I hope you're unlike me because quite frankly I'm a bit unfeeling about the New Year. I've been wallowing at this feeling since Christmas. It's not because I'm in Saudi and not because I'm far from my family -- I've spent lots of Christmasses and New Years in Saudi and no matter how austere our celebrations were in the past, I've learned to enjoy them.

This evening, God gave me an answer.

I just returned from a simple New Year Eucharistic mass. The reflections were about Mother Mary's faith. The pastor narrated his interpretation of what Mother Mary felt during the first Christmas. She got pregnant at 13 in a Mideast country! Just imagine then her fears.

While I was listening at the sermon, I realized what I'm missing. What I needed is Mary's faith.

I perceive twenty ten as an unexciting year for me, but really who am I to say that? I don't even know what God has stored for me in twenty ten.

I can only guess what Mother Mary kept repeating to herself during the first Christmas: that everything will be alright because God has plans for me.

These then is my prayer: May I have the faith of Mary this twenty ten; may you, too.

Happy twenty ten everyone!

I pinched this from the PEBA site: "Isla de Nebz blog stood out than the other blogs for me. Although there were a lot of good blogs and a lot of good entries, I enjoyed the way he presented the entry for PEBA - not just because of the graphics he showed with his entry but also because he had a unique entry per se. We all know about an OFW's hardship, the sacrifices, etc. And most of the entries just did that.But Isla de Nebz entry was a different perspective on a big aspect of an OFW's life - his income and where it goes. I enjoyed that part (even without his original graphics) His other entries were also fun to read - very light, very candid, but at the same time, he was giving us the other side of an OFW's life. He doesn't take himself seriously and I admire that." - PEBA judge

I also pinched the following photos from Roli Inocencio's facebook account:





I'm honestly lost for words. I thought there were 36 other bloggers deserving of this top prize. But yes, with all humility, I accept this year's PEBA award honor.

With this award is a promise to be better in blogging about my existence in Saudi Arabia.

Let me just collect my thoughts for a few sec...

Yaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!! I won!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mabruk!!!!!! Shukran!!!!!!!!!!! Salamat!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dyos te ag-ngina!

Had I been in Manila yesterday, this would have beeen my 10-word speech: Salamat Panginoon sa pagpapala. Gabayan nyo po kaming lahat. Amen.

(I've yet to ask Roli Inocencio, a friend who represented me, what his reactions were. When I requested him to attend on my behalf, I kiddingly told him to ensure that his speech is short and succint, and that he should only say good things about me: that I'm kindhearted, good-looking, a virgin, the sort... Thank you, Roli Pogi. I know you're busy with your theater-cum-showbiz career. Taking time to attend PEBA to represent me meant a lot to me.)

Whew. I really am not used to this kind of popularity. Naks.

Seriously...

Congratulations to all the PEBA awardees!

I, of course, offer this award..

To God. Without Him, I won't be here, my blog won't be here, we won't be here. Thank you, Lord;

To my family: Papa, Mama, Elvie, Jojo, Jillian, Janine (and that partridge in a pear tree...);

To the 27 other nominees. (Hey, guys, I honestly thought you too are all winners with your heartwarming entry posts and your impressive blogs. I pray that this year's PEBA results would make us all continue to strive to be better. Remember: There's always a next year);

To all my blogger friends who constantly visit me and leave me a comment even when my posts are not worth your time;

To all the Saudi-based Pinoy bloggers (I share with you all this honor);

To all the more than 2 million Pinoys around the world. That's 2 million more stories waiting to be written and heard;

I thank the following...

Kenjie of PEBA and his family, Shiela and Heavyn;

To all the people behind PEBA:

• NJ Abad, who first told me that I won. I hope to see you in PEBA next year;
• Azel who coerced me in publishing my entry post. I hope too to see you in PEBA next year;
• Pete Rahon, Noemi Dado, Attorney Fiona Bojos, Avel Manansala, Felix Jigs G. Segre, etc.
• To countless other people.
  

To all the judges.

To all the sponsors. I hope you'd be with PEBA again next year and the years to come.

And finally to all my friends in Saudi whose first question when I told them that I won in PEBA is: Magkano ang premyo? Hehe.

Shukran to all. And Happy New Year!

