wah!

mom:  'if croissant is krwä-ˈsäⁿ and trois is t(r)wä...  so is roi vinzon wä vinzon?'

; )

second chance

' saw ten centavos on the road...  i didn't pick it up...  afterward i thought, 'aw, why didn't i get it?'

guess what, a few paces away i saw another ten-centavo coin in front of me!  whoa!

oh, yes, i got it this time...  : D

i'm sooo happy...  i'm sooo thankful...  i'm, uhm, sooo shallow...  ; )

the blues

just noticed that i'm having the blues today  ->  in a yummy kind of way...  : )

-  hopia baboy from palawan's baker's hill bakeshoppe which comes in a blue box
-  baby ruth fun size chocs which have a blue-edged wrapper
-  toblerone crunchy almonds which comes in blue packaging

btw, blue is my fave color...  <3

chivalry

three weeks ago, i was at a military camp.  at two intersections, two different vehicles had right of way and both times, they let me go first.

this morning, i was at the camp again.  i passed by the church and said a little prayer.  then i got up to leave.  guess what, there was this guy walking ahead of me, maybe around three meters in front of me, and instead of going straight out, he stood there holding the door open, waiting for me to pass through before he went on his way.

officers and gentlemen...  : )

take it slow

friend:  'when will i introduce you to my mother?'

me:  'huh?!  i don't want!'

friend:  'you don't want to meet my mother?'

me:  'no...'

friend:  'why not?'

me:  'why should we meet?'

friend:  'you just talk...'

me:  'about what?'

friend:  'anything...'

me:  'what for?'

friend:  'bonding...'

me:  'and why should we bond?'

friend just chuckles...

me:  'you know, you're just like <toot>...  we were at <place> and suddenly he was talking house and a baby...  we just went out!  how come there's suddenly a house?!'

not too fast...  : }

who's the man here?

i have buy-one-take-one chicken wings from hooters with my VIP membership in this online site.  the offer will expire october 28.

on the way to dinner someplace near hooters last night, i told my companion maybe we can drop by hooters after dinner if we're not yet too full.

friend:  'we can take it out if we're already full...'

me:  'hooters, take out?!'

friend:  'you want to take pictures?  let's take pictures before we leave...'

me:  'it's not that...  you can't really see the girls if you leave right away...'

friend:  'what about the girls?'

me:  'they're in shorts!'

friend:  'i know!  but i'm not really interested in them...'

me:  'i am!'

;")

i'm keeping my clothes on

talking temptation...

friend:  'me, even if a woman takes off her clothes in front of me, i won't touch her...'

me:  'you?!  c'mon!'

friend:  'you have to do what is right...'

me:  'yeah...  but woman naked in front of you?  i don't think you'd be able to resist...'

friend:  'i can...'

me:  'i doubt it...  not you...'

friend chuckles:  'really!'

me:  'haha...  really, huh!  well, i'm not gonna put you to the test...'

; p

analogy

on the phone...

friend:  'isn't your dad looking for me?'

me:  'why would he look for you?'

friend chuckles:  'he hasn't seen me in a while...  maybe i need to report...'

me:  'haha... maybe when i'm getting married again he'll look for you...  last time when i was set to marry he suddenly looked for <suitor>...'

friend:  'oh?  as in, 'where's <suitor>?''

me:  'yes...  he asked my mom...  i dunno why...  he's been seeing <suitor> around the house for the longest time and yet he never really said anything about him then suddenly when i was about to get married he asked about him...'

friend:  'maybe he was thinking, this is the one who dribbled, how come someone else is going to shoot?'

huh?!  the conversations that i have!  uuuuuuhhhhhh!!!  : }

another way of saying...

mom:  'why don't you change your profile picture in facebook?'

me:  'i don't change profile pics...  that's already ok...'

mom:  'it's not good...  you're hunched...'

me:  'fine with me...  it's a kiddie pic...'

mom:  'kids should be cute...'

huh?!  wahaha...  toinks!!!

quick response

i got my new / replacement card today...

5 days ago, i sent the following e-mail to my bank:

"hallo...  i have a <credit card> (9999 9999 9999 9999) with expiry date of <month> 2015 yet.  for some reason, the laminate on the card got detached at the corner and was protruding upward.  the protruding portion got bigger and bigger and merchants sometimes had a hard time trying to insert the card into their readers.  i therefore decided to just peel off the laminate from the card.  the card is still usable but then it looks dull and shabby (please see attached photo).  i would like to know whether you could send me a replacement card with the P400 replacement fee waived.  a positive response would be highly appreciated.  thank you."

three-and-a-half-hours later, they sent me the following e-mail:

"...

