For several nights now, we’ve had Grey’s Anatomy episodes to keep us company as we do schoolwork till way past midnight. The funny thing is, the more we watch, the more I feel thankful I did not choose to become a doctor. I admit I used to have a lot of what ifs about it before but now I’m way past that.

No, it’s not about avoiding stress and the lack of sleep that made me choose to teach rather than to become a doctor. God knows teaching has its share of stress and sleepless nights too. Nor is it about the escape from legal matters like dealings with a Mesothelioma lawyer or confrontations with a Parole officer. The truth is, when you teach, you’ll get to deal with parents in all sorts of profession – doctors, engineers, actors, lawyers, politicians, etc. Name it, and a teacher has probably talked to one already.

It’s not about avoiding any of the drawbacks that come with being a doctor. It’s about having mateo and andrea by my side as a result of my taking this path. You see, because of them, I have more than enough reason to thank God I made the decision to become a teacher when I had to.

Between medicine and education, I’d choose family anytime. Haha!

When Papa informed us about the possibility of getting a motorcycle, I went frantic thinking about where to place the bike when it gets here. The garage isn’t big enough to accommodate a car and a motorcycle at the same time so I had to figure out where to an extra space.

The only place that came to mind was the garden – the small space near the living room that allows natural light inside the house. The only draw back, however, is that the motorcycle would instantly turn into an outdoor furniture. What, with the number of times it’s gonna be used and all. It’ll probably sit there most of the time as an additional decor rather than be ridden.

But, just as my father used to say, we make do with what we have. So until I find a more appropriate bike space, I guess the motorcycle would have to sit in the garden for a while.

I just heard from a friend and co-teacher today that she and her husband are planning on selling their SUV to buy a smaller sedan for their daughters. My initial reaction was of course joy. For a moment I thought about jumping on the chance to get an SUV, but then andrea reminded me about the other things we wanted to buy first.

I realized we’d been planning on finally purchasing the house we’re currently renting. It’s not exactly a mansion. In fact only has single floor and it has been around for about 12 years already. It’s a bit old in house standards but it’s still very sturdy, presentable and most of all comfy.

With just the addition of a few things here and there like a range hood, some vessel sinks, and probably a bigger garden, I’m sure it’s going to have an entirely fresher look and feel.

I just got a present from my dad – a present I never imagined he would ever give me – a Kawasaki Fury motorcycle. No, it’s not that my dad doesn’t give me nice presents. He does. It’s just that, ever since I could remember, he always talked so negatively about the motorized bike. According to him, it was the most dangerous vehicle that any person could ever ride. I mean it has its perks but the risks outweigh all the possible benefits of the ride. Plus there’s the fact that a significant number of drivers in vehicular accidents involving motorcycles end up either severely and permantly injured or dead.

When I talked to him about the bike, I asked him why? There were so many other things that I wanted to buy for myself. I’m sure he knows I’d love any kind of electronic gadget and there are tons of them available on best buy. Why the motorcycle? He answered me with his relaxed tone. It’s something you could use to cut down on gas expenses. He’s still pretty worried about the risks though but I guess the fact that I’m less than ten minutes away from work made the decision a little easier. In return I promised never to use the bike in trips that would take me more than 15 minutes on the road. Hey, I too have my hesitations about riding. I’ve seen quite a few accidents myself to know how dangerous it really is and I’m not planning on getting into an accident any time soon.

Anyway, I’ve just tested it and I’ve gone and returned from school safely with my new toy. I’m still quite scared though but I’m hoping that fear remains. I don’t want to become too relaxed to worry about accidents regardless of how many times I ride.

After accompanying the students to a field trip last week, I caught something bad. And for several days already, I’ve been down with cold and fever. My nose is already red, swollen and painful because of constant wiping. Worse, I can’t even get close to my son because I’m afraid of passing whatever it is that I got to him. I mean, he’s already suffering from some cold virus too so I don’t want to complicate things any further.

But you know what? Just when you think things couldn’t get any worse, plumbing decided to add more complication. And not an ordinary complication at that. It wasn’t something you can solve by spring plungers or gasket replacements. Our main line outside the house sprung a leak – a major one too. It was so bad that we had to call the subdivision’s water supplier to address the problem. It took more than a day to fix the pipeline but thank God it’s done. After fixing the pipes and some inspection, the plumbers even recommended a major renovation to address possible problems that might arise in the future because of the old lines.

I told them no. Until my nose and head clears up, I don’t want to hear about any plumbing problems again.

It’s been a grueling week – hellish in fact, but it’s all over. And for that I’m extremely glad.

For those who did not witness the work behind the scenes, they know nothing about the sweat, the headaches and the sleepless nights that went into the creating of the science festival. They have no idea about how difficult it was to balance funds, ask fellow teachers to reschedule classes, or to find guest speakers or sponsors. I mean, in the first place, I didn’t necessarily think that the job description included any of those functions that we did, but we managed to pull it off. With the help of all the teachers (especially those in the science department) and all the various personnel in school, we miraculously survived the whole ordeal – not unscathed though but alive nonetheless … and probably wiser too.

It’s been a grueling week, but it’s all concluded now. For that I’m extremely glad. But you know what? That’s not the only thing I’m glad for. I have great colleagues and an equally wonderful and challenging department. And… even if it’s just for this year, I’m proud of being their coordinator.