This cat has nothing on my cat, Kimchi. She is the devil incarnate. If there’s a cat shrew, she is that. I have multiplied my scratches and I don’t think it will stop.

I am psyching myself now to do this on my own.

You’ll be surprised how strong she is. I tried doing this on my own, it’s impossible. I can manage Sushi by myself but Kimchi is a different matter.

I haven’t booked anything for HK next week. So it seems like I won’t go so I will not come home to dead cats. Although Kimchi is improving a bit, drug resistance is real and it could make symptoms worse. Sushi, on the other hand, has not exhibited symptoms but her fecalysis showed she has protozoa (can be counted) and bacterial infection. Kimchi’s protozoa was “too many to count” so it was critical that I’m around to administer metronidazole and cotrimaxozole.

My mom couldn’t believe I am sacrificing work for my cats. I told her that I would be devastated if any of my cats die.

I tried ordering shoes online, via Instagram to patronize Marikina shoemakers.

The leather is so soft so I think I won’t get that much blisters like the usual when I buy leather loafers. But I have to return this for exchange because the size is too small. I like it though.

Once I get the right size, I will order more from them. The price is reasonable and I want to support the local shoe industry. Talking to Buddy Tan, the owner of Blackwing Shoes, also convinced me that local shoe-making industry shouldn’t die because of China imports. My usual go-to shoes like Naturalizer and Aerosoles (they manufacture shoes in China) have gone down in quality after being bought by private equity firms—not surprising. Rockport and Geox are terrible for my feet. I bought a pair of black pumps from Ecco and only worn it once because they hurt too much. I just gave them away to Ate C. These brands give me blisters and it takes a long time for me to break into their shoes. I no longer have the stamina for that especially that I chase people, literally, all over conference halls and across hotel lobbies.

I am going back to buying local brands. They are enjoying a resurgence with the help of Instagram/clever marketing via social media. Aside from OAK and Blackwing Shoes, I am planning to order from Mariquina Shoes and probably Rob and Mara.

I have also followed local leather bag makers like Sato & Co, Astrid Leather, Manila Tannery, and Niqua. I am already a patron of Our Tribe and it was so convenient that its factory and showroom is just in Sikatuna, walking distance from our former apartment. I have two bags and a belt from this brand. The bags have yet to sustain damage—they’re built like tanks. My first Our Tribe bag that I bought in 2014 is still intact and very much usable and hasn’t aged that much.

Let me forget worries for tonight as my love for theater overcomes me.

Prior to checking in at Solaire, I attended a presscon in Makati as I was chasing a cross-border story.

But because I was chasing a story, my sister and I were late checking in at the hotel. At least we were able to catch a beautiful sunset before tackling my story inside our room.

And the owner of Solaire (well the corp comm team of the company) gave me a belated birthday gift that was sent to our room. I barely had time to relax and savor the view because I was in a pressure cooker; we needed to publish the story tonight.

I was a walking anxiety the entire night. During the show’s break, I was frantically emailing my editor about a number of queries.

When the show ended, I was still messaging the night editor. 🫠

And now, the musical Hamilton:

It has lived up to the hype.

It’s so good. 🥰 Imagine, the birth of the United States of America in rap. Yes, rap. Alexander Hamilton in appropriate period clothes rapping about the Constitution of the United States. Thomas Jefferson dancing his silly dance when Hamilton endorsed his run for presidency. Angelica Schuyler singing and rapping beautifully. War in the form of a hip-hop dance. All of this framed through the lens of an immigrant. USA was built on the backs of immigrants; only the colors of their skins changed throughout the centuries until today. 👏👏👏👏

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s libretto is brilliant, beyond words and the Pulitzer Award is enough proof that Miranda is a genius. Now you put the music onto the words, then you are guaranteed a Tony sweep. Which it did, winning 11 awards out of 16 nominations.

I miss theater. Watching and being onstage.

Good thing when I booked the tickets way back in March or April (can’t remember), I decided to book the November run because I thought the weather would be dreadful in August-October and I would be driving through torrential rains and epic floods because that’s the southweast monsoon season. It turns out it was a very good decision as well because I was in no way in the right disposition at that time (Aug-Sept) to watch a musical while my daughter was flip-flopping between TB and cancer.

It’s wise to follow your gut feel.

