A year older now

So, I turned 26 yesterday.

I love birthdays, whether or not it is mine. This has been established as stated at length in my post in another blog -->birthday post on friendster a year ago. Go ahead and read it, every bit of it is still true no matter what year it happens -the feelings have been constant in that sense for many years now.

Anyhow, what I'm about to write here now is possibly going to be slightly repetitional in content to that article in that other blog written a year ago but who cares. This is for the ones who are too lazy to click that link and read that post. Plus not everything in this post will be old stuff.

So like last year, I was not exactly consciously counting down the days to get to my birthday. But instead of raya, I had my coming wedding plannig to keep me occupied. So many important things to look at, I figured my birthday is the least significant event in my list of imperatives. So a few days before it was due, when a few people who vaguely remembered that my birthday's supposed to be in this October month asked me when is it, I actually had to stop, ask what date it was that day and count down to the exact day and date before I could tell exactly when my birthday is. Yeah, I did not consciously know or remember it until after a few times answering that same question. Then and only then did I myself realize it was just a few days away. I was probably even less conscious about it than I was last year. I knew it was coming but I was concentrating on some other things I thought more important I did not work up the slightest bit of hype in me about reaching a year older. Probably also cause 26 is not an exact quarter age number and seemed a lot less significant. Hihi... But seriously, it wasn't as big a deal as getting other things done. So indifferent I was, I wouldn't even consider a day break off worrying for my own birthday, yeah wedding worries had seemed more important. I guess the only thing I asked for was to have spent the day with my significant other even if all we would do is nothing special as long as it was together. Other than that, I asked for nothing else, nothing more.

Age has obviously mellowed down my need for attention cause just like previous years, I was going into my birthday with very little (close to zero) expectations what so ever, what with the wedding preparations swamping me with worries. I never saw the need to remind anyone about it before and I didn't see the need this time either - so for me it was like, yeah, yeah if they remember then they remember, if they don't then they don't. As long as no one's dying as a direct result because of it, I have no problems with going through it like any other given day. (The late Richard Carlson obviously taught me well - go read his book people). And the best part is that, because of the fact you had almost no expectations whatsoever from anyone for yourself that day, every little thing other people do or say to make you feel special, meant so so much more.

Turned out, they weren't little things that I got. They were 'mega' things. Or maybe cause I had close to zero expectations, the magnitude of my gratitude gets magnified tenfold, but honestly, even if I had high expectations, what I got would be more than enough. So you can imagine with close to zero expectations, they were way way way way way more than enough for me. So much more I felt I was walking on clouds. Euphoric even - only my composure belied the soaring feeling I felt. You'd just have to trust my words here or if you were there, involved in the whole pampering me processes, you might have read it in my smile or the twinkles in my eyes. I was blushing (cause like I said, it usually embarrasess me-in a good way of course- when I'm fussed so much about by the masses), but I was also very happy. I still am - vey much so.

I actually had 4 birthday cakes this year, bought and celebrated in my name (shared celebration or otherwise), blown candles on 3 of them and spent not a dime for any of it. Too many blessed souls in my life, too generous to show me their appreciation - and me a little shy for all of it. 4 cakes, that's like double the number of cakes I had for my birthday last year - a little too much for someone who expected so little. Even with some expectations, you don't usually get 4 cakes do you? First cake a few days before in an early shared celebration, the next two on the night of my birthday itself, the last one early this morning at office morning meeting. All except the last were shared with my significant other (whose birthday is tomorrow by the way).

Day started great as of 12am as the clock ticked its way into the first moments of 22nd October. A few wishes arrived before that, continued right after. I had to clear some immediately cause of my inbox storage space crisis. Not wanting to sound prejudiced, I'll mention no names but you know who you are, so thank you so much for remembering (even if you only know it cause you saw it in friendster), and thank you for the wishes and prayers. I wish and pray the same good things back for all of you.

Anyway, I'd like to touch on just one celebration event here. The one that worked its way into a huge surprise. That's the one organized by my parlimail buddies, with the help of my beloved fiance (who's meant to be celebrated in the same event too). I didn't know who and when exactly the planning started cause I was left out from the group email discussion thread (obviously, cause it was meant to surprise me) but they got help from my significant other whom they're celebrating together also to keep me clueless. So it was a surprise birthday party for me and not so surprising one for my other half.

My fiance did a great job concealing the whole plan from my knowledge. So I was under the impression I was going to be spending the whole day with him -which was the most I asked for so I was just happy to have him around all for myself yesterday. So after his morning work, I met up with BF for lunch in town and run a wedding prep errand together. We spent about an hour and a half together before he had to get back to work online so we went to USM after that so he could log on the net and finish work, leaving me to while the time away with Azleena in her lab. The concealing of the plan effort went on and the rest of the group did equally well even after I hung out for more than two hours in Azleena's lab, with her and Rash around to possibly screw it up, but as it was, no one did give out anything. Not the slightest bit. So good were they, they actually acted out impromptu lines to cover it up. I'm not sure how many lies were told to cover it all up but I I totally believed everything said by everyone, unsuspectingly. I was sold, hook line and sinker. I wasn't just unsuspecting you see, I was beyond clueless.

