Post birthday thoughts

It's almost been a week now since my birthday but I can still feel the magic of that day. To think that I almost dreaded turning 28 because it felt a big deal to me to cross into another age group, the late 20's.

What's the big deal? Well, it means I am one year past the age that I wanted to get married; That I will be just two years shy from becoming 30, and in my ideal plan by age 30 I would've wanted to have two children. But obviously, things don't always go as planned. Like even if you are so confident about your plans like I was when I envisioned this plan 10 years ago, there is no absolute certainty it will happen. To illustrate, a couple of days ago I had a chat on Yahoo Messenger with the man I had envisioned this plan with. We were talking about the upcoming wedding of a common friend (his best friend, actually) to his girlfriend of 9 years and since we had been witness to the beginning of their love story because it happened during the time we had also just started our relationship, we could not help but reminisce some memories we had as well. An interesting part of our conversation went something like this:

Me: ...so they're getting married on their 100th monthsary..it was also my idea back then, i even had a countdown on my planner...

Him: yeah, I was 99% sure then that you're the one I was going to marry.

Me (trying to be funny): hey, why 99% only? where's the 1%?

Him: This.

Indeed. We wouldn't be having that conversation if things went 100% as planned. We only reached the 58th month but no regrets, for in those I will remember a lot of good memories. Unlike that with he-who-must-not-be-named-ex which until now I wish could be completely erased from my memory.

Anyway, before I start eating ampalaya* here, let me go back to my birthday...

My birthday night turned out into something more than I expected. Fish & Co. at The Glass house was the perfect place. I was all smiles when I arrived at the place and saw that it was all lit up and glittering. The staff were all so nice as always. I had a great seafood platter dinner with my friends plus I got a birthday cheer from the Fish & Co staff. As a custom for birthday celebrators there I was asked to stand up on my chair, wear a jester's hat, and hold a lighted sparkler while they sang the Happy birthday cheer. Then I made a wish before I blew the candle on my birthday icecream scoop they gave me....And just when I thought that the my birthday dinner will conclude my special moment, when me and my friends walked towards the bus stop, I was amazed to see that Orchard road looking magically pretty with all its pretty lights. Then I had quite an extraordinary night when we went to Ministry of Sound for some dancing. I really, really enjoyed the night (or shall I say, until the wee hours of the morning ;-) I was all smiles when I got home, and I smiled even more upon seeing another bouquet of flowers, pink roses from my second family: Dad, Mom and Grandpa Hickmon.

Until now the feeling of being so special is still there, as my heart warms continuously from all the thoughtful gestures that my friends and family did for me. Besides all that I have already mentioned, I'd like to add that phonecall from Maebs, one of my best friends since highschool, the touching blog entries of Aoisoba and Omaritosan, the birthday card and silver earrings from Aoisoba (sent all the way from Ireland!), and unexpected birthday greetings sent thru my friendster account. These all made me feel closer to my family and friends and made me be in touch again with those I have not been in touch with lately.

Thank you very, very much to everyone, my very dear family and friends, for making me feel so blessed.

After notes:

>>Orchard road was officially lit up on my birthday night (ehem)

>>A good friend of mine found something he's been waiting for on my birthday (winks to Chuvanescense ;)

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*Ampalaya - Tagalog term for the vegetable bitter gourd / bitter melon