Under The Knife (The Story Of My Tonsilectomy)

I remember when I was a child and I was confined in the hospital. My aunt rushed me to the emergency room after I started feeling pain at the side of my stomach. The doctors diagnosed me as a candidate for an appendectomy. I was put on dextrose and prepped for the operation. They prohibited me from eating anything, although I snuck an occasional cracker when no one was looking. Of course that only made things worse. When they found out, the nurses simply reset my fasting time back to zero, rendering useless the previous hours I have spent in hunger.

After almost two days of being starved, my dad arrived and talked to the doctor. He got into an argument and decided to check me out of the hospital, convinced I was in no need for any kind of operation. That proved to be a wise decision on my father's part. I still have my appendix now and it never did pose any kind of problem to my health after that.

I haven't been confined to the hospital since then. Until recently.

***

For quite some time, nights spent drinking and videoke-ing with my friends were capped by attacks of the flu. I've always believed it resulted from the bad combination of alcohol and my amateur singing. By the end of these parties, my throat would always be left feeling as if it's been mercilessly scratched. I took it as a tell tale sign of my flawed singing style, nothing more.

However, a few months ago, after drinking all night with my friends, I fell ill once again. I had a fever and my throat felt sore. I figured it was another bout with the flu. Thanks to an sms consultation with my doctor-friend (thanks, Ayees!), I got suggestions for medicine that could help. After a few days though, I had yet to fully recover. That's when I decided to go to St. Luke's Medical Center to have my throat personally checked.

(CRINGE ALERT HENCEFORTH!)
Dr. Jurilla, my doctor, checked my ears, nose and mouth. He said my pharynx was swollen and there was pus behind my left tonsil. He suspected that its recurrence was because of an over-abundance of streptococci bacteria in my throat. He diagnosed me with chronic pharyngitis then gave me a prescription for antibiotics and tips for prevention. The pain in my throat subsided after a week of medication, but just a little over a week after, I felt pain developing in my throat once again.

When I went went back to Dr. Jurilla for another check up, he was surprised, saying that the antibiotics should've kept me immuned from pharyngitis for another month. The fact that it recurred this soon could mean that the bacteria may not only be in my throat but in my bloodstream as well. He gave me a prescription for a week's worth of stronger antibiotics and requested for some blood tests.

Upon showing him the results a week after, his suspicions were confirmed. He said the CBC results were okay, but that there was indeed an extraordinarily high presence of streptococci in my blood. He suggested I seriously consider a tonsilectomy. Otherwise, I should expect continued pharyngitis attacks. Worse, it made me susceptible to urinary tract infections and rheumatic heart diseases. A particular vacation in Boracay back in 2003 suddenly came to mind. I was with my high school classmates when I started having problems peeing. If not for the canabis they brought, I don't think I would've survived. (The urinary tract problem didn't stop me from going on the banana boat, by the way. Fun before health!)

My mom wanted a second opinon on the matter, but I didn't need any more convincing. I got myself checked in at St. Luke's on April 20, a Friday. Sometime in the afternoon, a seminarian came over to pray with me. He assured me that someone was diligently, vigilantly offering prayers for me. He kept asking if I was nervous, and I said I wasn't. That made me stop and reevaluate my emotions, though. I honestly thought it was not big deal prior to that, but when a priest-to-be starts volunteering words of comfort, you can't help but think whether you should actually be worried.

Kai, Hiyas and Chrissie visited me that evening though it didn't look like there was anything wrong with me. Norman dropped by, too. They stayed till around midnight, just before the nurses put me on dextrose and asked me to fast on both solids and liquids.

The following morning, they woke me up at 8AM, made me strip naked under my patient's gown, and brought me to the operating room. Some nurses prepped me, checking my temperature, blood pressure and pulse rate, and asking me questions about possible allergies, among others. The anaesthesiologist came over and assured me I wouldn't feel anything because of the general anaesthesia.

