Tao of Alba

TAO OF ALBA

Thursday, January 27, 2005 11:57 AM

Let me tell you what I do when I'm bored: I start cleaning and re-arranging my flat. Months ago while I was dusting the Britannica Encyclopedia books I got since God-knows-when, I came across the biography of Wislawa Szymborska, the Nobel Prize winner in Literature 1996. I was spellbound.

The Three Oddest Words
When I pronounce the word Future,
the first syllable already belongs to the past.

When I pronounce the word Silence,
I destroy it.

When I pronounce the word Nothing,
I make something no non-being can hold.

* * *
11:00 AM

You know this could ba a good idea for an ad.

Boss and guest are in the aquarium-looking conference room. Whilst discussing matters of business with the importance parallel to world domination, the staff outside the glass walls suddenly dances to the Beatles song, "I wanna hold your haaaaand!". Boss and guests are perplexed to what is happening.

And then focus on a staff's yahoo messenger radio. Some funky-stick-in-your-brain-type tagline flashes on the screen.

Hmmm... I guess I would have sucked if I became a copywriter.

* * *
Wednesday, January 26, 2005 1:27 PM

Things have been so depressing lately.

Last week, my cousin committed suicide. We didn't know why. There was no note. He was a doctor so he knew what he was doing when he ingested whatever it was. He was 37.

My dad came to Manila to go to the funeral, but he's been having problems lately. There was a day last week he couldn't walk and it scared me in a way I couldn't understand.

A grandmother is in the ICU. She's terminally ill. She's 90+.

My aunt and godmother was rushed to the ICU last night as well. A problem with her heart. She's 80. The good news is that she is stable now.

I got hurt when one of my friends I was confiding in told me that "reality bites" just like that. Yes, the world can be cruel, we have to accept that. Just give me time to mourn and I'll be fine. I never liked being rushed and I could get confrontational when you order me to get over it. Losing someone is difficult, maybe excruciating based on the circumstance. Being scared of the possibility to lose someone isn't easy either.

These things made me think some more. Honestly, why go for a guy who is in the military and could lose his life any second?

* * *
Tuesday, January 25, 2005 9:57 AM

15 minute hamlet

It looks like I will be directing a play in UA&P in the annual Shakespeare Week. I am actually nervous about it because I don't know anything about directing and acting, which is why I asked this guy to co-direct. Yes I know it was wimpy of me to co-direct a 15-minute play. BUT the play will be shown in TWO WEEKS. Did I mention I don't have actors yet?

Here we go again. When will I ever learn? I feel like Hamlet (in the 15-minute Hamlet, not the original 3-hour one) where the Stage Manager says, "Let’s do it again. And make it a little shorter, please."
(exeunt)
(enter HAMLET)

HAMLET: To be, or not to be…

(stabs himself and dies)
(enter FORTINBRAS)
(shot)

* * *
Monday, January 24, 2005 10:31 AM

I found myself thinking in Spanish last night while cleaning the bathroom. I didn't understand myself. Great. I've become officially psychotic.

* * *
Thursday, January 20, 2005 2:20 PM

say what?

I have to get my ears checked. Because of my contagious special strain cold virus, my ears are done for. I can't hear properly. Even during chorale rehearsals it's taking its toll.

Disclaimer: I do clean my ears regularly, if that's what's on your mind. Please lang noh, I was raised by parents who are obscenely obsessive about hygiene.

* * *
Wednesday, January 19, 2005 2:35 PM

it's not even valentine's day

Do you think a guy is going overboard when he sends you two dozen pink roses? Wait, let me correct that... 23 pink roses, supposedly 24 but there's one lacking. (My lunch buddy just had to count).

It's a very [extra] nice (more than nice as Louis would say) surprise especially if you're coming from a heavy meeting. I still am a bit embarassed about it being sent to the office. I feel weird about it as well, sending roses are my dad's specialty every Valentine's.

I don't even know what to write about it.

Basta. I like the roses. They may be pink but I still like them.

* * *
Friday, January 14, 2005 1:10 PM

i am a bioterrorist, beware!

My designation within the institute has changed. I am no longer the Assistant Training Director, please address me as the Resident Saboteur and Local Bioterrorist. My arsenal only consists of the common cold virus, though easily taken for granted but very (surprisingly) effective and contagious. This is my accomplishment report for the period of Jan 10-14, 2005.

1. Sheila, the accountant, has been absent for two days now because she contracted my special strain of the common cold virus. Due to this unfortunate event, our salaries are delayed until Monday (that's if she gets well then).

2. Since I share the same local with my boss, he has the virus now too. I don't know what the outcome of this will be, his nose just started running today.

3. My mission to contaminate the work area of my jackass officemate still awaits to be concluded. I am currently making phone calls at his local whenever he steps out for a cigarette break. (mwahahahahahaha)

If everyone else in the office contracts this virus today, someone should report it to the World Health Organization (WHO). I know that they classify a disease as an epidemic when there are 15 cases reported in a day. That's the exact number of manpower we have in this office.

Hmmm... my other boss is here on a break from his Navy officers training (he's up for a promotion in the Armed Forces). If my cold virus gets him, he will be a carrier when he gets back to Zambales. The Philippine Navy will be under my mercy.

As an aside, he is now recommending me as Sabotage Consultant to the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

How exciting.

* * *
Wednesday, January 12, 2005 5:54 PM

My boss came across this article on the Yale Daily News. The director of the International Institute of Corporate Governance got booted out because of lack of corporate governance. Really ironic.

Well, it's true really. Institutions who advocate corporate governance are not immune to the opposite. I see my officemate as the shining example. What a jackass.

* * *
11:12 AM

I think I am bad at taking care of myself.

Ever since I moved into my own flat, and worked in ICD, I get sick almost every month. And there's always a pattern. I bring Monday sickness to a whole new level. Depending on the gravity of the bug, I get sore throat on Saturday night or Sunday morning. Then I get chills which indicate the onset of a fever on Sunday night impaling me from waking up the next day to dress up and go to work. I text in sick (because I sadly sleep with my phone on the bedside table) and then I spend the day wrapping myself in a comforter-cocoon until I have the energy to fix up something to eat. The latter part takes superhuman effort to do so I end up not eating anyway. And this is bad, bad, bad.

Good thing soliloquy slept over to work on her applications and PYEN proposals in my pc. I never, never would have the energy to order in pizza.

* * *

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