For my birthday this year, Alyssa and Aubrey gave me a cashcashpinoy voucher. :D
Secret Recipe branch at Level 5, Shangri-La Mall, Mandaluyong City
Edmund (he had his own voucher :D ) and I finally availed the promo this month.
Here are the cakes that we indulged ourselves with. :9 We all enjoyed eating them with a hot cup of jasmine tea. *thumbs up* Why tea instead of coffee? Well, we were given a choice between tea or coffee and we chose tea. :)
I forgot what each of them is called. -.- But my favorites include strawberry (top left), mocha (top right), and the one with a banana-like taste (middle, right). I never thought I could finish three slices of cakes within an hour. Haha! :D
Last October 18, 2011 we celebrated my cousin Erlie's 21st birthday at La Mesa Ecopark. :) It was a Tuesday, which coincided with her day off but not with mine so she forced me into filing a vacation leave. :p I figured that my presence could be the best gift that I could give her so I didn't really think twice about it. :)
Preparation. And because it has been our greatest frustration to document everything that we do together, I finally bought a Canon PowerShot A2200 14.1 MP digital camera. :) Hooray! :) Thanks to Alyssa's credit card I didn't have to pay for it right away.
Since we planned to prepare things early, I decided to shop for groceries and sleep with them the night before. And in my haste, it felt like I brought too much - swimming attire, super large towel, three shirts, toiletries - but I was only able to bring one pair of shorts. >.<
The Big Day. We rode a taxi from Marikina to Ecopark for 200Php.
We were lucky because the taxi driver allowed the six of us to fit ourselves inside his car. Haha.
Hihi. Naaaliw lang talaga ako sa pagkakakuha ko ng picture na ito. Ang genuine ng ngiti. Hahahaha. =))) Dinner at Gumbo sa SM Mega. Sakto sa Mega F%D Sale ang birthday niya, kaya uber busog kami - buy one take one na malaking slice ng strawberry choco cheesecake, at free seafood jambalaya. :)
Gumising akong puno ng notifications ang FB page ko. Hihi. Birthday ko na kasi.
Sa paulit-ulit na pagta-type ko ng Salamat, (insert name here), iniisip ko kung maya-maya pangalan mo naman ang itatype/itetext ko.
Pagdating ko sa office, binati ako ng attendance system. Gusto ko sanang i-screen shot at i-mail sa'kin. Kaso, nahiya ako. Fire drill. Exercise. Mula 31st floor hanggang ground floor. Magpapasalamat na rin ako dahil walang 14th, 13th, at 4th floor. Muscle strain after, grabe. Hindi bale, may reward namang tatlong oras na petiks time. :)
Ay naalala mo ba 'yung unang beses na nagcelebrate ako ng birthday na kasama ka? Fail kayo sa plano ninyo. Ever late kasi ang susundo sa'kin. Ayan tuloy nagpang-abot tayo. Haha. :)
I don’t know with you. Did you start counting again?
February (2)
Jomai’s Birthday Surprise.
Me, Jomai, Guillard
Location: CS Department Faculty Lounge.
It entailed a little bit of mischievous acts like sneaking inside the folders in her laptop to get some pictures and luring her out from the venue while the rest are making preparations. :)
I paid your Meralco bill. Feels like I’m in being trusted with a house thing already. I like it. :)
March (3)
Our worst fight. You took back the key. One of my darkest nights. Never thought that you could do it. Never thought that I could walk that distance – alone.
Jomai and Guillard surprised me for my birthday.
We made polvorons.
I treated them at Jollibee. :)
But still, it is my worst birthday.
The hell month. Three major projects due. Make-up classes and exams.
April (6)
I chose to attend summer classes while everyone was up for the OJT.
Bought Loving Angels by Laureatte Therrien.
Angels Raphael and Santi
Started reading Death Note manga.
You returned the key. Reconciliation. The sweetest that I could dream of...
‘Last night I wished on a falling star...’ Too bad, I cannot have that note you wrote.
May (4)
I did not join the field trip for my Philippine Institutions subject. So I completed a project on acquiring every school in the Philippines named after Rizal.
I got an exemption from our Natural Science 1 final exam.
You were actually very upset that I agreed on meeting up with you the following day, knowing full well that the exemption list was not yet out. You cannot accept it if I have to cancel our meeting because I was taking up an examination. You would get hurt. But, I knew myself. J I calculated. And I was 98.9% percent sure I was going to make it at the exemption list. Yes, I knew I impressed you. :)
End of summer classes.
My Natural Science 1 class. :)
June (1)
I am officially a fourth year college student.
