Program 3, 25 minutes. There.
***
I envy Lyndon. He doesn’t jog, run on the treadmill or sweat in a stationary cycle but he’s already lean. He doesn’t look like someone who lifts weights for a living but he’s twice as strong as me, and to think that he was thin back in college. But then again, he rarely drinks, and so he manages his weight and physique like that. Unfortunately, that won’t work for me, not now, not here in Quezon where, it should be mentioned, that drinking is part of our way of living, or at least my peers, and so I am ostracized whenever I bail out of drinking sessions or leave early because I hate to lift weights the next day, post-drunk. Here I am, sweating my ass off this treadmill, wishing I could resist those fish nuggets for lunch, knowing it would be futile, but then again comforting myself that I should not be on a slimming diet because I don’t want to be found bloody and dismembered one day on the bench because of collapsing while lifting that 105-pound
barbell, the plates smeared with goo.
***
We were both young when I first saw you
I close my eyes
And the flashback starts
I'm standing there
On a balcony in summer air
***
I should cover this screen. Running in this machine seem to take forever when I see these digits. I’ll cover everything but that heartbeat thing. There. Why on earth is Manuel playing this song, on loud speakers? This is too cheesy. But then again, I love the singer’s immaculate nose, she looking like an angel, would be ideal if we would be married 5 years from now. Ho-hum…
***
That you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles
And my daddy said stay away from Juliet
And I was crying on the staircase
Begging you please don't go, and I said
***
20 minutes, 5… is this kilometers per hour?
***
A writer-friend once told me that surrealists have “night journals” where they write whatever they remember of their dreams immediately after waking up. It’s kind of hard to do, really: an attempt to put on paper the contents of your subconscious that were depicted in your dreams the night before. Dreams, dreams, dreams.
Speaking of which, that one last night was weird, not really affecting though, just… entertained, sort of. To wit: it is a day in our subdivision where suddenly I’m on a couch with someone who is not cute, not hot, but beautiful. And she’s wearing that short black dress, kind of shiny too. She’s Psyche chased by Cupid, a clear lake beneath the floating mist, a bloom on a blanket of grass.
She’s Nami.
***
We were drinking, me, Paul, Lyndon and her. It is implied in the dream that something is happening between us, as evidenced by frequent giggles and moments of damn-I’m-melting-don’t-look-at-me-with-those-kay-rikit-sa-singkit-eyes-but-I-love-them. And then we were out of beer, and so we bought some more, going to the store side by side. Me shuffling and she gliding. As we arrive at the store she tells me that she has something to say, like something more important than the revision of neo-classical economics, whatever. I ask her what, but then again as she starts to talk, I wake up.
Though I have a disclaimer: Last night, I read her reply to my comment on her new album posted in multiply,com, and so that offers an explanation why the dreamed dawned on me while I was sleeping, given the fact that I wasn’t thinking of her or anything related to her before I sleep.
***
15 minutes, 6 kp/h: jog!
Look at that. My heartbeat’s over 110, and I think it’s because of this song, this tachycardia-causing tune. Haha.
***
Do I have to stop this? I know she has a boyfriend, and I have an idea that they’re already over a year now. Mas madaling hulihin ang manok na nakatali, but then again there’s the fact that I’m sort of friends with the guy, the horrible karma and most of all, it’s not the right thing to do. When she talks and I listen, it always dawns on me that this is my definition of wow, and I haven’t met someone like her before. That brain of hers is sexier than Cindy Kurleto, and that smile’s just a sight for sore eyes. The way we make fun of each other tickles me more than her fingers poking my ribs. She even called me up, when I was in Olongapo en route to Zambales a week ago, saying sorry, thinking I was mad because of a smart-ass comment she quipped. And my friends laughed at me because I was stupidly grinning the whole time. Think, think, think.
Perhaps I’ll just enjoy this for a while.
***
That you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles
And my daddy said stay away from Juliet
And I was crying on the staircase
Begging you please don't go, and I said
***
10 minutes, 8 kp/h: run run run!
***
I wonder if Nami remembers our first meeting, there in an event held by our organization in a small bar in Timog. I wonder if she knows me as the guy who, while drowning in the blaring juxtaposition of banging instruments, held up a phone in front of her, pointing to the screen where the words “naiintindihan mo ba yung tugtog?!” were typed since I’m not sure if she’d hear me. Come to think of it, we were sitting side by side back then. That simple gesture, born out of irritation and boredom, paved way to conversations with her and her friends, who were really n-i-c-e. I wonder if she thought what I thought back then, that it was odd, strange that instead of the usual exchange-of-numbers routine that people do, what we gave each other was, get this: blogs. Yes, url addresses of our respective blogs. Weird because we were sharing a common fondness about something as ephemeral as, say, literary works in blogs. I wonder if she knew that I was rolling my eyes when I saw someone in the crowd trying to hit on her, the poor fellow, not knowing it was over quickly. I wonder if she knows or if she has an idea about what I think, and if she knew about this work—
Anyway, privacy’s overrated and cheap, so I won’t hide this from her and other people.
