There are a lot of bazaars now in the metro because Christmas is fast approaching. As I write this, we'll be celebrating Christmas in 25 days, 13 hours and 50 minutes so expect more bazaars to open up even for just a week or two. Bazaars become popular because it is a good place to find good gift items at reasonable prizes. But that is not the point of this post. This is all about Christmas gifts for men. I would often hear from bazaar goers that it is more difficult to find gifts for men than for women. There is some sense to this observation. There aren't as many choices of gifts for men so women just settle for basic gifts like t-shirts, neckties, faux wallets, pens and hankies. They may not complain when they receive these gifts but I know they would also want to receive something that was well thought of. I'll be giving you some suggestions about this. This list includes some of the basic choices I already mentioned but I'll give tips on how you can make them look more exciting.
1. Spa package. Yes, I know this is a bit expensive. But don't worry, there are a lot of discount sites (like ensogo, cash cash pinoy, metrodeal, etc) now where you can buy vouchers at very, very low prices. Men love to be pampered like women. But many men do not feel comfortable going to one especially if they are alone. So give them a gift certificate. If they have the gc already they will surely go to the spa shy or not. Or better yet, get a gc for two and join him.
2. A buffet treat. The best way to a man's heart is through his stomach. True? True! Men love to eat so he will surely love the idea of getting the chance to eat everything that he wants. There are a lot of places where you can treat him to a buffet (eat all you can). There are also a lot of offers in discount sites.
3. A gadget. Boom! There goes your 13th month pay. I am only suggesting this to those who really have a lot of money to burn. But if you do not have much, you can just settle for accessories. A nice protective thingy for the tablet would be appreciated (but I would suggest you give original versions). Earphone/Headphone is also a good idea.
4. Shirt. Yes! You can still give him a shirt. But make sure you look for the right size. Knowing if he's S, M, L or XL is not enough. You see an S in one store is not necessarily the same as the S in another. And even within a store, an S in one rack can be different from the S in another rack. Design affects the size. So how do you make this gift special? A safe way would be to find that hard-to-find shirt he likes. There are men who are obsessed with this or that jersey from Nike or this or that new statement shirt from NatGeo or this or that new design from A & F. You may need to order these from abroad so better start deciding now. A not so safe way would be to experiment a bit. Give him a shirt that is not like the usual shirts he wears. Find something a bit trendier. Who knows, he might have been planning to have that design but is just afraid to try.
5. Car Accessories. If you cannot afford to give a car, give him some accessories. lol. I'm not referring to the dogs with heads bobbing up and down and the plastic sunflowers with flapping leaves when there is sunlight. Give him stuff like sun shield, car matting stuff, eyeglasses/sunglasses holder, cellphone/laptop charger, etc.
6. Unique Beer. If your guy drinks beer, give him a six pack of a unique beer brand. Go to a liquor store and ask the salesclerk for a brand that is not sold in sari-sari stores or even in bars in the metro.
7. Gumball dispenser (with gumballs lol). Who says that gumballs are only for kids? Men love gumballs. Look for a mini gumball dispenser (similar to dispensers in malls where you insert coins to get your round chewing gum) over the internet and order one. This is something your guy can bring to the office. Gumballs are good stress relievers, you know.
(If you are 'on a budget')
1. Socks. Men need socks everyday so giving them socks is very practical. But remember that sports socks are different from formal socks. If the guy spends most of his time in the office wearing tie, find him dress socks. If he is into casual clothes always, give him some less formal socks. If you do not know the difference, ask the salesladies. They would be more than willing to help you. But again, this is not a strict rule because surely, the man in the suit sometimes plays ball and the man in jeans sometimes sips wine.
2. Handkerchief. Like socks, men need this everyday. But please do not give them hankies with their name embroidered on one corner. Men do not like other people to know their names when they are blowing their nose in public. And stick to safe colors -- white, blue, gray -- plain if possible.
