It’s all about what makes you happy :)


I hate admitting I am materialistic (although you will NEVER ever catch me denying that I am) because it only means that I buy temporal happiness. It’s true. When I was a newlywed, there were so many who thought I was the luckiest woman to be married to someone who would buy me anything I wanted. There were also those who thought I am way too “high maint”. Those who thought of the former, are not exactly right on the money. My husband is the anti-thesis of me. While I would never object to buying something that’s obviously beyond my budget (err.. that’s why I had to have my own credit card that’s not attached to DH’s name), DH would wildly object to such a thought (he would have had a coronary *attack* if I got creditors calling him about my debt hahaha). If I was a spendthrift, he was frugal (and practical, I might add– hence all my gifts being technology- related, so he can also use them too hehehehe). Sorry DH, but the cat has been out of the bag for awhile now 🙂 *Ting! Bright idea– pssst DH, you could make your New Year’s resolution “buy whatever my wife wants” for 2009 though hahahaha*. (Joke half meant hahahaha *nudge nudge* never too late for change, baby!! Do an Obama on me *The Change Mrs.T needs* hehehe selfish!!!)

*Serious face again* Now, back to thought #2– I am “too high maintenance”. This is sad but so true. There are times when even I think I can’t afford to maintain myself– you see, I work like a horse, and would love to just throw in the towel and “relax”, but I simply can’t afford to do that either (we hafta feed the kids, the dog, take care of the peeps who work for us, pay for kids’ education…. and the list goes on and on and on…..). How I can “maintain” myself is largely because I work.

*Hail to the female work force and to the financially independent woman !*
(Underlying message: “I wish I were a real tai- tai!” hehehe )

*Sigh* there are just so many nice things out there that it’s impossible to resist the temptation to buy (Gawd, I hate advertising! If there weren’t so many good ads out there, we’d stop buying!). But you know, my being high maintenance was never about going to the hairdresser’s everyday (my hair’s always tied up in a sloppy ponytail), nor was it about me getting some kind of surgical or non invasive cosmetic procedure done (although my face is in serious need of surgical restructuring haha *puke*– I really hide behind that “heart” only because I am protecting you, my dear reader! Hahahaha ). It’s also not about my desire to fill my closet with only the latest season’s clothes (that Balenciaga dress was my first and last splurge in the clothing department, spank you very much). Nor is it still my dream to have my own shoe room filled with armies of Christian Louboutins and others (this was a dream before, I have to admit. But after I gave birth to my kids, I had to say bye bye to them shoes because my feet never went back to their original pre-nuptial size. Tsk.)

My being high maintenance was all about bags (it still is, but take a look at my hardly updated ticker counter for my bag purchases– I’m becoming slightly reformed, non?). And then it shifted to bling (Take note: affordable bling. Nothing ginormous because obviously the budget does not permit that AT ALL– unless I have plans to home school my kids on my own and live on the street). And then, *holds breath* the food. I spend so much money on food. *Hooo boy* I have to tell you, a bulk of my credit card expense is food- oriented. And my friends (who can’t understand why I spend on expensive food) say “too bad, it all goes out the next day”. Hahaha. (Seriously, I should be a food critic… but then again, my reputation would be immediately tainted because I’d accept food as bribe in a heartbeat hahaha)

Tsk, boy am I just rambling on and on and on and on today, or what?! (Christmas blues? Hmmm… nope– this gets better in the end, I promise haha) Going back to being materialistic, I do admit I am also one of the gaudiest women in Manila because of my choices in: clothes, bags, bling, shoes. You can see women (who spend $$$ or hardly spend) looking so classy, effortless, and impeccable. Then you see a conspicuous consumer like me who makes lousy *cough expensive* fashion choices, and it just doesn’t add up.

Look at what I’m wearing *gag*. Even Santa’s obviously revolted hahaha– he didn’t wanna be photographed with me *his hand’s up, asking NOT to have this photo taken hahaha*. I hardly ever *ok, never* look like a million bucks (you can take the girl out of the trailer park, but never take out the trailer park out of the girl hahaha– ouch). And many dislike and judge me for my choices (but oye, to each her own, eh? I’d never be one to judge someone based on appearances/ the way she dresses/ what she wears *save for the occasional times when I see a woman proudly carrying a fake designer bag with full intent to deceive others– in which case, prejudging simply can’t be helped*). But you know what though, those choices I’ve made (more wrongs than rights hehehe *oye, and proud!!*) have made me happy *even if for just a day or two* 🙂

Lesson for 2009 : Make your own happiness your primary objective. Just make sure you don’t intentionally hurt others to make yourself happy 🙂

Fact of life– You can’t please everybody.

