To My Cousin, Karen

Exactly a week ago, my cousin Karen, turned 47 and this is how she looks. (What do you know, beauty runs in the Gamo family.)

Karen is a singer based in Spain. Visit her site at www.karen1962es.multiply.com to hear her sing. She dedicated one of my favorite songs, "Rainy Days and Mondays" to me.

I am grateful to Karen for all she has done for me. She has such a big, generous heart, I cannot count all the things she has given me (aside from happy memories, advice and money). Let me see, Karen has bought me a television, desktop, laptop, 2 webcams, digicam, celphone, DVD player...it's a pretty long list.

So here is my tribute to you, Karen:

Para mi prima muy bonita, Karen - Yo quiero dar te rendar homenaje en Español pero mi Español es muy mal so Ta-Tagalugin ko na lang (For my very beautiful cousin, Karen - I would like to give you a tribute in Spanish but my Spanish is very bad so I shall just write in Tagalog)

Kasin Karen...(Cousin Karen)

...Tulad ni Santa Klaus, mapagbigay KA-REN (Like Santa Claus, you are generous also)

...Tulad ni Sta. MoniKA at iba pang santa, mabait KA-REN (Like St. Monica and other saints, you are kind also)

...Tulad ni Karen Karpenter, Sharon Kuneta, at Charisse PempengKo, sa larangan ng pagKanta, mahusay KA-REN (Like Karen Carpenter, Sharon Cuneta and Charisse Pempengco, in the field of singing, you are very good also)

...Tulad ng KitKat, Krispy Kreme at ChoKnut, sweet KA-REN (Like KitKat, Krispy Kreme and Chocnut, you are sweet also)

At higit sa lahat (and most of all)

...Tulad ni Kristine Hermosa at aKo, maganda KA-REN (Like Kristine Hermosa and me, you are beautiful also)

Sa maikling salita, KaKaiba ka talaga, KAREN! Wala kang Katulad! Tunay kang may "K"! (In short, you are unique, Karen! You are unlike any other! You really have a "K"!)...Huh?

Muchos gracias! Belated Feliz Cumpleaños! Te amo mucho, Karen! (Thank you very much! Belated Happy Birthday! I love you very much, Karen!)