We received your e-mail regarding your request for the replacement of your <credit card>. We have forwarded your request to the concerned unit for processing. Please note the following reminders regarding your request:

1. Your new card will bear a different card number.
2. Please refrain from using your existing card as this will be deactivated.

..."

whoa!  my immediate reaction upon reading the e-mail was to be thankful i wasn't out buying something that time.  could you imagine, i'm out there at the cashier paying with my card and i don't even know it has been deactivated.  uh-oh...

i was thinking all i sent was a query ("i would like to know whether you could send me a replacement card with the P400 replacement fee waived.").  ' turns out it was already a replacement request.  uhhh!

anyway, no harm was done.  at least, they were quick.  i am thankful.

no match

mom and dad watched 'gravity'...

me:  'next time, tell me when you're going to watch a movie...  i have 20% discount in ayala cinemas...  trinoma, greenbelt, glorietta, market!market!, alabang...  even cebu and davao...'

mom:  '20%?  we pay only 25 centavos...'

me:  '25 centavos?!'

mom:  'yes...  senior...'

oh...  : )

100% discount

mom:  '<aunt> was saying <cousin> likes to tag along with her because she gets a senior citizen discount...'

dad:  'me, i like tagging along with your mom...'

mom cuts in:  'because you get things for free...'

dad chuckles:  'yes...  you're the one who pays...'

; )

listen

you think i don't know
but i do.

you think you know
but you don't.

behind the times

i kept singing:

♩ ♪  la da di da di  ♫ ♬

sister:  'why are you so noisy?  what are you saying?'

me:  'LSS...  'we can't stop'...'

duh!  it's 'wrecking ball' now...

:"}

josh

dad heard the loboc children's choir singing 'the prayer' on tv...  he asked me to get the lyrics...

i print two copies for him...

me:  'here...  have a duet with mom...'

dad scans the page then says to my mom:  'oh...  this is hard...  it's not pure english...'

he turns to me and goes:  'could you just get me 'you raise me up'?'

; )

earthquake

i have special memories of bohol and cebu.  last year, 16 members of our family went there:  my mom, my sister, my aunts, my cousins, my nieces and i.  our family has regular get-togethers and we've done out-of-towns but this was the first time such a big group (all ladies, btw) traveled together by plane.  (it all started with a seat sale...)  to merely say that it was fun would not do justice to the experience.

then yesterday, earthquakes rocked the provinces.  the magnitude 7.2 quake in bohol is on record as the fifth strongest earthquake to ever hit the country.  scenes of grief and devastation filled the news.  heartbreaking.

amid all these, two clips stood in my mind.

first was that of cebu mayor michael rama being interviewed by korina sanchez.  the mayor was calm, smiling even, and he said, "...  kaya naman namin 'yan [we can handle this]...  together we can make things happen..."

and then this guy from bohol, tony pino.  the camera showed him picking up a salvageable from his fallen house.  he was telling the news crew, "back to zero," and yet he still managed to show a faint smile.

yes, you can break their structures but not their spirit.

punctual

phone call...

caller:  'what time do you have?'

me:  '4:01...'

caller:  'how come this is still closed?  isn't it supposed to open at 4?'

me:  'where are you?'

caller:  'in front of <place>...'

me:  'oh...  i'll check what time they open...'

caller:  'it says here 4...'

me:  'where?'

caller:  'they have a sign here...'

me:  'but they're still closed?'

caller:  'wait...  they're opening now...'

terms of endearment

friend:  'what if i call you maria?'

me:  'that's ok...  <toot1> calls me maria...'

friend:  'really?'

me:  'yup...'

friend:  'how 'bout <toot2>?'

me:  'cynths...'

friend:  'and <toot3>?'

me:  'babe...'

friend:  'before that?'

me:  'what do you mean?'

friend:  'it wasn't babe right away, was it?  what did he call you before babe?'

me:  'cynthia...'

friend:  'how 'bout <toot4>?  what does <toot4> call you?'

me:  'haha...  <softdrink brand>...'

friend:  'what???'

me:  '<softdrink brand>!  well, sometimes 'dear'...  but he calls everyone 'dear'...  <softdrink brand>, it's just me...'

friend:  '<softdrink brand>?!  why?!'

well, the first time he asked me out, i really didn't want to go.  hmmm...  make that, initially i didn't want to.  but then he was so amusingly insistent / persistent eventually i felt like i wanted to.  i didn't think i should, however, so i still kept on declining.  in the middle of our invitation-rejection exchange, a friend called.  i told her about this guy and she told me to accept the invitation provided i make sure i don't take any drinks that would have to be prepared on site.  she said i should order only sealed drinks that i would have to open myself, for example, drinks in can.  huh?!  hahaha.  i told the guy about the requirement and he was fine with it and so go out to lunch with him i did.  after that, he's been calling me <softdrink brand>...

