thirty-three cheers for the scales

Konnichassu!

Well, this is a very late entry but given all the excitement and the aftermath of it all, I only have the time now to do this.

I usually do a birthday post during the day but they say you shouldn’t really do the same thing all over again. There must be something to spice things up. Mei likes those and fortunately for me, there was a big reason for me to delay this specific post!

So, how to start….

As I have posted in the previous three posts, it is out already! I was in Manila a day before my actual birthday for the long awaited concert of ONE OK ROCK that got delayed for 3 years. The timing could never have been better. For me, I’m sending off my 32nd with a bang then start the new year with a high. Considering the dates, I actually checked in to a hotel rather than go home immediately after the concert. To my thinking, it is my birthday the next day and I rather enjoy some me time before I head home to soak in all the emotions I would no doubt accumulate during the live. It was a good idea even if it was going to be a pricy one.

Although now that I think about it, I will extend it to three days in the next one considering what happened to me a day after :))

Follow the story by looking at the photo captions below!!

I checked into Novotel Manila which is beside Araneta Coliseum. There are other hotels in the area but I was told Novotel, although pricy, has a great breakfast buffet so I went for it.

After the concert, I had my chaotic queen of a friend and two other friends of ours for dinner so they were the first ones who greeted me before they got home. We had some Filipino breakfast which was quite ironic since I would have the option to trying out the same breakfast meals later on the day. When they left, I pretty much rested and checked out my view, which was a floor up from the pool. Next time, I’ll enjoy this pool.

Here is the view of the bathroom. Yes, it is quite visible from the bed. They do have blinds so you can hide the view. I did enjoy my bath after some rest and I truly needed the shower after jumping like a maniac from the show.

And yes, while waiting for my hair to dry, I started doing my research and drafting my journal. I didn’t get to finish it because I was pressed for time and… you’ll find out why down below.

The notebook I use is a blank notebook from Midori MD. I gave up on dated ones when I started to skip odd days on them. Blank notebooks allow me to go all out when I do have the time.

The omanjuus here are quite unique. The Diluc one is from my chaotic queen who gave it to me as a present for my bday. Amusing enough, I do have one already after it was delayed by the seller in Amazon Japan for almost a year. But, I did open the one she gave me as she wanted to take photos with it and I even brought it in the concert but didn’t take it out because heck, I may lose it due to the crowd.

I think she placed her chaotic aura on it coz a day or so after, I ended up losing my 50-50 in Genshin and actually got Diluc after 3 years of playing the game. She was too amused when she found out about it.

The other two omanjuu? Those are actually two versions of Taka. Anna is actually selling it during events so if you want your very own, check out her page to know which events she’ll be in. She is planning to do another version of these omanjuus in the future so I will likely get one but not the blonde Taka. Sheeshh this man, he knows he’s getting bald but he keeps getting his hair blonde. Anyway, she does sell the other members so not to worry!

Now these two are keeping an eye on me on my desk here at home. Hahaha!

I barely gotten some sleep to be quite honest since I actually slept around 4 am. Combination of me still on a high, me drinking two cans of coke while waiting for my hair to dry and me not wanting to be late for the breakfast buffet. I have to share though that my mind was also looping, for some odd reason, Stand Out Fit In, which didn’t help matters. Hahaha!

I did check out the view from the outside and not surprised that the weather is going to be as crappy as it always been each time this day in the year comes. Although I do try to find a good side to things since in some cultures, rain actually means blessings. So… blessings for this coming year?

I did go down for the breakfast buffet and boy oh boy, haha, the options were immense. The photo here is just my first batch. I will need to try their lunch offerings next time I am in the area because the offerings… guh, I do not know which one to pick. They have a mix of Filipino, Indian, Chinese and American breakfast options. They even have a taho stand but I didn’t go after that.

I did enjoy breakfast with Jikkie, who was introduced to me by Mishel, who I met during the first live. It was an interesting meeting to say the least because she was so excited about the whole concert. I did jokingly teased her to just go to Japan to watch them again so she has a better comparison rather than jump the gun to go to the US. I even met her husband who was all chill.

