The Badly Written Sitcom

     The semester is over. I’m pretty sure I’ll still be working at that school next semester. Mostly.

     Ironic thing is, I’m actually back to where I was when the sem started. Broke. Funny story actually. At the beginning of the semester, I didn’t get paid cause I didn’t have that SSS number thingy that apparently is a big deal. Since I am completely allergic to falling in line, I never worked up the desire to get me one of those. So, my first month as an educator was relatively pro bono.

    Now, the semester is over, and I’m not getting paid again, mostly because of my preference for doing things in my own sweet time. Apparently, when you teach, you have to pass the students’ grades in a period of time, or else, then hold your salary until you get your act together. And it’ll come in the form of a check, which I have to pick up in some far flung region. Now, if it was given to me in cash form, in a briefcase that’s handed to me in a stylish, "Sopranos-y" maner, that would be awesome. But now, I have to wait for another two weeks to pick it up from a bank and inevitably… fall in line once again.

     Financial turmoil aside, I am also experiencing an influx of contradicting emotions, emotions that I still haven’t adjusted to actually having. (Read past posts as a reference to my constant rants.) On one hand, I am having thetime of my life, doing exactly what I want, when I want, with the best people (both in and out of the school environment) to do them with. On the other, I’m in melodramatic hell, like the end of the second act of most romantic comedies. I find myself singing Imago’s "Akap" and Mojofly’s "Tumatakbo" a lot. I get a silly grin one moment and invisible tears the next.

    Sigh.

     It’s all good though. I don’t worry as much these days, if at all. This past semester has taught me a lot of things, and I can’t wait for the next one. It should be a hell of a time, what with me moving in with the formerly ex-communicated Orlains, and the fact that I am now an experienced teacher with one semster under his belt (I feel like a veteran). This should be interesting.

     Or completely fucked up. Whatever.   

     I haven’t posted in two or so weeks… all because of a bitch of a storm that happened to hit our little third world country with extreme prejudice leaving individuals like me, guys who only live during the weekend, in complete darkness in plunged my little world back into savagery. But no. Not me. No one takes away my weekends. Not even a storm that was strong enough to rip the local mall to shreds. (I’m exaggerating, but not by much.)

    Despite the storm, I still proceeded to have a killer weekend that involved a lot of drinking and serious amounts of fun.  But the past couple of weeks, there’s been a strong undercurrent of emotion that hasn’t been felt in perhaps two years.

    Nothing brings people together like a lack of things to do. Left to our own devices, my friends and I discovered sides to oursleves that we haven’t seen before. (No. Not a sexual reference.) I even met a new friend who actually knows how to tell someone’s fortune. It was terrifyingly accurate.

    See, I’m not a big fan of pain,and I have been experiencing my fair share of it over the past couple of weeks, especially during the time the storm put everyone of the radar. But getting hurt has brought upon loads of growth for me and my small sphere of influence.

    I’ve learned to appreciate my students a lot, being the people who are constantly there reminding me why i am where I am, reminding me that life will always be beautiful no matter what. I’ve learned that it’s okay to open up and bitch once in a while, to ask for help once in a while, especially when you and your friends thave transcended all pretensions and have embraced the concept of family. I’ve learned to laugh a little louder, and cry, or at least attempt to cry when necessary.

    And finally I’ve learned that even the biggest, most selfish assholes can, at some point or some aspects in their, be caring without regret, loving without conditions, and honest without fear.

    For that, I thank you.

    (This post about personal growth was once again made possible by Ivan, the right hand man of the one true Godfather of Porn, bitches.)