It’s bed weather

JUNE 21, 2:20 p.m. It’s a dreary Saturday afternoon as I look at the wet streets from my apartment window. The screensaver in my Powerbook has activated its screensaver of photos of different beaches. I look at the photos and realize that summer is over and the new season has arrived with a splash – from the floods, that is. I happen to enjoy this time of the year. I think that the rainy season possesses its own charm – if it weren’t only for the names we Filipinos refer to as typhoons, such as "Chedeng" and "Egay," and the tragedies they cause. But in spite of everything, including my love affair with the sun and surf, I still welcome this period with open arms, while laying on my cozy bed!

Robert Fulghum was right when he said, "All the things I really need to know, I learned in kindergarten." I think my earliest lesson about the weather indirectly came from the first three lines of the popular nursery rhyme, "It’s raining, it’s pouring, the old man is snoring…" Of course, he’s snoring! But not ‘cause "he went to bed and hit his head" as the rhyme goes, but rather because rainy weather is the ultimate bed weather! Tell me, who wants to wake up, much less get out of the house, when the gloomy skies turn your room a notch darker, the temperature outside makes everything a tad colder, and the rhythm of the pouring rain beats the soothing tunes of any lullaby? Sans the clapping sound of thunder, a little downpour can create a mood so comforting and relaxing, it will render you almost lifeless! It’s Mother Nature’s remedy for ridding herself of polluted air and has proven to be beneficial for the overworked and under stress.

The way I see it, when you can’t beat the weather (which you really can’t, by the way) then enjoy it! The idea is to indulge in activities and things that you love to do, which complements a cooler, grayer, more tranquil atmosphere.

Just because you have to stay indoors doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go out of town. Get a double dose of the coolness by heading towards colder climates! Make the most of the weather and go somewhere that induces your urge to cozy up and snuggle, but make sure you don’t forget to bring a worthy partner along to enjoy it with. Baguio was amazing the last time I visited, which was just before the end of summer. The rainy season was just about to start and the smell of the pine trees, view of the mountains and the fireplace made for a really romantic setting. I have not been there in ages and forgot how beautiful some parts of it still are. There were moments I forgot I was still in the Philippines. That is the beauty of it all! Had I gone there at the height of summer, it probably wouldn’t have had the same effect. But apart from Baguio, there are other options worth considering like Tagaytay and places located up north. I suppose it all depends on the logistics and financial equation one needs to take into account before they set off on any trip.

Another thing is to get creative and let the serenity bring out the artist in you. It’s the perfect time to get into crafts or the arts because they are quintessentially salutary hobbies. Apart from bringing out one’s creativity, there is also another thing this weather stimulates – your appetite! I absolutely love eating during this time. Forget the salad! I’m no longer on my summer diet. Right now, warm dishes like soup is a favored appetizer to any meal. I also love comfort foods that remind me of my mother’s cooking! Chicken Spaghetti Bolognese has certainly remained a childhood favorite. That and champorado! Both have "Atkins Dieters Beware!" written all over them but I believe there is a scientific explanation for the sudden craving of excess carbohydrates when the temperatures drop. Could it be the need for added insulation?

Coffee is a common morning must-have for people but gets an extra two thumbs-up when it’s a stormy morning. And when I want to lay off the bad caffeine, I’ll opt for a nice hot cup of mint tea of chai latte – a shot of milk and three Equals please! My manang Betty makes an ultra-yummy, but ultra- fattening cup of hot chocolate that we never fail to have during noche buena, but is also fantastic when the weather gets cold. Too bad you don’t have my manang Betty, but you can try to reproduce the stuff with your own house blend or with Swiss Miss.

This kind of weather also calls for mindless reading. What I look for is an escape and nothing else. I love reading books that I’ve read before so that I don’t have to focus too much on the plot, but instead enjoy the good bits over again. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks was very touching and Tuesdays with Morrie left more than a lump on my throat. Good thing I’ve highlighted a few "quotables" from the story, which makes going over them much easier. Paolo Coelho is another one of my favorite novelists whose works always provide me with the perfect, senseless escape I need. And when it’s inspiration I want, I grab A Night Without Armor – a compilation of poetry written by Jewel, or one of my many books by Pablo Neruda who I think is an utterly brilliant poet.

For those who don’t enjoy reading as much as I do, movies are another means of entertaining yourself silly and require very little of your energy. Depends on my mood, but a light, romantic comedy would most likely be my pick off the video store shelves just because I think laughter and romance go well with the weather. And there are plenty to choose from, just think Meg Ryan and Julia Roberts. Now if I want less cheese, I’ll substitute it for nuttiness and laugh my heart out with pure comedy. I like the harebrained, slapstick ones by Mel Brooks and the Monty Python series. If not, I’d do a DVD marathon of Friends and Sex and the City! And when I am all alone and just want to feel like a kid again, I’ll whip out something from my collection of Walt Disney classics.

Right now I’m obviously missing out and doing none of these. Instead, I am glued to my computer, busy finishing this article. Slow, mellow, chilled out tunes are playing in the background and as of the moment, I have Sarah Mclachlan, U2, Sting, Tori Amos, Peter Gabriel, and a beach house compilation by Hed Kandi playing on program mode on the stereo. Too bad I haven’t bought Norah Jones’ CD yet ‘cause it would have been in the mix for sure. Apart from writing this article, I am multitasking and playing chef as well. My gourmet snack is ready! As I pour the contents, together with some milk and sugar into the much-needed oversized bowl, stir everything up and inhale the sweet, chocolaty aroma, I start to think, "Hey! I’m no Wolfgang Puck or Bobby Flay, maybe more of Chefboyardee, but I bet none of those cooks on the Lifestyle Network can make a dish more mouthwatering than this bowl of champorado I proudly hold in my hands right now! "I can’t be disturbed right now. This is my moment and by the time the last song ends, so does this article.