MMMiii!

I have a friend at work. She lived in the UK for about 5 years and just came back a little over half a year ago and she’s really funny sometimes.

A couple of weeks ago, she was arguing with another workmate and their topic of argument? Shower.

Here in the Philippines, a Shower doesn’t necessarily mean, in Jesma’s words “You know, like rain?” More often, it would mean a half-bath. Usually, it’s skipping the shampooing part.

And then a bath doesn’t mean a soak in a tub. It means soaping and shampooing–That’s Philippine English for you!

Anyway, I have another friend, Yu, who used to correct me all the time whenever I said shower because our bathroom didn’t have a working shower. Or so I thought. I just was scared to try because I had visions of it spewing rust all over my face. Since in the Philippines, baths are mainly done by using a dipper (Tabo) and a big pail (balde), he tells me that I shouldn’t use the term “shower” instead use pail-and-dipper… or something like that.

Anyway, I found out that the shower doesn’t spew rust, although it spews water EVERYWHERE. It needs to be replaced. I’m planning to buy a showerhead so I can really use the shower properly. I’m not sure how much that will cost as well.

The bathroom is also small and will need some decent bathroom lighting, however it’s a really small bathroom and a round fluorescent light should be good enough, I think. Our bathroom isn’t really glamorous. In fact, the sink has a leak so we don’t use the sink at all. XD

Anyways… I’ll check out showerheads once I get my computer out from it’s coma.

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Been busy with work and some other stuff lately.

The past three days, I’ve been spending some of my precious rest times dealing with customer support from Globe telecom and BPI. I’m glad to say that BPI’s customer service wasn’t that bad. It was just a real pain in the behind to get someone on their hotline number, but there’s an option there wherein you can leave your name and number and they’ll get back to you as soon as they can. And they did. And it was a wonderful experience.

Globe telecom customer support on the other hand had always had terrible customer service and it hadn’t changed from 3 years ago. Three years ago I called for help because of my GPRS settings. That was resolved immediately except that I was put on hold for 12 minutes after being told that I’d be put on hold for 8 minutes (Yes, she asked if it was alright to put me on hold for 8 minutes).

Lately, I’ve been having problems with BPI Mobile Banking ever since I had my SIM card upgraded so that my phone will work properly.

The first time I called, I was told that the problem was with BPI and that I should call them. I couldn’t reach anyone so I just went to the bank itself because it’s just almost right across my place. I still had to call the hotline, and that was when I left my number instead.

At the bank, I was getting more and more aggravated, so I called Globe’s customer service again and then I was told that my phone had a problem. I mean, what the F. First it was the bank, and then it was my phone. They said because there’s no problem with the area and that I should be getting a good signal. I told them as well that there were times that I try accessing the mobile banking menu my whole journey from Makati to Quezon City, so it SHOULD be my phone, they said.

Then I told her that it was working before I had my SIM card upgraded, so how could it be my phone. I also had to TELL the stupid rep THREE FREAKIN TIMES that I upgraded from 64k to 128k. I mean, could you upgrade from 64k to 64k? I got pissed and asked her if Tagalog was so hard to understand that I had to repeat it again and again. She already had an aggravated customer and she had to aggravate me even more.

Sure, I’m just one of millions of subscribers. Sure, I’m just using prepaid. I’m not one of Globe’s precious postpaid customers. And now I am SO GLAD that I didn’t go for postpaid like I planned to 2 months ago.

Anyway, after my call with BPI, we came with a much more solid conclusion, and the problem IS with the SIM card, like I’ve been telling the 2nd person from Globe. So I’m going to Globe’s business center in a bit and complain and have them fix this. I know it’s not my phone because I’ve tried it on Mama’s phone which is a Sony Ericsson and I also tried it on Papa’s which isn’t a 3G phone.

The aggravation and sleeplessness I got from Globe Telecom probably lost me 10 lbs, faster than using instant weight reducing medicine like Orovo detox wherein you can lose as much as 7 pounds in 7 days. I mean, I do want to lose weight, but not from being eternally angry.