3. Boxer shorts. This is the in thing among men. Men wear boxers over their undies before they wear their pants. Men also wear boxers to bed. Some men wear boxers when they go to the neighborhood convenience store. Giving your guy a pair or two would be safe. But please, even if you are on a budget, please find a good brand so it would last long.
The title says Gifts for Men I. This means there is going to have at least a Part II so watch out for that.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Sparkle Spa
Last night, my friends and I went to a spa. We were 12 guys. We went to Sparkle Spa in Paranaque (located at the side of Robinson's -- Merville). We got a voucher from Metrodeal so we got some pampering at a 'pampered' rate -- really good rate. We got a voucher worth PhP 150.00 which is good for a hot oil treatment, back massage and hand and foot reflexology.
We didn't arrive at the Sparkle Spa at the same time. It's good because only 6 of us could have the treatments at the same time. This means we were divided into two batches.
So how did it go? First we had our hair washed. Then the hot oil was applied. Some massaging was done on the scalp. Then a 'foil' was wrapped on the head -- I looked like one of the coneheads. Then we were brought upstairs for the rest of the treatment. I chose the reclining chair over the bed. The person assigned to me is named Rose. She did the hand reflex first. It was good although I felt it would have been better if she used less oil. But its ok since the oil is unscented anyway. After the hand reflex, she washed/cleaned my feet with hot towel. Then she did the foot reflex. This for me is the best part. She applied the right pressure. It was very relaxing. My feet needed that. Then after awhile she did the back massage. This one is the least on my list because it was short and I had experienced better back massage. It's not bad. It's just that I had better. Then after the back massage, we went downstairs again to finish the hot oil treatment.
It was a relaxing evening except that we had to commute home. Sigh.
Note: Sparkle Spa has wifi.
We didn't arrive at the Sparkle Spa at the same time. It's good because only 6 of us could have the treatments at the same time. This means we were divided into two batches.
So how did it go? First we had our hair washed. Then the hot oil was applied. Some massaging was done on the scalp. Then a 'foil' was wrapped on the head -- I looked like one of the coneheads. Then we were brought upstairs for the rest of the treatment. I chose the reclining chair over the bed. The person assigned to me is named Rose. She did the hand reflex first. It was good although I felt it would have been better if she used less oil. But its ok since the oil is unscented anyway. After the hand reflex, she washed/cleaned my feet with hot towel. Then she did the foot reflex. This for me is the best part. She applied the right pressure. It was very relaxing. My feet needed that. Then after awhile she did the back massage. This one is the least on my list because it was short and I had experienced better back massage. It's not bad. It's just that I had better. Then after the back massage, we went downstairs again to finish the hot oil treatment.
It was a relaxing evening except that we had to commute home. Sigh.
Note: Sparkle Spa has wifi.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Different Responses or Replies - Replying Behavior of Guys/Boys/Men
After months or years of being with your boyfriend/boy friend, you can already predict what his reply will be when you send him a message. Guys are not really very creative with their replies. That is if they reply at all. Here are the different replies of boys/men.
1. SKY PATROL reply
The SKY PATROL reply is sent to you when you send the text message "I'm here already. Where are you?" (Translation: D2 na me, wer na u?) The reply is like a report from the sky patroler of TV Patrol. "Traffic in EDSA is heavy. It's a bumper-to-bumper situation. There seems to have been an accident near the flyover. That's where the bottle neck is. (Translation: Masikip ang daloy ng trapiko sa kahabaan ng EDSA. Bumperrrr to bumperrr dito. Mukhang may nangyaring kalunos-lunos na banggaan sa may lugar papaakyat ng flyoverrrr. Doon nagkakabuhol-buhol.)
The traffic excuse is an overly used excuse. It is a convenient answer for guys. For them it is a good excuse because (a) it is always heavy traffic in Metro Manila so chances are you'll believe him and (b) girls won't spend/waste time to verify if there is really heavy traffic where he says there is -- or would you?
