Going to a wake is my worst nightmare. Aside from the fact that it would be very boring, I also am a little scared of seeing a casket. I, together with some hysterical pinkers Brenda, Neri, Rexie, and Rogers, went to Garrick's wake early this afternoon. While waiting for Imay and Andrew, nagkwentuhan muna kami sa Vinzons about our CWTS days. Ayun! Muntik ng magkaiyakan. Sobrang dami pang bloopers as we make our way to Arlington. We we're lost on the way. No one among us actually knows how to get there. Thank God nakarating naman kami ng maayos.

Going there was tough. But it's tougher entering the chapel. Only a few people were in there. It's quiet and sobrang sad ng mood. What struck me most is the memorabillia table for some of his stuff. Well I think the most memorable for each of us is his blue water jug. Most of us would drink from that jug during our CWTS days whenever we lose energy rappelling down a 2-storey tower. And he loves wearing pink that's why we named our group 'hysterical pink!' in honor of him.

He's a good son and a good friend. I remember a time when we celebrated a classmate's birthday at SM North and I ask him if he could give me a ride and take me to the North Avenue Station. He said yes without second thoughts. At that moment, I feel so grateful to him. Na-touch ako with that act. He made me realize that he knows how to care for a person or a friend.

Each of us has a story to tell and he's the hero in all those stories. We were glad to have known him even just for a little while. Our memories of him would always be worth keeping.

Thank you TL for adding a little color in our lives. We know that you're in God's loving arms now. We will cherish the moments that we've been together. We love PINK!!!! We will miss you TL! We love you so much!

For those of you who didn't know, I just turned 21 22 and a half hours ago. Yes, I'm not a minor anymore. And it means a greater responsibility on my part. Sabi pala ni Dwight pwede na akong makulong once I reach this age. (Well Dwight, isasama kita sa kulungan. Bwahahahahahaha!!!!!! Sino pa gustong sumama?). Gosh! Just the thought of turning 21 gives me the creeps. How much more kung 21 na 'ko 'di ba?

Thanks to all those who greeted me 'nung Friday pa lang (at sa mga humahabol pa ng bati as of this moment). Yeah! As early as Friday may bumabati na. I don't know if they just wanna great me ahead of the others or nakalimutan nila ang date. Pero super thanks pa rin.

To tell you the truth, I'm not in the mood of celebrating my birthday this year. After all what happened during the past few months, I think I don't deserve a grand celebration because I've messed up my whole life. Besides, a few would only remember my birthday since it happens on a sembreak.

Yesterday, I thought of deleting some 'precious' text messages in my inbox because people would flood messages, as they usually do during this time of the year. I realized afterward that it won't be necessary. People would really tend to forget.

Well, I can say that this is the saddest birthday of my life. Parang isa lang siyang ordinary day na matatapos din. In the middle of the day, I just feel like crying. Ang weird kasi. It's my birthday pero hindi ako nagcecelebrate. (Add the fact that a friend of mine has just died very recently.) Nasa-harap lang ako ng PC waiting for something 'magical' to happen. But nothing happened. The waiting is not worth it. I told myself 'sige na give up na 'ko... Nothing will happen today...' True enough, wala ngang nangyari. (Maghintay ka na lang ulit ng isang taon. That is, if there are still people who would celebrate it with you.) (Hay Gian! Why are you acting like this? You know the answers to all your questions but still you insist.) So ano ginawa ko? Wala lang! I just did what a LOSER should ought to do. And it's so damn boring.

And as of this moment, nothing is happening.

(Itulog mo na lang yan. It's not worth the wait.)

Got this from a friend on friendster.

The Miracle of a Brother's Song

Like any good mother, when Karen
found out that another baby was on the
way, she did what she could to help
her 3 year old son, Michael, prepare
for a new sibling.

They found out that the new baby was
going to be a girl, and day after day,
night after night, Michael sang to his
little sister in Mommy's tummy. He was
building a bond of love with his
little sister before he even met her.

The pregnancy progressed normally for
Karen.

In time, the labor pains came. Soon it
was every five minutes, every three,
every minute. But serious
complicat ions arose during delivery
and Karen found herself in hours of
labor. Would a C-section be required?
Finally after a long struggle,
Michael 's little sister was born. But
she was in very serious condition.
With a siren howling in the night, the
ambulance rushed the infant to the
neonatal intensive care unit at St.
Mary's Hospital, Knoxville, Tennessee.

The days inched by. The little girl
got worse. The pediatric specialist
regret fully had to tell the
parents, "There is very little hope.
Be prepared for the worst."

Karen and her husband contacted a
local cemetery about a burial plot.
They had fixed up a special room in
their home for the new baby....but now
they found themselves having to plan
for a funeral.

Michael, however, kept begging his
parents to let him see his sister. "I
want to sing to her," he kept saying.
Week two in the intensive care looked
as if a funeral could come before the
week was over.

Michael kept nagging about singing to
his sister, but kids are never allowed
in the Intensive Care. Karen made up
her mind, though. She would take
Michael whether they liked it or not!
If he didn't see his sister right
then, he may never see her alive.

She dressed him in an oversized scrub
suit and marched him into ICU. He
looked like a walking laundry basket,
but the head nurse recognized him as a
child and bellowed "Get that kid out
of here now! NO children are allowed!"
The mother rose up strong in Karen,
and the usually mild-mannered lady
glared steel-eyed right into the head
nurses's face, her lips a firm
line. "He's not leaving until he sings
to his sister!"

Karen towed Michael to his sister's
bedside. He gazed at the tiny infant
losing the battle to live. After a
moment, he began to sing. In the pure
hearted voice of a 3-year-old Michael
sang:

"You are my sunshine, my only sushine,
you make me happy when skies are gray,"

Instantly the baby girl seemed to
respond. Her pulse rate began to calm
down and become steady. "Keep on
singing, Michael, encouraged Karen
with tears in her eyes.

"You never know, dear,
how much I love you.
Please don't take
my sunshine away."

Michael's little sister began to relax
as rest, healing rest, seemed to sweep
over her. "Keep on singing, Michael."
Tears had now conquered the face of
the bossy head nurse. Karen glowed.

"My only sunshine.
Please don't take
my sunshine away...."

The next day, ...the very next
day...the little girl was well enough
to go home!

"Woman' s Day Magazine" called it "The
Miracle of a Brother's Song" The
medical staff just called it a
miracle. Karen called it a miracle of
God's love!

Never give up on the people you love.
Love is so Incredibly powerful. To the
world you may be one person, but to
one person you may be the world!