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2Ö11

2011 proved to be one of the best I've had so far, I guess every new year proves to be better than the old one or it is just the maturity thing kicking in. Everytime I looked at the fireworks during new year, I can't help but wonder what the year would bring and how my life (and my family's) would fare.

And yet, a few days before the year ends, I can't help but be thankful that I have survived another year. Enough of the drama. Here's my year-end post for 2011 :)

THINGS I'M THANKFUL FOR

1. Family - I'm thankful for being with my family and for all their support and love. We may not be that showy with one another but we each have our own way of showing it.

2. Friends - for all the old ones and the new ones I have met this year :)

3. Doing well in school - not really well, well. But I'm glad that there are only two sems left (including this one) before I can finally say babye to college. And last sem was the toughest one I had in the history of my schooling.

4. All the blessings. YEAH. There were a lot. It would took ages to enumerate them all. Funny
thing was, right after New Year, I felt like the unluckiest person alive but things turned out for the better and even if the remaining last weeks of this month dampened my spirits (mostly acads' doing), nothing would beat all the blessings I've received this year.


HIGHLIGHTS OF MY YEAR

1. Mama's 60th birthday - no explanation needed.

2. The birth of Jiggy cam and Bambi (ipod)

3. Watching my first ever football game live - UP vs. UST Finals

4. Jinggoy greeting me on my birthday and accepting my FB friend request (he WAS my crush that time, don't worry though, I'm still a fan).


5. Harry Potter 7.2 - there goes my life. But HP will forever remain in my heart :)

6. Mesut Ozil addiction - I finally admitted to myself that I love Ozi best among all the football players out there :))

7. Azkals vs. LA Galaxy game - heck, I watched it live! and had seen Becks' curve ball first hand and I finally saw a 'real' football game (not that UAAP football isn't real) live.

8. Receiving the free tickets from an LA Galaxy player no less. HAAA! If I ain't lucky xD

9. Having my name mentioned in an ABS-CBN news article online

10. People tweeting me back (or replying to my tweet)

AJ delaGarza:

Marc Nelson

Pamela Clare :)



11. Reading 49 books (I think I could make that 50 before the year ends) this year! HAHAHAHA

I may have overlooked something but the things above pretty much summarized what happened in my life for this (past) year. Looking forward to great things coming! Hello 2012 :)

Top Five Favorite Male Characters

1. Ian Thornton - Almost Heaven (Judith McNaught)

2. Mr. Darcy - Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)

3. Michael Moscovitz - Princess Diaries (Meg Cabot)

4. Alex Fuentes - Perfect Chemistry (Simone Elkeles)

5. Sirius Black* - Harry Potter (J.K. Rowling)

After much deliberation, I have finally come up with my top five favorite male book characters of all time (well up to the present that is).

So what do most of themhave in common? Aside from their looks? Is it because two of them have a partner named Elizabeth? Or that two of them have photographic memory?

I was trying to analyze what makes me admire a fictional male protagonist and after reading Elkeles' Perfect Chemistry I think I understood what I look for in a hero (or rather what draws me to one):

HE HAS TO BE SMART. there.

1. Ian - Photographic memory, good in numbers, business, etc. The guy's a genius.

2. Mr. Darcy - I can't remember if I read about him being smart, but I'm guessing he is smart because how will he be THAT rich if he wasn't?

3. Michael - KYAAAA~ A computer geek and a genius. He was my crush during high school (the Princess Diaries series was our bible during that time).

4. Alex - thanks to him I realize my preference for male characters. It took his photographic memory, an A grade in chemistry and a discovery of a cure for Alzheimer's to prove it. LOL.

5. Sirius - he is a special case. I love Sirius and he would have ranked third or fourth but I decided to put him in fifth because I have this romantic inkling with the first four guys, while what I have for Padfoot is pure respect (and admiration) ;)

Aside from being smart, there are numerous reasons why I love them but it will take time to enumerate them all! haha.

The LA Galaxy experience (the bus moment)

Perhaps if there is one thing I would never ever forget about last night, it was the part after we got out of the stadium.


Here goes.

We decided to try our best to get near to the LA Galaxy players (I was hoping to see AJ and thank him personally for the tickets, which was nearly impossible). We stayed outside and took in our surroundings (but more of observing where the players will emerge) but sadly there was no way for us to get near them.

We positioned ourselves somewhere near the gate, we tried to get close but the security wouldn't allow us. Luckily for us, a kind officer took pity and he let us get close. Still, the only chance for me to see them would be when the bus leaves. All that time, we were busy finding any sheet of paper to right something for AJ (so that he'll notice us). We were at a lost for quite sometime and fortunately, Ziru found one. Then Ziru (with Hannie's help) wrote/draw this:


The thumbs up sign should have been 'a thank you' but it was too long so Ziru decided to draw that. She included my name because AJ should remember it (I mentioned it on my second post).

