Friday, February 09, 2007

Meeting

I met a girl who just recently moved here. She was peppy, which is refreshing for a European chick, and with clever layering managed the feat of being fashionable while engaged in the very unglamorous task of rock-climbing. Like regular girls, we started talking about the soldes, happening right now, with most shops selling their wares at a discount. Think Midnight Madness, only nation-wide. She really had to go visit the boutiques this Saturday, she said, it was her only day free. You can rush it a bit after work, too, I suggested. No, she replied, she works almost every day well into the evening, until 8:30 or nine. I hope they pay you overtime, I sympathized. Whereupon she gushed, No, it's my choice really, I like staying late at work. I really really love my job. Really love it. Given a statement like that, of course you have to ask, What's your job?

Her response was not quite what I expected: "I do research on evolutionary biology. We're studying the asexual reproduction of these multicellular creatures that have existed on earth since life began--how they have managed to survive the environmental changes, how they have done that solely with females, by cloning, and what, in the evolutionary sense, their existence means to humans." A pause which I used to search for the signs that scream Nerd! that I must have missed, but, no, there really weren't any thick glasses. Then she thrilled with the same enthusiasm I've heard former colleagues use when talking about fashion styling and beauty reportage, "There is just so much to do and to know!"

And so now let me display my awe of humanity by saying, it really takes all kinds to keep the world moving and shaking. Ang galing, ano?

9 comments:

decorator said...

nakupo!


ang galing nga...

tommpouce said...

welcome to the beautiful world of the geeks!! Except I look like one most of the time. Shameeeeeeeee. No big glasses though.

Jillsabs said...

uy! your blog's in this month's marie claire :)

kinilig ako to see one of my favorite blogs in my favorite mag :p

Apol said...

Hindi, ikaw ang magaling, GWYN the poetess...

That does it, TOMMP, I am doing a photoshop number on your picture to finally see what you look like!

Uy, JILLSABS, I'm one of your favorite blogs? Ako naman ang kinilig.

Anonymous said...

apol, reading your page since your marseille trip...why not a rdv... halfway in arles maybe...saturday market for example...or if you happen to passby fontvieille...great to offer you a drink or two...irene du planet

Apol said...

Hi, IRENE. Are you another transplanted Filipina? I'm often in Arles, so sure. How do we get in touch?

A said...

huy nerds rock! defensive ba? hahahahahaha

Anonymous said...

That is what I hope to find, now that I've left my job: a new occupation that I love and excites me so much that I don't mind working late on it. Science is truly fascinating, isn't it? It might surprise you to know that although science was never my strongest subject, and I can't wrap my head around the more complicated stuff, I honestly find topics like evolutionary biology much more interesting than fashion!

Apol said...

Hey, ABI, kumusta na?

KATRINA, so have you found something yet?