2. ON the WAY reply
This is still in response to the same question in number 1. "I'm on the way already." (Translation: Papunta na. A variation would be "nakasakay na.")
Do you think this gives a clear answer? NO? No, it does not. It could mean a lot like (a) I just left the house, (b) I just got on the bus, (c) I'm near, (d) I'm halfway there, (e) I'm just about to leave the house, etc.
Confusing reply, right? That is actually what guys want to achieve. They do not want to tell you something that you can later on question. You see, if he arrives long after you sent that message you cannot ask him the question "What took you so long? I thought you are already on the way." (Translation: O e akala ko ba on the way ka na e ba't ngayon ka lang dumating. Siguro dumaan ka pa sa ibang babae mo no? Siguro pumunta ka muna sa mga barkada mo no.") You can't do this with this kind of reply because he'll just tell you "I didn't say I was near already. "
3. SAFE reply
"I was on the bus. I had to keep my phone in my pocket to be safe." (Variations: I was on the jeepney. I was on the tricycle. I was on the MRT/LRT. I was waiting for the bus. I waiting for a jeepney.) This is a reply when you ask him why he didn't reply to your previous message/messages. Guys usually give this answer because if you nag him about it he has a ready reply. "I wanted to text you but you know how it is when you commute. There are a lot of snatchers out there. Do you want me to lose my phone? The more that I will not be able to text you if that happens." (Translations: nakaktakot mag text sa jeep. Alam mo naman maraming magnanakaw ngayon. [Lalo pa malapit na ang pasko - the Christmas season version.]. Gusto mo bang mawala ang phone ko? Paano pa kita ma-tetext kung wala na akong phone? [Thought bubble you can't read: "pwera na lang kung bibilhan mo ko ng bagong iphone ngayong pasko])
4. MR. CONGENIALITY reply
"I'm with my friends". This is a reply he gives after you've sent the message "Why aren't you replying?" several times. You might feel bad that he is prioritizing his friends over you but that's how it is with men. When a guy bonds with his friends, he really give his full attention to whatever they are doing. If this happens just once in a while then stop nagging. At least he is being honest with you. You can get mad if he is with his friends more often than he is with you.
5. Un-LOADED reply
"I ran out of load." This is a common reply to the questions "Why are you not texting me?". It is a lame excuse, I think, but many guys use it. If you know the guy has money and he still gives this kind of excuse, slap him on the face. Okay, that's bad. Just nag. That's more painful than a slap on both cheeks. I mean if he have money, getting load shouldn't be a problem. There are a lot of stores selling electronic load. And there are a lot of convenience stores where you can buy call cards. I think this excuse is only acceptable if your guy is just a boy who depends on his parents for his load budget. If that is the case, please be understanding. (Translation: send him load. lol)
6. GUILTY as CHARGED reply
"Low bat." "Empty bat" "I wasn't able to charge". This is also as common a reply as that of number 5. What does this tell you? Your guy is irresponsible. We should all keep our phones with enough battery charge. Be forward looking. Charge your phone if you know you'll be out long. If your guy is like this, think how irresponsible he could/would be with his other concerns.
7. ANTENNA reply
"There's no signal". Your guy thinks that he still lives during the time when cellphones need to have a retractable antenna to get a signal. (Translation: Lagyan mo ng tinidor yung antenna ng radyo para marinig mo si DJ Triggerman. - Did I translate it well? lol) Though there are still times when you can experience losing signal, they seldom last long. Just move a few steps away from where you are and voila, you have a signal.
8. SPELL STOP reply
"OK", "CGE", "=)". When your guys texts you these after exchanging texts message with you for a while, that means he wants the conversation to get. That means stop.
(Translation:
Teacher: Juan, spell STOP
Juan: STOP, O-K, STOP.
Teacher: Good! Juana, spell STOP.
Juana: Stop, C-G-E, STOP.)
