Delighted to meet her

Grabbed Bridget Jones's Diary at a book sale

Bridget Jones writes in her diary what I won't dare write in my own: current weight, calorie intake, sexual encounters, humiliations and defeats; and in a manner I cannot even begin to master: straightforward and witty.

Chick lit is an unexplored (because avoided) territory for me. My impression of the genre is tied to whiny girls belaboring the obvious about love, men, and other girls. So why the sudden foray into the unknown? No special reason, except the human urge to sometimes try something different and know. Plus, my inner Anglophile whispered, Bridget is brilliant.

The book was published when I was still in high school, though I only learned about it in college when the film adaptation came out. It is, I realize, for the better that I've read it now than then; for surely back when I was 19, I would have little appreciation for the theory that

Homosexuals and single women in their thirties have natural bonding: both being accustomed to disappointing their parents and being treated as freaks of society.

Friday south

My message went, 'I'll be waiting,' and attached was a photo of the calm evening in Westgate, Alabang. 'You're too early,' my friend replied.

Only I was willfully early and never waiting. With me was a book and a full pot of tea.

Technofear & technojoy

We had a good run, you and I

My record still holds: I've yet to buy my own cell phone. I said good-bye to that beautiful copper Palm Treo that had grown too old to use and hello to a new handset, again courtesy of my sister.

The gift did not come with a ribbon but a headache. Before I could fully use the phone:

1. I had to have it unlocked. I did and it cost me.

2. I had to have my SIM card upgraded. I did, eventually—

a. I had to go to the nearest wireless center. I did and they told me they ran out of the type of SIM card I needed. But they were kind enough to look for the next nearest wireless center and reserve the SIM for me.

b. I had to go to wireless center #2 to claim my upgraded SIM. I did, for a few pesos more.

Now I'm trying to activate my new phone's MMS settings, but I keep getting 'Phone model not compatible'. These machines do tend to be like humans, you can't simply figure them out, and they already come with a manual, so they're worse.

What Eddie Izzard so perfectly sums up in his sketch on technology—I do love it, but I can hate it really big time. But as I've later on recognized, when you say you have a love-hate relationship with someone or something, chances are love is the foothold of the entire affair. Therefore hassle and all, I, in the end, love technology (and humans).

What is the best thing about writing?

You can create and live in an ideal world, correct blunders and turn faults into constituents of perfection. And after having done all this, reality presents a rare surprise you were too dull to have imagined.

12 things at 2012

1. Someone began with an error. 2013. Although this always happens to me. When it's my birthday and people ask me how old I am, I tend to add another year to my actual age. (Care to psychologize?)

2. I spent the first few hours of 2012 watching Inception on cable TV. That's not entirely true, though. The first 45 minutes were spent watching fireworks. It may be burning money, but it's one human invention and luxury that I appreciate. Someday I wish to visit Australia and, among other things, witness the Sydney New Year's eve fireworks display.

3. In the assumption that trimming them down to the bare essentials will make them easier to practice, my resolutions are:

3.1) meet deadlines,
3.2) not say yes when I don't mean it,
3.3) write slowly.

4. Before you say, How can you meet deadlines when you write slowly?, let me explain: it's not about working fast, it's about managing time well. In other words, I resolve to be more disciplined.

5. The unabridged version of my 2012 resolutions (including the first 3) would be:

5.1) get out of bed before 10 am,
5.2) work out at least 3 times a week,
5.3) minimize junk food intake,
5.4) explore new places.

Still a short list!