The year that was
If I could sum up 2006 in one word, it would definitely be serendipity. I welcomed 2006 with a lot of apprehensions about school, fangirling and life in general. But true to serendipity's form, everything just fell into their right places.
Here are the definitive moments of my 2006:
January
My year started with a bang. I met the Backstreet Boys! Days before the concert, I was scouring for the soundcheck passes to no avail. The morning of January 20, 2006 (the big day) had me searching listlessly in different yahoogoups to see if the other fangroups would have any plans for the concert and I luckily stumbled upon this newly created yahoogroup, which offered soundcheck passes! Para talagang hulog ng langit, lol!
During the soundcheck, I grabbed the opportunity to talk to the 5 Boys who shaped my high school and college life. I told them that I waited for them for 10 years and I'm sooooo happy to finally see them in person. ^___^ As usual, I rambled on with my fangirl messages to them. But even if I could no longer recall exactly what I told them, I remembered the most important ones, such as their sincere smiles and appreciation for their long-time fan (and, of course, their chorus of "Hi Mia!") ^____^
The concert itself was unbelievable. My sister pinkrabbit17 and I were right smack in the front row and center aisle, due to my presence of mind to immediately run forward after the lights went down! Seeing them perform right in front of our faces and hearing their better-than-the-recorded-album voices made me feel that I was in fangirl heaven!
I also made my very first ZaiZai MV! Thanks to pinkrabbit17 for the song. :P I had a lot of fun choosing wacky videos of ZaiZai. But I had difficulties choosing which video to use because there were just too many wacky clips!
ZaiZai, you've got the best of my love!
February
The whole month of February had me feeling anxious and worried. Headaches over the concert tickets... Trying to study early for the final exams... Making a decision between internship or vacation...
March
Forever 4 Concerts in HK. One of the happiest moments of my life. Finding out that I could watch the 4 concerts even if the dates were sandwiched between very major exams... (Hello, Corporation Law?! While my classmates were poring over their Corporation Code, I was waiting outside the HK Coliseum for ZaiZai! Talk about alternate universe!) Disneyland in March... GA with the MSP in HK... Moments with F4...
March 22 - The worship service. The first night. ZaiZai's dance & striptease. His shoulders. Huran. Meteor Rain (and ZaiZai's mistake :P) I was perpetually in awe over their performances.
March 23 - ZaiZai saw our very own Philippine banner... *dies*
And the next moments defined the Forever 4 concerts for me... I shook ZaiZai's and Ken's hands. ^_________^ While I was staring at ZaiZai (and holding his arm and hand... I just couldn't let go :P), he kept on nodding and giving this reassuring smile. Whenever I feel tampo, I just remember that smile and I know that all the hardships of being a fan are super worth it.
When I turned to my left, I saw Ken's dazzling smile and if I thought I could only die once after my moment with ZaiZai, I was proven wrong because I died a second death after being blinded by Ken's smile and outstretched hand. :P
March 24 - I touched Vanness' and Jerry's hands. And those moments were again topped when I learned about pinkrabbit17's moment with Jerry. I'm sooooo happy for her. ^___^
Then, watching the 4 guys having so much fun in the stage while singing the Leslie Cheung medley and Meteor Rain overwhelmed me and I just couldn't hold back my tears. It's as if all the worries and anxieties I had experienced the past year and all the things I had sacrificed in order to be there at that moment, just faded into the background.
March 25 - The last night. Absorbing each and every moment of their performances. Yong Bao. ZaiZai playing the guitar. Screaming hoarsely until the last minute. Forever 4.
March 26 - Waving goodbye to ZaiZai at the Hong Kong International Airport was the perfect ending to this perfect trip. I never expected that I would see him. My sister and I just followed the suggestion of the taxi driver to directly proceed to the airport instead of taking the airport express train (which proved to be a very crucial decision). We were walking inside the terminal while trying to absorb our last moments in HK when I suddenly saw a commotion. Seeing ZaiZai towering over the Securstar is just serendipity. Shaking his hand... Telling him that I'm so proud of his performance... Repeatedly saying Philippines to him... Seeing him listening to what I was saying... Ah Juan smiling...
