I’M NEVER a difficult author.
Especially if people just take everything I write.
And why shouldn’t they?
I only meant to educate in the most learner-friendly way.
And I see the big picture.
I’m not some academic in an ivory tower.
I am very much in touch with teachers and students in the Philippines.
*
In fact, on Oct 12, only my second Saturday in the country, I was again with teachers of DepEd Passi City Division.
I gave a lecture on teaching in the 21st century.
Games Learners Play: Language Teaching Strategies with Peter Solis Nery.
Needless to say, I was a hit.
Troll me on Facebook if you don’t trust what I’m saying.
#ThePSN #PSN #PassiGotNery
These hashtags were practically created by the organizers of my talk.
*
How can I not deliver the best lecture in Passi?
They welcomed me with a marching band.
There were students wearing headdresses carrying cartolinas singing my praises — Most Wanted (I really think they mean Most Desired), Most Accessible Writer, one even declaring I am the “Savior of Philippine Literature”.
Passi National High School Rey Deatras was so nice to me, and the advisers and officers of the Butlak group that sponsored my lecture were all so warm, so I was fired up to deliver a great lecture.
*
The participants were fully alive and enthusiastic that I was even more inspired.
They laughed at my jokes so I kept them coming.
In effect, it was another standup comedy show.
It was a one-man tour de force performance.
Only with a more serious and educational topic of education in the 21st century.
*
After my talk, I headed to Suhot Spring Resort in Capiz with friends.
It was another drunken night.
Of course, I have started the 5 o’clock habit with the happy drunks of SNB —
What time is it, Tito Peter?
It’s five o’clock somewhere!
Shot! (To mean, let’s drink to that!)
*
Let’s try not to decipher the meaning of the acronym.
But SNB is a group of young professionals and students from the buena familias of Dumangas.
They’re heavy drinkers, but happy drunks.
They like getting me drunk because I can talk with sense, and I can just drink myself to sleep.
*
So yeah. I’m a golden boy drinking with young 20s and 30s.
I like their company.
They’re mannered, and good looking.
Born spoiled, but don’t dare throw me tantrums.
And I like more that they don’t try to hustle me with alcohol money.
I mean, these people can drink.
But they can afford it!
*
Spent Oct. 13 with them on the road trip home, stopped a few times for food bites, and, of course, more shots.
Yeah, at around 3 p.m., while in the car, we were doing rhum shots.
Hey, it’s 5 o’clock somewhere!
Drinking until midnight on a Sunday.
*
Oct. 14 — waking up without a hangover, I had my blood tested, and I threw in an EKG just because it was priced affordable.
Then, I ran 5 kilometers.
My bloodwork returned mostly normal.
A little on the high side of blood sugar (drinking the day and night before, duh!), and a little on the high side of uric acid (grilled pork pulutan and all the “forbidden food” of the week before, duh!), but all within normal range.
*
I think this is the first time I had an EKG.
It came back sinus brady.
I’m not worried. Most athletic people have sinus bradycardia.
I mean, I’ve been running and I move around a lot.
I consider myself physically fit.
So, I’ll take sinus bradycardia.
*
I ran another 5 kilometers on Oct. 15.
Met my high school classmates.
Had my eyes checked by Dr. Jere Cejar-Ledesma.
I like the personable doctor who gave me big discounts so I ordered 3 pairs of transition eye glasses.
Actually, I just planned to buy two, but one came with a buy one take one free promo.
*
That night, the triplets Arvin, Benedict and Christian Divinagracia (that’s ABCD right there for you) celebrated their birthday.
So, all the hours were 5 o’clock!
By now, you’d be smart to deduce they’re part of the SNB.
*
I was still reading my morning poetry does when someone paid me an early call on Oct. 16.
The quarry people next to my farm property are pulling out the following day.
Would I be interested to avail of the services of their backhoe to pave the short path to my promontory?
I don’t have the money for it, but since it’s a small hush-hush under the table deal, I said yes. (500tinaga@gmail.com/PN)
