It’s my birthday yesterday, today, and tomorrow

I have been getting dozens of birthday greetings from Manila since yesterday because the Philippines is 15 hours ahead of California during Daylight Saving Time. During standard time in winter, the time difference becomes 16 hours instead of 15.

If not for all these messages, I honestly would not even be aware that it’s my birthday.

In a few hours, I know more greetings will come — although some will probably say, “Belated Happy Birthday, Annie.”

I truly appreciate most, if not all, of the birthday greetings. However, a few messages came with a follow-up request for money — for living expenses, their own birthdays that unfortunately coincide with mine, or medical expenses. The pattern is usually: “Happy Birthday!” followed by the request, and then the last paragraph contains the GCash number. Sa halip na matuwa ako kasi naalala ang birthday ko, ninenerbyos na ako tuwiing merong message na papasok. Birthday ko today and yeseterday, sana hindi ako ma-stress.

I am pretty sure that by tomorrow morning, the follow-up messages will arrive: “Sana maipadala mo na agad.”

I appreciate the birthday greetings, but asking me for money immediately afterward is a bit of a bummer. Patapusin n’yo muna ang aking kaarawan.

Hindi rin maganda na nag-a-apply kayo ng trabaho sa akin tapos hihingi kayo agad ng pera. Medyo off iyon.

Most likely, even if you have good credentials or we have a job opening suited to your qualifications, matatakot akong tanggapin kayo sa trabaho. I do not exactly know how to explain it, but it does not leave a good impression.

Parang nanliligaw kayo ng babae tapos uutangan o hihingan n’yo agad ng pera. Kahit gaano pa kayo kapogi or ka-macho, off na off na agad. Basted!

Look somewhere else muna to borrow money from, then apply for a job here. Kung matanggap kayo at nakuha na ninyo ang first salary ninyo, saka ninyo bayaran ang utang ninyo. That is a much better way to handle it.

So it’s my birthday yesterday, today, and tomorrow. I have no special plans — but I do want to do the following: Visit a church or adoration chapel, have lunch, go around San Francisco with Theo, Shoti, and my husband. Be home by 5 pm, dinner at a nearby restaurant. Puro kain lang.

Most of the time I am out of town on my birthday. I really hide so that hindi ko kailangan mag-blow out. Last Friday, my Makati Ford staff, Kay Anne and Joralyn said “Boss, wala kayo sa birthday mo”.
I told them sinadya ko talaga para hindi ko sila i-blow out.

Eto ako, umiskapo uli.

Suggestion: Order food for yourselves, consider it my treat. Send the bill to the senators, may mapakinabang man lang tayo kahit barya sa bilyon na gastos nating taong bayan sa kanila. Pera natin ang ginagastos nila, wala naman silang naitutulong na mabuti sa ating mamamayan. Puro drama lang.

By the powers granted to me by myself, I now declare May 27 as Senators’ Blow Out Day.