Paulo Coelho is human after all

This quote inspires, at least until you spot the missing apostrophe.

Truth to be told, I have become Paulo Coelho’s follower only after I learned that he is on Twitter. But while I haven’t read any of his popular novels such as “The Alchemist” and “The Witch of Portobello,” his solid fan base tells me that the man’s writing skill and style has made him earn the recognition that he now shares with the best authors of the world — anyone who’s into literature knows Paulo Coelho. So rather than feeling disappointed when- ever I see him falter on Twitter and on Facebook, his writing errors tell me that he is just like any other good writer I’ve read about – they make gram- mar mistakes and their works have to be proofread and edited. Yes, in short, they are humans after all.

Paulo Coelho is also a victim of common Twitter mistakes: disappearing apostrophe and misplaced/missing period.

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Do you think I forgot something here? Ah, yes. Followers (wink wink) of this blog know very well that I make sure I give credit to the sources of the images that I use here. This time, however, I will give it less priority just to make a point. You see, just like his controversial stories, Paulo Coelho’s stand on intellectual property rights shocked me and so you’ll know what I’m talking about, read his My Thoughts About S. O. P. A.

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Before I forget, I can’t tolerate wrong use of ITS and IT’S…especially if you’re not Paulo Coelho. FYI.

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Mood: 2/10 Honks! (It was raining hard this morning and I thought Marcus’ class will be suspended. I was wrong. Sun’s out now.)

Dogs Go To Heaven

Here’s proof that dogs do go to heaven. (Photo by wifey.)

We were cruising along ACTEX yesterday when wifey spotted this wonderful cloud formation.

Wifey’s been producing great pictures using Instagram. Follow her here.

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Mood: 3/10 Honks! (Father’s day!)

Tire(d) talk

It’s rainy season again here in the Philippines and for people especially those who drive cars (or any other form of wheeled transportation) this means being more aware of another hazard – slippery roads. On top of staying on alert during rainy season drive, it is also imperative that drivers keep a well-maintained vehicle and give extra attention to the tires which greatly affect critical driving factors such as maneuverability and braking distance. And so yesterday, I did just that and had my 4-year old tires replaced, all four of them — courtesy of the red plastic armless bandit.

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There are 3 quick ways to determine when a tire needs replacement:

Tire gauge. Reputable car service shops has this measuring tool so leave it to them unless you want to pick one for personal use (though I have yet to see one being sold in stores like Ace Hardware).

Penny test. Howstuffworks.com offers a guide on how to do this using an American penny but do not worry if you don’t have one as Goodyear Servitek leaflets suggest using a 5-peso coin as an alternative so it should work just fine.

Tire wear indicators. Most automotive tires have tire wear bands that be- come obvious when the tire is about to be replaced. One can go for the quick visual check or the tire mark test but either way will tell if it is time to head to the nearest Goodyear Servitek tire shop.

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The last time I was in a tire shop was more than five years ago and I noticed yesterday that technology continues to make a car mechanic’s life easier. Tire alignment is now wireless, thanks to high-tech cameras and software, any trained (take note) mechanic can now perform camber and toe diagnosis and alignment in a jiffy.

(Image from the web.)

The funny thing however with my recent Goodyear Servitek experience is that I have proven once again that technology alone isn’t an assurance of a satisfying work. I can tell all about it but then again this tire talk is already tiring enough. Anyway, to make a long story short, while technology has made the car mechanic’s life easier, irate customers remain a big challenge. Hmm. Can anyone from MIT solve this? I can be your guinea pig.

Drive safely folks!

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Mood: 2/10 Honks! (In the next few days, I’ll be availing five free Starbucks frappucinos .)


Uniden Cordless Phone Battery

Image from owner’s manual.

