Shookt

“MICHELLE, ma belle/These are words that go together well/My Michelle,” as the Beatles song goes.

Michelle Dee and her mom, Miss International 1979 Melanie Marquez, could have made history as the first mom-and-daughter to win international beauty pageants.

The tattoo art on Dee’s gown should have been from top to bottom, though, to make it look like her whole body had the tattoo design, instead of covering the lower part with, uh, a black blanket. But then, since I’m not a fashion designer, what do I know, huh?

Christmas parties and events are ongoing despite the aftershocks. And the determination to ensure that the show must go on must be the Pinoy’s way of savoring each day as it comes—one goal at a time, one day at a time—especially after the pandemic lockdowns that forced him to realize how precious life is.

Earthquakes. Whew. What a way to start December which has not always been friendly to the Cagayanon who went through Sendong in December 2011, thus, changing the way he saw his city from typhoon-free to typhoon-prone. Typhoon warnings now catch his attention as he prepares for the worst by stocking up on water, food, batteries, and solar-powered lights.

But earthquakes have no warnings. One minute I was having my second dinner, the next I was swaying while savoring that dinner. At first, I thought it was the result of carbo-loading the whole day.

Yes, second dinner. The 18-hour fasting window was conveniently forgotten.

That night’s first dinner was for Seda Centrio’s Christmas Tree Lighting and 11th Anniversary Celebration.

At least by the time the earthquake happened, I was at the ground floor of a birthday celebrant’s rest house instead of Seda’s Misto located at the hotel’s fourth floor where the swaying could have been worse.

The next day, on Sunday, Miss Universe Philippines Cagayan de Oro had its Press and Public Presentation for the 2024 pageant at the Centrio Activity Center, after which an aftershock prompted the audience to leave the venue ASAP. Whew.

I’m so tempted to insert a joke here about what a blast the presentation’s ending was, but after what happened at the Mindanao State University in Marawi on Sunday morning, any phrase that may refer to explosives is simply not politically correct.

At least here’s good news: Miss Universe has become more inclusive as it welcomed mothers, wives, voluptuous candidates, and even trans women to this year’s pageant. And it has scrapped the age limit starting next year. If you’re currently in your 20s, this means your mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother can join the pageant, too.

Yes, just when I’ve lost weight, that’s when plus-sized women can join the contest. Unfair? As if my other qualities will, uh, qualify.

The movie “Barbie” should have been shown in the same week that Miss Universe 2023 had its coronation night, to prove how both have somehow progressed in their description of the ideal woman.

As for my Miss Universe experience, this I can say, ahem: I can now be a beauty-pageant judge since Miss Nicaragua, who eventually won, was my choice right from the start of the coronation night.