A quake shook the whole of Visayas yesterday. Although the epicenter was in Ormoc, a transmission tower collapsed, cutting off electricity in nearby islands including Cebu, so business for the rest of the Visayan Islands were interrupted.

We had intermittent power connection and at some point the power generator went kaput, leaving all 16 floors of Ayala FGU in darkness. I had to climb down all 15 floors of stairs. I sent SMS to my friends telling them of my feat. When I woke up this morning, my legs buckled at the weight of Santi – a mere 10 kilos.

Back to that event yesterday, after spending a good long hour in the coffee shop where we hogged the WIFI of the whole of Ayala to send furtive emails to my clients, I went to NBS to repair. Books! The sight of them, strewn and scattered on large crates made my insides melt. I was so tempted to use my credit card again but my better twin was stronger that day and so I satisfied myself by licking the back of the softbound and hardbound books. It was like snorting cocaine. I went home with a spring in my step and a lighter heart.

A friend texted me to find out where I am and if am out of the building safe and all. I answered that am in a free reading spree and the response: You go ahead read and enjoy.

I advice it to everyone — climbing steps and books.

I was reading Paulina Constancia’s poems last night and all those memories came back, flooding me with nostalgia. She quoted Michael Franks in one of her poems and I’m printing here the full song.

If it’s true from the start That the names of those we love Are written in our hearts And we’ll search ’til we find In this jungle of Confusion Something that reminds us How we love each other Then I think I’ve found the clue Because I’m certain I remember you Through my window I see How the seasons change like notes Within some harmony But the love in our eyes Is an endless summer Is a joy that magnifies Each time we touch each other And it feels like Deja Vu As my heart reveals How I remember you Day after day I’m amazed How our love intensifies In every way it resembles forever Abandons us never Like the sunlight that shines Like the fragrance of the rose No single word defines We are tuned to the sound That displays creation That our lives revolve around And searching for each other From a million hearts we choose You remember me and I remember you A chorus of sparrows in summer Is how I remember you The fire of maples in autumn Is how I remember you The Silence of snowfall in winter Is how I remember you

I love Michael Franks… and it was through Paulina’s poems that I discovered him.

I am reading this book that my husband got for himself: Leadershock. Why I feel the need to stress the fact that Jude got it for himself requires a thorough explanation… some very thorough explanation that it would equal the book on the beginning of the universe that I have yet to write. A shorter explanation is this: I got a degree in Psychology and I don’t read self-help books. Go figure.

So why am I reading this book which was not for me and which I have in so many times and ways, publicly announced as abhorrent. It is weird to wake-up at 4 in the morning to see your husband reading slideshows after slideshows of Management lectures. They’ve got a training at their work and the consultant said in his airiness: This is MBA stuff. I, the ever curious mole dug into my hubby’s lecture notes and scoffed at all the brouhaha. Tse! I learned all these way back in college. I remember sitting through an exam as boring as this for 2 semesters long. Everyone in my class got 1 (the highest grade) while I got 1.75. And it was not for lack of trying, it was because I did not read the required articles and did not hand in my papers (insight and reaction to some stale social issues). I spent my time reading Dostoevsky’s Notes from Underground instead of memorizing the 7 Habits of Highly-effective People. To my teacher, may her soul rest.

What has this to do with my present job? I’ll get into that. I got past Chapter 1 and I actually made it to Chapter 2. Chapter 1 was about verbally expressing your intentions and Chapter 2 was about taking responsibility. I like that. The book (the one that my husband spent on, not the MBA material) is similar to One-Minute Manager which I also read way back in College. They are not the same but complementary.

I like the book because it reflects my practice. What a way of assuaging my ego. Yeah, it did. Take for example ‘passing the buck’ – I have long learned that blaming has become a reflex to some. I know how easy it is to pass the buck and how hard to untangle/solve a problem if you allow shit to run its downward course – shit rolls downhill, so they say. I also know and have put into practice the art of changing people’s perception of events and things by priming. By changing my own attitude, I can make people perceive a situation as either something grave or manageable. ATTITUDE 101.

I only wish I could put all these to work at HOME. Home is my greatest battlefield. With Una and Jude and in the coming months, Santi – I am bound to lose. What stronger opponents? What greater stake?

Note to self: Change ATTITUDE and create personal mantra: This is not a war but a playground. Everyone plays to have a good time.

I wish you all a great week ahead.

This Christmas we gave books to some of our friends. I felt bold this time and gave out something that I have not read (and therefore cannot vouch) – The Orange Girl by Jostein Gaarder (El Mundo Sofia) and Bone Setter’s Daughter by Amy Tan (Joy Luck Club).

I am in love with the Norwegian, Mr. Gaarder – Through a Glass, Darkly, Vita Brevis and Sophie’s World while I nurture a love-hate relationship with Ms. Tan. I prefer Kitchen God’s Wife over Joy Luck Club.

Vita Brevis is my favorite love story. Come to think of it, it’s a story of a love between soul mates but without the happy ending thereby making it a NOT-love story-story. It is a letter from St. Augustine’s discarded paramour (and mother of his son) in response to his Confessions. The woman’s name was Floreia and I see some of my self in her… so much of myself in her.

There’s also another love story that is quite a love story because the girl married another man and was quite happy with how things turned. It’s Herman Wouke’s Marjorie Morningstar. Yes, from the same author of that tattered book that still sits on my reading table – Inside Outside. And yes, I feel a great affinity with the lady Marjorie.

Back to the books that we gave out – it turned out that Bone Setter’s did not live up to the Amy Tan tradition while The Orange Girl as I have expected, pleased the recipient.. a great deal.

Now, am itching to get a copy myself.

Ask me which part of the movie was disappointing for me - the Hogwarts Dormitory looks a little gloomy and small and I was hoping to see all 4 champions with the dragons. And Rita Skeeter? The Yule Ball was not as enchanting as the book.

Book 4 is my favorite of the 6 installments. I am hoping book 7 would top ‘em all and catapult me to Nirvana.

Am still sleepy and I am glad for the free sachet of toothpaste that the ticket lady handed out to us. Am going to brush my teeth and see if it will wake me up.