2008 in a Nutshell

2008 in a Nutshell

What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
1. Have a baby elephant massage my back
2. Get involved in my first ever car accident when a jeepney collided with the SUV I was driving head-on. The first thought I had after the jeep crashed into my bumper was "Darn! I'm gonna be late for class!" :) After that my next concern went something like "And I just cleaned the car!"

Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I did keep some of them but I need to work on the others, like doing less procrastinating. I started learning how to do some cooking and I continue to work on my Hiligaynon by translating songs from English to the vernacular. But yes, I made more for 2009.

Did anyone close to you give birth?
My cousin Cheryl gave birth to her first baby boy Garrick Marcus and my best friend Doi is new mommy to Sariah Beatrice. And although he didn't exactly give birth, my cousin Ramboy is papa to Tyler.

The baby with so many names: Saraiah Beatrice a.k.a Volta a.k.a Betty

Did anyone close to you die?
In 2007, we lost our old, old, really old dog Nicky :( She was twelve years old when she died. My family and I also said goodbye to Pastor Rudy Acosta who was a very good friend to my family and a mentor to so many people. Rev. Kevin Alamag and his wife Ate Belle of GCF Ortigas also went home to be with the Lord this year.

Nicky with Aidagere and me when she was alive and well.

What countries did you visit in 2008?
Malaysia, Brunei and Thailand

What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
A Macbook? In my dreams!
Well I wish I'd have a lot more courage and faith in 2009 than I had last year.
What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
July 2008 - as they say, there's always a first time for everything.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
For the mundane, cooking Christmas dinner...rather, helping with Christmas dinner. Every difficult thing I encountered in 2008 was big and the fact that I got through them, scraped knees and all, was already an achievement for me.

What was your biggest failure?
Everything my family I went through this year, all the hits and misses, everything was a learning experience.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
Just occasional bouts of stomach flu, especially when I ate a little too much.
What was the best thing you bought?
Toss up between a black hoodie to replace the one I lost in a taxicab two years ago and Take That's Beautiful World DVD which has given me countless hours of listening and viewing pleasure.

Whose behavior merited celebration?
Jun Lozada

Jun Lozada and the unforgettable headline

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
A lot of Filipino politicians.

Where did most of your money go?
Photocopying expenses for cases!

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella coming to life on stage! Lea Salonga did not disappoint (as usual) and it turned out to be one magical evening. I saw the Leslie Carone and Brandy versions years before and I loved all the songs. I wish Paolo Montalban played Prince Christopher though!

What song(s) will always remind you of 2008?
Take That's Back for Good and David Cook's Always Be My Baby

Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? --
I've always believed happiness is a choice and I choose to be happy because I have every reason to be such.
ii. thinner or fatter? --
I gained weight over the summer...and then I lost weight during the latter part of the year. Which means that I weigh the same.
iii. richer or poorer? --
Haha I saved more money this year than last year!

What do you wish you'd done more?
I wish I ran more and swam more. Swimming is so hard to do when you're living in a building like mine because you're in full view of the construction workers in the buildings around ours.

What do you wish you'd done less of?
Cry. I love a good cry but this year, I just bawled a lot more than the usual.

What was your favorite TV program?
Aside from American Idol and The Amazing Race, it would have to be Pushing Daisies! Lee Pace is soooo irresistible! Close runners-up would be Kahit Isang Saglit with Jericho Rosales and Carmen Soo and Chuck which always left me in stitches.

Lee Pace (with Anna Friel) in "Pushing Daisies" (top) was fun to watch. "Chuck" was downright
hilarious and "Kahit Isang Saglit" (bottom, right) made Pinoy primetime appealing.

Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Joc-joc Bolante. That guy's nerve is really beyond the ordinary, he should be in a museum or something.

What was the best book you read?
"A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini was a really beautiful book. It was a straightforward work but was nevertheless a heart tugger, more than "The Kite Runner" I daresay. Runners up would be the "Twilight" series (which made me swoon) and "The Shack" by William Young (which got me all pensive and introspective).

What was your greatest musical discovery?
Muse, Muse, Muse and this little boy who sang beautifully during Arn and Ruby's wedding! He sang a David Pomeranz song and though I don't really like David Pomeranz, I found myself clapping my palms off for this wonderful little boy.

