On Being "Accounts Payable"

During a recent launch, a friend remarked that I was "accounts payable."  I laughed in her face. Oh sure, who doesn't need the moolah?  But really, I wanted to know what it meant.  NOW!

Did it mean I was owed money?  Money's easy:  You earn it. You spend it. No biggie. What's with the labels anyway? Of course people owe me money and I, in return, owe others. So goes the circle of friendship, family, forfeiture and finance.

But really, what mattered? It got me to thinking about my own list of "Accounts Receivable." For my services rendered, what could I reasonably demand in return? How high a premium could I place on my skills and emotion?  After much soul-searching, I think I have it:

MY CHILDREN.  In 2006, Al Neuharth, founder of USA Today, wrote a Mother's Day column. In it he wrote, consulting  job analysts at Salary.com, that a stay-at-home Mom's salary would be $143,121 annually.  (Multiply for numbers of years on duty and adjust numbers for inflation!)

I'd love to be able to say that I'll take the cash, thank you:)  In the real world though, you just keep your fingers crossed and hope that these kids make the same effort with THEIR kids someday.

What I do expect from them really, is for them to be independent. They should apply critical thinking in all aspects of their lives, act responsibly and be of value to society and country.

MY (FUTURE) SIGNIFICANT OTHER.  If this person does exist, I demand total honesty.  You shouldn't tell me it's okay when it isn't, goddamit!  I'm a big girl and can take care of myself. There may be better-off, cuter or smarter men, but real men of integrity are hard to find.

FRIENDS (WOO-HOOT!).  You owe me your loyalty.  The form of extreme loyalty that I'm able to give.  The kind where you just know that I'll pull through for you during the toughest times.

MY "PEOPLE."  More than servitude, I expect them to trust me.  It's important that they know I value their efforts and do not take them for granted.  They should be aware that I never make a decision that is not to our mutual benefit.

MY GRANDSON, GABRIEL.  Love forever:)

On Being Behind The Wheel

Source

I just came home from driving on and off for six hours, and it's only midday! This fact dawned on me when I felt the pain shoot up my back as I stretched. Although my day started at about 6am, it wasn't after 2 coffees that I had to leave. This was how it went:

• 7:15 Bring Tara and Gia to Silliman in time for their 7am class. (Impossible, right?)
  
• -7:45 Dash into the convenience store for juice and newspapers, national & local.
  
• -8:15 Get deposit slip from guard at bank. I ask him if I can be customer #1 and get the stub already. No go! They only give out stubs/numbers at 9am when they open.
  
• 8:30 Pick Gia up, go to the supermarket...
• -8:45 ...which opens at 9am! Read the paper to pass time.
  
• -9:00 Get a week's worth of groceries done in 30 minutes and bring it back home.
  
• -9:45 Drop off groceries, pick up Gab for preschool which starts at 10.
• 10:05 Drop Gab off. Gia's already late for her 10am class!
• 10:30 Find a place to park and make a deposit to Manila account. The electricity has to be paid.
  
• 10:50 Buy lunch!! Too busy driving to actually get any cooking done. Grab half a soggy tuna sandwich and an ice-cold Coke to keep your energy level up.
• 11:15 Gab's class is almost over! Circle the block 3 times and settle for a spot far away from preschool.
• 11:25 Run back to the car because I see I'm getting a ticket for: Illegal parking of all things, the first ticket of my life!!
• 11:40 Late picking Gab up. He's the only one left:( I'm closer to tears than he is.
  
• 11:50 Go to Hibbard Hall to pick Tara up when she's actually at the Science building across the field. And as if it wasn't enough, there's a sudden downpour!
  
• 12:10 Go home to realize I've left Zaki in school. Tara sat on my phone on the way back so I didn't see the message. Rush back to Silliman.
• 12:25 Apologize profusely to Zaki, decide to wait for Gia. Her class ends at 12.30
• 12:45 Take Zaki and Gia home, Tara's class is at 1. Take her to class immediately.
• 1:20 Finally get home to get a few words in.

And did I mention that all my kids are of college age!? Oh yeah, and it's THAT time of the month. Anybody would've guessed! Duty resumes at 3:00.