Theory #1: The Sweet Facade
One time, I was talking to Mac over the phone, a good friend of 22 years...
Mac: "Nabasa ko yung blog mo"
Me: "And?"
Mac: "Mabait ka raw? (chortling at the background)"
Me: "Oo raw."
Mac: "Sinabi talaga nila yun? (more irritating chortle sound)"
Me: "Oo nga raw, kaya nga nasisigawan na lang ako ng kung sino-sino."
Mac: "Eh ang sungit-sungit mo kaya! Balahura ka rin eh!"
And there goes the long 22 years of so-called friendship.
Theory #2: I can sing well
Some people say that I have a good singing voice. And so whenever there's a videoke party or some singing events in school, I've always been tossed into the centerstage, either singing solo or with a group. And so when this really old friend asked me to sing for her wedding, I told my mom about my friend's requested song...
Me : "Mommy, familiar ka ba sa song?"
Mom: "Bakit, kakanta ka ba?"
Me : "Oo raw. So maganda ba yung song?"
Mom: "Bakit ka kinuhang kumanta?" (obviously ignoring my question)
Me : "Eh ewan ko."
Mom: "Kumakanta ka ba talaga?"
Me : "Uhmm...minsan...sa school...sa plm dati...kung saan-saan. Bakit?"
Mom: "Wag ka ng kumanta. Nakakahiya naman."
Wooh mom!
Friday, March 28, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
The Sweet Facade
The very first time I overheard someone said that I have this sweet facade that is so deceiving, I was kinda offended by it. I mean, I never faked my "sweetness." It was never a facade. And just because I look "mabait" doesn't mean I can't be bitchy at times. This so-called sweet image had brought me good, but more often than not, bad things. Let me cite some examples.
1. Just last week, I was standing in front of PGH waiting for a bus ride when suddenly someone bumped into me and yelled, "Tatanga-tanga ka kasi!" Outraged by this, I replied "Ano sinabi mo? Bumalik ka dito!" And the woman yelled again, "Ang laki-laki ng bag mo! P*****-ina mo!" Apalled and infuriated, I just thought, "What the hell is wrong with you? I was just standing here." Of course I did not shout back at her or exchange nasty words, everybody was staring at me at the time, I didn't want to attract more attention. And besides, I don't want to stoop down to her level. I told Topher, TJ and Jun about it the next day, and they just said, "Mukha ka kasing mabait. Para kang pwedeng itulak-tulak lang sa daan."
2. I was doing my monitoring at the PACU one day, when I noticed that this co-intern that should be sharing with the monitoring duty was not monitoring at all. I couldn't tell her off to do her part. I mean, we're all adults here, right? But to my dismay, she just sat there the whole time, pretending to be busy. And then she approached me and said that she couldn't stay longer, she gotta go somewhere else. And she just left. When I told my blockmates about this, they just said, "Mukha ka kasing mabait, mukha kang di magrereklamo." Hmp.
3. I always hide from a certain resident who is known to have a "mautos" reputation. I learned different tactics to escape from her unreasonable orders. Besides, I am not rotating under her service. The reason: whenever she enters the callroom, she quickly searches the crowd for me or Ciela, because she assumes we'll take her orders like her obedient and submissive servants. And Topher pointed out again, "it's your sweet facade..."
4. During my IM rotation, I have this diabetic and renal patient who I took care of his daily needs and treated him well with lots of kindness. To my surprise, one morning, he was feeling depressed or something, he took out all his frustration and anger at me, yelling unkind and callous words at me, that I failed to take it all in professionally. I cried. I cried in front of my patient and walked out. And Ross pointed out, "Mukha ka kasing mabait. Wala namang makakagawa ng ganyan sa amin. Palaging nangyayari sayo yan."
And so the lesson of the story? I guess, be more assertive. Look assertive. How to look like one, I don't know.
1. Just last week, I was standing in front of PGH waiting for a bus ride when suddenly someone bumped into me and yelled, "Tatanga-tanga ka kasi!" Outraged by this, I replied "Ano sinabi mo? Bumalik ka dito!" And the woman yelled again, "Ang laki-laki ng bag mo! P*****-ina mo!" Apalled and infuriated, I just thought, "What the hell is wrong with you? I was just standing here." Of course I did not shout back at her or exchange nasty words, everybody was staring at me at the time, I didn't want to attract more attention. And besides, I don't want to stoop down to her level. I told Topher, TJ and Jun about it the next day, and they just said, "Mukha ka kasing mabait. Para kang pwedeng itulak-tulak lang sa daan."
2. I was doing my monitoring at the PACU one day, when I noticed that this co-intern that should be sharing with the monitoring duty was not monitoring at all. I couldn't tell her off to do her part. I mean, we're all adults here, right? But to my dismay, she just sat there the whole time, pretending to be busy. And then she approached me and said that she couldn't stay longer, she gotta go somewhere else. And she just left. When I told my blockmates about this, they just said, "Mukha ka kasing mabait, mukha kang di magrereklamo." Hmp.
3. I always hide from a certain resident who is known to have a "mautos" reputation. I learned different tactics to escape from her unreasonable orders. Besides, I am not rotating under her service. The reason: whenever she enters the callroom, she quickly searches the crowd for me or Ciela, because she assumes we'll take her orders like her obedient and submissive servants. And Topher pointed out again, "it's your sweet facade..."
4. During my IM rotation, I have this diabetic and renal patient who I took care of his daily needs and treated him well with lots of kindness. To my surprise, one morning, he was feeling depressed or something, he took out all his frustration and anger at me, yelling unkind and callous words at me, that I failed to take it all in professionally. I cried. I cried in front of my patient and walked out. And Ross pointed out, "Mukha ka kasing mabait. Wala namang makakagawa ng ganyan sa amin. Palaging nangyayari sayo yan."