So we positioned ourselves and I was holding the paper up high (I'm not normally like that, I'm usually reserved) and guess what? We were on the right side, and AJ and the rest of the players were on the left side of the bus! What a disappointment. LUCKILY, they were stuck in traffic so we ran our way to their side and I flashed the paper.


It took some seconds for AJ to see, some of his teammates saw it first (look at the picture above, they were looking in our direction!!) and they sorta glanced at AJ. And then he saw. And he smiled and I tried to maintain eye contact (I think I was successful). Then he did this:

Not once, not twice and not even thrice! He was doing it for at most a minute I think? While looking at our direction! He saw the thumbs up sign! And he was smiling! (the girls beside me thought the thumbs up was for them, hahaha) The bus moved and got stuck in the traffic again. I edged myself closer to his side and when I looked at him, I mouthed "thank you", I repeated it at least thrice because I thought he did not understand what I was trying to tell him, after the third try, he nodded and smiled at me. And I really thought he remembered me. LOL. But when I tweeted him:

HAHA. He did not remember! But it's okay :P At least he remembered doing the thumbs up sign and seeing his name on a piece of paper (he was probably wondering why my name was on the paper that night).

LOL. The good part about it? Some of his teammates were constantly looking at our direction! hahahahaha (or masyado lang akong nagaassume). I think it was rare for them to see someone cheering for AJ and not for Becks and Donovan :P But can you blame me? The guy made one of my wishes come true! It was more than I could ask for. As I've said, AJ dela Garza, thank you very much, you have a good heart :) And to Ate Ruzelle too, if not for you I wouldn't be this happy.

------
p.s.

Up until now, I can't believe the amount of luck I had. Getting four tickets was enough, moreso that it came from an international player. But being interviewed? Meeting famous people? Experiencing all the kilig moments? Him tweeting me twice?

Wake me up after this dream ends.

If ever Real Madrid will come here to play, I swear I will be fully prepared. But hopefully it will not be soon, I'm just a student, they can come after my graduation! LOL

Blog posts links:

La Galaxy - Azkals (The Game)

This will not be a technical post about what took place in the game but more of what we experienced overall.


Thelongline. Super long line getting into the stadium and you know what? we patiently waited for our turn not knowing that those with grandstand tickets have their special entrance!


Annoyingofficials. If annoying was the most appropriate term. We were literally passed around. I think we run 4x (back and forth) around the back entrance because the officials were so vague (and unsure) in giving directions. The result? WE MISSED THE OPENING CEREMONY. and you know what? That is my most favorite part of the game. We made it inside 10 mins into the game and we were all tired and seething from anger. It took me 30 minutes to calm my nerves down and for that I was not able to focus entirely on the game (I was shaking from exhaustion - I'm not a runner).


Thegame. YEEHAA for Beckham's skills! Seeing those curve balls! Nothing much I can add and I don't want to go to specifics since it was a friendly match. Still, if only there were more excitement! and they shouldn't have subbed the key players out (the crowd grew quiet after Donovan and Beckham left).

Otherhappenings.
We were a few seats from the Madrigal sisters.
I was able to record Pacman exiting the stadium.
We had our pics taken with the gorgeous Marc Nelson.
I was interviewed (but I was not clearly thinking straight! haha).

TBC.

The post after this would be my last and let me tell you it's the part that I want to write most about but because I'm super sleepy atm, I think it will have to wait for tomorrow xD

Blog posts links:

La Galaxy - Azkals (Before the game)

5 out of the 17 items in my bucket list are football-related and one of them came true last night (which is also coincidentally the first item accomplished out of my list).

10. Watch an Azkals' game live: check.

This, I am thankful for Ate Ruzelle (who's currently residing in California) and LA Galaxy player AJ delaGarza.

Greatnews. A week ago, I was surprised to see Ate Ruzelle commenting on an old post of mine about my frustration over the pricy Galaxy vs. Azkals game. She asked me if I wanted tickets because she can help me get two tickets. I then learned that it will come from a player - and an LA Galaxy to boot! (AJ is the niece of her sister-in-law). Imagine my excitement?! Still I was a bit skeptic because it was too good to be true (if you were in my shoes I know you'll feel the same) - and I think I only met ate Ruzelle twice in person xD

Wednesday. Ate R. messaged me Wednesday telling me that AJ can probably get 4 tickets (but there were already two sure tix) and that I would have to wait until the game day to know where I can get it - still I'm a bit doubtful (and hopeful too!)

