On Errands and Yellow Dust

I just came back from my usual weekly errands to the grocery store (that included a little shopping for clothes this time around). I was already by our apartment door removing the laces in my shoes when my housemates called out from the living room and asked if I were okay. It sounded not like how they would normally welcome me upon getting home. It was more like telling me that something catastrophic just happened outside. I then of course said I was fine and worriedly thought if I had just been numb for the nth time with what’s going on around. Then they told me it’s because of the yellow dust (황사, hwang-sa), and it would’ve been safer had I stayed home. Okay, fine. So I didn't catch today's news before going out of the house. I was mostly indoors (inside a grocery store and the mall) so I didn't really get to see the yellowish Seoul that was.

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Korean 'Masaji'

I first cried over a severe back ache that started with a stiff neck back in January of this year, enough for my housemates to rid themselves of such an unbearable face, as they finally brought me to a nearby massage place when it has reached my lower back. It was mainly brought about by the double wham of the very cold weather and the stress at work during that time. Seven months later, and I am at it again. Except that this time, my body seems to have gotten used to it. My back has been getting a great deal of beating lately, and I am afraid that the pain is becoming bearable. My body is forced to get used to the pain, especially when my mind is more occupied with deadlines and crammed reports everyday. Practically, there’s just no time to feel it. But when you finally steal a minute of relaxing and not thinking too much, you suddenly get overwhelmed by the weight of such pain in the back that has seemed to have temporarily muted, since there was just no space in your brain to process the pain. That’s exactly what just happened to me.

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Med Exam

I woke up at around 8am today in preparation for my morning poop so I could scoop a sample stool that I will have to submit for medical examination today. After the seminar that we attended yesterday, my colleague and I passed by BioMedix, found at the 3rd floor of Robinson’s Galleria, which is just across the POEA office. We inquired about the basic charge (it’s 850php for a Phase 1 med exam), and in return were advised to bring stool from home that is 2 hours fresh at most.

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