Playing Hookie

Yesterday I decided to skip work and headed off to Greenhills with Xarra.

I woke up to a breezy summer Tuesday morning and immediately thought "damn, the days too good to go to work".

The monkey in my head had pretty much hemmed and hawed and told me that my remaining work days would be enough to finish my remaining tasks in the office. The conscious side of me that actually deals with people told my mother that I'd be taking half the day off.

Plans changed when I almost got ran over on my way to work. (Don't ask.)

I just thought "Okay, that does it, i'm taking the day off."

I texted Xarra and asked if she wanted to play hookie with me and skip work. I thought I was being a nasty influence when she texted back and told me that she'd been considering going to Greenhills the night before. It turns out it was her day off.

Well, it was fate then. Destino. I was so going out and no one can stop me!!!

Unfortunately, i'm not a mall person. I don't hate the mall, I just don't like the mall. The people scare me and window shopping doesn't really interest me. If I spend more than an hour and shopping for a particular thing in one place I feel terribly inefficient. I think it's a holdover from my previous shopping experiences from...ermmm, with people that shouldn't be mentioned. Let's just say that I don't enjoy walking for close to 15km looking at shoes that look exactly the same.

Good thing that Greenhills isn't your typical mall. It's a combination mall/costco/kickass sample sale/outlet/flee market, only with new stuff.

We stayed mostly for the jewelry and some serious money-making errands, but found ourselves shopping for other stuff anyway. I introduced Xarra to my style of speed shopping. Ever seen Look for Less with Elizable Hasselbeck nee Filarski? That's me. Give me a budget and a vision and I'm set to go. Heck, i'll even do it on a time limit.

I didn't speed shop with Xarra, who likes to browse. She was somewhat aghast that I can tell if a pair of jeans fit me even without trying it on. I used to be able to eyeball my shirts, but I up top during my stay here at DAI. THANK GOD.

I went home with clothes, underwear (my new obsession), some accessorties, and a huge smile on my face.

We ended up going to SM North again, where my aversion to malls peaked and just had to go early. Despite my dislike for the mall, I seem to be in the damn place evey week now, courtesy of new resolution to have more night outs and meeting some new people.

All in all, it was a great day. If you ever wake up and find yourself facing a great day and you want to skip out, skip out. You'll have plenty more work days, but great days are rare.

And if you get the chance, stop one moment and take a deep breath. A really deep breath. Then take a look around.

Those are people. This is a chair. That's the sky. This is the earth. You're in a planet that hangs suspended in a universe that you may never get to see in your lifetime (you could get REALLY lucky).

You're this person, you exist. But one day you won't. You'll die, you'll get to answer all these questions that you have. This is a moment. Feel it. Because you will never get it back.