My own "24"

In the TV series "24," the lead character portrayed by Kiefer Sutherland will save someone or resolve something in a narrative time-lapse worth 24 hours every episode. There are days like this in my so-called professional life. Such was October 20 when I had again one of those marathon trips in line with official work, and some more for volunteer work, i.e. work to help out friends. I was up and about from 7AM, October 20 til 7AM the following day. What did I actually resolve? After several weeks of being in limbo with the second phase of the Global Fund project, we were suddenly jolted into having things start moving again; we were asked to make haste despite much of project modalities still being help up in air. Hay naku! All rush and tension were three-layer-cake-slicing thick in the air...

Whom did I actually save a la Kiefer/24 (though I could never compare myself to Kief's gracefully ageing beauty, but ageing nonetheless)? In an ambitious effort to up the ante on their Bohemian Fridays project at Rainbow Project in Malate, Gregg and other friends decided to enrich their project with a bit more art and activity. One was a photo exhibit, another was safer sex advocacy by way of condom distribution, on top of reading of erotic poetry. We were able to involve Dominique James into the stint, and he was so generous to offer us several of his work... I underscore generous here as he offered us 30 digital photography artpieces. For my part, I had my staff in Lucena (while we were meeting on the nitty-gritties of the Global Fund) assemble 100 condom sample packs not unlike a brisk cottage industry.

After the Lucena meeting, I rushed back to Manila, straight to Malate, a plastic bag of condoms on one hand, dirt and grime imported from Laguna and Quezon on clothes, face and god-knows-where-else. I was essentially in deflated, silent attendance during the Bohemian Friday activity (themed "Skin Light Words"). But the Milenyo-inspired curatorship of the artwork did catch my attention, glaring and pleading for justice. I gave Gregg my unsolicited two-cents and volunteered to help in redoing some curatorials, silently thanking DJ was then in New York doing pictorials. As matter of courtesy, and protection of fragile friendships, let some of the photos here clue in as to what happened as I was studying/reworking the curatorials. I was on the verge of accusing dear, sweet but bullying Gregg as the hell-bent, hell-sent curator. Sweet, regardless.

So beyond the 24-hour real-time time-lapse of our own real-life drama, reworking the art collection took several more nights, each night an ambitious attempt to finish all but only to realize later that attempts remained just ambition. Each night also had some unraveling scenarios that I'd rather not enumerate now, but have mentally reserved for potential slapstick sitcom racket material. In fairness, I was able to revisit some of the up-and-down challenges of volunteer work. I haven't been in a volunteer role for quite some time now. Doing it and being one helped me relearn some things I could factor in for management of future volunteerism in TLF SHARE. And oh, there was a lot of partying too... other than the usual weekend gay-time riot, our work serendipitously coincided with the G4M party and the "medieval" Halloween party.

Despite all exhaustion, frustration and prime-grade irritainment, I think the most saving that happened in my own version of 24 was my relationships with friends. Renewed connections, shared endeavors and moments, and new acquaintances have resuscitated my social life... it really felt wonderful to be back in the loop. I don't mind all that work (and there are surely a lot more pending); I like contributing my talent and skills when I know they're needed. Now, if only I could match my renewed social life with more sustainable funding - jusko, ang mahal na palang mag-socialize ngayon!