Balance is very important. An obvious statement isn’t it? Yet balance is something we all seem to struggle with. My trouble comes when I ask myself: How do I create a balance in my existence after I’ve added a social life to it?

I have no idea of how to begin answering that question. I mean how can I create harmony when I’ve already been told I can’t? A person – who recently graduated to becoming my friend – told me that we can either have a career and a relationship or a social life. Of course that’s if having a career is our main focus which it is for us.

It’s already difficult for me to find enough “alone time” and I’ve got a high maintenance relationship to deal with as well as a demanding job. Neither provides enough relaxation so recently I’ve come to the conclusion that I need to have a social life.

Finding entertainment here… well let’s just say I don’t think it’s an easy feat. However, I recently found the solution. It’s simple really. Some “wanna be” entertainer or the other is always having these ridiculous parties. I can hit one of them every month. It shouldn’t be too hard to stand and I might even have fun.

Then there are all these hang-out spots. I mean gosh I can get three beers during happy hour for a great price. Three beers? At that price? Wow. I’m already tasting it. If you’re under age then I’m sorry, you won’t get anything non-alcoholic cheap at these places. So come prepared to pay more than $200 for a bottle of water and a bit more for juice.

So there we have it, I’ve already planned one fourth of my projected social life. I haven’t really seen much of our allegedly politically corrupted country – I don’t know where on earth that notion came from, we’re a nation of saints! So the plan is to visit a few places. Church and some outdoor stuff like hiking and camping should do the rest. I know it’s pitiful that I have to put time for God in my social planner. You have a better idea? I thought not!

Today, I’m probably in some rice field at Cane Grove, drinking coconut water, eating mangoes and hoping I don’t fall from a farmer’s tractor. After that it’s off to commune with God. Next Saturday – now that’s when the real fun starts – I’m hitting one of those ridiculous parties.

This party will be held on the roof of a very popular place. I’m just hoping that I won’t have to stop in the middle of laughing at drunken people to do a story on the occasional bright one who decides to skip the elevator in favour of jumping. A drunk once asked me: “Do you know if we jumped we’d beat the people in the elevator to the bottom?” I pretended he’d given me the recipe for immortality.

I’ll be writing about that party soon. I hope it’s worth going to or else I’ll be pretty upset about investing $1,000 in the ticket. On our salaries my buddies and I can’t afford to waste that much. In fact, it’s really our salaries more than our lack of time which limits our social life.

There we have it. I’ve just given you the solution to your new social life. A bit of weekend travel, a party here and there, Church, amusing drunks and maybe a frosty beer or two. Make that passion-fruit juice if you’re a non-drunk. That’s all the balance you’ll need! And remember, all work and no play makes Jill (Jack) a rich (well I wish), bitter, lonely, unhappy girl (boy). (srh.midnight@gmail.com)