33 Going on 13

As what everyone may know by now based on my last entry, I just had my birthday. And for the first time in so many years, I had the most fun celebrating!

Truth be told, I was a bit anxious about my birthday this year since it has been joked about by some friends that turning 33 would usher in a rather trying year. The 'crucifixion year', as any Catholic/Christian would probably understand. Luckily, I know who to go to to allay my fears...

The first thing I did to celebrate my birthday was to go to Baclaran church as a thanksgiving for another year. It has been a while since my last Baclaran visit and it felt really good to be there. So good that I decided to resume my long neglected devotion to do my novena to the Mother of Perpetual Help every Wednesday. My (late) momma would be proud!


Next, I gave myself my own post-Christmas/birthday gift: a Video iPod! After months of thinking over it and after finding an easier way to pay for it (a credit card deferred payment promo sealed my decision), I finally jumped into the iPod bandwagon. And I am loving every musical moment of it! So if you see me in the street walking like a supermodel sashaying with the rhythm, you can now figure out why.


My birthday this year was also a bit historic since I decided for the first time to temporarily suspend my usual stinginess (as if my iPod purchase wasn't enough). First, I invited my Club Madonna friends (AJ, Victor, Elg & Francis) to a birthday dinner to which my roomate Rolf and My Sunshine also joined. The following night, another birthday dinner with fellow MB Philippines members and a few days after, I treated my office friends to an after-work birthday lunch. My birthday celebration ran through several days and this cheapskate loved every minute of it! And I absolutely loved all the gifts I got! From a set of Sharon Cuneta videos, loads of Body Shop goodies and a personalized 'bling-bling' bracelet. But more importantly, it was so heartwarming to have my friends with me on my special day.

To cap off my 'birthday week', I went with my friend Liza's family to the Eurostar Carnival in The Fort, Makati and desperately tried to recapture my youth by feasting on as many, ice cream, hotdogs, popcorn and cotton candy as I can. It was so much like being a kid again (except now, I had to pay for my own sweets, hah!). Liza and I also dared each other to take on what we thought would be usual carnival rides but turned to be some nasty, gravity-defying, NASA-worthy and puke-inducing trips to hell. Whew!


Either the carnival rides have gotten really fiercer or I just am no longer that adventurous hotshot I used to be...

Whatya thinks?!?



Remember I was very young then,
And a year was forever and a day...




Birthdays
Life

Another Year Older...

Baby face, don't grow so fast...



Birthdays

Oh, Happy Day!

Today is a happy day!

I watched the telecast of the Golden Globe Awards today and I am glad to see that Brokeback Mountain won 4 awards (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Original Song). Alright, I have not seen the movie yet but from what I've read and heard, it is a really good film worth looking out for. And the fact that it's a gay-themed film, it's a must-see movie event for me this year. Movies like this don't come along too often (or at least as much as we would want to), so as a part of the LGBT community, I am bound to support it. Apparently, its Manila run would start on February 15. A perfect Valentine date movie!



Speaking of, I am also happy that Felicity Hoffman's performance in another LGBT film, TransAmerica was rewarded with a Best Actress trophy while Capote's Phillip Seymour Hoffman portrayal as gay writer Truman Capote was recognized with a Best Actor award.

And while we're on the subject of the Golden Globes, I also have a big smile on my face lately since I just got not one but 2 magazines with my beloved Madonna (herself a Golden Globe awardee) on the cover.






What a way to spend the eve of my birthday!!!


A smile... frozen in time...



MADONNA
Golden Globes
Brokeback Mountain
Movies

Time Goes By...

HAPPY 2006!!!

I know it's been a while since my last entry and though I did have a lot to talk about, I just wasn't in the mood to write.

You have to understand that while the holiday season was a hectic and fun experience for me, I couldn't help but feel melancholy as it was the first time that I and my family spent the holidays without our parents. Hard may we tried to feel jolly and upbeat, the emotional void still weighed upon us as we realize that this is how it's gonna be for the rest of our lives. Well...

It's a good thing I have a lot of friends to spend moments with around the holidays. At least, I found a lot of reasons to smile and enjoy the season.

Here are a few photos I have taken with friends and office colleagues the past few weeks...



at the MB Philippines' 2005 Holiday Gathering in Bayview Hotel with some of my greatest friends and 'gimik' buddies



at the Year-end Get Together Party with my Madonnista friends (pardon the 'psychedelic' shot)



at my office colleague and friend Darwin's wedding reception at Intramuros. I sang (!) at the Manila Cathedral hours before with my friend/singing partner Liza (in maroon) and I co-hosted the reception with Rheena (my left)



at our department's Holiday Party at CCP's Jumbo Kingdom Floating Restaurant




Nothing takes the past away like the future...



Life
Holidays