The Fat Man Today

I was supposed to continue my Manila retrospective this week, but the fact is that my week didn’t really give me much time to write. I was simultaneously busy with work, busy meeting with friends, and then I had to deal with a flu, so by the end of the week – which was yesterday – I was bone-dry tired. I’d come from an afternoon out with family, and basically fell into my bed by the time I got back home. Slept for around nine hours, and it was glorious. But since I’m already here and writing, I’d like to talk about one of the places I’ve been frequenting for the past few weeks. This would be the Oarhouse in Malate , a friendly neighborhood pub that would be the closest equivalent of Cheers in Manila.

The other day, I read the post of a friend who was ranting about how Manila can only be beautiful when seen from a specific light. I could understand what he means, because Manila is the center of traffic in the NCR. The poor are here in full force, the most corrupt policemen are here, and honestly, there is no discipline whatsoever. But here’s something that I’ve discovered. You walk Manila. You don't drive it. It isn't the most walkable city in the world, but what can be seen when you do walk it is fantastic. And when you walk around the city, you don’t encounter the corrupt cops (because they’re going after the drivers), you don’t deal with traffic. You can’t do anything about the poor, though. Unless they’re doing something productive, and not just begging, I avoid them. If they’re cleaning up trash, or something similar, then I give them cash.

So it's 2016. Feels really strange writing that. Just when you've gotten used to writing the year the old way, the new year comes along and changes things up. I know, it's just by a number. But the fact is that it's one other thing that you need to get used to. Taken from Forbes . But hey! What am I saying. Happy New Year everybody. I love the turn of the years; it gives you the sensation that you're turning the page in your story for real, like you're shedding away all of the dust you've accumulated the previous year, and emerging as a new, improved version of yourself. Of course, all this is just in your head, none of it is really true, but the energy is there, and sometimes the presence of a new energy is all you need to make a difference. This is probably why everybody makes all these resolutions. Change is a positive energy that forces everybody to move forward. The changing of the year is the stimulus, and this is what inspires the individua...