My Blog

I’d like to believe I’m a level-headed person.  Most of the time, I have a great sense of control over things that go inside my head, but I realized that I tend to lose it when everything is happening all at once in my life.  Thankfully, though, my coping mechanism to stress is not as dangerous as other people’s; to say the least, mine is comical.

• Last night, I pulled an all-nighter doing my research paper.  I should have worked on it a long time ago, but the procrastinator in me convinced me I could do it overnight.  It didn’t help too that on the day I decided to start writing–the day before the deadline–Charice Pempengco guested on Oprah, Dancing with the Stars had its semi-finals, and Samantha Who? had its season finale.  Thanks ABC!  By the time I finished my essay, I realized I only had two hours left to get some shut-eye.  A couple of hours after I dozed off, my alarm  clock damaged my eardrums.  I was tempted to sleep through my alarm, but my conscience wouldn’t have any of it.  I got up feeling groggy–not even the cold/hot shower could make me fully awake.  After I dressed, I hurriedly left my room to have enough walk time to the bus stop.  I was half-way to the stop when I found out that what’s in my hand was the TV remote control instead of my cell phone.
• A few years ago, I was so burnt out that I found teaching and going to school stupendously dreadful.  One time, on my way to school, I hailed a cab and when the driver asked me where I was heading, I heard myself say, "BC 25," the course I was teaching.  Confused, the driver asked again, "Where?"  I was about to say, "I mean EL33," another course I was handling.  Thankfully, my mouth said the right address my mind failed to process.
• A couple of weeks later, I boarded another tricycle cab and found myself riding with a chummy driver. On good times, I would have appreciated his friendliness, but at that time, I had so much on my plate that I wanted to zip his mouth.  As we were navigating our way around the narrow streets of Dumaguete, he asked me if we were to turn right.  Instead of confirming it, in my very dignified, teacher-like voice I said, "Very Good!"  The inappropriateness of my response quieted the driver, and we drove in awkward silence for two minutes–the longest two minutes I have ever felt.