iGoodbye, iHello

I bid farewell to my trusty sidekick, the iPhone X -my morning paper deliverer, DJ, alarm clock, personal taskmaster, game master, bank assistant, and all-around boss for six glorious years. What a ride!

It’s not like I wanted to break up with it. It’s just that it couldn’t keep up with the latest iOS updates anymore, and that’s a major security no-no for my business. Plus, the whole 5G thing -it wasn’t hard-wired for it. And my family guilt-tripping about me using the ancient X while they flaunt their fancy 13s and 14s. Everyone was so glad I was leveling up. Now they have one reason to upgrade, waiting when the time is right. 🥹

Although it was old, the Apple store agreed to a trade-in for credit toward the purchase of the latest model. After the data migration thingy from the old to the new, it was hard-reset time. Sadly, my old phone no longer recognized me. It was displaying Hello in different languages like the very first time I opened it. Talk about drama!

Sad, but I had to let go. And in the tradition of Marie Kondo, I held it close and whispered, “Thank you for your service.” Then, as if on cue, the new phone played the song Hello, Goodbye by the Beatles. Yep, melodrama, alright.

But happy! I’ve got a new phone now -a little bigger, much faster, and with a touch of that sexy assistant vibe.

Hello, new buddy! Cheers to the future!

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Rediscovering Hong Kong

It’s good to be back in Hong Kong after four years, thanks to the pandemic easing its grip. Hong Kong is my happy place -though I might reconsider if Hawaii enters the picture. But for now, it’s Hong Kong. Despite its bustling streets, crowded subways, and perpetually packed places, this city offers solace, providing a break from my usual daily hustles. As long as it’s not business work that I am walking, talking, and hustling for, it is a respite for me. 

I am back to the annual lighting fair in Wan Chai where I get updated with the latest and the brightest trends in the industry. This is work-related alright, but since it’s not within the confines of the office, it still brightens up my day.

It felt like a homecoming as well, returning to our usual hotel where most of my favorite shops including traditional Chinese restaurants that serve the best dimsum dishes are literally within sniffing distance. Conveniently, bus, tramway, and train stations are just a short stroll away, never more than a few minutes on foot.

A visit to Tung Chung for the best deals in town, siempre. For a bargain sucker tourist like me, a stopover here is non-negotiable.

I am back to my favorite church, Christ the King in Causeway Bay, where I hear mass every day. Even if services are done in Cantonese for most days, I can still follow the mass sequence and respond accordingly.

Nathan road, Canton road, Harbour City, Mongkok, Central station -I am a little kid in a toy store!

Life caught up with me, or I caught up with life in Hong Kong. I was 24 again, reminiscent of my first encounter. It was too good to last, though. Now, I’ve gone back home to where real life-work is, but feeling rejuvenated. This will last until the feeling of “I need a vacation” creeps back in.

Bet your love handles, I shall return.

Cheers!

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Drive-Thru Ordeal

An intruder flew into my car while ordering drive-thru at McDonald’s Banaue. Its size suggests it was the grandfather of all the cockroaches in that district of Quezon City. I was bawling out my order when it suddenly landed on my windowsill.

“One McChicken with fries and… whoa, COCKROACH!!!”

“Sorry, sir, it’s not available today,” was the response I thought I heard from the voice in the speaker. It wasn’t on the menu, either.

My analytical mind went through a multiple choice of what-to-do-with-the-roach-staring-at-me-30cms-away within a multiple choice of what-to-order-for-dinner. I was hungry and so was the wife seated shotgun beside me. I needed to make choices pretty fast -because if I didn’t, granny roach might creep in deep into the crevices of the interiors. Dinner would be out of the question then. And the wife will be screaming like Anne Curtis all the way home. If home is where we end up after. 

The thought of no-touch, blow-it-away would have been a good option but what if it attacked my face while inhaling air to blow out? ¡Qué horror!

Adding Baygon Multi Insect Killer Spray (Advanced Formula) to our dinner may take time.

Without further analysis, a quick flick of my middle finger hit its ugly head so badly, I saw it fly away without its head. Then, I spent the next five minutes spraying my hands and car window with alcohol.

Dinner was ordered and served. Peacefully.

And I have this story to tell.

Cheers!

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A Porky Sunday

Six-and-a-half years ago, after having an angioplasty, I went on a fully vegan diet because of health reasons. I ate nothing that had a face or a mother. And it was good.

