Hinahanap-hanap kita Manila, ang ingay mong kay sarap sa tenga.

And so, after four years, I'm back in Manila. I arrived at 4am. Things are so different, and yet much is still the same.

I traveled with my brother, his wife, and little Swarles Barkley, their 3-month old baby boy. It was a fourteen+ hour flight, but praise the Lord, we were in business class, where seats are comfy and food is delicious. I had salmon for dinner, steak + scrambled eggs for breakfast, and a corned beef + swiss sandwich in-between. Giddy. What. Up. The baby was, for the most part, super-cooperative. Good times.

So here I am. In Manila. Where the average temperature is around 30 degrees Celsius. Do not want. But oh well. I'm hoping to get some good photographs with Rabbit and Apollo. I loaded up on the film and I can't wait to play around. There is so much history here, and amazing architecture, and lots of photo-worthy things to check out.

I'm also looking forward to seeing friends from elementary and high school. It'll be nice to see them all again. For now, however, I must depart. Venturing outside to one of the nine (yeah, nine) posh malls that are immediately across the street. Giddy. What. Up.

Manila Cathedral

(Photo from manila.tumblr.com)

I hope to take photos like that while I'm here. :)

A falling star fell from your heart.

This has certainly been a (more or less) fantastic week!

On Monday, I slipped and twisted my ankle on my way to babysitting. Fail. Earlier today (Saturday), I got called in to work, and while I was taking a shower to get ready to go, the aforementioned ankle gave out, causing me to fall in the shower and further injure myself! I'm never this accident prone. Fail!

For the last few days, I finally convinced my brother and his wife to start watching Glee, and I've joined them in a rewatch (since I can't wait for April and the show's return). We've just finished 1x07 (Throwdown) and they love it! I turned them into Gleeks. Muahaha. I've seen every single episode of this show at least once now, and I haven't remotely gotten sick of it. Because it is awesome.

In other, kind of more important news: I am now 21! It's funny... it kind of snuck up on me in a way. I suppose the birth of my nephew in December has put everything else on the backburner for me, including my own self. But honestly? It's fantastic how such a small, precious life has suddenly taken precedence in mine. His smile and his laugh are two of the most beautiful things in the world.

I usually go into elaborate planning mode when it comes to my birthday. This year? I planned nothing, which is funny given that I was hyping up the fact that I was turning 21 for months.

I worked on my birthday! It was an easy shift, and it went by fast, although there were a few guests here and there who irked me ever so slightly. When I got off my shift, I had the great fortune of being treated to a birthday bagel and a lift home by a more-than-amazing friend, AND come home to a wonderful dinner with family and close friends. I don't know what I did to deserve such blessings, but I sure am thankful for it all. :)

One could say it was the most 'uneventful' birthday I've had in recent years, and they'd probably be right... but it is, without a doubt, one of the most memorable. And one of the happiest. I find so much more contentment in the simplest things and the smallest gestures, and they outweigh any concert or fancy party.

I'll post some photos soon enough. I just need to find my USB cable.

Until then, I bid you a fond farewell. :)