Attended TEDxUP. But it was only a series of projected videos at the Lecture Hall. I was deeply impressed by the technology now available to help children with their studies. It was like an industry already, and I call it – education technology. Hehe.
You got terribly sick and texted me you cannot even stand and walk your way around. So I hurried to your house. You were crying when I opened the door. You thought that I was not coming at all. I brought you something to eat. I asked what happened (you did not understand that what I needed to know were the details), and it fueled your irritation once again. The least you need is my irritating ignorance and insensitivity. Fortunately, I was able to soften you down. And fortunately, you liked the food I brought you, even if it was just instant noodles. I was thinking you would want something cooked, like arrozcaldo. I was actually skimming through the recipe as I was traveling and I was starting to get nervous that I might fail you again. Finally, your fever notched several degrees down. And there was nothing stopping you from going out. Apparently, you had some business to attend to and I was not allowed to know what that was. You did not answer me when I asked why you were still going out instead of resting. Time had taught me not to pry and get very nosy, so I did not push you into it. So, I just offered to boil the water you will be using to bathe. I was glad when you conceded.
July (2)
I finally created my Facebook account. The first Facebook app I tried was Pet Society. If pets there were real, mine would be probably dead by now. XD
Solar eclipse seen at CS Department. I have not seen it though. A popular Computer Science professor at the department was allegedly seen with students in front of the department. They were reportedly holding what appears to be a sheet of material that will enable anyone to see the eclipse without harming his or her eyes.
Graduation pictorial.
It was happiness yet trepidation.
August (1)
Pancake House with Margot. It was my first time. I ate cinnamon. Delicious! Especially that white creamy stuff you have to put as a coating before eating. Yum, yum. :)
It is the first time (and probably the last) that you took me to the rooftop. I watched your drenched hair get dry as the winds roughly blew its strands. We made up stories about the building that we saw, the car on the street, and the people in their homes. When we got down, amazingly, the strands of your hair turned into a perfect curtain of soft silky black after being tossed and turned by the winds.
I am so excited for your birthday. You were the one who invited me and made special requests. It made me quite happy.
So I had plans laid out.
September (0)
FAILED plans. I made a major decision. I hope you understand.
Attended BFreeDay with friends at MegaTent, Meralco Avenue. J We got our free UP-designed SmartBro. We were also very lucky during that day because we got everything else beyond the limits! Basketful of jellyace, overflowing Real Leaf, more than a serving of fishballs and squidballs, etc.! We even got very competitive when we got to the freedom board. We wrote ‘UP’ in big, bold and red letters – covering other writings from students of different universities! Haha. :)
Guillard’s Birthday Surprise. It was not what I thought it would be. We utilized all the resources we can harness – Facebook, YahooMail, Gmail, MSPowerpoint, classroom, projector. :)
A professor caught me sneaking down the stairs. I was sneaking because I was being careful not to be seen by Guillard. XD
Special thanks to a professor who willingly lent to us the projector and joined the fun.
October (0)
Thesis Final Presentation. Aubrey and I were the one in charge to do the talking. We were wearing formal outfits. And some people from Smart were actually invited. It turned out great. :)
Me, Ate Ru, Ate Rose Ann, AÜ
End of first semester.
November (0)
I am officially a graduating student. The fastest enrolment I have ever experienced since I entered the university if it was not for the fact that I left my Form5 at the laboratory when I was about to pay my tuition fee. XD
Lileth’s Birthday Surprise. I disturbed her sleeping younger sis and busy mother – I raided her house at around 6:30am to 7:00am to give her my gift. Haha. :)
Started reading Stephenie Meyer’s series.
Was not able to watch New Moon.
Bought Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom at a booksale.
December (0)
After nine years, I cut my hair super short.
Margot’s Birthday Date at Ministop. We ate ice cream. :)
TEDxManila. An unforgettable experience. I was a participant-turned-organizer. But it was worth it. I got free shirt, free pins, free food. :)
We were with one of the speakers, Mr. Iliac Diaz.
Web Science Laboratory Christmas Party. The first time that I had my stomach full the whole day. I did not join the exchange gift but got lucky enough to win the raffle – I bagged a Cadbury chocolate. :)
You were once my Cadbury Romeo.
My first job interview.
Best Lantern Parade experience. I was watching from the very front. The media cameras were directly in front of us. I was able to see the fireworks from start to end – it was the first. The experience was thrilling. The night sky became a large monitor showcasing different lights from different directions.
Ice Cream House date with Margot. :) We ate cherries. :)
