My Calendar - September 2021

2nd - Luigi's birthday;

11th - Michelle's birthday;

13th - Ryan's 40th day;

29th - Ram's birthday.

Joke - Was Jonah really swallowed by a whale?

A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales. The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small.

The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale.

Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.

The little girl said, "When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah".

The teacher asked, "What if Jonah went to hell?"

The little girl replied, "Then you ask him".

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Losing (Private) Rhyan

Rhyan was a beloved nephew!  Unfortunately, we lost him just recently due to Covid 19. 

He was my closest nephew, perhaps, due to geography.  We're located in the same city (Quezon City), while my other nephews and nieces are either in up north in Isabela or down under in Australia.

On our wedding day, he was our ring bearer.  He just turned 2 then and his Mama, the ring bearer's bearer, guided him during the march toward the altar.

Thereafter, we sometimes borrowed him from his mother on weekends and went places as if he was our firstborn.

Reciprocally, on their wedding day, I was one of their principal sponsors.  At first, when he offered it to me, I didn't accept.  I jokingly told him I wanted to be the ring bearer too just like he was to our wedding.

Rhyan had also worked abroad.  But, when he's back home, we found ways to see each other and bond through family gathering and outings.

I also influenced him to try mountain biking.  And, last year, he bought his bike and we had been planning of biking together.  The plans,however, never left the drawing board.

In the past 2 months, we had been together with our families 3 times celebrating 4 occasions.  First, in June at Sun Sea Moon Resort, Morong, Bataan for the joint celebrations of my birthday and their wedding anniversary.  Second, same month, in their place in Angeles City for her daughter's graduation as Salutatorian. (Obviously, she inherited her mother's intelligence.  But, I whispered to him, if she got yours, she could have been a Valedictorian, I mean, Balik-torian).  Last, in July, at Bale Matua, Angeles City for my wife's birthday.  As usual, he was the life of the party.  He'd never run out of jokes.  Also, we were good drinking buddies.  With him, the drinks kept on flowing and the "pulutan" too.  As in "like father like son, we're "like uncle like nephew".

Then, after a few days, came the devastating news of his confinement and, shortly, of his shocking demise.  My family, especially my wife, was in utter disbelief!  So soon!  He's only 43 years old

Due to the stricter quarantine status, his funeral service was held online.  Hence, relatives and friends, who could not make it physically due to movement restrictions and, particularly, those from abroad and remote places, had the opportunity to join too.

We are just waiting for the right and safe time for his final inurnment and say our last farewell!

I wish the title of this blog was "Saving Beloved Rhyan"!

Happy MECQ Sunday!

It's another Sunday, which is the 4th in August!

Effective yesterday, the quarantine status in Metro Manila, as well as in other areas, has been deescalated from the 2-week ECQ down to MECQ until the end of the month.

It's now less strict as, for one, outdoor exercises are allowed from 6:00 am to 9:00 am but within the general area of residence only.  Thus, I have my bike prepared even for a shorter but daily ride.

I thought liquor ban would be lifted in Quezon City, but I was wrong.  But, that's just fine with me, as I still have some stocks to drink moderately alone inside the safety of our home.

Also, there's a wedding in Nasugbu, Batangas that we should attend next Sunday, where my wife and I are among the godparents.  The reception is in a hotel in Tagaytay City, where the MECQ has been declared till end of the month too.  However, with the ongoing and unrelenting pandemic, I already informed the couple of our inability to attend for safety reason.  We have to avoid traveling, to keep away from hassles at checkpoints, and crowded places.

Despite the more than 1 and half year of the havoc it's been wreaking, I'm still wishing that this pandemic will be over soonest.  We just need a better governance and strict discipline to attain this.

Posting again!

It's been exactly 8 years and 1 day since I last posted in and visited this blog!

I still have no intention of resuming this blog.  But, I just got curious, logged in and see if the fire I had before will re-ignite.  I have several dormant blogs, including my biking blog "Tom D' Biker and, should I decide to continue blogging, I will maintain this only.

Well! To restart, I changed the theme - to have a new look, re-oriented myself, and tried to compose this short post.  And, I checked my Adsense earnings.  There is still a pending amount of US$18.92.

