DE-MUSH

(lechon photo from mysarisarishop.com)

The holidays have come and gone but my mind is still a mush.

Probably because of my terrible holiday fare. And I think you can commiserate with me:

Poor us, indulging in lechon in almost every party; pitiful, irresistible porky always beckoning, and needing to always be washed down with liters of diet coke or coke zero—you know, to balance the lard with zero-cal, for a healthier you.

Tell me. How many types of pasta did you devour, uh, rather suffer? If you’re noodle-crazy like me, you must have sampled every spaghetti and pancit laid out before you.

“Just a little,” that still small voice constantly reminded. So how come I weighed five pounds more the last time I checked? Weighing scale must be broken.

A slice of chocolate cake here. A bite of cookie there. A sliver of ham over there. Food glorious food! So here we are in January contending with shrinking wallets, bursting waistlines and lethargic episodes.

On the upside, I’m thankful for the longer time spent with loved ones. Imagine endlessly chit-chatting over paella, morcon, galantina, hamon, pancit, lechon, etc., from lunch to dinner time, even days on end. Tuyo, I need you, tuyo!

Or enjoying the cool mountain air, say in Tagaytay, for more eating sprees. (Hay, food pa rin!) Utterly sinful! Lord, forgive.

Being with family. Could that have triggered the eating binges? Or am I just looking for my scapegoat?

Seriously, with or without food, Christmas is still the best time of the year, especially if we don't lose sight of Christ, the reason for the season, and spend more quality time with those who matter most in our lives. For some of us with loved ones abroad, Facebook is a God-send.

So it's 2010. Time to lose the lard and the flab, de-mush di mind, and git right with God. Get set, 1-2-3, go!

Members of two sides of my family in their different get togethers, in Pasig, Quezon City, Tagaytay and Wollongong (Australia)