Gameday/Saturday. 12 noon and still no news. I was resigned to the fact that I wouldn't be able to watch the game (eternal sadness for me) and I was like "hello, he's an international player, how could he spare some time getting tickets when he's busy with his team". I took a bath and when I check my phone: BAM. There's a text from ate R. all the way from USA telling me to go to Makati Shangri-La to get the tickets at the concierge - 4 tickets. WOW. Imagine my HAPPINESS. AJ also told her (idk if it was to her or to his aunt) that in case any problem arose, I should tell them his room number (I know I know I know! his room number!)!!!

Shangri-la. The problem was, idk how to go to Shangri-la. HAHA. I know where it may be but I'm not confident to go alone, luckily Ziru accompanied me. We arrived at the hotel at 5pm (I was hoping that I would catch a glimpse of them and perhaps approach AJ and ask for a picture but given the lateness of our arrival, that was impossible). We proceeded to the concierge and they asked me to sign my name on this:

I blacken his room number! LOL. BUT. I assume he wrote this. He wrote my name (okay, AJ if ever you get to read this, I'm sorry for being so expressive but it meant a lot for me ^^) and I belatedly realized that our handwriting were similar.

Then here is the envelope containing our tickets:

He wrote my name again! He wrote my name twice. A footballer thought of my name (even if it was for a fleeting second), he knew Maricar T. HAHA.

Additionalthoughts. If we were right about a player having the privilege of getting two tickets, did that mean someone from his team kindly helped him get the other two (my imagination's working in overdrive)?

The tickets:

Four uppergrandstand tickets. We think each ticket costs about 12k (before they gave the discount) or 8k the least. 32 - 48k? asajshajhdkjashd; SEEEEE? And to think that he personally (I assume?) got these tickets himself (it was printed on the day itself) and he was supposed to be a busy man! :")

The thing is, the fourth ticket was never used. We had contacted friends to join us but somehow, something happened and they can't make it. Sobrang biglaan lang talaga. Parang nung tanghali nakaupo lang ako sa bahay tapos malalaman ko na lang na biglang may apat na ticket na pala (akala ko dalawa lang talaga nung una, hehe)? STILL.

TBC...

Blog posts links:

La Galaxy - Azkals (Appetizer/the aftermath)

Since I'm still quite busy with my 199 paper, I would just like to share what I am feeling right now:

I felt that what happened yesterday was a dream. It was surreal. I had my assumptions and expectations but never did I think that I will get more than what I asked for. I am so blessed.

I felt bad for my previous ranting post. If only I knew. Anyway, the biggest surprise for me was reading my name in a news article on abscbnnews.com.



Having my name alongside Beckham? and other big names? WOW. Plus three paragraphs dedicated to me? Can I die now?

THOUGHTS. Of course I am ecstatic to see my name on a news site but what struck me most was the one underlined. I maybe a football fan girl (in the sense that I like football hotties) but I'd like to think of myself as more than that. I love football, I have long since passed the period where all I cared for were the gorgeous ballers. The game is special - i don't have words really. And I do have high regards to girls who love football - those who really really really love it, if you know what I mean =))

*** oh my. Pardon my comment about the substitution part, now I realize how shallow and dumb it was for me to tell that. It was probably my frustration about them subbing out key LA Galaxy players that led to that (frankly, my mind became blank when the reporter asked me about my thoughts in the game, it happens I tell you). People paid to see Beckham, Donovan, etc. and they subbed them out too early? C'mon! If ever I were given the chance to answer that question, I would say: I hope the Azkals took the game to heart and not be starstruck by the players. Even if it's a friendly, the Filipino expects them to give their all. Wouldn't it be nice that Beckham's popularity would be eclipsed by Filipinos feeling that the Azkals can be up par with LA Galaxy? -LOL. Now that was a hundred times better.

The second surprise?


AJ DeLaGarza replied to my tweets. TWICE. Life couldn't get better! It's quite sweet of him to reply to me and his fans :) This is the first time that someone replied to my tweet (not that I occasionally pester players, I'm quite shy. haha)

As for the topic of our convo, I'll deal with it in a separate post :P

Blog posts links:

Frustrated.

From the oh-so-happy feeling to downright-fugly.

If only:

* I hadn't received that comment/message.
* I didn't hope for it to come true (I'm still hoping btw)
* THEY would understand how important it is to me

then life would be okay. *sigh* Can't they understand how I'm willing to take a risk? Kahit ngayon lang.

Imbes tuloy na maging optimistic ako, nawalan na ako ng loob. What a way to dampen my mood, samahan pa ng 199.

Okay naman kasi kahit hindi matupad, kahit mauwi lang sa wala yung effort ko, at least I tried. URRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
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