Wednesday, November 14, 2007

On Turning 43

"1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure. In the words of one of my more sympathetic correspondents, it has turned out to be an Annus Horribilis."

-Queen Elizabeth II, in a speech to the Guildhall on 24 November 1992, marking the 40th anniversary of her Accession.

Prominent social personality Mayenne Carmona wrote in her Savoir Faire column last weekend that this year was her own annus horribilis. From her account, it was a nightmare of epic proportion. I hate using cliches, but this really was something you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. This past week for me ranked a mere 4 out of 10 but I won't judge the entire year from recent events. It's just one out of 52.

I knew it was going to be a tough year. With my youngest child entering college adding to the previous three, it was obvious that I needed something short of a miracle. But things always have a way of working out and they did. They're all still in their private schools, thank you:) With the two oldest graduating next year, I can actually contemplate life in my farm.

I did a lot of new things this past year. We finally got a live-in maid. After literally doing everything ourselves all these years, we happily handed over the reins to our very own professional Manang. God bless her! I started to blog, joined more forums and began writing comments and letters to mainstream journalists. This was something I always wanted to do and online comment forms plus email make it easy. As I have always proudly worn my heritage and my age, I used the nick "filipina42." Unwittingly, I have immortalized myself and will forever remain this age. Well, in the virtual world at least.

In line with my "frugality," I made only one major purchase this year. It was a MacBook that my daughter badly needed for her senior thesis. I held out as long as I could but there was no going around it. On the other hand, she told me it was a Christmas/birthday/graduation gift. I might have saved a few thousand on the long run.

The most shocking thing this year was on something I saw on TV a few weeks ago. I was watching "How Do I Look?" on the Lifestyle Network and saw a makeover on a woman whose wardrobe was EXACTLY LIKE MINE!! Arrrgh, I didn't know I was a fashion victim. It started a few years ago when my father suddenly passed on and I had nothing black (or white) to wear. As I usually do, I overcompensated and wore mostly black (or white) for a year. I just never got around to updating my wardrobe.

I do have the occasional brown or gray shirt. And I got a navy dress for my youngest daughter's high school graduation. It was a steal on eBay for less than 100 bucks. I was telling my Mom that it was probably time for me to get a bespoke silk suit. That would be a splurge! However, since I would wear it to four graduations in four years, it would pay for itself in two.


In all, my humor , health and wit are mostly intact. My finances are a little worse for the wear but it's going to turn around soon. Everyone's still a little kooky while Gabriel is turning into a brat. Everything is as it should be. We should all be so blessed!


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2 comments:

  1. you should change to Filipina43with4kidsandagrandson! hehe.. kidding! I AM Graduating for sure!! Thanks to the MacBook.. hehe.. :) Belated Happy Birthday MUM! i love you

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  2. It's official: Globe broadband sucks! If I can't read a comment by my own daughter or reply to it for more than a week, I reserve the right to say it.

    That said, I hope it was that simple to change my nick:) Thanks to all that sent a hol-ler(!) and made my day.

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