Pointless Loves

“But there are the small pointless loves, too, which the poets and the playwrights never really talk about. You don’t have to save the word 'love' for the special occasions.” – Backwards in High Heels, Tania Kindersley & Sara Vine

Here are my ten pointless loves. I must admit, it wasn’t easy coming up with ten. Halfway on the list, I had to pace back and forth to think of the next. Surprisingly, it took a lot of thought and big part of it is because it’s hard to find the thing worthy of that word ‘love’. I had to distinguish between ‘like’ and ‘prefer’. For example: I like to bake. I don’t think I know it well enough to say ‘I love baking’. I did enjoy baking chocolate cookies, but that’s all I know. Who knows if I’ll still like baking muffins or cakes… I think before you say “I love…” it has to be known very well and time tested. Another example is: I prefer to go shopping alone. I do not love it. If I’m sad, shopping alone would not make me instantaneously happy. Shopping per se would. But it does not have to be done alone.

So here they are in no particular order:

1. I love talking walks. In fact when I need to think, I walk, pace around the room back and forth. I used to work for someone who has a treadmill instead of a chair behind his desk. This, I think, is pretty stupid. It may be a good cardio and it helps you think but what if you want to just sit down and type or read or think or sign papers? Plus it’s really annoying to those working around you. I say treadmill in the office is only good only if have it inside your own office, and it’s on your spare desk. Anyway, some of my favorite locations are: Stephen Avenue, the Plus 15, the Makati Business District on Sundays and of course anywhere with Joel.

2. I love silly AND witty sitcoms. It has to be both. My favorites: Friends, How I Met Your Mother and The Nanny. Now the last one poses a bit of an issue because while I love watching The Nanny over and over, Joel is allergic to Fran Drescher’s voice.

3. I love taking pictures. I remember on the sixth grade, I was allowed to bring a camera for the first time. When we got them developed and my mom was so mad because I wasn’t in any one of them.

4. I love libraries. There’s this soothing feeling about being around so many books. Whenever I’m waiting for someone, I’d prefer to meet and wait for them in bookstores. Because I wouldn’t mind spending time and waiting there. I can spend hours browsing through the shelves. Now in libraries, not only are there a lot of books but you don’t actually have to buy any it (obviously, they are not normally on sale). And now they have DVD’s, CD’s and I heard that you can actually play guitar hero in the downtown Calgary Public Library. (The last one I haven’t verified, so don’t take my word for it.

5. I love bags. In college, when I get a bad test result, I buy a bag. I think I hit my lowest point when I walked in a Liz Claiborne closing shop sale. I was actually going to the ALDO shop next door because I needed new shoes. (Yes. ‘Needed.’ When you’re a size 4, shoe shopping is a task) I never got to go to ALDO that day. But I walked out of Liz Claiborne with 5 bags. (What can I say? Everything is 70% off!)

6. I love Starbucks - the concept, the over-priced coffee, the ambiance, the merchandise…

7. I love my IPhone. I know there’s a lot of smartphones out there that have way better features, and querty typing on a small touchpad screen is a bitch but I’m really happy with the fact that I can check my email, get on YahooMessenger, go on Facebook, surf the web, listen to music, read ebooks, play games, do my banking, check transit schedule, get directions and a million other things with interesting yet sometimes useless array of applications. The thing is, I’m not a really techie person. So I don’t need and even understand many of the technical features that other smartphones have. I don’t need better. I just need something pretty, easy to use and enjoyable. Although... I am tempted to get a Blackberry just because...

8. I love malls. Money or no money to spend. I love everything about it - walking around aimlessly, window shopping, actually shopping, eating at food courts… I just love being in it. I spent 2 months working in one and I just loved it! My notable favorites are SM Southmall and the Glorietta-Landmark-Greenbelt chain in Makati. Southmall because I grew up there and basically you can find everything and anything that you will need there. There are merchandises both expensive and cheap. And of course there’s the grocery, the department store, the food court, the skating rink and the theme park. Also they have the hardware, the appliance center, the car shop, barber shop, parlor, spa, dermatology clinic, eye clinic, medical testing clinic, banks, computer school, driving school… you name it. They have it.

9. I love to pack. For trips, for moving or even just the groceries. But I hate unpacking in all it’s forms and for any of it's reasons.

10. I love writing. Obviously.