After waiting for about an hour, they took me to the the room where the tonsilectomy was to be performed. The anaesthesiologist inserted a long stick through my nostrils. He mentioned how there seemed to be an obstruction inside, and I told him about my being diagnosed with a deviated septum. He then sprayed something to decongest my nasal passages and airway. Finally, they told me they're already putting me under general anaesthesia and put a mask on me. They asked me if I felt any kind of pain. There was a pinching sensation in my left arm, so I started pointing at it with my right hand...

Then I felt cold, and I was shivering uncontrollably. I heard faint sounds. Kind, reassuring voices. I realized the voices were talking to me. "Mr. de la Torre... Okay na po! Tapos na..." I opened my eyes and saw that I was back in the prep room. I had an oxygen mask on, and my throat felt sore. I had a difficult time breathing. But it was the shivering that affected me the most. One of the women attending to me brought heat pads and put it under me to help with the cold.

They were right. I didn't feel a thing. It was like a blip in time. Complete, total black out. I was in a dreamless sleep.

Back in the prep room, I caught up with the trauma my throat underwent. I had a difficult time breathing. I couldn't swallow my own saliva, which had started accumulating in my throat making it difficult for me to breathe. I tried to cough it out, but any kind of pressure on my throat was unbearable. It was painful, uncomfortable and frustrating. Not even the oxygen mask was helping me breathe anymore. I was close to choking, so I forced myself to expel the thick liquid in my throat. The nurse gave me tissue. When I spat on it, it was full of blood. It wasn't just saliva after all.

The next two days was full of pain, blood-spitting and extreme hunger. I had to cough out the blood that accumulated in my throat at least once every hour if I were to breathe easily. That meant I had to endure excruciating pain every time. Meanwhile, the doctor allowed me to eat vanilla ice cream a few hours after the operation, but even that wasn't smooth or cold enough for the wound in my throat. I eventually felt okay enough to eat the cold treat, but it did nothing for my hunger. If it werent for the dextrose, I would've probably died of malnourishment. I also couldn't speak as loud as before. I had separate visits from Jean and Chris, and Joni and Norman, and they all had to strain to understand what I said.

A priest came to give me communion the following day, Sunday. Oh, how I prayed to God to take away the pain!

I checked out two days after the operation, on a Monday morning. While recovering at home, I subsisted on a diet of ice cream, porridge and soups. I never felt hungrier in my life.

At least it's almost over now. It didn't seem to affect my voice. My uvula has reduced from its swollen size. I say it's almost over because my sense of taste remains distorted. Except when I'm eating something very sweet, everything I eat tastes like there's a missing ingredient. Nothing tastes like it should. Dr. Jurilla says everything will be back to normal in three months.

***

When I went back to my doctor for a follow up consultation, he said I was doing okay. He gladly told me that the results from the biopsy showed that the infection in my tonsils wasn't cancerous. I didn't even know I was at risk for cancer. It was only then that I realized that despite the simplicity of the operation, it was, in fact, a big deal. And to think I told my Mom I wouldn't mind if she went home and just left me with our helper. I'm glad she insisted on staying. Her exact words were, "Aba, e di na 'ko aalis dito!"

When I was a child and my dad fought with my doctor for almost giving me an appendectomy, I felt how protective he was of me. This time, my visit to the hospital became a rare bonding opportunity for me and my mom. Having spent most of her life in Italy, this was the first time my Mom got to accompany me in my hospital stay. And I did have a fair share of hospital visits growing up. My mom stayed with me throughout. She even endured sleeping on the small, barely-cushioned bench beside my bed. She later told me that after I said that I was sure I wanted the operation, she arranged for the operation to be held while she was in the country. My Mom wanted to be beside me when I went under the knife.

Despite everything I felt and went through, I actually enjoyed that episode of my life. I never really thought I'd hear me self say that, but I really did. After all, it's always good to feel loved and cared for by people you value.

Labada @ Cinekatipunan

This is rather late in the offing, but I'm posting it anyway.

LABADA ("The Laundry"), the first short film I made outside school, is going to be screened this week on Cinekatipunan with Dang Bagas's PARA SA KABATAAN ("For The Youth"). It will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, June 5, 5PM at Mag:net Cafe along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City.

