sound of music

I've been encouraging friends to take advantage of the free
shows this month as the following months won't have as many free
shows, base on my experience. Today, there are many free shows one
could go to such as Fete de la Music in Malate, Manila and Eiga Sai in
Shangri-La. Unfortunately, I myself, haven't been to any :)

This morning, I went with my mother to Manila Doctor's
Hospital in U.N. Avenue to have our annual physical examination
interpreted by a doctor. Then, we met my sister at her office, which
is just across the U.S. Embassy. We then ate lunch at McDonald's
across Manila Pavilion in U.N. Avenue. There, my cousin Malen met
with us. After that, we went to Isetann in Carriedo because I wanted
to show my sister where she could buy cheaper groceries. From
Isetann, we went to SM Quiapo, which also sells lots of bargains. On
both stores, I didn't find the CD I was looking for, though. Since
Friday night, I've been looking for Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amelie
Poulain, which our French class watched last Thursday in class. My
teacher said that we'd have a quiz on it on Monday.

Instead, what I was able to buy last Friday was a DVD on
classical movies. A part of this set was The Sound of Music. I
didn't know that Edelweiss was a song from this film. I've seen
snatches of it whenever it was replayed on TV but I believe that this
is the first time that I saw it in full. It's really impressive :)

sayong
06-23-07 11:55pm

shopping

I used to think that I could leave home with less than 50
pesos in my coin purse.

Well, I could...

There was even a time when I went home from the office with
less than 20 pesos.

But I didn't realize that my "daring" stems from carrying
ATM and credit cards, which I can easily use in lieu of cash.

Even with more than 500 pesos in two coin purses, imagine my
panic when I could not find my wallet that holds my ATM and credit
cards while I was queuing for Arthur and the Invisibles at Shang
Cinema today. I immediately texted my cousin and she found the wallet
on my bed.

Still, I could no longer shop after the movie, so I went
home first and attended mass.

It was already past 6pm when I got to Makati. My first stop
was SM Makati and then, Landmark. In my preoccupation with clothes, I
forgot to drop by Digital Studio in Greenbelt 4. But at least, I
managed to visit Swatch in Glorietta Center. I've been meaning to go
there for one month now in order to have my watch checked. As it
happens, the black mark on the face of the watch was caused by perfume
or anything with alcohol, according to the saleslady there. She's the
same one I bought my watch from and she's very friendly. Anyway, she
cleaned it up and it's as good as new again :) Because it's Father's
Day, Glorietta Center closed late.

I would have had more time to look around and shop if I
didn't forget my ATM and credit cards at home :)

sayong
06-17-07 11:55pm

on the run

While on my way to Quiapo at noon today, I thought, why am I rushing?

When I woke up, I thought that I would only go to mass
early, then breakfast, then go to Quiapo market. By afternoon, I
should have done a little cleaning before going to Bacoor in Cavite,
where my sister now lives.

But then, at almost 8am, I was already late for the mass.
So I decided to have breakfast first instead. As everyone seems to be
using the kitchen, I only used the oven toaster, and it took a little
more than the gas stove should have done. When I went downstairs,
everyone seems to be waiting for water. I think that water is being
rationed so it's little more than a trickle. Thus, I fetched water
outside to wash dishes and to bring upstairs. Exercise, as I have to
go back and forth. Then I cleaned the bathroom and took a bath. And
then, at noon, I was rushing to Quiapo.

It was already 10am when I saw my high school best friend's
text message that her youngest child's first birthday was 1:30pm
today. So aside from market, I also had to buy a gift and fast.

But while looking for a gift, I also saw some more items
that I could bring to my sister. I decided on a rack to organize some
of her things.

Carrying all these, I bought fruits. In front of SM Quiapo,
there was a stall that sells grapes at 70 pesos for half kilo. I
thought that it's cheap enough and perhaps more accurate because its
stall is bigger than the others. But when I came home and measured it
in my kitchen scale, the grapes was only 480 grams and it's not even
seedless. In front of Quiapo Church, I saw some vendors selling
seedless grapes for as low as 35 pesos for half kilo. Anyway, the
other fruits I bought were okay. The ripe mango at 40 pesos is
exactly 1kilogram. I don't know yet if the inside is as good as it
looks outside. The same goes for the avocado which is only 30 pesos
for 1 kilo. The pears are also cheap at 5 pesos per piece. And then
the vegetables. I could hardly carry all that I've bought.

It was already 2:30pm when I got back home. I took a quick
shower, dragged my nephew Timboy and we were off to SM Centerpoint for
the birthday party.

The party ended at 4pm and I rushed for the 4:30pm mass in Bacood.

And now that I am back home, I organized the things I bought
in the refrigerator, arranged the things I will bring to Cavite and
I'm set to go again.

Why am I rushing? I finally realized the answer during
mass. I am rushing to meet all my obligations – to meet my duty as a
friend, as a sister, as a daughter, as a housemate, and as a
Christian. Of course, I enjoy living my life and all my obligations
:)

sayong
06-10-07 6pm

Saturday promenade

It's another shop till you drop day. Well, not really.

I started with an ultrasound at Delos Santos-STI Medical
Center and consultation with my OB-Gyne. So far, so good. She only
advised further observation and another ultrasound in two months.

For the first time, the ultrasound today didn't hurt, the
reason why I dread going through an ultrasound. The doctor, Dra.
Garcia, and her assistant are very solicitous, unlike the other
doctors. Or they were perhaps not as competent as this tandem. The
bad news is that, although the procedure is covered by Medicard (our
new HMO), the doctor's fee is not. It costs 500 pesos.

