!Hola!

Hey hey hey!

So is this site collecting dust or what?! I know I always say I'll write more often, but it never really happens. Like when I say I'll meet up with friends more often, run more often, read more often, sleep earlier more often... they never really happen (Isn't it cool when your words rhyme even though you didn't really mean it to?). Too much work, hair just got straightened (so you can't tie it up in a pony for a month... so you can't run because who runs with their hair all over their face, right?!), too much work, too many things to do... So you end up postponing important things. There's always tomorrow, next week, next month anyway, right?

Wrong.

People don't always wake up the next morning. They sometimes die in their sleep.

People can't always run (or even walk) the next day. They sometimes slip over a banana peel and break a leg.

People don't always meet up with dear family and friends on a whim. They sometimes migrate to a different country (or worse, they're the ones who don't wake up in the morning).

It's morbid, but it is what it is.

So do what you love to do, every minute, every hour, every day. Write even when you're not emotional. Drink and eat and talk with family and friends even if your clients are hounding you like dogs. Sleep when you can, even if there's a Mara Clara marathon on TV. When you're old and sitting in a rocking chair watching the sunset while your grand children are playing in your lawn, you'll know you did the right thing by prioritizing the things and people you love most over the things you just like.

Ondoy

I underestimated Typhoon Ondoy. The news said it was to going to be Signal #1. Perfect weather for coffee and a thick book. Wrong. I overslept last Saturday morning and woke up lunch time, with rain drizzling on my face (rain was already coming in through the windows), confused. It felt like 4am. Outside the house, the flood was already knee-high and was starting to reach our garage. Our street never gets flooded, until Typhoon Ondoy.

We lost electricity a few hours later, and our only source of news was a battery-operated radio. Flood water was already inside the house. It was devastating to hear soooo many people stranded on rooftops with no food and water, waiting for rescue that came almost 24hours later. As usual, we had shortage of everything. Not enough rubber boats, not enough evacuation centers, not enough people to help in the rescue operations, not enough everything. (But apparently, GMA had enough money for the Le Cirque buffet. Imagine if that money was used for Pinas' emergency funds instead. Oh well, we can only imagine na lang.) And I can only cry and pray while accounting for all my friends who might have been affected by the typhoon's havoc. Thank God, they were all spared. Some were bruised, hungry for a long time, all their material possessions gone, but still alive and spared.

Now, several hours after the height of Ondoy's devastation, evacuees are still in need of ready-to-eat food, water, and clothers. And I intend to help in whatever way I can. And inspite of all the destruction around me, I am still grateful that my family and friends were spared, our house and car and everything in it were spared, and a lot of people are donating and volunteering to help. The government hasn't really done much (as well as most of the presidentiables and those running for office this coming elections. Where are they?!), but you and I are perfectly capable to help to the best of our abilities. Click HERE to learn how.


On a lighter note, this is our dog who took a bath yesterday since he went swimming... in flood water the night before :|

P.S. As of writing >> The NDCC also said that 5,146 people have been rescued in areas hit by the storm that has affected 337,216 persons.

FACT: Hurricane Katrina rainfall = 380mm in Louisiana. Typhoon Ondoy rainfall = 410mm in Manila, Philippines.