, she can now speak a few phrases in English whether we ask her a question or she wanted to say something (Thanks Peppa Pig!). She can now read and write a few letters though with her reading, she sometimes messes it up (on purpose). What I like about her improvement this year is that she can do the Sign of the Cross as well as recite the Lord's Prayer (Our Father) with the guidance of her mom. But we still need to improve her social skills as she is kinda shy when dealing with other kids (or other people) for the first time. Well next year would be her year as we'll be sending to school so she could interact with other kids. I know she'll outperform herself for the best.

With work, things got better and challenging at the same time. From logging-in to facebook everyday at work, now I don't log-in to facebook at work and instead, check my updates at home (or on the road) from my mobile. I seldom visit forums that is not related with work in my workstation. Instead, I check work-related websites as well as a few personal finance related websites (blogs) on how to improve your personal finance and check other websites that would help me grow as an individual. Well every now and then, I check other websites on food and photography but its on a limited time only (meaning if I am terribly bored). Probably, I'll add book reading as a list of things to do in the office when things get very very boring but its better than doing nothing right?

Health matters, it's like dead even. Why? At the start of the year, I was very active getting up a bit early and walk around to reduce weight and get in-shape. But time passed and I wasn't able to keep it up with my target, thus the weight I lost during the start of the year gained back again. Eating habits got a bit worse until the end of the year which I was able to curb and limit thanks to my Doctor's consistent reminder on weight management (from 3 maintenance medications, its now down to 2). I got to limit my vices to almost nil (except for special occasions) but I need to limit my recreational visits as well, to keep my wallet happier. I always fail on this part but I'll do my best to improve here. 

On Blogging and Photography, I was almost at a complete halt on this. I mean, from my usual weekly/monthy posts and photoshoots, it was almost down to nil as my priorities have shifted. Shifted in a way that my iPhone got me hooked on the internet whenever I had the opportunity at home. That leads to piling up on pending things to do on both Blogging and Photography that I need to do something here fast. While I can't promise to limit my internet connectivity via mobile, I'll try to inject some creativity in my head again for me to be able to revive my other passions in life. 

On money matters, I was able to hit my target on completing my emergency savings. I got to learn a lot of things as well like investing in Stocks, Mutual Funds, Unity Investment Trust Funds and Variable Universal Life Insurance. I was able to fortify my learnings by attending free and paid seminars during the second half of the year. By the end of this year, I already have an Online Account for Stocks, two Mutual Fund Accounts (with 1 pending), one VUL (pending approval) and a decent emergency fund (good for 6 months). I could have saved much more if it wasn't to some things that well...I guess I need to limit it one step at a time. 

At the end of this year, I look forward that 2015 would not just be another year for me but also a better year for me (and everyone else). 

Happy New Year! 

Swabeng Thoughts: The long and unexplained hiatus.

Its been months since the last time I wrote something here. I got too busy with work, raising a very playful and mischievous daughter and been busy with doing new things. While I can write here at work (during off-peak), I couldn't as my resources are scarce. 

It was like the first time again for me to put something that would make me remember the sole reason why I write online in the first place. It was those random thoughts that was the last time running through my head and make me think again why I had to be away. While there were times that I was suppose to put something in this space, a part of me wanted to be away for sometime and had me too pre-occupied.

Seven (or more) months not writing anything my mind expresses was like a year or more for my seasoned blogger friends who keeps me updated through their respective facebook page. If they experienced what I'm experiencing right now, they might have deserted their space and simply created a new one (I'm still planning to buy my own domain someday).

But I guess it's not yet time for me to leave this space and start anew. Probably, I'd try to pick-up the pieces and continue where I left off. The question when will I be active here again lies on my will power to continue amid all distractions that comes through my way. 

Until then, I hope I could find the inspiration and the drive to get back to the grove and share a lot of things Swabeh!

Hey! Merry Christmas by the way. 

Swabeng Random Thoughts Part 10

1. Its been so long since I've last made my entry here. More then two months since I've posted my last Swabeng Random Thoughts. 

