“just when did you start collecting pugad baboy?!”

batccai (read: bat-chay) asked me, half-surprised and half-amused, through YM yesterday.

“the first time i read one of its issues a long time ago, i’ve been wanting to collect it. it’s one way of preserving my sanity. it makes me laugh, amidst crises” i answered.

“but you only have one copy!,?” she blurted, teasing me like july did.

“i got two now!” i said defensively. “i will have more if you’ll give me some issues of it! hahaha!”

it’s not that only PB keeps me sane. it’s reading that keeps me sane. it seems a growing passion for me. thus, during the christmas and new year breaks, i indulged myself in books, to at least free myself from the pressures of family and work.

thanks to Kuya Thads for letting me borrow his:

BAKIT BALIKTAD MAGBASA NG LIBRO ANG MGA PILIPINO? by Bob Ong; and

NO ONE WRITES TO THE COLONEL by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

i still have to finish

THE AUTUMN OF THE PATRIARCH also by Marquez; and

THE DHARMA BUMS by Jack Keouac

i promised that i won’t limit myself to reading novels. next time, i will buy (or borrow) books that would practically help me, like PREGNANCY AFTER A LOSS by Carol Cirulli Lanham.

***fyi: ccai ccai is one of my close buddies and my partner-in-crime way back in college. we used to delve ukay-ukay along san pedro street, ate skewered grilled banana outside our campus, bantered with classmates in between classes, and played volleyball and kickball during intramurals, among others. she is now in dubai, in search for greener pasture. she’s presently working in the logistics department of the al youssuf company.