I just got back from driving Twin I to school. Yes, at 3:30 am. They are going to a provincial competition for science and technology writing. A sort of journalism competition and call time is very early. They needed to be at the venue at daybreak for some prep work. I packed my daughter a bento box for lunch and made a hamburger sandwich for another meal if needed—at 2:30 in the morning. 🥴

I’ve driven the same road at the same time at 3 am 24 years ago, on the way home from a gig from another city. I was 20 years old; I was still on the way home at this hour. Of course I was often inebriated and it proves that God was always guiding me as I haven’t figured in a driving accident even if the alcohol level in my blood was questionable. I was like this every night or every time we had gigs. Now that I’m 24 years older, I just realized that I was just one wrong turn away from being another fatal driving accident statistic, especially in the zigzag highway my bandmates and I braved in those days.

How times have changed. I never thought that 25 years after, I—a rocker party girl—will be driving the same road to bring my daughter to school so she can be in an inter-school competition for journalism. I never would have imagined that I will have a daughter that would be chosen by her school for something that I would have wanted for myself when I was her age.

I told her to just enjoy the experience and winning is not the goal—it is a bonus. The joy of being with other people with the same talent as you have and meeting new friends from other schools is more precious. I had competed in science fairs when I was 15-16, which allowed me to fly to Cebu and be given a special award by the Dept of Science and Technology. I met a life-long Cebu-based friend there and funny how things turned out—neither of us pursued a career in science. He became a lawyer while I became a journalist.

The special award was cherry on top; the real reward was meeting other people from Manila Science (MaSci), Philippine Science (Pisay), Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, and UP Diliman. Even though we were competitors, we became friends and we had hung out in the hotel pool and basically messed up the pool because we dipped there just wearing our shirts and shorts. We hired a taxi to bring us to a spot that overlooked Cebu City at night, like their version of Padi’s Point or Cloud 9 in Antipolo. We laughed our asses off, we made a lot of noise—we were basically being kids.

I told my daughter that awards are just that, awards. They’re just a trophy or plaque. But the experience of being there with like-minded people is priceless and you will carry it with you forever.

If only I could watch this… Benedict Cumberbatch looks amazing in this. He and Jonny Lee Miller switch roles as Frankenstein and the creature. Good theater performances fill my soul.

When was the last time I watched something on stage? It has been a long time since. Rak of Aegis was the  last local one I watched and Hamilton was the latest one. I wasn’t able to catch PETA’s latets production, One More Chance, because I was so deep into my troubles with work.

I need to chill. See a play or a musical.