Driving Conditions We Have Come To Accept?

Image by Marcus’ dad.

Every day as I drive home I realize that there are conditions that we must have already accepted as the norm. At some point in the past these got so much attention most in the form of promises and grandstanding of politicians, and rants from the general public and the media. But as time passes focus on these issues have gone cold.

For example, dark streets. For more than three years I have been driving through the same dark inner roads and highways. On these roads I have witnessed countless accidents that could have been avoided had these places been well-lit. It bothers me to think that lives and limbs would be wasted soon unless the concerned government agencies start getting their acts together. There are already cheap solar street lighting so it makes me wonder what keeps our officials from installing them.

Then there are also the potholes. Years ago, each time I hear an exposé about substandard road projects I hoped and believed that change will start to happen soon–that roads will stay paved for long. But it was being naive because change was temporary. What appeared to be worthy projects have once again ended in the hands of corrupt contractors. Our roads are back to its sorry state.

Then we have the existence of smoke belchers. These vehicles, usually trucks and jeepneys, continue to pollute and to make driving a lot more difficult. Just imagine the challenge I experience almost daily as I make my way through pitch-black, zigzagged, and potholed road while following a slow-moving truck spewing a screen of thick black smoke. Oh, before I forget, this part of my trip is uphill. Whatever happened to the clean air act?

I don’t know when another campaign to eradicate these problems will kick in once more. Maybe soon but maybe not. Or, maybe when these hazardous road conditions claim the life of someone famous. Until then it looks like these are just things that we must accept and live with.

***

Mood: 2/10 Honks! (My body clock is American, time zone is Asian.)

Hello Halo

Two years ago a friend of wifey gave Marcus toys he brought from Canada. One of those is a box of buildings blocks which would have been perfect for him since he’s already into Lego–he got his first Duplo from my sis–but the age label on the box says 8+ so we decided to keep it.

Halo toys. Sometime around midnight, 8/16/14.

Yesterday, dropping by SM with the main intent to get a replacement for wifey’s laptop charger that our cat chewed, Marcus kept on asking me to buy him a toy. I gave a condition–as long as it is cheap but as expected, the ones he wants aren’t. He pointed at an Iron Man action figure, a battery-operated gun, and like a good hound dog, ended at the spots where there is a Halo 4 XBox game and other Halo merchandises. “Marcus, all those have four numbers after the P sign on the price tag. We can’t buy them now,” I tried my best to stress on ‘now.’ He surrendered and obediently followed back to the parking lot after I told him that I have something in store at home.

All the while since I wrapped the building blocks box in black plastic bag I was thinking that it’s a Transformers robot. When I opened the traveling bag where it was hidden it was then that I realized it’s a Mega Bloks Halo 96869 Covenant Brute Prowler set. You can just imagine his surprise–it was the perfect toy for his favorite game. Thanks to it, we killed more Covenant that night.

***

Mood: 3/10 Honks! (It will take some convincing to get him to review for exam tomorrow.)

Birthday Weekend

The recently concluded weekend breaks routine. On Saturday, with wifey and Marcus, I attended the 7th birthday party of my officemate’s daughter. It was a good way to meet some of my colleagues away from the confines of the office, it was just about (fast)food and fun. Thanks to Jollibee and the party’s Hello Kitty theme, it erased for a moment the pressure of the Friday that was.

Every time we attend a Jollibee party, however, it reaffirms Marcus’ dying admiration of its mascot. Just like any Filipino kid, he once used to go crazy at the mere mention of meeting the famous red and yellow bee. He was once a big fan that he can even identify the store’s illuminated signs the instance he sees any of it from afar and it is usually when he would excitedly shout ‘Jollibee’ in gibberish. He was less than a year old then. But wifey and I now have observed that Jollibee parties for Marcus mean just parties with free food and loot bags. Period. In the past couple of years, whenever we talk about kiddie birthday celebrations, Marcus would strongly express that he prefers McDonald’s. Or Pizza Hut. Well maybe leaning more on Pizza Hut because lately he loves singing the pizza chain’s ‘making it great’ jingle.

The next day was entirely different. No balloons, no loud music, no screaming kids. On Sunday, we found ourselves at my MBA classmate’s place somewhere near Nuvali. It was a good time to re-connect and chat again after three years since I last met her. (Great house by the way.)

In both days, I am pleased that we successfully skipped the malls—we easily convinced our son to be home after each event. I now wonder if Marcus has started getting bored being inside these places? Has he become more fond of his Call of Duty Xbox game? Or has he begun to know the last-stretch-before-payday feeling? I think I have an idea.

 ***

Happy birthday again Keih and Anna. Thanks for inviting us. Until next time.

***

Mood: 2/10 Honks! (Still stuffed. Need to lift weights later.)

In Glenda’s Path

Typhoon Glenda (international name Rammasun) gave us a taste of what it’s like to be in the middle of a strong typhoon. Measured by PAGASA to have winds of 120-150 kilometers per hour, thus the signal number three warning in CALABARZON area, it has reminded us to take such weather disturbance seriously.

In my three years of driving to Nuvali, this is the very first time I felt so much danger. I have driven a lot of times through strong rain but Glenda’s fury topped everything else so far. Thanks but no thanks to its combination of hours of heavy downpour and gusty winds, it blew away roofs, shattered windows, and uprooted trees regardless of size. And I almost became a victim.

