I received an email from my friend Luigi the other night. He was requesting me to become a resource person for the HIV/AIDS Youth Ambassadors Training beginning this afternoon (Jan. 23) at the Grand Opera Hotel in Manila. The talk will center on Understanding the Media: How to better advocate on HIV & AIDS issues?

I felt privileged to receive an invitation from Luigi and his group if only I have the guts to speak before a crowd. I have stage fright and the thought alone of speaking in front of an audience is killing me. I feel like puffing baccarat cigars to calm me down.

I wrote back Luigi and told him that I can’t attend the occasion. I also told him that I can help him propagate about the training if he wants.