; )

namesake

october 7

i receive SMS:
'this is my new number thanks - emma'

i update my phone book...


october 11

i give her a call...
she doesn't answer...


october 12

emma:  'hi, you called?  i left my phone earlier.'

me:  '...  i was near your street that time, i had the flash drive with pics...  but when you were not answering, i didn't make a turn anymore.'

emma:  'aw! you mean you were near the condo or the house?'

me:  'oh, what condo?  wait, which emma is this?  <surname1>?  aw, i was talking to <surname2>...'

emma:  'ahhh, this is your ate emma hehehe!'

me:  'hahaha...  so that's why there's a condo, hehe...'

emma:  'this is emma <surname1> hehehe'

me:  'facebook moment...'

emma:  ':)...  on my end i was wondering why there's a flash drive haha'

; )

just log through blog

Conversation started August 13

Maria Cynthia
8/13, 4:29pm

Reference number 13UG0100031

I would like to follow up the status of my request for a change in the delivery address of my billing statement from

<old address>

to the actual service address of

<new address>

Account Name <Name of Account Holder>
Service ID Number <SIN>

Said request was logged in the meralco website (http://www.meralco.com.ph/customer/page-cusContact-feedback.html) last August 1, 2013.  Reference number is 13UG0100031.

My daughter called 632-8989 last August 7 to follow up but she was told by the Customer Service Representative that they do not have access to the status of the request as this is handled by the branch.

She has been calling the Araneta (Ali Mall) Business Center number listed on your website (9113535) but she could not get through.

Please update me on the status of the request.

Thank you.

<Name of Account Holder>
Tel. No. <contact no.>


Meralco
8/13, 4:32pm

Hi Maria, ang inyong ini-report na illegal connection ay naka-refer na sa aming Inspection Division para sa kaukulang imbestigasyon.  Makakaasa kayo na gagawan namin ng kaukulang follow-up ang inyong report. Salamat.


Maria Cynthia
8/13, 4:35pm

ha?!  wala naman akong ini-report na illegal connection, a...  i was simply following up my dad's request for a change in the delivery address of his billing statement (Service ID Number <SIN>).


Meralco
8/13, 4:38pm

Hi Maria, we will coordinate your application to our Makati Business Center to address your concern. Thank you.


Meralco
8/13, 4:40pm

Hi Maria, we would like to clarify that your request for the necessary changes in your billing address has already been forwarded to our Makati Business Center for proper handling. You will receive an Acknowledgement and Feedback Letters anytime this week. We will make the necessary follow-up on this. Thank you.


Maria Cynthia
9/11, 9:07am

I would like to follow up the status of our request for a change in the delivery address of the billing statement for Service ID Number <SIN> from <old city> to <new city>.  (The last billing statement was still delivered to <new city>) [sic:  should be <old city>]:

= = = = =

Conversation started August 13
8/13, 4:29pm

Reference number 13UG0100031

I would like to follow up the status of my request for a change in the delivery address of my billing statement from

<old address>

to the actual service address of

<new address>

Account Name <Name of Account Holder>
Service ID Number <SIN>

Said request was logged in the meralco website (http://www.meralco.com.ph/customer/page-cusContact-feedback.html) last August 1, 2013.  Reference number is 13UG0100031.

My daughter called 632-8989 last August 7 to follow up but she was told by the Customer Service Representative that they do not have access to the status of the request as this is handled by the branch.

She has been calling the Araneta (Ali Mall) Business Center number listed on your website (9113535) but she could not get through.

Please update me on the status of the request.

Thank you.

<Name of Account Holder>
Tel. No. <contact no.>
= = = = =


Meralco
9/11, 9:32am

Hi Maria, please be informed that the Makati Business Center has already sent a acknowledgement letter regarding to your concern and received by Ms. <recipient name>.
Thank you.


Maria Cynthia
10/7, 12:16pm

Where and when was it sent?  We don't know anyone named <recipient name>.


Meralco
10/7, 12:30pm

Hi Maria, the letter was received by Ms. <recipient name> (Maid) last August 13, 2013 through Meagamail. We advise you to coordinate with our Makati Business Center regarding your concern. You may contact the said office with these numbers: 729-9866 to 73, 899-7119, 899-7115 and located at 9581 Kamagong St. corner Ayala Ave. Extn, Brgy. San Antonio, Makati City near Makati Fire Station. Thank you.


Maria Cynthia
10/7, 4:27pm

Whose maid?  At what address?