And so the lesson of the story? I guess, be more assertive. Look assertive. How to look like one, I don't know.
Donate Blood...Save Lives
I've always wanted to do it, but due to my body weight that had never met the ideal value for my height, I've always been rejected. I felt frustrated especially during the time when my dad needed 20 bags of packed RBCs and fresh frozen plasma, and I couldn't give a part of me to prolong his life. But just today, I was able to persuade the med tech people who were doing the screening to allow me to donate my blood (it actually took a lot of smile and charms to let my weight of 44 kilograms pass through). However, they allowed to get only an aliquot of blood, about 250 mL, which is the typical amount used for pediatric patients. But at least, I am now a proud blood donor! I can now save lives! (or a life of a neonate, maybe)Saturday, March 15, 2008
When the beat keeps coming back
If there's one thing I know I'm good at, and really happy doing, it's dancing. I'm not bragging or anything, it's just a deep realization of my other passions in life. And God, how I miss dancing. As in serious dancing. I've been dancing all my younger years, but I've decided to put it all aside due to other important things that needed my attention and concentration more. I've always thought that since it's something that I've considered already a part of who I really am, I can simply go back to it whenever I please. But now, I really really miss dancing. And performing. And there's no opportunity to do so. I'll just watch all my downloaded music videos over and over again...and drool and die of envy.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Gabriela
I was branded as "Gabriela" for animals by Chrissie, one of my blockmates, due to my unyielding fight against animal abuse. I am a hardcore animal rights activist, yelling shamelessly at some people who hurt animals in front of me. If only I'm not too busy with my intern duties in the hospital, people might find me volunteering for helping homeless dogs and cats and bringing them to shelters like PAWS. I really don't know how I got this passion for animals, I just recall when I was still a kid that I bring home kittens and puppies which I pick up from streets. My mom would scold me and put the poor creatures back to the streets.
I have 2 dogs at home, Shian and Shane, both 8 years old (56 in canine years), and a family of cats, Set, Miming and Susette. I also have an aquarium of fishes and 3 cages of lovebirds. I just love them so much, I consider them not as animals pets but as family members. People usually ask about the breeds of my dogs and cats and they usually get disappointed whenever I say that they're mixed breeds of chowchow-retriever and terrier-labrador and that my cats are actually "pusang kalye." They think I'm stupid to treat them like humans, feeding them well and even make them wear clothes (haha!) and allowing them to sleep inside my bedroom just because they are not pure breeds. "Sayang naman, they're close to being askals! Dapat mga imported lang yung nasa bahay. Pag askal, tinatali lang sa may gate" some would say. I don't know about them, but isn't that being discriminating? I mean, it's like saying don't let the blacks get inside your homes because we're all whites? Pure breed or not, they're equal, they're all canines, they are all creatures of God who are capable of doing good and they also have feelings. Yes, they have emotions. They also feel happy, sad and angry. So don't take it against the dog if they bit you because you made fun of him or beat him or pull his tail, he has all the reason to get mad at you. Just learn your lesson and be more humane next time and get an anti-rabies vaccine ASAP.
When people get shocked that Shane actually has an epileptic disorder and that we have to maintain him on an antiepileptic drug daily, which they find it ridiculous or funny, I just smile and realize more that there's still a lot of people out there who are still ignorant about animals. Like humans, they also have anatomical parts like brain, heart, lungs, and all the gastrointestinal organs you could think of...which means that like humans, they could have diseases of the brain like epilepsy, psychological disorders (yup, you read it right, psychological), hypertension, heart diseases, pneumonia, cancer...almost all human diseases you could think of. And that's not weird. Some people are just not informed. Or refused to get informed. Or use their brains. Can you feel my rage? Yup, that's why I'm called the Gabriela for animals.
I have 2 dogs at home, Shian and Shane, both 8 years old (56 in canine years), and a family of cats, Set, Miming and Susette. I also have an aquarium of fishes and 3 cages of lovebirds. I just love them so much, I consider them not as animals pets but as family members. People usually ask about the breeds of my dogs and cats and they usually get disappointed whenever I say that they're mixed breeds of chowchow-retriever and terrier-labrador and that my cats are actually "pusang kalye." They think I'm stupid to treat them like humans, feeding them well and even make them wear clothes (haha!) and allowing them to sleep inside my bedroom just because they are not pure breeds. "Sayang naman, they're close to being askals! Dapat mga imported lang yung nasa bahay. Pag askal, tinatali lang sa may gate" some would say. I don't know about them, but isn't that being discriminating? I mean, it's like saying don't let the blacks get inside your homes because we're all whites? Pure breed or not, they're equal, they're all canines, they are all creatures of God who are capable of doing good and they also have feelings. Yes, they have emotions. They also feel happy, sad and angry. So don't take it against the dog if they bit you because you made fun of him or beat him or pull his tail, he has all the reason to get mad at you. Just learn your lesson and be more humane next time and get an anti-rabies vaccine ASAP.
When people get shocked that Shane actually has an epileptic disorder and that we have to maintain him on an antiepileptic drug daily, which they find it ridiculous or funny, I just smile and realize more that there's still a lot of people out there who are still ignorant about animals. Like humans, they also have anatomical parts like brain, heart, lungs, and all the gastrointestinal organs you could think of...which means that like humans, they could have diseases of the brain like epilepsy, psychological disorders (yup, you read it right, psychological), hypertension, heart diseases, pneumonia, cancer...almost all human diseases you could think of. And that's not weird. Some people are just not informed. Or refused to get informed. Or use their brains. Can you feel my rage? Yup, that's why I'm called the Gabriela for animals.
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