Author Archives
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Vacillating Sentimentality
To celebrate the final season of the X-Files in 2002 (before I even thought there was the possibility of a poorly executed revival 14 years later), I made a giant collage from all the old posters and magazines I’ve been… Read More ›
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Street Ghost
To our surprise we were the only customers at Nikko’s Tailoring that afternoon. We decided to just walk-in, and were told that in a week we would be getting our smock gowns. Pre-pandemic it would usually take 3 months, but… Read More ›
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Dilemma Dimella
Early this month I’ve decided to list all the things I needed to renew, and before I knew it was staring at a very long, infuriating list. Government ID’s, accreditations, car registrations, insurances, taxes, etc. It’s enough to drive somebody… Read More ›
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Rockwell After 18 Years
Recently had lunch with Lord Fernandez and Jessica Zafra in Wildflour Rockwell. The last time I was in Rockwell was in 2003, and for some reason I expected it to be exactly the same as it was 18 years ago,… Read More ›
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Choose Your Own Death
We wandered along Intramuros last Sunday foolishly imagining that we would hear crickets in the dead of night, only to discover hordes of people milling around. We passed by the cathedrals and got all judgmental on how nobody was observing… Read More ›
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Sneeredeth
Re-activated my Twitter account this morning, having been notified that in a few days it would be deleted. Apparently you only have thirty days to complete your drama, after which Twitter won’t indulge it any longer and cast you out… Read More ›
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WWE Ruminations
In the late 80’s until about 1996 my brother and I really got into the World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment). Most people would consider these years to be the peak popularity of the WWF, with Yokozuna, Bret “The… Read More ›
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Flossy
Had another risk-taking breakthrough today: I went to the dentist. Throughout the lockdown I’ve become very compliant with flossing and avoided biting on very hard food that might accidentally cause tooth damage, out of fear that I would need to… Read More ›
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Linamnaming
I was playing Paula Cole’s classic 1997 album This Fire on the drive to Paranaque. We were looking for Linamnam MNL, a small home-based restaurant serving an 11-course tasting menu, which was given glowing recommendations by Rollypolyoly and Wakicaboose, …. Read More ›
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Choco Chicken
I was able to renew my PRC ID last week after a few almost-mishaps, and just yesterday got my drivers’ license ID… after I’ve renewed it back in 2017! Such successful government office transactions give me immense joy. Avoiding scenarios… Read More ›
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Afternoon Isaw
A few days ago we decided to visit Oar House, our favorite pub during residency and hellowship, located somewhere in Malate. It is quite small, and by 8pm it is usually full of doctors drinking, laughing, and whining. Ergo, not… Read More ›
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Caro and Chrizly
(A lost tale from over ten years ago during residency) Senior consultant Dr. Angelito Caro, with his authoritative heft and characteristic scowl, towered mightily over me at the nurse’s station. It was the morning after my 24-hour duty in the… Read More ›
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Clarizzie’s Syndrome’s Theory
I decided to watch A History of Swear Words in Netflix while doing a very lazy session on the elliptical. The first episode is about the etymology of the word FUCK. Back in 1998 my college friend Timmy, a self-proclaimed… Read More ›
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The New Scarlet Letter
Got to eat again in Su Zhou, a chinese restaurant in Malate. The last time we ate there was over a year ago. It got closed for renovation sometime in February, then the lockdown caught up to it. The restaurant… Read More ›
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Six Degrees of Separation
The recent White House siege reminds me of something out of the tv series Homeland and its cousin 24. I could have said that it reminds me of that battle between Wonder Woman and Punk Rock Cheetah, but the less… Read More ›
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Fortress of Mold-titude
Was able to spend a few days in my fortress of solitude in Lipa, which is a stone’s throw away from the hospital where I have the bulk of my practice. I decided to purchase it a few years ago… Read More ›
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Apex Predator What?
In 2004, after my duty as an ENT rotator, I watched the Catwoman movie featuring Halle Berry in Robinson’s Ermita. It was bad, but I kind of enjoyed it. It was at least short, it was unintentionally funny, and I… Read More ›
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Aroint Thee, 2020!
Was jolted to wakefulness by a very strong Christmas earthquake. I felt like I was getting exorcised for the advanced alcoholism, pottymouthedness, and veiled blackheartedness I’ve nurtured this year. My friend Namtab Pots who lives on the top floor of… Read More ›
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Still Waiting!
After attending the European Society of Medical Oncology annual convention in Madrid last October 2019, Monique organized a side trip to Rovaniemi, Finland. The trek to the mountains to see the northern lights was not really successful. Vladimir Kromov, our… Read More ›
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Capsule Quest 2012
One of my patients from Tarlac, Marco, texted to ask if he could come to the clinic. He was about to take this new chemotherapy drug, and he wanted me to personally teach him how to do it. It… Read More ›
