Miriam Defensor and my Alta Presyon

I was nineteen years old when Miriam Defensor Santiago first run for the presidential race. My friends and I volunteered as poll watchers for her for free. We even spent our own money for our snacks and lunch which was unusual because watchers, though called volunteers, were normally given cash for allowances and packed snacks and lunch through out the election and the counting, which was manual then. 

But since we were enamored by Defensor's no nonsense, fierce image, especially when dealing with death threats, we were attracted towards her. We were amazed at the way she talked to the press especially when she confronted illegal aliens who tried to answer back to her. Her vocabulary was also something, she used unusual words to insult her enemies eliciting laughter and thought at the same time. 

I guess, to our young mind then, she was the opposite of president Cory Aquino who was soft spoken and politically correct.

She ran for the second time but Erap got my imagination which in retrospect was a waste of my vote. The third time, I was rooting for her but her deteriorating health was already showing. I voted for Digong.

She had her faults when in a brief moment of  illogicality she sided with Erap Estrada. But other than that, she is one the brightest and the funniest senator I have seen and heard.

She will sorely be missed especially now when the senate and congress is being filled up by people who could only be described as below average mediocre.

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I thought I was about to have an asthma episode because I am getting short of breath untilI  checked my blood pressure. I admit I was eating a lot lately and have not been walking in weeks due to the weather and also from the exhaustion of teaching. I guess I need to get back to my routine and stop being a sloth.

I avoid our school office. One of the reasons is that I always associate that office with paper works and memos. I have this belief that if I avoided that office, I would be spared being one of the subjects of the memos. This is not actually a belief but it is based on the premise that if the boss do not see me, he/she will not know that I exist, And if I do not exist, at least with in his/her field of vision, chances are my name would not be brought up for a task or an assignment. I have survived under the radar for so long that being called to a meeting  in the office rattles me. I guess once in a while my butt sticks out. 

I always feel safe under the radar, and I'm not the only one who feels this way.