*sigh*

I guess I could use the exercise.

And yes, if you’re thinking that I’m saying all these because I also work in the customer service business and that I should know better, then it IS because I know better. The BPI rep did all that she can to help me without putting the blame on other things like what Globe Telecom did. In fact, she was kind of making BPI own the problem by apologizing for not having a system to inform the customers of the new BPI Mobile banking menu thing.

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Core of Soul - The Spirit of this Place

Finally done with the University Graduation last Sunday, but only able to write about it today. I was so tired Sunday night and I went out yesterday.
Anyway, I’m finally done. I feel a little guilty because I’m not teaching and I do not want to teach in the classroom, like what I studied and graduated as. But… meh… In any case. I’m finished!

The day before I got a new SIM card and dropped by iBlog4 and I was only running with 4 hours of sleep since Friday, and then I had work that night. I was able to leave early that morning and I was so desperate that I might not be able to sleep so … I drank some beer. I drank 2 cans of Strong Ice. And then tried to sleep. I was able to sleep around 8 already and I woke up before 11.

Surprise! I had a hangover. The headache kind of hangover. I don’t usually have hangovers with beer. The worst hangover I get is feeling puke-y, but after puking, I’d be feeling better. That one I had I didn’t really feel queasy or nauseous … just… a pounding headache.

So… heat of the sun plus headache plus too long a wait time = horrendous day!

But not really.

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My family isn’t really very poor. Although, around the time he was elected into office in 1998, my family was experiencing a bit of a really rough time. My father came from a somewhat well-to-do family. My mother was practically a princess in her youth. And they both supported Erap. Actually, they still do. If Erap runs for presidency, they’re going to vote for him.

I knew they were Erap supporters, but I only realized how strong yesterday.

I told my mother that I won $200 dollars, and that I’m going to get about $300 from my PayPal soon. Then she said that’s not really a lot these days. And I do agree. That’s only about P12000. Not even enough to get the cellphone I want.

Our conversation progressed to how Arroyo sucked so bad and how Marcos was an even better president than her. During Marcos’ time, when prices went up, it was also mandatory for the basic salary to go up, or something like that (according to my mother). Now, the dollar exchange goes down, food prices and gasoline keeps going up, and the salary remains the same. My salary as a call center agent will not really be enough to live on with the way things are right now. I’ll be living on instant noodles, probably.

My mother never really supported Edsa II. She would have gone to Edsa III if she was really up to it. She said, Erap may be corrupt, and even if he does buy luxurious things like a rest house to give to his women, are the poor still being supported? Life wasn’t really as bad when Erap was seated into office. The country really started crumbling during the time or Ramos. And Erap was just there to clean up the mess Ramos made. Why should Erap take the consequences?

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Finally, today, I was able to get two other valid IDs. I’ve been having this problem for so long now. I had to get money from xoom.com before but stupid BDO was asking for two IDs even if it was written on the site that I could have 1 valid ID and a password. The only (supposed to be) valid ID I had that time was my school ID which they said that since the semester ended about a month ago, it’s not valid anymore. I thought to myself, “One day, I’m going to have a LOT of damned valid IDs and I’m going to slap it on your face.” I went to a pawnshop that also does xoom transactions and I was able to get my money.

Five months later, aside from my company ID, I now have a TIN Card and a Postal ID. I applied for them last week, and surprisingly, for government IDs, they were prompt. They said one week/3 days, and I got them on the date they told me.

At BIR, I almost had to wait. I arrived there a little past 7am and they still weren’t really fully open. So I bought some donuts and when I came back, they were letting people in already. I asked one of the people there where I could get my ID and he told me to go in the office in the back. I went there and I asked again where I could get my ID, the guy there told me that it’s still early and sit down back in the front and wait. On my way there, the first guy I spoke with asked me if I already got my ID coz I was so quick, so I told him that I was told that it was still early. He stood up and said, “If it’s still early, why is he there wasting electricity then?” then told me to follow him and then after two minutes of looking for my ID, he finally found it.