Last month, I received a used cordless phone from my sister in the US and other than being a 110-volt phone, I had problems making the Uniden DECT2085 handsets work which I soon realized that its battery is already drained. I searched the internet for replacements but I got either local online stores — e.g., sulit.com.ph — that show phones instead of battery packs or sites abroad that do not ship Uniden battery pack to the Philippines (I assume that this is due to shipping restrictions of such product).

I have likewise searched mall hardware stores — Handyman, Ace, and True Value — but all said that the Uniden DECT 2085 battery pack is out of stock. Good thing that I was referred by someone in True Value Alabang Town Center to check Battery Plus Corp which thankfully caters to different kinds of batteries including Uniden battery pack replacement Philippines. So if you are also looking for one, Battery Plus Corp is located on the third floor of ATC right outside the elevators. I highly recommend that you being the old battery pack for comparison with the replacement part. Warranty for its Uniden DECT2085 battery pack is up to one month only.

Battery Plus Corp is also on Facebook. Check them out to see other outlets in the Philippines.

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Marcus has learned how to call the ‘Wilsons’ because of our digital phone and any time in the future will likely be able to call the stored fastfood delivery numbers. Ti abi.

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Mood: 2/10 Honks! (Just called my mother using the wireless phone. She sounds fine despite her recent car mishap.)


Marcus’ 1st roller coaster ride

Marcus has started showing his interest in forms of entertainment we thought at first that he’s not yet ready to do. In one of our mall trips, we tried the 4D ride in SM Dasmarinas with some doubt that he might quit midway but instead the three of us came out with him asking for more and with me scratching my head if I’m ready to transition from 5-peso arcade rides to a 100-peso simulator that lasts just more than ten minutes.

“This isn’t Oggy’s roller coaster yet, right?”

And couple of weekends ago, boredom strikes again so we set out to Festival Mall’s X-site. Watching Marcus wide-eyed every time the yellow roller coaster cars zoom overhead, we headed to the ticket booth to check if he meets the height requirement. After confirming that he has hit (barely) the 36-inch mark I got tickets for two and wasted no time going to the X-Treme Coaster’s entrance all the while anxious how his first roller coaster ride will end up. Well, after two rounds barreling through the course, Marcus looked perfectly fine, obviously enjoyed the ride. I was one proud dad that day.

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Frankly, I didn’t have any idea that time what the youngest age is that is allowed in a roller coaster and so I became hesitant to post about this especially after seeing the pediatrician’s reaction when we told her about Marcus’ latest adventure. It made me thought I’m like one irresponsible parent until I saw this forum: Youngest age you’ve brought a baby/child on a “roller coaster” ? Well, next roller coaster please.

 

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Mood: 5/10 Honks! (Marcus’ first pet hamster, bunny, passed away last night. It was less than a year old.)

48-hour protection? Not really

48 hours or 4-8 hours?

I haven’t done any product review for quite awhile but as much as I hate that I would do one for a men’s care product I still would in the name of truth in advertising and to prevent others to fall into the same mistake I had when I purchased Dove Men+Care deodorant product. Despite doubt that a deodorant with such lasting protection exists in this sweaty spot of our planet, I took my chance (risk could be the best word) in getting a new product with the hope that I would be able to replace the one that I’m currently using.

And thanks but no thanks to global warming and its horrendous summer, the flaw of this product eventually leaked out (pun intended). In a matter of days, I surrendered to the fact that Dove Men+Care 48-hour deodorant is pure fallacy and that its promise to provide a powerful protection, non- irritant deodorant fails big time at own expense…and my wife’s and kid’s discomfort. Ti abi.

So the next time you pass by your grocery store’s isle and hear a voice in- side your head telling you to buy a deodorant with a 48-hour protection, do yourself a big favor — and for the love of your family, your fellow commuters and co-workers — DO NOT BUY! For now, I’m back to using Old Spice! Hmm. I just realized that there are creative people in the deodorant industry and that Sully’s Wet Dog deodorant must be real after all.

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Photo    credit:    (Yes,    I    still    have    to    give    them    credit) www.dovemencare.com.