I finally received from Niini of Nokia OVI the shirt with my funny tweet printed on it.

Graciously cool!









Thank Niini! Thank you Nokia!

How would you like to own it? (Yes, I will send it to you through international pouch, free of charge!)

Here's the rule:

1. Leave me a comment here and tell me which of the 36 PEBA nominees (I excluded myself for modesty's sake) will be included in win PEBA 2009's Top 10 Blogs Best Post Entry!

2. On 28 December (when the PEBA winner is known), I will revisit your comments. The first commenter who correctly guessed the Best Post Entry wins the shirt! If there's a tie, I'll cut the shirt in two; if triple tie, in three! (Just kidding).

Good luck to all of you. Good luck to all of us 37 nominees!

And yes, Merry Hohoho Christmas!

(Thanks, RJ, for suggesting that I make the rule simpler. I believe you're right.)

I live in Alkhobar, in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia -- one hour from Bahrain, some four hours from Kuwait.





It's a city not as big as Dammam or Riyadh or Jeddah. But it being small makes it a perfect place for me. Everything here is just a walk away from our house: the barber shop, two decently-sized malls, grocery shops, banks, restaurants, Corniche seaside, etc. (Click the above photo and it will take you to a wiki-infosheet of Khobar).



I live in a three-room, one-bath, one-kitchen apartment (we call it a 'flat') with two other Pinoys: Rene and Edgar.





I pay SAR425 per month for my 4x5sqm room. It's actually a steal if you ask me. (Am I right, Azel and George? I heard the rent in Dubai or Qatar are extremely pricey).



This is the corner where I blog, chat and surf.



My RC units and the Book that controls my life.



This center table also serves as my footrest while watching tv.



My dramatic curtain!



This is where I go home to every day. I find peace and rest in here.

Next time: Where on earth is Alkhobar?

Annually, Filipino communities in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia (encompassing Alkhobar, Dammam, Dhahran, Jubail, etc) hold a get together day for Pinoy families and bachelors. Annually, too, they invite various artists to grace the occasion.

Last year, it was Eric Santos. This year, the guest was Mark Bautista.


The Filipino Community Day was held at Cobra Park in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. (The place was used to be known as King Fahd Park).





We enjoyed it. The way Hiligaynon Communities handled the affair was so professional and commendable.

(They have assigned attendants to manage the parking and traffic of vehicles, and have barong-clad personnel to cordon the guest artist from throngs of Pinoy fans. I thought it was cool.)

Cobra Park is so huge and offered lots of rides. Best of all, they were free!

Enough said. Here are the rest of the photos.



(Top photo: Notice the the park's 'cobra').





The show was almost an hour long. I think Mark sang around ten songs, ranging from Tagalog ballads to English love songs to a medley of standards for the 'old kabayans' and capped the show off with Rivermaya's 'Posible'.



Throngs of fans!



...and throngs of cellphones!



After the show, off we went for the rides!





I remembered 'Final Destination' while seeing this.



The roller coaster against the sun. The queue was so long we decided to skip it even if we wanted to try it out.



Oh how we goofed around during the Filipino Community Day.



Quite honestly, it was fun!

I see these five times a day.
From seven in the morning till half past five.



The building is a work of art and makes use of nature's beauty (notice the glass ceiling overhead as well as the hanging plants in each floor).



My shoes tic-toc on the marbled floors
(and on that wooden, spiral staircase).
The sound makes me feel I'm important
(even in reality, I'm not!).

Grand!



And in one of those offices is my cubicle.
Filled with papers; mostly trash.



This is where Nebz work.

In the coming days, I will show where Nebz lives.

Saw 500 Days of Summer and I immediately fell in love with its music especially Regina Spektor's Us. (Also loved the movie. Although the storyline is simple -- and yes, trite -- the dialogues in the movie are crisp, witty and young.).

Spektor's Us is not a new song, but I'm sure it will once again become a hit because of 500 Days.

See this Youtube Lollapalooza Concert in 2007, and notice how original Spektor's voice is, how fresh is her smile, and oh how cool the music is of Us.

Five reasons why you should watch 500 Days

1. Regina Spektor's Us;
2. Witty character dialogue (especially the narrator's);
3. Cool music;
4. Cool characters;
5. The story is for young gen, and I'm still young.