To do

I noticed my overflowing laundry basket when I got up this morning. I didn't think two weeks was that long, but if I postponed doing it for another week, I might as well head back to Mindanao and grow rice (as my father would tell all of us before when we failed to do our chores).
Growing rice.
It's strange that that did not sound as scary as it used to a decade ago. Before, the images I associated with it were comparable to those of a spent actor deciding to run for president. Now, the first thing that comes to mind is gratification, and next is peace.
What has changed?
I figured I would be sitting on my bed till kingdom come without an answer if I pursue the question, so I looked at my laundry basket again, sighed, and promised that this weekend is all about getting it done.
That's just one of the things that I would like to accomplish this weekend, though. These days, I enjoy torturing myself with lists that supposedly bring essence to my life if done.
Sadly, my lists contain re-named items of things that were not done last week, the week before that and the week before, and the week...
Still, it is better than not having any list at all.
Sure, I have completed some of them- those that do not require thinking like giving my living room a new look, going on a road trip, going to places  I have never been to and of course, doing the laundry (which I am not sure fits in, as this requires me to ponder deeply on whether I should do it or just go buy some new clothes to wear instead). However, the more important ones have merely become tired to-do's.
Could it really be that I have been drugged?
A week ago, I was drinking with a friend who was telling me about how he had just decided to quit his job and run his own business. At first, I thought what is with these people who are scurrying towards becoming statistics of people who tried and failed? I was lost in my cynicism when he said something that really stuck with me, "You know, working for any company is like being drugged. You work your ass off for days, get depressed by the fact that you are doing something that no longer makes sense, and then you get your pay on the 15th and the 30th, then, you are on high spirits again. You forget your miserable life for a few days, and then back to being stressed and then, pay day once more. It is a cycle that not only steals your time, but your ideals, as well. You will wake up one morning and realize that you now need to look up what idealism is on the dictionary, let alone spell it!"
Great.
I fervently hoped that this morning was not what my friend was talking about.
I-D-E-A-L-I-S-M. Good. I am still ok.
I may be drugged, but I have not lost my wits entirely.
I know that any day now, I will have to urge myself to face that needs facing, like understanding what's changed about growing rice.
For now, though, let me get out of my bed and put "Do the laudry" on top of my to-do's for this weekend.

Baguio- Sagada- Banaue- Batad

For the second time, I visited the cold Benguet and Ifugao regions.
I was fortunate to be able to enjoy a four-day weekend, and though I failed to book tickets in advance, I was in luck. I found transportation that would bring me to as far as Batad.
For details about this trip, click here.