Lechon Paksiw

While having lunch, a colleague suddenly threw a question:

Ano ung pagkain nyo nung time na mahirap kayo?
What do you eat during the lowest (poorest) time of your life? (tama ba?) 

At that moment, natigilan ako... napaisip and somehow yes, nagbalik ala ala yung darkest, saddest times of my family. 

One answered: mantika at asin sa kanin...  (cooking oil and salt mixed in rice) 

While another one is asin...  (salt) 

I wasn't able to respond. I just answered them with a smile as I remember what it was... 

One commented: Mayaman kasi to kaya wala siyang ganyang experience... 

I reacted and said of course not... we were also poor and went through down moments. 

However, I don't have memories of not having food at the table despite all the hardships that our family went through.

I remember seeing my mother mixing sugar on rice; maybe those were the times when we do not have enough; however she carried the burden alone and never allowed us to suffer. Her lame excuse was that she doesn't want the food...

Bathroom Diaries: Yosi

Last Thursday, I was able to have a chat with a new colleague...
It started with a normal hi, hello and getting to know you conversation; and since we were both not busy as it is almost end of day, our conversations leads from one topic to another, until we noticed bunch of people at the smoking area.

Then I asked her if she smokes; she said no. Good! Then she threw the same question on me. I said I used to... but I quit... few years ago.

She was surprised... then she asked me how I did it.
She told me that her dad is also a chain smoker and she hope that he can stop too...