at last, after 48 years, i write again.

i haven't written for weeks because, well, really, there isn't any special reason. i was just tired, i guess, and lazy. a lot has been happening in my life that blogging has become the last priority.

on to the update:

diapers (10 pcs.) cost 220 pesos. baby wipes (80 pcs.) cost 80 pesos. i have had to buy these items about six or seven times since my mom transferred to our house in qc. prozac costs 111 pesos each. mother takes this once a day. she also has other medicines. as of last count, she takes about 800 pesos worth of medicines everyday.

average hours of sleep everyday: 4-5
average hours of travel from house to work and back everyday: 1.5 (as opposed to .33 before)
average number of work days in a week: 6-7

stress level (1-10, 10 being the highest): 11

i am stretched to the limit.

i celebrated my birthday yesterday and as usual, no fanfare, no balloons, no party. mother, however, greeted me over the phone. i almost cried.

but i did have cake, thanks to charry. and thanks to sheryl and joey for the presents. and of course, many thanks to the wonderful people who sent their greetings and wishes through text. thanks for thinking of me. i wish i could say something profound about turning a quarter of a century old.

according to chinese astrology, this year should be a good one for me. i certainly hope the powers-that-be (worldly or otherwise) think so too.

joks and i had dinner last night. nothing fancy but it certainly was delicious and filling. thank you joks for being with me through thick and thin. you keep me sane, and that's not very easy.

come to think of it, nothing in my life right now is very easy.

at last, a semi-cheerful post from the frontlines.

we have taken mommy from my uncle's house in marikina to our house in quezon city last saturday. it seems we have worn out our relatives' hospitality so we had to leave.

joks and i have spent the morning and most of that afternoon preparing the house and her bedroom for her arrival. we even wallpapered the wall beside her bed with cloud patterns (complete with glow-in-the-dark stars). when she arrived, she saw the wall and wept saying a heartbreaking, "thank you sa inyo..." i shall never forget that moment as long as i live. when i asked her why she was crying she said, "home sweet home."

i feel that my mother is finally making steady progress. she talks often and the variety of her words are incredible. she even started to joke around, giggle like a schoolgirl, and look us in the eye. and it has only been three days since we went home.

all is not well, however. because of our departure from our relatives' abode, i have had to be the sole breadwinner for our family. add to the everyday expenses of a household of four, is the burden of buying her medicines. i don't know what will happen to us. payday is so far away.

sometimes i wish i were in a different line of work. when i could leave at exactly six pm without having to worry about take-home work. when i have all the benefits the law allows, including a salary increase every year. *sigh* alas! this is not so.

i am happy because my mother is getting better but i cannot help but be worried about the state of my wallet.

oh, happy new year. to you guys at least. i wish i could wish myself that.

1. Britney Spears & Eminem Who, combined, have written more books than they've read.

2. Dr. Phil Mcgraw Who has managed to convince millions of women to buy his self-help books, despite the fact that his most hight-profile patient, Oprah Winfrey, is an overweight woman with serious commitment issues.

3. America''s Oil Companies For a lifetime body of work proving that oil and water don''t mix.

4.That 300 Pound Guy Who always manages to jam himself into the coach seat right next to yours on coast to coast flights.

5. Bill Gates For creating the X-Box and convincing Americans that their children need a $200 video game system during a recession.

6. Jared Of the Subway Sandwich fame, whose claim of losing hundreds of pounds and achieving optimum health by eating nothing but oversized, greasy heroes was questioned by no one.