Turning 21 means a number of things to different kinds of people. When I turned 21, I didn't feel any different from 19 or 20. I could attribute this nonchalant transition to my relatively boring Christmas break (my birthday is on December 27). Vacations are great, but I get easily bored since there aren't much challenges or an assortment of people to run into (my parents aren't the out-of-town types). It was only when I started my last term in college that it sunk in: I am in my first year of adulthood! I'm just a few months from graduation and that means a few months from my first attempts at independence.

Ah, independence. It sounded like such a wonderful word back in high school and oh, so empowering in Kelly Clarkson's song. Right now, it's a mix of empowerment and fear. I've been thinking about job options a LOT on the way home from school. And with those thoughts come scares of the financial crisis and competitiveness in the employing world. I really do want to help my parents out, because I'm tired of being such a leech to them. I just really hope that my chances in the working world are enough not only to help my family out but also to get started on my career/long-term dreams.

Actually, the reason I've decided to step out of blogging in social networking sites has much to do with my reflections on growing up. But what really made me step out of that shell was a news writing talk yesterday (which we also organized weee) at AdMU, with Mr. Erwin Oliva as the speaker. He works for inquirer's interactive website, and instead of delving on the skills needed in writing, he talked about the new forms of media online: twitter, plurk, etc.--otherwise known as microblogging. Journalists no longer just cater to the readers as their consumers; it is their consumers that also MAKE the news. As an aspiring journalist, this blog is my first major step in fulfilling this career. I used to think blogs were just about complaining or writing vague entries about matters of the heart. But four years in a publication have made me think otherwise. There's no point in limiting myself to those I know personally.

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Goodbye kids at LJ. I'll be here for your reading "pleasure." I'll be keeping this though to read your posts. =)

 so far, so good? not quite, maybe?

i've been thinking so much about the future. plans, where i'm headed and how to get there. i can't wait but i'm scared at the same time. i've clicked "yes" when i was asked if i was graduating next term during online enrollment. oh, the feeling. it's strange. scary. exciting. yayness =)

there's the anticipation of the future, and of course, the comfort of the past. i miss a lot about the year that was. one of the main reasons is in the country, my dear chessieness :D. it was such an ECSTATIC surprise to see her 2 weeks ago and then to see her again during the last. also had my dear samantha visit during the last moments of SPO cup (cause i only caught the last moments too :D). :* >:D< damn, i really miss my girls. they're both working now, and aside from the fact that makes them hotter, it also makes me realize how fast time has gone.

a year with you. more to come. he's such a part of me, a sense of comfort i look forward to everyday. 

all the conversations i have make me realize how much it's time to grow up work, careers, the after grad life, grad school, money, employment, the recession, you me them years from now, people migrating, marriage...

yup. that yes during online enrollment means so many things don't it?

Name: Angela Velasco
Preferred Name: gela/geragera
Address: Ayala Alabang
Preferred Address: basta by a beautiful beach bahay ko! :)
Occupation: Student
Preferred Occupation: csi/journalist/barista sa starbucks
School: DLSU
Preferred School: DLSU
Age: 18
Preferred Age: 18
Status: Single
Preferred Status: yung hindi malabo
Weight: ewan. 100?
Preferred Weight: ewan basta magkaboobs ako :P
Dog's Name: no dog
Preferred Dog's Name: masanobu ^_^
Current Clothes: big black shirt
Preferred Clothes: shorts/cute t-shirt
Wardrobe: jeans, tshirts, skirts, etc. casual stuff and occassional semi-formal stuff
Preferred Wardrobe: a FUN-ER wardrobe :P
Gadgets: iPod shuffle, my moody motorola
Preferred Gadgets: a new motorola :) hahaha i'm not good with models
Car: None
Preferred Car: basta mabalik yung batmobile ni ate. hahaha not a car person!
Cash inside wallet: 20 pesos
Preferred: 2000 pesos
Last Statement: Ang init. ang hot ni alex karev. wee! hahaha!

look at my icon! hahaha it's H-O-T lust/love. squee! ^_^

more grey's talk: what the hell is with the george is needy and that's all there is to him?? mcdreamy is sooo overrated. he's too hyped, parang da vinci code. hahah. anyway, george is like a caramel sundae in mcdo. si mcdreamy yung mcflurry. tapos si alex, mcsexme. ok wait there i go again. i guess he's like a big mac. sinfully delightful. you want it pero it's too much carbs to handle. carbs=hotness that equates to his meanness. i'm not making sense. i just love my mcsurgeons :) and i saw the ep where izzie gets ***** ***** *** ****. i so wanna be a doer like dut. at one point in my life, i'm going to be that kind of doer. yes it's in my list of things to do before i die. wooties.

ok, if i had a great last week, does that mean i get a crappy one this week? ano ba yan, i love my surgical interns pero i can't be reduced to their 'company' forever. i don't want a mcsocial-life. i want a life, without the mcdreamy, the mcneedy/cutie, the mcmeanie/sexme and those hot hot girls being ihighlight. hay buhay. i miss my south bitches. what happened to them?? does everyone hate me now?? helloooo? vsquad, that wednesday meet BETTER be tuloy!

