things i'd rather do

This is another one of my "what if" entries, as I am in another of those daydreaming moments in the middle of a workday.

The "what if" is "if" I have reached a point that I can forego the 9 to 5 job through early retirement (meaning, I've already saved enough for a very comfortable life -- which realistically could take me years or even decades if I remain single) or if I marry someone who earns enough for our family.

So first case scenario is if that happens here in Singapore. Here are the things I would do as a tai tai (a high-society lady):

1. Write a novel
2. Take up a culinary course
3. Join a yoga or a pilates programme
4. Spend my days (and money) in Borders, Kinokuniya, Takashimaya, IKEA, and HMV. Forget the National Library... I'll build my own collection!
5. Meet up with fellow tai tais in hotel coffee shops, Marmalade Pantry, Bakerz In, or whatever cozy places that aren't crowded by teenagers. (Now I sound so old!)
6. Frequent a country club for good food, sports, swimming and other activites.
7. Be active in my kids' school programs (if and when I do have kids)
8. Do freelance interior design and residential architecture.
9. Do freelance commercial interior/ display design.
10. Dabble on furniture designing.
11. Dabble on fashion designing.
12. Fly home to Manila AT LEAST every other month.
13. Fly to different parts of the world, alternating with flying home to Manila.
14. Learn another foreign language (like Mandarin or French) AND have a refresher course on my Spanish.
15. Learn how to drive and get a car.
16. Put up a business of something very Filipino here in Singapore, yet caters to all nationalities. Not just the Lucky Plaza crowd!

Okay, second case scenario. I'll be in Manila. A lot of things may just be duplicates of what I wrote above, but somehow the setting changes things.

1. Write a novel. I don't know how to come about writing one of those Summit Books, a few of which have been written by Maya Calica and Abi Aquino. But I'll settle for those types first!
2. Take up a culinary course. Then maybe put up a small-scale catering service with my sistahs.
3. Join a yoga or a pilates programme, or just join a gym.
4. Spend my days (and money) in Page One, Power Books, and Furniture Stores.
5. Meet up with friends in cafes close to where we/they work/ live.
6. Frequent a country club for good food, sports, swimming and other activites.
7. Be active in my kids' school programs (if and when I do have kids)
8. Do freelance interior design and residential architecture.
9. Do freelance commercial interior/ display design.
10. Dabble on furniture designing.
11. Dabble on fashion designing.
12. Fly to different parts of the world, averaging 6 times a year AT LEAST.
14. Learn another foreign language (like Mandarin or French) AND have a refresher course on my Spanish.
15. Learn how to drive and get a car.
16. Put up a business or more.
17. Renovate our Katipunan home.
18. Look up for properties to buy.
19. Save up to franchise IKEA in Manila.

Sigh. Many of these are quite unlikely. It's just nice dreaming. I should blame it on my continuously interrupted sleep last night. Gah.