I Set No Corner

Since malapit na ang All Saints’ Day at naglipana na naman ang mga horror stories sa telebisyon, makikiuso na din ako.

* pretend that come what may by air supply is playing in the background.
eto lyrics kung di nyo alam. *

When I was still a kid, ewan ko ba kung bakit nauso yung mga “true” aswang stories noon. One particular story na naaalala ko was the one told by my tita. Actually sa mama ko nya ito kinuwento pero I was there habang sinasabi nya. May kumakalat daw na tsismis na may isang lalaking kumain ng lugaw na may sahog na atay sa isang karinderya. Now this man daw ay napabalitang naging isang aswang dahil atay daw pala ng tao ang sinahog sa lugaw nya. After daw kasi nitong maubos yung lugaw ay nagturn ito sa isang itim na aso.

My tita was giving precautions sa mother ko na dapat mag-ingat sa pagkain at pagbili ng mga lamang loob dahil baka daw sa tao yun. Nagpaparami daw kasi ng lahi ang mga aswang at iyon ang ginagamit nilang modus operandi. Malalaman daw kung lamang-loob yun ng tao kapag gumalaw ito after patakan ng kalamansi, particularly ang atay.

I was so scared then na halos paranoid na ako minsan. Duon siguro nagsimula kaya ayaw na ayaw kong kumain ng atay. Siguro I was just 6 years old then. Anong kinalaman ng come what may ng Air Supply dito? Ito kasi ang tumutugtog sa radyo habang kinukwento yun ng tita ko. Kaya everytime na naririnig ko yung kantang yun e naaalala ko yung time na yun and it always gives me a chill.

Anyway ingat sa lahat ng uuwi sa kani-kanilang probinsya. Be safe lalo na at may bagyo ngayon. This is my 100th entry and salamat sa inyong pagsubaybay.

01 Bakit kaya tinawag na spam ang spam mails? may kinalaman kaya ang de latang spam dito?

02 Sino ba talaga ang pumatay kay Zhang Ziyi sa pelikulang “The Banquet”?

03 Saan nga ba nanggagaling ang kayamanan ni Mark Jimenez?

04 Kung may forecast na between 2007 to 2011 ay magiging 1:26 na ang dollar to peso ratio, may saysay pa ba ang pagbabalak na mag abroad?

05 Bakit nagshu-shooting pa din ang “Crazy For You” sa Megamall kanina e tingin ko naman walang nanonood sa kanila?

06 Kung maraming Pinoy ay napagkakamaling “Bayang Magiliw” ang pamagat ng pambansang awit ng Pilipinas, bakit hindi na lang ito ang gawing titulo sa halip na “Lupang Hinirang”?

07 Paano mapapaunlad ang damdaming makabayan ng mga Pilipino kung ang mapapanood niya sa telebisyon pag-uwi galing opisina ay panay pantaserye?

08 Bakit kaya pinakasalan ni Liz Almoro si Willie Revillame?

09 May nanalo na kaya sa 26M jackpot prize ng 6/45 lotto?

10 Kailan kaya matatapos ang reality show fever? Gaano katotoo ang realidad na gawa-gawa lang?

Paumanhin kung mayroon mang nasaktan sa aking mga katanungan.

11 Bakit kaya sila nasaktan?

Election is indeed just around the corner. Mayor Binay was issued a suspension order for 60 days for allegedly having “ghost” employees but was revoked by the court of appeals. Now we hear from Binay’s detractors that the mayor is not yet off the hook. With all of this happenings, I gained nothing but sympathy for the good mayor. See? I even called him good.

I thought I felt an earthquake last night but I was in doubt since it seems that I was the only one who felt it in the house. I checked in inq7 this morning and there was indeed an earthquake:

AN EARTHQUAKE of 5.2 magnitude struck the central Philippines Friday evening, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.

The quake struck at 10:30 p.m. with its epicenter some 35 kilometers south of Boac, Marinduque, said Ismael Narag of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

The temblor was felt at intensity 5 in Batangas City and Bauan in Batangas province, 4 in Manila, 4 in Quezon City, and 3 in Makati, said Leonita Bautista, associate scientist of Phivolcs.

I was kinda bored this past few days. I was thinking of coming up with a group photoblog, invite at least 6 persons to join and ask them to post at least two photos a month in line with a monthly theme. See what boredom can do?!

On the other hand, I’m on my 91st post in pix.e.log. for my 101st to 125th, I will be reposting some of my favorites from my first photoblog and give a little background info and explanation on why it became a favorite. I’ll probably be posting new photos next year.

