Middle Life

Distant fireworks woke me at 2:28am. In my dazed state, I managed to turn on MTV channel to see what song I would first hear during this significant day. "So Far Away", remade by a local artist, just started playing. "So far away, doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore...", the first few lyrics went. Hmm... my predicament exactly. Is this a message for me? I wonder if I get an early opportunity to be closer to my family... Oh yeah, I fell asleep after. My celfone rang in her shrill Kill Bill theme at 5:45am, nudging me finally out of dreamland for a new day, a new year.

I arrived at Greenbelt chapel at 7:30am to hear mass. Bummer! I was late for service... and on this very day!

Already back home by 9am, I was relieved to have bought Go Nuts Donuts for my breakfast today. Hey! MTV's playing that song again... My friend Teena just informed me that we're still on for a little self-pampering at 1pm - a full body massage! Yaahhuuu!!! And Liezl and Rheea are coming along too! The more, the merrier! And hey, you're all going to help me cook later, ok?

It's 2:30pm. Ah, the good life! A quick foot spa, 15 minutes of sauna bath, then an hour of body massage. Wish I could have this often enough. Hmp! Well, maybe I can squeeze it in my budget every month? 2 months? Hmm...

Hey! It's 5pm already and I've still got some shopping to do for an all-girls get-together dinner at my place. It's not going to take 1 hour to buy a few groceries, is it?

Yeah, right. It's almost 6:30pm when my friends (well, my 'cooks' are more like it) and I arrived to prepare dinner. Uhm, sorry guys, but the massage lost all our awareness of time. But I'm sure we can whip something up in just 30 minutes. Promise!

And my 'cooks' did their thing! Impressive, indeed. 10 more minutes and Teena's dish will be done! Uh-oh, the gas just ran out. @*&%$#$%*!!!

By 8:30pm... Yum yum yum... Do the dishes really taste good or are we just hungry?? ...Yum yummy!

Ah, finally. The kitchen's in tiptop shape again. 10pm, what a night! Wish I had a beer though... Hey, where'd that remaining cooking wine go? :-) hehe

And, what a wine! I didn't know this wine can keep you up till 4:30 in the morning!

What a way to start mid-life. I just turned 36 years old yesterday. Hope the rest of the years are as colorful as how the first day turned out. Happy years ahead!

... I needed to know the complete lyrics of that song ...

SO FAR AWAY by Carole King

So far away, doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore?
It would be so fine to see your face at my door
Doesn't help to know you're just time away

Long ago I reached for you and there you stood
Holding you again could only do me good
How I wish I could, but you're so far away

One more song about movin' along the highway
Can't say much of anything that's new
If I coild only work this life out my way
I'd rather spend in bein' close to you.

But you're so far away, doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore
It would be so fine to see your face at my door
Doesn't help to know you're so far away