Get the drift. Stop texting. If you insist, he might give in but just give you one-word answers and this might irritate you more. So remember, OK, CGE and =) reads STOP.
(Variations: "G'night" and "Luv u")
9. MISSENT reply
"I'll see you later, baby!" is a missent message if baby is not a term of endearment he uses. He is intending to send it to somebody else but he mistakenly sent it to you. (Translation: I am cheating on you and I hope you won't find out about it.) I know you'll get really, really mad. Who wouldn't be? But at least be happy because you're the one on his mind even while texting the other one.
10. NOT MISSENT MISSENT reply
Did that confuse you? Let's make it clear then. Read this message. This is a reply to whatever text you have sent. "Bro, I felt sad this morning. I thought it was going to make her happy but I think she didn't even appreciate it." Who is the message for? Is it really for 'bro'? The answer is a big NO! It is for YOU. He intended you to know what he was feeling - in this case he probably wants to tell you that he felt bad that you did not appreciate his effort to make you happy on your 11th monthssary celebration. He does not have the guts to tell you straight so he made it appear like a missent message. How do you distinguish it from a real missent message? A not missent missent reply is detailed. Reading would tell you right away that he is talking about you. It is written such that you would know what he means. A real missent reply usually doesn't tell you anything concrete yet it tells you a lot. Or at least you think it tells you a lot. It actually makes you speculate.
1. SKY PATROL reply
The SKY PATROL reply is sent to you when you send the text message "I'm here already. Where are you?" (Translation: D2 na me, wer na u?) The reply is like a report from the sky patroler of TV Patrol. "Traffic in EDSA is heavy. It's a bumper-to-bumper situation. There seems to have been an accident near the flyover. That's where the bottle neck is. (Translation: Masikip ang daloy ng trapiko sa kahabaan ng EDSA. Bumperrrr to bumperrr dito. Mukhang may nangyaring kalunos-lunos na banggaan sa may lugar papaakyat ng flyoverrrr. Doon nagkakabuhol-buhol.)
The traffic excuse is an overly used excuse. It is a convenient answer for guys. For them it is a good excuse because (a) it is always heavy traffic in Metro Manila so chances are you'll believe him and (b) girls won't spend/waste time to verify if there is really heavy traffic where he says there is -- or would you?
2. ON the WAY reply
This is still in response to the same question in number 1. "I'm on the way already." (Translation: Papunta na. A variation would be "nakasakay na.")
Do you think this gives a clear answer? NO? No, it does not. It could mean a lot like (a) I just left the house, (b) I just got on the bus, (c) I'm near, (d) I'm halfway there, (e) I'm just about to leave the house, etc.
Confusing reply, right? That is actually what guys want to achieve. They do not want to tell you something that you can later on question. You see, if he arrives long after you sent that message you cannot ask him the question "What took you so long? I thought you are already on the way." (Translation: O e akala ko ba on the way ka na e ba't ngayon ka lang dumating. Siguro dumaan ka pa sa ibang babae mo no? Siguro pumunta ka muna sa mga barkada mo no.") You can't do this with this kind of reply because he'll just tell you "I didn't say I was near already. "
3. SAFE reply
"I was on the bus. I had to keep my phone in my pocket to be safe." (Variations: I was on the jeepney. I was on the tricycle. I was on the MRT/LRT. I was waiting for the bus. I waiting for a jeepney.) This is a reply when you ask him why he didn't reply to your previous message/messages. Guys usually give this answer because if you nag him about it he has a ready reply. "I wanted to text you but you know how it is when you commute. There are a lot of snatchers out there. Do you want me to lose my phone? The more that I will not be able to text you if that happens." (Translations: nakaktakot mag text sa jeep. Alam mo naman maraming magnanakaw ngayon. [Lalo pa malapit na ang pasko - the Christmas season version.]. Gusto mo bang mawala ang phone ko? Paano pa kita ma-tetext kung wala na akong phone? [Thought bubble you can't read: "pwera na lang kung bibilhan mo ko ng bagong iphone ngayong pasko])
4. MR. CONGENIALITY reply
"I'm with my friends". This is a reply he gives after you've sent the message "Why aren't you replying?" several times. You might feel bad that he is prioritizing his friends over you but that's how it is with men. When a guy bonds with his friends, he really give his full attention to whatever they are doing. If this happens just once in a while then stop nagging. At least he is being honest with you. You can get mad if he is with his friends more often than he is with you.