What did you want and get?
A new member of the family in the form of a really silly yet intelligent dog named Aslan Marie.

What was your favorite film of this year?
Becoming Jane. I adopted a new habit this year in terms of Jane Austen movies. I watch Becoming Jane first and then follow it up with Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice.

What was the worst film you saw this year?
Don't Mess with the Zohan! This movie was so bad, I didn't even finish it. In fact, I don't think I even got beyond 1/4 of the movie. I thought it was gonna be something like Fifty First Dates which I enjoyed watching and it wasn't! I chucked the DVD straight to the trash bin. The jokes were crude and they weren't even funny.

What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?
I turned 25 in June. I was in my room, studying as usual but I had a post-birthday celebration with friends which doubled as a housewarming occasion.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Definitely more sleep!

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
The slow death of the T-shirt. The opportunities for wearing my usual fare of round-neck cotton T-shirts gradually diminished, much to my dismay. My jeans are next on the chopping block. *cries heart out*

What kept you sane?
The Bible. If I didn't have my Bible, I wouldn't know what I'd do. God's word was my source of strength throughout the entire year.

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Toss-up between James MacAvoy and Cate Blanchett in the Entertainment world and of course, Barack Obama in politics.

Cate Blanchett is brilliant, James MacAvoy elicits sighs and Barack Obama makes history.

What political issue stirred you the most?
Too many! Just thinking about it makes my blood boil but I guess it would have to be the ZTE controversy involving Jun Lozada. It is amazing how some people can lie with faces straighter than rebonded hair...and these are people who are expected to at least have some semblance of public integrity.

Who did you miss?
I missed Manang Apple a whole lot. But she did come home, even for just a short while and, as usual, I fetched her when she arrived and drove her to the airport when she left. I hope the next time she comes home, I won't ever have to drive her to the airport again. Manang Maya also left in the middle of the year and I do enjoy catching up with her on YM. My PINC sister Me-ann also left to work in the Middle East this year and GGs have not been the same without her. My cousin Star also left for Canada this year and we miss her just as much as (I know) she misses us.

(Left )With Manang Apple and Manang Maya in Boracay in 1991
(Right) Me-ann will be on vacation this year. That's something to look forward to.

Who was the best new person you met?
Technically, 2008 was not the first time I met Ate Carol but I got to know her a lot better this year, she being my discipler and all. I really value everything I have learned from her and I look forward to our discipleship sessions.

I also loved meeting the Filipino staff and crew of Superstar Gemini over the summer. These people are amazing - they're driven and hardworking and can smile and laugh even if they don't always feel like it. I wish they would all find their respective harbors very soon.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
You are not as strong as you think you are. You can nurse all sorts of illusions that you'll be fine when this happens or you'll react this way when that happens. The real test is when that possibility becomes reality - that's when you'll really know how low you can sink and how high you can bounce back.

What was the nicest thing someone told you about yourself:
A really nice "I love you" from my mom and dad. That was definitely more profound than all of Shakespeare.

The most touching experience you've had this year?
I felt like I connected with my friends in a different, much deeper way this year. I really valued every conversation I had with all of them.

But this year also made me realize how blessed I was to have such a loving and closely-knit family. These are the people who will really stand by you no matter what. Family members can hurt each other the deepest but among them, it is where forgiveness also runs endless like a spring and love is truly unconditional.

What did you like most about yourself this year?
I found a lot reasons to smile and I found myself opening up more to other people.

What did you hate most about yourself this year?
Well...I kept on telling myself I was okay when I actually wasn't. It was like as if I was stuck in a hole and I couldn't move on.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"You've got to get yourself together
You got stuck in a moment
And you can't get out of it
Don't say that later will be better
Now you're stuck in a moment
And you can't get out of it

And if the night runs over
And if the day won't last
And if your way should falter
Along this stony pass

It's just a moment
This time will pass."
- U2, Stuck in a Moment

Was 2008 a good year for you?
A loud, resounding yes! 2008 was a very difficult year for me and my family but it was really one great year! It was definitely a year of God's faithfulness and provision.

What was your favorite moment of the year?
Kayaking with my parents in Thailand. My parents are the semi-outdoorsy type but they like hiking more than water activities. My sister and I enjoyed the rowing. We glided past beautiful rock formations and the sound of our oars lapping at the water was so relaxing. Then we turn around to find our parents waaaaaaay behind us, struggling with their oars.