I came home an exhausted, but a very happy and contented, fangirl. And after several hours of sleep, I went on to tackle a bigger challenge, surviving another round of final exams (Tax and Corpo... the horrors!)
April and May
My decision not to apply for a summer internship program was met with mixed reactions. Some were saying that I should have applied in a law firm while some welcomed my decision as a chance to unwind and relax since technically this would be my last carefree summer vacation. Now I'm super thankful for that stress-free vacation.
We welcomed the newest addition to our family, Micah. When we first saw her, she looked so delicate and I was so afraid to touch her. But now, after 8 months, she's a big bundle of joy. Although I'm still hesitant to carry her, I never fail to pinch her soft arms and thighs, hehe!
May 16, 2006. The day the doctors removed my cracked big toenail. 5555555! I was in pain for several days.
Premiere of Silence! Another breathtaking performance from ZaiZai.
June
I fell in love with Goong and Shin Goon/Joo Ji Hoon. <3
Our legal aid internship program was an eye-opener for me. It still is actually.
July
My very first court appearance. It was nerve-wracking even if I only uttered a few sentences. This experience strengthened my resolve that my future does not involve litigation!
I also saw Lee Dong Wook oppa! He was the very first Oppa I've seen in person, heehee!
August
ZaiZai + Internet = a whole new category for stalking
Stalking ZaiZai in the cyberworld is another unique experience for me!
September
BarOps. The realization that we are next in line. 5555555!!!
Serendipity. Seeing ZaiZai at the HK Airport again. Another perfect ending to a perfect trip.
The destructive path of Milenyo.
October
Enjoyed the very short sembreak. Watched Silence with English subtitles. I cried buckets of tears for Qi Wei Yi.
November
A second round of OLA. Choosing electives. Panic over our thesis.
December
My birthday. Kwon Sang Woo. Thesis cramming. Christmas get-togethers with old and new friends. Christmas Eve. Gifts.
~~~~~~
Serendipity.
For 2007, my wishes for myself are similar to what I had wished for my friends. Dreams. Magic. Good madness. Sweet surprises. (The first three were adopted from Neil Gaiman)
Here are the definitive moments of my 2006:
January
My year started with a bang. I met the Backstreet Boys! Days before the concert, I was scouring for the soundcheck passes to no avail. The morning of January 20, 2006 (the big day) had me searching listlessly in different yahoogoups to see if the other fangroups would have any plans for the concert and I luckily stumbled upon this newly created yahoogroup, which offered soundcheck passes! Para talagang hulog ng langit, lol!
During the soundcheck, I grabbed the opportunity to talk to the 5 Boys who shaped my high school and college life. I told them that I waited for them for 10 years and I'm sooooo happy to finally see them in person. ^___^ As usual, I rambled on with my fangirl messages to them. But even if I could no longer recall exactly what I told them, I remembered the most important ones, such as their sincere smiles and appreciation for their long-time fan (and, of course, their chorus of "Hi Mia!") ^____^
The concert itself was unbelievable. My sister pinkrabbit17 and I were right smack in the front row and center aisle, due to my presence of mind to immediately run forward after the lights went down! Seeing them perform right in front of our faces and hearing their better-than-the-recorded-album voices made me feel that I was in fangirl heaven!
I also made my very first ZaiZai MV! Thanks to pinkrabbit17 for the song. :P I had a lot of fun choosing wacky videos of ZaiZai. But I had difficulties choosing which video to use because there were just too many wacky clips!
ZaiZai, you've got the best of my love!
February
The whole month of February had me feeling anxious and worried. Headaches over the concert tickets... Trying to study early for the final exams... Making a decision between internship or vacation...
March
Forever 4 Concerts in HK. One of the happiest moments of my life. Finding out that I could watch the 4 concerts even if the dates were sandwiched between very major exams... (Hello, Corporation Law?! While my classmates were poring over their Corporation Code, I was waiting outside the HK Coliseum for ZaiZai! Talk about alternate universe!) Disneyland in March... GA with the MSP in HK... Moments with F4...
