My Top Ten Music Tracks of 2007

Following the tradition of year-end countdowns, here's a list of the top ten tracks that i kept listening to in my cellphone mp3 player:

10. i don't feel like dancin'
artist: scissor sisters

during my 4-month work-out in fitness first, i would always light up whenever i hear this song played during the cooling-down. i just LOVE this song!

9. ikaw

artist: sarah geronimo

the funny thing about this track, is that i had no idea who the real artist is. the first time i heard this on the radio, i immediately associated it to aiza seguerra because it was sung simply and with no belting out (which is so cliche among the young singers today). not until it was the year-end countdown last december, that i found out that it is actually sarah geronimo who really sang this song! silly me! but still, the melody and the lyrics are really catchy.

8. irreplaceable
artist: beyonce
probably the most sung out of all the songs listed here (even parents sing along to it!), i don't dare question the talent of beyonce...her vocal acrobatics and belting out and her originality and style in singing is no doubt one of the most innovative talent we ever had in years...a little over the top sometimes, yet beyonce always bring what we want from her - music, talent and entertainment...

7. wait for you
artist: elliott yamin
a track from one of my favorite american idols, elliot yamin proved that if you have the passion and the talent, you can succeed. probably one of the underdogs during the competition, elliot managed to stay long enough to prove to america that he CAN SING! and we'll probably hear him sing and share his love for music through his cds...


6. and i am tellin' you (i'm not goin')
artist: jennifer hudson
the song that catapulted jennifer hudson (another american idol alum) to being a certified hollywood star, and also marked lakisha jones status in the recently concluded american idol season 6, this song will keep on playing and will not go away for quite a while...

5. a hard habit to break

artist: martin nievera / jed madela & gary valenciano

one of the hardest songs to sing, it first caught my attention when martin nievera sang it on ASAP as part of his anniversary album. admittedly, martin also noted that it IS a very hard song to sing, yet he seem to have sung it effortlessly (martin still have some of 'it' left in him). recently, i heard a another version of it (a duet by jed madela and gary valenciano) and it was fantastic!


4. i'm here
artist: fantasia
possibly, my MOST favorite american idol, fantasia made her mark (not only on the american idol stage) but on broadway! singing this song with the emotions and conviction of a season performer, i wish fantasia the best in her career...more cds please!!!

3. wasted

artist: carrie underwood

the first time i heard carrie underwood perform this on the american idol stage, i just can't stop listening to it. it's on my itunes, my cellphone...it's the way she performed it onstage, it's the quality of her voice, just everything about carrie and how she sings...like simon said, "carrie has the likeability factor" ---to the highest degree! and to top it off, the lyrics of the song (though i haven't had this experience yet) is very well-written and timely...one of the best tracks in carrie's six-time platinum debut album!


2. taking chances
artist: celine dion
when i chance upon celine dion on the view, she sang two new songs from her latest album...and this track is just ---AMAZING!!! celine proved that she still and always have IT!!! plus, the lyrics and message of this song is so engaging (well, at least for me...) that you can't help but --- take a chance...cheesy!

1. no one
artist: alicia keys

no one - can ever top the a.keys reggae performance on the 2007 mtv video music awards of her first single from her latest album, as i am...and nothing can top this track on my list...

the lyrics, the melody...beginning til end...is a story in itself...i think this song not only showcases her amazing talent, but also shows her passion and love for music...can't get enough of this song...

only hope...

last year, i told my very close friends that i asked for a sign in order to make a very important decision in my life...

i asked to see this one particularly "special" girl who will be the symbol of the little hope i'm holding on to...

i do hope i get to see her and tell her how special she was and still is for me and tell her that...

...she's my ONLY HOPE

starting anew...

in relation to my 2008 new year's resolution, here's another list of things that i intend to start doing. these are things that will hopefully help me become better in everything i do.

i need to START:

1. making an events schedule

at the end of each day, we always forget some "little" things that we promise to do but never gets done. that's why i think it's only necessary to have a schedule of all the things that needs to be done and accomplished.