I received a voucher from a credit card company which entitles me for a FREE Timex wristwatch worth 2,300 pesos. I just need to present the voucher and a minimum single purchase receipt worth 500 pesos using their card for me to claim it. There were some problems that happened but no one can prevent a man who yearns for his free watch.

Features:

* time with 12- or 24-hour format
* day and date
* 2nd time zone
* optional hourly chime
* 24-hour stopwatch
* 24-hour countdown timer
* daily alarm
* indiglo night-light

It also came with a 1-year warranty. Not bad for something that is free.

After one week at the service center, I finally got my PC speakers back! Well it had a simple and yet complicated problem. The adaptor fell and the probes broke. the simple solution would have been to buy a new one but the complication came when hardwares only have a maximum of 15V output adaptors available. Mine requires 18V. After some research and a few calls, I managed to contact its service center. They said they don’t have a stock of that adaptor but asked me to bring it to them so they could just repair it. I claimed it yesterday and paid 450 pesos for its NEW adaptor.

I hope everyday can be just like yesterday.

I still have nothing to write so let me just leave you with this article from eBalita which came in this morning:

Former First Lady Imelda Marcos has given way to her grandson Fernando Martin Marcos Manotoc, better known as “Borgy,” in the Manila mayoral race in next year’s elections.This was revealed yesterday by Borgy’s mother, Ilocos Norte Rep. Imee Marcos, who announced earlier her mother’s planned candidacy for Manila mayor. Instead, Imee said her mother would be Borgy’s campaign manager.

In a statement, Imee said her mother has convinced Borgy to seek the post of outgoing Mayor Lito Atienza “since he has lots to offer to the people of Manila, particularly the youth.”

“Borgy comes from Tondo. His dad, sportsman Tommy Manotoc, hails from Gagalangin, Tondo. Borgy’s grandparents are all from Tondo. Borgy’s lineage and roots are all native residents of Manila,” she said.

Borgy is the eldest of three sons of Imee and former husband Tommy Manotoc and is the Marcoses’ eldest grandchild. His relatives on the La’O- Manotoc side include the late Sen. Raul Manglapus.

A former first lady and Metro Manila governor, Mrs. Marcos “still has a strong influence and charisma among the people in depressed areas in Manila,” Imee added.

If Borgy, 23, born a few years before his grandfather Ferdinand Marcos was ousted from the presidency, tries politics as his mother announced, he would enter a tight mayoral race in Manila and be ranged against giants.

Senators Panfilo Lacson and Alfredo Lim, Representatives Rodolfo Bacani and Joey Hizon, former Rep. Mark Jimenez, and Vice Mayor Danny Lacuna are all eyeing the Manila mayoralty. An Atienza could be another candidate.

His mother is now on her third and last term as representative of Ilocos Norte’s second district. She is planning to run for senator or governor.

Her brother, incumbent Gov. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., will seek her congressional seat.

The government still has a lot of cases against the Marcos family and their cronies that are pending with the Sandiganbayan. Since 1986 when people power deposed the Marcoses, it has been trying to recover wealth allegedly plundered by the Marcos regime.

Controversial Commissioner Ricardo Abcede of the Presidential Commission on Good Government, who has been photographed recently waltzing with Mrs. Marcos, claims the Marcos family was trying to negotiate a settlement with the government. However, Mrs. Marcos has denied the claim.

In a number of cases, the government has been successful in recovering alleged ill-gotten wealth held by the Marcos family. Recovered assets included more than $350 million kept in Swiss banks.

The deposits have grown to about $650 million. Most of the money, however, has already been spent by the government. By Jess Diaz

Well with politics here in the Philippines, anything is possible.

Nakatanggap ako ng isang brochure kasama ng bill ko. It was about a special offer ng antivirus and I really find the picture witty. That is actually not a coffin. It’s a laptop na nakalapag sa isang mahabang mesa.

Last Sunday nadiscover ko na hightech na pala yung isang bus liner sa amin. Hindi na sila gumagamit noong pre-printed tickets na gawa sa newsprint ang papel. parang may electronic pad na sila nagpi-print ng ticket. Oo mga kapatid, 51 pesos ang pamasahe namin from Lawton to Cavite.

Bumili ako ng mooncake sa Binondo noong Linggo. May apat na klase sya: lotus, white lotus, nuts, at mongo. Hindi pa namin nakakain yung mongo kasi ni reserve ng nanay ko para sa kapatid ko. Pero yung tatlo natikman ko lahat. Pinakagusto ko yung white lotus at ang pinaka ayaw ko naman ay yung nuts.

Ang hirap ng walang ginagawa kung anu-ano ang naiisip at naisusulat.

Manong Joe started a very interesting thread in Alimasag by posing this question:

WHAT WOULD YOU ATTEMPT TO DO
IF YOU KNEW YOU COULD NOT FAIL?

