Hey you, twenty-two!

I'm a year older! Usually a 'huhuhu' would follow this but I don't see why I should sulk about this. I'm wiser, happier, and crazier. This year's been awesome so far- including my birthday.

Ever since I was a kid, I never celebrated my birthday the way other kids do. I'm a summer celebrator so I can't invite my classmates. I can't hold parties in school too. Back then, we'd hold parties at home. My mom would invite the kids from the barong-barong at the back of the house that we were renting.

In high school my parents would give me money so I can treat my friends to lunch. That's totally fine with me. I get awkward when people hover and sing happy birthday and watch you smile and blow the candles.

In college, the only time I took my friends out for my birthday celebration was on my 18th.

This year was a liiiittle different. Like I've tweeted countless of times, I've been hanging out in the Maginhawa area a lot lately. I love it so much there that I helped three friends to find an apartment so I can crash anytime! haha

My birthday was a Monday so working friends are not available. I had no plans at all except that we have dinner and drinks so the three of us can catch up. I arrived at Pino before Nano and Mau did so I sat there at their al fresco area all alone. Thirty minutes later, they arrived and Nano did a grand entrance by singing happy birthday on his own, out loud for everyone else to hear. KALOKA! haha

After dinner we walked to Delish for drinks. It was a quiet Monday at Delish. Monday is their reggae night but that night, they had a new duo performing. We had weng-weng pitcher for starters. We got another pitcher- Kamikazee this time. A little later Babes, one of our favorite waitresses at Delish, came out from the kitchen with a small cake with a huuuuge cake. Mau, Nano and I have this inside joke about cakes and candles so I immediately figured out what was gonna happen. All I can say is pinagpawisan talaga ako sa surprise nila! hahahaha Crazy people talaga.

After the candle blowing ceremony, they made me sing in front. I couldn't pick a song so the singer Joyce picked 'Get me' by Oleta Adams for me to sing. WHAT IS HINDI KO ALAM? HAHA! I know the song but it was so hard to sing with a live accompaniment. The song ended up to be an instrumental version. hahaha This next song I though I must redeem myself. I picked the classic Buttercup, followed by California Girls. OHA? HAHAHA! I told Joyce and Marie (the pianist) that California Girls will be the last but I saw familiar faces at the door and recognized them immediately. I whispered to Joyce 'Isa pa. Tulungan mo ko kantahin ha, ayoko mapahiya. Anjan yung crush ko.' HAHAHAHA!

Taking inspiration from Caroline of Vampire Diaries, I picked Eternal Flame. OH MY GOD. KINARIR KO NA TALAGA. haha While I was singing, I could see Mau inviting their group over to our table. When I was done singing, they were already seated at our table. WHAT IS HAPPY BIRTHDAY DIBA? I think we shared four buckets of beer and three plates of potato parmesan and onion rings.

I cannot recall everything we talked about but football was a huge chunk of it. It was fun. Really. I couldn't feel my cheeks. I had office on Tuesday but I couldn't care less. That night was perfect as it is.

My wish this year is nothing new. It's always been on my Christmas list, but is always ranked last. I've always thought my other Christmas wishes are more important. Just this once, I'm being selfish. I'm claiming this wish and it's all I ever want to have at this point.

***

A few days ago Mau and I were talking about missing someone so baaadly. I said 'Nafifeel ko na talaga teh, malapit na. Magkikita na kami sa May 16. ITAGA MO SA BATO.' Oh my God. Nagkatotoo. May bonus pa. Ang saya!

This year has been awesome so far. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT MONTHS! :D

P.S. SORRY, NO PHOTOS! :)

All iz well.

So far I have three trips booked this year.

First is the Batac-Banaue-Sagada adeventure in mid-May. Second is a spur of the moment booking for Hong Kong with Farrah because last night Cebu Pacific announced a seat sale. And third is a trip to Bacolod with the BA girls for Masskara in October.

That, and the upcoming Maroon 5 and Incubus concerts - I wonder how I'll get by. I definitely have to increase the amount I allot for my secret account. You see my secret account funds my travels, gadget purchases and big expenses that aren't part of my day to day necessities (aka bags and shoes).

I should be worried but surprisingly I'm not worried at all. I just have this feeling that everything will be provided for at the right time. Of course there's my salary. I just have to stop buying clothes, lessen my cab rides and avoid pricey restaurants. And then my birthday! I'm used to not getting gifts for my birthday but I hope my parents give me a some dough. Lokohin ko nga pandagdag sa Sagada funds ko. haha! Them being here allow me save so much money too! Lola is also coming sometime June. Maybe she has some dollars for me. HAHAHA KAPAL KO!

I guess I just have to make do with whatever funds I can come up with. This will test the 'money can't buy happiness' shizz. We'll see!

Awesome movie alert!

Have you guys seen the movie 3 Idiots? If not, please do yourself a favor and watch it.

I highly recommend it if

1) soul searching ang drama mo,

2) feeling mo may Quarter life crisis ka,

3) may gusto kang gawin pero lagi kang takot sumugal,

4) kung marami kang oras at wala kang magawa.

5) Lahat na yan, at marami pang iba.

Kidding aside, you seriously have to watch this movie. Don't worry if it's 2.5 hours long. You won't even notice it. It's smart, well written and easy to relate to real life so go go, download!

I wanna be a billionaire.

Had I won that 750 million peso lotto draw, my plan was to build a students' center in UP. It'll house the orgs that will qualify certain standards. And then every certain period (say two years), orgs will be reevaluated. ABAM, of course gets its own space. haha

The center will have wireless internet, their own awesome cafeteria, meeting rooms, game rooms, event halls, the works! Pretty much like this office of Skype (photos from Interior Design ideas). The event halls will be available to other orgs too so they can hold their big events in campus.

Qualified orgs get their ID cards and will need to have it scanned (yes, hi-tech itetch!) before using meeting rooms. CCTVs will be installed all over the building to make sure no vandalizing and theft happens. And if it happens at all, we cant track em down.

Cleaners are assigned per day and per area. The cafeteria will have a 'clean your table before you leave' policy. No overnights allowed. The center will also have its set of officers who will lead projects that are socially relevant and will contribute to the academe and the society in general. The student center will also have a board of directors- composed of members of the alumni community, sponsors and professors who will evaluate projects, act as guardians to members, and ultimately, gather support to sustain the students center.

Non compliance to the house rules will lead to cancellation of membership to the students center and a one term ban from application.

HAHA OKAY, I'M GETTING TOO SERIOUS. TALAGANG NAPAG ISIPAN KO NA DIBA?

I still want to do this. Only it'll take a little longer and if I become a billionaire at all.

Oh what money could do. :)

Just because.

So much has happend since I last posted but it's too much that I cannot even find the energy to write about it. It's basically just me spending so much time out with different groups of friends, meeting new people, and hanging out a little too much in Maginhawa Street. It's practically my second home in the last two weeks.

Anyway, earlier this evening I was blog-hopping and had a random thought. I cannot wait for the day that I'm so rich that my only must do in life is wake up and breathe. Hahaha Ang labo. And when that day comes, I'd love to send my friends little gifts on random days just because.

I like and miss doing things just because I feel like doing it. The I-don't-care-what-people-think sort of randomness. It makes me feel more human. More alive. But I hate to say that I'm such a chicken when it comes to randomness. Ever since work got serious, I've been more serious, more calculative, more careful with the things I do. I'd have to think and rethink decisions, even the minor ones. I just miss living life the way I think it should be lived.

I remember telling myself after the Japan quake that in this day and age, nothing is certain and I should start living my life as I envisioned it. Where'd all my guts go now?

*Photo from tumblr.com