***
There, finished. My shirt’s wet with sweat, feels good.
Oh, what would the mind be if not these cerebral exercises from time to time?
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Roadwork Thoughts
While jogging around Pacific Mall this morning, I was having random thoughts, so as to take my mind off my tiring body..
***
1.) A lot of [rich] people wonder why German Shepards die of heat stroke. Duh. Those dogs evolved in cold European climate, and their dogs are in the Philippines, what do they expect?
2.) I envy boxers' discipline. They wake up at around 4, and run and run and run. If you take that time studying something, what would your grades be?
3.) Another reason I envy them is that it's hard enough to jog, and its damn harder if your ribs ache like what mine did earlier. Your stamina would be HALVED. Imagine having to spar today, suffering from body blows or even strained muscles in your torso, then run tomorrow morning. It's hell.
4.) I wish I ate banana before doing my roadwork.
5.) Muscles are like toffee, you warm them up a little, then stretch. They're brittle if you stretch without warming up.
6.) Most old people here at this time make jogging look like a joke, theirs is jittery. Unlike one gray-haired jogger I saw who looks like he's a regular marathon runner, muscles firmer than mine, even the glutes. Haha.
7.) I will not be like these old people, who, because they are compelled by their doctor, family, or rheumatoid arthritis, exercise in their life too late.
8.) This wind is annoying, I can't feel my sweat because its evaporating too fast.
9.) So is this throat.
10.) And that doberman who shamelessly defecated in front of me, unmolested.
11.) Why are there people who bike around here, a place for jogging?
12.) I'll bring my jacket tomorrow as a warmer.
13.) Arvin is a no-show.
14.) Practicing boxing drills in front of a glass door brings people to stop--young people's mouth agape, busty women stop, religious people fall to their knees.
15.) I am really against weight control solely by reducing food intake. Having exercise is better, is pleasurable, since NO ONE would take pleasure in limiting their eating habits. You don't enjoy, become really healthy, and don't meet new friends because of just dieting.
16.) Speaking of diet, my ideal is a high protein, high fiber, high carbohydrate BUT low fat one.
17.) Stupid are those people who, in a trip to somewhere really far from their usual residences, say, something exotic, unusual and unfamiliar, look for fast food when they become hungry when really affordable and wonderful local cuisine is around.
18.) It's really hard limiting your drinks, especially when your peers have weekly ethanol-loving sprees.
19.) I'll have omelet later, with lots of peppers.
20.) I should get new running shoes. Mine's OK for the treadmill, but it won't work for shit on concrete or asphalt.
***
1.) A lot of [rich] people wonder why German Shepards die of heat stroke. Duh. Those dogs evolved in cold European climate, and their dogs are in the Philippines, what do they expect?
2.) I envy boxers' discipline. They wake up at around 4, and run and run and run. If you take that time studying something, what would your grades be?
3.) Another reason I envy them is that it's hard enough to jog, and its damn harder if your ribs ache like what mine did earlier. Your stamina would be HALVED. Imagine having to spar today, suffering from body blows or even strained muscles in your torso, then run tomorrow morning. It's hell.
4.) I wish I ate banana before doing my roadwork.
5.) Muscles are like toffee, you warm them up a little, then stretch. They're brittle if you stretch without warming up.
6.) Most old people here at this time make jogging look like a joke, theirs is jittery. Unlike one gray-haired jogger I saw who looks like he's a regular marathon runner, muscles firmer than mine, even the glutes. Haha.
7.) I will not be like these old people, who, because they are compelled by their doctor, family, or rheumatoid arthritis, exercise in their life too late.
8.) This wind is annoying, I can't feel my sweat because its evaporating too fast.
9.) So is this throat.
10.) And that doberman who shamelessly defecated in front of me, unmolested.
11.) Why are there people who bike around here, a place for jogging?
12.) I'll bring my jacket tomorrow as a warmer.
13.) Arvin is a no-show.
14.) Practicing boxing drills in front of a glass door brings people to stop--young people's mouth agape, busty women stop, religious people fall to their knees.