It was already past 1pm when I left my OB-Gyne's office.
And I missed the 1pm showing of the French animation, Arthur and the
Invisibles at the Shangri-La Plaza. This is part of the nine movies
of the 12th French Film Festival (FFF) which run in Shang Cineplex,
Shangri-La Plaza until June 17.

Anyway, I passed my time in Cubao, looking at all the sales
or bargains. Like Isetann in Quiapo, Isetann in Cubao is also
conducting a sale until June 30. I can't understand why every shop
these days is holding one sale or another. But at least, I got three
more pants at bargain price :)

By 4:30pm, I was already in Shangri-La because I wanted to
watch the French documentary, March of the Penguins. Of all the
movies of the FFF, I told my officemate Em that this one I wouldn't
miss. Not that I know anything about it before I saw it tonight. But
before the announcement of the FFF, I dreamed of penguins skating.
And I thought that this dream is an offshoot of having missed Happy
Feet, which I wanted to see before.

March of the Penguins is really entertaining and an
eye-opener. Perhaps, it is more enjoyable because it has already been
translated to Filipino or Tagalog and more or less got the Filipino
sense of humor. But I am sorry to miss the French narration. I was
looking forward to it.

I would have strolled all over Shangri-La again if my legs
were not hurting from all the walking I've done the whole day. I
haven't even see the exhibit of the different statues of Mama Mary up
close :(

sayong
06-09-07 11:20pm

more sale

When I left the office tonight, I only had one task -- to
buy myself new stocks of milk and chocolate drinks at Isetann in
Quiapo.

But Isetann was conducting a sale until June 30 so I ended
up not with just milk and chocolate drinks but Parisian shoes (a brand
available only in SM Department Store) as well. There could have been
more if I had more time to look around. Isetann close shop at 8pm and
SM, at 8:30pm. Thankfully, I didn't have more time :)

sayong
06-09-07 12:10am

free lunch

Nothing so exciting today as the lunch with the head of the PCG
(ordered from Max Restaurant).

As I was telling my mother, most of the topics were about events and
people 20 years and so ago, which our seniors in the office could very
well relate to :)

I have yet to start on the novel, "Message of the Apparition", that
he gave us. Hopefully, I'd have the time soon :)

sayong
06-05-07 11:45pm

leaveland

I was teasing my nephew Timboy that he already spent my
mother's food budget this coming week.

After the 6pm mass at Greenbelt Chapel, we had dinner at
Landmark's Foodcourt because we intended to buy groceries. As I
always tell my mother, many of the items we buy are cheaper in
Landmark than in SM.

Anyway, while we were shopping, my mother mentioned that
Timboy's mother chided him for asking me to buy him a T-Shirt in Royal
Subic last week instead of school shoes. Most schools start classes
tomorrow.

So after Landmark, we ran to Glorietta Center, which was
also already closing for the day. Although it was only 10 minutes to
9pm, it is actually closing late because many of its establishments
closes at 8 p.m. It closes late due to the Ayala Center-wide sale.
And it's that sale that I was trying to catch.

We managed to make it to Leaveland, whose employees were
already returning their products inside the shop. My nephew
immediately found one he likes. I kept asking him to look at the
other styles in case he was only pressured to make a pick because it
was closing time. But his mind was made up and my mother said that he
actually chose one that is similar to his younger brother's new shoes.
Quite expensive though it was, at least, I got 20 percent discount.
I could still do a lot with 200 pesos :)

My work shoes also need a replacement but I didn't find
anything there that suits me. Anyway, there's always a next time :)

sayong
06-03-07 11:50pm

narcissistic day

I had another very tiring, narcissistic day.

I left home at 9am to have the long-needed check-up at Delos
Santos Memorial Medical Center, which is now better known as DLS-STI.

This is the first time I had a check-up there since our
company change its HMO. At the moment, I can't say that I am glad for
the change. It has made the approval for laboratory examinations
time-consuming and difficult.

At noon, I was already at Gateway Mall in Araneta Center,
Cubao. I combed floor per floor to look for a photo studio that
transfers film negatives to CD for a song. Unfortunately, I got the
same answers I got from photoshops in Quiapo, when I went there last
Monday. The average cost is 150 pesos for one roll of film, exclusive
of the CD and film developing. So I went back to my original plan –
have the transfer done by Unique Digital Studio in Greenbelt 4, Ayala
Center, Makati.

In the first place, I got the idea to have my film negatives
transferred to CD when I noticed the Digital Studio's poster sometime
in March. I inquired and I was told that two rolls of film would cost
100 pesos. The price is still the same today. I also had some of our
pictures in Subic printed there. A 4R costs 7 pesos and a 5R, 12
pesos. In this, there's no or little difference with other
photoshops.

But before I got to Digital Studio, I walked all over SM
Makati, Glorietta Center and Landmark. I even reached Greenbelt 1.

There were so many people shopping and malling perhaps
because it was payday two days ago, there are only two more days left
of the students' vacation, many parents are buying their children
their school needs, and Ayala Center has midnight sale until tomorrow,
Sunday.

I was able to buy myself new pants and shirts. These were
not on sale though. But as I rarely buy myself clothes, particularly
because I hate the searching and the fittings, I still need some more.
But I left Glorietta at past 7pm because I couldn't walk anymore.
Anyway, there's still tomorrow :)

sayong
06-02-07 11:50pm