BF said after that we would spend a few more hours together but that he had plans later that night with Abg Azrul to get some fishing equipment. I wanted to fret because hey, it was my birthday was it not? Why he needed to go fishing gear shopping then of all days? But considering the fact that he made his best effort trying to be there with me on my birthday despite having to work still and knowing if I brought it up he'll just say he won't have any other day before Saturday to do it with Abg Azrul (which would be true), I didn't pressed. I, so considerate I was, resigned to the fate, choosing instead to be thankful he even made it here at all to be with me, and partly willing him to maybe change his minds eventually. At the same time, Azleena said since she and Kak Ilah didn't make it to my raya open house last Saturday why not have dinner with two of them that night. So my BF had other plans and I was offered an alternative plan, I could've said okay straight away, but I needed to confirm with BF, just in case (crossing my fingers) he changed his mind. He didn't, he was still meeting up with Abg Azrul, and asked me to just go ahead and have dinner with Azleena. I was consoled that he said he would meet me back after he's done. So I agreed for dinner with Zleenz and Kak Ilah. Why she didn't initially include the other girls or a few other viable suspicions did not cross my mind - like I said I was beyond clueless. Aca had a date with Firal, Zue had a family outing and Ruby on her way back to Kepala Batas - I bought them all.

So at 4plus pm, we went to have more carbo-stacking tea time and later to fish spa with BF (this would have to be elaborated in a separate post) and then went back to drop him off at USM so he could meet up with Abg Azrul and I with the girls. In Azleena's room, we took time getting ready and had a brief girly chats. A few more lies were strewn around here and there and I bought every bit of them no questions asked, as I continued being innocently unsuspecting. There were a few accidental give-away lines that had me a little confused, but given the highly unsuspecting position I was in, I didn't give them very much thought, so when I clarified and was told more lies to rectify it all, I again believed everything, the extent of my unsuspiciousness close to pitiful. Truly I was really really very much beyond clueless.

So we reached Marine because all of sudden, just as I was about to suggest or assumed another outlet, the girls said they were bored to go anywhere else but Marine. So to Marine we went. I was convinced to park at the front because they said it didn't feel very safe at the inner parking area as it was dark and insisted it was unsafe for girls. Truthfully, I remembered thinking that I didn't share their strong opinion on that because it has always been pretty safe to me, but I didn't challenge their argument and for some unknown reason chose to agree with them instead. Then we walked along the stretch of food outlets to the intended restaurant. When we reached there, in an apparent bid to distract me from paying attention elsewhere (which I still did not suspect), Azleena pointed to two she-male waitresses in front of the shop as we were walking to the sit-down section. By the time I reached the steps to the seating area, it would've been too late for any suspicion whatsoever. I was just surprised because right before the realization sank in, my initial thought was, "hey, these are familiar faces I'm seeing" and then a second later, "OMG, these are my friends and my BF!!!". I gaped, totally overwhelmed by surprise and wondering, "how the hell did.....bla bla bla". And then when it finally sank in I looked at Azleena and with a smile (couldn't hide that you see), I exclaimed, "You lied!!!"

Then there was the birthday song, and the pleased smug faces of sucessful co-conspirators, laughing and smiling, including of course, Aca who was supposed to be dating with Firal, and Ruby who was supposed to be halfway back home, and Zue who was supposed to have family dinner, and my BF with Abg Azrul who was supposed to be fishing gears shopping and the rest of the group who weren't even in the list of suspects, if there even was a suspect to begin with - which there wasnt. Then of course the realisations, coming out one by one, each sentence starting with,''..owh...no wonder la....bla bla bla.."

I'm not always easily duped you see. There have been similar surprises before, each time involving BF's hardest efforts. He triumphed every time (he's abviously VERY VERY GOOD AT IT- I vouch for it), some more excellently than others. but usually I would at least wonder why is all feels just a bit weird. Then there would be accidental spoilers that I would call the bluff off on straight away. But this time, even with spoilers, I was just so very unsuspecting to even be slightly imaginative. I didn't even allow wonder to crept in long enough to warrant a suspicion. I mean, you'd think I'd have learn to be more suspicious from past experiences right, but seriously, whoever expect birthday surprises every year? I know I don't. And that's probably why I was so caught off guard by it, no doubt, excellently contributed with the superb acting, scheming and lying skills of the main players. I must say, Azleena, you, just like my beloved fiance, you're good. You're really really good. To be able to sit with me for hours and pull a straight face with every lie and cover up lines you tell me, that would've been an epic struggle for most. And you did it so naturally, I couldn't even imagine any of it could be lies. To add to that, somehow, this time around I was also the most clueless, because everyone were so natural..uhuhu... A perfect 10 on the scale of cluelessness, like never before. I was wholly, without a single tiny measly bit of space for doubts, totally SURPRISED!!

Pitiful aren't I? Embarrassing too. All in a good way yes, in a way that makes me soaring-happy, but still, embarrasingly, pitifully clueless.

But if its any consolation, this is possibly one of the best most memorable birthday surprise ever!
And in my personal record of FIRSTs, this is the first birthday surprise ever that I was pitifully, wholly, and totally clueless and unsuspecting. That's also , essentially, what made it such a sucessful surprise! So congrats you guys, there's a lot to be credited for.. On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the least and 10 being the most excellent surprise, I give it an 11.

Therefore, I dedicate this post to you people, my wonderful parlimail buddies:

In no particular order, My BELOVED FIANCE, Azleena, Kak Ilah, Aini, Baim, Rash, Abg Azrul, Aca, Firal, Zuraini, Johnny, Ruby and Bullert (not excluding Irfan, Mas,and anyone else not mentioned), Thank you so very much for such an overwhelmingly wonderful surprise. Thank you for sharing the day. Thank you for celebrating it with me. Thank you for just being there. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! It was great, loved every moment of it. will definitely remember it, always.. MUCHAS GRACIAS AMIGOS!!

MUCH LOVE!!!