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September 27, 1994

Oh I almost forgot, yesterday September 27 2005 marks my 11th year here in the United States.

When my family and I arrived I was wearing a thick ass jacket half expecting it to snow (I think my mom told me). My cousin Adrian who moved here several years earlier with his family picked us up from LAX. On the drive to my Aunt's house in North Hollywood where we we're staying temporarily I saw what I thought was the biggest highway in the world, the 405 freeway. I remember the traffic which reminded me of Manila, except there we're no Jeepneys and buses driving erratically.

I made a phone call to my friends in the Philippines to let them know that I made it. I seriously thought the wireless house telephone I was using was a cell phone so therefore I told them I was on a cell phone and they became impressed "Duh, how retarded" haha (cell phones were scarce then in Pinas).

This day also marks my first ever break up. My then girlfriend Maya asked me to break up with her because I was leaving for the rest of my life. I didn't initiate the breakup simply because I didn't know how hahaha (she was my first GF). She sent greeting cards during the Holidays after we left but would always leave my name out and addressed it only to my parents and sister. I think she was heart broken over the fact that I didn't make any promises. I guess even then 11 years ago I was pragmatic.

A couple of years ago it occurred to my father that the 27th day of the month has been our day of choice for impotant and significant changes in our life. See we moved to this Country on September 27, 1994. January 27 is my parents wedding anniversary and mine July 27 (I am now divorced). We moved from my Aunt's house to our first apartment in North Hollywood on December 27 and then moved from this Apartment and rented a house on Oct 27, 2002 (side note: I was 27 yrs old..). The following year on Sept 27, 2003 we purchased the house. These dates were unplanned, they just sort of fell on the same day, fortuitously.

On this same day my father mentioned this to me, I realized (but failed to mention to him) that my favorite number is 27. When I started watching open-wheel racing in 1996 my favorite driver was # 27 Dario Franchitti of Team Kool Green, i didn't have a favorite number then so it became mine.... it's all serendipitous.

Perhaps only a coincidence but interesting all the same....

Posted by: Marc Gabay
Wednesday, September 28, 2005