Saturdays

I always go on a 10-km run on Saturday mornings because it gives me an excuse to laze away the rest of the day. Coming home tired yet elated from the run, I would take a shower then immediately prepare breakfast--usually, vegetable-stuffed omelet, pandesal, fruits, and coffee—which I would eat leisurely while watching pundits on CNN debate the day’s breaking news. A certain sense of schadenfreude comes to me whenever I watch news reports about what’s happening around the world. It’s an affirmation that other countries are as fucked-up—or even more so—than the Philippines. That momentary pleasure would then turn to dismay—why are these things happening—and disgust—why am I watching this shit—that I’d turn off the TV, seek solace in books, and retreat from the rest of the world.