March 22 - The worship service. The first night. ZaiZai's dance & striptease. His shoulders. Huran. Meteor Rain (and ZaiZai's mistake :P) I was perpetually in awe over their performances.
March 23 - ZaiZai saw our very own Philippine banner... *dies*
And the next moments defined the Forever 4 concerts for me... I shook ZaiZai's and Ken's hands. ^_________^ While I was staring at ZaiZai (and holding his arm and hand... I just couldn't let go :P), he kept on nodding and giving this reassuring smile. Whenever I feel tampo, I just remember that smile and I know that all the hardships of being a fan are super worth it.
When I turned to my left, I saw Ken's dazzling smile and if I thought I could only die once after my moment with ZaiZai, I was proven wrong because I died a second death after being blinded by Ken's smile and outstretched hand. :P
March 24 - I touched Vanness' and Jerry's hands. And those moments were again topped when I learned about pinkrabbit17's moment with Jerry. I'm sooooo happy for her. ^___^
Then, watching the 4 guys having so much fun in the stage while singing the Leslie Cheung medley and Meteor Rain overwhelmed me and I just couldn't hold back my tears. It's as if all the worries and anxieties I had experienced the past year and all the things I had sacrificed in order to be there at that moment, just faded into the background.
March 25 - The last night. Absorbing each and every moment of their performances. Yong Bao. ZaiZai playing the guitar. Screaming hoarsely until the last minute. Forever 4.
March 26 - Waving goodbye to ZaiZai at the Hong Kong International Airport was the perfect ending to this perfect trip. I never expected that I would see him. My sister and I just followed the suggestion of the taxi driver to directly proceed to the airport instead of taking the airport express train (which proved to be a very crucial decision). We were walking inside the terminal while trying to absorb our last moments in HK when I suddenly saw a commotion. Seeing ZaiZai towering over the Securstar is just serendipity. Shaking his hand... Telling him that I'm so proud of his performance... Repeatedly saying Philippines to him... Seeing him listening to what I was saying... Ah Juan smiling...
I came home an exhausted, but a very happy and contented, fangirl. And after several hours of sleep, I went on to tackle a bigger challenge, surviving another round of final exams (Tax and Corpo... the horrors!)
April and May
My decision not to apply for a summer internship program was met with mixed reactions. Some were saying that I should have applied in a law firm while some welcomed my decision as a chance to unwind and relax since technically this would be my last carefree summer vacation. Now I'm super thankful for that stress-free vacation.
We welcomed the newest addition to our family, Micah. When we first saw her, she looked so delicate and I was so afraid to touch her. But now, after 8 months, she's a big bundle of joy. Although I'm still hesitant to carry her, I never fail to pinch her soft arms and thighs, hehe!
May 16, 2006. The day the doctors removed my cracked big toenail. 5555555! I was in pain for several days.
Premiere of Silence! Another breathtaking performance from ZaiZai.
June
I fell in love with Goong and Shin Goon/Joo Ji Hoon. <3
Our legal aid internship program was an eye-opener for me. It still is actually.
July
My very first court appearance. It was nerve-wracking even if I only uttered a few sentences. This experience strengthened my resolve that my future does not involve litigation!
I also saw Lee Dong Wook oppa! He was the very first Oppa I've seen in person, heehee!
August
ZaiZai + Internet = a whole new category for stalking
Stalking ZaiZai in the cyberworld is another unique experience for me!
September
BarOps. The realization that we are next in line. 5555555!!!
Serendipity. Seeing ZaiZai at the HK Airport again. Another perfect ending to a perfect trip.
The destructive path of Milenyo.
October
Enjoyed the very short sembreak. Watched Silence with English subtitles. I cried buckets of tears for Qi Wei Yi.
November
A second round of OLA. Choosing electives. Panic over our thesis.
December
My birthday. Kwon Sang Woo. Thesis cramming. Christmas get-togethers with old and new friends. Christmas Eve. Gifts.
~~~~~~
Serendipity.
For 2007, my wishes for myself are similar to what I had wished for my friends. Dreams. Magic. Good madness. Sweet surprises. (The first three were adopted from Neil Gaiman)