Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional!

Happy Birthday to me! If you know me well enough, then you'd say this photo is the story of my life. My parents behind me every step of the way and are always in my head! I'd say I'm a mix of both. Growing up, I thought I was every bit like my mom ( I still want to be like her)... now that I'm a bit older I just realized I am so much like my papa as well (and I want to be like him too). Flowers because I'm in love with love but forever running away from it. I can think of so many things to say about it... This is me now.

Finally after a few months of de-bratting and homesickness and circumstances forcing me to grow (up), things seem like they're falling into place. I still had a moment thinking about my second birthday without Ina (I doubt I'll ever get used to it) and I miss my hunnies back home but yay! They're going to visit me in March (ooh watch out Sydney!)

So how do you sum up a year? I've been thinking about it... 525,600 minutes, seasons of love, daylights, sunsets, laughter and strife, what about love...(download the song). And honestly I can't. But I do know this, every single day when I was 23, I had endless reasons to be grateful and to feel blessed. God is good.

How was my first birthday away from Manila?

It still felt like I was celebrating at home because Papa and Kyaw flew in and Auntie Loy too. Uncle Anky and Tita Nidia, my Sydney parents came over as well! Brights (I love you) is my girlfriend and boyfriend and besty all rolled in one amazing package.

Thursday night for salubong I was at Estab with Czarina, Nadine, Bryn, Vihn, Lily, Carlo and Andrea...and met up with Brights around midnight. Caz and Bryn finally saw my brat mode and they still love me so yay.

Friday was sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet. I woke up early and Papa had just arrived. We had our traditional misua birthday breakfast and I went to work. I was greeted happy birthday by my lovely workmates and had lunch out because Lou was leaving. When I got back to the office, there was a massive bouquet of flowers for me! I thought it was from the team until I opened the card. Thaaaaaaank youuuuuu mr preservative!

This actually started a 30 minute discussion in the Dell village (we're mostly girls in the business management division) about how and why women love flowers so much. I wasn't there but we do all know that the best way to get flowers is when you least expect to get it and for some strange reason, flowers make you forgive and forget.

After lunch, they gave me chocolate brownie cake (yum!) and a card and we had champagne too(it's a Friday DDB thing)! Then I went to eat Italian food with the family and Auntie Loy, Uncle Anky and Tita Nidia :)

Then we went back to the apartment and they bought me a cake (chocolate of course!) with 24 candles on it! It looked like it was on fire when they lit it up. I blew it out in one breath but I ran out of air hahaha. Then I got to open presents! Anyone who's close to me will know that I love anything gift wrapped but this year I had awesome gifts! #1 of course was having the family together... I love love love everything they gave me. Tita Nidia had a funny story about how I had another present (they gave me 4 counting the cake!) and Uncle Anky wanted to make me work hard to open the last gift (see he always has something to teach us :) but when he cut the wrapper, he cut through the top they bought me hahaha! So now he has to learn how to sew? Thank you thank you thank you for the wonderful presents from Auntie Loy, Uncle Anky, Tita Nidia, Tita Bonnie, K (I'm wearing it all the time!), our maids and drivers, Ela, Brights, Paul, etc!

I slept with a big smile on my face :)

Saturday! Pub crawl time! We had so much fun last night. Kuya didn't want to go out and I had to pull the whole I'm your baby sister, it's my birthday, mommy and papa make kuya go I want him there (some things never change :P)... but I'm glad he had a good time with my new friends. oooohhh we're halfway there oooh living on a prayer (way to go zesto!) hahaha

We started at 3 wise monkeys: me, ate a, kuya e, kyaw, brights, paul, kaye, czarina (and her boys), bryn, anne, gabe, carlo, lily, vihn, shaun, rockstar, sneakers, nadine, anthony, lex, simon, james... did I miss anyone? Had a few drinks and moved to Equilibrium (eck) it was still fun fun fun... then we ended up in 333! hahahah so much for pub hopping! Thanks guys I had a blast! From MC Hammer, Vanilla Ice, R&B, hiphop, 70's disco, rock, alternative, 80's, house... we were just dancing all night!

The quotable quotes archives worthy award of the night goes to KUYA!

1) "Bryn can dance! He doesn't dance like a white boy!" (Tall paul almost fell off his chair, me and brights fell on him!)

2) "I only have two words for you: Receeding hairline!"

3) While introducing him to a guy friend Kuya said: Hi, I'm tipsy!

4) Kuya was laughing and laughing and laughing and I asked why and he said "Eric said I'm coming out is his song!" hahahaha

If you wanna see the messy night it's on my multiply now http://dianechua.multiply.com

And today, is Sunday! Papa gave me a pearl necklace and matching earrings I can wear to work. And mom gave me gorgeous earrings, ring and necklace of south sea pearls with diamonds around (she bought it for herself when she started working). But I don't think I deserve them yet so she's keeping them for me :)

My July favourite song (I swear it follows me everywhere)

I'm Coming Out
I'm coming out
I'm coming I'm coming out
I want the world to know
Got to let it show
I'm coming out

There's a new me coming out
And I just had to live
And I wanna give
I'm completely positive

I think this time around I am gonna do it
Like you never do it
Like you never knew it
Ooh, I'll make it through

The time has come for me
To break out of the shell
I have to shout
That I'm coming out

I'm coming out
I want the world to know
Got to let it show
I'm coming out

I've got to show the world
All that I wanna be
And all my abilities
There's so much more to me
Somehow, I have to make them
Just understand
I got it well in hand
And, oh, how I've planned
I'm spreadin' love
There's no need to fear
And I just feel so glad
Everytime I hear: I'm coming out I want the world to know Got to let it show I'm coming out I want the world to know I got to let it show