This man has been teaching me how to live intentionally. His videos are just fascinating; they tickle the hidden aesthete in me. If only I could live like he does, like attending workshops and short courses on sketching, anatomy, ceramics-making, being an apprentice in some artistan’s shop…

Here he talked about traveling to Italy for some anatomy lessons (for art) and making some sketches and paintings, selling them before he left Italy to get back (plus more) the money he spent buying art materials there. As he talked, I realized that I have wanted to go to Spain for a long time but haven’t really acknowledged it (maybe because the possibility was remote as I have kids). That was why I wanted to enroll in Instituto Cervantes de Manila for more than a decade for formal Spanish lessons. Of course, I haven’t done it because of responsibilities. 😞 Every year, I was invited by the Spanish Embassy to attend their cocktail party to celebrate their national day but because of my hectic life, I never made it to a single party. Finally, they got tired of inviting me. 🥴

What would I do in Spain? No, I won’t go there just to have thousands of selfies and do provocative/influencer poses. I will go there for/to: 1) food tripping and have honest-to-goodness Spanish food and wine; 2) discover the difference between Catalan and Castilian cultures and languages; exploring Basque region is wishful thinking; and 3) art and architecture. My friend from my old TV network spent 3 weeks jumping from Barcelona to Madrid and then down to Galicia (with a side trip to Morocco), then back to Barcelona.

How I wish I could do that! I have responsibilities that tie me down. This is what I get for marrying at age 27, thinking I should follow what society is expected of me. I should have done those things before I got married.

Oh well…

Anyway, I have to sit down watch more videos of this guy.

I’m supposed to fly to HK on Tues next week but Cathay Pacific website is terribly wonky today. I COULDN’T BOOK. Damnit.

Maybe because I shouldn’t leave???

I brought my cats to the vet during my lunch break and a quick fecalysis showed that they have bacterial and protozoa infection.

So I would need to give them not one but two liquid medicines twice a day 🫠. This is the damage that Kimchi has done to me the last four days.

Ten more days to go for Kimchi and 14 days for Sushi.

This is the reason why I hesitate flying next week. My daughters won’t be able to manage giving them the meds. 😓 If the cats’ medication drops off, then the infection will come back with a vengeance.

Cats vs HK. What a world I live in. 😑

Then there’s this thing about my girls. Hard to leave them behind like this.

Twin I is a candidate for Ms. Freshman on Friday during their acquiantance party. 🤭 She’s having rehearsals every afternoon until Thurs.

We’re already in the northeast monsoon season or amihan and I am enjoying the hanging amihan (northeast monsoon breeze) outside my door. It’s dry but cooler. It’s so lovely to have this moment.

If my father were still alive, he would be sitting where I am sitting now everyday. He used to sit outside our screened porch every afternoon after work, to be with our dogs and cats at his feet. Either he would be smoking and drinking coffee or cutting his fingernails, or just hanging out with our pets. Even in our old bungalow, which was really small, about 100 sqm or less. He would sit outside, on the concrete ledge he built and just hang out in our tiny, tiny front yard.

I now know why he loves doing that.

It’s inexplicable but there’s some kind of peace in having your space, your own place in this world. It’s home. No one can take that away from you.

Speaking of my father, my mom and I bought flowers because the ones at my dad’s crypt were already dry.

We haven’t observed the Dia de Todos Los Muertos/Todos Los Santos the usual way this year (like probably the pandemic years) like my mom forcing us to pray the novena. We’re more casual now about it. Maybe because my cousins are holding the online novena for the dead for my mom/aunts and uncles so my mom is already satisfied.

Meanwhile, our stray visitor has already made herself comfortable.

Here she is, basking in the afternoon sun.

The male cat, George, never appeared on my doorstep again after Typhoon Egay. Now this calico sought shelter from my literal doorstep, bleeding, and very hungry. We kept feeding her at the bottom of our steps for several days now and treated her wound. She hasn’t left yet and my indoor calicos are angry. She’s very amiable and getting her inside the cage won’t be a problem, I guess. But I need to bring my own cats to the vet first on Monday to update their vaccines and for deworming before I bring this newcomer for treatment. For now, she’s ok as long as she’s fed and is away from other cats that are hurting her.

I don’t know what I would do with her. I don’t know if someone would adopt her if I get her fixed because we have so many stray cats in our area that people can just take their pick among them.

