Tag Archives: 23

Dear Diary, Say Cheese!

Twenty Three

day fifteen.

I meant to post 23 things about being 23 years old, but I realized that…well, making a list that long is kind of hard. I’m talkative, I know, but coming up with a list like that is a bit too mentally taxing for someone who’s a bit too tired from a double class in the gym.

Or maybe I’m just lazy. Buuuut nevertheless.

In less than an hour, I’m turning 24. It feels kind of sad that the day I’ve anticipated to come since last month is finally coming, and pretty soon, it will be all over, and life would be back to normal. I know, these thoughts I’m having are depressing, but as what I talked about with Jana earlier, it’s kind of like what we feel when Christmas is over. It’s time to go back to normal.

But it’s not even the 17th yet, so I better cut these thoughts.

So. 23. How was my 23rd year? This time last year, I was in a long call, and shortly later, I was surprised by some friends, and went home feeling giddy because it was the first time I ever received a sunflower. That picture over there was me, exactly a year ago. Longer hair, and slightly more pudgy. ;)

My 23rd year was quite eventful, really, but for the life of me, I’m sort of having a hard time recalling the specific things that happened. I don’t want to bore you with that anyway, because if you want to know about that, then you can just browse through the archives. But I think, what’s more important than remembering what happened is to remember what I learned in the past year of existence, to remind me of them when I start a new year in my life.

So. Again. Twenty-three.

  • This year, I learned and realized that I had very great friends. I know I used to complain a lot about how I suck at keeping in touch, or that I don’t have a solid group of friends and all…but this year, I was proven wrong. I have the most awesome friends ever. I’m so glad I reconnected with my high school friends and from seeing each other every six months, we now see each other every week! Plus, I’m so blessed that they get along with my office and college friends, so I can go out with a whole bunch of people and feel like we’ve all known each other forever. With friends like them, who needs a boyfriend? ;)
  • This year, I also found out that I can make new friends if I really want to. I’m not the friendliest person around — at least, as far as I know — but now I really think I’m starting to reach out more and hang out with different sets of people and make memories with them…and none of it involves me sharing a story about a boy or a love problem, which was how I started friendships (that ultimately became acquaintances) before.
  • One more about friendship. It’s also this year that it really hit me that friends really do come and go. Even if that friend was someone who I used to be really close to. I tried my best to keep the friendship alive, but a one-sided effort can only go so far. I got tired, and I was hurt, and until now, I’m still trying to let go and forgive the person. I’m still here to be a friend, but this year, I’ve made up my mind to move on and not wait for that other person to catch up with my life.
  • This year, I still had a hard time praying. But I also learned that God’s love is still bigger than my weaknesses, and that He is always, always there even if I am not.
  • This year, I was able to read more. And write more. I think this is the year that I was able to write more blog entries, articles and stories, even if I did experience the worst burn out in writing I’ve ever had. I definitely read more books, and I’m glad that I never lost that love of reading.
  • This year, I learned that anything is possible. If I put my time, heart and if needed, money, into it, I can do it. It’s all in the discipline, and how much you want it. I know it’s vague, but the best example for this is when my weight loss — I never thought I would have been able to reach it if I didn’t put my time, heart, and yes, money, into it.
  • This year, I learned to fight for my heart. If you ask me a year ago what I wanted…in a guy, specifically, I would not have been able to answer. A long night at a coffee shop with good friends made me realize that, and anything that involved matters of the heart is worth fighting for. Yes, I think I may be able to answer the question up there…but right now I’m keeping it for myself. ;)
  • This year, I learned not to be too uptight. I’ve learned to relax, to have fun, to try new things even if I haven’t tried them before. Being too serious can give you adult acne, you know. There is wisdom in Yes Man, and in saying yes to things. :)
  • This year, I learned to be more open to people. This is a bit love specific again, but I realized that I don’t need to be strict with the things I want in a guy. Love isn’t about similarities alone, after all, but differences as well. I may sound a bit idealistic at times, but now I’m trying to be open to other people’s quirks and traits. There are non-negotiables, of course, but for the little stuff, I’m learning to be more accepting. In addition, I also learned that my ideal situation is not what really happens in real life, and I need to stop imposing them on other people. Different strokes for different folks. :)
  • One more thing about love. This year, I learned to be okay with being alone. I think this is the most important lesson I learned with regards to love life, because it relieves me of the pressure of looking for someone. I’m happy with being by myself. :)
  • And finally, this year, I learned that God’s plan is wider and deeper than what I can initially see. Ondoy changed my life, but it reminded me that God’s is stronger and more powerful and bigger than any typhoon or calamity that comes. I also learned that everything that happens in life is a part of God’s will. I may not see it now, but someday it will all make sense.

