BECAUSE I am all over the place, and people see me in Boracay one day, and in Iloilo on the next day, they think that I have the busiest schedule on the planet.
Of course, it’s only four hours ride from Boracay to Iloilo.
And while it is true that I schedule events one after the other, I really take care of myself and pace things out.
***
Of course, I can afford to be off-grid when I want to.
But do I really want to?
Personally, I want to be perceived as a busy person even if I advocate for prayer, slowing down, meditation, and self-care.
I really want to be all over the place.
But I am also most self-aware, and I want to keep my sanity.
***
I used to have a more regular schedule.
Content with accomplishing a minimum of three things a day.
A little writing.
Helping out, or reaching out to someone—a widow, a prisoner, a youth, the sick, the elderly, a friend.
Some physical activity like running, or dancing, or distance walking; or some mental endeavor like reading a novel, or a volume of poetry, or even watching a movie.
***
These days, my schedules are crazy.
My tasks pile up, and I keep on taking jobs.
I get invited to long bike rides. (Which I like!)
I get movie dates. (Which I like!)
I get invited to talk to some groups. (Which I like!)
I get to cover events, like for a news story. (Which I like!)
***
I like to do many things.
What I don’t like is the weather.
Often, it messes up my mood.
Waking up to a rainy morning, who would want to run early around town?
Who would insist having coffee in a shop a short bike ride away?
And in the coffee shop, I debate: Do I make the trip to the city in this weather?
I order a second serving of coffee, which brings my caffeine up to three cups.
***
Suddenly, the sun comes out.
No, I don’t want to miss that event in the city.
So I rush, and make that trip.
Now, that’s a different pressure compared to deciding as soon as I get up that I wanted to go to the city.
***
Thus, it can happen that I post something about a lazy day because of the rain.
Perhaps I’d post on social media that it would be a good day to curl up with a book of poems.
And then, around noon, I’d post a photo of me with friends at some event in the city.
I might even post a photo about spending the night in the city.
And having wrapped up things before midnight, I drive back home to Dumangas.
***
Or, it can happen that I make a date to meet a friend on a Wednesday.
And I get an urgent invitation (usually a late invite) to be somewhere on Tuesday night.
So that instead of just being booked on Wednesday, I actually get booked for Tuesday and Wednesday.
Which is to say that I try to pace out my scheduled life, but my schedules are often disrupted by sudden invitations.
***
Why do I allow late invites, or sudden invitations?
Because honestly, I cannot see things beyond three days, or three months, or three weeks.
If I need to make a fashion statement, like if I were to attend an awards ceremony, I would probably need three weeks to prepare.
If you tell me months in advance that I am to receive a prize, an award, or something, I wouldn’t be too excited about it until two months closer to the event.
***
If you want to have a coffee date with me, the invitation must be within three days.
I do not like invitations for “next week”.
Because I don’t believe in next week.
Next week, I could be in Cebu, or Manila, or Singapore.
***
Concerning wakes for the dead that goes on for several nights, I often go very early in the schedule.
Or on the night, or two nights, before the funeral.
I have a crazy schedule, but I like my life.
I like doing things when I want them./PN
