Author Archives
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Tagaytay Titahan
While gorging on organic turon, organic chocolate cake, and organic sweet potatoes Smoketh was regaling us with the things she has to deal with as the training officer in a government hospital. Recently some trainee hellows under her care have… Read More ›
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Yellow
Mr. Joey Santos has long been considered a “high profile” patient, not because of wealth or position, but because he has been extraordinarily compliant with all of his treatments in the past six years. Many in the hospital staff… Read More ›
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The Infernal Pssssst
On our way back from UP we noted that there were already hordes of people flocking outside Quiapo church. I am reminded that my friend Ardee-kid and I used to go to Quiapo over a decade ago… to get DVD’s…. Read More ›
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Cokelya Aspiratoria
While driving along Binan and drinking Coke-in-can at the same time (deadly combination), I came across a huge job wanted sign for a soon-to-open spa that says: Wanted: Female 28-35 Years Old. No Pleasing Personality. No Experience. Hiwalay sa… Read More ›
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Individually-Wrapped Oscha
So many people in UP Diliman on a Sunday, which means that people love parks. We need more parks, rather than more Ayala Malls which, you have to admit, are merely photocopies of each other. Each visit to an Ayala… Read More ›
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Dredged-Up Bitternesses
I’m currently halfway through the fantastic show The Queen’s Gambit, and it dredged up horrible childhood memories. Not really too horrible, but these days one can’t be too histrionic. One of my cousins taught us chess when we were very… Read More ›
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Shock, Engulfment, Tearing Asunder
I’ve been doing a re-watch of old Twilight Zone episodes recently. The latest reboot of Jordan Peele seemed promising but each episode is too long and drawn out. So much time is spent on building the tension up, by the… Read More ›
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Accessory Spleen
Been getting used to putting on PPE’s of different levels whenever I go on rounds. I’ve given up on trying to understand all the protocols because they change as quickly as my mind can catch-up, I just ask the nurses… Read More ›
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Monsters, Mutants, and Merriment
Ever since I started private practice it has become customary to give the other doctors in the hospitals some tiny token or a small gift during the holidays. It was fun and exciting and full of meaning at first, but… Read More ›
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More Murderous Attempts!
After appreciating the flowers and the stingless bees and the kangen water and everything organic at Sonya’s Garden we decided to pay our respects, ie, magbigay pugay, to the most important institution in Tagaytay: Starbucks. I first drove to the… Read More ›
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Merville Misadventures
After hours of running wet like extras in a disaster movie the seven of us finally found refuge in a stranger’s house in Merville. We deserved to be in that predicament because none of us listened—we were too exhilarated to… Read More ›
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Exhume!
The theme of the year 2020 is obviously DISASTER, all caps, bold, and underlined, but another sub-theme might be EXHUME –we, at least those with the privilege, spent so much time at home that we have managed to exhume any… Read More ›
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Judgmental Prognostications
There was a running joke back in med school that if you graduate at the top of your class you will turn into an academician or a researcher, the sort who gets published in The Lancet or the New England… Read More ›
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Hypochondriatificating
In the middle of the pandemic I opted to go to a private laboratory located as far away from a hospital as possible for my annual battery of blood works which I regularly do in the spirit of hypochondriating. I… Read More ›
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Virulina
Right before the pandemic Virulina was introduced to a call center agent through a common friend. Call Center Agent Cholo was not particularly handsome, rich, smart, or erudite but he was so into her and that was all Virulina ever… Read More ›
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Cardboard Imbudo
Mrs. T celebrated her birthday a few days ago. She has been my blockmate since college, and having the same birthday as Fox Mulder (October 13) I knew it was something I would never forget. We were seat mates in… Read More ›
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The N Word
Against all odds–actually against just one odd by the name of Coronita Virulina–I went to Greenhills Shopping Center to look for toys. The last time I went there with Sonny Balwani was on February 25. A few days later news… Read More ›
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Oh, yes.
There were six webinars/online conferences/meetings scheduled yesterday, some of which required me to download different online platforms. Being just one of the audience, with no expected input from me, I’ve decided rather remorselessly not to attend any of them. I… Read More ›
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A Brief History of Not Knowing
In the olden days when we were still medical students we would flock to the conference hell—I mean hall—at 7 am, stuff our faces with turon and iced tea frantically purchased from The Nosocomial Canteen, and cower in our seats,… Read More ›
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Hungry Clinic Days in Room 107 Back in 2011
While fixing our charts in preparation for a busy charity clinic day I told my hell-owship batchmate Alanis Cornucopia that I wish I can menstruate. In the past few days I’ve been getting crankier than usual, and the tiniest micro-aggravation… Read More ›
Supposed Former Melancholia Junkie 