THIRTY-NINE.

to celebrate our 39th monsary (yikee! hahahaha!), japo and i had a 3-day celebration of some sort. why 3 days? well… since 39 is divisible by 3? and 3 and 9 are multiples of 3 too, i guess. hah!

first, we had dinner at Conspiracy Garden Cafe. Noel Cabangon was playing that night and i cried uncontrollably when he played Kanlungan. ohmyfreakinggahd. nakakahiya talaga! hahahaha! blame it on the hormones. i had a sudden longing for eLBi and all the memories that came with it – both the good and the bad. *sigh* japo was telling me, in between what sounded like giggles, that he’ll ask NC to stop mid-song if i keep on crying. hahahaha! i don’t know how i did it but by the time we were served our cordon bleu and tanigue steak, my eyes were dry.

i had “All My Life” (America), dedicated to me/requested by japo *wink* for dessert. =p

a guest also asked NC to play “Sa Piling Mo”, a song i have never heard of.. but then, Bayang Barrios was there too and turned out that it was HER song. so she sang it. and i was IN LOVE. @@ i am so going to play that song at my wedding. japo loved it too. la la la… =)

after that, since Noel (close na kami ng mga panahong ‘to, haha!) had to prepare for his trip to Kenya the next day, we went back to Makati to satisy my craving for CBTL’s White Chocolate Dream. then we were back in the condo by 3am.

the morning after was the 18th. we were planning on going to the Floating Book Fair but because i had my period, my mood swings dictated that we will stay put in Makati if we didn’t want anybody to get hurt. i received my gifts and we spent the day enjoying home-cooked meals AND watching Sex and the City. =D

the next day, i woke up with japo dressed and ready to go. in a few minutes we were on a bus to Manila. we checked out cellphones in SM Manila (i was bugging him for the longest time that i haven’t been there yet), watched dog street performers (they were pretty good ^-^) and took pictures of and around the Post Office. =D so fun!

and then we took a jeep to South Harbor where the Book Fair was. if i understood correctly, most of the proceeds go to a good cause. =) so we took lots of silly pictures and bought some stuff. after that, we went to Baclaran to catch the MRT going to Megamall.

there, we bought the phone and reserved a guitar for jonas. we were supposed to watch Blood Diamond after dinner at Triple V (lechon kawali and katsudon!) but i got sick or something.. *sigh* so we had no choice but to go back to the condo where he tucked me in bed so that i get some sleep before the mood swings attack again.

i woke up at around 2am alone in the bedroom and i found japo sleeping in front of the tv. i turned it off and snuggled next to him. i fell asleep in seconds. =) *happy sigh*

so there. the 39th. again – who would have thought? =p haha!

ON GETTING MARRIED.

japo will probably freak out if he reads this but what the heck.. he rarely goes online. =p

anyway, so japo and i have been together for more than three years.. and the past few months felt – so right. we’re practically living together! everything just fell in place. first in pieces, then in chunks.. then everything just made a lovely picture of everything that i have ever wanted. and i am happier than i ever was. =)

and i guess it showed/shows. since everybody seems to be “asking” when japo and i will get married. *blinks*

first it was just gracelle.. we talked about wedding plans. the motif. the location. the clothes. the guests. at the time, she asked me not to get married anytime soon if i don’t wanna have a bawling maid of honor. but lately, her Christmas wishlist had my soon-to-be wedding as an item. so i guess i do not have to worry about puffy maid-of-honor-eyes on “the” day. hahahaha!

then anna and jaena, who both asked to have invitations WAY in advance so that they can plan their coming back to the country to attend the “occassion.”

then mom and dad constantly reminding me that they got married when they were 24. and that they had me when they were 26. and that they don’t want me to be like my aunts who married in their 30s. and them asking where japo is everytime i go home and/or there is some sort of event. and them not reacting violently when i joked that the reason i’m gaining weight is because i’m pregnant. @@

and then there are my sisters.. faye was always fascinated by babies. and last Christmas, she wanted me to have one so that “we can have one of our own”. i’m not sure where 9 year olds learn to think that way. the other sister – jonas, while having dinner last night, blurted out that she wants a nephew. said that she wants to be an aunt really soon.

i mean, okay.. so i do not have anything against the thought. i LOVE it that people think that. and besides, japo has nothing against it too – most of the time. *rolls eyes* so why am i ranting?

well, i do want to get married. to japo. sometime next year (hehe). but japo’s like, “it’s only a year and some months na lang pala.” and then i pretended i was not freaked out because he was. but after that i came to thinking that it’s less than 2 years. and i will be a Mrs., and i do not know anything about married life. i am unable to spend time with my married friends to get tips because they are – married. gahd. i don’t wanna be “married” married.

and although i will kill for a baby of my own who i can shop with at the mall for little baby clothes and stuff, i cannot have one just yet. because! i can only have one when i already have the backyard that he will crawl/run around on. and a room for the things that we’re gonna buy for him. or her.

so there. conclusion: I AM not ready yet, even though i really, really, really want to say “I DO.” and i am hoping so hard that by the time my dream wedding date comes around, i will be.. just so that i do not mess it all up. *sigh*

START FROM THE END.

