I honestly don’t know how or where to start this post. But one thing is for sure, I will, or rather, I started writing.

No more dilly dallying.

No more procrastinating.

No more keeping my thoughts confined inside the four walls of my head.

I must write.

Write to remember.

Write to learn.

Write to move forward.

Because I am warmed up and so ready to move forward with baby steps and giant leaps in 2012.

The past week was all about taking a good look at what 2011 brought into my life. To sum it all up in a single word, 2011 was about CHANGE: from being single to becoming married, from being employed and fiercely independent to becoming unemployed and highly dependent, from being in a long distance relationship to becoming physically, almost 24/7 together under one roof and from being at home with family and friends in the Philippines to becoming an OFW (Overseas Filipino’s Wife) in a foreign land. It was one hell of a roller coaster ride of change, complete with its soaring peaks and gaping dips and nauseating loop-the-loops, a year filled with fear, expectations, anxiety, thrills, romance, adjustment, laughter, risk, loneliness, uncertainty, and, of course, good food all rolled into one neat, ribboned package. A huge gift I really thought and believed I was so ready for, but, in fact, I wasn’t ready at all. Looking back, I guess because my vision of 2011 ended at the wedding reception. I did not see beyond the wedding day. I was just happy to have almost single handedly planned and executed our wedding.

And so with all the wisdom I’ve realized, learned and gained from the year that whizzed past, I vowed to envision what I wanted my 2012 to be. I didn’t know how or where to start…yet again. But I guess, it is true that when you want something, God / The Universe conspires for it to happen. And so I stumbled upon an article a friend wrote for Cosmopolitan Magazine Philippines. She wrote how she declared she’d have an amazing year and she did! I wanted to then do the same for my 2012. I needed my own word for 2012. And like magic, the word “Beautiful” popped up, which sent a good tingling sensation through every fiber of my being. This was IT. 2012 will be beautiful for me. 2012 IS beautiful for me. They say to make things come into fruition, you must write them down. So to finally seal the deal for a beautiful 2012, I doodled a note on my gratitude notebook:

I was so inspired that I also made a beautiful 2012 vision board to remind me and keep me inspired throughout the year:

And so…what the heck is the connection of all this vision mumbo jumbo with my food blog?!?

If you are keen with wee little details, you would have noticed a tiny scribble about writing. I said that 2012 is “about creating beautiful words.”

Hence, this blog should be a witness to that courageous declaration. I actually have come prepared with my notebooks and guide books (books that I’ve hauled from home, which cost me some excess baggage!), but these babies have been gathering dust on our shelves for quite some time already.

I do commit to write on this blog at least once a day. Once a day?!? So that’s 365 days??? Hell yeah. I don’t care if it is just one sentence. I have to write SOMETHING. Do I have the liberty to type just random words and shizz? Not really. The challenge is to create at least a sentence of something beautiful. So pretty please feel free (yes, I am giving all of you permission. Consent baby!) to kick me in the @$*, physically or, at least, electronically if I do not stick to my commitment or churn out crap. Constructive feedback will most welcome Or perhaps somebody who would be willing to be my writing coach / buddy? Any takers?

Oh, and speaking of making things bright and beautiful, I also will be challenging myself to make my blog layout pretty with the very little techie skills up my sleeves. I just hope somebody would be generous enough and willing to help me out. Nuninoooninooooo…Guys, I seriously need help here. I cannot code HTML / CSS or whatever techie language to save my life.

Happy New Year everyone!

I didn’t know how the hell to start this post, but I sure do know on how my 2012 will end! Hope your 2012 will be as beautiful as mine Teeheeheehee! Or do you have a different word for the year?

Delirious about delicious,

Didi