5. Un-LOADED reply
"I ran out of load." This is a common reply to the questions "Why are you not texting me?". It is a lame excuse, I think, but many guys use it. If you know the guy has money and he still gives this kind of excuse, slap him on the face. Okay, that's bad. Just nag. That's more painful than a slap on both cheeks. I mean if he have money, getting load shouldn't be a problem. There are a lot of stores selling electronic load. And there are a lot of convenience stores where you can buy call cards. I think this excuse is only acceptable if your guy is just a boy who depends on his parents for his load budget. If that is the case, please be understanding. (Translation: send him load. lol)
6. GUILTY as CHARGED reply
"Low bat." "Empty bat" "I wasn't able to charge". This is also as common a reply as that of number 5. What does this tell you? Your guy is irresponsible. We should all keep our phones with enough battery charge. Be forward looking. Charge your phone if you know you'll be out long. If your guy is like this, think how irresponsible he could/would be with his other concerns.
7. ANTENNA reply
"There's no signal". Your guy thinks that he still lives during the time when cellphones need to have a retractable antenna to get a signal. (Translation: Lagyan mo ng tinidor yung antenna ng radyo para marinig mo si DJ Triggerman. - Did I translate it well? lol) Though there are still times when you can experience losing signal, they seldom last long. Just move a few steps away from where you are and voila, you have a signal.
8. SPELL STOP reply
"OK", "CGE", "=)". When your guys texts you these after exchanging texts message with you for a while, that means he wants the conversation to get. That means stop.
(Translation:
Teacher: Juan, spell STOP
Juan: STOP, O-K, STOP.
Teacher: Good! Juana, spell STOP.
Juana: Stop, C-G-E, STOP.)
Get the drift. Stop texting. If you insist, he might give in but just give you one-word answers and this might irritate you more. So remember, OK, CGE and =) reads STOP.
(Variations: "G'night" and "Luv u")
9. MISSENT reply
"I'll see you later, baby!" is a missent message if baby is not a term of endearment he uses. He is intending to send it to somebody else but he mistakenly sent it to you. (Translation: I am cheating on you and I hope you won't find out about it.) I know you'll get really, really mad. Who wouldn't be? But at least be happy because you're the one on his mind even while texting the other one.
10. NOT MISSENT MISSENT reply
Did that confuse you? Let's make it clear then. Read this message. This is a reply to whatever text you have sent. "Bro, I felt sad this morning. I thought it was going to make her happy but I think she didn't even appreciate it." Who is the message for? Is it really for 'bro'? The answer is a big NO! It is for YOU. He intended you to know what he was feeling - in this case he probably wants to tell you that he felt bad that you did not appreciate his effort to make you happy on your 11th monthssary celebration. He does not have the guts to tell you straight so he made it appear like a missent message. How do you distinguish it from a real missent message? A not missent missent reply is detailed. Reading would tell you right away that he is talking about you. It is written such that you would know what he means. A real missent reply usually doesn't tell you anything concrete yet it tells you a lot. Or at least you think it tells you a lot. It actually makes you speculate.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
He Said (my thoughts for the day), She Said (Quintessential Highlights)
Hi friends! My friend read my Pa-Hopeful post and she liked it. I asked her to write her own version of it -- with girls as pa-hopefuls. Then I had this idea that we write about the same topics with my posts about men and her posts about women. Something like "he said, she said". Wait for her version of pa-hopeful. Read Quintessential Highlights.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
The Different Types of Pa-Hopefuls
Pa-hopeful
n.
