It started with the blues.
I never thought anticipating for your birthday can be anything opposite of excited or happy. I think the reason was already pinpointed by someone in my Twitter who told me it must have been the age. The big 2.5. It's scary to think that I am way past the beautiful teenage years, and sooo near the supposed stable "marrying" age, yet I feel so unaccomplished yet. Pakawala pako.
Also, maybe I just love Christmas and New Years because everyone's celebrating for each other, but birthdays feel so selfish because it centers around one person--me. And sometimes I feel that no one really cares and would give the effort in giving me the attention on that one ordinary day that just turns out to be my birthday. --- I know, I am such a KJ. But these negative perceptions that might have been the added result of the B-Day Blues+Quarter Life Crisis have changed hour by hour, minute by minute, and second by second as I added another year in my life.
AT 25:
1) As said in my former post Will you join my countdown?, I got really sick 2 days before my birthday. January 19, my birthday eve, my throat was still itchy, and the Sneezing Marathon continues-- but a tad bit better than the day before. So I thought, let's get this on!
2) Last December, I surfed the famous Agoda website in search for a nice cheap hotel in Makati where I can celebrate my birthday, then I saw the fairly priced Jupiter Suites in Jupiter Street--so fairly priced, I book for 2 nights without ANY plans except that birthday eve will be with friends, birthday will be with family.
Took this photo on my sunny birthday. The hotel is actually small, yet the rooms are spacious. My favorite is that Jupiter Suites is conveniently located in the heart of Makati. We just walked "home" after our Music 21 videoke night!
3) January 19, I checked in the hotel way past 2 pm since mom and I waited for daddykins to pick us up in Landmark. The parents stayed for a while in the room, to eat, rest, and I think they just want to keep me company.
Bigger than City Garden's standard rooms, where I had my birthday eve last year.
4) When the parents left, I decided to sleep since I will be meeting barx after office hours, and I even told them we can meet around 9pm in Music 21. When I woke up and still got time to waste, and bday blues to erase, I decided to put on my dress already, and wear make up!
The stash, while watching the happy-show Glee, haha.
What I used:
YES! Hahahah!
My favorite though is the 16-hour lipstick from L'Oreal:
Color + Lip Moisturizer. Such cool technology!
5) The girls were there around 9ish, and so I walked to Music 21 already, which is just one building away from the suite! Hindi na nga kailangan tumawid, hehehe!
Photo taken day after. :)
6) My singer friend Mitch was the first to take the mic! :D I forgot what song she belted out, but I really missed her voice!!! Pero sa super galing niya, biro namin "Pag si Mitch ang kumanta na, hindi na ko kakanta!" Hahaha! Pressure!
7) Oh, gotta love the room they gave to us:
Cute disco-feel walls:
Balloons and Mirror Ball! :)
Classic Song Books!
Tina Paner? Haha! Nope, it's Mel's Ate Tin! :D
And comfy couches! :)
8) Ordered some drinks and pika, and even got rice and pansit. For long life daw? Hindi naman nagkataon lang, hehe. But of course ok din yun!!!:)
9) The Couples Competition! I realized that 3 lang kaming walang partner that night (The Bullies! :D) And dahil may pagka sa-bully talaga tong mga to, sabi ni Tameme by pairs na singing contest! And dahil walang score score yung videoke dun (sayang mas funny kung meron haha)... kami na ang mag jujudge! Hahaha! Riot!
Bong and Mons deciding if Cruisin' ba dapat ang kantahin, hahaha!
Wala akong masabi kay Jopo, the best! Beauty and the Beast! :D
Kahit hindi careerin, super galing niyang si Mitch! :D
Bakit ngayon ka laaaang....
Bodz and Zac: Always. Haha hilarious!
10) Syempre, panlaban naming Bullies si Tamems, we sang Alone. Hahaha! How appropriate! :P
Yaan niyo next time may dates nadin kami, hahaha!
11) It was a weekday, and they all have work pa the next day:
But they're still there. The fact that they came that night meant a lot to me. I love my high school friend forever! :) <3
12) I don't have a photo #1: Me with a microphone! I realized I didn't have it for a long time..;p And before I knew it, it's way past past midnight na kaya wala nang "Sige lang, mamaya!" every time someone offers the song book and mic to me! :D Akk! Throat is still itchy, which I know is one of the common excuses of those who don't want to sing hahaha, pero super totoo! :P Boo!
