Grandma's 76th at Ayala Triangle

Since it was my grandma's birthday this month, PJ and I decided to do something different for her this year and took her out. The place was Ayala Triangle, located in Ayala Avenue, Makati, and it was perfect timing as our dinner trip coincided with the famous Christmas light-show at Ayala Triangle. We celebrated my grandma's birthday at MOMO, which is turning out to be one of our favorite restaurants.

Pretty lights.

Pretty lights again.

My girl and my grandgirl :)

Calamari.

Mussels (I remember this one was marinated in beer or something)

Cappuccino soup.

Pumpkin soup.

Mussel pasta.

Us and the birthday cake.

The girls with the lights.

With grandma and the lights.

Happy birthday! :D I hope you enjoyed yourself. I wish my grandma health and happiness for many more years, as well as more awesome birthdays like the one she had this year. We love you!

Jay~

PJ is 21

It's your birthday today, and you deserve the best :)


I wish you great health, happiness, academic excellence, and an even stronger faith. You have taught me so much, from dressing a lot better to praying more often. You are the best, the most beautiful, and the a person who inspires other people, myself included, to be much better.

Happy birthday my love :)

Jay~

23 on 23

I'm 23 today.

I think it's best to tell how I feel today with comparisons and observations as to who I was and what I was doing on a birthday month per year basis. Let's begin the story, a decade ago.

2001
I was a few months into high school, obese and friendless, searching for group of friends to belong in and with. I wasn't into any sport (sure, I knew how to play football, but which kid from Malaysia didn't?) so I tried two "cool" things: skateboarding and bboy (breakdance).

2002
I was a month off from being the youngest member of a debating team that beat the 10-year champions. On my birthday month of this year, I was barely home, training and practicing for the State Debates. Ended up winning that, marking the proudest moment of my life thus far.

2003
I was fifteen, and preparing for my mid-secondary school examinations in Malaysia, the PMR. Pretty active in Christian youth circles at this time of my life. Quit debate, as I wanted to finish on top (high levels) but still active in intra- and inter-school debates. Still winning trophies :)

2004
Sweet sixteen, and I spent birthday morning at Church. Went home and found out Mum had a huge feast laid out for me. One of the most unforgettable birthdays ever as my friends had a barbecue at my place and I really felt showered with love and attention.

2005
Final year of high school, and I was also a Senior Prefect. It felt good celebrating my 17th on top - grades were good, played football regularly, and very active in the youth ministry.

2006
First birthday in college! Still a little shocked from the Cambridge A-Levels, coming from high school, but a day out with some friends for my birthday cheered things up. Being 18 was fun and very exciting :)

2007
Last birthday in Malaysia; I was moving to the Philippines (instead of the USA, as per my mother's wish) to study again in a month. One of the most memorable as well, as I tried to say some last goodbyes to many friends I know deep in my heart I will never see again.

2008
Turning 20 was a strange feeling - no usual suspects in my birthdays, what with my moving to the Philippines. Still, it was a chance to celebrate my birthday with new-found friends, some of who will still be with me right now.

2009
The birthday that gave me the right to drive, to vote, and to own property. 21 is a wonderful age to be: young enough to see the world as an adventure, yet seasoned enough to have let go of the childish things of the past.

2010
Summer vibes, finishing university in a bit, as well as being in love made this birthday a contender for the best ever.

2011
Hundreds and hundreds of birthday greetings really made me feel special. My first birthday as a working man with his own place (w00t) makes this one real awesome. I am also spending this birthday with the most wonderful person in the world <3

Ten birthdays. Ten stories.
23 on 23 = Unforgettable :)

Jay~

Grandma's 75th

Celebrated my maternal grandmother's 75th birthday at home with the girlfriend and some KR chow. Pretty decent birthday celebration. I suppose birthdays do get easier when one is at that age, since one has already had plenty! :P

Some pictures:






Jay~

PJ's 20th

First of all, happy birthday, girl :)

The celebration was strung out over three days; a nice, alone-time birthday dinner where we had some pizza, a house party at her place where I showed off some manly skills with the grill - and thankfully, her friends loved the food; PJ's a pesco vegetarian, so boo you :P - and an AMAZING day at Enchanted Kingdom theme park.

No pictures of the birthday dinner at Brooklyn Pizza, but it was a little marred by the fact that twice, the power went out at the place. The emergency lights were pretty bright anyway, so it didn't really ruin anything. We ordered a little too much food though, and ended up really full, and with some take-home pizza and pasta. :)

The second day's celebration was pretty fun as well. I manned the grill, and did my thing. I was pretty proud of myself that the liempo (grilled pork) I made was a hit, as well as the squid. Yay :P Good amount of fun and partying that night, and I really enjoyed spending the day with most of PJ's close friends. Some pictures of the party:






The big one was the Enchanted Kingdom trip. I am NOT one into rollercoasters, but since the birthday girl requested, all of us who went had to go on this monster:

(Picture courtesy of Leonor's Diary)

The Space Shuttle is a pretty extreme 'coaster; it takes you up really high (I assume it's about the height of a 10-storey building) then drops you down. You go through three loops forwards.. and then it hits the end of the tracks, and slides back and loops you yet another three times. Insane. And I rode that monster. TWICE. :D Actually, after the first terrifying ride, I now understand why some people LOVE the adrenaline rush. It was crazy, but it felt so damn good.

