then there was the coming of age. literally.

i keep telling myself that i'm still 19. surely, still not willing to let go of the "-teen" in my age. there seems to be a gloomy, dark story associated with being... a year older. old. -er. nineteen IS old yet it doesn't compare when one speaks of being twenty. it's like how there seems to be a vague transition while one is still in the -teen years; how after 19, then and there, is the big leap to another decade of experiences. the dawning of a thousand and one stories. the pristine moment leading to another huge batch of pages on one's auto-/biography.

having celebrated my birthday just yesterday, but with no treat to any of my friends (sure saved couple of thousand bucks), i have realized several things.

1. less people greet you on your birthday as you get old. i don't know why. i'm not even sure if it's only me. or is it merely customary that when one has passed a certain age, people just don't give a damn about one's getting old anymore? haha, you crossed the line. so say goodbye to happy birthdays. you're left alone to greet and throw some birthday bash for yourself! weee.
2. (this may not really pass as a realization, simply a notable experience) older people's birthdays aren't as much fun as they were before... or decades earlier. maybe there is a thin line between aging and birthdays. a correlation of... .90? geeky geeky... stop. anyway, does a person's maturity in terms of... everything, start at a certain age? that parties aren't a prerequisite for a memorable, or simply a fun ('-filled' deleted) one?
3. not going out to celebrate doesn't really take away the celebratory feeling within. just being home with family is more than enough. the mere fact that we were complete last saturday night (yes, even my never-present sister was there). so it was a really sweet moment. rarely does it happen that we're all there sitting around the table, sharing food, filling our stomachs up and... melting on the intense heat that night.

and to be consistent with my entry title, read the following for an even bigger proof that i am both getting old and that i am old:

Your RealAge is 26.7 [while my biological age is 20].

DO MORE STRENGTH-BUILDING AND CARDIOVASCULAR ACTIVITIES. ALSO INCREASE THE
INTENSITY OF YOUR OVERALL WORKOUT.

EAT A HEALTHY BREAKFAST EVERY DAY.

GRADUALLY WORK UP TO AT LEAST 90 MINUTES OF STRENGTH-BUILDING EXERCISES EACH
WEEK.

GRADUALLY WORK UP TO 210 MINUTES OF CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISES A WEEK.

ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEAT BELTS. ALWAYS HAVE AIR-BAG PROTECTIONS AVAILABLE WHEN
IN A MOTOR VEHICLE.

INCREASE YOUR DAILY VITAMIN C INTAKE TO AT LEAST 1,200 MG.

INCREASE YOUR INTAKE OF VITAMIN E TO 400 IU A DAY.

INCREASE THE DIVERSITY OF YOUR DIET.

CONSIDER GAINING A LITTLE WEIGHT.

REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF RED MEAT IN YOUR DIET TO ONE SERVING OR LESS A WEEK.

INCREASE YOUR DAILY INTAKE OF CALCIUM.

CONSUME MORE UNSATURATED FAT WITHOUT INCREASING YOUR CONSUMPTION OF SATURATED
FAT.

FOR MAXIMUM HEALTH BENEFITS INCREASE YOUR VEGETABLE INTAKE.

HAVE YOUR HDL AND LDL CHOLESTEROL LEVELS MEASURED.

FLOSS EVERY DAY.

FOR MAXIMUM HEALTH BENEFITS, INCREASE YOUR GRAIN INTAKE.

FOR MAXIMUM HEALTH BENEFITS, INCREASE YOUR FRUIT INTAKE.

ADD FLEXIBILITY EXERCISES TO YOUR ROUTINE.

EAT MORE FOODS THAT ARE RICH IN POTASSIUM.

in short, i am being told that i have to live a healthy [not even healthier] lifestyle. not unless i wanna meet death early. but i say, no thanks. i can envision a successful [definition subjective] future ahead of me.

a personal note to me: get rid of your temper, just smile your problems away, chillax!

so... live, love and laugh... forever.