Anyway, I’ve been trying to keep myself enthused by a few things that I think are really helping me keep my attention away from more dejecting matters.
Reading blogs – I’ve discovered that reading some of my friends’ blogs are actually therapeutic. Why? Getting to know them better through their posts just assures you that you’re not as disturbed as you thought you were. This is a very good thing because, you find out that you do belong to a group, albeit a looney one. ☺ ahhh, the rewards of a comfort zone. Besides, reading about problems and anecdotes not your own gives you a glimpse of life from another perspective, and that’s always refreshing.
Finding a hobby – Lately, I’ve been trying to condition my body into returning to its former athlete-form (I played varsity tennis in college till I busted my shoulder). I realized that besides the fact that I’m beginning to look like a fat-ass, I may be someone who might be described as one who’s “gone to seed”. I find it troubling to be bothered by a phrase that I’m not even sure I know the meaning of. Anyway, I always read about that saying in books, when the author describes the former athlete with the current beer paunch. Just thinking about it depresses me. So, here I am, willing to take on a new hobby to battle the invasion of flab. More importantly, running’s keeping me from brooding too much (it's really hard to be "brooding" when you're about to collapse from exhaustion). This time, I guess having a hobby’s more than just about the hobby itself. Besides, just the thought of eventually looking better is always a welcome addition to the list of pick-me-ups.
Pasta Catatonia! - I recently experimented with making a pasta dish throwing together various ingredients I found in my apartment's pantry - Penne pasta, thyme, rosemary, tuna chunks in veg oil, rock salt (yes, rock salt since i couldn't locate where my housemates kept the iodized variety), some capers, pitted olives and a bit of corn oil (sounds eww).
I'm not gonna call the activity cooking because I don't think boiling penne qualifies as cooking anyway. Nevertheless, I think I came out of the experiment successfully because everyone I've forced into sampling my pasta told me I did good, meaning- they gorged and were satisfied. More importantly, they exclaimed that the taste was really yummy. This means a lot, because the majority of people I've fed so far- mainly my housemates - haven't really tasted anything I've put together, besides the usual hotdogs and instant noodles.
I'm not really the cooking type. The last time I cooked, I remember my Dad and I having a row about why I couldn't even fry an egg right. I felt so bad, I ran away from home, well, for 5 hours at least. I went back because I found a lost kitty and had to return home to get some milk - I remembered seeing a can in our refrigerator.
Back to the story - I named my dish Pasta Catatonia! (note the exclamation point, yes, it's part of the dish's name, so you have to say it with flourish) jokingly warning my housemates that a bite of it can render you Catatonic for 5 minutes. I haven't had anyone go into a coma yet so another hoorah for me.
A new pet – I have been reluctant to get a pet since my kitten, Cleocatra a.k.a memeh, an abyssinian mau, died. She mistakenly ate rat poison at our neighbor’s gym, thinking it might have been her usual fare of Whiskas cat food. I was so distraught over her death, I wasn’t able to go home to the apartment for 2 weeks. I had to bunk over at my sister’s apartment until the grief became at least bearable. Call me a drama queen, but I couldn’t help it, I am and always have been, a cat person.
memeh my cat
Falcor a.k.a Maximus Decimus MeridiusHe’s such a small bundle of excitement and energy that you can’t help but smile just by looking at his antics. That’s one less frown for a day. ☺
more new pets, Antoinette "Grabiddy" Rabbit and Seamus the Kitty
Music – I’m really thankful that I’ve been given a chance to relive my music this year. I am thankful that my bandmates have found the time and exerted the effort to go to our jamming sessions and play our music like they did when first we met.
I am thankful to have found a gig with a good sound system and a good crowd and to have sung my heart out, because of it.
I wish I had the patience to sit down one day and finally work on the multitude of recorded voice notes and rough riffs in my cellphone so I can arrange them into complete songs (and good ones, at that).
I wish that we could continue recording our songs so that we can finally release our Demo CD.
I thank the Lord that He has given me the gift to create and be music. It’s always been one of the soothing constants in my life and without it, I may have sunk into the doldrum mire a long, long time ago.
Anyway, that’s my list for now. I’m not sure if it’s going to be a lot of help to you reader, but I hope it has kept you from thinking about your worries, even if it’s just for a little while.
Find things to distract you, find things that make you smile. Sooner or later, you’ll be surprised that you’ve passed your “down-phase” and everything’s gotten better.
2 comments:
I wish I could download your Secret View song. I really like it. The feeling it brings is VERY familiar.
i forgot to bluetooth my songs to your phone last saturday, anyway, next time we go DOTA-playing and greenhills-reyes-barbeque bingeing (mali ata yung spelling?), i'll be sure to send you the files. tsktsk, inuna pa kasi natin yung KARPAL e haha. well, the reason why you might like it e kasi, you were there when nangyari yung events sa song, you know, nasa parking lot, di naman nagyoyosi, masulyapan lang si... tsktsk. talks like these just make me want a beer.
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