After meeting one of my buyers yesterday and seeing the Hyundai 2006 Motorshow a bit (they’re releasing the country's first ever CRDi engine sedan – that’s diesel powered!), I decided to take the LRT on my way home. I was glad I did because I bumped into Do-an. That’s Michael Do-an Ng for long.

When I shifted to Interior Design in college, the ratio of sexual orientation on a single section was ten girls to one boy. While it was college heaven for men with raging hormones, I had a feeling of constant vulnerability being around a lot of girls. Do-an, being one of the few heterosexual males in the class (the others were gay), became a close friend. Surviving college took a little getting used to when Merlin went to UP Los Banos. Merlin and I were confidants from elementary. Do-an and me, having the same interest in jamming and possessing dashing cute looks instantly clicked. :p

If there was a Mr. Congeniality award in college, Do-an would’ve bagged it. It’s impossible not to like him. He’s as full of compassion for other people as I am overflowing with sarcasm. We were a great team though – I’d help him render his plates and projects and I get free lunch in return. Him being Fil-Chinese means it’s always a buffet on their house. He’s also a contradiction to the notion of the Filipino-Chinese’ being frugal to an excessive degree.

Not that being labeled an “excessively-frugal-Fil-Chinese” is something to be ashamed of or be offended by. I think it’s actually a trait more Filipinos should acquire. Commodity prices are increasing and all the masses can think of doing is organize rallies against the government. Meanwhile, the Filipino-Chinese community maintain their contribution to society by building their businesses and employing the ungrateful masses in spite of the economic crisis. In my opinion, they are the ones who keep this country from sinking into the Pacific.

Let’s not get our hopes up, we’re a far cry from being this millenia’s Atlantis.

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*Do-an is now an impressively aggressive, passionate Architect with more projects he could handle. More power!