Red Feb

I almost panicked when I opened my eyes this morning. Everything around me was red. For a moment I thought I was in hell. Then I remembered the red drapes my mom put up yesterday in place of the yellow ones that had been hanging in my room since, I think, December.

I was instantly pulled back to earth, or more precisely, in loveland. My mom is taking this love month to the next level. (Whew, that sounds Starstruck-y!) She bought these heart-filled bed sheets and pillow covers. There are red, pink, yellow, orange, blue and green hearts everywhere!

And it is the first February weekend. I’m sure everyone from everywhere will once again exaggerate the Valentine’s Day hype. It makes the mushy business more lucrative. I know, I know. I would not come out clean with my previous statement. I work for a greeting card company for heaven’s sakes! I too associate Valentine’s Day with the sound, “Ca-ching! Ca-ching!”

So it is the love month. I don’t have anything against that. If there’s one thing we, humans, should commemorate, it’s the importance of love. We chose the shortest month to celebrate it but it’s better than none. And, hey, I will not go grumpy because it’s February!

They say that December is the time of the year when suicidal rate is high. For some reason, I am afraid that with the way capitalists are imposing that we—all of us—should be snuggled with a special someone this month, an alarming number of people will yield to depression and at worse, slash their wrists or overdose themselves with pills. That’s morbid, I know. It’s exactly why I worry.

I have this friend who seem to be slowly becoming a victim of the V-day hype. It doesn’t help that her pseudo love life is in limbo and no clarity has descended from heaven to explain the real intentions of her pseudo man. Just a thought: maybe cupid is not working as hard as he should. (NOTE TO EROS: I am not mocking you again. See? I used “Cupid.” You don’t have to work hard where I am concerned.)

February spurs some sort of pressure to all singles in the world. And the month seems to be good at it. But please, let’s not fall victims.

This reminds me of a crazy thing I did three years ago. (God, it’s been that long?) I was still in college and I was involved in a play. It meant I had to stay in Los Baños even on weekends for rehearsals. When I went back home, my dad told me, “sabi ng mommy mo may ka-M.U. ka na daw kaya hindi ka umuuwi.”

I was like, “Whatever gave her the idea?!”

As it turns out, mom had been talking to a manghuhula. The manghuhula must have read in her Tarot cards that my mom’s second child is in mutual understanding with some guy, probably a classmate. It was a bit disturbing. If my mom wanted to know about me, she should have come and asked me. I definitely wouldn’t charge her for oooh, I don’t know, the truth.


In a way I wanted to get even. So the day before Valentine’s Day three years ago, while sitting on the dusty Humanities’ steps, I had a light bulb moment. I asked my gay classmate whom I will hide under the name, Ruel, to pose with me as if he were the guy the manghuhula saw. He didn’t hesitate. My friends took our pictures while the rest of the non-busy student body watched our public display of Valentine’s Day ridicule. Now this is the first time this picture will come out. I will blur “Ruel’s” face to protect his true identity. I wouldn't want Ruel's target demographics to think that he's straight.

What is the point of his piece? February will always be in our calendars. There’s no running away from it. It may suck being pressured to become part of a couple in the so-called love month but don’t fall prey. Have fun! As I have said, it falls on the shortest month of the year. Chances are, you wouldn’t even notice that the heart-y month is over sooner than you think.

COMMENTS

Talent,
Totoo ka jan. Mga ganitong entry further stresses un mga blog entries ko, hehe! Ang feb14 lilipas din. At least di sha tulad ng pasko na talagang pati mga kalye e may reminder for you na parating na diba? At, mabuti na un tayo lang muna, walang gastos at walang kunsumisyon! dahil usually after valetines day mraming couples nagaaway dhil ganun talaga. imbento ko lang un pero bakit ba? lol!
lets celebrate being single and happy!!! happy valentines to us =)

ps.
pwede tayo magbukas ng blog na parang sulatan ng talent-manager. wala lang sagutan ever. i wonder ano anong kalokohan ang maisusulat dun! hahahaha!
Posted by: Christmas | February 4, 2007 08:28 AM

Pwede!:-)
Posted by: Tyrene | February 5, 2007 03:33 AM

ning,
you gave me a heart attack with that picture sa humsteps. kala ko kung sinong jowa.hehe.
was funny though.
will email more soon, promise.
Posted by: Nikka | February 25, 2007 01:59 PM