Just Passing By

Yesterday was my birthday so I want to thank everyone for their hearty greetings which ranged from phone calls from Pinas to a special poem written for me to eCards and texts and get this - a card from my son with a $5 tucked in! Woohoo! Now in my books, that’s very generous.

I was planning to write a post on my birthday but decided against it. For some reason, I tend to be more withdrawn than usual on my birthday. As a kid, I always envied my classmates who got to celebrate their birthdays during a school day. The whole class sings them the happy birthday song. If there’s “always a bridesmaid never a bride,” I’m always a singer, never the celebrant. You see, my day unfortunately falls between Christmas and New Year’s. After all that food and parties leading to Christmas, everyone is just glad for the short respite before the New Year’s eve celebration rolls around. So what does a birthday girl to do? Have a low key day, by choice or not.

It’s been years since I’ve left school and it doesn’t matter much anymore that I never got to curtsy my thank you after the class sang for me. I’m just glad to wake up on my birthday morning and look myself in the mirror and say Happy Birthday, Me! And I beam at my reflection, content that out of the 365 days, this one is just for me. Throughout the day, I hum the birthday song. I realized I didn’t have to wait for anyone to sing for me. And if my friends remember and send their greetings, my heart is gladdened and I feel doubly special.

Of course, if I had a choice, I’d rather have my birthday any other day as long as it’s nowhere near Christmas and New Year. Hmmm, who says I can’t?

How to be a better person in 2008? That’s a toughie. A friend of mine sent me this little list and I thought, yeah, this makes sense. So, I thought I’d share it to all the ladies out there who haven’t quite decided what to do with their life in the next 12 months.

Tips for the Ladies for 2008

1. Aspire to be Barbie - the bitch has everything.

2. If the shoe fits - buy one in every color.

3. Take life with a pinch of salt… a wedge of lime, and a shot of tequila.

4. In need of a support group? - Cocktail hour with the girls!

5. Go on a 30-day diet.  (I’m on it and so far I’ve lost 15 days).

6. When life gets you down - just put on your big girl panties and deal with it.

7. Let your greatest fear be that there is no PMS and this is just your personality.

8. I know I’m in my own little world, but it’s ok.  They know me here.

9. Lead me not into temptation, I can find it myself.

10. Don’t get your knickers in a knot, it solves nothing; and makes you walk funny.

11. When life gives you lemons in 2008 - turn it into lemonade then mix it with vodka.

12. Remember every good looking; sweet, single male is someone else’s ex-boyfriend!

Aaargh… if my muscles could talk, they’d be spouting expletives! My hips feel like I’m wearing a lead weight belt. My sides are so sore it hurts when I laugh. My arms shake when I raise them much like when you’ve gone shopping and lugging all your loot all day.

It’s Jazzercise and I just attended my second session last night. I was supposed to enrol with a co-worker but she bailed on me at the last minute complaining of fatigue and the first signs of flu. Anyway, she asked me yesterday how it was and I went into this long speech about why she should go and try it. I boasted that I didn’t even feel sore at all. But this morning, she saw how stiff I was and asked me again. My grimace told her what she needed to know.

It’s decided. She won’t go until after New Year’s but I will, still, despite the pain. I just enjoy the fact that I’m dancing again and having something to look forward to at the end of the workday. And despite the winter cold, I go home sweaty and happy.

Who would’ve thought that you can work out to Michael Buble and Corinne Bailey Rae songs? Who would’ve imagined that at my age, I’ll be dancing to hip hop music? Never mind that I don’t know the artist, heck, I’m just jazzed! This is something that I can commit to and have fun doing it. Who knows, I might even lose a few pounds. Now that would be a bonus!