Our Owner-Type Jeep

Our residence in Surigao was four kilometers away from the city proper.  If you live in a place like ours where regular transportation is a problem, owning a vehicle is a necessity.  Hence, one day I saw papa driving home an owner-type jeep.  He acquired it from Cagayan de Oro City.  If I'm not yet mistaken, the brand was Toyota.

I had a lot of childhood memories with that owner-type jeep.  My siblings and I used to sing songs (and sometimes shout) to our hearts' content while papa drove us home.  Mama would sometimes scold us, but would secretly hum along.  That was the good ol' days...

My papa had the top fabric of our vehicle changed a number of times.  There were also instances when my siblings and I, being adventurous as we always are, would request papa to take out the side and rear skins of the jeep.  The air then was still not as polluted as it is now...

When papa passed away, it was as if the jeep died along with him.  We were not able to maintain it the way he care for his jeep.  It stayed in our garage for many years before mama reluctantly sold it.  It took a lot of convincing from her children that disposing that precious memento does not mean forgetting papa.  It's just that there are things in this life that we just have to let go... and move on...

Ice, Ice Baby!

If there's one thing that I learned from a facial care center which my boss recommended me, it is the use of ice cubes.  Accordingly, application of ice cubes on the face (after thorough cleansing, of course!) minimizes skin pores.

I don't know if it really works but looking at my boss' face is already enough for me to be convinced.  I have been using ice cubes as part of my regular beauty regimen but I admit there are times when I skip that part due to my occasional attacks of indolence.

I still experience zits from time to time.  I already accepted that fact... the fact that I am not perfect (hahaha! detractors, comment please!)  But that does not prevent me from enjoying life and trying on things that life has to offer.

Love it!  Get it? :)

I Had Fun (Run) On My Birthday!

Weeks before my 33rd birthday (yes, i'm already old but i'm proud of it!), I was already planning on how to make it memorable.  Then I got an e-invitation for the Kerygma Fun Run at SM Mall of Asia which date coincided on MY DAY.  Hmmm, not a bad idea right?  The last time I joined a fun run was four years ago, which was part of the activities in celebration of the COA Week.  Mind you, I placed 1st then (err, 1st runner up. jejehe).  No, I'm not a runner.  I don't even jog regularly.  It was just that, in my category, only a few participated.  Hence, I was the second best (jejeje, again).


Back to the K Fam Run, there were three categories, namely:  1-km (1k), 3-km (3k), and 5-km (5k).  I decided to join the 3k category although I was almost tempted to take the 1k as I don't want to be breathless on my birthday.  But nevertheless, I took the challenge...

Shown below are the pictures I took (except photos of me, of course) during the K Run:

at 5 o'clock in the morning

d' birthday gurl!

bro. mike (?) at the makeshift stage. don't remember his exact name but in fernez, he is really good at hosting.  was he a somebody from a comedy bar?

the sunrise!

some 5k runners were already on their way back to the station. good for them!

i'm already tired!  i envy the runners ahead of me...

hey!  that's my exit!  but isn't that lady in there guarding that area?

here's another guard!

i can already see the landmark of SM Mall of Asia!

the ambulance! rescue me! rescue me!

runners were lining up at the water station.  unfortunately, when it was already my turn they ran out of water...huhuhu

the st. peter's church beside SM Mall of Asia.  would i go there afterwards?  i don't have to go far... hmm..
(i decided to attend a mass at Redemptorist Church in Baclaran instead since that was what I promised myself long before)

others were already turning right.  yipee!  i'm already near the finish line!

but others were still turning left.  why?  i don't want to go there anymore.  that's already too much for me!

i think this is now my cue for a short cut.   there were already others who went ahead of me.  it won't be embarrassing anymore to take that path since i just followed suit.

i made it!  i deserve a rest...zzzzz...

me again, still at rest. with my socked feet off my my rubber shoes.  arghh!!! my feet hurts!

I Just Bought Extreme Power Saver

I previously blogged about the Extreme Power Saver.  Although I wasn't convinced with the negative feedbacks I gathered online about the product, still I bought it (and my officemate too). Well, I just want to give it a try and see for myself if it really works.

The salesman confirmed that it is really just a capacitor.  Sad to say, up to now, I still don't know what that heck means.  Whatevah!  But just in case it won't lower my power consumption for two consecutive months, I still have the option to return it at Ace Hardware and exchange it with other items at the same price.

Few days from now, my MERALCO bill will be delivered both online and by mail.  My officemate and I are already excited!  Aren't you too?  Nevertheless, I'll post in here my electric bill as soon as it becomes available.

Luggage I Found

I recently lost a traveling bag.  I realized how important it is after it was gone.  That 12-year old bag had its sentimental value to me.  I was still connected with my first job then at a private auditing firm in Cebu when I bought it for a month-long training in Makati.

Being thrifty that I always am, it took me days before I finally decided to have it for myself.  That Voyager bag was my first so-called investment as I spent more than 2.5 grand (US$53) for it.  Cheap?  If based on today's standards, yes!  But going back 12 years before, it was already expensive for me considering that I was still striving as a new associate then.

Fast forward, I recently went to 168 Shopping Mall.  I chanced upon this shop which sells traveling bags.  I found this red trolley bag which can also serve as backpack and overnight bag.  It was priced at P1,500 (US$32) but I was able to haggle and save 40% off the regular price!  That's what I love about shopping in 168 Shopping Mall!  It is where you learn to polish the art of haggling.

That bag was cute alright, but it was too small for a traveling bag.  I still miss my old bag...


Now, I'm planning to purchase a new traveling bag.  This time I would like a real big trolley bag, which I can use when I go on vacation for a week or more.  As with my old bag, it should be durable enough to hold my voluminous clothes as up to now, I still don't know how to travel light.  But most importantly, price should be reasonable so as not to ruin my budget for a grand vacation.

When would that be?  Maybe soon...? ;)

Speaking of TV...

Google has just announced that Google TV will be available soon!  TV and web in one single device?  It must be a remarkable fusion of two powerful stuffs that influences our day-to-day living.  And... this is really exciting!

From the Google Blog:

If there’s one entertainment device that people know and love, it’s the television. In fact, 4 billion people across the world watch TV and the average American spends five hours per day in front of one*. Recently, however, an increasing amount of our entertainment experience is coming from our phones and computers. One reason is that these devices have something that the TV lacks: the web. With the web, finding and accessing interesting content is fast and often as easy as a search. But the web still lacks many of the great features and the high-quality viewing experience that the TV offers.

Read more

Metro Manila Is Getting Hotter

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical, Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA) reported that at around 4pm yesterday, May 19, weather in Metro Manila sizzled at 37.5 degree Celsius.  Accordingly, this is the highest ever recorded for this year.

Well, that's still 1 point below the highest temperature of 38.5 degree Celsius experienced in Metro Manila.  It was on May 14, 1987 (still, same month and only five days apart, huh?).  That, is nothing compared to the hottest temperature in Philippine history which was recorded at 42.2 at Tuguegarao, Cagayan, on May 11, 1969.

By the way, I just heard on TV (I wasn't watching, fyi) that a military trainee just died in Isabela (is that part of Cagayan province?) because of heatstroke.  Several others suffered severe dehydration.  As a result, the authorities there has decided to shorten the training hours of the trainees.

Hey, what about those traffic enforcers, sanitary aides, etc. who are working under the heat of the scorching sun?  I can only imagine what they have been going through...