Cold

One of the band members of the Temptations once said that North Dakota is so cold that it is "where cold is made and sent to other places". And if that should be the case, then our province must have bought in bulk recently.

It has been raining almost every day for the past week. Maybe it's because it's the monsoon season in our country again, or maybe the Philippine government's effort at cloud seeding has gone awry. But either way, the incessant rain and wind has caused the temperature to drop. For the first time in months I had to use an umbrella and hoodie, which is already something, since I despise carrying umbrellas and our office tends to get hot as a Turkish bathouse at certain hours. But then again, if it were not for the fact that I have a job, I would be rather at home sleeping. For the past week, every time that I wake up to the frigid morning one of the first thoughts that comes into my mind is to go back to sleep again. And most of the people I've asked feel the same way as well (including my mother, who is probably the patron saint of workaholics everywhere). I attribute this sluggishness as the human body's way of conserving energy for heat, but then again one must think of Scotland, Iceland, and Norway, whose citizens are hardly touted as lazy. And nowhere in the history books mention of the hardy Vikings holing up at the living room watching reruns of the Emmys during a cold spell. Maybe were just not used to the cold, with us being tropical islanders after all.

But is not that I am complaining. On the contrary, I prefer cold days over the sunny ones. While others see bleakness and sadness on a gray sky, I see calmness, solitude, and peace. Plus the mountains surround our house look more majestic on a cloudy. It's just how one sees the world I suppose, which is already difficult to do in this world blinded with illusions and compliance.

Bossa Fever

I was sitting on a jeepney on the way to work when I noticed a banner on top of the highway. The banner advertised "Bossa Fever", a concert involving a local bossa nova artist and an "audio deconstructionist" (who blatantly looks like an ordinary DJ).

How the heck do you get Bossa Fever? Sure, I've heard of disco fever, but bossa nova? Dictionary.com states that "fever" is an "intense nervous excitement", but bossa nova is probably one of the most relaxing forms of music next to the lullaby. So how do get nervously excited over something so soothing?

Husband: Honey, I think I might be going down with the bossa fever...
Wife: Oh dear, what makes you say that?
Husband: Well, I've been feeling sort of relaxed since this morning, and just a few hours ago I keep getting this urge lie on the couch.

The marvels of Philippine marketing really do leave me speechless sometimes.

A Castle of Cards

I finally made my first complete card castle.

It was a simple construction: a three-section pyramid composed of receding triangular arches of two cards side to side, and platforms made up 4 layers of cards on the first whilst 3 layers for the second. Strangely enough, it took me only less than an hour to complete it, considering the fact that it is made up of brand new (and quite slippery) unmatted playing cards that was assembled on a wobbly wooden work table.

I started constructing card structures quite recently. Maybe it was the challenge I guess, or the fact that it can induce a meditative state at some point. And God only knows how badly I need meditation these days...

But sadly, I made this construction during the wee hours of my grand-aunt's wake, who was very close to me ever since I was a kid. So in the end I never fully enjoyed the fruits (or castle) of my labor, because I lost something precious just to gain another.

In the end, maybe we are all just a castle of cards, waiting for the wind to blow us away into a pile of nothingness.

(This card castle is lovingly dedicated to my late grand-aunt Carmen. In pace requiescat Lola.)