"I love that we have a character who can do something wonderful but still be a selfish cranky ass about it. Alex gets to be complex in ways most characters don’t because even though he’s got a moral code, his moral code is totally twisted and dark. But he’s essentially good – deep down inside." -shonda rhimes, the creator of Grey's (ayan i'll be defensive of my favorite hot ass!!)

so... you're 18? for one thing, you don't have to feel weird about turning 19 soon haha. you've got two more years of teen-ness ahead of you. you can do crazier things in canada. rowr, if there are crazier things to do there. hahaha :D

so what do you say to someone who's just turned 18? most people give advice, with you entering into ACTUAL adulthood and all. you've got a future ahead of you to plan into making it your own. but i don't have good advice. i'm still living out my 18-ness, and sometimes i still act 10. sometimes i still feel like i'm 15. hell, do i have the breasts of an 18 year old? anyway, back to business. no advice.

only love. it's cheesy, it's overused, it's annoyingly cliche. you've heard it a million times before as we ym and i email you my problems.

i love you. no matter how far you are. no matter how long we haven't seen each other. i love you even if we haven't had a real conversation over coffee. i love you even more as i think of you. most people would think i would be crazy to love someone so much even if she's so goddamn far. but how can i not love someone who i was even closer to when she was far far away. i mean c'mon, our friendship (yes friendship, di to lesbian relationship as some people confuse it to be :P) has reached a level even higher than it had been when you were within the country.

the best thing about you is the fact i've found the most REAL friendship in what we have between us. you're someone i can go to no matter what, that even if i went into a black hole and disappeared... you'd be there for me if i reappeared (RIGHT?? RIGHT? *GLARING EYES* hahaha). i've learned that i can be brutally honest with myself with you, and you will embrace me with unchanging trust and love.

you maybe far too emotional and frail. but i think you're far stronger than you think yourself to be. despite the emotional holes you put yourself in, you manage to find a way back out. you've NEVER completely given up. sure you can be an idiot with prince philips but such stupidity is only temporary. what you've got in you for the long run is far greater. genuine goodness, honesty and subtle strength.

you never allow yourself to be completely cynical. yes, everytime i watch greys i do see my icacho in meredith. only you've got nemo eyes not sexy eyes hahahaha. but trust me honey, you've got her knack for rising above crap. you just don't give yourself enough credit. :P and yes, i'm sure you'll find that mcdreamy. yes YOURS. :)

ica, HAPPY BIRTHDAY. you deserve a great one. and one day we'll celebrate it together.

here's to more years of a friendship that has withstood seas and continents. hee. thank god for the internet.

thank god for you :)

Maybe our mistakes are what make our fate. Without them, what would shape our lives? Perhaps if we never veered off course, we wouldn't fall in love, or have babies, or be who we are. After all, seasons change. So do cities. People come into your life and people go. But it's comforting to know the ones you love are always in your heart. And if you're very lucky, a plane ride away. It's hard to find people who will love you no matter what. I found three of them.

for my satc chicks, cause it's our quote. captured so perfectly. to margie, who will always be my bitch, all definitions apply :P. to ica, who will forever be the most adorable wide-eyed girl i know. :) and nikki, who always guarantees me a good time :). gah. LOVE GOOD QUOTES.

and please download jason mraz and tristan prettyman's sweet and sexy song shy that way, gah love it. if thrush ever had ANY interest in me, hahaha it would apply. hahahaha.

....

AGH the hell of hell week has already started. doing a final report right now... did around 3/4 of it but perfectionist me is still saying it's not enought. BLEEEEH. oh wait paakshyet, make that 2/4 i have this WEIRD table to fix pa. O_o god. can't believe it's midterms week already! honestly i just want a break. i want to sleep all day, watch all the good movies im missing, have starbucks coffee and walk peacefully at night time with the cool lovely wind. O_o everything's just going so fast. it's even faster than the last two terms. maybe it's the calculus, which i STILL have YET to study for so i can make up my failing mark in the last test. then there's that epal filipi2 graded recitation tomorrow, bleeeeeeh. my teacher there is so annoying pa. *rolls eyes* AAAAGH I JUST WANT TIME ALONE TIME FOR FRIENDS FOR... BASTA ALONE TIME WITH PEOPLE THAT DOESN'T HAVE ACADEMICS OR TAFT POLLUTION HANGING OVER AND AROUND MY HEAD O_o.

( tagged by pinsan )

wow how flattering, BOO aisa got a cute one:
<td align="center"> Gela --
[noun]:

A level headed person who always makes the wrong decision

'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com</td>

hapee hapee birthday to my foster college father/alalay/anak-complex jovito aguedo lorenzo e. duque!! 18 ka na, ayan di ka na pwedeng maghirit na matanda/lola ako! beeyatch! MUAH! enjoy today!

oi jaloy, jovito, chobito, ticky jr. where do i start? you're definitely a rare find, and it kills me you might move to another college or even UNIVERSITY. don't leave us for katipunan! mas lonely ka dun! anyway, jovits, thanks for everything. i'm really grateful to meet such a genuine, fun, sweet and wonderful person like you. i haven't met a person who has all these qualities combined until i met you. (THANK GOD HINDI MO MABABASA TO :P) TRUE friends are hard to find, and i found one FABULOUS friend in you. alam mo, marami akong kahirapan na dinaanan sa lasalle these past few months. most of them you had no idea of or only a slight idea of what was going on. but through it all, you kept me sane. you reminded me that there is still truth and goodness in this world. i love you, you're a wonderful wonderful friend. thank god for you and your not-so-wise decision to get into chemistry, cause without it i wouldn't have met you. we've only known each other for 8 months but it feels like we've established a friendship of 8 years. i admire your friendliness, loyalty and genuine-ness. don't change, just stop being smitten over IDIOT girls who abuse you. MUAH MUAH.

i'm sorry if i can't make it on saturday. it was still such a feat for you to go all the way from the other end of the world just to be at my party. love you alalay! :D thanks for always making me laugh, even just by showing your face :P

this entry is stacked with cliches. but hey be flattered, cliches are usually from IDEALS that never happen. you're almost ideal honey. :P