Everyone is trying to save or earn more money. Everyone. Websites that used to headline stories about how to be a good partner in bed are now featuring too many stories on how to stretch a buck. Banks have been more aggressive, pushing people to spend in a less than obvious way. Yesterday the Aramex guy went through all that trouble to deliver a debit card from my bank, a piece of plastic that I am not using any time soon, simple because I have not asked for it. I know convenience is also one reason I was given a debit card, but it’s more convenient if I weren’t tempted to spend more knowing that I can pay for almost anything with a shiny blue plastic shoot.

A handful of currencies have increased in value because of the dwindling value of the greenback, but more are being affected by this phenomenon. My dirhams are worth only a little more than ten pesos, as compared to almost fifteen just two years ago. My food is more expensive now, and as much as I want to find myself a nice room, rent fees are climbing the inflation ladder faster than I can respond to any room-for-rent ad. Even watching a movie puts me off. I would rather spend a whole evening going on YouTube.

I don’t have a lot, but I have enough. I think I am good at managing my finances. I am a financial fundamentalist. Am I afraid to get ripped off by the bank? Yes. But more importantly, I am sticking to the traditional way of saving simply because I save more that way. The only time I’ve ever swiped a card in my life was when I had to get something from my friend’s hotel room years ago, and that was because keys were already outdated then.

The Benefits of Being an OFW

One thing I realized about being an overseas Filipino worker is that I now have involvement in my family’s finances. I don’t meddle with how my mother spends her own money; after all, it is her own, and she has worked hard for it, spending time at work and on her business to make sure that she and my sister can live a comfortable life. However, I have committed to paying for my sister’s annual tuition, and that gives me a little more say in the family in terms of income. I now have a voice when it comes to discussing a big purchase or contemplating an investment. I can tell my mother what I think, but she still has the last say and she will do what she thinks is best, but at least she now listens to me. That’s a far cry from absolutely zero involvement.

My involvement in financial matters allows me to permeate deeper into my mother’s thoughts. I can ask about things that may not be money-related, but are on the same level of importance as our family income. Take her health. If I could ask about how much she spent on something, why on earth can I not ask her about what the doctor said during her check up? Or I could start by asking how much she has been spending on her meds, and then we can have a proper conversation about so many other things.

I think one reason she is comfortable sharing her thoughts with me is --- aside from the fact that I actually have a serious job as opposed to my hazy days in Manila when I spent most of my time smoking like a chimney and frequenting karaoke bars --- I am far away, too far that I can only listen and empathize with her without having to look at the sorry expression on my face. The last thing she wants from me and her loved ones is pity. She’s also been a fighter, a person who has always decided for herself and influenced me and my sister to do the same.

I also find that with all the talks we have all throughout the year will make me feel so much more comfortable when I finally see her. Now I know her better. I know what ticks her and what impresses her. And so days out with her and my sister are much more pleasant, and conversations have more meaning and depth. And I don’t think I could have strengthened our relationship had I not flown to another part of the world. That’s just how I see it.

I’m looking forward to December, because when I see her I’m sure we’ll have a better rapport and a fabulous Christmas. No, we can’t share a joint, but at least we can talk about money now.

Winner

I voted for myself on election day.

I had a ballot for every good deed.

I had a signature for every happy thought.

I had a thumb print for every hope sparked.

I won by a landslide, crushing my opponents.

Still I kissed them on the cheek and shook their hands.

I remember the campaign.

It was a struggle against bad feeling.

It was a battle between myself and external elements that I couldn’t control.

But my party was strong and my convictions were genuine.

I hope to get re elected and never lose power.

I will never ever declare martial law.

If I did, I would be fooling myself, shooing the bad away without giving myself a chance to turn things around and prove my true power.

I campaigned against all odds.

Frowns, criticism, coldness, deceit.

More than anything, it was a fight between my old self and the person I wanted to become.

And now I am almost halfway through completing 100 days in the presidential palace.

And so far, opinion polls are showing that I am succeeding.

It was long fight, and this is the reason I am cherishing my hard-earned victory.

There will be all kinds of distraction and tribulation and even pain.

But I will continue to be the happy president I had always wanted to be.

Love Today

It's a weird friendship that I can only divulge to people I truly trust.
I had no doubt we were going to hit it off and become the kind of friends we knew we could be.
I guess the absence of a person gives other people the freedom that they need to nurture healthy relationships.
This friendship was long overdue. While the longevity of such a perfect set up is not guaranteed, I am glad I experienced it at its peak, at the time when I wanted to experience it.
It was a platonic friendship that rooted from intelligence and jadedness and humor and the understanding of the human mind.
He was a safe haven, a dirty bastard who respects me and only me.
I am queen and I am making tea for him.
We are the friends that never were, and that should be enough reason to thank fate.
Maybe you can't be friends with your ex, but you certainly can have decent sane relationships with his friends.

Drunken nights
Emergency flights
Winter fireworks
Oh my God
Those were the days
I thoroughly enjoyed them
But time has decided
I could only bow down
So I shed my skin in winter
Serious change on the way
Summer's mood, we don't know
Oh how we change our styles
And shift gears for a while
To ride along with the times
That have been less than kind
But we're more than that
And we're more than what
People have said we were
And we are out to prove it
With a bottle and a stick
Without lies or tricks
We're more than that

Yes We Can - Barack Obama Music Video

Warm

I don't know how cold it is

Probably 10, 12 degrees

But I know how warm I can make myself

What a relief

Tempting

So many temptations

I never fail to heed them

Cigarettes and candy

Boys who act like men

They like that I like them

They feel good the first minute

But they run out of surprises

And expect me to deal with it

Oh I like my teeth rotten

And my sugar levels soaring

My lungs are filled with bad air

Makes my life less boring

I enjoy being run over

By cars and trucks and hearts

Sad endings are a shame

But another story starts

And I'm sober to this day

I walk straight and tall

I might keep everything

Or decide to throw it all

Depends on how I feel

Not on what you think

Well, they all make me

Want to have a drink

Cheers