This post is about happiness.

Being that kind of girl who wants to commemorate every occasion with a celebration (or at least mark it with something to remember it by), the past weekend has been particularly significant for me because it was the weekend I turned 27. 

I was feeling a little down last Friday, but I am in charge of how I feel, and always, I want to choose happiness.

Happiness is having great friends in (Anne) and out (Alex and Kira) of the office.

Happiness is being given surprise cupcakes. Thanks Chum and Ralph!

Happiness is having a pre-birthday celebration over delicious drinks (Chocolate Pudding Cereal Drink for me, Honeydew Milk Tea and Charcoal Roasted Milk Tea for my friends) and yummy home-made chips at Dakasi.

Happiness is having someone to swap stories with on the long journey to and from the office.

Happiness is the prospect of swimming the sweltering heat away.

Happiness is being able to round up some of my friends who were willing to give some time off their busy lives to celebrate with me.

Happiness is blowing the candle on my birthday cake doughnuts.

Happiness is tasting this new ice cream flavor: French Salted Caramel.

Happiness is having this pool all to ourselves, swimming from 10 pm to 4 am, and looking like a big prune afterwards.

Happiness is staying up for as long as I can to watch my friend get silly with some of our other friends who have already fallen asleep.

Happiness is this heaping plate of my grandma's special pancit canton-bihon.

Happiness is seeing my friends play with my cousin Baby Gab.

Happiness is catching up and clearing some things up with my friend Carmela after so long

... and seeing her happy with a new love.

Happiness is seeing my sister grow before my very eyes

... and seeing this little man look at things with a sense of wonder and awe that may he never lose as he grows up.

Happiness is seeing how much we have changed and knowing that deep down, we haven't really changed much at all.

Last but not least, happiness is staying up the whole night but still looking this fresh at 7 in the morning.

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Happiness is feeling the love from all over the interwebs. Thanks for all the super sweet birthday greetings! Sending virtual hugs and lipglossed kisses your way! To you who are reading this, thank you. If there's only one thing you can take away from this post, let it be this: Find your happiness and go there often.