Cogito Ergo Sum

In college Philo class, one line that most Ateneans never forget is cogito ergo sum, I think therefore I am. Were that sufficient in the present day world, one wouldn't need an ID, but no, these days I wonder if I do exist in the eyes of government, banks, anywhere where an ID, no, make that two IDs that are government issued are required.

A few posts ago, I wrote of how Citibank Savings refused to allow me to open an account as I couldn't present a government-issued ID. I have an old SSS card, but this was not considered valid. They want the newly issued ATM-card like SSS card. I told my sister this and she excitedly told me a few days later that passports could now be applied for online. One just had to pay P1500 and go to the DFA for 15 minutes for one's thumb (finger?) print (prints). The service provider that allows you to have your birth, marriage and death (of your relatives, haha, not your own) certificate also facilitates the passport service. I was excited. Finally, I'd have a passport not for traveling but for ID purposes. A passport is always a preferred option of banks when they ask for IDs.

So I called the service provider and I was told I needed an SSS card or any government-issued ID. I felt like I was going around in circles, like a dog chasing its tail. So I called the SSS. Guess what? They also asked that I submit two valid IDs like a passport. Duhhhhhhh. Poor disabled me, I thought. But I pressed on and finally the girl said I could bring my birth certificate. I asked, what about marriage certificate? Ok rin, she said. I think she thought that because I earlier mentioned I was disabled that I couldn't possibly have been married.

Will I ever get the two valid IDs -- a passport and an SSS card? While processing for a passport takes two weeks, processing for an SSS card takes a month at least. Banks can issue ATM cards in 20 minutes. Another duhhhhhhh. But I haven't yet answered the question, will I ever get the two valid IDs? One of these days, when I feel patient enough, I just might go to the SSS. Except that there are so many people lining up in the head office. Perhaps, I'll try the Cubao branch where I called yesterday, except that their capturing machine (camera) is broken. Darn. Anyway...

Cogito ergo sum -- Rene Descartes, it's author, would be shocked: these days, it's not enough to think that one is to be considered as existing. Rather, one needs two valid, government-issued IDs to be acknowledged as extant. For now then, it will have to be Edo ergo sum for me, I eat therefore I am... and I have proof, too much in fact...

I have company but for different reasons as the two cartoons below show:

i-studio

We excitedly went to i-studio in Shangrila to check out i-touch because my son said he saw one the night before and was enamored. I asked the male clerk, "Do you have a brochure?" He immediately said, "wala, ma'am, pero eto o", while handing me a flyer comparing the different models of i-pod. I was impressed.

Then I saw the price tag of the i-pod nano and was alarmed. It seemed lower than when I had bought mine. My husband assured me it cost the same, but I was not to be so easily dissuaded.

So I asked the sales clerk whether the price had gone down and he just looked at me. Desperate to have an answer, I went to the lady behind the cash register to ask. She said, "basta ang presyo ng nano na 8 gigs, kasing presyo na ng 4 gigs dati." But I pressed, "magkano siya dati?" And she again told me, "basta pareho ng 4 gigs dati." Kulit ko no? I guess she knew I was still waiting for an answer so she turned and asked another clerk who was equivalently clueless. What a store. As we left, my son said that the previous week, he had asked a question (I cannot now remember what) and all he got was a blank stare. He said Apple would be so aghast that their products are being sold by uninformed clerks. According to him, in the States, stores that sell Apple stuff have Apple experts. Oh well, it's back to Mobile 1 then, except that when I called Mobile 1, sure their unit was cheaper and they could tell me everything about the i-touch but the battery they promised for my husband's treo wasn't yet available. It has been 2 or 3 weeks since the unit was bought. Where is the perfect store? In Utopia?

Darn...

A Cute Experience

I have never seen snow except in the movies, much less touched it so I felt like a child enjoying simulated snow last Sunday at Eastwood. Hangad sang in a certain area in the complex to an appreciative crowd of mostly family and friends, a number of children, possibly relatives, too. And at the end of it all, "snow" fell. Most of the oldies sought shelter, but the children were catching the snow. I'm sure some of it fell on my hair as the son of my good friend who died months ago put his fingers on my hair and asked, "are you all right?" I was so touched. He is so like his dad and mom, very caring. He's studying to be a doctor and I'm sure he'll make a good one. Earlier that night, the parents of a classmate of my son gave me two boxes from Pancake House. He said, "dinner." I guess he noticed that while he and his wife left to eat while waiting for the show to start, we stayed put. We wanted to be comfortable watching the show seated. Haha, fancy me saying that when I perpetually have a seat, but I wanted my husband and sister to be comfy too. My sister went off a while and bought churros which my husband and I shared along with a bottle of water. My son was able to eat the last churros. What a happy evening it was.

Petron in St. Ignatius Village

Across Shell in St. Ignatius Village, a Petron gas station opened some weeks back. In the first week, we saw one of the men waving a flag to attract the motorists' attention, no doubt. we thought the phenomenon would be good for but a week, but tonight, a lady employee was doing the same at 9:30 pm. Poor thing. I told my husband, maybe we should buy gasoline there? Maybe if they have enough sales they won't let their employees wave the flag relentlessly? Wonder why the owners don't just get that pole-like balloon that wiggles, sways, folds, etc. when the wind blows.

Some meters (kilometers?) down the road, in front of the Corinthian Hills clubhouse, a man holds up a sign to tell motorists to stop so a patron of the club house can pass.

What's the world coming to?

Ok, so that's an exaggeration but I pity people who are tasked to do such repetitious chores day in and day out. I hope they find sense in it and actually enjoy it.

A Caveat -- Go National Book Store

Around noon today, my husband was pleased at having been able to find and buy a book bundle costing P500 plus at Fully Booked. The bundle consisted of Wind Up Bird Chronicle which our son had long been wanting to get hold of, and Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass (Lewis Carroll's stories came in one book).

This afternoon, we went to Shangrila (some 15 years back, we were in Shang so frequently that a guard asked if we had a stall there (we don't)--- and our Shang saga cum love affair lives on) and lo and behold, National Book Store carried the same bundle at P405 or more than P100 pesos cheaper.

Inis.... It's just that the titles in National sometimes seem so mundane one doesn't expect high brow books (or so one thinks) in it. Lesson learned.

A doctor friend on the Cheaper Medicine Law

The latest twist in the debates regarding the Cheaper Medicine Law is the provision that
requires physicians to prescribe generic names of drugs only. No brand names! In fact, it
becomes punishable to write the brand name! It is likely that someone will bring the
matter to the supreme court on its constitutionality, as the freedom of choice is curtailed.
Brand names are there for a purpose, the enterprise owning the brand guarantees the
authenticity of the product and are responsible for it. Everyone is for cheaper medicines,
but foisting a proviso to ban brand name prescribing will only serve to delay passage of
the measure. Pitting genuine generics against the branded originals will be enough to
bring prices down, although, sadly, there is no way of knowing which among the generics
is genuine until the public becomes the guinea pig of the market. There is no doubt the
Cheaper Medicine Bill will pass, but without safeguards as to the safety and efficacy of
generics introduced from unverifiable sources from all over the world, the public is put at
risk for unsafe and if not less efficacious drugs. Appealing as cheaper generics can be,
there will always be a segment of the population who will prefer the original even if the
generic version is proven to be equally efficacious and safe. The spirit of the cheaper
medicine bill is that access to cheaper medicines will redound to better compliance and
higher cure rates, less catastrophic illness for the public. This spirit of the bill should not
be lost in the politics of its passage thru the halls of legislature. The proviso banning
brand names undermines the doctor patient relationship as it relegates to the pharmacist
the decision as to which preparation to give the patient. This is deplorable.