13) I don't have a photo #2: When the clock stuck 12! :P When the gang realized it's my birthday already, they all greeted me and shouted my name, and I got lots of hugs here and there--which made my night. :) It may not have been captured, but I'll hold on to that lovely moment forever. :)
14) At dahil hindi na uso (sad), I didn't expect I'll even receive gifts! :) Thank you Tamems for the cute chubby planner:
It's so kikay, may box pa ng Sticker Squares--na double sided tape pala na naka-cut na! :D
15) Thank you Mons for my new Envirosax!:
You know how much I love and really use my "Second Bags"! :))
16) Reading of predictions written by BB X Bullies from my birthday eve last year:
Some predictions made me laugh:
Some I was amazed na nangyari talaga:
And some made me...Cry? Hindi naman, sinisipon lang. Hahaha!
17) Bullies overnight + Kwentuhan. <3 I love these girls! :)
18) Hotel free breakfast first, before Tamems had to leave na for work (huhu).
I love the garlic rice. =p
Babay Tameme thank you! =(
19) Ana, who had a super busy week in the office, wasn't allowed to file for a whole day leave...But accompanied me for at least half day in the hotel. We slept some more, watched some crazy reality tv, and had late lunch in T.Boy:
20) When I got back in my hotel room alone, I decided to waste some time (since the family are still at work) with the following:
Checked my FB and saw all the greetings from my contacts, friends, buyers, family, etc! :) Natouch ako!
I used up my load since the hotel doesn't have wifi (or tamad lang ako mag tanong hehe). Nung nasayangan nako sa load ko, I decided to write some thoughts and wishes-at-25 in my new diary from Tamems! :)
Been a while since I wrote my thoughts "on private mode". I do love Blogging to bits, but there's something special with ideas and emotions you and YOU only can read!
I slept a bit, showered, and decided to stroll around Jupiter St. and Makati Ave in the search for a nice salon or coffee place, and saw the Paris Delice.
Ordered Cafe Mocha and Banana Chocolate tarte.
I love this! Small serving, but I guess that's the right size. ;p Haha! Yummy crust!
Went back in the hotel when it was already getting dark, and I'm sure the Crazy Gonzales will be there in any minute! It was a fine afternoon, now that I look back to it. I may be alone, but I realized that I missed the company of my self. I hope I can be more comfortable with Me-Time again. :)
21) The family had dinner in the first "basta may kanin!" restaurant we saw while driving around the traffic streets of Makati. Hap Chan! Super gutom na nila! Haha!
22) Got this gift from my sisters when we got back to the hotel room:
Finally! My own copy of a Nina Garcia book!! :) Palagi ko lang tong brinobrowse sa bookstores, hehe.
Can't wait to read this!
23) The family had a sardinas-moment in the small hotel room I paid for, since standard room palang afford ko hehe. Dad and I even slept in the couches! But we still had fun! :) They left for work anyway early the next day, which turns out to be the first day after my birthday. Officially 25! :) Haha!
Free hotel breakfast with Mom when everyone already left:
Mom getting OC with packing up few minutes before 12pm...
Bye Jupiter Suites!!! :)
24) Spent the rest of the day with my mom in Glorietta. We were supposed to have our haircuts and have them colored, but I decided that we can watch a movie instead! Had a great laugh with Little Fockers! And sobrang pinagyabang pa ni mom kay dad na nanuod kami ng sine. Like 10 times niya binanggit, haha! :D
And last but not the least...
25) When I got home, I immediately checked my online social networking sites, which I had not checked for around 3 days (mobile lang na mabagal)! I was so overwhelmed with:
The 25 comments on my latest birthday countdown blog entry! :D Nagkataon ang galing! :)
AND!!! The sweetest (and super unexpected!!!) birthday blog post greetings from my Blog Friends!!!
THANK YOU GUYS!!!
I was super overwhelmed with all the love and well-wishes! :) You guys perfectly capped off my birthday celebration!
And so today, I am writing this at around 4:10 pm of January 22. Just an ordinary day, just like January 20--which just turns out to be my birthday. If you think about it, dates and ages are just marks and numbers that we creative-minded humans made up and gave certain symbolisms such as the quarter life and birthdays. But I am not complaining, because with these marks, we know when to celebrate.
And for me, celebrating another year means a whole new chance-- a point where I can kick-off again, start anew, and feel that there is hope in being and having all that I ever hoped for. It started with the blues. And ended with yellows, sunshines, and beautiful friendships. I realized I just cannot not love birthdays. As my Bully Ana said "Ang saya ko kung birthday ko, kahit walang nangyayari. Birthday ko e!"
To all that has been, and to all that will be... <3
26 Comments
Belated Happy Birthday Anna! I love reading ur entries!
