Sunday, April 06, 2008
The other kind of dumb
Since I figured that my being mute for a day would be an interesting topic to write about, I carried around a notebook and pen with me the whole day. This was partly because I needed a pen and paper to communicate with people, and partly to write about my experiences during Mute Day. Ironically enough, I ended up being absent the entire week since the cough only worsened (you'll understand the irony once you read the last line). April 2, 2008
3:30 amRousing breakfast of Lucky Me chicken noodle soup, because they said that hot soup would help my throat, and I couldn't be arsed to cook any real soup. Oi, masarap kaya yung Lucky Me!
3:35 amDevelop solution to temporary inability to sing while listening to Dreamsounds 2 (which is impossible not to sing along with): lip-synch! Do spirited rendition of "Without You" by Charlie Wilson, complete with emoting and grandiose gesturing. I should be in one of those air bands! I'd be a hardcore air vocalist!
5:40 amDecide to go the
Paul Dano route and use a pen and paper after realizing that I can't mime "the drugs don't work" (LOL, The Verve LSS) to my dad.
7:15 amThankfully, my self-imposed muteness hasn't eliminated my option to communicate with people via YM. I love you, internet.
7:58 amReceive "get well soon" message from co-worker Bing. Am touched.
8:32 amI can still use hand signals to call my brother a loser.
10:20 amAm the object of weird glances from people on the sidewalk because I converse with my brother entirely in pantomime. Quickly get used to it and continue attempting to hand-gesture "What time does your class end?"
11:15 amFinally reach HSBC. Erika greets me as I walk to the nearest computer, asking why I'm here at this hour. Do my umpteenth miming of the day for "My voice" (point to throat) "is shot" (raise hands to chest level and rotate back and forth in an I-don't-know gesture) "so I can't really talk right now" (sad face).
12:45 pmWalk to ATC. Transfer funds from my HSBC payroll account to my BPI debit card. Thankfully, the process doesn't involve any talking.
1:30 pmWalk to Gold's Gym. I doubt physical exercise will affect my voice, so I'm not too worried.
3:10 pmTalk for the first time in the day, but only because it was a phone call and I was too lazy to text.
3:35 pmEating at ATC food court with Jason. We have an entire conversation where he talks while I write on a sheet of yellow pad paper. Starts with me scribbling down, "So, how was school?" And so on. I start thinking, I could make an indie film out of this.
Julie Can't Talk or something like that.
4:20 pmAm finally able to talk since I've completed 24 hours. Yay.
6:30 pmI want to go to work, but my mother says I should stay home because my voice sounds like shit. Father agrees. Fueled by determination, I go to my room and start practicing my spiels.
"How can I help you with your Best Buy account today, Mr. Smith?" Realize that I really
do sound like shit.
7:40 pmThink about calling my boss to tell him I can't go to work because everybody thinks my voice is complete ass today. Change my mind because he's probably still asleep. Damn graveyard shift, it's so confusing. Decide to call him at around 11 instead.
10:10 pmFall asleep. Damn it.
April 3, 2008
12:30 am
Wake up. Realize that my shift had started (12mn) and I hadn't contacted my boss yet. I text him, hoping that this isn't counted as NCNS (no call, no show -- essentially AWOL). Go out to the kitchen and am relieved to find that my father finally bought my meds and they are sitting on the table. Take medication, surf a little on the net, go back to sleep.
4:00 am
My voice sounds a little better when I wake up this time. More internetting, then breakfast.
8:15 amOnce everyone's out of the house, I start up my brother's PC. To celebrate the victory of finally getting my voice back, I rock out to Aerosmith's "Jaded" and sound pretty cool. I feel good about today. :)
