Another one of those...

conversations with Arlene.

Me: As for me (and also for you), if happiness is elusive, then I will run after joy...the joy of enjoying what I currently have. It is possible. I don't want to revel in misery for a long time.

Arlene: Just had a big lunch. And that's something to revel about. I got a big, boozy birthday coming up, that's something to revel about. We got a surfing weekend coming up, and damn if it ain't that good. There are rewards yet for us, Abril. Even if they do not necessarily mean the ones we had worked for, hoped for, or prayed for.

Amen.

Sometimes, I actually want to hit myself on the head. I forget to be grateful.

The weekend was happily spent with friends. Saturday was a good Binondo day tour with Teng, Yoj, Mela and Nabeth. We were akin to fattened pigs being fed all kinds of dimsum that we can lay our eyes on and grab by their wooden containers.

Dinner was spent with Arlene, Drei and Teng, gorging on the sumptuous feast of kansi, Ilo-Ilo's version of bulalo.

Sunday was quietly albeit enjoyably spent with Arlene, going to church (yes we are church-goers), eating Jap at Rai Rai Ken, killing time in Starbucks and finally getting massage. Happiness.

The good part about this is that my lakwatchero friends are single now. Teng is the ultimate kaladkarin hangout buddy and Binondo tour guide. 3 years of single-blessedness, he never fails to be my knight in shining humor.

Arlene - oh well - there'll be more drinking sesh and lakwatcha moments.

What do you know? I'm going to tick off one of my to-dos this year - surf's up!

Damn right it is!