Mag:net has regular screenings and the good thing about it is it's free. They have a website that is regularly updated with their schedules, not just for Cinekatipunan, but for poetry readings, musical performances and even stand-up comic acts.

http://www.magnet.com.ph/#katip

It'll be like an anniversary for my little film. Almost exactly a year ago (in July), LABADA was screened in the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival. I'm back to the old times when I was running around, contacting all my friends to go watch it. Interestingly, tomorrow will be the first time some of LABADA's cast and crew members will be seeing the film.

TriNoma

Finally! An Ayala mall in QC!

Though this makes me sound embarrassingly shallow, I have to admit I've been waiting for this moment to arrive. This photo shows my first visit to TriNoma, taken on the fourth floor of the mall, at the garden outside the Cinemas. I'm writing this entry as Joni and I sit through the trailers before the 10.30PM screening of 'Pirates of the Carribean: At World's End.' Needless to mention, the first movie I'm watching here. If you haven't figured out by now, I take my firsts very seriously. I'm sentimental that way :)

I must say, the place is worth the wait. Take note, though. It's not fully operational yet. Most of the shops are still under construction and the whole place smells of cement. The cinema's quite big, almost twice the size of Greenbelt 3's Cinema 1, I think. I actually like my cinemas smaller and more intimate, but at least I won't have to wait two hours for the next screening or settle for bad seats whenever I go there to catch a big movie. That's usually the problem I have with screenings that are booked out so quickly.

The mall has the great location! Right at the center of the triangle formed by Edsa, North, and Mindanao Avenues in Quezon City (thus the name, TriNoma, which stands for "Triangle North of Manila"). It was a good idea to shape it as such and make its impressive facade point toward the North Ave.-Mindanao Ave. intersection and its back on Edsa, where most cars will be coming from. It cleverly sidesteps the traffic and is an easy 10-minute drive from my Tierra Pura house. Five minutes if coming from Mother Ignacia where I work. For commuters, you will be happy to know that it has conveniently appendaged itself to the MRT North Avenue Station, the way the Ayala Station ushers commuters right smack into SM Makati. I just hope traffic remains free flowing. For the Ayalas to find a lot big enough for a project as big as this and situate it beside an older, more established competition, is quite a feat.

The architecture's also praiseworthy. It had the distinguished look of Ayala's newer malls. I read complaints in one blog about it being full of beams and pillars, but I didn't think it was anything to raise an alarm about. Plus the fact that it looks and feels more like a park than a mall compensates for that. Lots of trees, plants and fountains were incorporated in the landscape. In that sense, it's a lot like GB3. Even better, if you can believe that. A lot of nooks and pocket parks that will encourage you to just sit down and lounge amidst the greenery. The place is still confusing because it's new and unfamiliar, but I'm giving myself a couple of visits more and I'll have it nailed in my head.

The mall part, on the other hand, is more reminiscent of Glorietta. Both because of the atrium that serves as the activity center, and the nature of the the shops waiting to be opened, most obviously catering to the same market as Glorietta. Oh, and as if interiors, geography and accessibility is not enough, they're even going to have a Krispy Kreme and a Cold Rock there!

My excitement over this mall's opening probably stems from the fact that I grew up in the South (of Metro Manila, that is). Since I spent most of my pre-university years in Alabang, the mall of choice for us was Alabang Town Center (ATC, a brilliant redefition of the acronym that used to stand for Alabang Twin Cinemas). I've always thought that it was the best mall in the country. I still remember how my classmates and I would hang out, watch a movie, or kill time at Glico's after Saturday meetings for class projects or extra-curricular activities.

Since I made QC my home a year and a half ago, I rarely got to hang out at the ATC anymore. Actually, I started spending less time in the South after I started studying in UP Diliman. I only find myself back there when I visit our house in Muntinlupa and have some time to spare. So now, if I wanted to go hang out or shop in a place with a similar ambiance as Town's, I would have to go all the way to Makati. I never really wondered why it took this long for the Ayalas to build a mall in QC, considering the Sys have the SM City there. Well, I'm just glad TriNoma's open na. I swear, if you put blinders on and just block from view the heavy traffic along EDSA, and the SM across the street, you'd actually feel like you're in Alabang. Ah, home sweet home...