I hope to make you all aware of this sinister insertion of a proviso in a piece of legislation
that will surely pass as law soon. We heard Congress will vote on the bill on Monday
afternoon. The Philppine College of Physicians is coming out with position paper to be
published in the major dailies. Please read it and we hope you join us in protesting the
proviso, not the bill per se but this unjust proviso (as well as the neglect of safety and
efficay issues in intorducing untested generics to the public).

Rogie Tangco MD

Twenty-five years

by Dr. Fabian M. Dayrit
(This response was delivered at the University Awards of the Ateneo on 22 November 2007)

On behalf of my 25-year co-celebrants, I would like to thank the Ateneo community for being such a good home. It’s a common theme among almost all of the previous speakers to emphasize that they wouldn’t have stayed so long if the Ateneo wasn’t a place like home. I would like to add that to make a place of work feel like home really includes three aspects: the administration (our employers), the community (the faculty, staff and our students) and a shared purpose (the Mission).

In many ways, being at the Ateneo has provided a complete, balanced lifestyle – opportunities to shape the lives of people, both young and old, opportunities to grow personally, professionally and spiritually, and opportunities to do things that matter. The Ateneo is a special community with many inspiring and caring people. So, my brief response is really addressed to everyone – the administration and the entire community – and also talks about the Mission that the Ateneo strives for.

Whenever I give exams, I often insert quotations from famous scientists which I think are appropriate to the examination topic which I am giving. I rarely get any responses from the examinees because I guess they are too focused on balancing the equations or performing the calculations. But I think that it’s important for would-be scientists to also think about the wider issues which involve science.

One scientist whom I like to quote is Niels Bohr, one of the most important scientists during the first half of the 20th century. The early 20th century was a remarkable era in the history of science which saw the rise of the theories of quantum mechanics, the uncertainty principle, and relativity, among others. Bohr, who proposed one of the early models of atomic structure, was troubled by the rise of so many theories all of which sought to arrive at a better understanding of the nature of matter. He also tried to link these ideas to the question of free will and basic life processes. He expressed his struggle to bring these many disparate theories together saying: "Only wholeness leads to clarity."

In many ways, the start of the 21st century has also brought about so many changes and challenges which we must struggle with, such as environment, health, poverty, etc. All of these involve the complex interplay of science, technology, economics, politics, sociology, religion, culture, ethics, and others.

I think that it is here that the Ateneo must continue to play its key role: to try to find the solutions to the challenges that we face using a holistic approach. When I refer to a “holistic approach”, I mean it on two levels: being holistic in terms of the fields of study and holistic in terms of the unity of academics, practice and Mission. It is the wholeness in the approach that will contribute to the solution.

There is a second quotation from Niels Bohr that I think is most appropriate here:
"They like to do it smartly, but the point is to do it right."

During Bohr’s time, various scientists wanted to try so many tricks – mathematical and experimental – to understand or solve their challenges, and he was wary of such techniques. Today, we too are faced with a similar situation. Some try to look for fancy solutions or shortcuts to solve our old problems, but the point is to do it right.

Twenty-five years is a good time to look back at what one has done, but it is also an opportunity to look forward to things that lie ahead. Obviously we will not be able to finish the great task of doing it right. But it is our dedication to our Mission and our love for the people whom we seek to serve that will hopefully push us to do more. Thus, I would like to close by echoing what Fr. Pedro Arrupe said:
“Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you will do with your evenings, how you will spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in love, stay in love and it will decide everything.”

The decision to dedicate our lives to serving God is what has given wholeness and clarity to our lives and the sense of purpose to do it right.

A Beautiful Quote

I read a speech delivered by Dr. Fabian Dayrit which I hope to reprint here in my blog. (I wrote him to ask permission a few minutes ago.)In the meantime, following was a quotation from Fr. Arrupe with which he chose to end it:

Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you will do with your evenings, how you will spend your weekends, what you read, who (sic) you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything.

My personal wish after reading the above is this: Would that married couples keep this idea to heart, so with teachers, doctors, government officials, and so with everyone who embarks on anything with noble intentions at the start keep this to heart, till they breathe their last.

Sadly...

Last week, I called my friend in Tahanang Walang Hagdanan to ask that my wheelchair be picked up for fixing. In the course of our conversation, she asked, "ma'am, gusto niyo ng bagong wheelchair?" I thought she was selling me a new one. Then she explained that they had several new wheelchairs from the US which they were giving away for free. All I needed to do, she said, was to have a "case" write-up done by a social worker. She said I might not qualify, however. She also mentioned that their wheelchair sales have dipped because of these donated wheelchairs. why? In the past, congressmen would order wheelchairs from TWH for giving to their constituents, but now, there's no need for them to shell out any amount as the wheelchairs are available for free. Poor TWH...



The latest Coke commercial on TV has a situation where a child goes down the car driven by her father who also goes down to see her to the door. Mom opens the door and the child asks her father to come in. Apparently, the situation is of a broken family because the father mutters, "It's different now," after which the wife assures him it's all right for him to join her family, formerly his in-laws, having a meal together. True, there are a lot of broken families around but does a TV commercial have to dwell on it???? I tried hard to reassure myself that the commercial was foreign-made because the father didn't look too Filipino, but I couldn't delude myself enough. Oh well....

Oops, just watched the Coke commercial again and I got the plot a bit wrong. The dad was about to pick up his young daughter and while he was at the door, he was invited in. Sorryyyyyyyyyyy. But the rest of my account basically holds.

Abortion

Back in the 1980s, I had this maid who was super efficient, intelligent, cheerful. I enjoyed talking with her and she was a joy to be with because she was forever upbeat. A few years into her employ with me, she asked permission to leave to care for her ailing father. I let her go. She came back after her father died but had a boyfriend by then, so before long, she asked to leave once more to get married.

Over the years we have kept in touch, she confides in me as in the past. Her marriage is anything but happy, or so she tells me, because her husband does not turn over his entire salary to her and gives her a meager allowance. They have three daughters.

Last year when my current maid went on vacation, my maid of the 1980s took over for a month, bringing with her her 3 daughters: one stayed with her here in the house, the 2 others with her sister who lives nearby. Sometimes, two would stay here which was all right with me because she disciplines her children enough for them not to be a bother.

Last week, when I asked her sister to accompany me when I hired the wheelmobile, her sister told me that my maid of the 1980s was pregnant-- her fourth. She thought of getting an abortion because she didn't want to be pregnant. She is the type who isn't scared of anyone, so I'm sure she constantly nags her husband because he is her exact opposite. Over the years she has tried to help make both ends meet by selling fish she gets from the fishermen along the shore. She also has clients betting for a certain numbers game, just so her children will have an occasional treat in a fast food chain.Luckily for her, her sister here in Manila who's married to a more responsible man gives her hand me downs and the occasional loan when the need arises. Yesterday she asked to borrow money which she said her sister would pay end-month.

Given her predicament, is abortion a real option? What is stopping her is not her fear of God's wrath but fear for her life. How do I feel about this?

