24

In my favorite movie Reality Bites, Tyler (Ethan Hawke) told Leilana (Winona Ryder) that "at 23, you don't have to be anybody but yourself." I really felt good that someone actually used the age 23 to be quoted to one of the generation defining movies of all time. So I was actually happy to be 23, not until two weeks ago when I became 24. Somebody made me happy though by giving me one of the most unique greetings of all time, telling me a happy birthday and I'm a Jack Bauer. If you didn't get it, I'll just leave it as that. I'm trying to lessen my sarcastic and ironic mutterings as I grow older. Define Irony.

Surprisingly, I'm thinking that this is actually of the best birthdays I ever had, and to itemize and actually cover up the fact that I'm getting older, here's why:

• The Gifts - I got stuff that I wanted and never expected to get. I got my Starbucks bear, a new tumbler, messenger wraps for my camera, a Panda bag, a customized birthday card with a photoshopped naked body of a local matinee idol, a set underwear for specific days and occasions (Halloween included) and much more.
• The Cakes - Got two this year, and I think my family enjoys it more than I do but I still I love making wishes (I get to have two but I think I made the same wish for both cakes) and blowing the candles. As Sharon advised, I made sure that my wish would be a good one.
• The Greetings - Actually I like saying Thank You's to the greetings more. It becomes my avenue to say my hi's and hello's to people I haven't talked to for a long time.
• The Food - Birthdays are the perfect excuse to eat a lot. I had three "feeding programs"with friends and though I was the one who spent money on those events, I'm still happy to be with people I love to be with. The family and I had dinner too and I didn't count it on my "feeding program" list since dad paid for it. 
• The World Revolves Around Me For a Day... or Two - Need I say more?

My birthday had been two weeks ago yet when I went out with movie buddy Victor last Sunday after watching a movie, we went to have drinks on TGI Friday's and he bargained for another movie with Alex Pettyfer in it. He also told the manager that it's my birthday as I glared. The last thing I wanted was being sang to on a bar with one friend. So as we finished our drinks -  with my mojito and Vic's mock cocktail -  and picked up the tab, a waiter banged on bongos as I got irritated, I hate more noise in a noisy place. However, there they were, the Friday's crew singing happy birthday (I thought I would get out unscathed) but it wasn't bad, I actually smiled. I was happy. I wanted this last year from my best friends but didn't get it. After our last toast, I officially declared my 24th birthday celebration(s) over.

Die(t)

I am currently dieting my way to losing some weight but it ain't easy when there are lots of great food, and people around you are not exactly "cooperating." Anyway, weekends are automatic cheat days and whenever I'm so bummed over something, I make myself feel better by eating whatever I want. So, since my sister and I failed to watch a movie, we ended up eating on a Monday afternoon on what could be considered a late lunch / early dinner. We ate at The Sizzling Pepper Steak where the food was mostly Japanese inspired. Surprisingly, there was pasta on the menu (maybe there were trying to accommodate a wide range of food selection) however, my sister didn't really enjoy her Chicken Parmigiana. So, as I am a very, very frustrated food photographer here's a shot (or rather shots) to my ambition to be one.

Crunchy Kani Salad - Mmm, though I still prefer the traditional Kani Salad with Mangoes. 

Chicken Parmigiana Pasta

Their Kebabs are sooo delicious, especially if topped with their Diablo Sauce.

Right now, I'm still craving for some Sashimi dipped in wasabi and soy sauce, to be paired with some sticky rice. Mmmm. Diet is slow death. 

Do you realize?

Do you know that scene in the movies wherein a girl's inside the comfort room cubicle, then some girls enter then talk about her? Then the girl inside the cubicle pretends to not exist as she listens to all the crap other people are saying about her. You, as a viewer, shout at the television, telling her the go out of the cubicle and show those girls who's talking now. Well, that happened to me, not really inside the comfort room but a whole different situation and I suddenly understood. Even if you want to show up and tell them you are there, you just can't. All you can do is shut up, pretend you're not there, and just listen. At least now, I know.

Moving on to other stuff. I just wasted a perfectly good Sunday. Since I was awake for more than 30 hours for Friday to Saturday, I was really knocked out when I got home. I stirred around 1am to read a text message, reply to it, and thought it was all a dream. I woke at 1pm to realize it wasn't a dream and to also force myself to get up because of other messages namely:

1. Your friend and your cute classmate are talking to each other in Facebook. They are up to something and you are in the middle of it. This was the 1am-thought-it-was-a-dream text. Now, I don't know how to reconcile these two or just what to do. I'm bad at being a wing"woman."
2. Someone texts you if it's okay to give money since you are an alumni. Okay, now to figure out how much.
3. Abe texts you that he slept at a church. Not just sleep like he was bored, sleep, lying on a pew, for almost three hours - just like a drunk hobo. This made the most sense of all for me.

As I was planning to watch a movie with my little sister and chose Rango over The Adjustment Bureau for her, and the movie starts on 5:30pm, she was still not awake until 4:30pm so 7:30pm it is. I wasn't feeling well and the meds I took were making me feel woozy, I took a nap as soon as she took a bath. The nap turned into an 8 hour sleep. So I got a perfectly wasted Sunday.

Now off to sing The Flaming Lips' Do You Realize?