Or maybe OA lang talaga ko. I'm sentimental that way :)



This picture on the right:
Still taken at the garden outside the Cinemas. Sarap tambayan. I swear, kundi lang konti pa ang tao at bagong bukas pa lang yung place, di ako magpapapicture ng ganito sa mall, hahaha... Feeling ko tuloy nagde-day-off ako.

The Way theCouncil Loves

What follows is a text exchange among theCouncil barkada after our despedida dinner for Kristel and Forsyth. Something that I'd like to think is a testament to our friendship.

LEXIE:
"Council, thanks 4 tonight. Ang pangit ko ksi wen i got h0me naiyak ako. I realized... dat we are at a crossroad wer our life choices take us in different directi0ns...dat this myt b d last tym,or 1 of d rare tyms, dat we hav d freedom to drink 300-peso beers or have 3am coffee together...dat im so thankful for d past 10 years of having u in my life...and watevr d next 10 yrs wud be, i knw ul b ther, in body or in spirit, 2 make it as crazy,noisy, and surprising as it has always been. Yun lang. Senti moment over. Ang masasabi ko lang... "Tang-ina ang cute nya talaga!" And that is d end of that chapter. Ü"



KRISTETA:
"Lex, iba ang effect ng cherry beer sayo.Ü but seriously, we'll always be crazy and happy together. The council members arent my friends. You're family. You're home. And people always go back to that. Ü i love u all. And please dont get used to being without me.Ü"



RAZ:
"HAHAHAHA... I love that. I agree Lexie. I'm so tired but I spent the whole drive home staring out the window, playing in my head different scenarios that would make things different. But it's inescapable. Not naman ominous, just a matter of fact. Teta, you asked before why I never made kulit about Bali. As much as I hate it that we won't be complete, it's so negligible and not even half as tragic as you being gone. We are growing older nga. It's been a great decade with you. Not that it's ending we just have to adaf with the times, learn to share the crazy and happy times from overseas. I LOVE YOU ALL!!!"



LEXIE:
"Amen, Raz. I LOVE U GUYS. Forevr. Period. No pickle-mindedness ther. (obviously,jean isnt included in dis txt blast.Bt i lover her too!ü -Evil Lexie signing out)"



KRISTETA:
"Im gna miss u real bad. That msg was so sad and sweet. I swear im gna burst on tuesday."

That Tuesday, the night Kristel left, after we made her believe Lex and I were going to send her off and surprised her when we showed up with Concep, Jean and Joni as well...

KRISTETA:

"U guys are unbelievable. Thank you! THANK YOU. For tonight, for ten yrs and twenty and thirty. I love u and miss u all so much. You are the best. All 7 of u.Ü"

TITA EN, KRISTEL'S MOM:

"Jst left d airport.She came out pa and spnt 15mins mor wd us.Ü Thanks 2 d council 4 d heartwarming snd off.Ü i love d way u love each othr.B blessed evn mor.Ü"

I do love the way we love each other. That's why it really pains me to have two more of the barkada leave (Mark has been living in Indonesia for more than two years now, Kristel just left for Chicago last May 15, and Forsyth's relocating to Cebu starting May 28). Only five of us will be left in Manila by June.

It's a good thing we love each other in such a way that distance in time and space is not made to matter much.

Labor Day Weekend At Masbate

The weekend before the Labor Day celebration, Karmela, Chrissie and I flew to Masbate to do a little R&R. When I said yes to joining this vacation with my Law School blockmates, I wasn't quite sure I'll be free. I decided to risk it because it was to be my first trip with them, the CCs (Cosmic Comrades. Don't ask). Plus I was really desperate to make the most of the summer season. I did go to Boracay last April prior to this particular trip, but that was far from relaxing. Truth be told, most of the vacations I take are not. That's why this particular out-of-towner was a stand out. It was a much welcome breather from the stress of work. I've been praying for a break these past few months cause I haven't really had one since the onslaught that was "You Got Me!," and already, I'm working on a new project. I do know how to count my blessings so I'm not really complaining. Work in Star Cinema is hard to come by, and I know better than to act up when blessed with an opportunity to write.

