ON AUGUST 1, my family in the UK got COVID-19.
Only my sister was fully vaccinated.
My brother-in-law just had his second shot the day before he showed COVID symptoms, and tested positive.
***
On August 2, I wrote advance pieces for my column here in Panay News.
I was bracing myself for more trips, and surprises.
***
I bought a Lexus RX 350 on August 3.
I partied at the Windsor Golf Course on the following day.
On August 5, I had two online interviews.
One became a heated confrontation with my publisher.
***
I checked the Forestiere Underground Gardens off my bucket list on August 6.
Was it worth the trip to Fresno, California?
You can see my photos on Facebook to judge for yourself.
I just wanted to see it for myself.
It was what I imagined it would be.
***
I wrote a scathing letter to my publisher on August 7, but didnāt email it until August 8.
I wanted to write down my ideas about textbook writing.
I know that Iām a little too advanced for Philippine textbooks because I study the trends and Filipino learnersā psychology, but that doesnāt coincide with the āstrange businessā of publishing.
***
Iām ambivalent about losing my contracts.
One part of me is saying, This is a sad thing because I cannot participate in textbook making the way I wanted.
The bigger part is saying, Iām not paid enough for this work; and I want to keep the copyright of my instructional design.
***
I guess that part of me is also saying, I need a bigger platform.
This closing of the door should lead to other doors and bigger windows.
I am not sorry about losing the contracts.
But I have to write and publish this sentence out to confirm and validate my thoughts.
***
On August 9, I drove down to San Diego.
But on the same day, I bought plane tickets to fly from Los Angeles to Vancouver.
On August 10, I sailed in the open sea just far enough to make a turn around the famous San Diego-Coronado Bridge.
Peter Solis Nery, now sailing? Awesome!
***
I lost $50 to the Barona Casino on August 11.
If I should be honest, the only time I lost $200 on a casino was on one of my birthdays.
But I got a boy in exchange. Haha!
***
I flew to Canada on August 12.
I tried to quarantine myself and wait for the monitoring check of the Canadian government until the following day.
Nothing happened.
My Vancouver airport swab test came back negative.
***
On August 13, I attended a birthday party in the nearby Central Park, which is also called the Boundary Park because it borders the area called Burnaby.
The birthday celebrations continued with a trip to Vancouver Island the following day.
They wanted me to tag along.
***
After the ride with BC Ferries to Vancouver Island, I did the Malahat Skywalk.
And we did a walking tour of Victoria, including the steps to the BC Parliament.
(I have already written about the tragedy of the 215 children.)
***
On August 16, I brought my friend to the Imagine Van Gogh Immersive experience/show at the Vancouver Convention Center.
The following day, my host family took me to vamp around in English Bay.
***
I stayed mostly at home on August 18-20 watching movies on Netflix.
The routine was only broken by an eat-and-run birthday party on August 19.
***
I bought some bargain books (again!) on August 21.
Another friend treated me to pho and a walk downtown on August 22.
I was supposed to buy a pair of Balenciaga shoes we have been stalking online, but it wasnāt available in the flashy orange color I wanted.
***
On August 23, I announced the winner of the Peterās Prize for Film.
We drove up to Whistler, a venue of the 2010 Winter Olympics, on August 24, and stayed until the August 27.
This time, I did the zip-lines, and the Peak2Peak experience, only because we got the time.
When I visited Whistler four years ago, we just went for a day trip.
***
Iām writing this piece on St. Augustineās Feast Day.
If I donāt do anything else until the end of the month, I should be fine.
On September 4, I will be in a long drive to Alberta.
And on September 13, I will be flying to Alaska./PN
