Snippets from Anya’s 18th - re-edited and re-uploaded.

I know, my birthday was like three weeks ago. Forgive me because I have been busy trying to stay alive at my internship. (Which is finally over by the way.)

As most of my friends know (or as you heard me complaining about it), my 18th birthday pretty much sucked. There was this typhoon that decided to literally rain on my parade. So I spent my 18th stuck at home and spent the next day eating at Krispy Kreme alone, because I am a sad human being. I also spent two weeks at home with no electricity, coffee shops were my bestfriend. 

I guess being alone last year took its toll on me because I really did not feel like going out this year at all. (Introvert much.)

I almost did not go out, with anyone at least. I spent the whole day roaming around ATC looking for stuff to hoard and rejecting people who want to hang out. (Yes, I remember telling Kyla, my bestfriend, who was at ATC also by the way, to not go to me, I wanted to be alone) My introvertness has escalated to a whole new level. But I’m glad i did plan something later in the evening.

Japanese food and friendship!

I invited friends that were super close to my heart to have a Japanese Dinner with me at Omakase, because who does not love free Japanese food, right? It was a good night of laughs and letting the #saltjar out. 

We were in Omakase for 4 solid hours because their service that night sucked (IDK if it was because we’re a bunch of teenagers or it just sucked). We took a pretty spontaneous trip to Puzzles, in BF. Because we are so clingy.

Puzzles is like the best place on earth. (But like all great things, it comes with a price) It’s a board game lounge. Which made the autis in all of us come out.

Here is us playing some new game Puzzles was testing out

Here are the boys of JSWAG, getting real close while testing if their conditioning exercises are working in this Twister game

Here is another group photo because we like group photos. This was like, at 1AM, right before I left (I think the others stayed until Puzzles closed...)

I went home, insta-packed, took what felt like a power nap and woke up to spend my weekend at this paradise called Bellevue Resort, Bohol

It’s 50 shades of blue there, so peacefuuuuul.

STARFISSSHHH.

On our second day, we took an early morning boat ride to Balicasag to do some snorkling

Then went to Virgin Island after. We didn’t get to go on a low tide, but during low tides, a beautiful sand bar emerges. 

There were no dolphins spotted though :c

Funny how I did not even want to go to this trip. I just wanted to sleep and stay home during the weekend, but when it was time to back to Manila, I did not want to leave. 

The festivities this year totally made up what (seriously) lacked last year. 

It was bye Bohol,

and hello last year of teenage life for me. 

I was browsing through my sent e-mail because I was bored at work and I found this. I think I wrote it while on the road or something, but I actually forgot to open and post it. Here are a flashback of highschool memories and 17 year old CJ sentiments.

Looking at the class list before school started, I really did not know what to expect. I barely knew anyone from that class. I've heard of the people, or have already became classmates with some, but no one I was really comfortable with. But first few days of classes, I knew this class was different. I didn't have a hard time adjusting to the people in it. Usually I would have a hard time making new friends, but it was only like the first month of school and someone who I just met this year was already taping me to my chair while I was sleeping. Maybe at first I thought that these people were annoying but as the weeks passed, I have concluded that if not all, most of us were autis in our own way. I think that's what brought us closer. We all had flaws, some would think that others' were worse than some, but we all accepted this. Sure, most of us would get pissed off at Carlito whenever he'd fart in the classroom, but somehow we've all already accepted how autis he is and we didn't super hate him for doing that (just a bit, sometimes.) I admit that Im not close to the whole class, but as cliche as this sounds, Senior B wouldn't be the class I love even if like the weirdest one (Jabs, hello) was not part of that class. In this class, I met a few of the better friends I now have. I was positive that my friendship with my small class barkada didn't have a life span of a school year. Haze, Spam, Zo, Mesina, Seira, thank you for everything. Thank you for being the friends that would be there for me, the friends that would be annoying, the friends that I could bully and most especially thank you for being the friends that would make me laugh non-stop even if it was just in our viber group. I cannot imagine not meeting and being friends with all of you. I know its kinda unfair that I only dropped some of the names of the people that I wanted to thank, but I this note would be too long if I mention everyone in class. Its not that they're more special, but they are really the people who I got really closer to this year. I am going to give them all grad letters anyways. So, Senior B 2013-2014, thank you for all the memories, good or bad, thank you for it. It has allowed me to grow as person. Thank you so much for teaching me how to be a better person, how to be more mature and patient, and even how to lead. Senior year wasn't all fun and games, but looking back to what happened this year, all the good shit drowns all the bad shit out. I dont know if it's because there were not much bad things, or maybe because we just didn't let these trials get in the way of making this year a memorable one. Thank you for all the fun you have bestowed on my life, because of you guys, everyday of my life this year was happier. Most of you don't know the shit that goes down when I'm at home, or with my family, or the problems I am facing, but even if you don't know these shit, or even whats going on with me, when I am having a bad day, you guys never fail to make me see the silver lining of life. Like what Alex said a while ago, Senior B has taught me that life is not full of bad people. I am super glad, joyful and happy and thankful that I got to meet all of you. And even more thankful that I got to spend my last year in Zobel with all of you. I am one lucky person to have all these amazing people surround me. This year has been the best year in high school, and it will not be easily forgotten. I'll miss this class and all the memories that went with it. But as a new journey ends, another one begins. I love senior B. 

Elevate welcomed its 2nd year anniversary last June 6, 2015.

This event was a really overwhelming one and required lots of preparation. Muscles were sore, trials were faced but God sustained. 

I didn’t get to take a photo of the crowd, but man that crowd was insane! Elevate Alabang said Hello to over 2,000 people at this year’s UNITE. I literally have no words to describe how great was that. 

As for the goodbyes, 2 of JSWAG’s long time members celebrated their last performance with the ministry that day. It’s just really sad I did not get to perform with them.

Even if Yeye (AKA JSWAG secretary/Miles’ yaya) and Brent (AKA Koko Krunch/Egg) will continue on a new journey in their lives, they will forever be family to me and the ministry. No circumstance can ever take away the sweat and the blood (sometimes there was blood) that we shared during training, the sabaw moments we have during long trips and most importantly, our love for the Lord. 

Always remember, where ever you go and in whatever you do, 100 for the Lord.

We may have lost some members, but we are looking forward to welcome new ones! Stay tuned for announcements regarding auds hehehe. 

As for me, I am here to stay. For now... 

Check out Elevate Alabang here

Check out JSWAG here