We flew in Saturday morning, April 28, via Asian Spirit. After landing on Masbate soil, Karmela took us to Jollibee for quick mid-morning snacks, then we did some last minute shopping. We then took a trike to the wharf where her parents were waiting for us in their private pump boat. We sailed for about an hour and finally arrived at the Franco's provincial rest house. It's situated on a beach in Baranggay Titong, Masbate City (I think. Kar, you'll have to correct me on the city, hehe...).

It was such a beautiful house. Just a few steps away from the sea. Kar's Mom said that when the tide is high, the water could even lap the house's front wall. After setting camp in the guest room, we proceeded to the terrace (which they referred to as the 'balkon') and spent the time waiting for lunch to be served by playing with the Francos' Boston Terriers, Chessy and Blackie. That was to be our routine for the next few days. We would wake up, feast on cuisines prepared by Kar's parents and relatives, watch a DVD (among those I got to watch/rewatch: "28 Days Later," "Shaun Of The Dead," "A Scanner Darkly," "Chungking Express"), hang out, sleep again, wake up again, read, hang out, have dinner. I didn't mention breakfast cause I managed to oversleep every day and wake up just in time for lunch.

The following day, Sunday, we got to watch the locals engage in what seemed to be a favorite past time. Sabong (cockfighting). It was such a crude setup. They didn't even have a formal cockpit for the roosters. The men who had money betting on the clashing poultry formed a circle around them and served as cockpit boundaries. Kar's dad even bet on a few roosters and won.

Later that afternoon, the three of us took to the beach for the first time. We got Kar's inflatable raft and tested our rowing skills. Chrissie and I hogged the raft that first day, while Kar enjoyed swimming with her cousin Ai-Ai, who also served as our tourist guide. There was also a bamboo raft with make shift benches and nipa roofing propped on it. When we got tired from rowing against the oncoming waves, we stationed on that bamboo raft and bathed in the sun. Later, upon my return in Manila, I found out from my doctor that I wasn't supposed to do anything physical a week after my operation. I just had a tonsilectomy so my throat was not in tiptop condition yet. That still didn't stop me from enjoying our stay there. In fact, I managed to munch on a local treat they called "molido." It's a sweet pastry-like thing that reminded me of nougat. Other than that, however, mine was a diet of soup, pancit bihon, and vanilla ice cream.

After showering, the three of us lolled in the balkon, watching the locals enjoy the lazy Sunday afternoon. Kids frolicked on the sand as the women and the teen-agers chatted while partaking of halo-halo bought from the small stand set up beside the Francos' house. The rest of the men who were not busy making meals out of the cockfights' casualties were still engaged in the sport.

Watching all that was very therapeutic. Everything was so simple. Looking around, everyone seemed so happy, here in this barrio which did not even have electricity and needed to tap into the Francos' generator in order a light bulb and a television set work. Kar, Chrissie and I had a ball just watching kids wrestle and tumble on the rough sand. I actually intended to make this a working vacation for me. I even brought my laptop with me. But that sweet moment, I thought, "To hell with my deadline." I decided to just soak up the idyllic Masbate atmosphere and leave the rest of the world behind.

The next day, Monday, I spent the afternoon reading on the bamboo raft while Karmela had a go on the inflatable raft with Chrissie. They actually did well, rowing much further to the open sea than Chrissie and I did the previous day. I think it was because Chrissie was more confident after having tried it with me that Sunday. That, or she just trusted Karkar more. Meanwhile, I managed to read more than two-thirds of "Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix." Karmela and Chrissie got back from rowing and we decided to spend the rest of the afternoon strolling along the countryside, with Ai-Ai leading the way.

