A lot of people say life would really begin at a certain age. By ‘a lot’, I mean overdramatic retards secretly obsessed with life’s theatrics. I owned that label when I fell in love. I was 15. Didn’t I say, overdramatic? On the other hand, there are those more emotionally supercharged twits who carry on with the drama and keep “dying” along the way. Dying, then rising from the crypt. When a shitty life becomes all–like how a Friend says–doom and gloom everywhere, these whackos decide to die and hope for a new life the morning after. It was 10 years after my life “had begun”, and it was in a place called Ortigas that I got my “new life”.

I’ve always enjoyed being baby-ed. The literal innocence on many things, the excitement with every “new” discovery, the candies you earn for every job well done… When I took spot in Ortigas there was almost nothing I was prepared for. All I had with me were my bus fare, an objective and the willingness to defy all laws of nature and vanity—all for the promise of a new life… and, apparently, more shit and jewels than I bargained for. It was lovely, and I couldn’t ask for a better eight exhausting, memorable months.

But as I am an overdramatic whacko twit who lavishes drama and celebrates quite sooner than later even the tiniest dust the caused my eyes to twitch, I find it necessary to cap things off in an above-average way. My life in Ortigas has ended. But nothing to be annoyed off in this piece: I just want to thank the cosmos for allowing me such an endeavor; one that could always be replicated in the coming days but most definitely is already tattooed in me for the rest of my life/lives. And how can I not be grateful?

In Ortigas I had my will strengthened and my patience fortified. More importantly, I understood why I needed both to keep myself going.

In Ortigas I learned to stop mocking people who kept complaining about money and the frequent lack of it. I lived their lives, I am one of them—and I’m happy to be.

Amazingly, Ortigas also gave me a hundred reasons to bitch around and pick fights in random places. Trust me, it’s a good stress reliever!

In Ortigas I learned a new type of writing. Better, I learned how to value my own style and appreciate other pens for theirs.

Staying in Ortigas allowed me time away from my comfort zone to try new things with new people in new opportunities. Better, I know I brought something new to those people’s lives too and have touched them in some way.

In Ortigas I spun into infinity… Something I never expected to happen in such a straightforward timetable. It was unrequited, but I couldn’t be happier when I finally accepted the always-pleasant surprise of feeling your heart stop and being impossibly contented with just that one person’s smile…

Ortigas let nice people into my life, maybe even Friends, something that will always have more worth than gold. I’m not sure if those people know it, or if they would believe me if I tell it to their faces, but I am heartbreakingly happy that I have formed ties with them…

And many more wonderful, wonderful things. My 60-minute mark is almost up—I had to time-limit myself or that river might start to flow—but the wicked O already knows the rest…

With that, I say goodbye to Ortigas. And yes, boys, I know: nakakabitin ampff!