15.) I am really against weight control solely by reducing food intake. Having exercise is better, is pleasurable, since NO ONE would take pleasure in limiting their eating habits. You don't enjoy, become really healthy, and don't meet new friends because of just dieting.
16.) Speaking of diet, my ideal is a high protein, high fiber, high carbohydrate BUT low fat one.
17.) Stupid are those people who, in a trip to somewhere really far from their usual residences, say, something exotic, unusual and unfamiliar, look for fast food when they become hungry when really affordable and wonderful local cuisine is around.
18.) It's really hard limiting your drinks, especially when your peers have weekly ethanol-loving sprees.
19.) I'll have omelet later, with lots of peppers.
20.) I should get new running shoes. Mine's OK for the treadmill, but it won't work for shit on concrete or asphalt.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Distemper
I just wasted 450 pesos, not to mention Johann's time and mine, on an ill-planned and ill-advised outing yesterday.
We were supposed to have this picnic at Villa Del Prado in Sariaya yesterday with my students, and the assembly time, take note, is 10:00 am. And so I woke up early, bought a kilo of chicken lollipops and cooked it, sweet and chili. My primary contact, a student-friend of mine, proposed to meet me 10:00 am at a waiting shed near the house of another student of mine (we were supposed to go there to COOK FOOD for this... this outing.) I arrived at the suggested meeting place at about 10:20, so as to give allowance if ever she would be late, too.
11:55 AM
See that? That's when she arrived. I was fuming, since she was clearly not displaying any appreciation and respect of my valuable time. And there she is, in a dressed-up-to-kill attire, telling me "Wala na akong load sir."
I did not speak, because I was cautioning myself not to explode, to wave my fist, to bang my head on the concrete, telling her pretty face that everything's supposed to be PULLED TAUT. That this time, time is money, is mana. Mind you: she did not apologize, and I don't know if she's thinking of doing that in the future. So I didn't talk to her, the whole picnic.
When we arrived at the house, her friends there (also my students) are not yet ready, haven't started cooking yet or even buying stuff to cook. There was some problem with money, which clearly they did not collected early. Since they are not prepared, are not anxious enough to arrive early and get things done especially when their p-r-o-f-e-s-s-o-r is with them, I asked for a glass of cold water to drink, to cool my head. And because I was hoping that things will get fine, I didn't leave.
Then stuff were bought and cooked (the latter by me). Because of other self-conceited-VIP-people, we got off at, again, take note of the time, 5:30pm. Can you imagine that?
12 hours later I realized something; that we have no food already and no money, so I told Johann that we'd have to go because it would be meaningless and impractical, not to mention downright stupid, to stay. And still no apologies made. So we left the resort at 5:30am this morning. The sunrise was immaculate, and the morning breeze the best I had in months.
There are times that impatience is a virtue.
We were supposed to have this picnic at Villa Del Prado in Sariaya yesterday with my students, and the assembly time, take note, is 10:00 am. And so I woke up early, bought a kilo of chicken lollipops and cooked it, sweet and chili. My primary contact, a student-friend of mine, proposed to meet me 10:00 am at a waiting shed near the house of another student of mine (we were supposed to go there to COOK FOOD for this... this outing.) I arrived at the suggested meeting place at about 10:20, so as to give allowance if ever she would be late, too.
11:55 AM
See that? That's when she arrived. I was fuming, since she was clearly not displaying any appreciation and respect of my valuable time. And there she is, in a dressed-up-to-kill attire, telling me "Wala na akong load sir."
I did not speak, because I was cautioning myself not to explode, to wave my fist, to bang my head on the concrete, telling her pretty face that everything's supposed to be PULLED TAUT. That this time, time is money, is mana. Mind you: she did not apologize, and I don't know if she's thinking of doing that in the future. So I didn't talk to her, the whole picnic.
When we arrived at the house, her friends there (also my students) are not yet ready, haven't started cooking yet or even buying stuff to cook. There was some problem with money, which clearly they did not collected early. Since they are not prepared, are not anxious enough to arrive early and get things done especially when their p-r-o-f-e-s-s-o-r is with them, I asked for a glass of cold water to drink, to cool my head. And because I was hoping that things will get fine, I didn't leave.
Then stuff were bought and cooked (the latter by me). Because of other self-conceited-VIP-people, we got off at, again, take note of the time, 5:30pm. Can you imagine that?
12 hours later I realized something; that we have no food already and no money, so I told Johann that we'd have to go because it would be meaningless and impractical, not to mention downright stupid, to stay. And still no apologies made. So we left the resort at 5:30am this morning. The sunrise was immaculate, and the morning breeze the best I had in months.
There are times that impatience is a virtue.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
