Greener fate

By Netnet Camomot

WATCHING Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Terminator: Dark Fate” is like watching his grandpa version in a movie where his Terminator character resurfaces as—spoiler alert!—the killer of the new Terminator.

And all I can say is this: If you’ve seen one “Terminator” movie, you’ve seen them all. But “Dark Fate” has a bonus: Linda Hamilton as the grandma version of her younger-once-upon-a-time Sarah Connor.

“Dark Fate’s” action scenes are kind of worth the wait, though. Operative words: kind of. Because if you’ve seen one action movie that breaks Tom Cruise’s ankle as it did in “Mission: Impossible – Fallout,” you’ve seen all other action movies that feature all other actors who dare to do their own stunts. While stuntmen shake in their boots, afraid to lose their jobs to these, uh, foolish actors who now have to recuperate from broken ankles.

Jackie Chan is also known for doing his own stunts and has had his share of broken and now healed bones to prove his foolishness, er, commitment to his craft.

The boss usually prefers to delegate work to his minions so he can focus on matters that truly, well, matter such as dreaming of new products whose research, development, and manufacture will, of course, be delegated to minions. But there’s the hands-on boss who loves surprise visits to keep his minions awake and alert since they’ve been warned by older employees of such visits.

Thoughts of wiser movie characters and bosses could be in each Pinoy tycoon’s thought bubble as John Gokongwei Jr. and Lucio Tan Jr. passed away recently.

Money can’t buy love and it can’t prolong life forevermore. Once it’s over, it’s so over, no amount of pleas will be enough to make it happen. That’s why while you’re alive, be true. And stop gossiping and looking at the other side of the fence, for you have only this one life.

Some people believe that the other side of the fence is greener and will do everything they can to be on that other side. Years later, finally, they’re on that other side, only to realize that the other side, the one where they used to be, is greener now. Tsk tsk. Ano ba talaga, Kuya? “Wherever you go, there you are,” as the proverb goes.

Tycoons can afford to have all the greener sides they want to have—that’s the perk of being rich and powerful. And yet, they’re the ones who prefer to live simply because they have nothing more to prove. They’ve already built empires. So, what’s next?

If there’s one thing I’ll always remember Gokongwei for, it’s Chippy, my most favorite snack since birth, but which I now avoid because of its sodium content. Water retention and hypertension galore. Whew. It does have a Mild & Tasty version that promises “with less salt,” but the original flavor is still the best Chippy.

But then, I also love salted peanuts, so, what’s the diff? Should I feast on Chippy instead?

Food is not a dieter’s best friend since each meal becomes a debate on good versus bad food. Or even salt versus sugar.

Sugar can be the worst of all since it can cause sore throat which may lead to coughs that will require antibiotics, and so on. All that, simply because you had one bite of a chocolate bar.

At the supermarket, I tend to look at the sweets section with weary eyes as I imagine their effect on my health. Brrr.

Coffee shops have become a challenge for me as I don’t know what to order. Coffee? Caffeine. Nah. Cakes? Sugar. Ugh. Sandwiches? Puede! Hot choco? Better than coffee. And then, I drink lots of lukewarm water after savoring the hot choco.

Beware of some coffee-shop goodies, though, for making the tummy look for a restroom. Hehe. Lesson learned.

Morphing into a vegan is now becoming a trend, which makes my piggies happy. Lane 101 in uptown Cagayan de Oro has a veggie resto. Eating there used to be some kind of a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but now it’s as common as your daily regular meals. The non-vegan should try dining at a veggie resto if he needs to be convinced that veggies can be delish.

Can Chippy be included in a vegan diet? Wish ko lang! I mean, if you’ve been eating veggies since forever, Chippy can be your reward for watching the latest “Terminator” installment and its funny scene where grandpa Terminator (Schwarzenegger) says he has a “sense of humor.”