2006 has been a wonderful year – for me, at least. to summarize, there were lots of movement. changes for the better (i hope). new people to start and end relationships with.

and since i am just too lazy to try to be creative, here is an outline of the year that was. presenting the “highlights” of every month.. =p

*january*
- had to attend a conference in Makati. crashed at gracelle’s Somersette unit for a couple of nights for that. the first night i was there, of course we went out. was with ollie too. and that was when grace rocked Bedrock. hahahaha! next day, conference with all the Japanese looking kids. nothing very interesting ‘cept i got nominated for an officer position but lost to someone who was deaf-mute. he was kinda cute too. =) anyway, that night i met voltaire and carlo, gracelle’s officemates. we had a grand time at Dreams. and then voltz crashed his car on the way home. TSK. the only good thing that came from that was getting invited to give a talk for the next conference. and japo freaking out cos he almost lost me. =”) hihihihi.

*february*
- first time i gave japo roses. first time i applied for an actual job. first job interviews. japo gave me a “Carrie” necklace. =) kobe had his 81-pt game. there was the human stampede at Ultra. papa gurang, mom’s father, died. japo meets the family in Bicol. and of course, the yUPieLBi.com launch during the Feb Fair.

*march*
- japo moves in to an apartment in San Pablo. i messed up a final job interview and declined my first job offer. japo wanted out for the nth time (this was the night before the interview, i like to think that my “depression” was the reason i messed up and not because i was lacking in any way. haha). and PeopleSupport gives me a call. =)

*april*
- signed with PeopleSupport. =D shopped for a place to live in, at the time living with gracelle at her Central Park unit. got a new phone. started training for my first job. hihihihihi. =)

*may*
- was addicted to treatments from Fix. moved in at Cityland Buendia. =) got my first pay from work which i spent on gifts for mom, dad, jonas and faye immediately. was with abrie to celebrate her birthday, she spent nights in the condo with me and japo. =) we ate at all her favorite restos and went ice skating (japo only took pictures), t’was so fun. =D i also had my first calls during nesting. pretty exciting month. =)

*june*
- jonas had her debut at Coco Palace, not as – erm – extravagant as mine was but fun just the same. first time i “encountered” my ex with his girlfriend, plus i was also with japo so – hehe – we did not even say hi. hahahaha! i graduated training and was “released” to the Ops floor with zapper as my supervisor, she’s Team Manager now. =) amber also had a night out, well actually it was only me, grace, nette and kibs. we had a blast at Absinth (there was a celebrity party but it was pretty boring) then Temple Bar. japo and  i also had a major fight which led me to have “emotional” entries for my old blog – almost went to Bataan with gracelle too.

*july*
- changed direct reports and was under ancee’s supervision. japo meets the team at Chunky Boys for food, booze, and videoke. japo was also elected as President of the Student Council. very sad time as nanay, japo’s mom, was in coma then passed away near the end of the month. =,(

*august*
- aside from my annual birthday depression, nanay’s passing was the saddest of all sad thoughts. my parents meet japo’s family when they went to St. Therese to extend their condolences. since japo wasn’t able to get abrie himself, i picked up abrie and met jhet’s mom. it was the first time i was alone with abrie for that long. i think we’re okay. for my birthday, i was in eLBi for the wake. the following weekend, my family and i had dinner at Bahia for seafood and fireworks. for japo’s birthday, we had a party for just the two of us at Highlands Steakhouse and watched Superman Returns on IMAX. and then was invited for Advanced Exchange training. =)

*september*
- there was a burglary at japo’s apartment in San Pablo. i graduated ADEX. mom had my room painted violet and green. win became my new supervisor. japo and i had facials for the first time (courtesy of basil =p). there were theme days in the office. amber had dinner at Congo Grille. japo and i “browsed” stuff at wedding shops/boutiques. hihi. and it was the month Milenyo came to visit the country. grawr. i did not know it was a STORM. i got out of the office and tried to get home via cab but noone will let me in cos the condo turns out to be an island when it rains. tsk. was soaking wet when i finally got home on a bus.

*october*
- got “regularized” at work. =D japo discovers the best bulalo in Makati. japo enrolls at Arellano Law School. launch of golb.yUPieLBi.com, ang blog ng sangkaeLBihan. got my bag snatched. =( had ashley!!! =) =) =) japo and i had our 3rd year anniversary. =D

*november*
- got my glasses new frames. had cable connection for the condo. japo moves in. =) amber had a karaoke night at Music21. watched the Manny fight at Glorietta. and claimed my Starbucks planner. =D

*december*
- had the team building in Puerto Galera, Wowowinns with japo. hihihi. =) had my first credit card @@ and went crazy shopping for presents and stuff. got me a digital camera for Christmas. japo gave me TONS of gifts on Christmas Eve. t’was our first Christmas Eve and Christmas together. =) spent one day with his family, and one day with mine. we also attended Fashion Fusion at The Fort, and the Wowowinns Christmas Party at Red Box right after. New Year’s Eve was barely spent with family and japo, but still, i felt like the happiest person in the world. =D

it was a pretty good year. and as i said in yUPieLBi.com, i do have a tendency to think that the best year ever was the most current one. but i don’t see any problem with that.. *sigh* i do remember at the start of this year that japo and i watch Bulagaan every lunch, then whatever’s on ANC. i was in Vanity Lounge (now called V LOunge) almost every other week getting a massage from ate ann. every other night i was in isis/iziz/ics (ics already closed. huhu), getting drunk. if not, i was in agaps/apec/whitehouse with MASS brods, still getting drunk. and now, i can barely have two bottles of beer in me. tsk tsk. then there was the mami near Junction after the drinking. and pancit in Twinkle Pop. playing volleyball with brods and sisses at Freedom Park. all of that – gone when i moved to Makati. but i guess that’s just the way things work.. this was the year i realized that i cannot have the best of ALL worlds. i ain’t that special.

but special enough to get what i have always wanted the most. =)

and i can – and will give up anything for that. he knows so. =D hihi.