Tuesday, April 10, 2007

How does it feel?

So, how does it feel to be 30?
*pinches self*
No different.
Maybe tomorrow, then...

But, everyone keeps saying how different things are going to be from now on, so I say, Bring It On!

**********

This week I am working in an insurance co near Tower Hill. Such big names, I am surprised they haven't asked me to sign a confidentiality agreement yet.

Seriously, I am so close to the Tower of London, I might take my camera and get some late afternoon shots of it.

I can do this work with my eyes closed. I was handing the work back finished about 5 minutes before they gave it to me to do, that's how easy it was. By lunchtime, I had them all caught up on the backlog (they called that a backlog?) and by hometime I had actually run out of things to do, so I left 4 minutes early.

Come on, need a real job now...I am SO done being a secretary.

**********

It was really strange having to spend my big birthday in a new office, unable to check my messages or answer calls. My phone was on silent vibrate, and it was going so much that by lunchtime I was running out of battery and Inbox space!

People came out of the woodwork to wish me happy birthday.

I came home to more messages, emails from people I thought didn't even know about it. I even got a card from UST, sent all the way from Houston and signed by the staff at the office of Alumni Relations.
And a huge bouquet of flowers from Diva and Nags.
My guest list is suffering casualties through illness and lack of funds. No one else had better drop out! This is how my 25th birthday never even got off the ground.


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Tonight I met a long lost childhood friend who found me, guess how? She Googled me and found my blog! I had looked for her for years, but she's been married for 8 of them so I couldn't look for the name I knew.

She has the same mannerisms, the same sound - she even looks the same, only filled out because we are now women, and she is a mother.

It is so wonderful to reconnect - Angela, Lydia and I were so close when we were little, and soon we three will have a reunion.

**********

I heard back today from a publishing co regarding an interiors writer. Only thing is now they need some relevant writing samples. You all know I can write about anything under the sun, only I checked with my brain and it told me that although I had written loads about art, antiques, sculptures, exhibitions, literature, castles, volcanoes, deep sea organisms, and quantum physics, I hadn't actually said anything much (yet) about decoration or interiors. *Panic button, where is it?*

OK, this little girl (30 or no 30) has to go to work tomorrow, so it's time for a shower and beddy bye.

Enjoy the warm weather tomorrow, it wil be 19C (68F).
Nite nite!

:P

14 comments:

L B said...

If it's your Birthday, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! & warmest HUGS and WISHES!!

...If it's not, I'll call back again later when the timing's better.. *grin*

Anonymous said...

Joyeux Anniversaire!!!!! I tried sending you an ecard but it bounced back.....now, I see why. sigh!
So glad I got to talk to you yesterday.
bisous.
vanessa

Beenzzz said...

Happy Birthday to you, Olivia. I hope you had a wonderful day. Really, 30 isn't when you feel the difference. It pretty much starts around 33 or 34. It really sets in by 35.....I'm in the thick of it. :)
Again, Happy Birthday!

Anonymous said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
¡FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS!
FELIZ ANIVERSÀRIO!

Hehe, okay those are all the languages I know. I am glad you were surrounded by so many friends today either virtually or personally.

May you enjoy your bday all month long!

AmitL said...

Hi,Olivia..Happy Belated Bday..:)I guess the answer is'being 30 feels the same as being any other age'.:)I like ur spirit of 'Bring It On'..heh heh...hey,u're enjoying ur new job,especially if u can do the work with eyes closed..what u should do is,aim higher if things are easy...easier to establish oneself in a new place.:)Hey,I also found a penpal from the '80s,albeit,via orkut..does feel great.:)Have a great day.Cheers.

Anonymous said...

Happy BDAY SWEETIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jia

The Moody Minstrel said...

Happy birthday, and many thanks for blessing us all with another year of your life!

(Just wait till you add another decade to the tally...though I have yet to notice the difference other than my padded waistline...)

Tower Hill..oh, yes! My wife and I stayed at the Tower Hotel when we were on our honeymoon. It was great seeing Tower Bridge from our room and having the Tower of London within easy walking distance (as in we passed by it every time we walked to and from the station). The only problem was that, since we were one of apparently very many Japanese newlywed couples there on package honeymoon tours, the staff at the Tower Hotel tended to treat us in a really cold and patronizing manner...until I spoke to them, revealing my Americanishness, whereupon they'd freak out and suddenly become polite! (I mean, come on...brown hair, green eyes, and a very obviously non-Asian nose and brow ridge...how on Earth could they mistake me for a Japanese? But apparently a lot of them did!)

I'm boring you with my tales of woe again, m'lady. Sorry about that. Happy birthday again...and START WRITING ABOUT INTERIORS!!!!!!!

Prerona said...

lol! remembering my 30th ...

ML said...

Happy Birthday to you!!!!

30 is awesome! I'm coming to the end of the 30s decade and I must say, I've really enjoyed it a whole lot more than my 20s.

MattJ said...

hey happy birthday 'liv! Little late I'm sorry! I'll be back soon, I promise! Also be joining you on the big 30 in a few weeks, whence I shall take up snuff, pipe smoking and buy myself a house coat!

MattJ said...

psssh! All these foreign languages and not a single Penblwydd Hapus?! hehe.

Olivia said...

LB - sorry, but you totally made it up. Who said it was my birthday??? :P

***

Vanessa - merci ma cherie! Someone else tried to email me there and it bounced back too. But you have all my other emails addies anyway.
I really enjoy talking to you, sis ;)

Bisous

***

Beenzzz - thanks - but you are so far ahead of me. I think I am looking forward to the future in general now!

***

Anonymous - hm, Spanish, Portuguese...Memoria, is that you??? At the rate people are going, it is going to last the rest of the month.

***

Amit - Thanks. Well, at least I didn't dread this one because I am looking forward to the promised changes!

It's not a new job, it's a temp job that ends on Friday. I really don't know how they drag themselves to work in that place, and I am not just talking about the secretaries. Insurance is BORING.

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Jia Li - sweetie back to you! xxx

***

Minstrel - wow, what a lovely thing to say! You remind me of one of my friends who always says such uplifting things.

That story about the Tower Hotel made me laugh! Because I can't believe they thought they could look down their noses at you for being Japanese, and how they didn't even know you weren't! Weird.

***

Ricercar - I tend to forget you ever left it behind!

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ML - this is all so encouraging, I think my heart is about to hit the ceiling!

***

Matt - you Welsh git, Penblwydd Hapus probably doesn't sound anything like it looks.

You are still too young for the pipe and housecoat, trust me.

Anonymous said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ARTY! :)

Sorry I'm a day late m'dear! I does hope you get a steady job soon, you should come and be curator at the Laing, you have good taste!

Lotus Reads said...

Happy Birthday, Olivia, oh to be 30 again, such a great age!