It's a new year, which means, I turn a year older: I turn 26 in 5 days. Ugh. Ughhhhhhhhhhhh.

And what have I done in my [final] year of my 'youthful' age of 25? Now that I look back on 2009, I probably didn't do as much as I should have. What a waste. I have 5 days to make up for it, I suppose. But if I look back to say, the past 5 years, I really have no regrets (wreckless mistakes and all). I had a good run in my first 25 years of my life, I suppose.

So. A new chapter begins, and oh, how it's beginning.

It's bad enough that I'm reminded that I'm this-much-closer to the very dreaded 3-0, but I'm starting to realize that there are things that now must change, whether I like it or not:

1. Partying

Last week, I realized that perhaps I need not go clubbing every fucking weekend. My hearing has significantly been damaged, the long nights are starting to wear on my skin and I probably will no longer fit into the 'age group' of most of the party-goers who go to the clubs I go to. The partying doesn't necessarily have to stop, but the venues probably have to change...

2. Boys

In relation to the above-noted, last weekend probably gave me a good slap of reality of why going to aforesaid clubs should probably cease. I met a couple of guys and after talking to them this week, I felt like such a fuckin' cougar. All the guys I talked to were no older than 22. However, I did tell them I was turning 26 in a week, but they don't seem to care...

Although I would not completely write it off, my days of 'flinging' are slowing down, but actual dating is picking up. Still casual, but it's a step for someone like me (Vicki calls us types 'obli-phobes'). But if Sex and the City has taught us anything, hooking up doesn't have an age limit. ;)

3. Lifestyle

I've started oil painting classes on Sundays (could I be any older?!) and I'm thinking about taking up writing classes again. Weekends can no longer be days for pissing away.

I'm going to New York City next weekend to live out the rest of my first 25 years and I can't wait. New York City is one of my favourite places in the world, so why not? Although I won't be alone in the city, I am gonna be jet-setting on my own for the first time ever. I absolutely can't wait. Pearson Airport is overwhelming and confusing to me but it'll be an adventure of trying to read a bajillion signs and mad dashes to the gate. Love itttttt. I think I might look into more weekend-only trips this year. Housing-market is going up, so house-hunting for me will be scarce. So much for my Home-Owner-by-26 Plan:/

I can't wait for warmer weather. I am so itching to go camping, for some reason. It could be because we passed a lot of campsites during the 6-hour road trip to Montreal.

Montreal was just awesome. All the craziness, and none of the regrets. I don't even know where to begin so I'll summarize with a list in the order that it comes to mind.

- Our hotel "suite" was ghetto to the max. Not only was it in a sketch neighbourhood (someone's car got broken into just down the street from our hotel), we got a ground-level room with bars on the window. The windows didn't even have locks, so we would leave hangers in the window jams whenever we left the room. We had a kitchenette but no one really felt like cooking on it (and that's how sketch it was). I'm not sure how 8 of us slept comfortably, but we always seem to make do. One of the pros of our room (besides the low nightly rate), was that we were near the back door so we never had to pass the front desk and I think we got away with a 500 sq.ft room and 8 drunk and high people for two nights.

- It's not a trip to Montreal without a little "amour". Some people hooked up in Montreal and some people didn't. Not gonna say who.

- I accidentally 'drop-kicked' my beloved Sony Cybershot camera when I decided to take a picture while walking. I dropped it, and kicked it some distance and even heard the homeless guy next to me go "Ooohhhh". Yeah, it was bad. RIP my beloved small, perfectly shaped camera. I bought a new camera right away (that's how disposable I think my income is), so I recovered pretty quickly. And then I dropped the new camera not more than 2 hours later.

- I got us a booth and bottle service at Orchid nightclub. I'm not sure why I chose Orchid, since we went there the last time we were in Montreal. It could be because it was open bar for chicks (but we soon realized 'open bar' really meant a crantini meant cranberry juice with a dash of vodka). The bottle service and booth, lasted for, oh, an hour when the manager kicked us out of the booth because apparently it was already reserved. It put a bit of a damper on our night because they moved us to the bar, but we got over it pretty quickly. Alcohol tends to do that. Great music, too.

- I knew of two other friends who were each going to be in Montreal the same weekend with their friends (great minds think alike?). I didn't see either of them, even though we had previously agreed to. That's what happens when everyone travels in large groups that travel like buffalo -- nothing moves in a timely manner.

- I never got to go to Super Sexe strip club. Boo. Hopefully next time.

- After Orchid, Mel pretty much lost her voice and was very drunk. Everyone agrees that we love drunk Mel and her 'Miley Cyrus' voice.

- It could have been a mix of a hangover + still drunk + extremely comfortable Victoria Secret bra, but the morning after Orchid, I got in the shower with my bra still on for some reason. When I realized I still had it on, I tried to jump out of the shower and promptly slipped and fell. I finally put the rubber mat down so no one else would fall to a similar fate as me. I now have a huge bruise on my leg to remind me of that hilarious morning and Cuong telling me how he was debating on whether to bust into the bathroom to help or risk an embarrassing premature rescue.

- We hot-boxed our rental van (no, I didn't smoke, but I enjoyed the second-hand). It was pretty fun. And Cuong found a new topic to argue about: how he can't get high.

- On our first night there, I led everyone to this Chinese restaurant I went to the first time I was in Montreal and I met these guys from NYC who took us out to eat after the club. Trang claims that he can tell how good the food is in a restaurant judging by their washroom. I know we always consider Trang to be such an idiot and he does say some stupid things, but it becomes a scary world when he is right. Jez found an ant in her rice.

I didn't get much sleep all weekend and I can feel my throat getting sore, which means I'm going to be sick. Yay. I think this is my body telling me that I need to sit down and finally do my taxes.

^Cuong trying to lay his game down

^Nhung sums up the trip quite well

^It's not Montreal without some deep-throating

I'm so excited for this weekend. This long weekend will be one I will look back on for years to come and make me wish I was 25 again.

The partying officially begins tomorrow with Konrad and Vicki at Luxy to see Rockell. Ooh...when was the last time the three of us went together to see Rockell? Must've been years ago, because I remember Mariusz being there, too. Time flies, but we just never seem to change. HA.

Then what I expect to be maybe three hours later, I'll be off to Montreal (yes, again!) on Friday morning to party it up, this time for Dev's big 2-5. I love how everyone who is turning 25 this year has made it some sort of iconic birthday celebration. As I explained to my dad today, turning 25 is a milestone because it's this much closer to 30 and this much further from being 19. Then again, he's almost 70, so he just doesn't get it.

As a birthday gift to Dev, I'm planning on splurging and booking a booth. Also I think Davis and like, 14 of his friends will be down in Montreal as well, so the more [boys], THE BETTER THE PARTY!

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!