What was your least favorite moment of the year?
All those times in the course of 2008 when my grandfather got sick. I never really liked hospitals and the smell of antiseptic....yech!

Where were you when 2008 began?
At home, as usual!

Who were you with?
With my parents, sister, grandparents and a bunch of family members.

Where will you be when 2008 ends?
Still at home!

Who will you be with when 2008 ends?
Still with the same people mentioned above. :) Not that I'm bored having them around all the time.

Do you have a new year's resolution for 2009?
To be a dutiful daughter/granddaughter, a reliable older sister, a dependable friend, a good example to my growing band of nephews and nieces and to be God's faithful servant.

What was your favorite month of 2008?
December 2008. I love Christmas and I love my family. :)

What was your favorite record from 2008?
Hmmm...the Mamma Mia soundtrack enjoyed countless replays in the car stereo. I always cracked up whenever Pierce Brosnon sang his part in "SOS." It sounded like he was in pain or something.

How many concerts did you see in 2008?
I did not get to attend any in 2008 BUT I did get to listen to one as it went on and on - the Rihanna and Chris Brown event in Taguig.

Did you drink a lot of alchohol in 2008?
No, except for the wine in the pasta we made for New Year.

Do a lot of drugs in 2008?
Well, paracetamol, Robitussin and antiobiotics. :)

You do anything you are ashamed of this year?
*sigh* Yes, as always.

How much money did you spend in 2008?
I don't count but I did not spend more than I ought to.

What was your proudest moment of 2008?
September 2008 - Walking away with a smile on my face and no anger in my heart.

What was your most embarrassing moment of 2008?
Hitting someone else's car because I was not paying attention. Enough said. *cringes* Good thing I didn't do any serious damage.

If you could go back in time to any moment of 2008 and change something, what would it be?
I'm stuck in this question...hmmm...I guess, April 2008. I wish I could go back and restart a conversation I had with my mother.

What are your plans for 2009?
I'm adopting a wait-and-see attitude, but still keeping my options open. I want to try getting some experience by working in a law firm or getting myself involved in a project which involves abused women and children, something that I have always wanted to to get into. I'm still looking for an opportunity to teach again.

How are you different now that the year has ended?
I am more grounded and more fulfilled. I endured lessons on humility and I certainly value my friendships a lot more.

What are your wishes for the new year?
2009 is going to be another rollercoaster of a year but I do wish that 2009 would be a year of marked change in this country. I hope I get to meet new people this year and I wish for health and love for my family and friends.

Ready to Welcome a Storm

As I write this, I'm bundled in a nice thick blanket as I lounge about in my usual oversized t-shirt and jammies with aquamarine paint smeared on one leg. I got the paint smear when I was fourteen. I was putting the finishing touches on a handpainted T-shirt which I had to submit for my Art 2 class. I drew a boat with yellow and aquamarine sails much like one of the sailboats which usually participate in the city's annual "Paraw Regatta" and I accidentally smeared some of the paint on my jammies.
It is unusually cold at this time of the year, something people attribute to global warming. It has been like this since New Year's Eve. Around Christmas, the weather was not exactly tropical sunny as the rains came and went but it was not exactly cold. This went on until early morning of New Year's Eve. I remember waking up at 2 a.m. or so and reaching for a blanket. I meant to close the window but I saw that my mom had probably closed it earlier. The wind was howling outside and rain rapped at our windows incessantly. Later when I got up in the morning, clouds had started to gather in the sky and there was an almost nasty nip which the wind brought. By afternoon, it was getting too cold for comfort. The rain had turned our front yard into one muddy mess and the wind was rattling just about everything from the coconut trees to our teeth. For people like us who are pretty much used to perspiration-inducing weather, the temperature drop could almost be described as freezing cold. At this time last year, firecracker and fireworks explosions could already be heard randomly but because of the wind and the rain, who would even entertain the thought of going outside and lighting firecrackers if that were indeed physically possible?