2. making an expense schedule

following my resolution to handle my finances wisely this year, i intend to keep track and make allowances for both expected and unexpected expenses that may come my way. MS excel and i would probably the best of friends this year.

3. making a paying schedule

2007 must be my most challenging year when it comes to paying my debts which i try my hardest to limit to only a few bucks and only to a few people (who in turn trust me enough to lend me money). and so starting this january, i plan to start paying them and i guess it's only necessary to prioritize paying them. i hate having debts especially to my friends. but like i said, 2007 was a very trying year for me when it came to my finances.

now that i think of it, as i close the previous year, there were only two friends from whom i owe something. from one of them, i owe like 500 bucks. and from the other, too many to mention...that's why i need to strictly follow a schedule to start paying the other one in order not to get burden with it later on. plus, i need to (as much as possible) not add more to my already big debt. awww...i hate being broke! hehehe

4. making a savings schedule

this one, i'm not sure how i can accomplish...with so much to pay, and so little earnings...awww, i need a miracle for this one! huhuhu :(

5. making a study schedule

i plan to take advantage of my remaining 9-months in spi and try to learn and hopefully master sql. also, i plan on learning other stuff through the internet and the e-books that i'm keeping in my documents folder...learn, learn, learn!

6. making a birthday schedule

though i was in time in greeting most of the birthday celebrants of 2007, i still missed a few of them. i want to strictly follow my birthday schedule this time. and hopefully, (if funds permit) get them gifts.

7. making a gift schedule

again, this will depend on the birthdays and of course, christmas. but will greatly depend on the budget! so pray that i get lots of money this year y'all!

i want to be complete...

i want to tour the philippine islands. i want to go to every single island and province here in our country. i want to appreciate the nature and the people and just how rich our history and culture really is. i want every young filipino to understand and appreciate our own colorful history and diverse culture.

i want to travel the world and see other cultures and historic places. i want to tour europe, the usa, the outback-australia and japan. i love to go and experience africa. i want to go to the beaches and surf the waves of hawaii.

i want to be more active and sporty. i want to learn how to shoot hoops and play basketball again. i want to play volleyball and badminton regularly. i also want to learn to play other sports like tennis, etc. i also love to learn martial arts, taekwando and karate. i want to live healthy and stay fit.

i want to learn how to ride a horse and have one of my own. i want to have my own ranch and agricultural business, have my own "hacienda".

i want to learn how to play more songs using the guitar. i want to have my own grand piano. i want to have it in my own living room or inside my own music room.

i love to learn difficult dance moves and techniques. i want to have my own dance room inside my house just like the ones in dance studios complete with wooden floors and mirrors all around its walls.

i also want to sing and dance in the rain.

i want to learn how to swim. i want to go skinny-dipping.

i always wanted to sing and perform on stage in front of a live audience. i would love to perform a duet with one of my idols (OPM or international).

i want to have a girlfriend who loves me for who i am. i want to sing and dedicate a song when i propose to my girlfriend. i want the whole world to know how much i love her.

i want to get married and have my own family. i want a simple, garden wedding. i want it to be romantic, intimate and special. i want to sing a song while my bride is walking down the aisle towards me. i want our honeymoon to be just as romantic and intimate. i want to wake up the next morning seeing the face of the most beautiful person i love and will be spending the rest of my life with.

i want to have kids. i want at least a boy and a girl. i want my baby boy to have my name and be Christian Arman Arile, Jr. i want to see them grow up and have their own family. i want to see and play with my grandchildren.

i want to start my own foundation to help those with speech impediments. i also want to help those who are physically handicapped/disabled.


i want to be complete...

my 2008 new year's resolution...

2007 - another year...of good and bad things that have happened.

