2007 | the year that was

like all the year - ender blogs, i will attempt to write about 2007 and how it was for me.

• my year of new loves (and lusts..hahaha!), beach bummin', crazy football practice drills, new found friends to treasure forever, heartaches, betrayal, out of the blue road trips at dawn, unexpected kisses, music surge from my ipod, drunken drunken nights, pizza overload, falling asleep while driving, believing in love again
• the year i learned that when bad things happen to me or when the situation falls short from what i expected, it means that greater things are bound to happen
• when i became a dark angel and it was a turning point from there on
• i failed the trainer's demo in etelecare but got accepted to QA which led to my promotion as TOIC
• when i was infatuated with my best friend's ex which led to a betrayal by my little sister but now my friendship with her is stronger than ever
• the first time a camped out in a tent for 2 nights and 3 days with nothing to depend on but the water we can buy from the stores outside the resort and rubber-chicken -- a 2007 holy week in bantayan with canence!
• when i dated a long time friend which led to another heart ache but one which i don't regret because now we are still very good friends
• when i celebrated my 23rd birthday with more friends that i could ever imagine and had the longest birthday at work -- people were greeting me all week
• when i was at the prime of my football career and was awarded best defensive line in my team for having the most sacks and tackles for the 4 years i've been playing the sport
• when i went on my first manila trip ever with four guys and felt so taken cared of
• when my little sister graduated and i've never felt more old..hehe.
• when i took my first ferry boat ride to mactan island -- one of the most amazing 15 mins i've had in my life
• the year when i sold my most-loved vintage volkswagen which i named "stacey"
• had the most trips to the beach in a year -- malapascua, daanbantayan, moalboal, bantayan, el salvador in danao and even the small beaches in liloan
• the year when i had to let go of a long time love because nature failed me and i had my ligament torn on my right knee --- the year i had to stop playing football after 4 years
• the year when i traded vudu or loft to more chillout places like sizzling buddha, crib, baseline, cheavers, handuraw, friends' house -- marianne's, tessa's, gammy's
• growing up to be a more responsible adult when i took the responsibility of paying for house bills and giving allowances to my mom and dad
• when i established a bank account which i could call my own back-up plan
• tried being awake for more than 30 hours and still survived
• first over-night stay at marriot with long-time friends -- tha' thugs
• just when i almost stopped believing that magic can happen to me, i found a boy who made me feel happy and loved
• the year when 12 people made me feel stressed, cared for, angry and mad all at the same time -- i handled my very first team in etelecare
• multiple drives to home where i find myself thinking about my life and the lives of others
• the year i was closest to God when i finally accepted that everything not only happens for a reason but for a purpose
• the year when i forgave myself for letting go of my first love
• the first christmas and new year where i felt so at peace, i was almost complete

park my cleats | hang my jersey

flag football was introduced to me 4 years ago when i had nothing else to do with my life but mope about my broken heart, go clubbing or partying and study every once in a while. the chargers became my first flag football family. we started out with 14 guys and 3 girls and on our first season, we only had 1 win. that was when we had red horse instead of water while we were playing...haha! a year after, i experienced my first semis with the chargers --- it was against the flamingos. that 8 on 8 season was the craziest season i had --- waking up at 4am to practice, fighting with the coach, the team captains and myself. that season was filled with tears, heartaches and triumphs.

and now, playing for the dark angels...welp, i can't describe the experience with them to the core. just this, the angels keep me motivated amidst my busy and routine day. saturday is angels + flag football day.

but last october 27, during our game against the bombshells, i endured an accident on my right knee. after 4 years of playing, i mistakenly placed all the force on my right knee when i stopped for my run to grab the flag. it hurt like hell and i couldn't walk for one whole day. my knee would hurt when i moved. so just imagine how i stank when i couldn't shower until sunday. haha! seriously, i had to contemplate and worry to death whether i could walk again. fortunately, i still could. i found out i had a tear on my meniscus. The menisci are two pads of cartilaginous tissue which serve to disperse friction in the knee joint between the lower leg (tibia) and the thigh (femur). with the tear, i can hardly straighten my leg nor bend it.

november 5th is the day i had to decide with a heavy heart to give up the sport i loved so much -- even in my sleep. it's ironic how i've always lived by "everything happens for a reason" yet i can't fathom the reason for my injury. i realized that this is the end of football for me yet it's really hard to let it go. football kept me alive. it kept me young. but sadly, i would have to park my cleats and hang my jersey. i would have to grow up.