A life without Television

When I moved most of my things to Baguio last month, along with these went my beloved television. It was my companion for 6 or so years, and it gave me wonderful couch-potato moments after work. The local channels, Discovery, HBO, Star, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network ... what fun!

In my new place, I only rent a room which is part of a bigger pad. My companion has two TV sets: one in his room, and another in the living. But I hesitate to open the one in the living room. I have gotten so accustomed to having my own TV that using others' set is quite disconcerting. What if there's a power surge and the TV explodes? Wat if I drop the remote control and it get broken into a million pieces? What if I fall asleep in front of the TV and he arrives to see me there? What if I suddenly get this impulse to buy something from the TV Shopping Network? How paranoid can you get?

I have never really been accustomed to using other people's things so there. I now spend my nights fixing up the place (which until now, is a bit on the chaotic side), or lie in bed and get comfy with my books. All the Harry Potters and the Reader's Digests have found a new home in Baguio City. I have the latest issue of National Geographic, some odd magazines given me or bought at the 7-11, and my timeless Dilbert books.

Sure, I miss Television and the lazy entertainment it provides. But I have rediscovered the lazy entertainment books are now giving me as well! Plus, books don't consume electricity! Oh, it does. I need light to read.

Hmmm... a visit to Books for Less should give me new material to read. I do hope the next Harry Potter book comes in soon. So until I can afford to buy a new TV, hello bed and books!

Photo credit: ISleepInADrawer.com

Nang dahil sa kumukutitap na kulisap

This month's topic at Blogkadahan (a group blog) is about leisure moments. What do you do during your free time?

I wrote a piece about my latest interest: trekking. It's written in Filipino [I get to write a lengthy piece in my local language once a month through Blogkadahan :-)]

Head on over to Blogkadahan for my piece entitled "Nang dahil sa kumukutitap na kulisap."

And visit the posts of the other blogkadahan members for their doodles, paintings, and quiet-time activities!

Blood! Aargh

We had our annual physical exam a couple of weekends ago. It was not something I look forward to every year. Not because I'm hiding an illness. It's the blood-letting part that I dislike. Everytime we go through the blood extraction process every year, I pray that Medical technology has already come up with a way to study whatever they have to study in the blood without having to get a sample. But every year I have to sit still while they get hold of my cold, numb finger and prick it. I've watched too many Star Trek sickbays, I guess.

This year was even worse. They're no longer coming to our office as they have done years before. We have to go to their office to complete the check-up. And guess what. Instead of the usual prick on the finger, they now need a syringe of blood! Arrgh.

So one Friday morning found me at the office of our medical insurance agency, waiting for my time to face the needle. A couple of agonizing hours later, they called me in. I looked at the chair where I'm supposed to sit. Great. It's situated so that they get the blood on your left arm. I wanted it to be at my right arm. But wait... that's not my dominant arm so it might hurt more. So I hesitantly sat and looked away while the nurse tied up my biceps to get a vein.

A short while later I felt a sting. And then it was over. Whew.

"Is something wrong mister? Do you feel dizzy?", the nurse inquired.
"Yeah, you took too much blood, and now it has left my face" I wanted to say that but instead I said, "Sorry, I fear the sight of blood."

The nurse shrugged as she patched the wound with a couple of bandages and then I was free to go.

I carried the bandage for the rest of the day like it was a battle wound. My colleagues wondered why I didn't want to remove it but I simply shrugged and said, "why not?"

Later that night, I finally removed the bandage. Aargh. There was a gruesome black-blue violet thing happening under my skin, like there was an internal hemorrhage going on. The spot lasted for a week and a half. It's gone now, but that sort of thing happens, my colleagues related later on as they stared at my battle wound, that the nurse doesn't know how to extract blood. It figures.

Another annual check-up over. And I'm not looking forward to next year.