I had it laminated just outside BIR and ate Pancit while I was having some documents photocopied and the ID being laminated. I was good to go to UnionBank.

Last week, I applied online for UnionBank’s CyberAccount and to get the card, I needed to present two valid IDs. I only had one at that time, so with my newly laminated TIN Card, I could finally get it.

However, I was more than an hour early, so I hung out in Starbucks and read the papers until UnionBank opened. So now, I have my Debit Card but it will be activated next week. But still, at least I’ve got it now so I could soon get my PayPal money!

If only they would accept my school ID, then I would’ve applied for it sooner. But no. They didn’t. It wasn’t valid anymore.

Valid IDs are stupid. They won’t accept my University ID because I graduated already. It’s got my picture. It’s got my signature. It’s got a barcode. What more do they want? Just because I’m not enrolled for this semester (because I don’t need to anymore), they won’t accept it. That’s real bull. To support my identity, I also have my birth certificate, Barangay, Police, and NBI Clearance (the last one being a real biatch to get). I have my TIN application form, my pink SSS application form which I heard is supposed to be accepted as an ID as well. What kind of documents do they want to prove my identity? It’s just really stupid.

Such a stupid world.

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A few years ago, I signed up for TFC so I could vote for this local show that I can’t even remember the title. You could vote online for the ending that you want. I signed up for the local station’s site like ten times using different email addresses.

So… I’m always getting these emails about TFC — The Filipino Channel — ABS-CBN’s cable channel or something.

And recently, I received an email about this boxing event that will be showed on their pay-per-view. You could sign up for other abs-cbn shows online, but these kinds of events I think are more on the premium.

Now, sometimes I wonder why people make a big deal out of these events or sports wherein you have to beat your opponent down. It’s not like some martial arts wherein there is some underlying spiritual meaning to your moves or anything.

And so they make violence legal under the facade of sports.

For those interested in boxing, here’s the lineup or whatever you call it in boxing:

INVASION: Philippines vs The World

Main Events:

• Gerry Penalosa (52-6, 35 KOs) vs Thailand’s Ratanachai Sor Vorapin (71-9, 47 KOs)

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I can’t sleep! It’s really so hard to sleep during the day when you know the sun is up.

I made a deal with my parents a couple of days ago. I’ll clean up my room and allow them to move stuff around so that I could use the air conditioner. Because it’s so freakin’ hot and muggy during the day that I couldn’t sleep at all.

And I thought that would make a difference. My mother was even thoughtful enough to put curtains in my room so that it’s a little dark even during the day. But no. It’s still so hard to sleep.

The air conditioner is old and wasn’t in operation for about 2 or 3 years. It’s a wonder it’s still working right now. However, it’s not really that cold. Sure, it’s not muggy. It’s a lot better than not having it at all. But it just doesn’t cool down the whole room like how I want it to be. I think the styrofoam on the ceiling needs to be replaced. Maybe I need carpeting! I’d like to have something like home theater carpet so that it feels like I’m in a real cinema while I’m watching my J-Drama, but I don’t really think that’s necessary.

So… I’m with an air conditioner, but my fan is still on too. But I have it oscillating so it’s all good.

I can’t sleep. I can’t sleep.

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Thursdays and Fridays are my restdays this month and next month. This Thursday (Today) and Friday are Holidays, Holy days. I spent more than an hour on the road just because of heavy traffic caused by people going home to their provinces.

Holy week is probably the time when most hypocrites come out and pretend to be holy.

I got stuck in Cubao coming home today for about an hour… just in Cubao. And the air-conditioned bus I rode wasn’t exactly cold. I was perspiring. I’m never going to ride that busline again.

*sigh* So… after work today, we had the usual after shift coaching, and asked Mau if she wanted to eat somewhere afterwards. I wanted to eat at Tempura… And… the nice food places were all closed. =_=”;; sad. TL came with us too. We ended up eating at Jollibee, which wasn’t really bad. But still…

Day off, and malls are closed. I wanted to buy a new headset because mine is broken. I don’t have the motivation to sing. =/

I’m really tired, and last week was somewhat busy. I could hardly sleep in the day. So now, I just caught up with my Google Reader and it seems like I didn’t really miss a lot, aside from Anime.

