Fond memories of Valentine's Day

I found this video today in my Facebook feed. It's about Single Guys vs Single Girls on Valentines Day. 

Hahahaha! I don't relate anymore to all the wallowing and shiz, but that quote from @NickyParisBitch sure did hit home:

The worst part about  being single on Valentine’s day is not about being alone, it’s knowing that people who are uglier than you, have found love.

Super LOL, eh sa yung ang nag hit home eh! Of course I have joined the Valentine's day bandwagon, but speaking from experience, I would rather be single on Valentine's day (no expectations) than have a beau with absolutely no plans of being romantic. At all.

Anyway, looking back, I realized that while Single Awareness Day trends on twitter every year on Valentine's day, I actually have a lot fun during this day of love. Let me do a quick back track:

2005-2008 - Every Valentine's day, Starbucks have a  Buy 1 take 1 Frap Promo using their planner coupons so I always buy Venti and give the other to my friend. So we always look forward to Valentine's day. Also, back in our office, every Valentine's day we used to have a Prom Night where our agents dress up in pretty gowns then we'd have the actual pageant after everyone's shift. It's been something we all look forward to.

2009 - One of my best Valentine's day because both our British cousins, Stew and Chimayne, were here in the Philippines. We went bar hopping and went to a naughty bar and had tons of laughter. That's my favorite Valentine night to this day.

2010 - I don't remember what I did, actually.

2011 - My friends Nina, Jla, and I, had an movie marathon party that Nina and I ended up sleeping over at her house. Wrote about it here. 

2012 - Kuya Stew was once again in the Philippines and we went to UP's annual February Fair. I also spent Valentine's week with friends. Wrote about it here. 

2013 - On the actual Feb 14 date, I was really firm about staying in but I got bullied into going out so next thing I knew, I was out with my two guy friends, Rogus and Dodi, and wrote about it here. 

2014 - Last year I started the small KTV party with my friends called #KEAoke and wrote about here. It was one of the most fun Valentine's I've had.

So two things my friends, and speaking from experience: 1) This whole Valentine's day drama rama is just all in the head, and 2) Valentine's Day, like Boracay, is best spent with friends. 

UPLB VetMed's Pet Show

I spent my Valentine's day morning covering UPLB College of VetMed's Pet Show for work. It's actually my first time to attend a pet show and I'm glad my friend, Kat, came with me. 

More of the cute pets after the jump!

2014 Valentine's Week in Photos & Videos

February 11: 

That 2013 Feb Fair week

I was prepared for this Valentine's day. Ideally, since I know that I will be having a good time at work, I plan to rush home and spend the evening in pajamas, chips and watch reruns of Keeping up with the Kardashians that I've been downloading for the past few weeks.

I've been living in elbi for the past two and a half years, and I know before Feb 14 arrives, the streets get crazy with flower vendors everywhere.

This is what it already looks like , Feb 13 in the morning:

Let this post be about Luuurve!

Tomorrow is February 14...so Happy Valentines!

Contrary to my last year's post about Valentines being just a regular day, or as my friend Frankie used to say last year: “They call it Valentine’s; I call it Tuesday.” Let this be a post about Luuuurve.

The becky Queen Divine Lee, blogged about this and I really waited for the whole video to download. I’m not gay/lesbian or anything, but something about this video touched me and I’ll tell you why.

If the talks about settling down, getting married makes one engaged, then I must have been engaged at least three times already. When I was 23, people thought I’d get hitched. After all, my then beau, was all about having kids and I was already travelling 12 hours just to see him. But I knew he wasn’t the one for me. We have different visions, different dreams, and different values, though honestly, he is a lot nicer compared to me. Bottom line, I didn’t see us going down the aisle for I can see that when love between us no longer exists, the respect, who I think will be the last remaining glue, just isn’t there anymore. I have exerted the most effort in that relationship, but it had been the easiest one for me to let go of and get over with just because I honestly knew it wasn’t really meant to be.

