Also known as: My first cake for 25 :)
I wanted to write an entry at midnight, but I was too sleepy. I will catch up later, I promise! In the meantime…here’s my first “cake” as the last minutes of my 24th year ticked by:
Thanks to Happy for the picture and the Pinky Pop from Starbucks. Yummy stuff.
Oh, and I’m giving away some stuff here! Win a book and help Japan, too! :)
I’ll be back later. Hey, hey Twenty Five! You’re turning out to be a fun day so far. ♥
Also known as: On gray areas
“I have a question.” I said to my best friend one day some time after my brother’s wedding. We were walking down Maginhawa Street in UP Diliman in search for a restaurant aptly named Gayuma ni Maria. I say “apt” because of the nature of my question then.
“Shoot.”
I told him the story of a friend who got back with an ex who broke up with her because he wasn’t ready for a commitment yet. However, the guy seemed to change his mind and decided to pursue her again but not in the same pursuit fashion that I qualify as a real pursuit. Anyway, she said yes and they’re back together and it had me a bit baffled, so I knew I had to discuss that in length with someone who knows better. “I can’t really understand why she’d get back with him after he told her that,” I remember saying. “I mean…why did he even pursue her if he wasn’t ready for a commitment? And why did he even try again so soon — how sure was she that he’s ready now?”
“Uh-huh.” It was all my best friend could say because he knew I still had stuff to say. And he was right.
“But she’s happy,” I said with a small sigh. “And I know that’s important. More important. I just don’t get it. Is this something I don’t understand because I haven’t been there yet?”
My best friend nodded thoughtfully. “Well, probably. It is very different when you’re in the relationship. And…well, relationships are messy. It’s never black and white.”
“Mostly gray, right?” I said, then laughed. “Strike one for the single since birth, I guess.”
Also known as: Anberlin in Manila!
I think I heard all about Anberlin from my college batch mate, Anne, who blogged about them sometime in college. I was kind of picky with my music back then (and until now, I think), so I didn’t really pay attention until I somehow downloaded one of their songs and somehow liked it. I got their albums, but I wasn’t able to appreciate them yet because I felt they were too heavy for me. It wasn’t until I was finally working that I paid attention to them and realized, “Hey, Anberlin’s a really great band!”
Suffice to say, Anberlin became the anthem of my early working life. I remember relating so much to Time and Confusion and Never Take Friendship Personal, and how they used to be my gym music and how I can’t pick just one favorite song. They became one of my quick-to-recommend bands, along with Switchfoot and Mae. Want new music? Listen to Anberlin!
So when I heard that they were going to Manila in March, there was absolutely no way I would miss it. Knowing their tickets were very cheap too got me more excited, and it was time to round up the concert buddies to watch this long-awaited show.
It was last night. I claimed a pre-birthday vacation leave, just as what I did last year for Paramore. I had no expectations with the concert, really, except enjoy their songs and the show and the company. I only wished for them to play A Day Late, but I saw a set list posted somewhere and it wasn’t included. I decided that it doesn’t matter anyway — as long as I get to hear them play.
So concert day, Happy and I arrived at A-Venue a little later than the usual (my fault, sorry) but we still got a good view at the left side of the stage. There were so many people in the VIP, which was expected because it was pretty cheap. They were selling booze and smoking was allowed inside, which kind of surprised me, but hey, there is a first time for everything, I guess.
Three front acts played and then there they were. HELLO ANBERLIN.
