I Felt Harassed :|
Earlier today, I went to Medicard Makati to have my mandatory pre-employment physical examination. I was expecting the worst, as I thought prior to getting the exam that I had to undergo a FECAL analysis. Much to my dismay, I did get the worst—and it’s not the fecal thingy.
I walked to the reception area of the HMO company bracing myself for thoughts of fecal matter. (Eww gross, haha). I haven’t undergone a thorough physical examination since a few years back (yeah, not a good thing), and much has changed since then. For one, I am smoking quite regularly now (since early last year), and drinking (when there are occasions? haha), so I am perfectly aware that I can’t be as healthy as I was before. Anyway, to cut the long story short, I filled up the out-patient form, waited to be called for examination, and then tried my hardest to ‘look’ healthy.
First thing I had to undergo was the blood pressure (BP) test. As expected (or not), my BP was below the normal range: it was 90/60. 
I reasoned to the nurse who took my BP that I haven’t had enough sleep for the past few days, which was probably why. He just gave me a curt smile. Hmph. Then he asked me to proceed to the weighing scale. The weighing scale was really old, it wouldn’t even point to the middle for crying out loud. The nurse moved the gauges a bit and took note of my weight. I swear it was wrong, cause I was instantly seven pounds heavier! Hahaha.
After that, he handed my form to another nurse. I waited for a while, and then a MALE doctor called me and asked me to follow him to his room. Ehem. I thought to myself then that that would be the first time a MALE doctor would physically examine me, which was why I was quite apprehensive. I sat down on the chair, answered a few questions he asked me, and tried my best to keep calm. I kept repeating to myself that this guy is a doctor, so he MUST be professional and ethical. (To make it easier, we’ll refer to him as Dr. Do-Nothing in this post.)
As the minutes dragged on, I noticed that Dr. Do-Nothing was trying hard to put me at ease. He must have noticed my apprehension. He was also trying his best to crack jokes that were not funny at all. He even noticed the skin peeling off my shoulders, so he said something like, “Galing po yata kayo sa beach, ma’am. Sa Boracay ba?” (It seems like you went to the beach, ma’am. Did you go to Boracay?). I gave him a polite laugh, and said NO. He followed it up by suggesting Puerto Galera, perhaps. I gave him a more stern NO. (Man, can’t Dr. Do-Nothing take a hint?)
After that, Dr. Do-Nothing proceeded to asking me more health-related questions (thank goodness). He asked me if I was smoking. I answered him yes, since January last year, and that I quit (at an average of) every two months. He asked me if I drink, I said yes, occasionally. He asked me how occasional is occasional, and I told him twice a month. He then commented, “Ah, pag gimik lang.” (Ah, only when you go out.) Aw, c’mon, doc, you have got to be kidding me. Was that absolutely necessary?
Running out of questions to ask, he then proceeded to actually physically examining me. He checked my breathing using a stethoscope, all the while asking me silly questions. Convinced that I was breathing healthily, he then took a penlight and examined my nostrils, then my mouth. He asked me if I had some difficulty swallowing recently, as he saw that my tonsils were a bit irritated. I told him that yeah, I had an allergy this morning when we sprayed Lysol all over my boyfriend’s room. Crappy excuse, but hey! He bought it. Hahaha.
Dr. Do-Nothing now told me it’s time for my breast examination. (My whaaat?) He explained to me that the female doctor has just left, so he had to do the examination. (ZOMG. Are you kidding me?) He also asked me if I want him to call the female nurse instead. I said yes, please by all means. He disappeared for a while then came back with the female nurse. The female nurse asked me to lie down on the bed, take off my bra and expose my breast for all the world to see. (Nyaah.)
Anyway, you can imagine the rest. (Gawd, I hate physical examinations.)
I Has A New Job!
Woot. I’m not jobless anymore. 
Yay.
I’ll be working as a researcher/risk analyst for the Makati branch of a multinational company based in Switzerland. Their office is at the Citibank Tower in Paseo.
Finally.. After two months of being a bum. Haha. 
* Pictures taken using Barney, the Purple Fisheye. With Kimi and Em one random night at Starbucks EC. 
Capones for Birthday Equals Fun
We went to Capones Island in San Antonio, Pundaquit, Zambales on May 10 and 11 as a group summer getaway slash late birthday celebration for my hon (who turned 27), and early birthday celebration for Marye (who turned 24 on the 11th). The trip was planned more than a month ago, and I am just thankful it pushed through.