I walked to my grandmother's kitchen and settled myself in front of the dapog (wood-fed stove) which, on usual circumstances, was not exactly my favorite place in the house. The usual festive mood had been dampened (pun intended) by one major meteorological killjoy and now, no one really wanted to leave the house when a storm was whipping its way outside into its own version of a twister party. I looked out the door and I began to consider that a stormy New Year's Eve actually seemed like an appropriate way to welcome 2009. After all, forecasts about what 2009 would bring seemed nothing short of discouraging or dismal - possible mass layoffs, global recession, Charter Change, political and economic turmoil, rise in prices of basic commodities, not to mention natural disasters which are a staple in times like this. In short, the incoming year was going to be just like what I saw outside - one major storm that was going to be stirring up lives, nations and hearts into a never-ending frenzy. The wind seemed to howl in agreement as the thought settled in my mind and started to really scare me.

As I watched my grandparents' cook chop ubod into little bite-sized pieces for stuffing into a lumpia wrapper, I realized that even if my hands were still rather cold, I was not as cold as when I was outside, sloshing through the rain. The heat from the fire had warmed my hands rather subtly and I welcomed the return of some sensation to my fingers. Dinner was served a little while later and while the wind continued to howl and the rain continued its barrage on our windows, none of the people sitting at the dinner table seemed to care. Talk and laughter went on as usual and I almost forgot that a storm was on the rampage outside our house. The storm continued its assault outside. We continued with our daily goings-on inside the house, even if we were confined to a much smaller space now. But still no one cared.
2009 may brings more tornadoes, twisters, hurricanes or squalls. It may be, as forecasters predict, a year which will break a person's spirit more than 2008. It may bring too many baggages to carry, too many problems to fend off, too many hunger pangs to ignore, too many painful nips to forget or too many storms to weather. But I guess, anything can continue to range outside but as long as you have something or someone to retreat to like a sanctuary and give you some rest or warmth, it cannot be as bad as it would seem. It can be anything or anyone - your family, your friends, your faith - anything or anyone at all which can quiet the angriest storm and temper the nastiest spirit which threatens to rip you to shreds. It is anything or anyone which/who can be your sanctuary, your stronghold, your refuge, your little stove which continues to burn brightly and quietly as the roughest of tempests rages right about outside your door.

Tales of a Wananabe Kitchen Goddess

About a month ago, I was watching as a make-up artist layered eye shadow on my discipler Ate Carol's eyes in the music room. I was trying to figure out how she (the make-up artist) was making Ate Carol's chinky eyes look bigger and more dramatic when my discipler suddenly asked me, "Is it true that you're good at cooking?"
That question hit me like one of the wicked curveballs Victoria bragged about in "Twilight." Me? Cook? That was easily one of the funniest questions everyone had ever asked me simply because as much as I love to sink my teeth into anything edible and cater to my gastric juices' every whim, my cooking skills are, unfortunately, (grossly) inversely proportional to my appetite. As if to further bolster my culinary insecurities, I have come to realize that I could possibly forever banner the title "Kitchen God's Daughter/Grand Daughter" as my father and both my grandfathers are real geniuses in front of a pan and stove.
So as to rightfully deem myself worthy of every spoon I reach for, I decided to start with desserts and pasta about a year ago because they seem easy enough (and because they're two of my favorite food items). And it seems like when I eat whatever I make, it all tastes pretty good even if I know it lacks a bit of something here and there.
On Sundays, my mom gives our house help the day off so we don't eat lunch and dinner at home. We usually eat out or have food delivered. Tonight, my mom decided to try a new paste recipe which she clipped from a magazine. It was called Vongole Pasta with Prawns. Like me, my mom and my sister both lack serious culinary skills but the adventure of trying something new and actually making it yourself was all together appealing. My mother and I went off to the supermarket to buy the needed ingredients which included white wine, clams and prawns. Our previous pasta projects were topped off with either red sauce or creamy white sauce but we have always been fans of pasta drowning in olive oil. But then again, we have never tried mixing olive oil with white wine so it should be worth the try. Shallots were not available in the supermarket so we just went for small onions. There were also no lemons in the fruit stall so we opted to use calamansi. We didn't know wat lemon zest was so we left that out and since there was also no dried chili flakes on the shelves, I grabbed some chilli powder. We also used canned clams since there were no fresh clams available.
We brought the groceries home and the three of us started work on what would be our dinner. Mom added more wine than we thought was needed and my sister was trying to shield me from adding more chili powder. Later on, we started laughing so hard because the mixture did taste more of wine than anything else. Dad checked us out from the window and I started to wonder if he was contemplating on calling for food delivery. So we added more oil and butter just to counter the taste and I would sneak in more chili powder when my sister wasn't looking.