Tuesday was Labor Day, the day we were to fly back to Manila. We all woke up early despite my not having enough sleep. I was up late finishing the rest of the fifth Harry Potter book. Karmela's parents joined us on the trip back. At the Masbate city proper, we ran into a Labor Day parade led by a militant party list group (Akbayan? Bayan Muna?) and heard roving cars announcing Ping Lacson's visit to the province later that afternoon. Then, at the airport, we managed to catch a glimpse of Kiko Pangilinan who was also just arriving for a campaign sortie. It was like after being detached for a good three days, we were being reminded that it was election season in the real world. And that quickly, I knew, we were back to the same stressful days from which I longed to be saved.

Thanks again, Karkar, for your family's warm hospitality! I really enjoyed myself in Masbate. Hiyas, too bad you weren't able to go with us. Below are our pictures from that trip. Enjoy! Hope we could do it again sometime :)

Boracay Send-Off

Last Holy Week, I was supposed to go to Bohol with Laida and her sister, Kaye. I arrived at the domestic airport 30 minutes late and missed my flight. Although Laida came in later than I did, Kaye was there on time. Apparently, though, Cebu Pacific overbooked the flight (or prematurely gave away the seats to chance passengers). As a result, Laida and Kaye got left behind, too, but they managed to secure seats in the next flight (as well as one-way ticket to any destination in the Visayas. Dang! Kainggit!). Meanwhile, I was left alone to risk getting on as a chance passenger for the same 11AM flight. And even if I succeeded in doing so, I would've had to pay an additional P3000. That was just outside my budget, so I grudgingly gave up my long anticipated R&R in Bohol.

On my way home, I kept thinking about how to salvage my Holy Week plans. It was going to be one of the longest holidays ever (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, the weekend, plus the Bataan Day/Day of Valor celebration = FIVE FREAKIN' DAYS!), and I didn't want to spend it quietly in my Quezon City home.

I started contacting friends who might have alternative plans to offer me. Norman was going home to Gapan, Nueva Ecija. While I'm sure he would've welcomed me, I didn't want to be a burdensome houseguest who needed looking after when he intended to go home and relax. Skeeter and some of her friends were going to Caramoan in Bicol, but she wasn't sure there are available tickets for the bus commute. They booked theirs much earlier. I knew that was going to be my biggest obstacle. It was Thursday morning, and everyone with plans to get out of Manila are now flooding the bus stations and airports.

My last chance for escape relied on Sherlyn who was scheduled to go to Boracay that same day. She was going to take a Negros Navigation ship to Caticlan. She wasn't going there for vacation, though. She was moving there for good. Good for three months, at least. I wasn't too excited about Boracay because I've been there countless times before. Then, I thought, the ship was a much cheaper alternative. There's also bound to be room in it. And I remember loving the experience the first time I went on one. More importantly, I'd be spending it with Sherlyn who'll be gone for at least three months. Spending the long vacation with her would at least compensate for her long absence.

I called Sherlyn up and asked for Negros Navigation's number. I hastily made arrangements to reroute my Tagbilaran-Manila return ticket to Kalibo-Manila instead (it was a miracle I succeeded considering the circumstances). Once done, I headed for the Manila North Harbor, met up with Sherlyn, and was soon on my way to a long vacation in Boracay.

Although the novelty of my trip to Boracay had worn off, the fact that it was Sherlyn's first time made it interesting. We had a blast roaming around the ship during our 13-hour sail. Once we got to Boracay, my first order of business was to find considerably cheap and decent accommodations. It was Holy Week, after all. The peak of the peak season. The worst time to be going to Boracay without prior arrangements. Nevertheless, thanks to a newly-met acquaintance named Kuya Bong, I was able to find a room at the Boracay Peninsula. It was quite expensive for the quality of room and service they offered that I ended up transferring to La Carmela the following day.

Sherlyn hoped to spend her first few days going around the island as a tourist, but her boss asked her to work immediately. Hers was a 9 to 9 job, with attendant meal breaks. Left alone, I spent most hours of the day in the hotel. I wasn't too keen on roaming around the island in the day. It was just too hot and I've seen almost everything there is to see anyway. It rained occasionally, but getting caught in a downpour while having a stroll didn't make going out any more enticing for me.