Some of my friends (excluding me haha), got drunk and went skinny-dipping. I wasn’t in the mood to drink, as I have been on this sober phase for quite a while already and I didn’t want to break it. Also, I had bad memories of getting wasted on the beach, so I tried hard to refrain myself from taking shots of brandy and rum. Plus, we were with my boyfriend’s family (yes, mom, dad, sister, sister-in-law, and 8 month-old baby Lionof!), so getting drunk would be a terrible idea. Haha.
To celebrate Marye’s birthday (and re-celebrate my hon’s birthday), we cooked mac and cheese and (instant) mashed potato. For the cake, we lighted Kimi and Ryan’s special gift: a peanut-butter-and-jelly cupcake by Sonja’s. To really feel the festive birthday mood, we were even supposed to wear party hats! We didn’t, but the two celebrants did. Haha. 
It was my fourth time to go to Capones, but I have never climbed the mountain there. But this time, together with adventurous people, I climbed up the top of that small mountain in Capones. Originally, we wanted to go to the lighthouse, but when we got to the top of the mountain on our side of the beach, we gave up on the idea. Haha. It was a little too steep to be climbed. The easier path was on the other side of the mountain, on a different beach. Besides, we didn’t bring water and food, and we were all hungry and thirsty when we reached the top. Haha.
All in all, it was a happy happy trip, even though we were greeted by huge waves, unexpected rain, and blaring thunder.
Everyone who went to the beach: Tito Alex, Tita Susan, Ate Xela, Ate Mai, Ate Divine, Lionof, Kimi, Ryan, Marye, Ayis, Tintin, Osel, Laycel, Cali, Gen, Jovan, Daidai, Mike, Charmaine, me and my hon. Thank you so much, and see you on the next trip.
Surprise Birthday Candle Blowing at Boni High Street
May 7, 2008: this day was extra special. It marked my hon’s 27th birthday, and our ninth month together.
For lack of anything to do that day (we had planned on a beach trip for the weekend as a late celebration), I invited my hon to ‘have coffee’ with some friends from my previous work. It was supposed to look like it was just a coffee chill out session with friends after a tiring day. Since early afternoon, we had been on a mad dash from Pasong Tamo, to my hon’s house, then to Market Market, Serendra, and then Figaro Boni High Street. This was was also why I was just about ready to collapse. I barely had three hours of sleep, so my body was begging me to slow down. Haha.
So we sat down at Figaro with Jon and Paul (his dad, together with his uncle, co-owns the place), to have coffee and ‘rest for a while’ before having dinner. Since it was a week night, my hon had limited time as he goes to work at 9 pm everyday. I knew he was really clueless (or was he not?) as to what will happen that night. He knew that I must be planning on something, and that it wasn’t just a coffee with my former teammates. He was expecting something else to happen and I can sense it, although he was trying his best not to show it. Haha. He saw me go inside a Red Ribbon store in Market Market earlier, so he probably guessed something was up. (Later that night, he mentioned that he thought I was going to buy him a cake there. I didn’t, but I bought nine red candles for the two small cakes we surprised him with. Hehe.)
Over Mentos and menthol cigarettes, in the office pool area, Paul and I had planned a small surprise for my hon the night before. The plan coincided with Paul’s weekly visit to their coffee shop, so it was already a sure thing. When I got home that night, I texted Mark and Pia to ask if they can join us for this little surprise. Thankfully, they had no other plans, except for Mark’s team’s game, so they confirmed for tomorrow. The following day, I asked my hon to accompany me to Pasong Tamo. He had no idea of what will happen that night, and we had no other plans anyway, so he agreed to come with me to Boni High Street.
Happy Birthday Red :)
Happy birthday.
I visited you in your office earlier, and we talked about, among other things, age and how we’re not getting any younger. Officially, you are now two years past the quarter of a century—yes, it’s incredible how you’re already past your mid-20s, but the greatest of your life’s journey is yet to come. Oh, don’t worry hon, you’re not quite in your late 20s yet, AND you don’t look it anyway. Hee.
I love you so much, hon. You know how extra special your birthday is.
Happy monthsary.
I can’t believe it’s been almost a year. Time flies by fast, no? It still feels like yesterday when you first approached me and asked for my name, then my YM screen name, and then borrowed my iPod cable—all in a span of less than 20 minutes. (Honestly, you really caught me off-guard that time, hon. Haha.) I admit it hasn’t been a completely smooth ride from then, but it is all so worth it. And look at us now.
Hon, I know in my heart there’ll be more ‘almost another year’ to come for us. I can’t say this enough, and I know you know it already, but still, I want the whole world to know…
