Lessons from Bella Swan about turning 21

I’m not very fond of Bella Swan. I find her incredibly annoying, whiny and her acting is terrible. She’s the girl I never want to be. But if there’s one thing I will give her props for is in knowing what she’s is certain about –that Edward is a vampire who wants her blood but still irrevocably loves him –and unrelentingly abides by these certainties, even if it can threaten her life.

I just turned twenty one years old last June 17. Last year I wrote about my transitions to twenty and how my life would turn beautifully real. After one year I have to say that my favorite thing about this decade is discovering some of the certainties of my life, those unquestionable principles that I will use to discover the rest of the world with conviction and honesty.

I haven’t been able to give a proper conclusion to last summer but it was definitely my most emotional one. No, I wasn’t depressed nor did I experience anything tragic. Whatever the trigger was, it was the most honest I’ve ever been with myself, friends and family.

It wasn’t that long ago when indifference used to be my problem. I hardly cried or really cared.  I felt numb. Now I can’t even keep track of how many times I’ve cried in the last 3 months. In between sobs I remember joking around to my best friend that I was being pathetic but she said that it was a sign that I’m growing. I haven’t grown “old” yet, but i am growing up, and now at 21 I can definitely feel the difference.

But despite that emotionally weird summer, after one week of school I was in such a a great mood, most especially on my birthday. Words can not express how immensely loved I felt that day. Weeks before my birthday I’m normally in such a birthday bubble.  I tend to think too much about whether or not to celebrate and if i was then how. It stresses me out.

Maybe it’s because I’ve been so busy lately but this year it hardly crossed my mind. I didn’t try so hard to make it mean something which ironically is what made my twenty first birthday so meaningful. It felt genuine. Like the Beatles said “The love you take is the love you make.” Love is the best way to enjoy your birthday. It’s not about the gifts or the parties.  So if you want a great day, make sure you give genuine love the other 364 days of the year and it will naturally reciprocate on your special day in different forms.

To me my birthday was the affirmation of all the certainties I’ve tearfully and honestly been struggling to figure out in the last two decades. So, even though I’m no Bella Swan, I’ll take my cue from her. After 21 years of living these are  some of the things I am absolutely positive about:

First, to know the people in my life I can truly count on.

Mej, my bestfriend birthday twin! Lena wasn't here though :(

New good girl friends are hard to find at this age :)

Second, to love the work I’m doing.

My AVP's surprised me with cake and asti martini!

Third, to recognize and appreciate the genuine love and concern of my family and the sacrifices they have made for me.

Birthday dinner at Cafe Juanita with my family. Not pictured is Ate Pia!

Fourth, to know that no matter what bad shit happens, there are and will always be good times.

Sharing a beer with another birthday buddy, Arbie Baguios!

ILGN reunion

Tags, tags!

Tags, tags.

Fifth, that I will always be curious about what life has to offer me.

It seemed like a good idea at the time

Every day we encounter so much clutter. For me, being 21 is not only knowing what matters but being able to shed away what’s not. Through thick and thin knowing these is what will always remind me to be happy and eternally grateful.

Straight from the intern’s mouth

Last summer I described my internship at Status  Magazine as the “Beauty Of Doing Something.” This year my experience is exactly the opposite. But instead of ranting (some more) about how it wasn’t what I expected I’ll hold back my tongue. Apparently there’s also beauty in doing nothing as well. And trust me, I’ve tried very hard to see it skin deep.

A majority of the time i didn’t have much to do. So, in the absence of activity I was forced to pay attention to details that are usually overlooked in the presence of something more exciting.

Summer buzzkill

1.  It’s no wonder why yuppies or people stuck having a job out of necessity and not passion (which is practically most post-graduates) look forward to going out on the weekend and even weekdays so much. Shallow indulgences have more depth than your mundane work day, even if that enjoyment only goes as deep as your beer bottle. I think a small part of me used to judge them, but now I don’t blame them. The more reason to find a job that you absolutely love.

Appreciating the Ortigas skyline by foot while commuting

2. BUT one big difference between going out on a workday and school day is that work takes up a full 8 hours while school doesn’t. Can you endure your sleep-deprived hangover for that long? You can’t take a power nap because it’s unprofessional. I know that from experience hahaha.

YBreak

3. You gain the most useful information about work outside of the 4-by-4 cubicle, like during a yosi break or over lunch where the office space doesn’t have ears listening in.

…. 4. Which is why it’s important to befriend that one officemate who will share with you the intricacies of the real world bureaucracy! The one we continually get more immersed in as we grow older and less sheltered.

When expectations don't align with reality

5. As an intern, what’s worse than being described as being on the bottom of the office ladder is being extra space that’s begging to be utilized.

6. I’ve gotten to know my own leadership style and work ethic better. Not only do I believe in the value of being hands on, but i don’t care if your process includes facebooking every 5 minutes just as long as you get your shit done.

7. I’ve picked up the habit of reading more than the lifestyle section of the newspaper and I’m loving it. It’s my favorite way of passing the time at work.

