Not known to many but Davao City is a melting pot of culinary diversity. We may not have popular town-distinct dishes like the fried kamaro of Pampanga, the Pancit Habhab of Lucban Quezon or the Bicol Express from the Bicol Region, but our homegrown restaurants and creative cooks can make up to that. But wait, there's more!

This article was also published in the University of Immaculate Conception - The Collegiate Immaculate Tabloid

I've been to nearly every must-go restaurant in the city (Thank you DFAT!) and I tell you what!? Food is so much better here in Davao. I'll spare all the yummy comparisons against food from other towns but I've got 5 reasons to back me up. If you want to know why I said food is so much better in Davao, then here's WHY!?

Warning! This is a rant post. So leave if you must!

Why do some people state the obvious all the time? Like, yeah, I've gained some weight over the years and so? I'm just saying but I can differentiate sarcasm from a reaction, overreaction and from innuendos.

Can't people change and feel good about it even if it doesn't conform to what our society think is attractive? Or how the person used to look like? People change, bitches! Why don't you just get over it fast?


Ever since I ballooned because of my sedentary lifestyle and stress-eating habits last semester I've been told many times about how much I've gained since - I don't know - the last time these people saw me. But it's the tone the sets my real friends apart from these people I'm ranting about now. My friends would just tease me a bit and tell me to work on it while others go as far as stare at me as I eat my food. God! That is just downright rude. Don't you think?

When my internet connection got lost I had the chance to rethink my life and ask myself "How was my life before the internet?", "How did I manage to survive without it?". Then I thought, I used to doodle all the time. So I took a pen and a notebook and I started doodling.

After a while I got bored so I decided to trim my toenails. After hurting an ingrown nail I went to the nearest sari-sari store to buy a chichiria. I was initially craving for Regent's sweet corn but my childhood slapped me with fond memories of Esep-Esep so I asked the store owner if they have any. Unfortunately, it was out of stock, and so is the 'Sweet Corn', so I went home with a disappointing Rinbee.

Snatched from Google Search, too lazy to find out the specific source.

I turned on the TV and flipped it over to ABS-CBN hoping for a good watch but instead I got upset. I got upset because they changed the format of 'The Buzz'. I don't always like change. But when things change I hope they completely change. Like, it would have made me feel better if Boy Abunda has grown a hair or something but no they changed everything except the shiny head.

So I turned off the TV and I talked to my Gramma. We talked about my little brother's school project about plant reproduction. Then I lectured my sister about too much texting and that she's too behind to take pride in Philippines being the 'text' capital of the world. I also lectured my cousin about the effects of sending people digital crops and that it's bad to put the laptop on the lap because it is said to lower sperm count but that's irrational because I was talking to my girl cousin.

Then I talked to our cats. There's nine of them. I also talked to our dog about the lice and fleas in the Senate. Our dog's name is Nancy B, if you must know. Finally, the internet is back so screw my life before the internet! I bet it's cool in a way or another. It can also suck. Life is pretty much random anyway. Now I can go back online doing exactly nothing or maybe something if I get any luck. :-)

This is pretty much random as well but you can go and ask yourself, "How's my life before the internet?".

Humans are weak. They easily fall prey to whatever links them to their past. Play a Britney Spears song and they will sing along. Turn the channel to Cartoon Network and they'll come running to watch how a trio of flying voodoo dolls will save the day. Do whatever you like to trigger all sort of emotions from the past, just never ever show them an old photo of you.

Otherwise, you'll win a lifetime worth of teases for being the fat kid in high school, the nerd with a thousand zit or the bulimic cheerleader. But now? Thanks to Instagram. The things that reminds us of how fun and embarrassing our past has now become a viral little game called #ThrowbackThursday.

Yes. For those who are unaware of it and aware of it, allow me to tell you that #ThrowbackThursday is a game. It's a game of throwing an old photo of you in front of your friends and telling them a little story of your past. The embarrassing it is, the more fun it'll be and the more likes you get.

You don't win from this game though. Sometimes, my friends' #ThrowbackThursday posts are rather sad than funny. I mean, post a picture of how fat you were in high school and you'll get mixed reactions from your friends. Sure, it can bring you back all of the happy memories of that time but so will the pain. Sadly, that's part of the game.

But now that you know, #ThrowbackThursday can convey a lot of emotion, you can choose to feel anyway you like. What makes us weak is not really our past but how we see it. If I post a picture of me and my dog who died years ago. That's not funny. That's reminiscing. That's longing. That's real life drama and shit. It may bring back the pain but you can choose to feel glad about how that cute little dog helped you move on with your life.

You can also choose to replace the 'dog' in my example with your ex. That would have been so much relatable and they're kind of the same. But I don't have an ex. I have a dog. Oh wait, I had a dog.

Humans may be weak creatures by dwelling on the past. But remember that we do it because we feel that our past made us stronger. Whether our lives are so much better now than yesterday or miserable because we didn't put much thought to our future, we all need to look back. We all need to throw ourselves back into time and think and feel. Coz that's what makes us human.

I'm glad there's Throwback Thursday. Are you? :3