I guess others can instantaneously answer this question but I have been struggling with this one for like two days now. Only goes to show that I really am not sure of what to do with my life. Perhaps I’m just pressuring myself to come up with a mature answer.

All things being equal, I think I’ll go out and enjoy my life. Be careless. Be free. Travel to places as I’ve always wanted and to see not just the beauty but the flaws of life as well. Hopefully at the end of my journey, I may realize that all I needed in this life was with me all along.

Your turn, what would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?

I resigned from my call center stint two days before my training ended. Why? After taking in 18 actual calls in a span of three days, I realized that I was not built to be an agent.

An agent’s job basically demands one to be patient, friendly, warm, and accommodating. I’m not even in the same vicinity as those traits. I am way behind the other side of the fence. It was simply out of my league.

I am willing to start somewhere but not just anywhere. I want an equal footing. I felt like a fish placed 6 feet away from shore and would have to work my way towards the water before I get to my preferred job. I am not sure if I can survive by then. Well the company didn’t intentionally placed me in that position. I applied for that position, it was basically a bad start for me.

I do enjoyed the call center environment and I think I have grown accustomed to the shifting schedules. I do like to continue my stint in that industry but hopefully in a different line of work. I am willing to start in the shallow part of the ocean and then work my way in to its deep.

As for the things i expected to learn in this experience? I think i did quite well.

Agent Y: Thank you very much for that information and how would you like me to call you?
Caller A: I dont want you to call me. I just want help with my computer.

~ * ~

Caller B: (in an angry tone of voice) My internet is not working! I cannot browse and I am not receiving my mails.
Agent Y: Im sorry for that inconvenience. Can you tell me the status lights of your modem?
Caller B: All lights in my modem are off!
Agent Y: Not even one is lit sir?
Caller B: All of them is off!
Agent Y: Okay sir kindly check if the power cord is properly plugged behind your modem.
Caller B: (checks the cord) The power cord is unplugged.

~ * ~

Caller C: I want to speak to a supervisor! When I woke up this morning my telephone line is disconnected! I was talking with a supervisor named Paul and we got disconnected but he didnt call me back!
Agent Y: Im sorry maam but our centers are located globally and we may not be able to get Paul for you. However, if you are able to hold I can call my supervisor… (caller interrupts)
Caller C: I dont want to talk to any supervisor! I was already talking with Paul but we got disconnected and he didnt call me back! Now get me Paul! Dont you even have any directory of your personnels there?!
Agent Y: Im really very sorry maam. I understand your frustration but Paul might be trying to call you back right now.
Caller C: I want to talk to a supervisor! I dont care if his name is John or Peter. I want to talk to a supervisor!
Agent Y: Okay maam I’ll call my supervisor so you could talk with him.. (caller interrupts)
Caller C: I dont want to talk to any supervisor! I was already talking with Paul but we got disconnected and he didnt call me back!

Oo nagpalit uli ako ng balat. May nakapuna na sa akin dati na ang bilis ko daw mag-iba ng skin. Ewan ko nga ba may pagka-OC yata ako. Nang pinost ko kasi yung huling entry ko e parang naguluhan ako sa itsura ng blog ko. Napasukan yata ng hangin ang utak ko dahil sa nagdaang bagyo.

Plano kong isulat sana ang tungkol sa reason #3 na nabanggit ko sa previous entry ko. Kaso lang hindi pa tapos ang pakikipagsapalaran ko. Siguro sa weekend na lang pag-settled na ang lahat.

Tanghalian na ngayon at kumakain ako ng ulam na hindi ko alam kung ano ang tawag. May sahog siyang papaya so malamang tinola ito. Tinolang fish fillet yata. Ah ewan. Malimit naman akong ganito, hindi makatanda ng pangalan ng pagkain. Ang malimit kong natatandaan ay iyong mga ayaw ko gaya ng kare-kare at bopis.

Tinext ako ni Weedgurl kahapon. Binalita niyang pumanaw na daw iyong isang kasama naming trainee. Nakakalungkot at nakakagulat. Sabi na-ospital daw yun dahil sa seizure. Tapos ngayon wala na siya. Ganyan yata talaga ang buhay, una-una lang.

Pupunta ako ng Makati mamaya dahil may inaasikaso akong mga papeles. Nagyaya si Jeffrey pumunta sa Yuchengco Museum pagkatapos kong maglakad ng papel dahil may Chinese arts exhibit daw. Pag may bayad e di uwi na kami.

Ay teka hindi pala fish fillet to. Pork pala. Iyong next kasing nakuhang piraso ay may buto. Dammit mali na naman ako.