A RANT: Hindi ako maluho!

A relative told my dad that I am “maluho sa gamit”. He said “kahit mahal, binibili basta gusto.”
This was comment was brought about by the fact that I just bought a new laptop.

Now, I am used to getting constructive jabs from my loving relatives and I also have a ton of other important things to do, but I just have to answer this.
Okay.
I was not planning on buying a laptop, I only did so because my old one broke down and it is, I think, beyond repair. For your information I looked around for an adaptor first (I went to all the electronics stores in 3 different malls) because I thought that was what’s wrong with the PC. When it turned out that wasn’t it and I found out from the Internet that it might be the motherboard, that’s when I decided to get a new one. There are two reasons for this. One, my old PC isn’t really one of those popular “branded” ones, so I don’t know if I would be able to find a replacement part (I couldn’t even find a battery for it before). Two, my side job is COMPLETELY computer-dependent. If I don’t have a computer, I won’t be able to do my job. If I don’t do my job, I won’t get paid.

How can you call me maluho when, unlike other people, I do not buy branded bags, jewelry, perform or clothes that cost more than 500 pesos; when my favorite shopping destinations are the ukay-ukays in Novaliches; when every one of the perfume bottles you see in my cabinet were GIVEN to me; when the only piece of jewelry I own is the silver bracelet my aunt gave me? My laptop, my car, my camera, my electric guitar and my phone are my only expensive possessions---everything else costs below 1,000 (I have a pair of sneakers that costs 3,000, but I use them everyday to work and I plan on using them until its soles fall off.)

I don’t know where you get off calling me maluho when you yourself buy a lot of things for you and your family that you do not necessarily need. So my mobile phone costs 20K. At least I make use of the phone’s every feature. You bought a phone “kasi me 3G” even if you don’t browse the Internet using your phone and there ISN’T even a 3G network where you live. What makes my purchase worse than yours?
At huwag na tayong mag-plastican. I’m sure that if you had less responsibilities, you’d buy a laptop, a PSP (for the record, I don’t own one) and an iPod too. In fact, you always tell me that you will buy all those gadgets “pag medyo maluwang na”. Kasalanan ko ba na I have a slightly bigger disposable income than you because I don’t have two kids and two in-laws to support?

I have a lot more things to say, but I will end this post here because I do not have to explain myself to you. I sacrifice days off and sleep an average of only 5 hours a day from Monday to Saturday so I could work two jobs. If I want to buy expensive gadgets or travel, it’s my effing right.
Bow.