Finally, we added the pasta to the sauce and then piled everything into a huge serving bowl. Call it a case of "sariling luto, sariling puri" but it was actually pretty good, if I may say so. Even our house help thought so! I think we turned the heat on too high or something so much of the sauce evaporated so it would have been better if there was more sauce. If I had my way, I would have added more chili and more pepper. I really liked how the sweetness from the wine blended with the spicy tinge from the chili. I had one too any helpings and in the end, my plate could really tell you how our entire culinary adventure ended.

If any of you want to try it for yourself, I'll post the recipe just as soon as I find it.

Dreading a White Christmas

"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,
Just like the ones I used to know..."

And so goes the song. Well, in my Christmas book, white does not seem to be the best color for the holiday season this year...and a white Christmas is not exactly the Christmas I have come to know.
On my way home from the airport, I found myself in the middle of what appeared to be the Filipino version of a white Christmas. My home province was one of the places ravaged by Typhoon Frank in the middle of 2008 and though our house was among the few which remained untouched by the flood, a huge part of the city and the outlying towns were practically under water. After the flood, mud caked the streets and eventually, the mud dried to become dust. And now, as cars and jeepneys sped past the streets, dust would be stirred up into tropical versions of snowflakes.
As I stared at the specks of dust which clouded my windowsill, I began dreading what could possibly be my first white Christmas.
Normally, my parents took on the tradition of fetching me or my sister from the airport and driving either of us home. This time around, my cousin Ramboy and my grandparents' driver Tok did the fetching and that was not the only thing differen about coming home this time of the year. Instead of being driven home, I was to land myself - and my luggage - in the hospital.
So there I found myself taking the elevator (good thing Tok volunteered to bring my luggage home for me) with an elevator operator in his white pants, doctors in their white coats, nurses in their white uniforms and caps and a stretcher with white linen. And as if the sight of white were not enough as I walked the whitewashed walls, I was greeted by my grandfather as he lay huddled underneath his white blankie. I couldn't stand the white blinds so I pulled them up and was at least comforted by the sunlight streaming through the windows.
My gwampa had been in the hospital for about four days prior to my arrival because of complications due to urinary tract infection. He was also bugged relentlessly by pain somewhere in his back which the doctors had difficulty diagnosing. Their theories ranged from fusion of his vertebral bones to hydronephrosis and even "rayuma." The pain pretty much came and went like Santa Claus down a chimney - at any given time. It was difficult watching him jerk his legs because of the pain. My gwampa has a very high, almost superhuman tolerance (believe it or not) for anything painful or uncomfortable so once he starts complaining that something hurts...it really does hurt a whole lot. Throughout his stay, I began to wonder how Sue endured through a number Christmases in a hospital room with her grandfather before he passed away. I made a mental reminder to ask her next time.
Throughout his almost two week stay in the company of the white walls, white linen, white-uniformed people and white tiled floors, it wasn't all bad though. We watched "Eagle Eye" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" and he laughed his socks off whenever Johnny Depp came up onscreen. Sometimes he'd sing and once gave his physical therapist a fright when he feigned an injury during a rehab session. He particularly got a kick out of teasing everybody, especially playing matchmaker with his nurse and the office messenger who came in daily to give him reports to sign. We also thoroughly enjoyed praying with him in the morning and reading my old, "NIV for teenagers" Bible together which, according to him, was nice because the print was huge.

It was not just the prospect of spending Christmas in a hospital which I was not particularly looking forward to. I could spend Christmas in Timbuktu without really caring as long as I had my family with me. It was just that I was not used to having someone sick and the rest of the family worrying to bits during the happiest time of the year. It would be all right to have a different Christmas every so often but a change as drastic as this was just right about unwelcome.
The white Christmas I so dreaded never came though. Lolo was discharged on the 23rd under the conditions that he keep his catheter on, that he should be confined to his wheelchair and that if he does want to walk, he should do so with crutches. That was enough for us and for Lolo who was itching to get out of his hospital room. I guess white Christmases, for now, are not really in our palettes for the colors of the season. But then again, the same thought must have run through the minds of the people left behind in the company of those white-washed walls, white linen, white uniformed people and white tiled floors.

