Day 1 of my long vacation,Good Morning Vancouver

It’s delightfully cold today. The furnace did its job last night and it’s nicely cool instead of oppressively freezing today. Ninang said that yesterday was the first time they had sunshine in days, so it’s relatively warmer. Just in time for Lola and I coming in.

The moment I woke up though, I was feeling ravenous. Even though I had a very full dinner of steak, rice, berries, and cookies last night. Luckily, there was already breakfast on the table, courtesy of Yaya Fe, and I ate it with the noisy little doggie of the house running circles round my chair and nipping at my heels. I’ll significantly gain weight during my month-long stay at the rate my appetite has been like, but plenty of my officemates already told me not to worry about it and just chillax. And gain weight, if that’s the natural course of events.

Their little doggie is very cute, but it’s a fierce little barker! I learned quickly enough not to turn my back on it–yesterday, it jumped on my back and left a scratch on my leg! It’s a little bully, that’s what it is. I gave it quite the scolding and now it’s just staring more or less quietly at me.

And now I just finished a giant mug of coffee with liberal helpings of cream and sugar, and a giant cookie. Now I feel like taking a walk, to at least lessen this heavy, stuffed-full feeling.

I do miss my officemates, but not the stresses of the work itself. However, as not to let this four weeks be a waste, I’ll be making the most of each and every single day, and do my best not to think too much about home and work. I’ve been wanting a break like this forever, so I better do it right.

A pocketful of sunshine for these gloomy days

It’s no secret that lately, I’ve been feeling miserable. All other aspects of my life are going terribly, aggravating my writer’s despair, and I feel like I’m steadily sinking in a bottomless pit of depression. And all my negative feelings are plain as day, all over my face, discernible in the lethargic way I carry myself lately. My office friends ask me what’s wrong, and say they miss my smile and laughter.

But more than that, they also try to find ways to cheer me up.

My heart used to skip a beat…

I carry my MP3 player with me at all times because I don’t want to have to see you (with her). I pretend it’s an object of intense interest, that I can’t take my eyes off it, and hear nothing else but the music.

The days that I miss, those were good times indeed…

I miss the times when one can call out to the entire department: “Let’s eat!” and instantly, many would reply “Okay!” or “Wait for me!” When one can grab the hand of anyone in the department and say: “Come with me!” When one can plan a TGI-day and invite everyone in the department.

I’m sure we’re different

Dear Friend M,

You must have been shocked when I cried: “No, we’re different. I’m sure of it.”

But when you said: “We’re the same, I also wanted to be a writer, but I gave it up in high school,” instinct took over me and I wholeheartedly expressed what I believed to be the truth.