A lot has happened since I last posted:

1. Took a 5 day leave from work. My basic routine throughout those vacation days was: wake-up; eat brunch; lakwatsa in the afternoons; DVD marathon until madaling-araw. Sarap!

2. Learned how to drive. Well, sort of. I still need lots of practice but my dad can't sit in the passenger seat for too long. He get's scared when I drive. Which puzzles me because I don't have the guts to go over 60 yet.

Maybe it's because I often miss the cars and the trikes by a mere hand's breadth at times. But hey, I haven't scratched the car yet.

3. Took up a new sport. I am officially hooked on badminton. Bought a new racket which costs 3 times my original budget. But as a friend advised, a good racket is a good investment especially if you're planning on taking up badminton seriously. And I am.

4. Watched the Jars of Clay concert here in Manila. Two words: Awe Some.

5. Bought a can of butter cookies. I listed it here because I love 'em and they taste heavenly.

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Birthday wishlist:

1. Legends II vol 1 & 2. It's a fantasy anthology that includes stories from Anne McCaffrey, Neil Gaiman, etc. but I want it because of George RR Martin.

2. The Abolition of Man by CS Lewis

3. Surprised by Joy, the autobiograpy of CS Lewis.

4. A kiss. Wait, why settle for one? Make it kissES! Whopee!

5. A towel grip for my badminton racket.

I'm really not wild about my own birthdays. No, I don't hate it. I'm just a bit indifferent. It's just another day for me, nothing special except that now I have to remember to add 1 to the usual number I write under the field "AGE."

Yesterday, to my surprise, I had one of my best birthdays yet, primarily because of three things:

1. My groupmates all pitched in for a couple of 18-in Yellow Cabs worth 1.2 K just to celebrate my birthday. There's nothing really remarkable about that until you get to know the people I work with. They're just not the type. But yesterday even A, who is the most self-centered person I have ever known so far, contributed just so we can celebrate my birthday properly. All that trouble just for me!

2. Nalani gave me a copy of CS Lewis' The Abolition of Man. I hugged her for it.

3. L had her dad drive her to Eastwood on their way to the hospital just so she can drop off the sweetest slab of heaven-on-earth in the form of a chocolate cake. That, my friends, is the sweetest thing anyone has done for me.

And people say I'm the difficult kind.

I have a lot to thank God for.

He has healed me of a physical infirmity that has been bugging me for close to two years now. Hurray!

Also, I think I've lost some poundage. 1 month's worth of playing badminton shaved some fat off my tummy and it has done wonders for my energy. My target is to lose about 10 pounds by the end of the year. I am most comfy in the 130+ lbs range.

Plus I am now more confident in driving. In fact, I can't wait to apply for my non-pro license. I so want to drive along Quirino Hiway but I can't because my dad is terrified of going along with me. Funny that he didn't refuse the moment I asked him to, but my mom approached me afterwards and begged me to reconsider. She confessed that my dad told her that he can't stand riding along with me (the words "trembling" and "nervous breakdown" were mentioned, I think). I was tempted to shout "wuss" but found the whole thing too funny and laughed.

I now have Legends II vols. 1 & 2!