November 2013 Diaries (2 of 3)

January 11-17 Edition

Jonathan Aquino's Journal

               

November 7, 2013

7:15 p.m.

Haiyan, locally known as "Super Typhoon" Yolanda, is about to hit us tonight.

I'm writing this in one of the office cafeterias, with a plastic cup of warm water.

Rain began to fall softly.

President Noynoy Aquino had a live broadcast on the evening news just a couple of minutes ago. The government is making preparations for what meteorologists predict to be the strongest storm in recent Philippine history.

The Western Visayas region, which includes Cebu where I am now, could face signal Number Four, which is totally unheard of in decades. I heard news of people panicking and going on mad grocery binges. Of course they would.

Now, on the brink of a giant storm with catastrophic proportions, I'm in the pantry watching the doomsday movie 2012.

"None of us are strangers," said the President, played by Danny Glover. "We are one family facing the darkness together."

2012

November 8, 2013

2:01 a.m.

We were sent home early because of the storm. I just home to my apartment in the city. I really appreciate that Dave, our trainer from India, coordinated and actually paid for the taxis since there are no more jeepneys. It's rare to find people in management who show they care beyond lip service rhetoric.

I didn't join the others. I feel very uncomfortable taking money from anybody. Besides, my apartment is a just few meters away. So I just watched 10 Years on the pantry for a while. It's the part from a guy singing with a guitar on stage to where Channing Tatum and Rosario Dawson are dancing as the bar is closing.

10 Years

At the same time, how can I possibly explain that I love the rain, even singing in the rain like the legendary Gene Kelly?

Singin' In The Rain

I love walking alone and I love the feeling in the air after the rain. It frees my mind and ignites my creative juices. There's nobody like me where I'm currently working, not even my lunch buddies J and N. Somehow I doubt there is one in the world. If I cared about fitting in, which I don't, I might have felt isolated. But I don't. I just feel so free.

Only a true artist would understand.

7:43 p.m.

It's raining outside. This morning it was like a baby hurricane. I woke up when night rolled in, enveloped in darkness. Apparently there was a brown-out. The text message I've been waiting for from our supervisor Yssa came in just then: it's official: no work tonight because of the storm and because we're still in training.

So now I can look forward to a quiet night in the comfort and safety of my own room. It would be so nice curling up with a paperback while the elements rage outside. A lot of people I've met recently would be bored by the idea of staying at home, and I won't be surprised if some of some of them would even be horrified at the mere thought of being alone. I thought "Home Alone" is a comedy. All I want is a simple and quiet life. I want to be away from the pretentious and narrow minded.

"Some people think that the physical things define what's within," goes the song.

If I Ain't Got You

Alicia Keys

There's a old sea-side village way down south of the city. Only the locals know about it. When I arrived in Cebu earlier this year with a broken heart, that's where I found a measure of emotional peace. Then, when something happened to me in Cebu that almost crushed my spirit, the sea never fails to bring me the strength I need. I call it home.

That's all I ever wanted.

"All I want, is what I had back then, when time was my friend," Stephen sings, the theme of one of my favorite movies of all time.

All I Want For Christmas

All I Want

Stephen Bishop

"All I want

is the promise you'll stay,

All I want

is one more yesterday..."