“They Will Kill You” and “Ready or Not 2: Here I Come” could be described in two words: blood and gore. I watched both in the same afternoon, one after the other, with barely enough time for a restroom break in between. Does that make me a masochist? Hmm.

If you loved “Kill Bill,” then you’ll probably enjoy these films. Both were fun to watch, delivering over-the-top violence that would make you want to do a rat-tat-tat at those responsible for the Middle East tensions. The audience even applauded at the end of “Ready or Not 2.”

The experience could be likened to binging on dinuguan at a party. Dinuguan is made of pork blood, so…

In 2022, when I started my low-carb diet, I knew I could sustain it once I realized I could still eat lechon, dinuguan, and kinilaw—sans rice. Lechon would be my “rice,” since it has no sauce. I still do that at parties today, although I’m more careful now with the kinilaw.

I heard that fish prices have increased, and I thought, “It’s okay—I don’t eat fish anymore.” Then came the warning that pork could reach ₱500 per kilo soon. I said, “Okay, I’ll buy beef.”

If beef prices increase too, I’ll switch to eggs. Kita na lang ang mag-adjust, since the powers that be seem more focused on gaining even more power.

If carbs were the root cause of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease, Alzheimer’s disease (sometimes referred to as “type 3 diabetes”), as well as arthritis, rhinitis, sinusitis, allergies, eczema, and asthma—then perhaps “the love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:10) feels like a fitting parallel.

Greed has no limits—the acquisition of material goods only fuels the desire for more. It’s like sugar addiction: carb intake can worsen cravings, resulting in a vicious cycle.

The only way to stop carb cravings is to stop eating carbs. Does it also follow that the only way to stop greed is to stop acquiring things?

Live like a minimalist—declutter, emulate Marie Kondo, hold each item close to your heart, and ask, “Does this spark joy?”—which I actually did on Sunday, along with the crowd that joined the three-day sale at SM City CDO Uptown.

I was at the SM Store looking for gym tops. Upon seeing a black T-shirt with the embroidered words “It’s a me season,” I asked myself, “Does this spark joy?” Then I saw a white New York T-shirt featuring the Statue of Liberty: “Does this spark joy?”

They did. So I bought them—thus defeating the purpose of the question: decluttering.

Fuel prices are increasing, other prices are rising as well, and yet people still watch movies in cinemas—perhaps as a form of escape from reality. It’s definitely better than staring at a gas pump’s display, which now shows a higher cost for a smaller volume of fuel. The figures could make a gas car owner cry—but not an electric car owner who powers both home and car with solar energy.

If the whole world were to adopt electric vehicles, would tensions in the Middle East disappear?