During Summer, think about Yakutsk

My boss from London spent his first Christmas in the Philippines and he was boasting to his relatives back home of the magnificent weather and climate that we have. He is in fact currently enjoying the summer.

I faint a smile. I seriously don't get it. There must be something wrong with him cause I know this tropical heat is one of the worst...ever. I know it has always been cold in London, but who could ever love Manila Summer? You'd die ungracefully in this heat.

If I were to switch places with him, I'd like to be relocated somewhere in Eastern Siberia, like in a place called Yakutsk, which is penned the coldest city on earth by Time Magazine. It usually ranges from negative 35-40 Degrees Celsius. It's where people wear ultimate protective clothing and where your hot coffees could have frost in a matter of minutes. It's a deadly kind of cold where the soil beneath the city is frozen.

There are pros and cons I'm sure. Urban living in the coldest place on earth do have numerous setbacks. But I'm willing to dream and gamble. I think I'll thrive there.

time.com Yakutsk the coldest city on earth

I hate summer.

As I type, I have a glass of water filled with thinning cubes of ice that seem to escape from the glass in forms of moisture. Soon, the glass looks immensely wet from the outside, it won't take that long. I forgot to put a glass coaster. In this heat, it would surely leave a puddle in the dining table and my mom would be furious. To get to the coaster, I have to leave this place, walk a few feet, open the drawer and walk back. Honestly, my fingers are about the only thing that I can manage to move right now. I can take the scolding, but I cannot take this heat.

Manila is at 34 Degrees Celsius now. In a way, we are lucky. It isn't that bad. Two days ago it reached 36 Degrees, but to be honest, the difference is unrecognizable. The point is, it's still hot. It's the kind of heat that immobilizes you. I can't think of a place that's worst than this. But sure, of course there is. This heats make me overreact and be dramatic. Thinking about the dessert places make me want to puke. I don't like the summer and if I were given a choice, I would never be here in the tropics. 

Checking on my dogs in the middle of the day makes my heart break. Their eyes say it all and I know they scream for snow. Their energies are obviously stripped from this heat. What they do is sleep and just try to forget the hours. They don't even eat their lunch with gusto. They would find a nook and stay there for as long as possible reserving their energy to cool themselves down. Bruce finds his solace in a damp shaded place under his home. Harvey and Chivas stay indoors and sleep with their bodies pressed in the cold tiles and wall. They look miserable, like me, but they do try to cope. 

If only I can whisk them away and go to a place where it's cool, crisp and scenic. Gray clouds, winds and snow states are even better. Anywhere but here in the tropics during summer. 

Summer heat even in varying degrees is still a taste of hell. I hate summer. 

Officially on Vacation Mode

I don't know about you, but I'm one of those people who believes that happiness is a fleeting fleeting. It's not a constant state of condition. Happiness may be suspended and prolonged in a moment, a minute, an hour, a day or a week if you're really lucky, but it's never ever permanent. And even if the idea and feeling of happiness are prolonged, there are only a few moments, seconds or minutes when you actually feel "at most high". And what's more subliminally sweet is when you experience that calm happiness, that brand of happiness that you hear yourself whisper how you love life. As the feeling of happiness envelopes you, the noise seems muffled and you realize that you're involuntarily grinning. No need for frantic shouts, jowls or shaking. It's a calm soothing happiness that washes me and often leaves me in awe.

That brand of calm happiness is rare, but I experienced it today. I experienced this calm happiness after I have composed my out-of-office emails, after I stepped out of the building and drove my car home. While driving through SLEX, I knew I was grinning and I dare not correct myself. It's such a euphoric feeling. I felt that nothing could go wrong.

I am now officially on vacation mode. Work button had been effortlessly switched off. I know it's simple and shallow, but for someone who values time and career, I've come to realize that vacations are important and should not be taken for granted.

I am officially on a vacation and I'm happy. And since happiness is fleeting, I'll try to enjoy every moment as much as I can.

Fire in the Blood

A dear friend of mine who is a budding writer and a rebel-attorney developed into a sophisticated and voracious reader. As I read for pleasure, anything goes that interests me, he is more of the discriminating type. When we met up for coffee two weekends ago, he gave me two bagful of his old and new books. He wanted to give them a new home, short for he's running out of space and concern, as well as he wanted to give books he had no plans of reading a second chance. Of course, I willingly obliged.

As we were talking about, well...books, I had an irrational desire to buy new books the spot even if I already had freebies. I know it's illogical but it's also some kind of a book lover's sickness. After four hours of conversations, attempting to be Tolstoy and literature scholars, we went to Fully Booked and scouted the sale section first. As a tip from one book lover to another, never ever miss out on the sale section, you won't believe what people would put out on discounts! Mostly they're unpopular but excellent works!

As I patiently inspected the lot, my friend pointed out to me Irene Nemorovsky's Fire in the Blood. It's in perfectly good condition at 100 pesos. He hasn't read Fire in the Blood, but he has high praise for Nemorovsky's best known novel, Suite Francaise. He wanted me to try Fire in The Blood, which is a logical choice. From a book lover to another, I trust his judgment.

And thank goodness that I did! The next weekend, I had the time to squeeze in Fire in The Blood and in a day I was able to finish it. It was so good! I was engulfed by the story and the ease of the language. Though the book is not typically thick, more of a novella, it still carries a rich story with a strong message of the power of youth and the evolution of passion. It's a story written with a quaint rural French community as a background. It pictures passion and certain ideas of happiness in the eyes of the youth and in the eyes of the people past their prime. It's a parallel story amidst the minor family scandals and indiscretions.

For those who'd want a quick and meaningful read, I would recommend this.

And just because I so love how the words were unassuming and unpretentiously written, I have become a fan of Irene Nemorovsky. I was so impressed that I texted my friend to thank him for introduce the author to me.

A week after, I decided to search Suite Francaise to include it in my list of summer reads. I was ready to search and order (if need be) from the leading bookstores. On an uneventful Sunday, I was in a simple Booksale store at a  nearby mall waiting for my ride. As I was browsing through the shelf, I quickly spotted the book in excellent condition and on sale at 115 pesos! What luck! Out of all the Booksale shops and timing in the world, I was able to get a copy without breaking a sweat. It's like it fell into my lap. In this case, I believe in destiny.

I intended to read Suite Francaise in my upcoming beach vacation in a few days. I want good vibes and good reads, but I simply cannot wait. I've already read 6 chapters and least to say I am hooked.

I have become a Nemorovsky fan. I recommend anyone to experience her raw works. It's really something worthwhile.

"...i thought i was seeking my fortune but in reality i was being propelled forward by the fire in my blood. But these passions are now extinguished i no longer know who i am."