It’s been less than a day since I posted with my first entry. Full of optimism about uni and the like.

Here I am, 11 and a half hours later posting with some really sad, devastating news.

Today (or rather yesterday now..) at 12.30pm (The exact time I posted my previous entry.. ) my friend Rodrigo “passed away peacefully”.

I only found out late this evening (around 10pm) when his brother txted to let all his friends know.

It wasn’t completely unexpected – he had a heart condition and went in for surgery in mid december to correct it. He made it through the surgery and was making progress, but something happened clearly and he passed on.

I’m bummed. I really am. He was a brilliant guy – happy, cheerful and excellent at guitar. I know people always praise someone after they die even if they weren’t that great, but Rod was truly a genuine kinda guy. One in a billion. He had a wicked sense of humour (always had me in hysterics with his witty jokes), and was just an all round good person.

I’m not gonna try and spin it and make out like we were bestest of friends. We saw each other rarely, and spoke occasionally on msn.. this wasn’t because we didn’t get along.. he lived in a different part of Auckland, and just never really seemed to get a chance to hang. When we did talk on MSN it was always great – we’d have big long funny elaborate conversations – always memorable.

We had a big conversation the night before he went in for his op. We talked about anything and everything. Some part of me felt like that was our final conversation. I knew I was saying good bye – I wanted to save the conversation we had – something to remember him by? I didn’t – I thought it would be too morbid of me, and bring bad luck.

I miss you Rod. You were an amazing, brillaint, talented, funny, cheerful, friendly, wonderful guy! I will always remember you as the shining star you always were, and always will be. R.I.P