Going Acoustic.

Yesterday morning, I got an invitation from a friend from theater class (way back when) if I'd be interested to come by her place for some acoustic session. Having had a rather stressful week, I accepted the offer and went all the way to Las Piñas.

I got to her house around 10:30 and since I got there, we went ahead with singing whatever songs we could actually think of.

After six hours of non-stop singing (from me) and guitar and piano playing (from her), we were able to record 20 songs. Wow! Hahaha! I'm proud of what we did. Didn't really plan on doing this ever, but I'm really happy of what we came up with.

Basically, the songs we came up with are some of our all-time favorites, rendering our own versions, at least, trying to be as original as we can be with the songs we've grown up to hear.

I hope you have fun listening to these songs, as we've had so much fun recording them.

Maggie Goes Acoustic.

On Going 24...

In just a couple of hours, I will be turning another year older. I'll be 24 soon as the clock strikes midnight. Well, okay, if we are to consider the exact time of my birth, then I'd have to say that I'll be 24 years old by 5:20 in the morning, hehehe. And so, another year will pass and a new year will arrive.

I've been going through my blog entries for the past year, along with my journal I have here in my room, and I have to say that the past 12 months of being a 23-year-old are the most memorable! When I turned 23 last year, I have to admit -- I didn't expect much. At the back of my mind, it's like I didn't really have anything to look forward to, except for family gatherings. But then, things fell into place that I never imagined. I went to Davao twice, I sang in front of an audience a couple of times, I went to 8 destinations in one week... and so much more!

Of course, it wasn't all about fun. When I turned 23 last year, I knew that I had a bigger responsibility, not only to myself but also to my family. Oh the responsibility. A lot of times, I am anxious about getting so much responsibility at work and at home. But at the end of the day, I realize that these responsibilities aren't just handed to me for no reason at all. People trust me. People have confidence in me that I can do it. And for that, I am grateful.

If I give you reasons why I am so grateful for the past year, I can only summarize them in three words: family, friends, work. I don't think I can be this grown-up without them.

You know, oddly enough, it's the first time in my 24 years of existence that I actually feel like I've really turned a year older. Before, birthdays didn't have this much impact on me, just because I felt that there's really no change when celebrating birthdays, except that it's a new number you write on paper when you're asked for your age. But then, this feeling of going on 24, I actually feel different. Good different. In the sense that, age is not just a number now. It's about taking in all those experiences you've had the year before and looking forward to the future.

Yes, in a couple of hours, I will officially be 24 years old. Celebrate with me. Smile, have fun, eat a slice of cake for me.

Happy birthday to me!

Yesterday was all about me.

Indeed, it was! I have finally acknowledged the realization that I've been pushing myself to the limit the past few weeks, and while it helped me that I was preoccupied with work, it was time to give myself a break and just have fun! And fun, I did get.

At 10:00 in the morning, I told my parents that I would be going out. I swear, I still get surprised by their response whenever I tell them I'm going out on weekends. When I told Mama that I'm going to hang out by myself, she told me, "Buti naman. Lagi ka na lang tutok sa trabaho mo." Thanks, Mama. I know you'd rather I go out with my friends, but I'm very happy you're glad to see me get out on my own and have some fun. Hehehe.

So after having an early lunch (11:30AM to be more precise), I washed up, took a shower, got dressed and headed to the salon. I've been planning since my birthday to get a hair treatment -- and that's exactly what I got when I went to my stylist and had an uber long hair treatment. Karina, owner of Regine's Salon, made sure that my hair would be so much more manageable than what I had. Yes, my locks are once again revitalized! 4 hours of sitting on the chair was sooooo worth it! I love my hair! I remember one of the staff saying, "Miss Marge, you're looking more and more Chinese with your hair like that." Thanks for the compliment! But Karina said the funniest thing ever: "Marge, if this doesn't get you a boyfriend, I don't know what will." Hahahaha! Thank you, Karina, for making me feel I'm the prettiest girl there is!

How do I look now? Well, see for yourself.

All right. Done with the salon. I could have just gone to Greenbelt and hung out in my usual place -- Starbucks. But I opted to get into a cab and go to Bonifacio High Street. It was already 4:30PM at that time when I got there. Didn't really do much there. Went in a couple of stores, checked out some stuff. But in the end, I went to my favorite place (Starbucks, where else?), brought out my book of the day (Leo Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich), plugged in my earphones for some music, and ordered a dark cherry mocha frappuccino (current sticker count: 3 out of 17).

Here's the funny part. I was waiting for the barista to give me back my sticker but he ran out of it so they had to get a new roll. So while I was waiting for my promo card and my drink, the barista took the order of the guy next to me. When the barista asked if the guy wanted to avail a promo card, the guy politely declined. But what he said next was flattering. "You can just give my sticker to this lovely lady." I think I blushed at that. He was really nice. Thanks to him, I now have 4 stickers. Haha!