Contemplating the road to my career

8. The odd jobs that I did do might pay off in the future. Have you watched Limitless starring hottie Bradley Cooper? That movie is a testament that remembering mundane details from the past is key to becoming successful in the future. That is my rationalization of hope.

9. An 8-5 job is tiring no matter how busy or not busy you are. Despite sitting on my ass the whole day, the simple fact that I’m  up by 7am  surprisingly makes me really hungry by lunch.  And I can’t exactly burn off my appetite afterwards by sitting. No wonder working makes post-graduates fat haha

Hmm decisions.

10. But the most important thing I’ve learned from doing nothing is that it shed some light on that something that genuinely makes me happy. I absolutely do not want a desk job. My personality is meant for something more engaging. I think I’ve found it and I promised myself that I will exhaust every opportunity I can in pursuing it. Fingers crossed for this upcoming month!

When all else fails, count on the people

The Boracay Bucket List

Obligatory solo pose by the beach picture!

Finally, the long overdue Boracay photospamage.

It was around one year ago when I first met BoB, that small provincial boy from Bacolod who left a mark in my ever adventurous heart. We started going out in the summer of 2010 and since then have satisfied each other’s wander lusting urges, like cliff diving in Bacolod, zorbing in Caliraya, swimming in Camiguin and white water rafting in Cagayan De Oro. This year we decided to frolic to Wazakhstan which is otherwise known as Boracay.

The new mistresses and err misters (?) of BoB

Being the down to earth, spontaneous, sabaw and easy going person that BoB is, he has made a lot of friends since that fateful summer. But I am neither jealous nor spiteful of his new found lovers. They make the relationship more interesting.

Unfortunately a lot of the original crew couldn’t make it to Boracay this year, but it’s okay because  BoB  embodies a spirit that lives within anyone who is open and spontaneous enough to accept him.

New or old there's as BoB in all of us. The extended family is now ILTGN

I’ve definitely been to Boracay way too many times to mention and over the years island life has pretty much stayed the same. Beach, bum, beer. Repeat until your brown, bloated and broke (all of which I was when I arrived back in Manila.) I’m enjoying being tanned, but the other two I’m still working on getting rid of.

Really, not much has changed, and honestly I’d rather spend my money exploring the other 7,106 under rated islands, which are equally if not even more beautiful than Boracay.

Although I’m this close to maxing out my penchant for Boracay, the truth is I only came back because of BoB. He always makes my hard earned and saved money worthwhile anywhere we go.

If we had a Boracay Bucket List, this would be it and it’s almost every reason why the trip was worth it.

Do you like my bora body?

As if HAHA

The letter “b” is such an appropriately descriptive letter for bora-eutiful alliterations.

Bora Booby Babes Busting Bora Boys for staring.

Broke and Buzzed on Booze and Beer.

Bronzed Beauties.

Aaanyways, this is my way of saying I’m Boracay bound in a couple of hours and i’m flying there via bandwagon. Goodbye Ateneo De Manila, hello Ateneo De Boracay!

La Vie bo-BUM!

'Le bum look. Hello from my bed! I look like I'm 10.

I. Absolutely. Love. Summer.

I keep meaning to write about my summer plans sooner, but every time I sit in front of my laptop I get distracted by all the reasons why I’m loving summer so much. It’s a perpetual  ”Oooohh, someone posted an interesting link. ” CLICK.  Then one click leads to another and before I know it I’m totally lost  in the online world, reading and watching things that are much more interesting than what I’ve been up to lately. Given my recent summer status of bummage that really hasn’t been much, but i’m not complaining.

I love going out but I equally love staying home. Honestly, I don’t see how anyone equipped with either of the following – a book, TV, or internet, could ever be bored staying at home.  Wikipedia defines boredom as “an emotional state experienced during periods lacking activity or when individuals are uninterested in the opportunities surrounding them.”

But how can our generation ever die of boredom when our culture gives us so many ways to keep ourselves entertained and preoccupied? The cure for boredom is curiosity, and god knows how much information is circling out there for us to be curious about. If you find yourself unable to to go out and find adventure, then it’s just a CLICK away.

Although nothing beats going out there and actually experiencing life, I believe that we need these moments of down time to leisurely replenish and refresh our ideas about the world and what we like.

Lately I’ve been having bed conversations with twitter, Neil Gaiman, Time, blogs, TED talks, movies, newspapers, sitcoms, TV, etc. Sometimes I have a hard time deciding which one I want to wake up to in the morning… or afternoon, and go to bed at night with.

I tweeted recently that “thoughts have to incubate before they can sprout”, and for me the best time for that is when you’re home alone. Afterwards, when we begin to socialize again, then there’s that much more to talk about! Exciting!

Anyways, I’m aware that sooner or later this lifestyle will get old because what’s life, actually what’s SUMMER if it’s only lived behind the computer screen or on the couch. But in the coming weeks I have meetings, reunions, gimmiks with friends, BORACAY and my internship to keep me busy and add some spice to summer. So in the mean time I’ll enjoy every moment of being a bum while I still can. La vie bo-BUM! (Senorica/French for the bum’s life)