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Mood: 1/10 Honks! (Whew! This bad review made me sweat all over again. Psycho music please!)

Good Job, Lord!

”Be warned, I get what I want. I think so.”

Among the things that every parent should know is that kids-say-and-do-the-darndest-things moments will happen anytime and anywhere. Trying be good role models, we have been telling our son that we have to give thanks to God all the time for ALL the blessings that we continue to receive. However, just this week, my wife finds it both funny and surprising when she realized that we need to do better in explaining to our 4-year old boy how to give compliments to whomever it is addressed – what may be appropriate for humans may not sound proper for the divine – because after intently watching her prepare and finally finish a gelatin dessert, Marcus excitedly blurted out, “Good job, Lord!”

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Another similar instance happened last night. Aware that he has just been suspended from holding any of our cellphones due to violations of peeling off a protective laminate and repeatedly showing impatience during downloading of applications (yes, he can already do this), he secretly made a deal with his mother after seeing that I have gone to sleep. “Mom, Oggy,” he pleads for his favorite Oggy and the Cockroaches show but immediately adds, “hina lang (will tone down volume), Daddy (will) hear.” My wife eventually gave the nod and was so amused when she learned that our son is making sure that he remains stealthy when she heard an obvious suppressed laughter in one corner of the bed where Marcus is watching the cartoon show on YouTube.com. What have we done, Lord?

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Mood: 2/10 Honks! (Cooked breakfast for wifey, Marcus still sleeping.)

Noemi’s Mother’s Day

The celebration is once again all over TV and the radio – the only media where she’s getting her free connection to the world outside the slums which she has accepted as home. Cruel twist of fate left Noemi no choice. She already knows this place very well from its smell, its noise, its people and along with the small kids that seem to grow in numbers every day.

“Happy mother’s day sa inyong mga mommy!” A familiar voice on noon- time TV screams. This popular gay comedian has been Noemi’s source of cheap entertainment and short escape from reality. She and her gang have made Noemi smile, made her forget someone of her own. She has felt this guilt before in the past years. Obviously, memories remain fresh.

The TV host’s enthusiastic greeting got Noemi’s motherly intuition to kick in, again. ”Pasensya na anak pero mas malakas ang kutob ko na mas mahal ka nila at tiyak na nasa mabuting kang mga kamay.” She could feel the lump in her throat as the image of a lovely yet frail Robert appears out of nowhere. Robert, the name she used to call her fifth son.

A sweaty arm from one of the rambunctious kids rubs next to Noemi and she instantly gets cut off from the thought that has haunted her for years. She lets go of Robert, looks around and fakes a smile as she begins to realize that she is in the midst of other people packed in one of the shanties as they get their daily dose of Showtime. Kids, some half-naked, some dirty, some half-naked and dirty, kept running around. Every kid seems to be here…except for one. Today, Noemi’s guilt has returned.

The Squatters Mentality

Demolition. Scarborough. Demolition. Scarborough. Demolition. Scarborough. These continue to flood the news and both have something in common. I realized that the slums is a microcosm of the ongoing conflict that is happening between us and our neighboring countries who claim that they too own Scarborough Shoal and the Spratlys Island. This local and international news mixed up has been so strong that I think that there are things from the steadfast squatters that every country uses too to strengthen their own claim of the disputed Islands in the South China Sea:

1. Our parents said it’s ours, so it’s ours. (According to web references, the Chinese believe that these islands are theirs since 200 BC.)

2. We were born here, so it’s ours.

3. We’ve already built a house here, so it’s ours. (Several claimants have built their own structure in Spratlys.)

4. No relocation, no deal. (Personal appeal: please relocate me to the West before you guys resort to #5.)

5. Mess us and we’ll mess with you. (This can get ugly…or stinky at the very least. Let’s avoid this at all cost.)

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Mood: 3/10 Honks! (Hot Monday morning but wifey and Marcus don’t seem to care—they’re still in bed.)