23 unedited

If the past couple of days are any indication of the year to come, I think there will be a lot of change.

Right now, I like to wear my hair down more than I wear it up. My bangs are always in my eyes and my hair tangles more than I like to admit.

I believe in birthdays.

My bed is always a mess. I use it as extra storage space when I don't put things away and have, for most of April, slept with my ukulele.

I wake up early. I love mornings. Coffee does nothing for me.

It takes me less than 10 minutes to get ready in the morning. Once, only 3.

It's cat eyes or nothing.

I don't stop to smell the flowers unless they're jasmine. I stop to take photos.

My phone/keys/cell phone are constantly "missing." They're usually in my pocket.

The best thing anyone has ever said to me was, "your soul has a right to breathe." Thanks, Danny.

The funniest thing a stranger has ever said to me was, "so what do you like about me?"

I start with the lower right when brushing my teeth, the upper right when flossing, the left everything when dressing, and the right contact lens always.

I'm not sure if I have a favorite meal. I like to say rice with anything, because it's comforting. Eggs make everything better, too.

This post is taking a lot longer to write than I thought it would. I started earlier this morning, fell asleep, and am back at it.

I'm partial to mustard yellow, lavender, and mint green.

I hope I'll always have freckles on my lips.

23

8:00 am

9:00am

10:00am

11:00am

12:00pm

1:00pm

2:00pm


3:00pm

4:00pm

5:00pm

6:00pm

7:00pm

8:00pm

9:00pm

10:00pm

Another birthday (almost) documented hour-by-hour. This birthday was different, I spent most of it alone running work errands. I was feeling a little defeated until a taxi driver finally agreed to take me from downtown Brooklyn to Williamsburg (several drivers had already refused). When I stepped into the cab, it was flooded with classical music. I chatted with the driver, Jean, who spoke French and was from Haiti. He asked where I was from, where my family was from, and told me the only Tagalog he knew: "mahal kita" ("I love you").

 I finally got some off-the-clock time and saw a filming of The Daily Show (!!) and eventually made my way to meet my coworkers for karaoke in Koreatown. After lots of delays and a quick bibimbap stop, I was worried because I was running late. I walked into our room and everyone started yelling and cheering, then breaking out into a huge chorus of "Happy Birthday." Most embarrassing/heartwarming/sweet.

 This time last year, I:
- had just met JGL (haha)
- was panicking about my future post-graduation
- began reading for fun again (homework be damned)
- was getting ready to become an au pair
- couldn't believe I was going back to Europe again.

 I don't have any "landmarks" coming up-- graduation is over, I have my first adulthood job. This next year is big and open and I can't wait.

(See 21 and 22)

22

9:00am

10:00am

11:00am

12:00pm

2:00pm

3:00pm

4:00pm

5:00pm

6:00pm

7:00pm

9:00pm

10:00pm

11:00pm

I really liked the photo-an-hour birthday project that I did last year, so I tried it again this year on Tuesday. Birthdays are always different (at least I never know what to expect). I basically had class/school work from 9-5, and then a study session from 7-9. After my JGL encounters the previous day, there wasn't a lot that I imagined would be as exciting. But then David gave me a picnic basket!

I know it sounds a little silly but I've been wanting a picnic basket for a few years and of course, David always seems to finally get me things that I've been eying for excessive amounts of time. I can't wait for my first picnic with it!

This time last year, I:
- just finished gallivanting around Western Europe with David
- began studying in Oxford
- had more tea than I thought possible
- spent more time on airplanes than I thought possible
- couldn't help but think that my half-year abroad was surreal.

With graduation this June, I truly have no idea what's to come this next year. Everything is so uncertain and subject to change. Usually, this drives me crazy but this year, I'm trying to embrace it.

serendipity (and joseph gordon-levitt)

Yesterday I met Joseph-Gordon Levitt three times. The first at a lunch presentation where he spoke about his project hitRECord.org. The other where I serendipitously ran into him on campus (he shook my hand and introduced himself as "Joe"). And the last during his mini-movie screening where he called me up on stage to talk about the time I went to see Jane Eyre.

And then my friends surprised me with an-almost midnight birthday cake. 22 is off to a good start!

Thank you, universe.

turning 3

my niece, raine, turns 3 today!

it seems like just yesterday she watched elmo on repeat and was learning to walk.
now she's a "big girl" singing taylor swift songs in her disney princess dresses.

this photo is from when she was hardly one
and now she's so big! ahhhh!

happy birthday, my little raine drop!

better

today i woke up sick,

burnt my oatmeal, &

have gotten nothing done

(on account of being sick)

but i got this german card in the mail from david

with 5 euro to cutely represent him buying me a drink

so now it's a little easier to ignore my

stuffy nose, my sore throat, and my incessant coughs

and today is much, much better.

birthday season

late april and early may is birthday season in my family. my birthday is april 26th, marelene's is may 1st, and nina's is may 6th (today!) i know that this blog is just little thoughts and photos from my travels, and that it doesn't mean a lot in the scope of life, but this post is for my sisters who mean the world to me. they have influenced my life in the best ways possible and i'm so thankful to have them in my life.

*

(this is the only photo i could find of just the three of us... it's from 2008. sisters, i think we need to fix that)

marelene on her wedding day in 2008.

i love this picture of her (and her, of course)

nina at a farm/pumpkin patch in half moon bay last august.

one of my favorites of her (so far).

ok, to explain something really quick: in filipino culture, you call your older sister or older girl cousin "ate" (pronounced ah-teh). so my sisters are my ates- i don't think i've ever called them "marelene" or "nina" so referring to them that way on here was really weird.

happy birthday ates!

i love you.

ps- they are so beautiful.

good thing they're passing it along to their babies (:

birthday fun

when it was midnight and my birthday began last monday,

sarah led me downstairs to the kitchen for a surprise cake celebration (:

earlier, hiyabel (my roommate) was freaking out because all of the grocery stores close early on sundays, so she couldn't go to one for a cake. she ended up walking into a ton of cafes and coffee shops to see if she could buy an entire cake, rather than a slice, and she found this delicious chocolate one! i. loved. it. and i love them ♥

then, during the actual day of my birthday,

we (sarah, hiyabel, chelsey and i) went out for afternoon cream tea!

things i have to say:

1. scones + clotting cream + jam will never get old to me

2. i'm newly obsessed with tea

3. i have wonderful, wonderful friends

21

11:00pm the night before

9:00am

10:00am

11:00am

12:00pm

1:00pm

2:00pm

4:00pm

5:00pm

6:00pm

7:00pm

8:00pm

9:00pm

10:00pm

11:00pm

12:00am

my birthday (yesterday), by hour (minus 3pm), as inspired by rebecca.

the night before i opened the birthday package (with my family watching on skype)

i woke up to morning yoga, creative writing class, and spent time working on my paper before going to afternoon tea with hiyabel, chelsey and sarah (pictures to come)

then i came back and tried to write more (unsuccessfully)

this time last year, i was

sea kayaking with david

getting ready to go to greece

playing softball.. before tearing my ACL

working at my favorite coffee shop ever

loving santa cruz.

so much has happened in one year! i'm excited to see what the new one brings.