My gwampa's looking all too happy to have
his IV off and his discharge slip signed right
before Christmas Eve.

Home for Christmas

"Make sure you're home before dinnertime."
I have lost count of the number of summer mornings when my mom would give me that same reminder over and over and over again as I would leave the house after breakfast to go on my imaginary Don Quixote adventures outdoors with my older cousins. I really did not quite understand that as a child but now, when I am living more than a quarter of my life (or more if I die before I'm a hundred), it now seems reminiscent to a shepherd counting the sheep in his fold by dusk. After all, everything has to come full circle at the end of every day, whether the means be figurative or, in this case, quite literal.
On Wednesday, December 17 at 3 a.m., my sister shook me awake. My head was spinning as I had been asleep for less than two hours. As I splash water into my face, I blamed my late night date with Em and Banana in Glorietta which saw me home by half an hour past midnight. With school taking up most of my time, I was glad to get Tuesday night off to at least meet with them for a couple of hours in Makati. A little while later, as I drove my sister to the airport for her 5:30 a.m. flight, the car literally flew over a road hump which I swear I didn't see. That got my sister seriously contemplating about getting a taxi somewhere. When we finally reached the airport, she pulled out her luggage from the backseat and told me, "See you later at home." Now that was surreal.
I crawled back to my bed by 4 a.m. and woke up with a start at 8 a.m., realizing that I had loads of other things to do before my own flight home later in the afternoon, including packing my luggage! I had to meet Kuya Jojo in church to hand over some music sheets for safe-keeping and to pick up my peanut butter bottles. On the way, I got stuck in traffic and ended up being 20 minutes late, much to my embarrassment. It was 11 a.m. and I had errands to run, a car that badly needed cleaning and a stomach that was growling its way into an ulcer.
Thanks to traffic, I got back home at a quarter past 12 just in time to pick up the ringing phone and talk to my mother who asked me three different variants of "Where were you?" I immediately told her I had to go when I espied my half-empty luggage at the foot of my bed with its lid hanging open like a kid having his mouth examined. Yikes! I spent the next hour or so running around with books, papers, clothes and Christmas gifts, trying to stuff them into my bag.
As I lived quite near the airport, I got to the terminal a good 90 minutes before my flight. The airport was teeming with people even if PAL had the terminal all to itself unlike last year. Of course there was pushing and jostling but, hey! It's Christmas so that I chose to ignore all that in the name of the jolliest time of the year.
The flight was smooth and I slept all the way, although I did wake up once in a while because the toddler seated behind me kept on kicking my chair. The plane landed according to schedule and as I was seated in the plane's rear portion, I had to wait for my turn to get out of my chair. So I busied myself with texting my mother and my aunt, telling them that I had arrived safely and in one-piece. Finally when it was my turn to leave the plane, I pulled out my backpack and laptop and reached for a paperbag in the stowage bin holding about 12 paperback novels. As I was pulling the paperbag out of the bin, this taller and bigger guy was making his way against the tide of people leaving the plane. Apparently, he had left something and I thought he was going to wait just until I was able to retrieve my things. However he forced himself between the what tiny space was left between me the aisle seats and in the process, he hit my arm and made me lose my balance. My paperbag flew out of my hands and rippped apart, spilling my books on the aisle and the seats. So I held up traffic inside the plane as I picked up my books on the floor and cradled them in my arms as the paperbag had gone from being bag to being just paper in a matter of seconds...all while waiting for an apology which never came.
I was still muttering when I got to the luggage carousel until I met my younger cousin. I did not know how he managed to get himself into an area restricted to passengers only but I was only too thankful when he reached out to carry my books for me and later pulled my heavy bag from the carousel. As we drove home, I looked at my watch and realized it was past 5 in the afternoon. We passed by bayi-bayi stands, Biscocho House's newest shop, Julie's house, Christ the King cemetery and later SM all under a sunset I had missed seeing in this part of the country.
I asked to be dropped off at the hospital because my grandfather was sick yet again. My mom later brought me home and called me to dinner just after I had washed up. It was still all a little surreal for me as I started the day all alone in a dining table miles away from home and now, I was seated in my usual position in the dining table with my family with our two dogs yapping at each other in the background. No matter what my seven-year old self would say, it was actually good to be home by dinner time.