Mishel should better try her best to join us next time. Hahaha! She missed all three now.

I did meet also first-time ONE OK ROCK con goers too. Did talk to them a bit and got to hear their experience and even advised them to go to Japan too if they want to see the whole experience. But they did agree that Manila’s live was up there since they have seen the clips of the Japan live. Forgot to take photos with them so shout out to those guys!

Back in my room, I took some photos for remembrance as I do rarely get some time for myself. I took this photo of the key which is really cool because it is made from wood or fiber that made it look like this. Novotel is pro-eco-friendly practices which is kinda cool!

Here’s a random selfie of the bday celebrant. Wearing a new True Religion shirt which I got from my sister when we were in Canada. Thank you to my sister!

This is how close Araneta Coliseum was from the hotel. Hahaha! Although this side is not the entrance for Platinum A for this show. This side is the one for Platinum B.

After checking out, I had to walk to Ali Mall to catch a mass at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Alimall Chapel. I started this practice during the pandemic and I did do my research to find the nearest chapel or church. This so happens to be in my way and interestingly, it is the Our Lady of Perpetual Help so I did pray deeply as the incoming year will be a very busy one indeed.

On my way back, I did pass by Araneta Coliseum again and it is quite interesting that the previous day, this place was packed!

As I was craving for Shake Shack since I haven’t had this since forever ago, I decided to have my late lunch here. Fortunately, it is a newly opened branch in Gateway Mall 2 so there’s not much people in it.

Here’s what I ordered. Their classic shackburger, strawberry lemonade and their fries. Always a treat to have it. I only tried Shake Shack in Tokyo.

While trying to do my usual check-in in Facebook so people know where I am, I couldn’t find Shake Shack… but I did find it amusing that the concert is in this list. Hahaha! PCD is strong in this one.

Here’s the red gate. Lol! Imagine, I was like a caged lion here hours ago.

Time to go home!

When I got home, I barely had time to rest because my dad had requested that we eat out for my bday. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to catch our favorite local restaurant open so we settled for the one across it. Dad wanted steak so we had steak. Here’s my plate.

And alas, my bday made sure I know it is my bday with this torrential rain that poured while we were having dinner. Hahaha!

At home, I started cleaning up and checked the stuff that I got. This one is a basic Japanese book that Anna got for me from Cosmania way way back. This one is special because this one is an exclusive collab between Valiant Language School in Tokyo and Rainbowholic (Hi Kaila!)

If you do want your own copy of this, you can check it out here! I do wonder when they will release Volume 2.

I already posted this in the previous post but here’s the official souvenir card, Toru’s guitar pick given to me by Yson, the Platinum A wrist band (its way better than the previous two) and this fan-made ticket holder I got from Shopee.

Here’s all the stuff I got from Anna. Stickers and bookmark included. Yes you can buy those from her during her events.

And here are the two freebies I got. The pins, I got it from Francheska (I gave the Toru one to my chaotic friend). The banner is from Alex, who was handing this during the pre-show. I got mine during the lines for the preorders. Haha! So hello Alex!

The photos above are from my chaotic friend and they came from the HOYOFEST event in Manila some time ago. She got me quite a lot of souvenirs and a big paper bag for it. Unfortunately the box got bent during transit to my home.

Yes, she gave me all this Diluc merch to control my Genshin account so I can get him. I do love her though :)

>>>>>>>>>>>>

After all this cleaning up and prior drafting of my trilogy, I did eventually crash to bed because of all the fatigue I accumulated for two days… the next day after this, I was down for the count and it lasted for a week. Lol! pretty crazy I know. That’s the reason this thing is late. But, I don’t regret it because for one, its only rare that you do it.

My hopes for this incoming year? Well, aside from the usual stuff I normally wish, I just hope things get better soon. With all these wars and crazy events happening around, we don’t seem to get a break. Outside of that? I am looking forward to what this year can bring and I am sure I will be doing my best to do something crazy again soon.

The next entries will be the Canada blogs which is still pretty long. Haha! I am so behind on it but meh, priorities.