So I was talking to April on the phone and she was recounting a serious but interesting story when the phone slipped from my ear (I was holding it against my ear with my shoulder. I didn't do it on purpose.)

So when I retrieved the phone, this is what goes on.

Me: Wait, I didn't hear the last 3 seconds you said. The phone fell.

April: What was the last word I said?

Me: Umm... 'because'?

And I'm thinking, yeah that's helpful. Because is a really specific word. It'll really make her remember where she left off...or where the phone fell.

This is such a weird post.

I haven't written anything in a while. I've been busy with a lot of things. I actually forgot that I had a blog. But hey, life catches up with you, right? Or wait, was it the other way around?

So, now that I'm more rested...well, sort of, I've been thinking about Lent. Yes, Lent. Now is the time to think about Lent. You know, now that it started and all. 

Okay, I'm babbling.

My sister always complains this time of year - abstain from this, don't eat that, don't do this. And she has this grudge against not eating meat because she can't survive without it. And she takes it out on me! Well, she doesn't hit me or anything, or bite me, or yell at me. She doesn't do anything to me, really. But that's besides the point.

And let me explain her point first. Because it's Lent, all Catholics (from the age of reason) are obliged to abstain from eating meat every Friday, and my sister sucks at this abstinence thing. She gets cranky when she doesn't have a taste of meat. Frankly, I find it hard to believe her. I mean, it's just a day. So she says, she withdraws from the obligatory abstinence and abstains on other things, like I don't know, cake. Why does she hold a grudge against me, you ask? Because I'm a vegetarian, that's why. I don't have anything to abstain from, I don't eat meat for all the days of the year. She feels it's unfair that I find it easy to get with the abstinence drift because, duh, I've already been riding the wave for like, two years.

But then, here's my point: I, pesco vegetarian Foz, have a harder time that all you others precisely because I don't have anything obligatory (i.e meat) to abstain from. Kind of ironic isn't it? It's supposed to be easy for me, but Lent is all about sacrifices and I can't freaking think of anything to sacrifice! Dad jokes that I should start eating meat. Haha, very funny...you know, doing the opposite. I tried to not eat fish (we're allowed to eat fish and seafood), and at the end of the day I thought, I don't eat fish or seafood some days of the week anyway, what makes this any different? So I tried to fast and just eat like, one meal a day. And I felt like that dog that just gave birth to the hundred dalmatians. I said, I can abstain from shopping the whole season, but a week into it, I got depressed and desperately needed to buy something.

See?! I'm having the harder time here! I can just very well pretend I'm not vegetarian and have a hard time like all carnivores on Lent.

Or I can just eat fruits that fall from trees.

 

So my sister and her boyfriend, Kuya Chips, brought home a box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

My sister goes, "Kain ka! Super Sarap!"

I'm like, I kinda know what it tastes like. You know, I had a couple about thirteen years ago. My tastebuds still sort of know what a Krispy Kreme doughnut is. So anyway, I get a knife and I cut little pieces off a few doughnuts and taste. Everyone gets really pissed at me for not just picking up one doughnut, right? And I go, fine. I'll half this Boston Creme thingie with Daddy.

And I eat the doughnut....and it was...really....

Crappy. I am not happy with the doughnut. Or the other doughnuts I took a piece from. I don't know how my friends can claim they have like three or four, or how my sister can gush about how good it is (Well, she told me James Blunt was good so I don't really rely on her word but that's just me). Or, I can't even fathom the idea of Americans finishing a whole box or half a dozen in one sitting. Sheesh! These things can make you sick with sugar overload, not to mention diabetes. Your tastebuds may might as well shrivel up and die.

To make things worse, my head started to hurt. As if eating bad deep fried doughnuts wasn't enough. And after about thirty minutes, my tummy hurt like anything. My brain probably sent a red alert to my digestive system and was probably like, "Well, shit, joanna. You didn't have to eat THAT. Expel, men! Get this out of her system! Hurry! Hurry!"  

And so I reach the conclusion (to the utter dismay and violent reactions of most), I hate Krispy Kreme. May their deep-fried, big, diabetes red alert dougnuts rest in peace.  

So I just met my high school barkada for lunch yesterday and have come to a astounding revelation... I have no vice.

I, Maria Joanna Francesca Foz Castro, have no vice.

I don't smoke. Never tried it. I am actually quite allergic to it, cigarette smoke I mean. I don't drink, only the occasional glass of wine (I'm glamorous that way, haha). Well, except for last night's dinner when me and April finished a whole bottle of really (I mean, REALLY) fantastic Sicilian red wine. I don't do drugs. Doi, hindi na nga ako umiinom at naninigarillo, bakit pa ako magdodroga?!

But, I'm not complaining. I don't need a vice. And it's cool not to be that kind of cool, you know? So instead of whining because of non-existent vices (unless being a shopaholic and coffeholic counts), I tried to understand why people have them. And I've stopped trying after, well, five minutes.  

So, is drinking on every occasion - you know failing a test, acing a test, not having anything to do, things like that - like shopping when i fail a test, or ace a test, or bored out of my wits? Are they on the same general vicinity? Or do I have everything wrong?

I have no idea why people get into these things.

Why won't we just get along? (Ok, I added this for extra cheesy effect. I didn't really mean that. Haha.)

If someone with a vice (totally different from someone who is vicious or viscous) reads this, can you please explain? Why? Why! No offense, but what is the big deal? And don't give me those answers that beg the question. You know, "because I want to", or "I'm addicted to it" or "Nakasanayan ko na e" (duh vice nga e). Or even the most whatever answer, "because it's cool".

And to those who don't have any other vice except well, shopping and coffee, don't get out of them. hahahaha.