Sherlyn decided to sleep in my hotel room after getting off work to keep me company. She'd wake me up early in the morning so we can avail of our complimentary breakfast. Then, she'd go to work while I went back to my room to sleep or channel surf. She'd return around noon so we can eat lunch. She'd then go back to work while I went back to my room to sleep or channel surf. Finally, she'd return after work. After sleeping the entire day, I'd have enough energy to get my ass of the bed and experience Bora. We went around, had dinner, coffee, dessert, and partied around enough to keep us contented. I also visited the Mandala Spa for the first time.

We got on the ship on Thursday afternoon and arrived at Boracay Friday morning. I left Boracay on Tuesday morning. It was one of the longest vacations I had in recent years. All in all, it was the holiday I had wished for. Rest and relaxation with the right amount of partying to spice it up. Compared to my other trips, it was quite uneventful, until I remembered what made me decide to go there in the first place.

As Sherlyn was sending me off at the Cagban port in Boracay the morning I was leaving, she welled up and unabashedly said she was sad. She realized she wouldn't have a friend there anymore. I suddenly felt for her. Unlike her, I was going back to my normal life. With my departure, her last link to her former life would be gone. I was going back home, she had just officially left it. We had another picture taken. I promised her I'd be back, wished her well, and finally locked in a tight embrace.

That's when it hit me that I was sending her off much as she was sending me off.

Norman's Housewarming

Norman had a belated housewarming party at his condo. It was more than half-a-year late.

I almost didn't make it as I came from another party with my barkada.

Norman revealed that the reason he's having this party despite the fact that he was planning on eventually moving to a cheaper place is because he just got a roommate. It was sort of imposed on him by his neighbors. This guy, who used to rent a room above Norman's, got evicted and was in urgent need of a new place to stay. The neighbors volunteered Norman, knowing full well that he had his place all to himself.

In a last ditch effort to lay claim to his personal space, Norms threw a party. He may not be able to host one once his roommate moves in, after all.

Interesting how we require certain stimuli before doing what needs to be done. It's not like we don't know what must be done. We just love procrastinating until we're backed into a corner with all other choices eliminated. So now, Norman's place is clean, livable, and broken in... as if prepped solely for the purpose of welcoming his new roommate. At least he got to own it for one night :)

Lemonade, Anyone?

In my circle of friends, a lot has been said about my good friend Sherlyn's recent decision to relocate to Boracay.

I'm not really that sure about what prompted her to make that decision. When I tell of her story to other friends, I tell them it was actually I who felt the urge to relocate and lead a relatively gypcyan life. My contract with Star Cinema was to end last January. I was then still involved with "You Got Me!" which was to be released by the end of February. Though I was just a signature away from a 3-picture deal with Star, that still meant that starting March, I'd be without a day job, and off a monthly salary.

Since I've always wanted to gallivant all over the country (around the globe, if resources allowed it), I thought this was the best time for me to do so. However, it would've been irresponsible of me to just get up and leave without careful regard for my finances. So in trying to reconcile my bohemian urges and my sense of accountability, I hatched a plan to become a responsible drifter.

It was simple. I was to move to a particular locale, take up a job that was more transitory in nature, fly back to Manila for occasional meetings with Star Cinema, then move on to another place when I've had my fill. It didn't matter to me the kind of job I'd land. That was, in fact, what made the plan most alluring. The element of surprise. Each stop meant a chance to start on a clean slate, learn a new skill, get acquainted with a new place, and meet new people. I may have to part with certain luxuries staying in Manila would've guaranteed, like my house, my car, a potentially bigger salary... But in my head, this was me walking the talk. The uncertainty the end of my contract with Star Cinema brought ushered in the break to do something I've always longed to do. This was me making lemonade out of lemons.

I shared this inspired plan with Sherlyn, who was then taking haircutting classes from the Center of Aesthetic Arts. She immediately caught on and was soon conspiring in my grand plan. Her classes were to end in March, which meant she'd be a competent and qualified stylist by then. She would work in salons (as there's never a dearth of beauty centers wherever you go) while I worked as a waiter, a University instructor, a bell hop, an English tutor or whatever job opportunity was presented. Sherlyn thought this would be to her advantage anyway since struggling to be a stylist in Manila would've only relegated her to a junior stylists' job, with little opportunity to hone her skills in hair cutting. She upped her chances of actually cutting hair by going with me to the provinces. What, with her experience and education? On top of all that, we'd be together. We planned on sharing a room so we can split the rent. We thought about the adventures that lay ahead of us. We talked about how the hardships would be easier to bear, and the experiences more exciting, with a friend sharing the journey.

