April 25

At first, I turned in my resume for self-gratification. Will someone still be interested in hiring me? A greying hair 50 year old, knotty knees (among others), sagging cheeks (among others) ... and in that field that seem to never stop reinventing itself - information technology? I was called for interview the very day Marco gave my resume to his boss. After they called me for a second interview, I felt I got the job.

Then I started thinking about how to break it to my boss. I spent a lot of sleepless nights just thinking how she would react. She gave me everything. EVERYTHING. To top all of those - she is a friend. A friend who gave me a free trip to Vegas just because. A friend who gave me anti-aging and such other goodies because she felt I was depressed. A friend I can share my kolokoy fantasies with and not be afraid that she will look at me differently. A friend who listens and hears what I cannot say. She is all these and more.

JHA will expose me to corporate America again. Tougher and unforgiving. But it will also give me stability. Never in my dreams did I think I will ever land a job with a company as big as JHA. I am humbled. God is good. He always is. He gave me this for a reason.

I already talked to my boss. I cannot read how she is taking this. I pray I did not hurt her, the most wonderful creature I ever had the chance to meet. She did not see this coming. Neither did I. But it is coming. This is BIG. I am again enumerating all Saints I can remember ...

Before I knew anything else, I knew how it felt to be loved.

That was what was in front of the card that Migo, Nica and Noy gave me. Inside, this:


And I do not need anything else.

Turning Gold

I will give my officemates a lunch treat. As usual, Baging with throw a candle blowing ritual as a sideshow. My children and I will have a fancy dinner at one of the fine dining restaurants somewhere downtown. We promised to dress up a little, for posterity :) Nica is paying for my full body massage at one of the spas on Saturday.

I am turning 50. I feel a sense of purpose as I wrote that. I am thinking about my parents and I am scared. I need to send them my balikbayan box. Papa will will love the boxing magazines, the thinly sliced almonds, the shavers. Mama will love the canned goods, soap bars, toothpastes, olive oil, the towels and bedsheets. I need to go home soon. I need to do more. Live, love, laugh more!! Things will run in fast-forward pace from now on. I hope I can keep up with me.