Popo's 100th

Today is not just Andres Bonifacio's birthday.  Today would have marked the 100th birthday of my paternal grandfather also named Andres, whom we, the grandchildren, fondly called him as our "popo".

When I googled popo's name just to try to check out his year of birth, I was surprised to find it online, considering that, when popo passed away more than a decade ago already, internet was still not popular then.  If my memory serves me right, I was still in college then.  Internet was something that was foreign to me that I was trying hard to explore when I already started working.  So, you just can imagine..

Popo lived with us during my childhood years.  I remember him as soft-spoken, silent, and good-natured person.  When he died, it was the first time that I saw my father cried.. :(

To popo, happy birthday!  Please take care of papa.. :)

Lazy Mode..

After I recently finished my International Audit training, I have been splurging my time on things that I generally deprived myself of for almost a year - surfing the net, watching movies, and sleeping.  I should say that, now that I am on leave from school, I should have all the time in the world. :)

Unfortunately, there's one task that I failed to do, and that is, to keep my blogs updated, at least daily. Today, November 30, 2011, is the last day of the month, and I am so guilty that I've only written four posts for this blog for this whole month.  Now, compare that to my 13 articles posted just last August when I recall, at that time, I was busy studying for the midterm exams, catching up with my office workload, and spending sleepless nights with hubby.  How's that?! :(

I just hope this realization will stop me from procastinating, and instead, nudge me to roll up my sleeves and get moving. :)

Miles..

I have mentioned in my other blog that due to unbelievably peak-season ticket fares, I might just take a RORO or SuperFerry just to reach my hometown in time for Christmas.  (I'm not kidding! Maybe a little adventure is what I really need..)

Well, I've thought of another option.  That is, to use the Mabuhay Miles I earned from riding PAL planes.  It wasn't that much though considering that I rarely travel nowadays and if I do travel, PAL is no longer a practical choice.

Thus, without further delay I dialed the customer service and the first problem (take note, it's just FIRST of many) I encountered was that there is no PAL plane servicing Surigao.  In other words, I do not have any recourse but to take the Butuan route.

Next problem: they no longer have slots for economy class, only for business class.  As I was wondering what a smaller plane could provide to business class passengers, I innocently asked, what's the difference? Accordingly, I will have a special seat and more leg room.  I thought to myself, who cares?  And I would be using an additional 2,000 miles for that?  Not worth it.  If only they would at least offer a front view of the horizon, say, a seat at the cockpit.  Hehehe

3rd problem:  I am short of almost 3,000 miles!  How's that?  I almost fell from my chair.  How could that be?  When I checked my latest statement of account sent to my email about four months ago, here's what I found out:

I lost 728 miles!  I would not have allowed it to happen had it not that at that time, I was so busy with everything.  Tsk! Tsk!

It's only 728 miles anyway, I consoled myself.  But when I checked my account online, I realized I did not only lose 728 miles but a total of 2,767 miles! Whooa!  That's more than enough to cover my shortage of miles!

There's no use crying over spilled milk.  And so, I told the customer service representative that I will just have the points, earned from using my HSBC credit card, converted to Mabuhay Miles.

Now for the 4th problem, I can't have the reservation made not unless I have enough miles from my account.  In other words, they will have to wait for the points-to-miles conversion.

5th problem:  Processing of conversion will take at least ten days.

 

6th problem:  They cannot assure me if there will still be available slots after ten days.

Now, therefore, I, Gay, might... just... take... the RORO! Huhuhu! Hehehe! ;)

Almost...

I dreamed this morning that Juan Manuel Marquez won... Don't get me wrong but I wasn't that obsessed with the boxing match, mind you.  It's just that, I blogged about them right before I hit the bed at 5 o'clock in the morning.  That explains..

Anyways, in my dream, he accordingly stepped down from the ring.. on a stretcher, lying down.  He didn't look terribly injured but just bad enough to declare his opponent, Juan Manuel Marquez, the winner by the time they reached the 10th round.

As of this writing, I still haven't seen the replay, thanks to my non-functional tv.  Maybe I'll just check it online later.  But according to my mother (good for her, she saw the fight on tv), Marquez could have won had it not for the majority decision of the judges in favor of Pacman.

Now, why am I making a fuss about this whole thing?  It is because I dreamed about it.  Silly as it may sound, but I do believe that my dreams would come true.  And this one, okay this one, sort of deviated and gone out of way.  But it almost happened, don't you think?

Zero Crime Rate

Few hours from now, Manny Pacquiao will once again dominate the tv screens for his boxing fight, this time, with Manuel Marquez.  Sad for me, my 11-year old, 14-inch tv is no longer working (that, I hope to blog about sometime in the future).  I could have the option of going to the office and watch it at the casino.  Or just perhaps monitor the fight online.  But then, I am not a sports buff that I would want myself to be.  I just watch it, out of curiousity's sake.

I remember, while I was still assigned at Tagaytay, I went malling one Sunday morning.  I noticed the mall wasn't usually packed with people.  Then I realized, when I heard over the radio played at one of the boutiques, that Manny Pacquiao was on the ring at that moment.

Since I've been planning to buy some christmas presents at 168 shopping mall, today would have been the perfect time.  There would be less shoppers bumping each other at the narrow aisles of the mall.  There would be no traffic on the road.  And the best of it all, pickpocketers would be off-duty from practicing their profession.

The problem now, however, is that I just had my face treated at Slimmer's World.  The doctor says that I can't wash the treated area for at least 24 hours.  Hence, needless to say that I must stay away from dust and dirt.  To sum it all, I would just stay home all day.  :(

Back to Blogging...

I have been out of the blogger world for almost a month now.  Blame it on the fact that I was so engrossed with too many activities lately that I had no other choice but to give up my blogging moments.. momentarily.  Anyway, there's so much to blog about.  It's just that I am at a loss on how to answer the question, "where do I begin?".  Now, that reminds me of the classic song entitled, "Love Story".  Hmmm...

Until the next post! ;)

Truly A Miracle Worker!

I have been a devotee of St. Anthony de Padua for a few months already.  I admit, I didn't really believe in saints.  In fact, I don't even consider myself as religious at all.  But the recent blessings in my life led me to realize that saints do intercede for us, if we pray for it.

St. Anthony de Padua is said to be the saint of miracles.  Many times, he has proven himself to be one when I prayed for his intercession and was subsequently granted with, but not limited to, the following petitions:

1. heal my broken heart;
2. guidance in my studies;
3. pass the UN audit qualifying exam;
4. pass the UN audit panel interview; and
5. hubby to allow me to take the UN audit training.

It was in the last petition that I shed buckets of tears and spent sleepless nights for it was near to impossible for hubby to relent on to my request.  But God, thru the intercession of St. Anthony de Padua, as well as Mother of Perpetual Help and St. Joseph, made it possible!

Indeed, God is good. :)