After a full year, in order to check if what I was doing was doing mi corazon any good or if it was just for naught, I went for a CT-angiogram. It’s a process that blah, blah, blah using the latest blah, blah, blah. The results were encouraging. My veins were in a better state than they were the previous year.

With limited protein, I lost an amount of weight equivalent to a medium-sized lechon de leche. Also, the wife was spending twice as much time in the kitchen prepping for two sets of meals every time. So I decided to eat fish again which was also good for my cardio health. But my uric acid level exploded through my joints, most apparent of which was the dreadful gout. Many of the local fish I was eating had a generous amount of purine which left me with no choice, again, but…

Two years ago, my life took another turn -I started eating chicken again to the further delight of my queen. I was getting less and less difficult to feed. My fatty deposits kept earning hefty interest, especially around the mid-area.

Recently, my health took a turn for the worse -see previous post for details. With my current pulmo condition, and since I have lost the lechon de leche, that, for some years now, had been residing in my love handles, my doctor advised me to stop dieting in the meantime. He added that if I didn’t, I’d be mistaken for impersonating Celine Dion in no time at all.

So I am back to eating pork!

Last Sunday’s brunch with my brother’s family and mine was my inaugural of sorts. Samgyupsal with all the pork legally available in Quezon City was served. The event was covered by underground media.

The next day, I had two servings of sinigang and two trips to the crappy throne. My tummy was adjusting pretty much faster than I thought.

I am staying away from beef, still. And I don’t really mind.

“Th-th-th-that’s all, folks!” Cheers!

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Life’s a Scare

Home Sweet Home. This was never sweeter than last night when I got home from a hospital’s ER.

The previous night until yesterday morning, I was spitting red. The previous night didn’t last more than 20 minutes, and my body gauge didn’t really register a red light. I was told by our family doctor to have an x-ray the next day. I slept unworried dreaming of the next golf weekend.

Yesterday morning came and went with more red! After the Sunday mass, we proceeded to a resto in Timog for the usual brunch. I asked for a warmer-than-warm welcome drink. Unfortunately, that triggered the panic button. Cough after cough yielded more.

With no time to lose and empty stomachs, the son and the wife brought me to Lung Center while the daughter stayed with my brother’s family. I was lucid enough to know that I couldn’t bring the whole barangay with me to the hospital.

The hospital ER’s room temp was a prep for a body going into the morgue -it was effing freezing cold. Also, a bag full of ice was placed on my chest to prevent further bleeding. I wasn’t sure that if I died in there, it might have been a toss-up between losing blood and hypothermia.

X-ray and CT scan initial findings were a multiple choice: pneumonia, TB, or a cyst. No, I wasn’t given a choice. I was told instead to wait for the official results in two or three days. I have that much to storm the heavens with prayers.

Life offers all sorts of surprises. I guess this is a manifestation that its beauty lies in having parts bitter equal parts sweet. I would have never, never thought that such would happen to me. I run regularly. I don’t eat meat. I play golf. I’ve kept my BMI within normal. I play golf. I pray.

This is not to say that all these are for naught. I mean, the Lord died in order to save us, right? Somehow, that comforted me. 

There was another thought that consoled my freezing mind -that this, too, will pass. I was psyched.

On our drive back, I smiled recalling it -that it did pass. I prayed the worst is over.

I was told not to eat or drink anything warm or hot because it might trigger another similar episode. Now I know. Meds were given to control both cough and bleeding.

This morning, I raise this iced coffee and say cheers to a brand new morning.

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NIKKEI DAY IN NIKKEI LAND

So you wanted travel on your birthday. Wish granted.

Yeah, yeah -so you can brag about paying for your own this time and for your shopping, too. There’s also one other thing that you can swank about -spending time and money with the people that love you most.

And that’s us. Your silly, almost normal, wonderful family.

Happiest birthday blessings, my favorite daughter. Beautiful, beautiful, true and through.

We love you.

ALL OF US, ALL THE LOVE

Doe-a-dear,

We were both 34 years old

When we wore each other's ring

Collectively, that’s 68

Now we celebrate 29 years

Wearing the same rings

For better, for worse

For the next years of our lives

We will harness the joys of the 68

Capture the best of love of the 29

For the next years of our lives

We'll pile up more delights

To hold everything together

For the next years of our lives

Will be the best years of our lives

Cheers to 29 and beyond!

¡Te quiero mucho!