There are different types of people who are pa-hopeful. To make these types easier to understand, let us use some characters. Let us use Gregory as the pa-hopeful and Joana as his victim.
1. The CONFUSED Pa-hopeful
Gregory knows that Joana likes him. He does things that make Joana think that he also likes her. But Gregory is actually not sure if he really likes her. He is confused about his feelings for her. He is not sure if he wants her as a partner or just as a friend. He makes Joana think that he somehow likes her so that if and when he discovers that he does like her, he will not have a hard time courting her.
2. The TORPE Pa-hopeful
Gregory knows that Joana likes him. He also knows that he likes her. He keeps dropping hints but he is not man enough to actually make a move. He is waiting for her to provide the opening. Worse, there are torpe pa-hopefuls who are actually waiting for Joanas to make the move.
3. The BRAGGART Pa-hopeful
Gregory knows Joana likes him. He doesn't like her but he doesn't make any efforts for her to stop liking him. This is simply because he likes the idea that someone likes him and he likes people to know about this.
4. The Closet GAY Pa-hopeful (or Pa-minta Pa-hopeful)
Gregory is gay and a closet one at that. He knows that Joana likes her but he doesn't like her at all for obvious reasons. He doesn't mind tthis though because he uses this to hide his true identity. If you think this is unfair for Joana then think about this. Gregory might actually stop from being pa-hopeful and actually court Joana and make her his girlfriend to strengthen his manly status.
5. The No-balls Pa-hopeful
This title sounds very much like the torpe pa-hopeful but they are definitely different. Mr. Gregory No-balls is like Mr. Gregory Torpe in the sense that they both know that they like Joana. But Mr. No-balls knows how to court a girl like Joana. So what's keeping him from courting her? Why does he remain pa-hopeful? The plot is like the plot in many romance movies. Gregory No-balls is the campus heartthrob. Joana is the geeky ugly duckling. Naturally, Gregory doesn't want to have anything to do with her because he doesn't want to ruin his image and he doesn't want to be laughed at. He probably makes her hopeful as part of a bet with his friends although deep in his heart he feels guilty. This could end in 4 ways. (1) He will forget his feelings for Joana to protect his image. (2) He will pursue Joana and drop his friends. It will be like an 'against all odds' love affair. (3) The ugly duckling will turn into a swan and they will be happy together. He will be able to keep his image and his friends as well. (4) The swan will drop him like a hot potato. He will be the biggest joke ever.
6. The USER Pa-hopeful
Gregory knows Joana likes him. He doesn't like her but he likes receiving gifts (and money?) from her. He thinks of her as an ATM machine. She is his sugar mommy. He is the male version of the bilmoko girl.
7. The LOSER Pa-hopeful
Gregory thinks Joana likes him. He does things to make her like him more. Then he brags about it. What he doesn't know is that she actually does not like him. She is also being pa-hopeful. She is playing with him. He has no idea that people are laughing about him.
Now, don't think that only these Gregory-s are the pa-hopefuls and the Joanas are the victims. The boat could actually be turned. Joanas can be pa-hopefuls too. But how they will be called will be different though. I mean you cant have a Ms. Joana No-balls, right?
n.
- A person who makes people hope that they can give them something good.
- A person who gives false hopes.
There are different types of people who are pa-hopeful. To make these types easier to understand, let us use some characters. Let us use Gregory as the pa-hopeful and Joana as his victim.
1. The CONFUSED Pa-hopeful
Gregory knows that Joana likes him. He does things that make Joana think that he also likes her. But Gregory is actually not sure if he really likes her. He is confused about his feelings for her. He is not sure if he wants her as a partner or just as a friend. He makes Joana think that he somehow likes her so that if and when he discovers that he does like her, he will not have a hard time courting her.
