more than the countless memorable meals, the lift is in being read by many

Every now and then I bump into people who follow my Thursday column. And since it is always about food, my passion only next to my lovely wife, they often tell me how envious they are about my "writing job". But people don’t realize its occupational hazards – the excessive calories, and the constant vigilance of cholesterol and uric acid levels. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it. (Yeah, right.)

But how did you get into food writing, I am often asked? Don’t you paint or sculpt anymore? Of course I still do, I can never give up those two other loves of mine.

Well, it all started out quite innocently. Our dear friend, Lifestyle editor Millet Mananquil suggested I write for Philippine STAR. And since eating is a main preoccupation of mine, it was natural for me to choose to write about this topic.

The first one I submitted was about a food trip Mary Ann and I did in Bangkok some three years ago. I got a lot of favorable and encouraging letters from that one, which gave me a natural high. But lack of discipline and multiple interests in various fields kept me from writing about food on a regular basis.

But more than the countless memorable meals, the new discoveries, meeting new friends from all walks of life, the thing that gives me, a fledgling writer, a lift is seeing in print my creation and being read by many. The paycheck may seem incidental (Ahem, ahem, although I could use a little raise, huh, Mr. Max?). Meeting people in social gatherings and hearing them say how they enjoy reading my articles makes it all worth it. Ang dami palang nagbabasa.

I get e-mails from readers living in different parts of the world. There’s this cabalen living in Toronto, who hasn’t been home in years, and who wrote to say she reads my column to comfort her in times when she craves for Pinoy food. Or a California resident saying she went to bed in the wee hours with a big smile after reading a funny piece I wrote. Another kababayan (originally from Iloilo) working in Dubai, wrote of how he ended up naglalaway (salivating) and pining for home after reading a piece I wrote on Ilonggo food. Halos maiyak-iyak daw.

And right here at home, Lucy Torres told me of her friend, Anna Rocha, owner of Haiku Japanese restaurant at Greenbelt 3, who was surprised to learn I had written about Haiku. She spent a sleepless night after reading my piece about Haiku. She was so thrilled to death and was so eager to meet and thank me personally.

But most e-mails, modesty aside (ahem, ahem) are asking how I keep my Brad Pitt figure with all the food I gorge on. Well my dear readers, I punish myself with 20 laps a day in the pool. Admittedly, I need to punish myself more because I am fast losing the battle with the bulge.