Once the fetus is right there in a mother's womb, I am not for killing this evolving human being. What about birth control?

A few weeks ago, our parish priest read a letter from the Bishop of Cubao to gather support against the bill promoting birth control via artificial means in the city. Coincidentally enough, in my computer then was a case study I was in the process of editing, on the same topic, but this from the point of view of government, USAID (which is providing the logistics), and economics. The case study heavily presented the case of how population exacerbates poverty and this is something not even the Church can deny. Neither can we as we too see street children begging, being used by syndicates for whatever purpose it suits them. We also see victims of pedophiles who are at it with the knowledge of their parents. Only recently a girl supposedly committed suicide because she couldn't handle the problems of poverty, but this girl was later discovered to have possibly been raped by her father, hence the suicide.

If God were here with us now, would he really be against birth control via artificial means? The better-off sister of my 1980s maid is on pills, does that make her a sinner? Methinks, no.

I'm almost sure a number of people will condemn me for my stance re artificial methods of birth control, but isn't that a kinder option for everyone? I'm actually confused.

Shall We Dance

Last Sunday, at 9 pm, I watched Shall We Dance on Channel 5 for the fourth Sunday in a row. The first time, it was to see Mikee Lee dance, the second to see Mikee Lee dance, the third, for lack of anything better to do, the fourth for the same reason as the third.

I was amused. In the last two weeks, Nina got the nod of the judges, particularly Regine Tolentino and Edna Ledesma. Sure, Nina was the best among the dancers, but even when they gave comments on her style, one thing stood out: they mentioned how she injected ballroom steps into her dance. Now Edna and Regine are the muses of ballroom dancing in the country. And somehow, Nina's dancing reminded me of their styles. The realization made me recall a few things I "learned in college."

While some upperclassmen advised me then to recite in class as once the teacher knew me I'd be sure to get an A, my sister told me that under my English professor who was her teacher in a different school, I should not inject my own opinions but should just give answers that were exactly as she taught them. The formula worked.

But there was a professor for which I got no tip. I discovered how to get an A in his class by accident. One of his long tests was interesting (History) and suddenly I found myself writing the way he sounded. The rest of the semester was a breeze, and I enjoyed the course immensely.

Students Today

Just let my tutee go back to school. He has an exam in Science tomorrow but he left his book in school! No, he didn't forget to bring it. He just decided he didn't need to. This is a common phenomenon among students these days. They always say that they never use it anyway. That claim makes me wonder then, is it the teacher's fault that they don't? Does the teacher give them "everything" which makes them think they don't need to open their books and read them? I'm flabbergasted.

Yesterday, this tutee asked me if he could use the Internet to look for info to complete his notes. Why not your book, I asked. He said, we don't open it in school. Arrgh. The book they use is imported, a Glencoe-published book which if they lose they have to pay P5000 plus for, yes, that's five thousand pesos. I know that for a fact because the classmate of my son lost his rented book and coughed up that much. Sadly, it was for a book that was hardly read.

Post Script: Day after the Science exam, tutee shyly said the exam was easy. He learned so much from reading their textbook. Duhhhhh... When I told this to my son, he said, "We learn to read our books in college." There seems to be something wrong with the way the school is run in the grade school and high school then!?&$%&^%$@

Should one be embarrassed?

Earlier, I recounted how my classmate and I were wearing the exact same blouse to a luncheon. A friend who read the blog mentioned being in a similar situation in a mall, but that time her kapareho wasn't an acquaintance.

Last night, as I blogged about the incident, I recalled a story that took place more than 30 years ago. I intended to include it but forgot. Anyway, it went this way.

A Chinese classmate, my best friend in college, was asked by her older brother to get a Christmas present for his wife, a dress to be exact. So my friend and I went to Rustan's to get a dress. I recall it was very expensive, costing close to P2000, I think, and to think that was 30 years ago, more or less. The sister-in-law of my friend used it to a concert in Manila Hotel (one of those foreign acts where tickets were so expensive) and at the ladies' room she saw someone wearing the exact same dress.

Should situations like the aforementioned be cause for embarrassment? I really don't know, but it happens.

In fact, there's a TV commercial where the girl who thought she had a pretty dress on walked into a restaurant only to see that her dress was made of the same material as the tablecloth. At first she appeared distressed but eventually decided she would forget it and enjoy herself. That's attitude.

Many years back, I was patronizing Big and Small in Shangrila and bought this blue and white checkered pants (the checks were small) with white flowers containing yellow centers embroidered on them. I was always so happy wearing those pants because they were cool and feminine. Then one day, I saw that the sales clerks in Blue Kitchen, which sold my favorite local deli items, wearing a uniform (I can't now recall if it was the blouse) made of the exact same material. I promptly wrote the owner of Big and Small to complain and she admitted that she had sold the material to the owners of Blue Kitchen. How careless of her. Blue Kitchen is also located in Shang. She apologized, of course and before long, the girls of Blue Kitchen were no longer wearing that uniform.

Probinsiya hospitality

Yesterday, my son and his group went to Tarlac to perform for free. They were quartered in a comfortable inn and were fed several times, he was impressed. He who is very choosy about food has learned to eat whatever is served them, and this time, he ate goat meat. Caldereta, I guess. He wondered, though, why they weren't at all served dessert so that the first time they had the chance, they stopped at Starbucks to get their sugar fix.

Anyway as my son kissed me, he handed me a package wrapped like a Christmas present. I asked, "you bought pasalubong?" He sometimes does. But no, he said, the present came from their hosts. It contained three types of kakanin. All very sweet. One had a chocolatey taste, another tasted like cassava to me (alupe) while the other had coconut. Very chewy native desserts. Very thoughtfully given. I hope the practice and the underlying hospitality of the provincial Filipino are not lost on my son...

An Engagement Party and My Blouse

Just a post back, I wrote of the champagne-colored blouse I bought at Marks and Spencer for the engagement party. Lo and behold, when I got to the party, a classmate who was there ahead of me pointed to her blouse -- it was the exact same one, but some ten sizes smaller. We laughed about the coincidence which might have made us cry if we were teens. And we had parallel stories to tell re their purchase.

When our classmate invited us to the engagement party of her daughter who's marrying a Chinese, she stipulated that black and white get-ups were verboten. Coincidentally, the classmate with the same blouse as I also bought the blouse for the occasion, except that she first went to Greenbelt and had to go to Glorietta because the size available in Greenbelt was all right except for the sleeves (puff with a cuff) that were a tad too tight. Remember, I also had to request for a bigger size which was taken from megamall while I waited in Shangrila because the sleeves of the blouse available in Shang were too tight? And by the way, with her blouse she also wear brown pants, I guess because black was forbidden. Funny... (our host and another classmate liked our blouse and said they'd get the same. funny again.)

Re the lunch. As with most five-star hotel buffets, the buffet in Spiral of Sofitel Hotel (formerly Philippine Plaza) was overwhelming in terms of quantity. My husband was the one who got the food so except for those he put on my plate and his, I have no idea what else were available, though on our way out, I noticed some pretty desserts and chided him a bit for not getting them. He said I might not like them, but they looked so pretty. I'd have wanted to try them at least. Anyway...

