Thank you 2010.

Here it comes again. The time of the year when I take stock and say my thanks for the blessings and everything else I experienced this year.

So here are the few things I am grateful for:

As always, I will be thankful for the three children that I raised. They are a large part of who I am today. They made me a better person and the love they provided had sustained me through countless battles in life.

I am thankful for my mother. I just adore her cooking although I wish she wouldn't put too much food on my plate. Yes, we are very different people but there is a special bond between us. Also, she made my stay here in the US very pleasant and stress free.

I am thankful that my father is still with us despite his illness. He isn't as strong as he used to be but I treasure those few times I was able talk to him.

I am very grateful for my brother who made my trip here possible. He did not only spent for my fare and application fees, but also made sure that I visited the tourist destinations while I was in California.

I am thankful for meeting AA in person. He is one of the select few I met online who remained very special to me. Finally seeing him in person, talking to him while looking in his eyes, and hearing his voice added a whole new dimension to our friendship.

I had one wish though - I wish I would meet Sid in person as well. Someday. Maybe, someday.

Meeting Ken this year is like a non-conventional fairy tale. He is charming, funny, and very thoughtful. Ours is a whirlwind relationship. He proposed to me only after three months of having known me. I am thankful for having a new future to look forward to. One with the promise of love safety, and happiness. He treated me with respect and love. I am thankful for him being the man that he is, and the love that he offers.

I am thankful being in a foreign country, away from all the people I used to know because I learned how to cope with being broke. I learn how to make do with my lot in life, and how to treasure those little treats which don't cost the earth.

I’m also truly thankful for the little things in life - sunny day, the rain, the snow, the traffic-free roads, the tranquil scenery, the wild life, the smiles on peoples faces, sitting on the couch with a warm fuzzy blanket on winter nights while watching a good western movie.

While it might seem like I need a lot to be happy in life, there really are only a few things that I need in order to get by.

In short, this has been a good year.

Real Bambis.

Do you like watching deer? I do.

I grew up in a country where "bambi" only exist in book. So seeing a real deer fascinates me.

Each day on my way to work, I would crane my neck looking for a single deer or hope to see two or three. But sometimes I get lucky and see a large herd of deer crossing the road. Bucks, does, fawns, walking and running.

You see, since it started to snow Ken had been the one driving me to and from work. We enjoyed the scenery during the early mornings. We would leave home early so we can take a different route each time. Most of the time we would take the gravel road and as expected, it always seemed like we were the only ones out-and-about. Sure, now and then we would encounter another vehicle, but the timing gave us the road almost to ourselves.

Sitting inside the car on a foggy morning and seeing a family of beautiful deer out in the field is truly a beautiful sight. But of course Ken is acutely aware that a deer may jump into our path from the brush and trees. So he drove slow and always anticipating an encounter with one or more of these fur covered friends.

Sometimes we don't see them, but we know they're there. When we see a deer or group of deer moving toward the road, he would slow down the speed of the car and proceed with caution and also to give us time to watch them.

Like most cities in Minnesota, deer hunting is encouraged here. But even if this saddened me, I know that the deer population has to be controlled as their overabundance could destroy farmlands or wreak havoc in the area that they are at.

As with any area that has many deer, people here also get frustrated with the deer jumping out in front of vehicles and causing accidents or cause damage to a car. In the same way that a hunter can kill a deer, a deer has plenty of ways of killing a hunter.

But whatever their fate, the beauty of seeing these real "Bambis", however briefly, were etched in my mind forever.

My Christmas present.

While reading book has always been a favorite pastime for me, the style of reading has changed these days.

We now have electronic books!

The first time I saw Amazon's Kindle was in April when I first got here. I was in awe at the Kindle display there but I cannot afford it, so I just went to searched for Dan Brown's The lost Symbol in hard bound copy.

But guess what?

Ken gave me as a Christmas present, the Nook.

Oh my gosh, this is even better with its two separate screens. That makes it quite unique because the bottom portion of the screen is a full color screen with multi-touch display, while the upper screen is a monochrome e-ink display, just like the Kindle’s. I also like the fact that this device is specifically designed to read books designed by a company which specializes in books.

He even bought a case for it too.

Thank you so much, Ken!

Music of my life.

I have been listening to music.

Nothing unusual about that. Except that I have been listening to music of the 50's, 60's and the 70's. And I am downloading them into my mp3(at least the last two)so I can listen to them over and over.

When I was a teenager, the melody alone was enough for me to like a song, get on the dance floor and the rest took care of itself. But as I grew up I realized something - the songs seem to reflect what was happening in my life at the time, or had happened at some point in the past. Like falling in love, splitting up, heartache, pleasant surprises, death, all featured in my life and in the songs I listened too. There wasn't a particular song that stood out, but more a realization that the words actually meant something, if only I could be bothered to listen.

I actually knew the words to songs, not just dance to the music. When I had a boyfriend, then split up, I would find a song to fit the mood. When I had a new crush I would find a new song to be happy. When death occurred in the family, then there were a whole hit parade full of songs to fit the occasion. The Beatles, Bread, Queen, Bee Gees, Eagles, all wrote songs I could relate too. Also solo artist like Manilow, Streisand, Stevens, Richie, Dion who have voices as rich as their lyrics.

But the majority of today's sounds, I'm not too sure if its music anymore because it doesn't have anything to say to me. I don't relate to it at all.

But I still know a good song when I hear one.

PS: I wasn't born during the 50's but I want to listen to Ken's music and appreciate the tune of this era.

Brrrr ...cold!

We had another snowfall yesterday.

The thought of seeing snow fall excites me no need when I was still in Manila. Oh yes, the sight continue to marvel me but the experience of actually living with snow doesn't.

First, because it's miserably cold!

Yes, even when the season has charm, it doesn't charm me as much as refraining from freezing my bones. Besides, after several days when the snow freezes, they become obstructive and filthy. I also do not like the slap of a strong cold wind on my face, frostbiting my ears and especially, chapping my lips. The last one is most uncomfortable.

As a result I have to bundle up like an Eskimo to spend a few minutes outdoors. I also have to constantly keep my hands covered with gloves, which is pretty an obstruction if I need to use my hand constantly. My feet also get soaked from walking through snow and ice. Hence paired with the cold air outside, my feet would turn numbed. I also worry about slipping on my bottom on the ice... AGAIN!

Add to that are the terrible gray days which occured all too often. The clouds covered the precious few hours of daylight, therefore the rest of the time, it's pitch dark outside.

The saving grace for me is the holiday feel around town when all the Christmas lights starts to twinkle.

Yeah, I could feel the magic in the air...but so is the cold looking for any way it can find to creep beneath my clothes and pierce right through until I am brittle to the bone.