I stayed there until it was 7:00 in the evening, I think. I didn't even bother to buy any food. Hehe. But anyway, I finished the book so I went to take another stroll around Bonifacio High Street. I would have loved to take pictures but I didn't exactly have a camera with me and I didn't really want to use my iPhone as a camera at that time. So after strolling around for another hour, I got in a cab and went home.

I had an amazing "me-time"! Yes, I'm a very happy person (once again). Hehehe...

Funny Moment.

I just had to share this because I find it really funny.

After work, I decided to hang out in Starbucks. It has been quite a while since I last went there to just hang out. Oh yeah, for those of you who don't know yet, the promo for Starbucks Planner 2010 began today. So for those who are eager to collect those stickers, go to the nearest Starbucks and start buying those drinks! You need 17 stickers to be able to redeem the planner.

9 regular drinks + 8 specialty drinks = 1 planner

Ok. Well, that's not really what I wanted to share. Hehehe. But I had to plug it. Anyway, so there I was in Starbucks, alone (as usual), drinking my caffe mocha and eating my honey glazed doughnut when I noticed a guy -- a rather good looking Chinese guy -- was looking at me. So I looked back at him. Next thing I knew, I saw the guy trip and fell. Right there in the middle of Starbucks! Wow!

I feel like I'm such a geisha! Hahahaha!

That's all. I just felt like sharing that one.

23 Things to Do When I Turn 23.

Today is March 28th.

Nothing special. To me, it just means that in four days, the month of April will arrive. How time really flies.

It doesn't happen every year that I get to celebrate my birthday on time. Mostly, I celebrate it a few days after since it almost always falls on the Holy Week. So yeah, I'm pretty excited for my birthday. In 16 days, I'll be turning 23 and I can honestly say, this is the most excited I've ever been. I don't even understand why I'm looking forward so eagerly for my birthday. It's a little bit aggravating on my part because I'm scared that I might be "too excited" that when I get to my birthday, I'd be a little too serious on that day.

Then again, I don't think it's going to be like that at all. After all, there are two things I'm excited to do on my birthday for the first time: Prepare birthday lunch handaan for my officemates and treat my family to dinner. Expensive, yes...but I really don't care because it's about spending time with the people you care about, with the people you have fun with, and of course, with people you love.

So I've been thinking about it and I've come up with a list. Of course, there's always a list. Haha! In no particular order, here are the 23 things I'd like to do when I turn 23:

1. Go to Boracay or Palawan with family
   
2. Go to Boracay or Palawan with friends
   
3. Sing a great song in front of an audience (Yes, I'd like to be a singing star even for just a couple of minutes)
   
4. Buy myself a netbook (Either HP Mini or Dell Mini)
   
5. Go to a concert (Eager to go to the David Cook-David Archuleta concert)
   
6. Watch a musical (Come on, REP! What do you have for this season?)
   
7. Learn how to ice skate (I haven't done it in 10 years)
   
8. Learn how to drive
   
9. Record an album (Just for fun)
   
10. Go on a weekend retreat
    
11. Start writing a book
    
12. Spend a whole day reading a great novel
    
13. Grow my hair longer
    
14. Buy really expensive (but uber fantastic) shoes
    
15. Meet a celebrity I look up to
    
16. Write and op-ed and get published
    
17. Learn my blood type (Yes, until now, I have yet to find out what my blood type is)
    
18. Start a daily habit of something
    
19. Go back to Enchanted Kingdom and be a kid again (It's been so long)
    
20. Find a movie buddy and watch new movies at least once a month
    
21. Take at least one interesting photo each day
    
22. Go somewhere abroad (Just because)
    
23. Go on a date (Yeah, I think it's about time...besides, Lola keeps reminding me of my December 2009 deadline)
    

And there you have it. My 23 things to do when I turn 23 -- I've a year to accomplish those things. I hope I can accomplish them.

My Birthday Wish List 2009.

42 days until I celebrate my 23rd birthday.

I cannot believe how fast the year is going. In exactly 7 weeks, I will be celebrating my birthday. Wow! And now, I can't stop thinking about what I want for my birthday.

This is my wish list for when I turn 23.

The attainable wishes:
Stuff I like that can be given on my birthday...

Recently, I had a closet cleanup and I realized I didn't have much tees. I had a lot of blouses and dressy tops but not a lot of simply classic t-shirts. After such a long time looking for such apparel, I have found the answer to my prayers: The Perfect White Shirt. Not only do they have the t-shirts I want, they also have statement shirts. Yes, they are indeed perfect.

Starbucks paraphernalia will never leave my wish list. I'll always have it. How I wish someone would give me a mug or a tumbler. I need my coffee! Hahahaha!