The Japanese sushis and sashimis were good, as was the Japanese fried rice. I also liked the hakao and the asado covered with a sweetish crust. I wanted to have more of the latter except that it ran out. There was roast beef and lechon served not with the liver sauce but with hoisin. Yummy. My companions during the lunch were very careful about what they ate and it was a bit tiring listening to them. Why not enjoy the buffet, I thought? One was perpetually asking for warm water to "down" the food. How finicky. Other entrees I saw on their plate were skewered stuff like those in Japanese restaurants. these were fried and yet they got them. So much for the crap on healthy food. oops.

The desserts were what particularly excited me. I especially liked the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies which were warm and chewy. I think I ate 3 pieces of those. They were tiny. The oatmeal cookies were quite a treat as well. The ice cream excited my classmate with the same blouse, so I thought I'd try it too. She had ube and pistachio and was swooning about them. As husband left to get the ice cream one of our companions suggested drizzling it with pistachio nuts. Good suggestion. The pistachio ice cream was nice, but the ube -- I couldn't taste. It could have been anything.

There were lots of fruits but I didn't take any. There was one fruit (they were peeled and cubed, so I am not aware how it looks on the outside) that was white and had black specks that looked like sesame seeds. I can't remember now who asked the waiter what it was, to be told it was "dragon fruit." Husband said it had no taste.

Initially, to save our hosts from having to pay soft drinks for me, I decided to simply have water. But the waiters/waitresses took so long to refill our glasses with tepid water at that, that I was convinced to order Coke which I shared with same-blouse friend.

As most everyone spoke of Rolex watches, menopause, hysterectomies, I silently listened, my mind occasionally wandering off to thoughts other than those being discussed. The desserts were very good.

The Wheelmobile

Tomorrow there is a chance we could not go malling because of a lunch invitation; Sunday, husband has to be in school in the morning for a Fun Run, so chances are he will be too tired to go anywhere in the afternoon.

As I had so many errands I had to accomplish today (pick up my blouse, the Goodsphere which had broken down and been repaired, bond paper for my son, a blouse for the lunch tomorrow), I decided to hire the Wheelmobile. Though I asked that it come at 10:30 as Shangrila opens at 11, Arnel and the Wheelmobile were here by 9 a.m. Arnel texted to say he would just wait outside and was particularly early because he didn't want to be caught in traffic. Much as I wanted to leave right away, it would have been useless so we waited for 1030 before moving.

Our first stop was the Wrap Shop to have a wedding present wrapped. I had bought it in Living Well at the Podium but forgot to have it wrapped. After leaving the package at Wrap Shop, we proceeded to the Food Court to order from House of Minis. This time we got the T-bone steak (P175 only) and it was a good choice. Meat was more tender than the porterhouse we got last week. Also, in lieu of rice, we had bread. Yummy. Before I forget, as I was eating, a burly man clad in a khaki uniform smilingly asked, "would you like me to turn your wheelchair so it will be easier for you to eat?" (I always eat side-view as the tables in restos are generally too low.) He explained how he saw that I was having difficulty slicing what was on my sizzling plate. I answered, "Mababa ang mesa." Then he asked, "Gusto mo ilipat kita?" Wow, how sweet, how thoughtful. I demurred and he asked, "Sigurado ka?" This was a first for me, someone's offering to transfer me to a restaurant seat so I could eat more comfortably. How nice of him, no? Pity I forgot to get his name. I wonder how I can commend him to his bosses.

Bought some Christmas presents, got my blouse from Mico, went to True Value to get the Goodsphere I had repaired. While I got my blouse, I failed to get the Goodsphere as the one in charge wasn't at the store yet. I wasn't particularly bothered because I knew we'd take a while in the mall. We went back to Wrap Shop and while waiting for the bill to be prepared, I saw this lady whose shirt was a bit short, revealing her back between her maong pants and where her shirt stopped. Okay, I was a bit scandalized especially because from the looks of her back, she wasn't young and yet she had a tattoo there. When she turned, I was surprised to see it was Janice de Belen. She wasn't smiling, as usual. I won't say more.

High points of the excursion were the following:

Marks and Spencer, second floor. There was a blouse there, champagne-colored, but the size was not big enough for me. I think the sales clerk's name was Mharlet. She offered to find me one in the other branches, and luckily, the size I needed was available in next-door Megamall. She offered to have someone get in and assured me it would be ready in an hour. She would just text me, she said. Okay, I agreed.

Another highlight was going to Cyma to place take-home orders for husband and son. The waiter was very friendly and gracious though he remarked that it seemed way too early for dinner (it was before 4 p.m.). Ordered chicken satay for the son, fish satay for the husband, and adobo for myself. He suggested we just come back for it and we took his suggestion, in the meantime getting the Goodsphere unit from True Value on the same floor (6th). The sales clerk in TV was apologetic that it took so long for the unit to be repaired, but I assured him it was all right provided that the unit worked. It's humming quietly now and looks so new. I didn't ask if they had replaced it.

After TV, we went back to Rustan's to buy more gifts and pass the time away, while waiting for the Marks and Spencer blouse. While browsing, I received the text message of Mharlet saying the blouse was ready. Alleluia.

Finally when we went home, when I asked Arnel (guy in orange carrying a plastic bag in the picture) how much I would have to pay, he said "Free, pero next time may bayad na." Great. Thanks my dear sister for another enjoyable afternoon at the mall.

(The other picture is the view from where I sat while we were traveling along EDSA. Next time I'll take more pictures)

Serendra on a rainy night

Wednesday night, as soon as my husband could cross the street in the color-coded car to our home (yes, it's just across the street where he works but he has to wait for 7 pm to go home because of the hare-brained color-coding policy), we hied off to Serendra to view the works of his student in Grade 7 several years back, who's now an architect and a cartoonist/painter/artist, JoMike Tejido.

The entrance to the parking area at the basement was barred, as usual, by a FULL sign but we patiently waited for the security guard so my husband could ask if we could go in, pointing to the disabled sticker on the car windshield. The guard grudgingly lifted the sign away so we could go in.

We parked in the disabled slot and proceeded to the elevator. There a notice was hung: Sorry for the inconvenience, but please use the other elevator. This other elevator was in the other side of the world. Okay, that's an exaggeration, but it was quite a distance. thankfully, however, the elevator was spacious and so we rode up to the second floor where the gallery 1of was. Quaint name, no? When I saw that in the text of JoMike to my husband, I thought it was a text short-cut for something.

The gallery is small, maybe two meters wide. It wasn't too deep either. But on its walls hung JoMike's acrylic works on banig. They told a story which was printed and perched on an easel near the paintings. I didn't finish reading the story because I was constantly editing it in my mind and grew tired. Not that the English was bad, it's just I. (I used to add the digits on a plate number when I was in grade school and practicing for a Math contest. OC?)

The gallery curator was very competent. She regaled us with stories about the sale of the paintings. Half of those marked sold were bought by foreigners, she said. Good for JoMike who's a nice boy, er, young man. He has a comic strip in the Inquirer. Mikrosmos or something. He also occasionally (or regularly) appears on TV teaching art stuff. I'm not sure what channel, though. An aside: the curator was very articulate but nice, she had this huge gap in her front teeth but rather than detract from her looks, the gap enhanced them because she wasn't at all conscious about it. Galing.