2. The TORPE Pa-hopeful
Gregory knows that Joana likes him. He also knows that he likes her. He keeps dropping hints but he is not man enough to actually make a move. He is waiting for her to provide the opening. Worse, there are torpe pa-hopefuls who are actually waiting for Joanas to make the move.
3. The BRAGGART Pa-hopeful
Gregory knows Joana likes him. He doesn't like her but he doesn't make any efforts for her to stop liking him. This is simply because he likes the idea that someone likes him and he likes people to know about this.
4. The Closet GAY Pa-hopeful (or Pa-minta Pa-hopeful)
Gregory is gay and a closet one at that. He knows that Joana likes her but he doesn't like her at all for obvious reasons. He doesn't mind tthis though because he uses this to hide his true identity. If you think this is unfair for Joana then think about this. Gregory might actually stop from being pa-hopeful and actually court Joana and make her his girlfriend to strengthen his manly status.
5. The No-balls Pa-hopeful
This title sounds very much like the torpe pa-hopeful but they are definitely different. Mr. Gregory No-balls is like Mr. Gregory Torpe in the sense that they both know that they like Joana. But Mr. No-balls knows how to court a girl like Joana. So what's keeping him from courting her? Why does he remain pa-hopeful? The plot is like the plot in many romance movies. Gregory No-balls is the campus heartthrob. Joana is the geeky ugly duckling. Naturally, Gregory doesn't want to have anything to do with her because he doesn't want to ruin his image and he doesn't want to be laughed at. He probably makes her hopeful as part of a bet with his friends although deep in his heart he feels guilty. This could end in 4 ways. (1) He will forget his feelings for Joana to protect his image. (2) He will pursue Joana and drop his friends. It will be like an 'against all odds' love affair. (3) The ugly duckling will turn into a swan and they will be happy together. He will be able to keep his image and his friends as well. (4) The swan will drop him like a hot potato. He will be the biggest joke ever.
6. The USER Pa-hopeful
Gregory knows Joana likes him. He doesn't like her but he likes receiving gifts (and money?) from her. He thinks of her as an ATM machine. She is his sugar mommy. He is the male version of the bilmoko girl.
7. The LOSER Pa-hopeful
Gregory thinks Joana likes him. He does things to make her like him more. Then he brags about it. What he doesn't know is that she actually does not like him. She is also being pa-hopeful. She is playing with him. He has no idea that people are laughing about him.
Now, don't think that only these Gregory-s are the pa-hopefuls and the Joanas are the victims. The boat could actually be turned. Joanas can be pa-hopefuls too. But how they will be called will be different though. I mean you cant have a Ms. Joana No-balls, right?
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
DLTB - BLTB - Welcome Back
DLTB, former BLTB is back. People who grew up in Quezon, Batangas and Laguna in the 80's surely remembers what BLTB means. BLTB stands for Batangas, Laguna, Tayabas Bus Co. Quezon was originally called Tayabas. It went out of business some years back. But I think sometime this year it came back again with a new name. It is now called DLTB. I think it is under new management.
In my last few trips to Quezon I rode DLTB. The first time I rode DLTB was unintentional. It's just that the Jac Liner that goes to SM Lucena just left and the next one would take about an hour (the next bus goes only to the Grand Central Terminal). I was rushing so I went to the next bus station and found out that the bus would be leaving in 10 minutes.
The trip was actually good. There still aren't a lot of people riding DLTB so I had no seatmate. I was able to put my bag beside me. And since the buses are relatively new, they do not smell bad. There was a sign that says wi-fi on board. Hmmmm.... No originality. Jac Liner was the first one to offer that. But who am I to complain. lol I asked the driver for the password. He said there is none. I also asked him if all buses have wi-fi. He said not yet. They are still waiting for additional routers. That's fine. Jac Liner was like that too in the beginning.
Since then I have been taking DLTB for my trips. It was particularly helpful after the All Saints Day break. I knew there would be a lot of passengers so I decided to go to the DLTB station instead of the other terminals.The bus left with me as their only passenger. But two bus stops after, the bus was already full.