On the way to EK :)

Pictures around EK.





They also made me try the bungee trampoline, and it was fun (I did a few flips, and it was funny seeing other people try after that - it's almost impossible without the right technique :P) until of course, the general groin area started hurting.. :/


We also played paintball, but unfortunately for PJ, the paintball that struck her leg failed to explode.. resulting in a pretty spectacular bruise. It kinda resembled the solar system :P



Happy birthday PJ, and I'm happy to have been a part of your 20th :)

Jay~

And Who Turns 22?

Definitely one of the best birthdays ever!

Thank you to the hundreds and hundreds of people who greeted me on Facebook, through text messages and phone calls, as well as email messages. I have never felt more remembered in my life. :)

It's scary, thinking that I am already another year older (jeez, who among us cannot remember our last birthday?) but I am sure I am pretty prepared for the next batch of challenges this year. It will be my graduating year, and (hopefully) the start of a satisfying and fulfilling career.

Looking back through my blog posts since I started this thing, I really see how much I've grown; it's a beautiful realization. My birthday wish this year is to never lose that awareness about my own life. It is only when we are aware of what we are doing when we are doing it, where and with who, and especially why, that we can truly grow as great people.

Thank you again, everyone!

Jay~

Thank You!

For the Facebook greetings on my wall, the birthday wishes in my birthday post comment form, and the countless text messages from all of you who remembered my 21st birthday and greeted me.

One huge thank you to Gayle for creating the best birthday surprise ever, the ginormous cake (with cars on it) and the effort in collecting all those greetings and writing them on balloons. Thank you babe. It was a wonderful birthday. :)

Once again, thank you, ALL of you, who greeted me. I had a great birthday.

Jay~

21 At Long Last

There, it's official.

I am twenty-one years old.

:D

Jay~

Nikki is 21

L-R: Snow cat; Snowman 1; Snowman 2; Nicole Kuek. :P
If you're still confused, she's the one in jeans.

OMG. The big number. :P

Happy birthday to the best sister in the world. :) Blood could not have made us any closer, and I am honored to be friends with one of the smartest and the most intelligent people I know. Though we may not always agree on things (i.e. Harry Potter), our love for literature and intellectual conversations (as well as a godlike partnership in Pictionary) has kept our friendship strong through the years. I am so proud to call you my jie jie.

Happy birthday. :) God bless, and may all your dreams for this year come true. As long as it does not involve your inflicting bodily harm on me, of course. :P

Lots of love.

Jay~

Ann is 20

Bakla! Happy birthday! LOL.

I wish you all the best, and may you graduate this year with flying colors. Thanks for the patience and understanding whenever I get so stressed with our choreography and practices! Haha.. Our fight last year was memorable in that it made the crew so much stronger.

You'd better stay for Remix 09!! :P

Jay~

Chynna is 19

Happy 19th birthday to my Skittle sister, and our prayer leader in Skittlez!

It has been a pleasure and an honor to have you in our crew, and I am looking to many more shows and performances with you, and your sister Cyrene. God bless, and keep on getting the great grades you always seem to have. :)

Jay~

Zach is 20

Happy 20th birthday to one of my best Dark Throne buddies, Zach. :)

His various DT Beta achievements include Overlord of High Offense Clan, Co-Leader of Invictus Decretum, and a member of Wolf Pack. All posts, funnily enough, I held at the same time as him. In DT Gold (final version, which we are both still playing), he is in the leadership in the n00bish alliance The Black Rose (LOL, and I'm Council; Matty, you hear me?) and Level 5. One of the best and smartest players in my books. :)

Thanks for the friendship that spanned continents, timezones, and account levels (LOL), and it was an honor being one of the co-leaders with you in two of the most unbeatable and elite alliances in the game, and being a fellow WP brother. Here's to almost three years of friendship. :)

This photo will make you famous bro. ROFL.

Have a good one, and one day, we'll camp at the same level range and rape any account that gets in our way. Just like old times. :)

Jay~

Mum is 44

A big and awesome HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the most wonderful woman in my life. I wish you so much happiness (which you are receiving right now) and peace in your life, and may you have even more successes professionally atop your many achievements, and may your heart's desires be accomplished.

Thank you for the support and the role-model-factor that you have given and showed me. I am who I am today because of everything you've done.

I love you Mum. Happy birthday. <3

Jay~

P.S. I didn't put any pictures already. :) You know why.

Tasha is 18

Happy 18th birthday to the only other person I know who knows anything about the Ancient Greeks, the Roman Empire, and the height factor of some of history's best leaders. LOL. It's been good to have a friend like you.

(The one NOT wearing a red tie)

Have a great birthday (18ths are important here, no?) and may you have Palawan as your birthday gift. :P And yeah, see you in Remix 2009! :)

Jay~

Nica is 20

Happy 20th Birthday to our dearest Red Skittle, Nicole Carlos, or Nica, as we all call her. :) Thanks for the awesome pizza party at Yellow Cab Pizza! :)

The birthday girl.

Skittlez Crew, Southside Crew, DLSU-Pops, and LSDC-Street.









Crazy Skittlez boys.




The awesome food!





Aldz is full alright.


Great hangout with friends, great food, and a great birthday for our Red Skittle. :)

Jay~