After viewing the paintings, we went back to the elevator to go down for dinner at FU's, just my husband and I. Now, Serendra has a lot of open spaces. The roofed areas fronting the restaurants have tables so finding shelter in them as one negotiates the place can be a challenge where one is defeated a lot. Worse, crossing to the other side if one is in a wheelchair means having to use the unroofed ramp. So, without an umbrella on hand, we braved the drizzle for dinner at Fu's, where only one table was occupied. Soon after, a man in a wheelchair and his wife entered. Somehow, I think he was my brother-in-law's friend. His face looked familiar.

Anyway, dinner at FU's was okay, but not as exciting as the first time. We ordered the suckling pig, 3 ways. no, it's not like Peking duck done 3 ways where one gets 3 variations of peking duck: as soup, cooked with vegetables, and served with pita and hoisin sauce. Here 3 ways meant a combination of suckling pig and two other dishes, choices being soy chicken, pork asado and seaweeds. we ordered soy chicken and pork asado with the suckling pig, a decision I regretted as we labored through the dish which seemed redundant after the first few bites. On the side we also ordered hakaw (shrimp siomai) and asado siopao, plus the FU special fried rice which the waitress said had roast duck slices (I barely tasted them). The hoisin sauce that came with the combination plate tasted lame; it didn't have the kick of other hoisin sauces I've tried. The asado was all right, the soy chicken looked frail, the skin of the suckling pig looked a tad overcooked. The siomai was okay, I gave my share of the siopao to my husband who was craving for it, but took 2 of the three pieces of siomai.

Before paying our bill, I asked the waiter to compute as on the door I saw the poster of Citibank which had been there months before: a minimum food bill of something entitled diners who paid using Citibank to free dessert. Same dessert as months back, but good, nonetheless. Remember what it was? Three colored balls atop the white ceramic spoon given when one orders soup. One ball was green, another was orange, and yet another was a dark hue-- ube. The green, I think, was pandan rolled in dessicated coconut and stuffed with sweet mango. The orange one was carrot (Vitamin A!), while the dark-hued one was ube. All were rolled in dessicated coconut and stuffed with mango. Served on the side was a small bowl of mango-sago, the mango liquid in consistency, not pureed but juice-like. Floating on it aside from sago were orange peel. Very refreshing if one takes it on a hot summer day as it was cold. Except that I guess I have an acidic tummy so . . .

After dinner, we promptly went back to the car. Believe it or not, we didn't stop by any store, not even A Different Bookstore which we passed.

TOOLS AGAINST MMDA OFFICERS

Following was forwarded to me by my sister. Hope it helps. . . My comments are in italics.


I just reached my limit last weekend, and decided to take action against the abusive MMDA enforcers. I basically called up the MMDA head office and inquired from the Personnel Officer, Antonio Pagulayan, to clarify their policies. Here is what I got.

If any of these abuses seem familiar to you, Mr. Pagulayan has asked that you call either the MMDA hotline (136) or call the METRO BASE at 0920-938-9861 or 0920-938-9875 and ask for an Inspectorate. They will send inspectors to the place where these MMDA officers are extorting, even while you are arguing out of your apprehension.

wow, and how fast can they send anyone? Does this mean we should argue with the MMDA officers until their inspector arrives?

1. MMDA officers are not allowed to group together in order to apprehend. They are not even allowed to stand together in groups of 2 or more. The only time they are allowed to work together is for special operations (probably when they apprehend groups of buses for smoke belching).

I've seen buses belching smoke but have never seen any apprehended. And heavens, MMDA officers are often in twos.

2. Swerving IS NOT a traffic violation. Moving one lane to the left or right is not swerving, no matter where on the road you do it. And it is even less of a violation when you do it with a signal. Swerving is defined as shifting 2 or more lanes very quickly. So you can argue your way out of this, and call the Metro Base for help.


And MMDA encourages swerving by positioning the broken lines which indicate where cars may penetrate the yellow lane -- a no-no safety-wise according to a cousin who enters the yellow lane way before the broken lines and doesn't care if he'll be apprehended. He'd rather be alive, he said. Swerving is dangerous to life and limb, he said, and he's willing to deliver his piece before the judge if need be. So far he hasn't been apprehended.
3.

Sadly, using the yellow lane is a traffic violation and will get you a ticket. However, buses are really not allowed to go out of the yellow lane, so if you see selective apprehension of private cars only, you may complain.

Really, buses aren't allowed to leave the yellow lane? So why aren't they apprehended as they weave through the various lanes in EDSA? Remember how fearful I was as I watched my son drive to Makati? The buses were just about everywhere. Where they apprehended? NO. But we saw MMDA people apprehending a car, we always do. Why are car drivers such hapless and perpetual victims of the MMDA?

4. MMDA has confirmed that your license MAY NOT BE CONFISCATED at a traffic apprehension. The only time they can do so is if you are part of an accident, or it is your third violation and you have not settled your fines yet. They are only allowed to give you a ticket, which you can contest. He recommends actually receiving the ticket in some instances, so that you can report the officer who did it.


Also, you are free to ask any of these officers for their "mission order", which is written by their supervisor. If they apprehend you for a violation that is not in their mission order for the day, you can report them and they will receive disciplinary action.

So go out and enjoy! :)

My Only Love, GMA's latest sine novela

I caught the first day of the series and was impressed. For once it had details not normally found in Filipino works for TV. The young girl was actually part of a ballet recital, the young man competed in motocross. Director of the series is Louie Ignacio.

why do I find these details significant? Most telenovelas focus on the relationships of the characters and do not have any supplementary details on them. This propensity makes any TV series flat, unlike Korea novelas which show what people actually do on a normal day. For example, Love in Heaven shows the male lead as a news anchor, while the female lead was formerly a competent make-up artist. Now we have Ysabella showing the lead as a chef, Marimar showing the male lead as owning a company that deals with cars and mug wheels.

I can't wait for the day when Filipino telenovelas will have musical scoring using classical music. Though I like the theme of Marimar, a haunting love song in Filipino.

Various

This morning, I accompanied my son to Citibank Savings where he opened an account. It was an individual account, I couldn't be an and/or co-depositor with him because I have no primary IDs to present, that is, government-issued IDs like GSIS, SSS, Postal ID, Voter's ID, TIN card, etc. So, if and when I win millions in the lotto, expect to find my money under my bed, rather than at Citibank Savings. Silly no?

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Last weekend, my husband and I went to Sheridan in Shangrila for some pillow shams. As we veered to the right side of the store, the balding sales clerk said, "Dito ho," pointing to the left side. He explained himself thus: "Yung sa right pang teenager." Aray. We teased him saying, "wow, ang tanda na pala namin." Taste wise, however, the choices he pointed to for the old weren't at all to my liking. They were mostly browns or large prints. I preferred the checks and bright colors for teens. We ended up buying one set of local shams, 50% cotton, 50% polyester for the cushion on my wheelchair. He said if I have allergies, I need pure cotton pillow shams. But one piece in Sheridan which was on sale cost P527. So I said I'd check prices out in Rustan's. There I found 2 pieces of shams made of pure cotton with 200 thread count selling for P500 plus, and those with 300 thread count selling for P895. They were locally made besides, so I got the stuff from Rustan's. From now on, if the quality of the product is ok, I'll go Filipino made.