The good thing about having my birthday in summer is that I have a reason to buy swim wear. I'm loving the swimsuits from Sun 'n Sand and Sassa. They're absolutely gorgeous! So if I have friends who are willing to buy me swimsuits, let me know when you want me to join your shopping for my birthday.

This is one gift I know I'm already getting for my birthday. Thanks to my bru, Euki, who's working in Charter International, Inc., she's getting me this wonderful pair of M. Nicole sandals. I just love it! Bru, let me know what else is there I can get. Mwah!

Bags are always nice birthday gifts to someone like me who has a lot of stuff to bring to work. I desire no particular brand as long as it's big and chic and beautiful.

The hard-to-get wishes:
Stuff I like that are too expensive to buy to give on my birthday. Probably even impossible to get.

I instantly fell in love with Dell Inspiron Mini 9 Laptop the first time I saw it on the net. It's just something I hope I'd get but I know it would be too expensive for anyone to buy this for me.

I need my music and that can be given to me by having an iPod Nano. After talking to a lot of people, they've told me to get this particular MP3 player. And I've already used it when I borrowed a friend's iPod...so yeah...now I want an iPod of my own. This is pricey, yes. But I'm hoping I can save up enough money to buy it for myself on my special day.

For my camwhoring moments, I want to have a Sony Cybershot T77. It's not enough that I only get to take pictures on my cellphone, I want my very own digital camera.

The last time I used DKNY Women was way back in 2006. And I haven't seen one every since. I do wish I'd receive this perfume. I miss this scent...

I love Sony Ericsson. Ever since I had my very own Sony Ericsson unit (which was an SE K500i), I never went back to other units. It was Sony Ericsson all the way. And then I discovered their latest product, the Sony Ericsson Idou. It's all wishful thinking to get this. Maybe in 5 years, I can buy myself this gadget.

The all-too-impossible wish:
Something I know for sure will remain a wish...

It's impossible to happen. I know that it wouldn't happen becuase if it will, I would absolutely be shocked, I'd think I'm just dreaming and everything is just my imagination. But it doesn't hurt to fantasize, right?

I wish that on my birthday, I'd receive a nice bouquet of flowers from someone. Who that someone is? I can't even say. Not because I don't want to say but because I don't know if there's anyone out who likes me that much to even care to give me a flower, what more a bouquet. But it would be so great if I did get a bouquet. It would mean that I'm special, important to that one person. It's not just receiving the bouquet. It's that getting such attention from someone...not just from a friend...but from someone who can say he likes me.

What makes this wish impossible? I do wish that apart from the bouquet, he would ask me out on a date...just the two of us...to celebrate my birthday.

Such a fantasy, I know. But, like I said...it never hurts to fantasize.

Well, my dear readers, I end my birthday wish list here.

Until I can think of other stuff, then I'd be posting again soon.

Eight Weeks and Counting

It's just now that I realized that in about eight weeks, I'd be celebrating my 23rd birthday. Oh yes, I'm turning 23 and it's always a surprise to everyone when I tell them I look forward turning a year older. Truth be told, this is probably one of those "once in a blue moon" sort of things where I am absolutely excited about celebrating it.

This excitement got me thinking of what I want to do on my birthday...and of course, what I want to get on my birthday. So I guess this blog is going to be about my wishlist for that special day.

What I want to do:

• Go to mass (it's always the best way to start the day)
• Party number 1: Birthday dinner with family (it's tradition)
• Party number 2: Birthday lunch with officemates (because that's what we do when it's someone's birthday)
• Party number 3: Birthday dinner with friends (of course)
• Go to Boracay (for a much needed vacation)
• Go to a spa (because I want to be pampered)
• See my hairstylist and get a hair treatment (it's been a long time since I got a treatment)
• Shop for uber nice clothes (just because)
• Watch a movie (if there's something nice to watch)
• Meet a celebrity (please?)
• Sing! (because I want to)
• Drink Starbucks white chocolate mocha frappuccino (I love Starbucks!)

What I want:

• Starbucks tumbler or mug (because I need it)
• Vidal Sassoon ceramic curler and straightener (because I'm vain)
• Shoes or stilettos from M. Nicole (size 9 please -- Bru, help me!)
• Swimsuits from Sun ‘n Sand (my RTW size is small)
• Gladiator sandals (just to say I have a pair or two)
• Necklace, bracelet or ring (silver is preferable; bead-accented are also nice)
• DKNY Women (I’ve been searching for it since I ran out of perfume)
• The Nanny Complete DVD Series (since I already have FRIENDS)
• Trench coat (because I've been wishing for it since 2005)

What I'm wishing to happen:
...because it would just make my birthday the most special if this happened...

• A nice bouquet of flowers
• A date