2011

This is my attempt to sum up the amazing/crazy year that will leave us in a few hours. 2011 has been a year of concert songs, epic books, unforgettable encounters and endless roads. I did a little traveling, met interesting people and became a sucker for a lot of stuff. 

I went to a couple of destinations this year. It started with a trip to Pangasinan followed by a trip to La Union. Visited Quezon three times --two beach trips and the Pahiyas. I promised myself that I will go somewhere every month. It didn't happen. When the second half of the year came, the lazy bug got me and kept me at home. Went to Cebu last October though. I love going to places. If I have gazillions of moolah, I'll travel around the world .

Watched two major concerts this year. Deftones in February and Incubus last July. Held Chino Moreno's hand. Screamed so hard I was sick the next day. Kissed and hugged Brandon Boyd. FUCKING AMAZING. I think I became friends with karma this year. They say karma's a bitch. Well this bitch got my back. Unbelievable. Unfuckingbelievable.

Celebrations. Two of my college best friends gave birth. MC has Max now and Melo has Venice. I missed both christenings. I am the worst godmother ever. Lace got married too. Missed the wedding. I am the worst friend ever.

I turned 23 last August. I felt free not old.

Started obsessing over Game of Thrones, Big Bang Theory and Fringe.

In 2011, I became a little bit fearless. Completed that Cebu's Skywalk Extreme and watched a concert alone for the first time. I was alone but I enjoyed it.

In a couple of hours, I'm going to welcome 2012 by myself. Well not exactly because I have my cat with me. For the past 22 years, I have been celebrating New Year with my family. This will be the first time that I will greet another chapter of my life without them by my side. It's new. It's brave. And I'm going to make the most out of it. 

Embracing the coming year with more love, more positive energy and more passion. Cheers 2012!!!


THANK YOU 2011. IT WAS MAGICAL.

Pangasinan

La Union

Cebu

Quezon

Lola Nessie and Lolo Nardo's 50th Anniversary

Quezon with Mavericks

Cagbalete, Quezon

Deftones Live in Manila

Wedding in Laguna

March 2011

May 2011

Cebu with my best friends.

There's a concert inside my head.

I'm a big music fan. Although I have this not-so-unusual propensity to rock music, I also enjoy listening to other genres and discovering new bands. Back in college, I used to rely on Imeem, Purevolume and MySpace for new stuff. During those times, I was already listening to CSS and NYPC and Architecture in Helsinki and it's a shame that they're only getting credit now. Sad that those three websites have met their fate, death (I think). Yeah, even the Internet grows up. And life continues to suck. 


Being the big music fan that I am, I often wonder how other people rate their most favorite songs. With various websites coming up with the "best of 2011" or bloggers with "the best fucking songs in the entire universe". I mean there are bajillions of awesome songs out there and bajillions of more songs to be written. How do you freakin' pick the big "Top 10"?


Yes, I have a "karaoke list", those cheesy songs I sing when I wanna belt it all out. There are also those I listen to when I'm happy, sad, giddy, angry, etc. I can't count how many songs have, for lack of a better term, changed/affected my life. A lot, I guess.


Life has its phases and for me, each phase has a particular song, heck, even a particular smell. 2011 has been a Deftones and Incubus concert in my head. Full of Sextape and Royal and Promises Promises and The Original. Probably because I've seen both bands this year. Both events were intensely memorable too.

The best photo I took during their concert here.

During Saturday nights like this, I like listening to Deftones. I don't know, there's comfort in Chino Moreno's voice. On weekday mornings, I shuffle my iPod like crazy. Skipping from song to song, desperately finding that particular track that will lighten the mood, make the weather finer or the traffic less annoying. Metric's Stadium Love is that song. It's the same process when I'm on my way home. Skip. Skip. Listen a little bit. Skip. I won't make a good DJ.


When I feel like partying inside my head, I listen to Andrew WK's Party Hard. When I'm pissed, I listen to Rage Against the Machine, full blast. When I'm sad, I don't listen to music.


When I think of summer and the beach, listening to Weezer's Island In The Sun (yes dammit it's such a cliche) does the trick. When I want to zone out, I listen to School of Seven Bells. When I wanna feel kilig, I listen to Super Furry Animals' Hello Sunshine because it reminds me of Seth Cohen/Adam Brody. Imagine saying hello to sunshine with that dude by your side. Pregnant.


When I'm feeling particularly girly, I listen to She & Him's In The Sun. When I'm feeling funky, I listen to Pedicab. When I'm feeling weird, I listen to Mew. When I'm feeling beautiful, I listen to fucking Suede. When I wanna feel like a real badass, I listen to Lamb of God. When I feel like being an indie kid, I listen to The Vaccines or The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. When I'm feeling vintage I listen to The Smiths. And when I want to feel really really good, I listen to The Police.


So many songs and musicians. So many feelings. I can't choose a top 10 or 20 or 100. There's a song for every moment. There's a soundtrack for every event. And the events that you remember, shitty or great, they become your favorite along with the songs that softly play in the background.