I’m starting to buy Christmas stuff from Lazada because this is the first Chtistmas we will be spending in our new home. I gave away our space-hogging Christmas tree to my cleaning lady. I don’t know how I will hang my Christmas lanterns but my contractor provided me with an electrical outlet outside my door, on the ceiling. However, it’s too high. I’m still figuring it out. 🤔

I will continue to offend you. *dirty finger* Your ships keep on attacking our fishermen, in our waters, in our country.

My boss wants me to fly to HK mid-Nov because the global bosses are there. I won’t have any role there and I have minimal contacts there so it doesn’t make sense. What I need to pay attention to is Singapore–I’m in dire need of touching base with people there as there are so many things going on that I keep missing because I’m not physically there.

I just need a workable system now for my household to function even when I’m gone.

Another headache I need to tackle is Thailand. I just had a call with one of our commercial people and she said she couldn’t close a deal because of our lack of Thai content. It’s a large account. Cancellations, loss of potential revenue from deals that couldn’t be closed, lost opportunities…I just can’t. I asked her to push my bosses with an email citing the numbers. It’s really annoying that they’re looking at the wrong metrics for hiring additional resources. I cannot stretch myself too thinly to include Thailand into my areas to cover on the ground. It’s physically exhausting.

No one really understands Southeast Asia. 🤦‍♀️

If I were be forced to choose what is my favorite song of all time, one that I don’t get tired of listening to, it’s this:

I think I’ve loved this since hearing this in 1997 or 1998.

If I want to be transported to another dimension, I listen to this:

Nancy Wilson is the most badass female guitarist out there but this song doesn’t showcase that. I just love her uncomplicated singing here that matched the ethereal melody. But if God would grant me a voice, I would ask for Ann Wilson’s.

Meanwhile, the best version of Californication is this. John and Flea just jamming at the intro is just *chef’s kiss*.

And this one, what the hell?! Prince really is an underrated guitar/bass player. What a smooth transition from lead guitar to bass playing. Whew!

And this is what I do on Friday nights: watch master drummers do a duet.

Mommy, why are the cats always in your room, Twin A asked me this afternoon.

“It’s because I’m their favorite human,” I replied.

“No, you’re not,” she insisted. She believed that the cats like them more because these felines kept on climbing on their bunk beds. Umm, they just like the bunk beds because they’re high.

“Yes, I am. They love sleeping here at night as well. They love staying here when I work. They feel secure with me,” I said.

Do they behave like dogs, like they wait for me by the window until I get home? Yes, when we still lived in the apartment in QC. Nowadays, they just sniff the air as if to say, “Oh, you’re back.” Then go on being their snooty selves.

But Sushi, she still wants to be let in my room in the middle of the night, every night. She always tries to open the door to my bedroom, making this scratching noise as if she’s digging her way under my door. Back in the apartment in QC, she could open the door to my bedroom whenever the door is not properly closed. She pushes the door with her paws by digging through the gap under the door or she puts all her body weight on the door.

This is the reason why I must vacuum clean my room every night at the highest setting—we have cat hair all over.

I say, they have adapted pretty well in their new home. My fear of them running away to go back to our old apartment didn’t happen (I’ve heard of horror stories from other pet owners that have moved houses). I was able to transition them successfully.

…

Meanwhile, I’ve been chosen again. This time it’s another calico. She keeps on begging for food at our stairs. For some strange reason, my indoor cats are not growling at the intruder. Maybe because she’s female and a calico? Maybe because they know she’s not a threat? I don’t know. My cats just listen to her meows and are just curious about this newcomer so they watch her through the glass. The neighborhood cats bully her (maybe because she’s still a kitten or a cat under one year old) so she has wounds. Twin I and I treated the bleeding wound on her head with betadine and antibiotic ointment.

I must trap her to get her to the vet. She may carry diseases that could be passed on to my cats so better have her fixed, dewormed, and vaccinated ASAP. Clean her and put her up for adoption. I cannot accommodate another cat because I have a tiny house. The maximum cat litter I can have is two. Indoor-outdoor cats can still have accidents inside the house and I don’t want a cat pooping all over the place. Our family cat when I was in my teens was an indoor-outdoor cat and she never had a litter box. So when my mom wasn’t able to open the windows or doors in time in the morning, that cat had accidents and normally her accidents happened in the downstairs bathroom. That’s why when my father died, we never had cats again because my mom hates cleaning cat accidents. My sisters just want the petting part of having a pet but not the hard work. That’s why all the pet chores like bathing the dogs and cats, bringing them to the vet, giving them their medicines when they’re sick, fell on me.

So there, another cat project for me.