29

I celebrated my 29th birthday 3 months earlier when I bought a watch as an advance birthday gift to myself :) Dec 6, we had a triple bday celebration with Nov-Dec Bday celebrants, Ailyn and Rhea at Mang Del’s with our officemate and friends. Dec 11, I received a long awaited book from Bookmooch, The Devil and Ms. Prym by Paulo Coelho. Dec 13, we had an overnight with the Alfonso Squad (will explain this name on a separate post) at the Yellow Gate Rest House at Buda for our Christmas/ Birthday party. On the eve of my birthday, Blow gave me a pair of sandals (sanuk) which I’ve been hinting for the last couple of months J Simply being with the one you love. SMS Birthday greetings started to come in despite the fluctuating Signal. On my birthday, the Alfonso Squad went to the Green Valley falls where we hiked and bathed. Received calls from friend abroad…I was truly touched because they still found time to call despite the time difference and the distance. When I got home we had a simple family dinner with my family. My mom baked me a cake and cooked my favorite pasta and dishes. Received gifts from friends and loved ones. Advice from my 28 year old self 12. Do not spread yourself too thinly. Do not multi-task too much. Take it slow to enjoy the things you do. 13. Lists and reminders are the antidote to forgetfulness. 14. Think of happy thoughts everytime you feel depressed. 15. Do not speak or act in anger. 16. Be kind to customers ;) 17. Be considerate of people’s feelings 18. Travel, travel and travel. 19. Spend wisely and save! Stop buying slippers! 20. Evaluate your priorities in life. 21. Put your words into action. 22. There’s no such thing as having too many friends. Don’t close your doors to other people because you think you have enough people in your life already. Each person is a present. 23. Continue joining clubs and circles. 24. Pursue your dreams of being a writer/poet. Practice some more. Learn. 25. The adage “The more you give, the more you receive” is true so do it. Be generous. 26. Relationship needs work and commitment. 27. Take care of your health. 28. Do not be afraid to take risks. 29. Be always thankful of your blessings. It was truly a very happy birthday . I realized that one’s birthday need not be limited to one day only…you can actually celebrate it a few months or days earlier or you can celebrate it everyday. That’s what I plan to do this year…to make everyday special and find joy from the simple and ordinary things.