“You’re the only one I know who gets a boyfriend that don’t really want to spend your future with him” a friend told me years ago.  Truth is, few years ago, I started believing and finally getting what happily married people has been telling me: you’ll just know.

I have secretly shed a tear when one of my bffs got hitched last year. Not because she’s getting married, or officially in a permanent relationship. I have learned to separate the hype. For my own wedding, I used to think that I really couldn’t care less, as long as I am sure with the one I am marrying with- Because I think that’s the hardest part.

Few months earlier, after our friends got hitched, my guy friends and I were talking over lunch one day. Since most of our friends are finally settling down, it got them into thinking that maybe, they should start straightening up their acts. I am not going to divulge in this blog about the depth of what we have talked about because it’s one of the cherished guys-talk-with-one-girl moments that we have, but when  I joked about how I wanted my wedding to be themed “Elope” and that I’d just invite them one day over lunch or dinner and announce that I had just gotten hitched.I got nagging, violent reactions saying that they can only accept that I didn’t invite them to my wedding... only if it’s done abroad.

So I guess no more Carrie Bradshaw-John James Preston City Hall Elope themed wedding for moi.

The reaction was violent and sweet, I felt like the youngest and only sister with all these big brothers picking on me. Love ‘em.

Now going back to Divine Lee’s post about Love knows no gender, I watched it and I finally I understood why the presence of both families and friends during the day of your official union together is so special. I finally understood, because I know since our society doesn’t approve of gay marriage, I just felt so happy for this couple that they have the support of both of their families…and the criticisms just don’t matter.

Clinton & Callum from Soda Films on Vimeo.

Happy Valentine’s day and may we always, bravely, love, like our hearts will never be broken.

The most relaxed Valentine's week I had in years

Funny, I've been reading posts about single and those in a relationship people ranting about Valentine's Day. While almost everyone says that Valentine's Day is overrated, (which I think it is as well) what makes it even more over-rated is saying/declaring/posting/tweeting that it's over-rated (sometimes in a ranting style kind of way).

I don't have a date last week,  nor had any romantic plans. But this year is probably the most relaxed Feb 14 that I've had in years! Instead of having a so-called Valentine's Day, I had a Valentine's Week!

Feb 17, 2012 - Since it's UP's Feb Fair, on what I thought was the last day of the Fair, I went with my cousin even though it's raining to check out the University's Fair

I made him experience what "Pinoy Photobooth fad" is

We grabbed Plato Wraps for dinner, rode the caterpillar amusement ride, played bust the balloons and for 5 balloons popped, he won a cellphone accessory/key chain! 

When I went home at around 10pm, I got a text from Joy inviting me to go to the fair. Since I've only been there a few minutes ago, we decided to go the next day which is the last day of the fair and this time, we'll go with the guys.

Feb 18, 2012 - I went to the fair again, this time with my HS friends:

UPLB Feb Fair 2012

My guys friends bought that toy with lights thing that you shoot up in the air. Ellis bought it for Php20.00, then literally 30 seconds later,  another vendor approached us and was selling it for Php15.00 - LOL!

The guys couldn't figure it out and had to ask help from random kids playing the same toy:

Guys' Team Effort 

We feel like college kids:

We sat by the sidewalk and people-watched

After grabbing something to eat, we decided to hit the Fair's photo booth. And in a classic BMS+Blacksheep Fashion, it was again a death-defying experience just trying to look decent in the frame:

My friends become competitive whenever we're in photo booth.

Since it's a college fair, Joy and I decided to get henna tattoos. We got one before, years ago, when we went on a spontaneous trip to Tagaytay and now we want to try the colored henna tattoos.

Joy's ink (The one with more colors) : Php 300.00, Mine is Php100.  I had to hide this thing because I have a conference Friday next week in the city.

Around 11pm, we've seen the best of Feb fair. We've had cotton candies, Zagu shakes, had barbecue and bought some stuff at the bazaar. Then we do what we always do best: BE SPONTANEOUS!

