JessicaRulestheUniverse.com

It has recently come to my attention that I have been focusing on other people’s dilemmas for quite some time. Too much drama. This is not healthy. One must also cater to one’s needs. So, I decided that for today’s column, I would talk about Me.

Auntie Janey

I have recently celebrated another decade of my life. I learned in Oprah that whenever one reaches a certain age, one must acknowledge it publicly. Oprah’s guest psychologists said that a public celebration of particular birthdays would help ward off depression and help the celebrator acknowledge that he or she is no longer that young(but still young yet older).

I have done what Oprah’s guests advised. Since it was impossible to gather everyone I know from throughout the country and throw a party, I decided to celebrate my birthday the whole year round. The celebration is done by feasting, which I do either alone or with a random friend who happened to stray in this part of the country.

Before every meal, I would take pictures of the food and shamelessly upload them to Facebook(which takes care of the publicity requirement). The pictures are accompanied by descriptions of the dish and where it was ordered. If I go out with a friend whom I haven’t seen in a while, I would say “It’s my nth birthday this year. I’ll take you to lunch/dinner/merienda”.

Some were gracious enough to pay for the meal as a birthday gift.

The constant feasting and public acknowledgement is working its magic. I have reconfirmed that how you treat yourself is how others will treat you. The universe also senses this and acts accordingly. I have been fed by people I barely know in good restaurants without me giving them any cause for feeding me.

How I’m celebrating my birthday has affected the way I speak and deal with other people. My voice has acquired a more confident tone and I now speak with a certain accent. Food attendants and salespeople are taking me more seriously and older people seldom talk down to me. I have also noticed that those who constantly snoop on my Facebook profile are a little bit in awe of me. Being lavish with yourself can actually build up confidence and enhance self-respect.

Or maybe I’m just a social climber.

My preference for clothing has also changed. I now opt for brighter and bolder colors. I have also given away most of my old shoes and acquired more interesting pairs. I am now more inclined to pay for quality and have become less prissy about price(but still prissy by some people’s standards). I still abide by the principle that one should buy only what one needs, but I now prefer quality in the things I use for my needs.