You don’t stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing. Michael Pritchard


Life is good. I am 53 years old today. I’ve never felt so great, so young and happy! I know the past had come and gone. I know I wasted parts of it. Once upon a time, life looked gloomy. The clouds always looked grey. The sun never shone. The birds never sang. The colors of the world was just black and white. I never knew there was life after a death of a precious child. I forgot how to smile. I guess in each one of us there resides some survival or coping mechanism… or perhaps I was just touched by my angel. We get touched at some point in our lives if we allow it to happen.

Like my age, I don’t mind if people ask my age. After all, age is an issue of mind over matter. “If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter” said Mark Twain. I think it is a compliment when college friends tell me that I look so much better now than before. I can say that confidence played a role. Taking care of oneself is important. Love yourself first before you can love others.

Smiling is easy now even as I wake up with the sunlight streaming down my face and the birds chirping by the bay window. It is the smile that adds sparkle in my heart and the twinkle in my eyes. It is what makes me who I am today that I could not achieve in my youth.

I am out of words today yet grateful for all the blessings God has given me. I am thankful for the second blooming in life. Life at the age of 53 is indeed just the beginning of a new life that has opened before me.

To celebrate the smile and the laughter, here is a 10-second video.
Thank you Nuffnang for the lovely birthday birthday present (the LED billboard for this blog)

lauren-and-meMy beautiful girl turned 24 years old, three days ago and I didn’t get to share it with you. I should have written about it but I was too preoccupied with my surgery the following day. Every time I go to the hospital, I always prepare a notebook that lists passwords and the location of important documents. You never know, right? I first discovered this round lump on my right shoulder when I was in Boracay. I was told it was lipoma but that it was deeply embedded on my muscle. Doctors said I can choose to wait for the operation but I didn’t want to prolong the date for fear the lipoma would grow bigger and encroach on my nerves thus causing me pain.
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Two days ago, I turned 52 years old and the first thing I received at the stroke of midnight was a wet kiss on the cheeks from my husband. Wiping the wet imprint from my face, I could only smile and hug my husband back. Turning 52 means that I need to encode 52 under age settings during a treadmill workout at the gym but other than that, I feel great. I’ve never felt so wonderfully blessed. If you know the “Dancing Queen”, I live by the motto

You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life
See that girl, watch that scene, dig in the dancing queen

I have been having the time of my life since I turned 50 and will continue to have the time of my life even beyond 52 years old.


Anyway, I could not blog the past two days because of technical issues.

My birthday started off with a brunch with my family before I headed off to Singapore for the Nokia Connection 2009 upon the invitation of Nokia Philippines. My dear husband was supposed to go along with me so we could meet up with his sister there after the Nokia event only to find out that they were coming over to the Philippines for a vacation. So it was just me who left for Singapore.

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My beautiful daughter, L is 23 years old today.

I used to tell my children that I built a house when I was 23 years old, thanks to the funds from my dear daddy old boy. M said she’d do the same when she turns 23. L didn’t say anything and then surprise, surprise, a month ago, she announced to us that she found her condo. She invested in a condominium (rather a shoe box) at the age of 22 years old, with her own savings, nary a single centavo from us.

This girl of mine is very frugal. She doesn’t like eating out much. Eating out in restaurants like Pepper Lunch where she thinks there is little value for the food is beyond her means. As a college student, she never complained about her allowance. Buying unnecessary gadgets seemed sinful to her. Whenever I give her money to buy brand new outfits, she turned to ukay-ukay clothing much to my chagrin. Lauren indirectly helped me pay for her college tuition. Whatever material gifts we shower upon her is all a bonus for being a frugal daughter.

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What a timely theme for Photo Hunt today which is also my 51st birthday. Emotion (s). The photo was taken last saturday as bloggers took the time out to enjoy the massive quarry at Porac, Pampanga. I love being with bloggers because my age seems suspended in time. (That’s why I insist in being called by my first name sans Tita , Ate, Maam).

I always feel young despite the fact I could not balance my way to the top of the piles of gravel, sand and lahar. I feel like I’m on top of the world, nevertheless. I guess that’s the secret to aging gracefully. Just try to enjoy. Have fun. Blog. Think young. Relax. Think positive.

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