happiness is a mood, not a destination

I am not really excited about the new year coming. I know there's a lot of things that has got to change and I feel like unless I get the motivation and inspiration I needed to sort these things out, the new year would be just another stretch of unpredictable time.

What I was really looking forward to though was the New Year celebration. And as always, it was really fun. We welcomed the New Year with a bang. Fireworks here and there, cheering for the amazing displays from our very well-off neighbors. :P My brothers and I are geeky enough to play wizards duel using our 'lusis' wands! That's how Potter freaks celebrate the new year! Haha!

"LUMOS MAXIMA!"

After the media noche (with the Filipino style spaghetti as the main attraction as always), Kuya Mac and I did a Chuck marathon, while the others immediately went to bed.

I only had a couple hours of sleep before we headed for Quezon City. We usually spend our annual new year celebration at our grandparents' place. We spent the whole day eating, even indulged ourselves with some hard liquor. The parlor games was really fun (I particularly liked the LOL game. I am once again reminded of how poor my joking skills are and my embarrassing hypersentivity to the conriest of jokes). But I think the highlight of the day was the videoke singing competition. Mechanics-- The one who would be able to get a score off 99 would win a 500 pesos cash prize. Surprisingly enough, my younger brother won...twice! Ding it! I earned 150 pesos though with my take on The Fray's How To Save A Life (97) and Close (95) by Paolo Santos. :)

We finally said our goodbyes and soon we were homeward bound by 10 PM. and while everyone was asleep, a quote from Julian Baker came into mind. It was about happiness and how it should be perceived as a mood and not as a destination. He mused that happiness comes and goes like the tides of the ocean. And that day, we were happy without a care of what will happen next. I think that's the way everyone should do it. Take every chance to be happy and be happy, and extend the moment for more than just a moment as much as you can; to linger in the moment and setting aside the possibility of sadness.

I looked at my family, asleep and obviously tired and as euphoria crashed on me in waves. It was really nice to be with a family to greet the new year. The van finally stopped and we arrived at our destination. We were home.