Ignorance is not bliss

Netnet Camomot

Dilemma is a word that no Pinoy would use in describing his own, uh, dilemma nowadays. Even the name that sounds like dilemma has been reduced to D5, proving how shenshitive Pinoys are to name-calling.

But I’m indeed in a dilemma. I need to lose weight for less stress on the knee. But I need nutrients from real food in order for the knee to heal. But I gain weight when I’m told I could eat food, even in moderation. Is it time to return to protein shakes? Bahala na si Batman with the nutrients?

On Friday night, my wellness coach aka Batman finally replied to my request for a new meal plan. I ditched the latest one he prepared, way back in…March, April, can’t remember anymore, because it had more than one meal per day involving real food. I didn’t trust myself enough to eat that much outside of protein shakes. I thought it was too early.

And then, I had the knee surgery last July, and promptly switched to real food while at the hospital, for that’s what the surgeon must have recommended. I came back home two days later and continued to ingest more real food. I didn’t exactly ask my surgeon if I could continue my diet or not. It was another doctor whom I asked, and he said, No protein shakes for now. Because he’s not sure of the nutrients in those shakes. He suggested fish, chicken, and veggies, with no rice.

There are times when the house help doesn’t ask me anymore what I prefer for the next meal. With me looking forward to the pleasant surprise ending up on the desk as lunch or dinner—it could be pork adobo drowning in oil and soy sauce which I could mix with rice for the yummiest combination ever—and there goes my diet.

That’s the desk in my room which also serves as the home office where I’ve been living like a monk since last July. Healing, even for a knee, is a long process.

Food was also in the minds of some people who were at Davao City’s night market last Friday night, the same time I and Batman were texting each other about diets. He has had a busy day by then—meetings, trainings—and it was only at that late hour he was able to reply to my text.

Thus, there I was, thinking of diets, while the bomb victims in Davao had no idea what hit them. Some of them were reportedly enjoying a massage care of the masseuse at the night market.

The workweek starts on Monday, thus, there’s this song whose lyrics have “Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.”

If a person hates his job, then, a rainy Monday could be the worst day of all.

And he toils through Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday… And then… Thank God it’s Friday!

People want to relax on Friday and Saturday nights. A friend even has a word for that: Gamba! To eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow, you eat, drink, and be merry again.

The weekend is that time of the week when people flock to places such as night markets, and that many people in one place could inspire others to get their message across. The July 26, 2013 bombing at the Rosario Strip of Limketkai Center, Cagayan de Oro (CDO) was also on a Friday night. The nightlife at the Strip has made a comeback, but majority of the building that used to be in the area has been demolished, with the restos replaced by food stalls run by chefs. Life does go on. And it has to go on.

Cardboard justice has claimed the lives of those allegedly involved in drugelated cases but these happened in a kind of one-day-at-a-time sked. It still got the message across, though—don’t mess with drugs, or else.

The bombing in Davao was not in a one-day-at-a-time sked. It was planned to have that much impact in one night. Much like earthquakes and flashfloods that could claim the lives of many. But a bombing is not nature in action. It’s more like people in retaliation.

Retaliation is not always in the form of bombings. Most of the time, it’s better to wait and see, for less collateral damage.

The July 26 bombing in CDO happened when Mayor Oscar Moreno was in his first month as mayor. This recent bombing in Davao happened when President Rody Duterte, who prefers to hold office in his Davao hometown, is in his second month as the country’s president.

There were rumors of a message desperate to be sent across through the CDO bombing in 2013. Let’s see what the message is for Davao.

Innocent lives were lost again on Friday night. And for what? Earthquakes and other natural disasters have their way of claiming lives, too. Why can’t people wait for nature to take its course? Too impatient to wait and see. The universe has long solved the challenge of survival. We, the human peeing, er, human beings, on the other hand, seem to believe we always have the correct answers. Go tell the universe what we know, and it will laugh—bwahahaha!—at our ignorance.

D5’s dilemma may not be as serious as the Davao bombing but it could be more serious than any diets. Her lovelife has been dug up, and what’s left of it is also being scrutinized because, uh, the guy looks good, eh? Should the matronas, say, You go, girl?

The life of a former justice secretary and incumbent senator surely has its ups and downs, although, the thought of ups and downs could make a green mind think of a position that goes up and down. Hmmm. There’s a possibility a lovelife is the only spark in that life. And for the alleged former love of her life to be accused of being her bagman is a thought she must want her mind to forget. But the madlang pehpohl may not forget the accusations being hurled against her, if the level of remembering can be judged on the angry emojis her Facebook Live coverage attracts.