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My son wanted to drive to Makati by himself, I won't elaborate why. This was at 9 in the evening after a long day for him. At 8 in the morning, he taught in a public school, after which he had lunch, proceeded to sing with a choir at a wedding at 2:30, played the guitar at a reception, and then to Makati. Initially his plan was to pick up a girl in Makati, drive off with her to a party in Quezon City and bring her back to Makati after the party. I figuratively put my foot down. For one he had a very long day and the Saguisags had just met a vehicular accident. For another, he isn't beyond falling asleep while driving. For yet another, he isn't too experienced a driver yet to drive alone to Makati.

In the end, he agreed not to go to the party but wanted to go to Makati. Fine. He had a male friend with him. Fine too. But we drove behind them all the time, just to be sure. My husband has been stopped twice by MMDA officers in EDSA on the way to Makati for beating the red light/crossing the line for buses before he should have. Didn't want our son to be alone just in case it happened to him. So we trailed him, with his knowledge. What a harrowing experience! The buses in EDSA are such bullies. I was perpetually praying as I saw him deal with them. It was awful. He managed with the help of angels, I'm sure. Going home, he said he'd go ahead. we let him be as he was still with his male friend. We got home ahead of us and when I tracked him, I got the message from Globe, "Cannot be determined." So, of course, I worried. As we waited for the maid to open the gate, I saw a car slow down our street. It was our son. Rather than EDSA, he went through C-5 because he veered to the side of the overpass that compelled him to go C-5. He asked his father which way he should have taken. Lessons learned. He also decided going C-5 was the safer alternative as along C-5 there aren't any bullies, er, buses. One particular bus that was so abrasive was GASAT. For a while I memorized his number, just in case. I have since forgotten what it was.

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Yet another bombing, this time in Batasang Pambansa. This time, government was quick to concede it was an IED (improvised explosive device). For a while there I thought they'd say it was a methane-triggered explosion like in Glorietta. If they had said that, wow, that means FIlipinos produce a lot of gas! From eating camote? Corny. Though not too many people believed them re Glorietta, that's for sure.

The Lengths People Go To for Their Families

Last night, we attended the voice recital of a friend of my son's in UP. He sang beautifully, his main accompanist on the piano was excellent. So were the violinist and the cellist. As I watched and listened to them make wonderful music, it dawned on me, especially for the person having his recital, "What next?" Will he be able to make a living out of singing? Is there a way for him to earn his keep from merely singing? Or would he have to go the route and teach just so he can survive without having to beg, steal or borrow -- not that he is the type, but simply to live?

As we drove home, I shared my anxiety in his behalf with my husband and son, but they were quiet. I also expressed how seeing scientists on TV always impressed me, because generally, these individuals are not moneymakers even if they are doing so much for the world in general. Only last week, in the TODAY show, I saw this young lady who said she goes to the South Pole at least once a year to measure the ozone layer or something. WoW. Then of course, I also saw the chemical engineers from UP talking about the Glorietta blast, the astronomers looking at yet another comet, etc. With their brains, they could be making millions in the right company, maybe NASA, a pharmaceutical firm, etc. I recall how the Mr. Punongbayan of PhiVolcs was eulogized and written about shortly after his death. One article on him showed the sofa where he slept on, night after night, in a small apartment he rented for his family. That made me cry because here was one man warning the Filipinos about dangers to their lives from an oncoming volcanic eruption and yet he had no home he could call his own. He died in a copter crash while at work. I was sad for him but I'm almost sure he was a happy man.

Last night, possibly because of the euphoria of attending the voice recital, I couldn't sleep right away, allowing me the chance to watch the I-Witness Report on GMA 7. The topic was "Black Gold." At first, I thought the topic might be on oil in the waters of Ilocos, but no, the black gold being referred to was black seaweeds which are rather expensive being so rare-- they are available only from November till March. But what caught my attention and made me pray was the danger to which those gathering these seaweeds exposed themselves. I think the site was Burgos town in Ilocos where the people would go to the rocky shore to get the seaweeds perched upon stones. What's the big deal, you might wonder? Well, aside from the sharp edges of these stones, a bigger hurdle was avoiding the huge waves from the South China Sea, waves so huge that many have perished as a result of their wrath, some victims never ever seen again. And for what? One man risked his life so he could pay for his daughter's education. Isn't there an easier job available? And get this. The seaweeds are dried after they are collected but it's not every time those who gather them are able to sell the same immediately. Customers are usually the balikbayan who could afford it so that if there's no such person around, those who gather the seaweeds have to keep their dried product until such time that such a person comes around. In the meantime, the seller borrows money, most likely at a cost to him. Oh boy...

One last "career" or livelihood I'd like to write about is the manufacture of firecrackers. While the end product has cost the life and/or limb of several, it spells income for others. In 2010, hopefully, the Department of Health will succeed in imposing a total ban on fireworks, but pray tell, what will those who manufacture it do to earn their keep? Or change that question -- what will those working for the manufacturer do instead? yes, several have perished in firecracker factories, several fires have resulted, but what about the livelihood of this people? On the other hand, maybe they can and should find another job. Yes, maybe they should, and their employers could invest on something less destructive.

Several treats in one day, wow!

When it rains, it pours. Thursday, late at night, close to 10 pm in fact, I called Wheelmobile to ask if they could send the van over for me to use at 9:30 a.m. Friday. I was surprised to get an immediate answer, and it was a "YES!" I wanted to pick up something from Prudentialife in Galleria in the morning, as around 6:30 p.m. Thursday, one of my guardian angels from the company (see July blog on Prudentialife) called to say the check would be ready in the morning and I should get it then rather than in the pm when there would just be too many people. As my husband didn't want to absent himself from work and as I refused to let the stressful experience of months back enjoy a reprise, I opted to go Wheelmobile.

For once it was late, unlike in the past when it would be around at least 30 minutes before my required time. But my former maid whom I called Thursday night to accompany me (she's more quiet than the ones I have now, and I wanted a restful trip, remember?), was early, she who's wont to be late. SO things balanced out.

We were off in the Wheelmobile shortly after 10 a.m. This time around the wheelmobile wasn't too comfortable, a bit bumpy in fact, and I suspect it was the first edition (They now have 3 wheelmobiles, with a fourth in the pipeline). Nonetheless, I was determined to enjoy myself.

The driver was confident when I told him where I wanted to go: Galleria Corporate Center. He dropped us off at its entrance, following which we waited a few minutes for an elevator that took us to the sixth floor. Hmm, the guard in front of blue curtains was positioned the same way he was last July. I would have thought he had turned into a statue except that this time, the distribution of checks was on the 6th floor. When we entered the room, there were just 2 Prudentialife employees, a lot of empty seats, and possibly, two or 3 clients. I went to the table behind which a man stood, announced that I was there to get a check. He said, "Where's your stub?" I was dumbfounded, "Stub? I faxed the papers to Enna Catap in Makati." The magic words, because they immediately told him who I was. He promptly got my folder, had me sign two sheets, and released my check. We left immediately.

As we were on our way to the elevator, I texted the driver to pick us up where he had dropped us off. I then called him to be sure he got the message. Funny thing: I got a text from him that read, "Ngayon na po, mam?" I said "Yes." He must have been incredulous because when I asked him how much he had paid for the parking, he said, he hadn't paid anything as he hadn't entered the parking area yet. He was fourth in line, he said. Done. So I said, let's go to Shangrila.