We all hopped in Joy's car and drove to Tagaytay but ended up in Starbucks Paseo Sta. Rosa because we figured out that the Starbucks in Tagaytay would probably be closed by the time we arrive.

Went home past 3am. I was tired from laughing all throughout the night but I had a really great time! I really love spontaneous weekends with these guys. 

But do you really want to know what happened on the actual Valentine's Day?

I had work the entire day and went straight to my grad school class where we had a round table discussion with the founder/Mother of Development Communication in the country, Dr. Nora C. Quebral, Professor Emeritus.

We had a meet and greet with the Mother of Development Communication and she signed our purchased books!

Then I literally rushed home because I'm afraid to meet the "jejewave" on their way to the UP Fair. Plus, I really have to get up early the next day for my class trip (that I blogged here ).

In lieu of Valentine's dinner date, I played Temple Run and Fruit Ninja instead while waiting for my 2 Broke Girls and How I met your mother Valentine's episodes to finish downloading and watched it before calling it a day. :)

The key to having a relaxed Valentine's day when you're either single or in a relationship is to not to have expectations at all. But to those who inevitably stresses out about the Vday (I've been there), Relax, it's just a day. And I'd like to quote my friend Franco last Valentine's day when we were walking from the campus, after our class:

"They call it Valentine's, I call it Tuesday!"

Ready for me, February?

Blogging this month of last year was the easiest because all I had to do is think of things that I love and blog about them. Next thing I know, I was controlling my self from too much blogging and just chose the one’s that I like to put up in cyberspace.  You know, when February comes to mind, we immediately jump to the 14th, which is (as if you don’t know) Valentines’s day.

When we were kids, my sister and I look forward to Valentine’s day because we always get that heart-shaped cake from mom.  This was before the famous heart shaped chocolate cake from Mernel’s cake house in Los Banos Laguna was even born to life. I don’t know where she had it made but we were excited getting Valentine cakes, especially me most especially for two major reasons: 1) it’s from my mom and 2) it’s chocolate!

Source

I spent Valentine’s last year with my friends in grad school. I didn’t know that the Valentine’s Day fever in UPLB is sooooper exaggerated! We were initially planning to go the UP fair but little did we know that a whole wave of jejemons have the same idea, so we just wined and dined at  a friend’s house while cyber stalking our past boylets and had an accidental sleepover.

It was nice, fun and intimate. We were only 3.

I’m used spending Valentine’s day in Manila, it usually consists of getting drunk, giving cards to get teased, usually drink, shop, but it was never really the mushy kind. I had my own share of spending the Vday with my then boyfriend, lakas lang maka-pressure to do something nice when you’re with someone.

This year since it’s going to be different, I really made sure to be doing something about that Vday. I have work from 8-5, then I will be driving like a maniac to my college building to attend my  grad school class to make it by 5:30.  And come Feb 15th I will be on a class field trip so no point in getting drunk on Vday since I have to be up and early to do field work in the city the very next day.  Last year I was really amused on twitter about celebrities twitpic-ing OA Valentine’s day promos. I actually enjoyed IC Mendoza’s twitpic collection of OA Valentine promos that I ended up twitpic-ing  something so that I can contribute to his “OA Valentines Bandwagon” and he retweeted it! J

Here are the things that I know I will surely see on Valentine’s day. NO FAIL:

1.      Shape of hearts – in every restaurant, bookstore, shops, malls, etc.

2.      Flowers – holding them, carrying them, smelling them, selling them, delivering them, etc.

3.      Bears – being held or delivered, being sold or bought.

4.      Valentine Promos – I remember twitpic-ing IC Mendoza about the buy 1 take 1 1.5 Coca-cola litro as Valentine’s day promo.

5.      Chocolates – do I need to say more?

So yes, besides Christmas shopping, I’d say Valentines is probably one of the most stressful event in a year. But looking back, I think my most memorable (if not a number of bests) Valentine’s days always had something to do with family.