Actually, I missed blogging.  However, I don't have the time and energy to do so albeit I'm working from home as a result of this lingering and unrelenting pandemic and the ensuing variants.

I hope I can write some more posts, even short only, in the future and try to reconnect with my old blogger friends.

WISH ME LUCK!

Cell phone mystery

I received an MMS in my office issued cell phone. It was addressed to me and another office mate. The sender that appeared was just a number. From its contents, I believed it came from our Vice President. Maybe, he used his other phone. So, I took note of the message.

When the sender of the MMS and I met, I asked him if he was actually the one who sent the MMS. "Yes", he said. "But, that isn't my number", he continued.

He showed me the sent MMS in his phone and it's recipients.

So, who owns that mystery number?

To solve the puzzle, I called it up. A man answered. I gave my first name, requested for his name, then asked if he's affiliated with our company and if he sent me an MMS.

His name doesn't ring a bell; and, he gave negative answers to my questions.

So, how it happened?

My CloudPad 700TV

After considering several affordable tablets - with and without TV, I finally made up my mind and got a CloudPad 700TV.  The cost is P6,499 only with the following features:

• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
• GPRS, EDGE, 3G, HSDPA, HSUPA
• 7.0” WVGA Capacitive Screen
• 2 MP rear camera, front camera
• 1.0 GHz dual core processor
• Dual SIM, Dual Standby
• ROM: 4 GB, RAM: 512 MB
• Mobile TV

I really thought I didn't need one; as, I have two mobile phones that can do what a tablet can do.

But, I was wrong! After trying wifey's and daughter's tablets, I found it more convenient to use a bigger screen in surfing the net, watching videos, reading books, and doing other tasks.

Starving Sailor

This lunch, I again experienced Army Navy at Marquee Mall in Angeles City.

As I was starving, I ordered the Starving Sailor Steak Sandwich (Thinly sliced Rib Eye Steak topped with Jalapeño-cheese spread, green bell peppers and caramelized onions in an 8-inch Sourdough bread.)

It's good and became better with a bottle of SML.  And, it satisfied my starvation.  I again salute you, Army Navy.

Next time, I'm going to try the Burritos.

Window shopping for a tablet

I was amazed to see that there are so many brands of tablets available in the market today.

As I was window shopping, I saw cheap and affordable units, which are sub P10,000.  Why buy a branded unit at a high cost when you could buy one at a lesser cost?  The features may be not be as many or good as the branded; but, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't need those extra features.

One unit with television caught my attention.  The brand is Cloud Pad and the cost of a 7" is P6,499 only.  An inch larger unit (8") costs a thousand more.  This could be useful when I'm stuck in a traffic.

Another unit that I might consider is the Samsung Tab 2 7" at P8,000 + only.  It has no 3G; but, my Samsung Galaxy S3 is a portable hotspot.

At home, I noticed my daughter changed her tablet already from Samsung Tab 2 to Cherry Mobile Fusion Bolt.  She got it for P4,000 only.  Whew!  That's a great deal, I thought.

Let's see what would I get in the next few days.

Eclipse

I just found out about a new entertainment place in town.  Ironically, I learned it from a friend from Tacloban City.  He's in town; and, we went there to see and try the place.

The place is the Eclipse Lounge in Solaire Resort and Casino, which is located near SM MOA.

The band was already playing halfway of its first set when we arrived at about 9:30 pm.  It's the only band that's performing for three sets at 30 minutes per set.

Omie Rivera for Vice Mayor of San Mateo, Rizal

Bartolome "Omie" Rivera is the current Vice Mayor and the Presiding Officer of the Municipality of San Mateo, Rizal.  He's now running for his last term as such.  He's under Liberal Party and a member of the Alpha Phi Omega (APO).

VOTE FOR OMIE RIVERA!

Note: Photo from SanMateo.gov.ph

My lunch for P120

I and two office mates ate lunch at the Food Court of the adjacent BPI Building.

There's a new stall, Pinoy Fiesta, that serves Filipino dishes.  For P120, you get a cup of rice, a viand, a vegetable, half salted egg with slices of tomato and pipino, and a dessert.  For P170, you get the same items plus another viand.

There are lot of choices; and, I ordered pesang salmon, ampalaya, half salted egg, and pudding.

 That's enough to satiate me.