plus qu’hier moins que demain

November is the month of the year when I get broke buying birthday gifts for majority of the special people in my life.

There was the birthday sandwiched between the two holidays which I did not do much because it was a truly bad day for me, and because she would have her special someone there with her. Happy birthday. Then the best friend’s one on the Sunday where she spent it with her sweetheart. Happy birthday. The only 21st in this year’s November which was spent running away from the vengeful victim half the time, [Forgive the Blair Witch Project-like video, she came after innocent xtomicers twice! A pity the vidz did not do justice to the hilarity of second time; 5 xtomicers were running in different directions - Percusso and I crashed into each other in our panic to get away, Taurus ran onto the road, Mango scampered to the basketball court at the other end, and when I headed towards the safety of the trees, I realised WealthySalt was already in hiding there, peeking out fearfully. Funny!] and playing noisy games the rest of the time. Happy birthday. The one in NY where I spent a befuddled Saturday figuring out how to send the present and wondering why it cost unexpectedlysodamnbloodymuch to send it. Happy birthday. The x-files one which I should not have bothered getting upset over with all those entries I saw but did because I care. Happy birthday.

And coincidentally, my recent entry into this new chapter of my life sees me knowing not one but five more scorpions. Sweetiepie’s birthday was an exciting one - she got a bouquet of lilies [my fav!] during lunchtime with a mysterious hand-written note, ‘Babe, finally 23! Guess who!’, which caused a furor, with us trying to figure out who it was from. Most of us suspected it to be from either of the two single guys there [cos only our people have access to that particular room which the lilies were placed at] and we had a field day, using wild speculations and insightful logic to aid our investigations.

It was a few days later when we finally mass-celebrated the five scorpions’ birthdays, all of us squeezing into the biggest room there [which is actually quite small so to speak].

Though it was a simple celebration, it was sweet and I felt happy to be part of this close-knitted, amazing group of people who care so much and want to make a difference to others’ lives.

So to end November with a grand finish, today’s her birthday. The woman who loves her children unconditionally, the woman who sacrificed her job for me, the woman who fell to her knees and cried when I, as an unsuspecting little toddler, swallowed a bottle of pills *cast a guilty look*, the woman who toiled and made our place a home, the woman who likes stuffing us with her wonderful cooking, the wowan who saw me grow up, rebel, then became a good girl. Happy birthday, mum.

s t a r m | s t November 26th, 2005

• about birthdays , the family girl , the fun xtomicer , the worker