second spring

this is the second time i'm experiencing spring this year. if you're wondering how that is - it's cos i'm in the southern hemisphere now. :D since last year, it seems that this is the first time the constant cold has left me. this time last year, i was in the US, trying not to bail on aquatic chemistry (i didn't have a good chemistry background since i took civil engineering in undergrad... it turned out pretty okay though since i was one of the 2 who got the highest score on our midterm exam, a 98% - i was so proud i've kept that blue book... sorry for that bit of cockiness :p). so yeah, it was fall then, then came winter and spring... then i came back home to the philippines and it was raining all the time. when we got here in australia, it was still winter. now it's getting warmer and we don't need jackets anymore.

we're settling in okay, everything's been pretty convenient - market/grocery, church, gym, even work. i don't take the bus except when going to the city. which is good cos that meant less carbon footprint for me. :)

i read something the other day, some tips on being happy. one of them is to be happy in the present. i kind of needed to be reminded of that, well sort of - cos i'm one of those people who delight in waiting (i have an old post about this). i used to always think of things that would make me happy, something i can strive to achieve in the future - and it seems that my head is always there, in the future. but now, having completed my masters, something i only used to dream about, and having a job as a water engineer, give me some sense of contentment. i often tell raymund that i'm happy where we are - i got my MS, which paved the way for lots of opportunities, i got a job that i love and learn a lot from, i'm getting better at spin class and body pump (hehe), and we're not miles apart anymore. i guess one can always come up with a list of things missing in his life, but i prefer to be just grateful for what i have now. everything else would fall into place anyway. :)

i guess if there's one thing i'll be looking forward to, it's the wedding. one of my best friends got married recently and i missed it. i was so excited for her but sad at the same time that i couldn't be there to witness it. i was supposed to be one of her bridesmaids... anyway, she told me that when she finally tried on her wedding gown, she was so overwhelmed. i told her i knew the feeling. sometime after i got engaged, i went to a bridal shop to ask for a quotation for my dress. i tried on a sample wedding dress, a huge ball gown - and the feeling was just magical. i felt pretty even though it wasn't really my kind of gown. and i learned that day that if you opt for a dress like that, it's gonna be incredibly heavy, with all the cloth and petticoats underneath. anyway, i'm trying not to expect too much, and not to be too particular with details. the last thing i want is to be stressed or disappointed. though i'm sure at the wedding day itself, every flaw would be overshadowed by how lovely and momentous that occasion is. i can't wait! :)

anyway, here's a picture of a happy/sleepy-looking me with the story bridge and brisbane CBD for my backdrop. :) enjoy the sun!