Permits and Licenses

Yesterday, as the waters massaged me at the now-becoming-famous water spa at Del Monte (their promo lured us, my three other single friends, to a three hour babad with sauna etcetera ; go there and see for yourself; it's fun), I kept thinking about the permits I ought to accomplish before January 30. First, I ought to renew my Mayor's permit and this requires at least a whole day of my time, which I am unwilling to yield because the municipio is too crowded and I get dizzy on the queue.

The book I brought last time I lined up at TORU (Treasury Operations Review Unit) fell from my lap and got walked on and kicked and was torn when my head dropped because I probably got overwhelmed by all the carbon dioxide in the room since the air-conditioning was not enough to keep us-too many of us-I was number 345 in the TORU line alone- from yawning. When I woke up, I learned that number 222 had surrendered her number and that should have made me happy except that TORU officials were by that time still processing number 185.

The TORU people are supposed to assess how much I should pay based on my gross income. After that, I was to line up to get my cedula, and then line up again to have my papers signed by the Office of the City Veterinary and Agricultural Services [OCVAS], City Health Office, Bureau of Fire Protection, Environment and Natural Resources Office [City ENRO]. I'm not really sure why I should have my papers signed by the OCVAS since I don't even have a pet. And for three years now, ENRO has been conducting a seminar on trash segregation, using a now familiar brochure, before they sign my papers. Meanwhile, the people in the fire department just sign, but I'm always afraid that they would require me to install a fire extinguisher before they sign my papers.

All their signatures will then be examined by the City Legal Office and once I have the notary seal, then it will go up to the Mayor's office itself and I will have my Mayor's permit to operate.

Maybe this is one of those things I should not really do. Maybe, I should just go freelance minus the legalities, sans the permits and licenses and without the risk of ruining some of the things I value more- such as a book. But even as I murmur about this minor inconvenience (since this happens only in January), I'm sure that this week, I will have to go back and line up at the municipio again.

And maybe this time, I should not read a book but rather enjoy being with all those businessmen and women who continue to make money for this City. I should perhaps rejoice that I am somehow a part of a progressive community of the micro and macro movers of the economy, even if my contribution is a mere penny. Maybe I should stop reading these existential plays and instead focus on possibilities. Indeed, as the Nike slogan says, I should "Just Do It."