floored

I have a big, wide, stupidly cheerful smile plastered on my face today.

Today was my birthday.

I normally don't celebrate my birthday (I've always believed making too much of a fuss over a single day can only set you up for disappointment), so I wasn't really expecting anything today. Maybe a phone call from the parents, and some text messages and emails from friends. Besides, I was all the way out here in Toronto -- I didn't expect people to actually go out of their way to greet me.

My day started out routinely, without any of that happy-happy birthday mood. I woke up at 1pm, freaked out because I was soooooo late for work, and decided to work from home because I was too embarassed to show up in the office at 3pm. (Yes, Michael, I do still have an ounce of shame :P).

So, there I was working at our dining table and feeling kinda off since I hadn't seen an real live person all day. (I start getting depressed whenever I go a whole day without talking to or seeing an actual person because I feel like I'm in the twilight zone.) I was about to launch into my nobody-loves-me moment, when Iris got home, greeted me, and handed me a plastic bag -- gifts and greeting from the Toronto and Manila officemates.

I was floored.

It's always been a tradition for the Manila team to give a team member a "surprise" on their birthday, but this time I really was surprised. Thank you so much for the birthday card, you guys.... laugh trip yung mga birthday wishes niyo! I'm trying to find my Torontonian papa, just in case Sweetie Cow will never learn to love me. ;) And thank you for the sweetie cows, Cheng! I will call them Sweetie Cow and Sweetie Pao, and they will live happily ever after...

I didn't expect anything from someone in Toronto -- but Mylene, thanks so much for the gifts. Mukha ako lalong Latina sa earrings! Hola! And Iris, thank you for the lovely CD, which I seriously thought I was choosing for you. Hahaha.

And lastly, thank you to those who called/emailed/texted/blogged/Friendster-ed me on this lovely day.

Merci beaucoup!

And so I still have this big, wide, stupidly cheerful smile plastered on my face.