And so it was agreed.

Sherlyn asked a friend of hers who had an uncle working as a divemaster in Boracay to ask if there were any openings in a salon. She had almost forgotten about it when her friend broke to her news that his uncle had already found a job for her. Things happened so fast. By the end of March, Sherlyn was already making plans to relocate to Boracay for at least three months.

Meanwhile, I was stuck in Manila. I who deemed himself the progenitor of the idea in the first place. It wasn't as bad as it sounds. I was actually assigned to a new film project as part of my 3-picture contract, sooner than most fledging writers might expect. Of course I'm thankful for the opportunity to write again. Still, I'm somehow disappointed that my grand plan had to be postponed yet again, while Sherlyn is now in Boracay, carrying out the plan we dreamed up together.

Many of my friends dream of dropping everything and traveling aimlessly. And at least once, we all thought of just disappearing from our life and getting the chance to start anew. A writer-friend of mine told me once that it's particularly common among writers. Perhaps it's the desire for new, authentic experiences untarnished and unburdened by connections we keep and backgrounds we have. It's not as easy as one might think, as Sherlyn would attest. Sherlyn had thought of cutting her trip short after finding out she may have been hasty in her decision to work in Boracay. But she rallied on, and soon found that giving up would've been the easy way out. Now, everything's starting to work out for the better. She's found a new job and a new place in which to stay. She's earning a decent wage, and she's met new friends.

Sherlyn deserves a lot of credit for even trying this out, what more sticking to it? I just hope I'd have the courage to hold on resolutely when my turn to live out this dream comes.

Familia de la Torre

I'm posting this for my cousins who've been requesting a copy of our pictures.

For better-resolution copies, download and view it from the "La Vie Boheme" set of my Flickr account:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/70478183@N00/sets/

Hope you like it!

Panalo Na Naman!

Yesterday was the fourth Pacquiao fight I've followed, at panalo na naman!

I watched the fight in Batangas, during the blessing of our house in Lipa. The celebration was interrupted when the male attendees and a handful of the females flocked in front of the television to watch Manny bring down Jorge Solis. Another Mexican thrown in the heap of Pacman's conquests.

At first, Solis's unbeaten record intimidated me. But after the first round, I was confident enough to bet on which round Manny might knock out Solis. Jean bet on the seventh after I gambled on the sixth. We agreed that the winner was to be treated to an ice cream from Cold Rock.

None of us won, as Manny ended the fight on the eigth round.

I'm not one to sour grape over losing out on a Cold Rock cup, but what really irked me was the outcome's preemption. Like Manny's second bout against Morales, I received news of his victory even before the fight was over (on television, as I was watching it on free TV). Unlike before though, none of my friends sent the spoiler over text. I guess they've learned courtesy and restrained themselves. This time, it my mom's friend's driver who eagerly told me and Jean that the fight was to end on the eighth.

Jean rolled her eyes and I gritted my teeth in frustration.

It didn't help that Pacquiao wasn't the showman he usually is. The first few rounds were spent leisurely as he sized up the much taller Solis. Pacquiao obviously struggled in getting through Solis's far reach. It kept him at bay effectively that even I thought a knock out might be improbable. Pacquiao waited until a headbutt on the sixth round filled his eyes with blood before turning up the heat. Soon, the Manny we knew checked in, sending Solis down on the canvass for the first time on the eighth round. More than a minute before the bell rang, Solis was down on the floor once again and the fight was officially over.

Despite the disappointments, it was still a hearty victory for Manny and the rest of his Kabayans. He remains to be one of the best Boxing icons the world. More importantly, he continues to be among the most inspiring Filipinos of this generation.

Congratulations Manny! Mabuhay ka! Mabuhay ang Pinoy!