It was barely 11 a.m., opening time for Shang (I thought they had since advanced it to 10 -- luckily the wheelmobile was late, otherwise we'd have waited in shang a longer time). The security guard asked if I was headed for a check-up before letting the van proceed to the parking building. I haugtily told the maid, "tell him, shopping." They presume all people in wheelchairs are sick, haha. Anyway, we were allowed in and Shang looked like a ghost town. Most stores weren't yet lit. First destination was the Food Court. I was just so hungry. Had porterhouse steak (mini) from House of Minis. This came with soup, rice and vegetables on the side. Cost: 182 pesos, I think. Plus softdrinks of P35. Not bad, because the steak was good. Eating in House of Minis makes me feel very good because they don't charge an arm and a leg for good steak. Sure, it wasn't black Angus or Wagyu, but it was good, local Filipino steak. So there.

I had everything listed in my cellphone: where to go, what to buy in Shang, and I did most of them, all the time conscious of the time -- because Wheelmobile charges by the hour and because I wanted to get my son some sushi from a restaurant in Libis that closed at 2:30 p.m. We made it. By close to 2, we left Shangrila and proceeded to OMAKASE which I had called to prepare my order. Done.

When we got home, I asked the driver how many hours we had used the wheelmobile so I could issue a check (I went on the trip with a littlee money of my own, a certain amount from a sister who knew I would make lakwatsa and wanted to treat me). He said I needn't pay as another sister had contributed to the Foundation, so they let me use the wheelmobile for free. Wow, blessings galore. I was smiling widely by then. It was 3 p.m.

Shortly before 3:30, I asked my son to get ready to pick up something from Eliazo from his cousin. His cousin's tita, and therefore my cousin, had something for me. When he came back, he had an HP Laser Jet box containing 4 styropor boxes and one plastic box. I smelled the sytropor's contents and without opening the box, I knew it was yet another treat: sate babi from Roli's! Four orders of them. Hahaha. What a day! I felt so loved, really!!!

Soon, I'll have to hire the Wheelmobile again to finish my Christmas shopping. I haven't yet decided on what day to go but for sure, it will be Shang yet again so I can pick up my ninang blouse at MICO. I like Shang a lot. It's well lit and people are friendly, most of them anyway.

QTV shows

I have taken up the habit of watching MOMS and The Sweet Life on QTV. MOMS is okay though Manilyn is too saccharine for comfort sometimes (my sister thinks all the time), not only in her tone of voice but in the way she moves her head and body. But what really amused/annoyed me once was her closing spiel in one of the shows. She said, "Please give your message to your children telling them that you'll support them no matter what." What a host. She even tells her guests what to say. Otherwise, however,the show is interesting because of the topics and the guests. Showtime is from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.

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The Sweet Life with Lucy Torres and Wilma Doesnt is a riot. Lucy constantly ribs Lucy about her color and Wilma sometimes acts like she's hurt but only briefly. When Lucy does her bit she doesn't sound insulting. It's more like carino brutal and she's so sweet in the first place so that I don't think Wilma is truly offended. More often than not Lucy teases Wilma about her color, her single parenthood, her failed love life, etc. The show is also worth watching because it has a cooking portion and a project portion. The effort to make the show interesting is apparent and makes the show work very well. I feel a bit sad that I didn't discover the show earlier. Show is scheduled at 6:30 to 7:30, Monday to Friday.

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Ka-Toque. Yes, it's a cooking show that's on every Saturday morning, from 11 a.m. to 12 noon. The hosts are young chefs, very good-looking and animated. They have a whole menu -- from appetizer, to soup, to the main course, to dessert/desserts. And they usually have a featured guest. Two weeks ago, it was Cindy Kurleto. Last Saturday it was Tessa Prieto-Valdez, who it seems felt like an alien in the kitchen. She was frank. While she praised the first entree, after she tasted the second, she said, "This is better than the first." And she said that with a straight face. One good thing about Ka-Toque is that it keeps it word. Before the show ends, the hosts give their email address and invite viewers to email them for the recipes. Twice I did, and each time they sent me the recipes. This is not true with some other cooking shows that promise to send you back recipes but don't. I can't remember now, but one show asked viewers to text them for the recipe. Yes, they also sent the recipe back via text which felt a bit weird because a cell phone's screen can only accommodate so many words. Ka-Toque's email address is katoque@gmanetwork.com. Their recipes are a bit fancy so I haven't tried any.

Math and Marketing

I have often pointed this out -- how so many Filipino retailers don't seem to have heard of the tag line "Cheaper by the dozen." Then last night I was awed. At Planet Sports in Power Plant they were selling shuttle cocks for P620 per dozen (Wilson brand, I think) or P120 per piece. Now the seller knows his math and marketing. Good for him. Earlier, from The Sweet Life in the food court, I got 4 lovely looking cupcakes in a pink and white box: P55 each I was told, but when I paid for the 4 pieces, the lady charged me only P200. And how quaintly the cupcakes were packaged. Inside the big box was a carton platform with four holes that snugly held each cupcake. Brilliant idea in that this prevented the cupcake from moving around or getting in each other's way. Cool.

We had dinner at Cafe Mediterranean. The girl recommended kebabs: husband ordered fish, I order chicken. I noticed they didn't have pork. IT was 830 pm then and I was hungry so I thought of ordering appetizer. I asked the waitress how long our kebabs would take to cook, she said 20 minutes. She should have warned us.

Anyway looking at the appetizer list was discouraging for someone whose companion has gout: choices included hummus, which is made of garbanzos; a dip with eggplant, which is also a no-no for gout. The only item which seemed all right and which I saw a father and daughter feasting on had parsley, tomatoes and onion, served with one big pita bread.

So we got that. But a minute after it came, so did our kebabs and guess what, the dip we ordered was a side dish in our kebabs. We was robbed! Although not the waiter's fault because we ordered the kebabs from a girl, while the appetizer we ordered from a male who attended to us subsequently. Just had to have the dip packed for take-home, though we ate the pita with the dip served on the side. At Cafe Med they have this garlic dip which is yummy. Years back when we ate at Cafe Med, we took home one order of the dip -- P180 I think but it had to be refrigerated and consumed within 3 days. It never was and to the trash it went. Re the kebabs, the fish was more tender and tasted better, but there were fewer pieces. It was also cheaper.

Speaking of service, the other night when we ate at Fish and Co, I wasn't really feeling up to eating because I don't crave fish that much. But husband wanted fish so I said yes. Ordered seafood chowder, he ordered sweet and sour fish. As I couldn't possibly just stare at him while he ate, ordered mussels cooked in garlic and butter.As I prefer to have soup with a cookie or bread, I asked if I could order bread. The waiter who overheard me talking to the waitress said, the mussels came with bread. How nice of him, so I was able to save money there. I just had to wait for the mussels before I could take the soup.

The seafood chowder was okay, my husband gave me some of the fish, nice and soft on the inside, and crunchy on the outside. The mussels were huge -- I surmise they were imported. The lemon butter sauce was generous, one could take it like soup. I had only 3 pieces of the mussels and took home the rest. They still tasted good at home because of the generous amount of sauce.

As usual, I brazenly asked for Endearmints which they thoughtfully give to guests after the meal. (Minggoy's gives Mentos.) Endearmints, I read up, is made in Africa. According to the waitress, I could buy some for P15 each but I would rather not spend that much when I can ask for free, haha.

At any rate, as we were leaving, one of the waitresses handed us a gift certificate for P500 which we can use in our next visit provided that we order something worth P1000 at least. Not bad, huh? Burgoo used to give chits that entitled one to appetizers, too. They no longer do.