Planning to let the storm pass I settled in our company’s sleeping quarters only to be awakened by a security guard who asked me to move my car ASAP. True enough, rushing to where I parked I saw that a couple of guards where already holding on to a tree that’s threatening to smash my car any moment. I was actually lucky as two other cars few meters away from mine got hit already. I owe those guards big time.

Having nowhere to transfer—the rain have slowed down that morning but the wind remained strong, so strong that it shook the car hard—I decided to head home. It was a very bad decision.

Picture by Jim Labuga.

Just meters after driving away, the wrath of the typhoon became more apparent.  What used to be a serene area, Nuvali has become a war zone.  I pushed my luck, nevertheless, by weaving in and out of toppled trees and even braving a foot-deep flood that stretches for several meters. I had to check the door sides while slowing making my way out of it to see if water is already seeping in.

I got past the Paseo intersection flood with the car still running perfectly although I was only able to drive barely two kilometers more. I got into a dead end of trees totally blocking my way so I conceded and turned back to the office to wait further.

It was past 10 a.m. when I got out of the office after I got a text from a colleague that they were able to pass through another route. I took the detour but I still have to maneuver cautiously with few other motorists between tree branches that could either scratch or dent our cars anytime we lose our focus. I reached home before lunch time thankful that wifey and kid were ok.

***

Power supply at home returned after 24 hours while Nuvali’s was fixed two days after the storm. During these days, the surrounding area have been dark and noisy due to the generators. I got back to parking at the same spot, this time with only a few surviving trees.  At least when the next storm comes, hopefully none anymore, I only have the lamp posts to worry about.

***

Mood: 2/10 Honks! (The plan today is to let Marcus step out of the house. He’s been in since cancellation of classes last Monday.)

Egg Hack

Someone this morning posted on Facebook  ‘The 22 Most Brilliant Life Hacks Every Human Being Needs to Know” but it wasn’t the title that captured my attention, it was the picture that came along with it.

Image from themetapicture.com.

 

Back in 2008 while waiting for Marcus and while waiting for an employer to get me out of bumhood,  I had all the time to try my luck in cooking my own perfect sunny side up.  So when I saw this I got excited (nope, I’m not saying it as egg-cited).

Today would have been the best opportunity for me to try this hack as Marcus was left under my mercy–wifey went to Batangas after breakfast–but I soon realized that I need a big onion as shown.   So as I have imagined our day, kiddo and I ended up eating my own version of corned beef omelet for lunch which he enjoyed anyway.

***

Days ago, out of nowhere Marcus asked me while on our way home from school, “Daddy, why can’t you cook?” Ti abi.

***

Mood: 3/10 Honks! (The selling resumes tomorrow. Hope the bike behaves this time.)

 

MyPhone Rio: A Cheap Phone That Doesn’t Feel Like One

 

Fresh from the box.

 

Choices of smartphones nowadays are overwhelming and the decision to buy one isn’t as easy as it was ten years ago. Back then, anyone just has to have either a Nokia or a Motorola to get a bang for their buck. To own anything less than the two popular brands means to expect a mediocre product ready to die soon.

Such was the case why when my Nokia smartphone started acting up more than a year ago. I had a hard time picking a replacement but the ambitious me was aiming for an iPhone or a Samsung or a Sony. Every now and then as I look at my aging 5800 XpressMusic I would wonder what I would eventually end up buying. But the ever changing smartphone models have made my dream harder to achieve. And then there’s also the aspect of budget.

So when the trusty Nokia finally stopped working early 2013 I made a tough and humble decision. I bought the cheapest I can have, an 800-peso MyPhone. It has a VGA camera, a radio tuner, it doesn’t have snake. It was probably the basic of the basics. Since then I haven’t turned back and surprisingly, I was happy holding and using it around other people. My officemates have joked around that it doesn’t fit my OIC position while my wife said that I should get something more decent. But I never gave in to the pressure. I was contented with it although every now and then I would still wish having a smartphone.

The day came when wifey made that wish come true. On our wedding anniversary, as I proudly handed to her a Tomato swap watch, she retrieved from a secret place somewhere inside our house a nice solid box containing what would become my second smartphone, however, it was neither an iPhone nor a Samsung. It was a MyPhone Agua Rio.

Reading my thoughts she immediately said that it’s only cheap and (stressed) that she saved for it. Yes, I had an idea but not at the level of P5000—she soon confessed. The phone exceeded my expectations though. It actually didn’t feel inferior, it even works just like those Samsung phones Marcus and I have been playing with at an Abenson’s appliance store. Our kid has tested the Agua Rio—if he could write now, he could write a better phone review—and his tiny fingers have checked most the apps. He gives this new phone a thumbs up. I couldn’t agree more. This is a really cheap phone that doesn’t feel and look like one.

Thanks to the ongoing product war among the giant smartphone brands everyone from every market niche reaps the benefits. What most of us now consider a lowly brand—remember that Samsung used to be one—has potentials to compete with rest. And this is where MyPhone seems to be headed if it continues to innovate and respond to consumer feedback. Good luck MyPhone, hope the next one comes with a better earphone.

***

Mood: 2/10 Honks! (