My Birthday Presents List

Every year, on my birthday, I actually take note of the presents I get. I mean birthdays are even more fun when you actually get presents. What I do is, I write down a list of gifts I get for that birthday and keep it in a diary. It also helps to look back on the past years with a good memory of how my birthdays were like. For example, when I turned 13, the greatest present I received then was a disc man. And how rare is it to see that piece of equipment around now?

Anyways, that's my point. It's fun to look back and compare the presents you got then to the kind you may get now because time changes and so does the type of presents you receive.

So here's the list for the birthday presents I got this year:

1) A pair of delicious and sinfully delectable brownies that Shruthi baked for me : )

2) A delicious birthday cake that Sri Ram, my cousin brother, bought for me. (Choco Exotic from Four Leaves)

Yup that's me, blowing out the candles.

3) An awesome lunch out with the beloved family.

4) An awesome artwork from Prabs.

5) Delicious pasta, cheese and meat dinner from Ravind (It's a silent 'D'). He cooked it by himself and I must say he's got a future in the FnB industry ; )

6) Nice dinner and ofcourse gaming (L4D2 and Battlefield 2 with friends and family). And I promise not to drive a tank anymore.

7) This beautiful statue from my mum : )

8) This is Calastria! Shanty got it for me from 'Build A Bear'. Isn't she adorable. She's a horse in case you're wondering. And the picture below that is of Calastria together with Hunter.

9) AND HERE'S THE CAMERA WITH WHICH I TOOK ALL THE PICTURES!!! I haven't explored all the functions yet  but I shall figure it out soon! It's a Nikon Coolpix camera. It's pink. Not my favourite colour but it looks good here! It's a touch screen camera and need I say it's FREAKING AWESOME. Getting this camera is = to getting a car to me. Wooohooo! So thanks mum and dad : )

10) And ofcourse, MY BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm just too bloody excited!!!! Finally after so long, my book is published!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's called, "The Guardian, The Land of Arilt"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! lol. If you are interested in purchasing my book, please do let me know and I'll sell it to you. It's priced at $12.90 which is very reasonable : )

And that was my birthday for me.

But I want to leave my blog with one thing clear. In the post prior to this, I stated I was hesitant about turning 21, that I wished for the clock to still so that the 24 hours may pass quickly. Here's the thing. When that clock stroke 12, my brother's friends, who were staying over, wished me Happy Birthday before bundling themselves back into my brother's room. My family wished me Happy Birthday and my sis and mum presented me with the gifts. It was then that the first prickle of joy started spreading through me. I then went to sleep but not before cracking several lightsticks I had in my room and hanging them about so that I fell asleep amidst glowing lights.

When I woke up, we went for lunch and my family wanted to cut the cake at Cafe Cartel. I said no, that I would rather cut it back home. I wanted it to be simple and share it only with those who would probably sing me the Birthday Song because they actually cared. After that, I opted to go play lan with my friends and family. And that was my birthday.

Here's where I started realising several things. 

1) Instead of going on that buffet lunch at a Hotel like my mum suggested, I wanted to go to a simple restaurant. So we went to Cafe Cartel.

2) Instead of going to town to do something different and special, I chose to play lan.

3) Instead of taking up my mum's offer of going out earlier and that she would do my housechore for me, I washed and dried the clothes.

I just realised that I had made several choices today. I chose to celebrate my birthday simple because I was afraid that by celebrating it grandly, people would expect some significant change from me. I wanted to keep things plain and simple and possibly dull because I didn't want false expectations to be raised of me. 

But I just realised (yes yes, I'm using that word alot), I'm okay with that. I'm okay with turning 21, because someone wrote something on my facebook wall today that left me touched. She said, I was "SOMEONE OF SUBSTANCE". 

It makes one pause and think and I did. I'm okay with turning 21, in fact I'm excited. I'm fine with whatever expectations people throw at me because I know I'm capable. I'm ready for a significant change to take place because all these years I've been living has taught me how to adapt quickly.

21 isn't an age, it's a way of thinking. It's a mindset that forces you to think what direction you're heading in and whether you're okay with that direction. And I'm perfect with where I'm heading. Within the past 6 months, I've learned so many lessons that I feel more matured and capable of making decisions. Being 21 isn't an overnight change, it's a change that has been building up for over 21 years. 

So I'm proud of where I am and I'm happy to be 21 and even though I celebrated my birthday in the most simplest of fashion, I'm happy with the day. And who knows, maybe I'll go for the Fullerton Hotel Chocolate Buffet : )