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I woke up very early on the day I turned a year older - around five am, when it was still dark outside and everyone else was still asleep.

Hmm, come to think of it, I actually woke up at midnight because of two consecutive calls from my friends. Of course, both calls manifested themselves as Fuel's Sunburn.

"The sky was dark this morning / Not a bird in the trees / And silence hung suspicious and anxious / Like a blanket covered scream"

Not a very cheerful song to wake up to at the gloomy hour of midnight. This added to my disorientation when I answered. As a response to "Happy Birthday", I incoherently said, "Happy Birthday din." If I had my wits about me, I would've just added "... in August." But all I could manage was a glib "Ahm..." Anyway, that's why I didn't consider myself really awake at that time.

I heard mass at the Antipolo Cathedral before going to work. And I realized how much I missed going to church alone which I often did in college. When I got to the office, Dens loudly and FALSELY announced to everyone within earshot that I was thirty-two. (And for the record, I most certainly am not.)

The rest of the day went pretty much the same as any other working day. Although I had lunch out with a couple of my friends and we had donuts in the afternoon. When we got off work, a lot of us also had to go to the Pinatubo pre-climb meeting.

From that day's Our Daily Bread entry, there is a very comforting quote that I'd like to share in this post.

“Pray the largest prayers. You cannot think a prayer so large that God, in answering it, will not wish you had made it larger. Pray not for crutches but wings.” - Phillips Brooks

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I'm taking the rest of this space to thank the people who made it a special friday. Tago, Gary, EJ, Dens, JC, Paulo, Karl, Tal, and Ryan - thanks for a very fun lunch. Luis and Oni, thanks for the Potatohead accessories; it's so fun! I now have a pirate and a princess! Yey! Special thanks to Miker and Robert for the very unexpected, thoughtful, and (literally) sweet gift. Also to Dale for the charming book of kids' photographs and an amusing commute home. To Luz who spend minutes of talk time just so I can tell her about my day. And to everyone else who sent messages and greeted me on my birthday. Thanks, guys. Know that everything is sincerely appreciated. ^____^