conversations over coffee

i had coffee with Remi earlier and flatmate April last night, and had the most comforting, disturbing conversations with them.

With April, I talked about the vicious cycle of discrimination, very bad managers, people, and life. When we got back to the condo, I was a little sad. A thought was stuck in my mind. April thinks that it is harder to be evil. That good is the "default setting" we all have. I argued that it takes a more conscious effort to be good. That not caring was essentially more energy efficient.

I'd like to think (and hope) that somehow, she's right and I'm wrong. I'd be glad to be wrong in that argument, but then again, something tells me that I'm probably right.

And then she asked me how i can bare my soul in most of what i write, meaning my writings when not at work. I didn't know either.

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Rem had been busy the past few months since she's been holding down a freelance writing job and an NGO so we had lots to talk about over coffee.

She told me about her adventures while in La Union last week. They had to (quite literally) hug the side of a mountain to prevent from plunging to their deaths. Picture this, there's a community on the other side of the mountain (situated ON the side of a mountain) and there are only two ways to get there: take a day-long boat ride or walk along a road on the side of the mountain. Too bad they they took the latter option.

I guess the fact that two feet is all that stands between them and the river below didn't sink in until they were hugging the mountainside.

She recounts that their guide had given them fair warning: "Medyo makitid po ung daan, kaya pag nahulog po kayo, dalawa lang po ang pwedeng mangyari. Mauntog kayo sa mga bato pababa at mamatay o mahulog sa tubig at malunod. Pero pwede rin po kayong kumapit sa mga baging dyan (points down)."

So it was cling to the side of the mountain - and for dear life - or fall to inevitable doom. It's good that they got to that community safely, and got back in one piece.

Rica (nano_speaks): Huwow! We should try that sometime.

Another thing we got to talk about are the "band-aid measures" people are bent on using these days. Temporary solutions to big problems that could and will probably lead to cancer if continually plastered with band-aids. Somehow I can imagine that someday, when we remove those little bandages, we'll discover gangrene underneath it all.