Ika 27 ng Oktubre 2008

Monday blues.....

A colleague put to the fore the feelings of paid hacks like me as she blurted "Why does Monday suck?" I couldn't agree more. It's as if there is an unknown force tearing me up between being the responsible person who will use her God-given talents to benefit humankind and the real slob that I am dressed in an office suit pretending to be busy even if I just want to bum around all day.

The news does not even paint a rosy picture as even as our President is cautioning us on how the financial crisis would affect Asia in the long run. Unlike the rich nations which succumbed to the meltdown immediately, we don't feel as affected as they are. True, times are hard but when was it easy? Maybe because we have been so used to having it so bad that we have became numbed to it all. My friend Dayap said that the Philippines is not affected because we don't have a lot of investment..... See!....as I was saying misers can't feel. How can we invest anyway when there is nothing to invest with in the first place!

Yesterday, my favorite junk dealer to whom I entrust my junk (if you want to know my illness, addiction, and neurosis, this is the GUY to ask) said something mind-boggling when I brought him my junk. He was apprehensive to the point of being apologetic saying that the prices of our empty bottles, paper, cartons, plastic stuff, aluminum, and so on and so forth are cheaper than before. I acknowledged it and motioned that it is fine as his boys sorted my junks. He explained that the countries importing these waste materials are tightening their belts too which explains the poor demand. I was surprised at this information and asked where their dealers exports these waste material mentioning Japan as I learned during the Senate hearing that it is not Japan but us who export waste to them. He confirmed Japan and mentioned China and the US depending on the material.

In a gesture of empathizing with their plight, I consoled him saying that it will probably get better after the US election. I am not really sure if it will indeed get better. But I think everyone even the most indifferent or cynical individual on planet earth would have a stake in the US election. If they have Joe or Brian the Plumber, then I have Mr. Junk telling me how the global economy affected his business. He paid me P27 for three and a half sacks of assorted junks, down more than a 100% from the P60 or more he used to pay me in the past. I, the junk supplier, am affected too by the crunch and I feel it. Mr. Junk would tell me that when business was good all his three units of air conditioners would operate all at the same time, now they have to use only one and his brood would huddle together in one room as his kids couldn't stand the heat. Well me...... we used to do what he is doing right now and even try to further cut down on energy consumption by not using the air conditioner at all.

Which brings me back to the question of why am I selling my junk for a measly sum? Frankly, it doesn't matter if he gets my junk for free. I am just too happy to be rid of these waste. I do not want scavengers scouring through my junk and leaving it scattered all over the place..... so I sort and store my junk until it's time to go to the junkyard. It used to be good money to buy pandesal from a nearby bakery. I could buy enough for our afternoon snacks and add a little for beverage. Now, bread price rose around 30% and with the price cut on my junk, I can't feed meryenda for my household of eight! Anyway as an environmentalist, I am just sparing Planet Earth from unwarranted use of resources and the deluge of waste that could pose a lot of environmental problems.

Tempted by the thought of bumming around on a Monday, I need to probably rethink that after some soul searching.....

PS: Maging makabuluhan kaya itong linggong ito sa akin? Me isang linggo kaming bakasyon sa eskwelahan bago magpasukan ulit. Mahirap minsan yun marami kang oras na libre, dumadami din yun pwedeng aksayahin na oras. Ewan ko ba at bakit ganyan ang ugali ko. Hindi ko mapagkatiwalaan ang sarili ko sa paggamit ng oras ko sa paggawa ng makabuluhang bagay? Dahil me oras, ang daming sinisingit na bagay-bagay dahil pwedeng maglaan ng oras para dito. Ang nangyayari tuloy hindi nagagawa ang dapat gawin at panay hindi makabuluhang bagay ang nagagawa. Pagkatapos ng linggong ito, malamang na puno na naman ako ng pagsisisi na hindi nagawa ang dapat gawin.

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