Birthday Bits

1. On my way home from class last Tuesday, I followed Jeline's advice and bought myself some flowers. Loud orange lilies to brighten up my mood and my already cheerful yellow room. Only later did I find out what they were called: tiger lilies! Like the audacious American Indian in Peter Pan. Like the lovely Natalie Merchant album. I felt better already.

2. Had a scrumptious brunch last Sunday at the Hothouse Cafe with my cousin Summer, her comedian husband Rich, and Auntie Ging-Ging, who had come to visit from Calgary. The jazz band started to play a cool, smooth version of "Happy Birthday to You." Stuffed and happy, I said, "I wonder whose birthday it is." They all started laughing.

3. I didn't feel the need to tell classmates and U of T people. Only my housemates and family here knew -- I preferred it that way. Birthday greetings from people back home were enough -- from TDP friends' YM messages to my family's emails to Elmo's phone call to blog greetings. Thank you for remembering. It really means a lot (sniff, end of drama).

4. Em's birthday wish for me came true. At the flower shop, there was a fat gray cat lounging on a ledge on top of the lilies. I put out my hand and he lifted his head to receive the maximum benefits of the rub. Near my (new) house, the same fluffy orange cat from weeks ago was waiting outside the convenience store. I petted him too. It's a good day when two cats let you pet them. No cat compares to my beloved Metaphor, though, whom I miss so ridiculously it hurts.

5. While I didn't celebrate my birthday with a beer and shawarma rice, I did eat "something deliciously bayaw like that" (thanks, Marie! haha). Maita, Ben and I went to this Jamaican place that looked like a hole in the wall from the outside (called Roti Palace). Different from Indian flatbreads like naan, Jamaican roti is like a square enchilada, filled with curried meat, potatoes and chickpeas. Sarap! The spiciness made one of us tear up.

6. For those who've asked, no, I didn't put "Nighthawks" on my wall. The tiny Hopper prints in my room are "Automat," "Compartment," "Cape Cod Morning," "New York Pavements" and "Chopsuey." Also on my walls are: the birthday card (Klimt's "Fulfillment") Sigh gave me last year; a photograph of a young Virginia Woolf; a sepia photograph Ian gave me of two brothers holding hands on a sunny Dumaguete road; a calligraphed and signed copy of Marj Evasco's "Origami" with an orange paper crane that Ruey gave me years ago; a large print of Dali's "Persistence of Memory" above my bed; and an Alice in Wonderland card with Alice looking up at the Cheshire Cat, and the following text: "Cheshire Puss!" said Alice. "Would you tell me which way I ought to go from here?"