I haven’t been downloading anime =/ I’m so behind on the series I’m following. But my new system in requesting music links to be updated is so much better than just having people request for it to be updated or just updating everything when no one will really bother to download. Update-On-Demand is what I call it. This really ARE better when you’ve got a system.

*yawwwwn*

Well… Updates on my life? Nothing much really. Just working. Barely online. Hardly on IRC. And having some private family problems. Yesterday I went to school to get the Centennial Planners from UP that Sarah and I ordered, but unfortunately, I didn’t know that it was half-day =_= so … blehhh… gonna have to wait next week. again. And I’m still not done with my clearance. That’s about it, I guess?

Oh wait. I’m now an aunt. Orc’s girl just gave birth to a not-so-healthy baby boy named Jared. Last time I heard, I know Orc’s girl didn’t want the name Jared because she said in Tagalog it was Herodes. Bleh. Of course Orc probably insisted on it.

Anyway.

laterz.

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Yesterday, I went to SSS to apply for an ID because I really needed another valid ID. But after waiting on the line for almost an hour just to get the form, when I went to the line for filing, I asked the person who was giving me a number if I could apply in the first place, and I gave her what I know–that when I checked online, it says ZERO but I know my company has deducted from me already for three months. Then she took my number and said that even if the company has deducted me, but if they haven’t remitted anything, then I’m not qualified to file for an ID.

So… Blah. Annoying. What a waste of time.

I went to school afterwards and waited for this teacher so I could have her sign my clearance papers. And after waiting for her for almost 45 minutes, she asked me to have another person sign first because she wouldn’t know if I borrowed anything from the office since she only took over a year ago or so, so I ran downstairs because it was 11:45 already, and lunch was at 12. I had the said person sign, and ran back up to get that teacher to sign, and then she said that since I already got that person to sign, then she won’t need to sign anymore.

I was like… What the heck. I wasted my time on that teacher. *Angry >_<*

I needed two more signatures. So I asked around where I can find the division chairman. They told me where and his door was locked, so I stayed on the desk in front of his door for about 45 minutes again, and put up my portable electric fan (which was pretty awesome). Until this secretary person maybe came and was staring at me for sitting on her desk. I stated the purpose of my presence while packing up my stuff. She said that that teacher I was waiting for came at unpredictable times and that it would be better if I just leave the papers with her and come back for it at another time.

So..... I left the papers with her and thought about what to do next. It was already lunch time for most offices, and I'd need to go to the university registrar to file for the university clearance. Then I remembered that I needed to go to the bank to pay for our Sablay--probably the equivalent of most universities and schools' Toga. It's kind of like a sash with the colors of the university with writings on it. I'll put up my pic later when I go back to my desktop.

So I went to the bank because they don't really have a lunch break. Waited for about an hour. Went to the Alumni Association office thingie and gave the bank receipt and got my Sablays (I got one for Sarah too).

It was way past lunch break already so I went to the University Registrar to file for my university clearance and to get my transcript as well. It wasn't a very long process there, but getting the stuff I filed for takes about a month or so. The clearance I can follow-up next week (That doesn’t mean I can get it already if I follow up) and the transcript, good thing they have an option to have it mailed through a carrier (an extra fee, but at least I won’t have to go back and pick it up just to find out that it’s not ready yet).

And finally, I go back to the Division Chair’s office to check if the person has come by and signed my clearance papers. And no, he hasn’t. After doing other stuff for almost 4 hours, he hasn’t come by.

I went to another office to get the Centennial Planners I ordered last January and it says on the door that the planners can only be claimed Wednesdays and Saturdays from 1pm to 4pm.

Broke and tired after paying for the Sablay and clearances, and trying to accomplish everything, I just took a jeep with the intention of going home. Part two follows.

I think I need to get some life insurance quotes just in case I get a heart attack from this country’s public institution systems. lol. I’ll get sick from running around accomplishing nothing.

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