some of the things I received on my 18th birthday :D

From hate to love. From feeling neglected to feeling special. From complaints to thanksgiving.

What I learned the most from this experience, God can turn what seemed to be hateful to something REALLY BEAUTIFUL

PART 1: Looking back ...

It's been more than a month ago since I celebrated my 18th birthday. And for many of us, if not all, Filipinas take this as "the most special birthday" , somewhat similar to the Sweet Sixteenth celebration of many westerners. Frankly, I expected nothing much to happen pretty much how it always was 17 years ago. As far as I could remember, I really hated and cursed my birthday because of all the heartbreaks it had given me. BUUUUTT!! This year, God showed me that this year will be my SPECIAL YEAR. 

PART 2: July 12, 2012 

I had been awake till 3 a.m. that day, pondering on what would happen. Thinking "pessimistic" thoughts because "being too expectant has lead to only disappointments". I told myself, "meh, nothing good will happen. DON'T EXPECT. DON'T EXPECT. YOU'LL ONLY HURT YOURSELF ONCE AGAIN". i'm a real drama queen srsly XD  So I tucked in that day at dawn after crying and crying for a couple of days before at how I don't feel really special at all during my past "special days" and how I wished my friends would throw me a surprise of some sort but they didn't and how I ENVY my sister so much because she had friends and all that made her feel so special on her 18th and how she celebrated it with them  with a party plus swimming and blahblah. In a nutshell, I cried myself to sleep without making any sound at all as my mother might hear me. (Back then there were only three of us at home, me, my younger brother and my mother which made me feel sadder because we weren't complete during my "OH-SO-SPECIAL DAY"). The last thing that went to my mind before sleeping was "I hate this day"

What happened at school was pretty much a  blur, all I could remember was that I saw a glimpse of chi that day wearing a gray plaid shirt and his usual nerd glasses which somehow lifted my spirits up. WHAT THE HELL AM I SAYING THIS EMBARRASSING THINGS FOR XD

When I got home, I tried my best to not cry again as my mom would be suspicious so I went in front of the PC and tried doing all sorts of stuff to keep my mind busy. Night came and then my mom and three of her friends came home with a bilao of palabok (YUM!) We ate and chat and by the time my mom's friends were leaving, my former HS principal handed me an envelope with money in it. I gave my thanks and they went home. Honestly, it was like it was my mom's birthday because NONE of my HS friends paid a visit (well I sorta figured out that that would happen but with the exemption of my Ate Nova who visited me the day after and gave me a shirt ♥ love you te!) that day and the ones who came were her friends. haha XD

This might not be so bad after all, I thought. 

Well at least better than last year....

The day ended as how I predicted it would and then morning came and I went shopping for art materials and then went to Youth Service at church and what happened a few days after slipped my memory. 

PART 2: My beloved Patatas Surprise ♥

from my patatas ♥

Thinking my birthday was over, I didn't expect to receive any gifts of any form so I was EXTREMELY HAPPY when I received a gift from two of my Patatas friends, Nathalie and ate Louisa. It might seem small to them BUT SERIOUSLY, to me it was something rather BIG. Just the thought that I came to their mind though my birthday was over was enough to make me extremely happy. I might not have expressed it that well (as I always do, me and my limited social skills /sobs) but I really really AM Happy and thankful. (Present tense and not past because I still am happy while thinking about it now :D )  

Ahh... I feel loved and special, I thought

I'm lucky to have these two as my friends... This year really isn't that bad afterall, at least there's something to look back to that would make me smile

Their surprise lifted my spirits. I didn't expect to receive anything more but then one after another and then another, I received gifts from the rest of my patatas! One of the biggest surprise I received EVER happened on the 24th of July, a gift from Ate Gab which led me to a week full of smiles and happiness that I almost forgot how much I cursed and loathed my birthday a few weeks before. I mean c'mon, who would've thought I would get to not only SEE but also TALK to one of my idols Miss Valerie Chua? :"D (which I would go in details on my next post) After which I received a marker from Jong and a sketchpad from Cholo, I also received a pair of bear earrings from Nath and Ate Louisa after.  