I'm buckling up my seat belt this month because I fell off my NY resolutions last month due to sickness, but I'm pushing my self back on track. Ready, February?

Terribly Missin' Chimayne Blackett & that 2009 Vday

We've been missing our "Ate" Chimayne Blackett since she joined in the World Cruise and got really busy working as the Ship's Assistant Manager, so when her itinerary included a stop over in the Philippines, we all had to file for "leave" to those who are working, skipped school, travel all the way from Laguna just to see her.


We thought we would only have ten minutes of her time since her job requires her to carefully watch people and passengers but it's a good thing that we were able to be with her almost the entire day... well up until before 5pm. :)

It was the first time that we're going to meet her boyfriend and it just so happen that almost all the "Aunties" are here! We were hangin' out at Gerry's grill after the meet and greet (while the oldies went somewhere else), between drinking beer, smoking and having a casual afternoon chitchat, Ate Chimayne suddenly asked: " So how did you all spend your Valentines Day? "

And as if on cue, Apy, Ate Chimy and I laughed.

Valentine's day 2009. How can I ever forget?

It was the first time that we were all single ( Me, Chimy, Apy, Stew and Johran). And we all went out, had dinner, got drunk and had a wickedly good time! We went to this place where... you have to surrender your camera and any other video recording device, or else you cannot enter the area or if they caught you recording stuff, you will be thrown out of the venue. oh shucks! Maaaaaaan, it's so hard to write like this. I wish I could really tell the whole story without getting into "trouble" but I can't! I guess I really am sticking to my description of how we all spent our 2009 Valentine's Day: We all had a wickedly good *with eyes widening* time!!!

I was just thinking, trying to reminisce about my past Valentine's day during the recent Feb 14. I never knew how the celebration of Feb 14 in UPLB can be so overwhelming. If it wasn't for the planned dinner with grad school friends, long before Feb 14 even came up, I wouldn't step outside the house. 

Evey where you go, roses are sold every where, frat men holding huge teddy bears, girls having that giggly smile across their faces that I feel like I am too old to get out ( sans bitterness!) It was my first time, after 10 years that I spent Vday in elbi that I didn't know that it was this serious! (Haha!) Not to mention, the opening night of the annual UP Feb Fair opened on the day of Valentine's day!

I've been ransacking my brains out trying to remember what was the best Valentine's day ever. I was trying to associate it with whom I was going out with at that time, was I in a relationship or not? Am I out on a date? Just broken up? I was so into associating the best Vday with a former flame when the Best-est Valentine's day that I ever had in my entire life, did not involve a boyfriend but it was with my cousins! *evil, wicked grin* 

That's it. I'm terribly missin' Chimayne Blackett, I am really hoping that after 10 months, she gets to stay for a vacay and make her entire vacation, "Daily-2009-Valentine's-day"!

What was your Best Valentine's Day? 

My first Vday

Image Source

How this for the Valentine Spirit? Lol! Honestly, I consider this day Special.

Today just might be the first Valentine's day that I am not bothered at all... a first after I realized and got a taste of what being in love feels like. :)

I kinda like it. For years, I've been like secretly stressing out being single, or being unhappy in a relationship, all during Valentine's day. And as much as I hate to admit it now, I love swooning over the idea of being in love.

Maybe all this time I was just in love with the 'idea' of being in love.

No, I never really came to the point of buying my self flowers or something like that, but I used to really get stressed out where to have dinner, what outfit to wear, what to give my beau.... details, details.

Now, for what seemed like the first time, I am celebrating Valentine's day differently this year. It's not the first time that I am single during Vday, but this is the first time that I am getting through the day not expecting or wishing for anything...only to realize how great it feels. Sans Bullshit.

If only I had known and realized this years before, I would have saved my self a really massive amount of energy. Happy Valentine's Day! :)