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Welcoming 2018 and the culprits in 12 pounds of Xmas
WE HAD said our goodbyes to 2017 and received with open arms 2018. We saw the ups and downs in the wide world of sports, as well as the never ending power plays of people we had mistakenly pinned our hopes in helping run the country. Several are worth remembering while others are better off erased from memory.
As to the merrymaking, some were in a state of confusion whether to do it in moderation or to drink and eat themselves to oblivion. For health and fitness reasons, the latter is the better alternative than the former. But neither wind or rain nor the threat of “Urduja,” “Vinta” or “Agaton” deterred some to become joyfully ridiculous in anticipating Christmas and the arrival of the New Year.
The second week of December was the start of ingesting the good stuff. After the holiday festivities, we are into a heavy reality, figuratively and literally. A good number of us ended the year with a few extra pounds in our bodies as we had excused ourselves and found reasons to pig out.
Because of personal “gains,” I had identified – in no particular order – culprits that contributed to the 12 pounds of Christmas.
* San Miguel Beer. Still my all-time favorite. This golden brew in a brown bottle gives justice to a platter of roasted country-style legumes. Translation: isang platitong mani.
* Carlos I and Fundador Exclusivo. Two of best affordable brandies in the market that make you cheerfully woozy.
* Lechon. Big celebrations call for the best centerpiece. Who cares about the calories when the skin is invitingly crispy?
* Roasted turkey. Tender, juicy, lip-smacking goodness. A welcome change from the overused and, in some cases, malnourished lechon manok.
* Queso and hamon de bola. These balled wonders are usually served in little slices and a little of everything becomes everything in a little time.
* Pasta. Tomato sauce, meat sauce, white sauce, whatever sauce. Carbo-loading at its finest. But beware of the carbonara. Too much of it requires, for some, a sprint to the bathroom. Karma?
* Fruit salads. A merry mix of fruits drowning in cream and condensed milk is delightfully delicious.
* Baked oysters. Garnished with chopped garlic, butter and a dash of lime, it’s time to forget the high uric acid content. Aching joints are the rewards and Mercury Drug and Rose Pharmacy will serve their purpose.
* Callos. This remnant from the Spanish occupation makes an afterthought to moderation.
* Muffins, cakes and related baked goodies. Holiday preparations are not complete without these sinful creations. They go well with coffee after every meal.
* Tsokolate with suman, bibingka, puto, and other kakanin. They magically grow on church grounds during the nine-day dawn novena masses. We’re not done here yet as by 8 a.m. we crowd the dining table for our regular breakfast.
* Chocolates. Life is indeed sweet, and this dark colored confection is everyone’s favorite. It’s not called “food for the gods” for nothing. Again, our favorite boticas never run out of metformins.
And now the hard part: Every year we resolve to lose weight and enroll in fitness gyms. We get excited when we raid sporting apparel shops and nearly choke machines with our credit cards. For the first few weeks, we religiously follow our fitness programs and make the gym floor slippery with our sweats but by the time Valentine’s comes, the interest dwindles. By April, only the instructors and a few hardcore gym rats are left manhandling the equipment to their contentment. Yes, resolutions are meant to be broken and the annual cycle continues to revolve.
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Speaking of celebrations, the Kalibo Pilot Elementary School Class ’74 will have its 44th Reunion this coming Jan. 19. It is always timed during the Ati-Atihan Festival as overseas-based batchmates usually comes home at this time of year. This promises to be a fun event as organizers had been preparing since November.
With this year’s theme, “Through the Years,” it’s time for classmates to reminisce, reconnect, relate, reunite, rebuild, and recreate the happy and carefree elementary memories. And yes, maybe for some, exchange notes on maintenance meds.
We may have breached the half-century mark but, goodness gracious, we can all very well look casually elegant in white tops and denims when we converge at 6 p.m. at Wilstar Garden, Magdalena Village, Barangay New Buswang, Kalibo, Aklan. For more details and info, check the group’s Facebook page, 2018 Homecoming Preparation. Jan. 19, 2018, 6 p.m. See you then, guys!/PN
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