Okay, fine, I get it.

Signs that midlife is almost here:

1. Our company eye doctor prescribes reading glasses for me. On top of my contact lenses. He says reading glasses are usually needed by people aged 40 and up. I'm ahead by a year. Whenever you see me now perching spectacles on top of my nose when scanning the resto menu or reading the show program before a play--yes, that's not only my chronic bad eyesight on display, but also the onset of senior moments. I really should begin saving up for Lasik.

2. Young guy sits beside me on the front seat of a van heading to the airport. Cute, seems friendly, game for some conversation. The ride's an hour and a half, so we cover a lot of ground, mostly about his schooling and OFW family. We trade digits afterwards. Couple of days of small talk via text follows. Then he asks: Kuya, ilang taon ka nga pala? (Guy's 18, or so he says). 39, I text back. Hehehe, he replies, tatay ko 37 pa lang. OMG.

3. I ask the lone staff at the music store: Meron ba kayo ng CD ni Raymond Lauchengco? (Backgrounder: His recent album of '80s hits such as Together in Electric Dreams and You To Me Are Everything improbably reworked big-band style is worth a listen. I lost my copy somewhere, so here I am looking for a replacement, with Limewire no help.) The teen looks at me blankly and says, Sino yun, yung bokalista ng Sandwich? Whaa--

On that note: Merry Christmas again, folks. I'm really gone this time, poof, until the new year. Be safe.