2. My interest in Blogging and Photography is slowly dwindling for some un-explainable reason. I don't have a clue how it faded slowly. Work may not be the sole reason for the slowly demise of this hobby. Somehow, I must get it back before its too late. 

3. With #2 being said, I'm trying to read some blogs again particularly anything that has to do with Photography. I missed those times taking pictures and sharing them through here. So far, I'm reading two good blogs that may bring me back to the habit I do love (taking pictures and blogging about them). 

4. While I was able to lose a few pounds through exercise (walking) and lessen my food intake. Keeping it away (for a long long time) may take a lot of determination than I expected. As long as I lose a few more pounds before the year ends, I'm good with that. 

5. I'm already reaching 81.25% of my total emergency savings (that will last for a year). Only a few more months to go and I'm on target. Next would be saving up for investing. Hopefully I could start investing by the 4th quarter of the year. 

6. Since I've participated in the 52-week money challenge, I have an Idea how much I've already saved. To be honest, its not easy to do this on a 50 pesos per week increment (trust me) but hopefully, I could hit the target by the end of the year. With that amount, I could probably last for a few more months or use it to earn more. 

7. I also need to learn to tinker with my iPhone instead of using it just for browsing. Since I had that phone with me, I'm almost hooked into it whenever I have it with me. Thank God I don't bring it yet to work for safety reasons. 

8. Since they have forbidden Facebook in all workstations here, I was able to adapt somehow but I wasn't able to keep up with my games and let it go idle for a while. Now I'm trying to play them again even if its only once in a day. 

I hope I could get back really soon. Only time knows when...

Swabeng Random Thoughts Part 9

1. Its been more than 6 months since I posted my last Swabeng Random Thoughts. A lot of things have come and go through last year that I wasn't able to do some updates.

2. Last month was pretty much busy for me that I wasn't able to do any updates in this blog for the month of February. I mean, no posts and not even drafts were made last month.Well its my fault that I didn't allot even an hour a day for this. My bad. Hopefully, I could get go on this and finish my zero backlog. 

3. This year, I started browsing through several financial blogs that has something to do with investing and mutual funds. I realized that I myself wanted to be financially independent not just for my future but for Marien's future as well.

4. Also this year, I decided to hit the road and do some morning walks (jogging). Though it's still a long way for me, I know I'd be able to lose some weight and be able to hopefully join a 3K, 5K, 10K or even a 21K run in the future. 

5. I'm still trying to adjust my eating habits as I'm so far good at limiting my rice intake for the day. I just need to fine tune some fat intake and limit cola to almost nil. 

6. However, my biggest obstacle so far is forum hopping that keeps me from being productive. I must resist temptation but how? XD

7. I'm looking forward to this year as a challenge and face it head-on


And now this concludes my first post for the month. XD

Swabeng Thoughts: A decade after quarterlife

I just celebrated my birthday a few days back and I felt it was just like yesterday when I celebrated my 25th. Today, its been a decade since I celebrated my quarter life and I haven't looked back since. Indeed, God gave me a lot of reasons to live my life to the fullest after a lot of setbacks I got especially ten years ago.

Back in 2004, I just quit a teaching job not knowing how would that year end up. Got a bit too lazy to move forward that I wasted an entire year doing almost nothing but going online surfing about useless stuff.

While I try to look for a decent job back then, I didn't seem to care to get serious about it and just let it go with the flow. It didn't seem to matter to me whether or not I get hired or not but its about living it one day at a time. 

That was also the year I met a girl that I thought I would spend the rest of my life with. Like summer romance, it all ends on a sad note that I felt so depressed I had thoughts of ending my life then and there. I got to meet another girl during that year but It didn't erase the thoughts of the one that got away (not until I met my last girlfriend who happens to be my wife now). 

Anyway, the Decade's past has already been part of history which where I am right now, may not be possible if it wasn't for the mistakes I made back then. 

Now its time to embrace the good life and all the good choices it has to offer. Speaking of which, I'm halfway though my target in my daughter's account.