This is one-third of the pieces of writing I submitted for the MA Art Theory & Criticism application at UP Diliman.
I woke up to birds chirping by my window with the sunlight streaming in lighting my whole room. Imagine how much of a shock this was to me after living within inner Presinto Tres in Manila where the view from my window were just walls. Next to Bataan was Kalayaan, where the husting and bustling people pass through. If I hear honks or engines screeching, that means it’s time to get up and get to work. I get up and my cats follow me out of bed. All of them purring and rubbing their bodies by my ankles as I open a pouch of Whiskas. What’s that smell? Time to clean out the cat litter too. I go downstairs and I’m greeted by two droopy noses and waggling tails. I make a big step across the fan that’s my makeshift pet gate and scratch my dogs’ heads. I tell them good morning and I receive a small bark in return. One, two scoops of dry dog food and one pouch of wet dog food is their usual meal. They both try to wiggle their way onto the kitchen sink where I prepare their feast. It’s amazing how in just three minutes after putting the food down, I turn around and see a clean bowl. And people wonder why my Shih Tzu is bigger than regular ones.
Finally, it’s time for me to have breakfast. How about bananas? I turn the banana around to pull it out but then I see black and white marks. My bananas have gone rotten again. Sliced bread maybe? There’s still one fourth left and I guess that’s good enough. I like my bread with tuna spread. But oh wait, is that hair? Yes it is, and it’s not fair from the head. I try not to vomit thinking that I’ve consumed most of it already. So much for breakfast. Let’s just take a quick shower. I don’t even care if my neighbors see me in my towel because I can’t afford curtains for my half hexagonal window. Let’s use this organic shampoo and conditioner bar that I bought to have a “sustainable” lifestyle. As I make my way upstairs, I dress up cautiously as I can be seen by everyone by my window. Next time I think I should think about my privacy more than thinking how much sunlight I want to enter in my room. Beep – beep – beep. It’s my alarm that says it’s 8:30? I’ve got to rush now.
Running downstairs, grabbing my prepared lunch box, and locking the door behind me before I say good bye to my pets and they yell at me for leaving them. An exit on my left leads me to Kalayaan. Walk straight for about ten minutes then turn right going into Bonifacio Global City. Alongside me while walking are women in uniforms or men with hard hats, a diverse crowd. At this point it takes me five minutes to reach my building. It depends how long it takes the elevator to take me to the top floor to touchdown my desk.
This is my typical morning for two weeks now and I’m still adjusting. Altering my system every day to maximize my time. This is my first taste of pure adulthood. My first time moving out and I’m doing it alone. Sometimes I wonder if I rushed it but reasons come to mind that make me think it was just the right time. And I know I am where I am meant to be, which is fifteen minutes away from Bataan.