2008 - another year...of good and bad things to come...

another year...of LIFE!

i'm quite excited this year because it happens to be (according to chinese calendar/zodiac) the year of the rat! i'm pretty sure a lot of surprises and BETTER things are bound to happen for me this year...so, i'm keeping my fingers crossed and my hopes up!

before i completely close my 2007, i have here a list of a few things i intend to leave behind me and try to change them this coming new year. more commonly known as new year's resolution, i also am listing things that i intend to start doing and try and make it a part of my routine. so here it goes:

this year, I will STOP:

1. drinking softdrinks

i have done this before and actually eliminated it for quite a while. i'm not sure what prompted me to start drinking again and getting addicted to coke, sprite, royal, etc. and just recently, i confirmed that drinking such beverages does not have any nutritional value whatsoever. but this stuff sure tastes great! awww...i'm gonna miss Coca Cola and Pepsi...

2. eating junkfoods

again, another one of those things that won't do you any good...i sure will miss funky, nova, piattos, and tortillos...

3. unneccessary eating

another unhealthy habit that i should start getting rid of my system...how i love to have my midnight snack, my afternoon merienda, my in-between meals, my double-breakfast, my double-dinner...

4. eating too much rice

i just can't have enough...i eat like a bandehado-ful of rice in the morning, during lunch and at dinner...i just take too much carbohydrates in one day (which is every single day!!!) i do have to learn to control and lessen how much rice i eat so as to help in toning down my tummy and making it slimmer...hehehe

5. unnecessary expenses

probably my most problematic year in terms of my financial needs...i swear that i wouldn't let anything like this happen again! though, basically the major expenses were because of our newly-built house, still i have to admit that i was a little too lax when it comes to handling my own money this year. and this year, 2008, i plan not to allow that to happen again and would focus all my energies in strictly following an expense schedule that i plan on having.

6. making comments about people (in front of other people)

just keep it to myself...hehehe although people would be surprise when i start keeping my comments to myself, i find that it has been better (and less stressful) when i don't speak against people in front of of others. as opinionated as i am, i discovered that i performed better when i leave people alone. and yes, there was a certain point in time when i didn't comment, lash out on other people's attitudes, shortcomings, failures or arrogance.

i guess leaving people to their weaknesses is more liberating and peaceful because of the fact that at the end of the day, we all end up doing the same things...we all end up doing the same mistakes, if not doing more mistakes than most people we talk about or comment on...and ironically, i was commenting these people for their mistakes, when i myself were committing them...

the worst thing about it is that talking against people (especially behind their backs) always ends up as a double-edged sword, it cuts us as well...

so this year, instead of lashing out on other people, i would focus my attention on dealing with my shortcomings, my mistakes, my attitude...my arrogance...when i come to think of it, i have a long way to go to be arrogant of the insignificant things i have done.

7. getting upset easily

although this has been a long-fought battle within me, i think it takes guts and discipline to really train yourself to be more patient and understanding...i pride myself in being able to control my emotions in numerous occasions considering the conditions that i'm in...aside from the fact that my temperament is innately aggressive, the medical operations i went through adds an indirect (if not, direct) side effect on my temper.

so it really isn't easy to control such natural forces especially when it comes to being upset and emotional. but nevertheless, i don't want to make excuses and opted to try and suppress these emotional "outbursts" to maintain a sociable and lively atmosphere especially among my friends and my siblings. so don't ever fool with me! hahaha ;p

8. being idle (doing absolutely NOTHING!!!)

there were days and precious time i've wasted all through out the year where i didn't do what i needed to do...i didn't start what needed to be started...in short, i was being LAZY!!! though i haven't really started on this, i promise to be more proactive not only physically, but mentally all year round! so books and tutorials, here i come!

9. being judgmental

i think the "mother of all evil"...the consequences of being prejudice can be lethal...and downright "inhuman"...

from our prejudices, other heart-crushing things roots out - discrimination, stereotypes, sexist, ageism, oppression, dominance, preferential treatment, etc.

from the things i've stated above, i'm sure you don't need anymore explanations on why i chose to eliminate this negative trait...just think of the golden rule: "don't do unto others, what you don't want others to do unto you."

10. being bitter

bottom line is, i need to leave all my excess baggage behind...leave it all to the previous year and start anew this new year - 2008...to those who knew me well, they know what i'm referring to...hehehe