I have a feeling there’s more, but I’ll stop here because I want to post this entry before 12 midnight strikes. It’s already 11:59PM — one minute till I turn 24. :) Am I ready to be older and wiser once again?

Dear Diary, Say Cheese!

Twenty Three

23rd Birthday

This is a super delayed post, thanks to everything that happened this week. So I apologize for now, but hey, this post has pictures! (Like that’s any consolation :P)

ANYWAY. I’d go through paragraphs and paragraphs of how my birthday went but I realized it may be a bit boring to read…so instead, I’ll go for timelines. So…how did my twenty-third birthday go?

March 16, 2009

7:00pm – received a call from Niki, and when I answered, all the YFC DLSU present at the worship (16 of them, I heard) sang me “Happy birthday”. ♥ I have no idea who everyone was there, but thank you! ♥

7:30pm – received a groupcard in my work inbox. Hey, it’s a Group Card from my IBM friends! A day early but what the heck. Thank you!

9:00 – 11:00pm – had the longest call of our training ever. I was chatting with Grace, Cors and Reggie all the while and I kept getting asked what time my call would end and all. Reggie then asked if I wanted to go get ice cream later after the call which was kind of weird since he’s on a diet. The call ended, and I started fixing my stuff. But wait, there’s another call! Reggie calls me and tells me someone was waiting for me outside, though, so…

11:00pm – I headed out to the reception area and saw Cors’ shoes immediately. I saw her carrying a cake with a candle and was already surprised, but not until Happy popped out from behind the reception table with a bouquet of flowers and the yelled “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” Whoaaaa. I accepted the flowers, gaped at Happy’s presence at the office and then blew the candle out. Then I noticed, right in the middle of the bouquet was a SUNFLOWER. AWWWW talk about finally crossing that out of my wishlist! :P

11:10pm-11:45pm – I had to go back inside because I still had one call, so Cors put the cake in the box again and Happy said she’ll wait for me downstairs. I went back in and got back into another call, but still shaking from the surprise and amazed at how pretty a sunflower looks in real life. We had the call and then headed down to go home.

March 17, 2009

12:10am – arrived at home, and Happy and I set up the cake and took photos. I blew the candle off again and then it was cake time!

12:20-2:00am – ate cake and talked with Happy. And marveled again at how pretty the sunflower is. :P Ahaha, I’ve never really spent the first few hours of my birthday with a friend so this is a first. :) Thanks Happs. ♥

2:00am-3:00am – Birthday prayer time! :)

9:00am – woke up with text messages in my phone with the usual greetings. I headed back to my computer and saw my gMail inbox was filled with Facebook notifications. Overwhelming, man. And they kept on coming! :D

12:00pm-1:00pm – arrived at SM Megamall to hear mass. Met up with brother’s girlfriend after the mass then we hunted for a place to eat.

1:00pm-2:00pm – Lunch at Bigby’s, my treat! Yummy salad, yummy steak, yummy shake, oh and I got a free cake! And a birthday song. My brother’s girlfriend also gave me a really nice present — something I could definitely use in my commute. :P I’ll post about that sometime soon. Bigby’s was a lot like TGI Friday’s with really nice decor. Our waiter was really nice, and very friendly — I bet he’d also be good at sales jobs. :) Oh, it’s my first time to be greeted at a restaurant too. :P

3:30pm – Got to work, and saw a present from some office friends on my table. Opened my email and saw an overwhelming number of emails and Facebook messages again. Haha.

5:00pm – Headed to Haagen Dasz (sp?) with Grace to buy ice cream for the team…and then headed to 7-11 instead. I dreamt of Haagen Dasz, but it’s waaaaaay out of my budget. So…no thanks. Pistachio ice cream is nice. :)

7:00pm-10:00pm – Found out there were two episodes of The Listener for download! Wohoo, Craig Olejnik! ♥ It’s like another birthday gift, haha! Anyway, I spent the rest of the night at work, finishing some things and then went home when my brother arrived.

11:30pm – full with ice cream and cake, I looked at the sunflower again and then went back to my room to watch The Listener episodes with Macy.

March 18, 2009

12:30am – Felt a bit bummed that someone I know and is close to forgot my birthday. I don’t know what’s up, really…but it kinda stung. Oh well. Maybe I’ll post about it sometime, but not now. I want good vibes.