Anyway, what i like about the bus is that it is not always full, I can put my bag on the seat right beside me, the seats are still good and comfortable, once in a while there is wi-fi, it doesn;t smell bad, they do not stay long at the bus terminal and to top it all, the drivers seem to be careful.
In my last few trips to Quezon I rode DLTB. The first time I rode DLTB was unintentional. It's just that the Jac Liner that goes to SM Lucena just left and the next one would take about an hour (the next bus goes only to the Grand Central Terminal). I was rushing so I went to the next bus station and found out that the bus would be leaving in 10 minutes.
The trip was actually good. There still aren't a lot of people riding DLTB so I had no seatmate. I was able to put my bag beside me. And since the buses are relatively new, they do not smell bad. There was a sign that says wi-fi on board. Hmmmm.... No originality. Jac Liner was the first one to offer that. But who am I to complain. lol I asked the driver for the password. He said there is none. I also asked him if all buses have wi-fi. He said not yet. They are still waiting for additional routers. That's fine. Jac Liner was like that too in the beginning.
Since then I have been taking DLTB for my trips. It was particularly helpful after the All Saints Day break. I knew there would be a lot of passengers so I decided to go to the DLTB station instead of the other terminals.The bus left with me as their only passenger. But two bus stops after, the bus was already full.
Anyway, what i like about the bus is that it is not always full, I can put my bag on the seat right beside me, the seats are still good and comfortable, once in a while there is wi-fi, it doesn;t smell bad, they do not stay long at the bus terminal and to top it all, the drivers seem to be careful.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Flower Arrangements - All Saints Day 2011
I had a blast arranging flowers last Oct. 31. My cousin takes flower arrangement orders from people in our town for the All Saints Day Celebration. She then goes to Dangwa in Manila to buy the flowers and takes them back to out town in Quezon. I've been helping her for the last 3 or 4 years.
This year I went with her to Dangwa. I arrived there ahead of her so I had the chance to look at how the people there arrange flowers. I've learned a good number of styles which I used for our designs. It would have been easier if we have all the materials (flowers, twigs, leaves, etc) within our reach. Unfortunately, we could only buy the things that we think are necessary because it would be costly to buy 'everything' we find useful. This means there were instances when we had to make do with what we have. It's good that there are other useful things in the 'backyard' which we could use. All we needed was creativity and imagination. We were able to come out with what I could say are good flower arrangements.
I had the most fun doing the wild flower arrangement. I used a woven basket as the container. Then I used flowers that I call wild since they are not the usual roses and gerberas and orchids. We had these flowers but just to make the flower arrangement a little 'familiar' to the customers. I do not know the names of the wild flowers except for the 'mickey mouse'. I also used a lot of leaves and twigs and sticks.
This year we were able to make almost 30 flower arrangements. It was tiring but at the same time fulfilling.
This year I went with her to Dangwa. I arrived there ahead of her so I had the chance to look at how the people there arrange flowers. I've learned a good number of styles which I used for our designs. It would have been easier if we have all the materials (flowers, twigs, leaves, etc) within our reach. Unfortunately, we could only buy the things that we think are necessary because it would be costly to buy 'everything' we find useful. This means there were instances when we had to make do with what we have. It's good that there are other useful things in the 'backyard' which we could use. All we needed was creativity and imagination. We were able to come out with what I could say are good flower arrangements.
I had the most fun doing the wild flower arrangement. I used a woven basket as the container. Then I used flowers that I call wild since they are not the usual roses and gerberas and orchids. We had these flowers but just to make the flower arrangement a little 'familiar' to the customers. I do not know the names of the wild flowers except for the 'mickey mouse'. I also used a lot of leaves and twigs and sticks.
This year we were able to make almost 30 flower arrangements. It was tiring but at the same time fulfilling.
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