WALANG HIMALA! *BANG!*

"Time ticks by; we grow older. Before we know it, too much time has passed and we've missed the chance to have had other people hurt us. To a younger me this sounded like luck; to an older me this sounds like a quiet tragedy."

"I would like to fall in love again but my only hope is that love doesn't happen to me so often after this. I don't want to get so used to falling in love that I get curious to experience something more extreme- whatever that may be."

- Douglas Coupland, Life After God

Before sleep, I shared my bed with a number of people:

A gorgeous, auburn haired, cryptologist who has " a slim, tender body

Her handsome boyfriend who is a language expert and is unexplicably sent off to Seville on a secret mission by the NSA.

A gay concierge who speaks with a lisp.

An obese German named Hans Huber.

Yup. Dan Brown is definitely the literary equivalent of a Bruckheimer movie. "Digital Fortress" is a welcome respite from all the Murakami I have been reading.

Moving on to other things, I never thought that Boracay could be such a good motivation for me to work. The whole group from Faura is planning a trip to the island in May. It will be our first out of town trip together (and to think we have been friends for almost eight years). I'm back to my video edit-whore days. I have edited videos this past week that I would not usually touch with a ten foot pole (a.k.a student presentations!) Sorry kids, I don't mean to generalize but the good ones are really exceptions rather than the rule. But I don't care! I'll edit anything! As long as it pays for my trip! I really, really miss that place. Boracay, here I come!

I have been sick for the past two days. It's just a nasty cold with a slight cough. It does get annoying at times. This despite all the exercise and healthy food I have been eating. If only tobacco never existed. Sigh.

I was seated right beside her the last time we met. I was plastered with a silly grin and I spoke in the shrill high register of the stroke guy from the Simpsons.

Three months later, last night, I gripped the handle of my grocery cart and paused in my step when I saw her standing across the aisle. She was wearing a tight dark gray shirt and those loose pants with the ethnic print, the ones that you find on the side stalls of beaches.

Oh boy.

A tug at my collar. A nervous gulp. I moved in closer.

"Hello there!"

"Hey! Long time no see!"

She placed her hand on my right arm. I slowly bent forward and gave her a peck on the cheek. We exchanged pleasantries and little snippets of the three months that had gone by since we last met. Gone was the shrill voice and the silly look on my face. I looked straight at her the whole time and I spoke to her in a low voice that sounded tired even to myself. I was amazed by my apparent nonchalance and coolness.

We said our goodbyes. I gave a little wave to her daughter and moved on towards the next aisle. I had no idea where I was going. My field of vision was encircled by white. I was mumbling a replay of the conversation that we just had.

"That was nice."

I think I managed to cheer up Jack the other day. Well, with a lot of help from Bub.

When I picked up Jack from his house, he was in a real nasty mood. He's the type who will let you know that he's having a bad day. After meeting up with Bub, watching a movie, having some coffee at Starbucks, and a little snack at the second level of the Eastwood parking building(the one with the nice view of the river), Jack was evidently a happy camper again. It was the Jack of old reborn! It was strange to see him that way. It's been a while since I have seen him happy.

Then I dropped off Bub at Ateneo and we headed for Jack's house. Jack fell silent. I fell silent. Hmmm.

Woo hoo! Woo hoo hoo! Woo hoo! Woo hoo hoo! Woo hoo! Woo hoo hoo! Woo hoo! Woo hoo hoo! Woo hoo! Woo hoo hoo! Woo hoo! Woo hoo hoo! Woo hoo! Woo hoo hoo! Woo hoo! Woo hoo hoo!