My birthday week is ALMOST over. Yes, week.  Ever since I can remember, I've always regarded my birthdy as a whole week.  Hehe... GOTTA LOVE THE PRESENTS!!!

This year, my week started last Feb. 10, when I had my pre-birthday celebration at The Old Spaghetti House in Sgt. Esguerra (almost all of my guests got lost locating the place. haha).  For most of the people who know me best, they know that I don't like celebrating birthdays.  They are, for me, just ordinary days.  (My opening line contradicts this, but that just proves that I am REALLY a confusing person. hehe)  In fact, I haven't really treated anybody over my birthday.  This year, though, is different.  Aside from the fact that I'm turning 24 this year (which to chinese is very important--the mark of 2 whole cycles of life)part of the many realizations I've had lately is that I haven't been spending time with the people that matter most to me.  So I decided to invite my closest friends from college.  Whom I love deeply and whose friendships I truly value.  I had a grand time with them!  To all of you, thanks for coming!  Thanks for the gifts!  And thanks for the friendship. Love you guys!!!  click here for more pictures of that night

Come Feb. 12, my inbox was filled with text messages--greetings from A LOT of people.  To the people who I hardly see anymore, your greetings are deeply appreciated.  Thanks for remembering!

I spent my actual birthday shooting in Talim Island in Rizal Province.  I wasn't really expecting much of my birthday because of the work I had to do (and you know me in my work mode).  Besides, I wasn't looking forward to going to Talim for the nth time.  I've been going back and forth since last week for endless and problematic shoots ugh...  And the travel is no joke.  You have to get to Binangonan wharf (which is about 1 and 1/2 hours from GMA), and then take the 2-hour boat ride with the noisy motor buzzing in your ears to get to the island.  By the end of the ride, your body is sore all over.  And you still have to do your job.  So anyway, I was in my grumpy self, "helping" the Talim Daycare Center...when storytelling time came.  Our invited storyteller came from OMF Literature and she was a head on Christian.  She was sooo nice and kind and understanding and encouraging...even encouraged me to write!  My spirit was uplifted.  Then the mother of my guest artist, childstar Paul Salas, and I got to talk.  She's very pretty and genuinely nice too.  Then she told me about the church she's attending.  Guess what church?  You got it.  VCF Galleria.  She sent me a text message, praying for me and wishing me a happy birthday.  I was so blessed and felt God's presence with these people--something I haven't felt for a long time.  I guess this is God's gift to me on my day.  I really felt him hugging me through the people he surrounded me with that day.  *sigh*

When I got back from the office, we were supposed to have a staff meeting.  I was coaxed by my executive producer to treat them...which I did (kiss ass, abi! hehe).  We held our meeting at Yellow Cab over yummy pizza and pasta.  The highlight?  My EP and I shared a real hug after the meeting.  Yeah, it was real.  I felt it.  No kissing asses this time. hehe

The rest of the week was just usual.  Editing, editing, editing...  But gifts still kept coming.  I appreciated this gift, a stuffed pig, from our associated producer, Kuya Ali, who I really look up to.  I wasn't expecting that. And I just loved it!  But the real surprise I got was from my friends from work--Baby Joy, Ian, and Jess--who gave me different sorts of challenges before giving my actual presents.  In the end, I received a stuffed puppy and Mitch Albom's "For One More Day" (amazing book!).  What brought me close to tears was the fact that they prepared for it...and that it was a total surprise.  I didn't expect them to give me gifts, even more, I didn't expect that they valued me as a true friend. 

I do not care about the gifts, really (but don't get me wrong.  I love them!).  But I realized, for the first time in 24 years, that I do care about the greeting, and the remembering, and the thoughts poured over a simple text, email, card, letter, or an extravagant gift.  I realized, that I cared about birthdays after all.  ESPECIALLY MINE. hehe.

So, happy birthday to me!  I still have one more day to cap my week--tomorrow, which is the CHINESE NEW YEAR (trivia: I was born on the chinese new year in 1983.  So every Chinese New Year, it's my birthday.  Pretty cool huh?).  And I'm celebrating it with my mom and sister.