Tick tock, tick tock.....

86400 ticks of the clock amount to a day. On the average, 28800 of these seconds (or 8 hours) are spent in sleeping. So, that gives most of us approximately 57600 precious seconds to spend on working, studying, playing around, reading, writing, contemplating, relaxing, and at times, doing nothing. And the amount of time we use in performing an activity somehow reflects how much we prioritize it. Now, as I make plans for the future, I look back and reflect on what I did in the past. Somehow, it crossed my mind to list down some things I did that took more than the usual amount of time to do. Some are very trivial, insignificant even, others may give a glimpse of how much I devote myself to something I set my attention to. Hope you’ll enjoy it!

The longest time…

…I spent on a phone conversation

7 hours, from 11:50 pm to 6:50 am. Thanks to Globe Unlimited Night Calls Promo. Haha! It was a great conversation, though. I don’t think I would have lasted that long if it wasn’t.

…I spent on a phone conversation at work

A little over an hour! Take an old lady already hard at hearing, a complicated situation regarding her travelers’ cheques and an agent already in a hurry to go home (having received the call just a few minutes before my shift was supposed to end), put them all together and what have you got? Well, that call really made my day then.

…it took me to finally blurt out the words I love you to a girl

A bit embarrassing, but it’s all behind me now. July 12, 2001, 2 pm, in one of the benches at the Sunken Garden. Everything was going my way except that I just couldn’t say the words. It took me three hours before I could finally say the three sweetest words. That was the most nervous moment of my life then.

…it took for me to finish reading a book

More than a thousand pages long, with more than a hundred chapters, “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexandre Dumas was a classic that normal people wouldn’t have attempted to read, especially if they had already watched the film adaptation. But I am not normal, and curiosity got the better of me, so for two weeks I devoted my free time from school just immersing myself in it. I didn’t regreit it. It was much better to read the book than to watch the movie. But I don’t think I will ever try to read it again. Hehe!

…it took for me to finish reading a book in one sitting

This is easy. No other book has elicited as much excitement from me as the “Harry Potter” series has. I got hooked after the fifth book was released. But though I also finished reading “Half Blood Prince” on the day of its release, the last book, “Deathly Hallows” was longer so it took me a few hours longer to finish it. It was July 21, 2007, and what made it more memorable was that it was also the birthday of my favorite nephew. He couldn’t even remember me being present at his party. Luckily for me, I had one picture taken with myself behind the celebrant as proof, afterwards, I retreated to my bedroom to continue reading. Hehe!

…I stayed awake

I’ve never been a fan of sleep deprivation, but there were instances when I had to keep awake as I had to go straight from work to a church activity that lasted a whole day. I wasn’t really able to keep track, but I’ve gone past 40 hours a few times already.

…I stayed awake on a trip

In December 2006, my friends and I went to Ilocos for a vacation. Sitting beside the driver, I had to force myself to keep awake the whole trip so the driver won’t feel sleepy as well. We left Manila at 10 pm and made it to Ilocos around 8 am, so that makes around 10 hours.

…I slept on a trip

In February 1999, I went to Isabela to compete in the National Schools Press Conference, a competition for high school journalists. Since I had examinations at school at the end of the week, I had to cut my stint short. Having nobody to talk to on the way home, (I was with my school paper adviser who I didn’t get along with), I slept all the way from Isabela to Cubao, a total of 12 hrs straight!

…I spent in the hospital

6 days, from October 15-20, 2007, because of Dengue Fever. It was the first (and hopefully the only) time that I got confined in the hospital. Other than having blood taken from me thrice a day, I found it a pleasant experience as a whole.

…I was absent from work

Two weeks! I still wasn’t completely recovered when I got out of the hospital, so I took my sweet time using this as an excuse (a valid one, nevertheless). I spent the week going out with my friends and catching up on things I wasn’t able to do when I was ill.

…I spent at work

I did a couple of double shifts in Etelecare. First one was 11pm-5pm and the next was 10pm-4pm. It’s not something I will recommend to anyone though.

…I spent on an examination

I guess the right answer for this would be my four-hour UPCAT back in July 1999. I dozed off, got excited, went hungry but didn’t eat (I couldn’t open my pack of Oreo cookies as the noise might distract other examinees. I am so naïve. Hehe!) before it was all over. My reward? A billiards game with my classmates after the exams.

…I spent on a speaking engagement

In October 2007, I committed to being the guest speaker at the KADIWA monthly meeting in Pasig. Unfortunately, I fell ill with Dengue Fever, so I had to beg off at the last minute. I rescheduled my stint to November, so on that day, I discussed two topics, one for each month. It took me almost an hour before I was able to end it. Got a little carried away, I guess. Hehe!

…I was shown on TV

Back in December 2006, I competed in Game KNB? Unfortunately, I lost to Matet de Leon in the Final Round, not having known much of Sharon Cuneta movies. It was disappointing, but very fun and exciting. I hope to go back there. Hehe!

…it took me to go down from a building

I don’t remember how long it took, but taking the stairs from 22^nd floor down definitely is much slower than riding on the elevator.

…I spent on the gym

I spent one hour running and cycling, one and a half hours lifting weights, another hour in the sauna and half an hour in the shower. Four hours of heaven. Hehe!

…I spent online

I’ve done a few instances of 14 hours straight when I had to man my shop alone. It’s not a great experience, though.

…I spent in the bathroom

90 minutes! Not out of vanity, though. I fell asleep while sitting on the toilet. Hehe!

…I sat through a meeting

April 2000, the first District Caucus I ever attended. It started at 9 am, then we took our lunch, and to my surprise, we had to go back. It ended at 4 pm, with me seriously reconsidering if I was going back the following week. I’m glad I did!