I MUST REALLY BE LOVED AND SPECIAL I thought

I'M REALLY LUCKY TO HAVE MY PATATAS...

From the bottom of my heart, I LOVE YOU GUYS! ♥

Their surprises (which I totally didn't expect) shifted my thoughts from complaints to thanksgiving. From what I thought was a day that will only hurt me when I look back, they have made it a day that would always make me smile no matter what. The mere thought that they thought about me (whether they liked it or not LOL) OUTWEIGHED the material things I have received. I am just thankful for having such loving and thoughtful friends. True enough, it's not the things but rather it's the thought  that counts.From the bottom of my heart, I LOVE YOU GUYS! ♥ I hope to share more memories with you guys and to return all the happiness and favors you have done for me! Thank you for making my 18th birthday something so memorable that despite not having any party at all, it became my MOST SPECIAL celebration ever. I love you and thank you! :)

With this I shall end my post for the night and will continue the rest on my 

succeeding post/s

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME~♥

C.M.ARANZA

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my cute little niece and inaanak

The net has been really slow recently especially today since I'm downloading something so while waiting I decided to sketch my little niece. She's really adorable and 'bibbo', she's really fun to be around. *sighs* I miss playing with her.

On another note, NO CLASSES TOMORROW! YEY! ^^, I was planning to sleep late today but my lower body hurts cause of my first day of my . ;___; i hate these days, I wish it will pass as painless as possible. why am i even sharing this. oh well. 

Will be drawing and painting tomorrow \m/ yey for a free day :)

an interesting man I saw last Monday morning

what I wish to do if I get a boyfriend Q u Q

why am I even posting this? LOL. hahah this makes it look like that I'm too desperate to have a boyfriend QuQ though it's teensy bitsy true But seriously, I still am hoping that someday I do get to be like this with the person whom God has destined me to be with. I should stop this now, I'm getting goosebumps with all I'm saying 

"Gusto Po Kita Dati, Ngayon ayaw ko na"

Translation: I liked you before, now I don't anymore"

Yeah. For my "former" crush. His mouth and attitude changed my view of him so yeah. But I still do get "kilig" whenever I see him OTL Hopefully I won't see him in awhile Q u Q hahaha

watercolor doodle

*sighs* I'm once again at that place where all of my artworks don't meet up my expectations and I'm always frustrated Q____Q Practice. practice. practice

click for a bigger view :D

(c)c.m.aranza|2012

watercolor practice few nights ago

practice sky shot on the rooftop of Mapua Intra

bird from Manila Zoo

this was actually a "tsamba" shot, I was just playing around with the

camera and had it saved on my memory then my 

professor picked it

foot of my former teacher's baby

some building along St. Francis Street Mandaluyong

ahh~~ from MAS outing (our college's outing at Batangas)

shot from our mini veranda

There's a "creepy" story behind this actually. While taking this shot, I was zooming in to the white building's window and then I saw  a faceless girl standing facing the camera. I immediately removed my eyes from the viewfinder, when I looked back it was gone. O__O 

stolen shot taken while I was roaming alone in Baywalk

I had become a bit courageous with this Photography class. Never did I thought that I could go to places like Baywalk alone and taking shots. To be honest it was pretty daring, knowing that many snatchers and addicts roam around the place PLUS

how easily one can snatch a DSLR from a little girl like me. 

somewhere along St. Francis again

Looking back to these photos, I do think I did kinda well knowing how noob I am with photography. I admit I ain't no professional nor am I hoping to be like one. I think it's much safer to say that I really am just a photography hobbyist. I enjoy taking photos of lots of things but I don't think photography is for me. I do admire however great photographers for it's easy to take "pretty" shots but it's much harder to take ones with great concept. I still do think that I have not much skills in photography but I am willing to learn someday.

*sighs* I know i've been saying this a lot but I really miss my cam <//3

btw, the photos are squared because it was one of the requirements for the exhibit. :)