03/19/2013
HAPPY 31st BIRTHDAY
DEREK LIN
How long have we known each other? Two years? I have probably harassed you far more often than acceptable to listen to my frustrations, dreams and quirky proposals to which you’ve been:
1.) Amused
2.) Annoyed
but always Attentive
(Hey thats 3 As!)
You know Id do the same and more for you but all you ever wanna talk about are:
1.) Work
2.) Money
3.) Porn
*YAAAAWNS
Remember that time I dragged you all the way to Resorts World in front of Manila’s international airport? I thought it’d be your kind of place until you reminded me that:
1. You dont party
2. You dont drink
3. You dont gamble
So we ended up having fresh fruit shakes in UCC in my clubbin’ get-up
Which you laughed so hard about.
How about when I told you Id drive you in a Porsche (which Ill borrow) just so you’d look like the pick-up, and I the rich cougar?
This was the Shanghai dinner at the German club Erwin insisted on, I wasnt eating anything so you offered the Franks to me , to which I teased you by saying I only eat a certain type of sausage. Ive never met anyone who could blush as red as you do at that moment, even Erwin felt sorry for you.
You know, you can protest as much as you want but your cheeks betray you more than your eyes. Until now.
That time in Shanghai when I left all my cards, ran out of cash and made you baby sit me on my last day while I shop for wigs? And I told you that if you dont haggle at my price you’d need to chip in?
You know, I literally would have starved in the cold if you didnt save my stray-self then.
And then you helped me with my vegetarian meat supplier, which didnt turn out well coz I actually arrived a day later than announced and you were so pissed coz I was being such an air-head and you were trying to make everything work for a cuisine you had no appetite for.
This coffee shop Sara was sweet enough to suggest to us but from which you kicked us out 20 minutes later coz you were paranoid my plane would leave me and you’d need to babysit me forever
It remains to be the most beautiful coffee house Ive ever seen up to date.
Then I went back to Shanghai with a new project for yoga wear and you and Sara really went out of your way to help me asses fabrics and oriented me on the basics of garments.
To which Im still working on to produce impressive results, so you wouldnt say all my ideas are hot air
Your mom’s sweet treats for me which you finished by the way.
Your mom is the sweetest person Ive ever met and it makes me feel bad I cant talk to her coz of my zero-Mandarin skills.
How annoyed you look every time Sara and I would tease you about looking like my boss’ son.
You kinda do D.
I still dont believe you when you tell me this was your first time at a shooting gallery when you pretty much nailed the bullseye at every shot!
And I thought I was the natural! You made me look like a bad aim!
The passports I stole coz I didnt want you leave…
then you told me you had two on you and that it’s your staff Id be detaining if I dont give it back.
The dinner we had in Barrio Fiesta where I tricked the restaurant into singing you a birthday set for laughs.
and you asked me if you could pay them to stop?
Well this time around it really is your birthday.
And because Im not there to do much for you, Ill need to settle for this post to wish you Happy Birthday D.
Thanks for being my best friend, advisor, confidante, biggest critic and most reliable cheerleader.
And just to remind you, Ill do the same and more for you -and even if you say this is the cheesiest present you’ve ever gotten (and you prefer to watch porn than read this)
It doesnt matter coz well I think it’s sweet and youre just gonna have to like it coz just like how you remind me every time Id suggest to do something:
“It doesnt matter what Ill say coz you already did it anyway”
Oh I forgot to make you a wish.
I wish that you find whatever it is that makes your heart beat a lil bit faster and your mind freeze a lil bit longer
and when you do
I wish you have the courage to fight for it
and live by it.
Happy birthday D. Have a good one.