7:00pm – Birthday dinner with Cors, Gel, Anj and Grace at Pancake House. We missed you, Bel and Rosco! Talked about lots of stuff, got another present (thanks for the very pink journal :P), and took pictures for Marvs who we were all missing. :P

March 19, 2009

12:45pm-2:00pm – Met up with Jomar after a loooong time, and had lunch and talked about books, blogs, music, media and all the things that Joms and I talk about. Haha. Then had dessert at Red Mango while he played with Macy and I played NFS with his phone.

The rest of the week was filled with a game of charades, issues at work and the general feeling of being older. Haha. The “birthday” glow has long faded, as far as I can tell, but being 23 isn’t so bad. I just feel…well, older but in a good sense.

I’m happy at how my week turned out. Plus there were so many firsts in this birthday that it’s really going to be memorable, just as how every other birthday has been. :) I mean, come on, it’s another year to celebrate life, how could it not be memorable?

So, I thank everyone who’s greeted me, made an effort to make my day special (that’s you, Happy! :P), the people I fed, those who left Facebook messages, text messages, YM messages, Multiply comments, and comments in my previous post, and who greeted me in every way possible. :) Thanks to my family for allowing me to get the iPod Touch, haha!  Thank you, thank you, thank you. ♥

And most of all, thank You Lord. I know I don’t deserve any of Your grace or Your love, yet You give them anyway, and that is reason enough to be even more thankful. Thank You for another year, and I pray that this year be a year that I get to know You and love You better. Thank You. ♥

Here’s to 23. :)

Dear Diary, Say Cheese!, Techie Geek

Twenty Two

Here we go again, exactly one year after I posted last year, before I turned twenty two. It’s less than 24 hours till I turn twenty-three, and…well, I thought I’d post early since I don’t think I’d have the time to post later. Busy, busy day at work. ;)

My 22nd year was a blur. I don’t know why, but it felt like it is. Maybe it’s because I was so busy with everything in my life that I hardly noticed things. Well, okay, I did, and they’re safely written in my journal (at least, almost all of it), so my memory is kind of failing right now. Maybe my journal-writing is really becoming like Dumbledore’s Pensieve (did I spell that right?). Hm. That’s a thought.

I was sick almost the entire week last week because of that nasty indigestion I had last Monday. I was so weak last Monday that I could have asked for NO2 Black, except I don’t know what that would do to me. I can’t remember if I posted about it, but I threw up again on Tuesday, for eating a too heavy dinner too soon. Bah. I was reduced to a crackers and juice and congee diet for the entire week. I was so hungry by Thursday, but I had to keep at it because Friday was Pizza day with the teammates. Good thing I was well enough by Friday, and I got to eat normally, but not as much as I used to.

Which is a good thing, really, because that means I can lose weight by eating less. :P

Anyway, Saturday was a big day, because I got my first birthday present for the year. :) I let go of Triskal last Friday and sold him to my boss, because I was planning to get the much-awaited and wanted iPod Touch. :) I’ve been losing sleep over the weekend playing with it and installing apps and making sure all my album art are complete. Haha, Apple products do this to people, srsly. I’ve yet to make a proper review of this, but here’s a photo:

Macy the iPod Touch

So pretty! The silicone case is my brother’s birthday gift to me, plus my pink earphones, so it’s all pink. ♥ I named it Macy after the lead character of Sarah Dessen‘s The Truth About Forever. I knew that a guy name wouldn’t fit this one. :))

Sunday, after catching up on sleep, I cleaned my room. I used to clean my room three times a year back when I was studying, but ever since I started working I hardly do. But yesterday gave me a reason to do so, and see here:

The Bookshelf!

YES, IT’S FINALLY HERE! Took three months, but it’s okay. :) This is actually my brother’s Christmas present, which I kind of feel bad asking for since it’s a bit expensive. :) But thank you, none the less! I realized yet again that I have so many books, that i didn’t know how to fix them yesterday. Note that those aren’t the only books I have — I have more on a separate single shelf on my dresser. :P

I haven’t figured out a real way to arrange the books, except that the non-fiction are on the left, the young adult/teens were on the right and the ones in the center are my favorites. The ones on the top are the books I have yet to read. I have to figure out a better way to organize this and fit more books, but for now, I just like looking at it. :)

Today’s going to be a long day at work, with QA’s and goal setting, and documentation and training at night. I hope I can get home before midnight, though. I want to start my 23rd year at home. :D