Lesson in Life: You don’t have to please everybody. (Learn this lesson for 2009)

Tsk. Enough self- reflection already… I know I’m becoming sooo boring lately with all my senseless self-reflections, and this post just had to top my being boring eh? *well sooooreeeeeee :D*

Ugh, take 2: Going back to my being high maintenance and continually lusting for things that I simply cannot afford, I wonder when I can be able to afford me a beautiful watch like this one…


Breguet
Reine de NaplesIn Yellow Gold

Or in White gold… Tell me, which looks nicer? *boy I sound like I can afford to buy this watch hahaha… NOT*

(But yes, Mrs.T *the material tai tai wannabe is back!!!*)

The darned ticker costs US$30,000++ (can someone post the price of this watch for me please). I frankly have no idea how to come up with such an amount, nor do I have any idea how to justify an expense like that, especially since I’m not one person who was ever into watches.

*Ugh* I need a benefactor!!! (Silent scream)

Hmmm.. it’s all about what makes me (and you) happy, right? This watch would make me happy *muwahaha*. But even if I pool all my credit card available balances together, including my husband’s, I still won’t be able to pay for this watch!!!

To DH: Which would you choose? A new vroom-vroom for our growing famille (after you trade our old car in), or a nice tick tock for the Reine of your life 😉 *muwahahaha Mrs.T= am-bitch-ous little twerp*

Ok, ok. Materialistic baghag alternative #2:This will do quite nicely too. *BIG HINT* hahaha. Stephen Sprouse “revisited” by Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton 2009. I wonder how many baghags have already queued up for this at LV… *mental note: call LV tomorrow… me want this!*

Speaking of LV, thank you Louis Vuitton for my super lovely gift– a paperweight “LV” globe 🙂 I looooove it!!!!! Again, thank you to the wonderful peeps of Louis Vuitton Greenbelt!

Anyway, *SIGH* Two to- lust-for material things to look forward to in 2009. Plus these words of wisdom (what, I’m Confucious now? hahaha NOT):

Work Hard, Play Hard, Give Back, BE HAPPY!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!!!

Lots of love and plenty positive ju-jus for all,
Mrs.T

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  1. I love love love love love the Breguet watch. But $30,000? That’s in an entirely different league. I’ve been lusting over the Panerai Ferrari Special Ed (for ladies!) and it costs some P450,000. Arrrr…

    Cheaper (or not) alternatives would probably be Cartier, or if its too mainstream, Chopard. Designs rolled out from these brands are more lady-like. Piaget too. =)

  2. the breguet watch is around 1.2m from last month price at lucerne.. its really a nice watch 🙂 i love the white gold..

  3. count your blessings girl… i would understand your being high maintenance bec. of your love for designer bags, bec i do too.. i also work hard also not bec my husband cant afford my “luho” but bec.i just love being independent and be control of myself and importantly i love what i do so it doesnt feel like work!!..for women like us who worked too much,we deserve to be rewarded with what we are happy about right?? and that is bags bags bags… but sometimes why dont you see those things around you that matters more to you are our real happiness.. that way you’ll feel good more about why we work.. for our kids and family.. 🙂
    being a real tai-tai would really be great, but dont you think they got their own problems too? they look good outside but what about inside??are you sure they are really happy? they need to depend on their husband for what they want.. but like us we can buy anything we want bec we work.. and knowledge we learn through our work can never be taken away from us, i think that is the most important thing.. just be happy ok? be contented.. that way we find real happiness..
    compare yourself with the less fortunate that way you might feel very blessed…
    Happy new year girl…

  4. Anon: I couldnt agree with you more. I do know how blessed I am, and there isn’t a day I don’t thank the Big Man up there for all the blessings I have 🙂 Of course it’s great to be financially independent– I’d like to think I ‘propagate’ that ideal to my friends since I do have friends who complain about not having money to spend (and they don’t work). There are days too that you just want to be a tai tai since you get so tired as well (but again, I say this most of the time in a joking way because I am NOT a tai tai, although sometimes it is half meant :D). But know what, seeing the fruits of my labor makes me happy– seeing my kids growing up makes me happy, being with my mom makes me happy, enjoying my independence with full support of my husband makes me happy. It’s really not all about materialism at the end of the day, however materialism does enhance it every so often– but that should not be the main barometer of happiness 🙂 Bottom line though, you are absolutely correct on all points– that we should keep counting our blessings and never forget to be grateful for what we have. Happy new year too 🙂

  5. Oh I love to have those watches and the LV bag. But I’m too young to have those things. Maybe if I have a work in the future. As of now…I’m still a student/The Bag Hag reader;)

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