Lust, Caution, Mahjong...

Hahaha. Couldn't help but add Mahjong to the title. While the country was in disarray, the Chinese ladies were playing mahjong perpetually. And the title of the movie says Lust, Caution. But it should have simply been titled Lust. The sex scenes and nudity were long and drawn-out. I found them too explicit and excessive. The caution part was hardly evident. The collaborator aspect of the main character wasn't fleshed out; his body and lust were. It was a long movie 2 hours 37 minutes, the female lead looked better without makeup. With makeup she looked like Christine Bersola. The male lead wasn't the type ladies would swoon about, looks wise. The young head of the rebel group looked so much better.

Ang Lee -- I'm not sure he is my type of director, plus his choice of movies to make are outre. First Brokeback Mountain, now Lust, Caution. I didn't see Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (oohhhh notice how he loves to pair words), maybe I should if only to appreciate why Ang Lee is so talked about and lauded.

Oh, and the female lead showed armpits with hair in them like a man's. At first I thought they were her male partner's. Whoa. Paging Vicky Belo.

Forwarded email worth reading

ENLIGHTENED PERSPECTIVE

If you will take the time to read these, I promise you'll come away with an enlightened perspective. The subjects covered affect us all on a daily basis!

They're written by Andy Rooney , a man who has the gift of saying so much with so few words. Enjoy.......


I've learned.... That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

I've learned.... That when you're in love, it shows.

I've learned.... That just one person saying to me, 'You've made my day!' makes my day.

I've learned.... That being kind is more important than being right.

I've learned.... That you should never say no to a gift from a child.

I've learned.... That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.

I've learned.... That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

I've learned.... That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.

I've learned.... That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.

I've learned.... That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.

I've learned.... That money doesn't buy class.

I've learned.... That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I've learned... That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I've learned.... That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.


I've learned.... That love, not time, heals all wounds.

I've learned.... That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.

I've learned.... That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

I've learned.... That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.

I've learned... That life is tough, but I'm tougher.

I've learned.... That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.

I've learned.... That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

I've learned.... That I wish I could have told my Mom that I love her one more time before she passed away.

I've learned.... That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.

I've learned.... That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

I've learned.... That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.

I've learned.... That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.

I've learned.... That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

FRUITS

Buying fruits is always a challenge. It brings to mind the saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover." I've often enough bought fruits that looked really good but which, upon opening, disappointed. Mangoes perpetually so. After a few days of waiting them to turn ripe, one sees black spots on them. Atis--back in my hometown, we would just pluck them off the tree. Here in QC we have an atis tree and when the fruit bat doesn't get to it first, or the birds, then I have an occasional sweet atis. But otherwise, I have no choice except to get them from the grocery. Problem is the few times I did, they were sadly not up to par. The flesh sticks too much to the seed rendering the fruit difficult to eat. Maid says its because the fruit was prematurely picked. So, no matter how enticing atis looks in the grocery, I have restrained myself from buying any.

Pineapples are more predictable. Smell them and they'll give you a clear inkling if they are sweet and ripe or not. This sometimes works for mangoes too.

Lanzones-- one just has to pinch them. If they aren't soft, chances are they aren't sweet. Another way of detecting if they're sweet is to open one up. If the sheen is dull, better steer clear of it. If it's bright and looks inviting, get a kilo. I did the other day and only a few pieces weren't too sweet but they weren't bad. In Negros, Concepcion lanzones were the best, in Luzon it would be Paete, and in Mindanao, Camiguin.

Apples -Years back, when Mama was in the hospital, she asked me to buy her apples. She said, "don't get the ones that are cottony." I was stunned because not being a fan of apples, I thought they all tasted the same. I think those that aren't too red are the un-cottony ones. I'll have to verify this again. I get apples only once in a while.

Oranges-- another difficult buy. Usually ponkan is sweet, the bigger,American-looking ones are a puzzle. There's one that has a "navel" of sorts and those are juicy. Anyway, sour oranges aren't too much of a problem as one can make them into juice. This is particularly true of dalandan.

I like santol. The native ones are not sweet a lot of the time, unless they're Lizares, Mama would say. The bangkok ones are mostly okay though I've tried some that weren't sweet. One girl in Unimart told me the bangkok santol from Bacolod were fleshier and sweeter. The ones I get in Rustan's are usually okay.

Grapes -- the redder and smaller they are, the sweeter. Green ones are sometimes tart while the red ones that aren't a deep red can be a bit sour sometimes. Last weekend the girl in Unimart offered me black grapes because she said they were tops. I got some and she was right. Now, writing this I recall how my friend Nina gave me a bunch a few Christmases ago and, yes, they were very good. I had since forgotten.

A few months back, a cousin who lives nearby gave me kamunsil. Wow, that was nostalgic. I couldn't eat too much but I tried to peel a seed perfectly, which my sister and I perpetually did when we were much younger. She always succeeded in the task, I always failed. Oh I forgot to break a seed apart and put it on my face. I think we used to do that too.

Tambis-- I would only take a bite, never really liked it. then there's the balimbing- just a bite though I am not even sure I tasted it. One time a co-teacher gave me this yellow-orange fruit. It was fleshy. But I couldn't eat it. Chico, I don't like. The smell turns me off though Mama would eat platefuls of it.

Marang- I liked this when I was teaching but a few years ago, I tried it again and I was disappointed. Durian -- what an ordeal. The maid gave me a huge one when she came home from Cotabato. The smell was overpowering. the flesh looked inviting but I couldn't have more than a bite of it. I pleaded with the maid to have it instead. She smiled. I hope she wasn't offended. I offered it to a cousin who lives nearby but she begged off. Her sons and husband didn't like it, though she did.

Kulo- is that a fruit? I loved it candied. Unfortunately, Vir who used to make it is no longer around.

Coconut- I drink the juice but I normally don't take the fruit except as dessert. When I need to buy it to make macaroons or buko pie, it's always a challenge to find the right type: young enough, a little old. Sometimes I need some for pie but the coconut is just too young. I end up spending more till I get the right consistency.

Tamarind - I can eat only one in its original form. I can eat only more if they are candied.

Saba - I like it fried, boiled, candied. I usually buy some if my tummy feels funny, rumbles, etc.

Lemoncito. These grew in the garden and sometimes we'd taste them. But more often, we'd extract juice from them and weave it around a finger like a spider web.

The local cherry. we had a tree of this in our home and we'd always ask the maid to go up and get some while we waited below, our skirts lifted up to catch them.

Guavas - they're okay, small or big, if the birds don't get to them first. Guava jelly is nice.

Jackfruit - ugghhhhhh. I don't like the smell or the taste, not even in candies or banana turon. But i like the seeds, roasted. Kulo's seeds too. They remind me of castanas. Once an uncle gave us and I told him that. He teased, don't buy castanas anymore then. Just kulo.

I can't recall the name of this fruit. Ripe it turns red, raw it's green. It's elongated, but small. It's sweet. when it's ripe, the flesh slides off easily.

Papaya -- the natives one are nicer than the tiny ones grown commercially. One time a sister caught me having them with breakfast. She said "you eat papaya? I can't stand them." For the vitamins and fiber, I said.

Star apple - nice if you get them ripe, otherwise they're like atis when plucked too early.