CRAZY STUFF: IN THE HERE & NOW / MARCH 7,2008 =D

Back in the day when Friendster was new and people actually took updating their profiles seriously, my original post under the heading "About Me" was simple: Willing to jump off a plane from 4,000 feet but would never jump into a pool that is more than 5-ft deep. Hahaha! 'D

My inate fear of deep water stems from one very vivid childhood incident when I almost drowned. A million and one swimming lessons later, I have yet to conquer my fear. Which is basically why--no matter how appealing it sounded because of the inherent danger it posed--I have put off white-water rafting for as long as I could.

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That was my initial reaction when it was first announced that after the salescon this year, the entire Marketing team would go on a one-day teambuilding event. "Man!", I thought, "I'd scream if they tell me I have to go through one more version of the Amazing Race....."

"We are going to go white-water rafting on the Cagayan de Oro river," The Boss announced. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA HHHHHHH!!! Needless to say, I screamed anyway. Inside. So no one could hear. Hahaha! 'D


It was actually quite an experience, and really, after surviving the first rapid (there were 14 in all), the level of terror eases up. Quite like life, I suppose. Once you've survived a major crisis, everything else that comes after is peanuts--basically because you already know what you're capable of doing in order to stay alive. Hahaha. With white-water rafting, as with life, you just have to keep rowing through the rough spots with all your might until you get to the safe side. And, yes, in the process, you may also feel free to scream at the top of your lungs. Hahaha! 'D No more text descriptions. For once, I'll let the pics tell the story. =)



























































All told, I'm glad I actually got to do it, but yes, my grand realization is that I really am NOT a water baby. With skydiving, I literally had to tell people (basically Lovie) to stop me from going up again--before I got on the plane. I wanted to make sure that I will keep to my personal promise to jump only once and not to push my luck in case I survived. After I crash landed, I really wanted to go up again, if only to prove to myself that I can do it right. I think I may have scared Lovie half to death when I crash landed though so no more second flights for me. Hahaha!

With white-water rafting.....well, I did enjoy myself, but despite the adrenalin rush, it ain't something I'm really craving to do again. Yes, I'm weird this way. =)

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The downside to white-water rafting is this. My scars from the sandmites of Honda Bay were only beginning to fade, when I all of a sudden, woke up the following day to find the nastiest and itchiest "pantals" on my leg. Having learned my lesson from the Palawan sandmites, I tried my darn best NOT to scratch. What do you know. They turned into nasty scabs anyway. Ack! I have since "cured" it with my trusty Nerisona Forte, but I'm still struggling with my ugly, UGLY (!) scars. My derma friend recommended Contratubex. Potent stuff, this Contratubex, considering that Sister Pusjing actually used it pala to heal her ceasarian scars. Hahaha! The Contratubex seems to be working, making the scars a bit lighter and a bit more even, but I know this one's going to take a while. Waaaaaahhhhh!!! Heaven help me though. We're flying to Donsol to go whaleshark watching this weekend. Goodness knows what "pantals" and scars I will get there! Ack!