2011.

I must admit, I thought I’d accomplish more things this year. But looking back, I think I’ve done the best I could. Some of the most important life milestones happened for me this year and I think they’ve been more meaningful.

Rounding up from last year’s post, here are some of the things I can actually mark off:
1. Upgrade my camera body (currently having a Canon 350D)
-Oh yea! I now have my 5D Mark ii buddy with me on shoots, although after each one the firm grip gives me hand allergies. Talk about suffering in love.

2. Finally graduate with a Bachelor’s degree of Science in Information Technology
– I did and did so making my family proud. Yay! So glad to finally be done with academics. Although I am thinking of going into a more artsy-fartsy specialized course… Hmmm.

3. Travel more
– Satisfactory. I feel immensely blessed to be able to tour around America. It is a beautiful country. Also, I’m officially able to travel to Manila and Singapore by myself anytime I need so. Independence is sweet.

4. Work outside the country
– Wasn’t able to do this. 🙁 Decided not to push through with my photography apprenticeship in Singapore because it just wasn’t worth it. Tried to get an IT job instead but I lacked the experience… So, that only means there is another path for me. I hope to find it soon! 🙂

5. Take more editorial jobs
– This I have accomplished many thanks to David Cua from Zee Lifestyle (Cebu) and Katsu Modomo and Shiloah Matic-Ma from Summit Media’s Total Girl magazine (Manila). Thank you for all the opportunities! I am forever thankful.

6. Read more (I currently have like five books in queue)
– Noooo! I think I’ve only finished reading two books this year. 😐 The most recent one being “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bo Sanchez which is a very light and good-hearted read. I keep a copy on my office desk so I don’t lose myself in the monotonous work pace and dullness of a concrete space.

7. Learn how to be independently financially stable
– This is a half slash because I’m getting there… Slowly, but surely. I tend to over budget or under budget at times so I’m still trying to find my own personal way of handling money. I tend to splurge more on food and gadgets/camera stuff than clothes and shoes anyway so it’s probably… Not so bad? Or maybe bad for my fashion sense.

8. Drive better
– This is a year where I’ve actually drove the least. But I can safely crush this out because I’ve driven on a stick-shift and not crash or anything. Not even a scratch or dent. Hee.

9. Learn how to quote on service fees better (For now this is my ultimate weakness)
– Hmm… A lot better than last year, yes. So I guess I can mark this off but it still remains to be practiced.

10. Facebook less
– I hate you! So distracting and entertaining. :)) I wait for the day I tire of Facebook.

11. Write more
– I have actually written a lot more than last year, more stories than blog posts in my secret writing haven. I don’t think they’re any good so I’m not yet ready to reveal the URL. But I think I saw two people I didn’t know follow me, so I wonder how they found it. It’s amazing how some people really know their way around the Internet.

12. Learn how to cook real meals
– Oh nooo. This is probably the least achieved on the list…

13. Dress up more often (not really necessary but it would be nice)
– Maybe I can do this next year.

Things that I want to accomplish next year :
– Work on an idea for a business!
– Travel to a beautiful place
– Visit my mom in Australia
– Write more stories
– Shoot more photostories
– Work on our dream book constantly (perhaps a separate post about this)
– Collaborate with many more passionate people
– Get my own domain name (still thinking about a good one. maybe my full name would be too long for a dot com)

Things that happened this year :
– First editorial, Happy Days Are Here to Stay, published for January 2011 Fashion editorial for Total Girl Magazine
– Shot the Spring/Summer 2011 Campaign for DollFace Cosmetics
– Shot the Summer 2011 Campaign for Mejia Bespoke Shoes
– Shot the June 2011 Fashion editorial for Zee Lifestyle, The Callithump
– Collaborated with The Humanizer for The Male Factor 2011 exhibit
– Graduated from university as Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology
– Underwent LASIK to correct my vision
– Shot one of the fashion editorials, The Preservation, for the September 2011 Zee Lifestyle fashion issue
– Shot Raleene Cabrera and Samantha Benitez for Zee Lifestyle’s Fashion Femmes
– Shot three Prefall 2011 Campaigns for What A Girl Wants, Paramanesia, Full Circle and Anonymous
– My shots for Ink’d Tees was around the booth at IT park during the bazaar
– Traveled around America with family
– Got my first ever job at Accenture
– This blog, Her Soliloquies, got published on the Nokia Ovi App site thanks to Charles Julius Tan from Nokia Philippines
– Participated in The Nonsense Society’s awareness film with other artists from around the world
– Collaborated with Cebuano Tours for my photostory, Cleopatra’s Blood Siren
– Shot Lani Pasquet for the January 2012 personalities feature for Zee Lifestyle magazine (to come out next month marking my first cover shoot! So excited!)
– Decided to participate in Artists Wanted’s Year In Review Contest. Please vote for me here!
– And last but not least (beware beware, cheesiness alert), I found a love that’s here to stay… 🙂

Happy New Year to everyone around the world.