Superman No More

I really thought that I was going to stay young and strong forever. It never occurred to me that like the rest of us, I’m just a human being and I’m no superman. I started working very young and I never stopped working since then.
I never thought that a simple consultation with the doctor would be a nightmare. The doctor diagnosed me with a lung infection. In Saudi Arabia, lung infections are treated like a high risk disease that infected individuals are held in the hospital until they’re fully treated. So, like the rest of the guys whose lungs are infected, I have to endure being in the isolation room. Yes, I am currently in the isolation room like a political prisoner. I didn’t know that it’s going to be this hard being sick in Saudi Arabia. To begin with, this is the first time that I was actually admitted in the hospital. So, needles and I.V.’s are very new to me. When you’re sick here, you have no one to turn to but your close friend. He has to do all the errands that you left behind for you. In my case, I never thought that I’m going to be held here forever so I haven’t prepared anything.

The event of last week makes me look back and reflect on what I did with my life during the past 10 years. For the last 10 years or so, I’ve worked my butt off to provide for my family. I think I forgot to take things slowly and that’s the reason why I am in the hospital today. I was never late, absent or sick and I am always a constant fixture in the office. People turn and look for me when they could not see anyone else. I got so used to the daily grind that I forgot to relax and unwind. Believe it or not, I would usually go for a 2-3 week vacation every year and would not even remember if I enjoyed it or not. Yes, it sad but I think I forgot about myself. Works is good but I forgot myself in the process. I forgot to leave something for myself and in the end, I have no other to blame but myself.

It is never too late to change so my resolve after this ordeal is to take all things easy. I decided to take a 15 day vacation back home just to relax. I won’t be spending anything. It’s not going to be grand. I’ll just go home to take my badly needed rest and be with my family. It’s also the right time to pay tribute to the dead in my family. I also promised myself to cut my sugar and carbohydrate intake and of course, lose at least 10 more kilograms. In about a week, I am hopeful that the doctors will give me a clean bill of health. I pray for my speedy recovery.

Cold gentle breeze of winter

You won’t be surprised nowadays when you’re surrounded by people who are sneezing and coughing. That’s because the weather in the Kingdom of the Sands is changing. The cold gentle breeze signifies that it’s winter time already. Yes, we do have our share of winter here also. However, we don’t get to have the snow falls. Nevertheless, it’s a big change from the conviction oven temperature that we have to endure for 6-8 months a year.


Wardrobe Change
When I first arrived here at the Kingdom of the Sands, I wasn’t aware that there’s winter in this part of the world. The agency that deployed us never even mentioned that to us. I was only wearing a t-shirt at that time so I trembled when I came out of that airport. Times are tough then because I am still converting every Riyal I spent here to the Philippine peso. An inexpensive sweater or jacket could still amount to something that I wouldn’t dare to buy. So, I decided that I’ll wait until the winter ends but I got sick in return. A colleague of mine bought me a very chic looking cardigan which I still have to this day. I can’t dispose it no matter how I tried. It’s a remembrance from somebody who went out of his way to buy it for me.

Whether we like it or not, we really have to change our wardrobe for the duration of the winter. We have to do away with our light shirts that we use to wear during summer time. The good thing being here in the Kingdom of the Sands is that we can wear light jackets. We won’t be constrained in wearing big and outrageous winter outfits that they (people) wear in the West. So, figure conscious people can still flaunt their sexy bodies in light jackets.

Amongst the winter gear that I hate to wear is the bonnet. I hate it because it destroys my hair. Yes, I’m kind of vain when it comes to hair. So, I’d rather suffer from hypothermia than damage my hairstyle.

Christmas
Winter could also mean Christmas. I used to be touchy and sentimental during Christmas but I’ve gotten over that. I’m too old for melodramas. It’s just unfortunate that I am not with my family during Christmas but that’s that. Besides, if I’m there and not here, who would send money for their merriment? Calling your family during the day and greeting on the joyous occasion is enough to compensate of your absence. Besides, if I’m not with my family during the holidays, I’m with my friends. Friends for me are precious because they know you, they care for you and you are with them most of the year. In one way or the other, our friends are our family away from home.

So what’s the big fuzz with this cold winter wind? It’s the change. It’s a welcome change because of the hot weather that we have to endure all throughout the year. It also bring smiles to people’s faces.

AbNoynoy’s version of diplomacy

Guess what? Another member of the P-AbNoynoy’s PCG family, Assistant Secretary Carmen ‘Mai’ Mislang, his speech writer caused major diplomatic blunder. Mislang went with P-AbNoynoy’s delegation to Vietnam. While she was there, she was of course invited to a state dinner sponsored by the Vietnamese government. Mislang, probably used to the taste of French wines did not like the Vietnamese made wine served to her. She then twitted her displeasure over the internet. That’s not all, she also twitted foul statements against the Vietnamese people and she was quoted as saying: “Crossing the speedy motorcycle-laden streets of Hanoi is the easiest ways to die. You think you’re safe on the sidewalk? Think again!”

Mislang’s arrogance is not just plain ignorance of diplomacy but a total disregard to the hospitality extended to her by the Vietnamese people. The Vietnamese government should consider her as persona non grata. P-AbNoynoy for his part should kick Mislang out of the Malacañang if he’s true to his calls of ‘Daang Matuwid’. Mislang is a classic prototype of a fly on the top of a Carabao. Just because, P-AbNoynoy’s trust rating is high, Mislang thinks that she can lay claim on the high trust ratings of the President and believe that she can also get away with everything.

Vietnam started producing grapes and they’re in their initial stage of producing wines. Their wines may not taste as good as that of the French made wines but at least they are trying to build an industry out of it. She should be ashamed since we (the Philippines) could not produce grapes and because of that we could not also produce our own wines. We’re still stuck with the cottage industry and the best we could do is to produce lambanog out of the coconut sap.

As for twitting the craziness of the streets in Vietnam, Mislang may have forgotten that our streets with our jeepney’s, tricycles and padyak are equally or crazier than in the streets of Vietnam. In fact, she should be ashamed not because she’s part of P-AbNoynoy’s government but because while Vietnam has consistent economic growth, we’re still in a third world country. Maybe it wasMai Mislang who wrote P-AbNoynoy’s speech claiming that the strengthening of the Philippine Peso is because of his ‘Daang Matuwid’. P-AbNoynoy, who has no mind of his own, just read the speech without checking the facts. Everyone knows that the strengthening of Peso is the result of the continuing US economic slump.

Mislang did the most unforgivable thing and embarrassed not just herself but the whole Filipino nation as well. She should’ve controlled herself because she’s part of P-AbNoynoy’s delegation. If she’s not thick skinned, she should just resign her post.