Essentialism

By Netnet Camomot .

NEW Year’s resolutions. I had not done that for several years but since it’s pandemic time, I thought, hmmm, why not? So, on New Year’s Eve, while gulping down bottles of champagne and red wine, my tipsy mind was busy thinking of resolutions. One of them: good health.

Well, be careful what you wish for. My champagne-red-wine hangover lasted for two weeks, prompting my sis-in-law/doc to advise rest. I took that to mean bed rest, like I’m pregnant and need the baby to hang on no matter what. When she learned I was staying in my bedroom the whole time, she said, No, not that kind of rest! Have your meals in the dining room ‘pag may time! Whew. What a relief.

And did I mention I had a mainly red-meat diet from November to December last year? Topped that with lechon on Christmas Eve. Good thing sis-in-law/doc thought of not ordering another lechon for New Year’s Eve. Otherwise, oh my gosh. The hangover would have lasted for two years. Simbako lang.

Blood chem results were okay, thank God, sambong tea, and water therapy. Considering that was a “surprise” test, sis-in-law’s birthday gift for the family, meaning we were not able to prepare—say, fasting for at least a week—for it, the results were indeed a pleasant surprise.

I used to prepare for blood chem tests. Haha. The diet behaving for at least a month until eventually I would forget about the test, and then it’s the next year, I’d prepare for them again, forget about it, which is bad for feeling-senior health conditions that need regular monitoring.

Once the blood chem results were available, I would take a peek, and heave a deep sigh of relief after seeing one result—cholesterol for example. Then move on to triglycerides. Another deep sigh of relief. And so on and so forth. Yes, stressful. More stressful than finding out school grades—I was way much younger then, pressure was my middle name. But senior-moment woes could raise the blood pressure, so, better take those meds before checking out any result.

Another New Year’s resolution: throw away toxicity. And somehow, they’re throwing themselves away. The universe does listen to our wishes.

How timely then that I’m reading this book, Greg McKeown’s “Essentialism.” You already know about essentials and non-essentials as emphasized by the government once upon a time when there was still a lockdown and it had funds for relief goods. But when it had no other choice but to reopen the economy, the non-essentials morphed into essentials, and the Pinoy is now hopelessly confused on whether he belongs to the age groups that are allowed to go out or not. He saw photos of his friend’s grandparents while they were having a feast inside a resto. The friend’s newborn baby was also there, along with the baby’s equally young siblings and cousins.

He also saw photos of Alex Gonzaga’s wedding which followed social-distancing rules.

So, which example should he follow?

Here’s the correct answer: whatever he’s comfortable with. If he feels safer staying home, then he should stay home and help reopen the economy by ordering online. If he feels he can now party and have fun, then he should party and help the economy reopen by hopping from one bar, er, resto to another, restos that are allowed to serve—surreptitiously?—a drink or two. Bars are not allowed to reopen yet but I guess that depends on the government’s definition for the word “bar”?

It has been back to the old normal for several months now. The only reason people are still wearing face masks and face shields is the presence of the police or whoever is still bent on trying to catch people who are not practicing the minimum public health standards.

Oh, I have one more New Year’s resolution: stop watching Cagayan de Oro’s daily Covid-19 response daily press briefing. Because it was another source of stress. Enough already. January is especially stressful—my business permit taxes and fees increased despite the significant reduction in sales last year. Made me feel the government doesn’t care at all.

It’s 2021. Campaign season has begun. So, whatever the government says about Covid-19 and its vaccines, good luck na lang.