ReplyDeleteThank you Mae! :) Wow super naaappreciate ko yun, thank you for your time! :)) <3
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday, Ana! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the greeting, pretty vee! :))
ReplyDeleteDon't worry Ms. Ana, my sister's turning 26 and she's still in the I'm-still-young-and-I-don't-have-plans-of-getting-married-yet stage. Di ka nag-iisa! hahaha! :)) Belated happy birthday Ms. Ana! :D
ReplyDeleteThank you for that, Joyce :) I just found out my mom got married ng 24 palang siya! :D I think umuurong na talaga ang the-works ng mundo :) Thank you for the greeting Joyce! :))
ReplyDeleteAwwww.. Belated happy birthday again, dear. Mwah. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Alexa! :)) <3
ReplyDeleteyou are forever young for me, ana!:) hehe i'm just 21 and yet i'm also scared to go to 22..but yes, it is just a number and it's up to us how we'll go by it :) happy birthday, ana! can't wait to celebrate your day on feb!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh dont even start with turning 25.. :( So not looking forward to it... Sorta depressed nga right now kaya wala akong blog entry for today kase depress depressan ako.. :|
ReplyDeleteAt least you have your family with you.. Ako, pati boyfriend ko wala. Wow, self pity much? Hahaha!!!
Sorry nag-shshare lang.. Pero... Been trying really hard na lumayo sa bad vibes!!! Argh.
Ang haba ng post mo, daming happenings ng birthday mo, and I'm happy for you because you deserve it.. :)
Cheers to aging beautifully!! ;)
Ava! :) It's so easy to say na dont worry about turning 22, but I know hindi siya as easy as that. Truly, I get by with a little help from my friends, sabi nga ng the beatles hehe :) Excited to see you nadin!!! :D Feb!!!
ReplyDeleteHi honey!!! =) Smile na jan! :) I know lahat tayo may ikakaself-pityhan, hindi mawawalan kahit na kung iisipin may mga bagay nga na meron naman satin na ikakaself-pity ng iba. Thank you for reminding me to look at the bright side. :) GV LANG TAYO! :)) Hahahah sorry super alam kong no-no ang long entries pero for this, parang "pake ko" sa ayaw ng long entries mode ako hahaha, minsan lang mag birthday, and promise next year iwas bday blues na...Or WALANG bday blues na kasi waste of time. :P See you soooon!!! :) <3 Feb!!!!
ReplyDeleteMy real name is actually Vina. You used to call me Marie when I bought at your shop. hahaha. Anyway, thank you! hihi
ReplyDeleteHahaha! :D Hi Vina!!! :D Thanks din a! :)) See you around blogger :))
ReplyDeleteIt's ok to grow old.. :) There's nothing to fear. For as long as you remain child-like, not childish! :)
ReplyDeleteYou had a wonderful celebration, Ana! :) Many thanks to your parents because they brought you to life. :D
Good to know your birthday turned out to be a memorable and fun one ;) I also get the birthday blues, kaya you're not alone! Love the hotel btw, parang sulit nga :)
ReplyDeleteHi Irene! :) Thank you so much! That's the goal in life, to continue being childlike even inside an adult's body! :) Thank you so much too, it's actually really a celebration for the 'rents for bringing me here, and for bringing me up well for the past 25 years :)
ReplyDeleteHi Hazel thank you so much! :) Oo nga, must be a thing that lots of people go through, but bday blues suck big time! haha! Super sulit nga nun hotel! :D I made sure of that din hahaha, cheapstake kasi ako hehehhe! ;D
ReplyDeleteThis is really an awesome post with a beautiful endinG! I hope you have fun being 25! :D
ReplyDeletethat book looks awesome, great blog!
ReplyDeleteNa-teary eyed naman ako while reading this, wala lang, I'm just thankful we're friends! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Michelle for appreciating! :) I really tried to shorten this entry, but can't haha...so I am happy when people still really READ :) Mwah! :)
ReplyDeleteFashion Ice: super cool book! :) I want to have my own "100" closet essentials, hihi! :) thanks for visiting my blog! :))
ReplyDeleteKrissy!!!!! Thank you so much!!! :))) You're one of those who made me feel valued, especially nun birthday ko...I am MORE THANKFUL that I have YOU as my friend!!! Cheers!!! See youuuu sooooooneeeest!!!!!!
ReplyDeletebelated happy birthday!
ReplyDeleteewan ko ba kung nasaan ako nung mismong bday mo at di ako nakagreet on time.
di bale na, happy birthday ulit!!
Hahahah! :D Thank you Liezyl! :)) Sabi nga nila, better late than nevah! :)))) ;)
ReplyDeleteYour turn! Always excited to read your comments! :)