Like no one’s watching

Netnet Camomot .

ON Wednesday afternoon, strong and winds and torrential rain made trees dance like no one’s watching in this corner of the village which then caused a blackout that lasted till about 10 pm—or was that midnight? Gosh. I don’t remember. Besides, how to check the time on a cell phone that morphs into a source of light during blackouts?

The Cagayan Electric Power and Light Company Inc. (Cepalco) didn’t post updates on its Facebook page, and I learned later the most probable reason why: the blackout affected only our corner, with the other phases in the village able to watch their favorite teleserye.

There I was, using the cell phone’s flashlight as the only source of light for my room, since the emergency lamps have conked out, and I’ve forgotten to buy replacements. I had to take the darkness as an opportunity to sleep early, after adopting the habit of sleeping late in the past few weeks.

Pinas is a developing country but a blackout here results to what may look like first-world problems, as mentioned by my bro when he asked about Cepalco’s updates. No aircons, no electric fans, and I became more conscious of conserving the cell phone’s battery as it was my main source of light in looking for the power bank whose current location I could no longer remember. I’ve forgotten where I kept it.

I forgot to buy emergency lamps, I forgot where the power bank is. Whew. Senior-moment problems.

Those with solar power, however, had light. If you’re one of the skeptical and cynical who are still in denial on the perks of solar energy, a blackout may finally convince you.

A blackout could be the best time to read a book. But with sweat pouring down your back, and hands busy operating manual fans, where would you find the energy to read? Sleep becomes the best option.

But the lights came back before I could sleep, thus, giving me back the usual options: Should I work? Write? Read? Workaholic problems. Tsk tsk.

Since Pinas is a developing country, the Pinoy is also pressured to develop himself. Perhaps that’s the essence of the Continuing Professional Development whose acronym—CPD—may sound like COPD, which means chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

E-cigarettes, which became manna from heaven for smokers, may be as dangerous as cigarettes. A Reuters report says that the American Medical Association has “urged Americans to stop vaping until scientists have a better handle on the cause of 450 lung illnesses and at least five deaths relating to the use of the products.”

Like many addictions, smoking is also a hard habit to break, but with the health risks that cigarettes can cause, former smokers switched to vaping.

If ever e-cigarettes will be declared as dangerous as cigarettes, will former smokers accept marijuana as an option? Hmmm.

Moderation must be the key to good health. You know, a little of everything. On Wednesday afternoon, however, we were feasting on sizzling pochero, Bicol express, kinilaw, and platters of Asian fried rice that had bits and pieces of Chinese sausage. Yum! And when the waitstaff said they didn’t have Coke Zero but they did have Coke Light, we protested: Whaaaaat?! Like as if the Zero or Light in soda would make our meal as healthy as organic veggies.

Humans are supposed to have only three meals a day. There’s even a joke on that: “Doc: Iha, mukhang pumapayat ka, hinang-hina pa. Sinusunod mo ba advice ko na 3 meals a day?

“Girl: Diyos ko! 3 meals a day ba? Akala ko 3 males a day eh!”

And if those three males, er, meals are reduced to a single big feast for a particular day, perhaps it’s advisable to drink water for the rest of that day.

Hunger is supposed to serve as a warning for one to eat already. But if it’s emotional hunger, food will never be enough to sate those cravings. “Even through the darkest phase/Be it thick or thin/Always someone marches brave/Here beneath my skin/Constant craving/Has always been.” That kind of craving.

There’s now a new finding on Type 2 diabetes, that it affects shorter people more. Ouch. Please define shorter. And what body part is referred to as shorter. Hehe. Still, whether you’re a tall or short Pinoy, it’s better to lessen consumption of unli-rice. In other words, say goodbye to the platters of Asian fried rice. And for exercise, dance like no one’s watching.