Meralco
10/7, 4:29pm

Please coordinate at our Makati Business Center regarding your concern. You may contact the said office with these numbers: 729-9866 to 73, 899-7119, 899-7115 and located at 9581 Kamagong St. corner Ayala Ave. Extn, Brgy. San Antonio, Makati City near Makati Fire Station. Thank you.


Maria Cynthia
10/9, 1:34pm

Reference number 13UG0100031

october 9...  tried calling the Makati Business Center...

729-9866
"The telephone number you dialled is not yet in service."

729-9873
"This is Globe Telecom.  The number you are calling is temporarily out of service."

899-7119
busy

899-7115
"The number you dialled is not accessible at the moment."

finally able to get through at 899-7119.  on hold for half an hour and just kept on getting:

"Sorry, our branch representatives are busy at the moment.  To stay on hold, press 6.  To leave a message, press 7."

eventually decided to go for 7.  the response at 7?

"This mailbox is currently unavailable."

tried logging a follow up at the Meralco Customer Care page:

"Error sending feedback.
Click here to try again."

tried again.  error again.


Meralco
10/9, 1:37pm

We apologized for the inconvenience. Kindly email us again in our website at http://meralco.com.ph/customer/page-cusContact-feedback.html in order for us to refer your email to our Makati Business Center. Thank you


Maria Cynthia
10/10, 3:39pm

i tried to do that just now.
"Error sending feedback." again.


Meralco
10/10, 3:48pm

To successfully submit your message kindly encode/input all the needed details and unchecked the bow with the note: Yes, associate this with another feedback. Thank you.


Maria Cynthia
10/11, 4:54pm

oh...  is that part of your program not working?  how would you know that the new ticket is just a follow-up to an existing one?  anyway, ok...  i'll just mention the earlier Reference Number (13UG0100031) in the new ticket...  thanks...


Maria Cynthia
5:04pm

i just tried logging a ticket again...  "Error sending feedback." again...  is there a limit to the number of characters a ticket could contain?

splurge

at the bank...  teller offering me a tiered gift promo that requires a fresh fund deposit of one million...

me:  'if you have one million, why would you put it in savings?  should be time or some other high-yield instrument...  well, yeah, unless you're going to spend it shortly...'

i'm not gonna spend a million shortly...  \m/

salon-goer not

friend requested me to get her a hot oil voucher...

me:  'i can't find hot oil...  just keratin...'

friend:  'ok...  that will do...'

i buy the voucher...

later she texts me:  'it seems the voucher you got is for facial...  but it's ok...  i'd also like to get a facial...'

me:  'that's facial?!  the description of the deal is for hair...'

friend:  'but it says keratin mask...  so it's for the face...'

me:  'maybe they'll mask the hair?'

friend:  'mask is for the face...'

me:  'you sure?'

friend:  'that's what my cousin says...'

me:  'hmmm...  my friend had keratin treatment and it was for the hair...  do they have that for the face?  as in, they'll remove the frizz from your facial hair?!'

; p

it's about you

sister has a new phone...

me:  'why aren't you taking selfies anymore?'

sister:  'i don't look good in this phone...'

me:  'oh?  that phone's supposed to have a better camera than your previous phone...'

sister:  'but i looked better in my old phone...'

me:  'hmmm...  then just take pictures with your old phone...  better to have good pics with a bad cam than to have a good cam with bad pics...'

fail

friend:  'let's go?  i can guide you, your highness...'

me:  'hahaha...  are you a king, a prince or a jester?'

friend:  'i'm the grand vizier.  har har har.'

me:  'aw, dumb mode...  what's that?  i'll google first...'

oh, dear

showed my mom our granddaughter's agnes ('despicable me') doll...

me:  'guess how much this is...'

mom:  '500 pesos?'

me:  'huh?!  higher...'

mom:  '700?'

me:  'higher...'

mom:  '1,000?'

me:  'higher...'

mom:  'higher?  2,000?!'

me:  'higher...'

mom:  'higher?!'

me:  'yes...'

mom:  '10,000?'

me:  'haha...  no...  lower...'

mom:  '8,000?'

me:  'lower...'

mom:  '7,000?'

me:  'lower...'

mom:  '5,000?'

me:  'lower...'

mom:  '3,000?'

me:  'yes!'

mom:  'that small doll's P3,000?!'

me:  'oh, yes, mom...'

now let's go to my nephew's rubber shoes...  ; )

settled

mom and dad trying to determine on what day this certain date in october falls...

mom:  'friday?'

dad:  'maybe monday...'

mom:  'but such date would fall on a friday...'

dad:  'they usually hold it mondays...'

i stand up and show them a calendar for october...  solved...  ; )

not really

phone call at an unusual time...

me:  'why'd you call?'

caller:  'nothing...  i just missed you...'

me:  'oh?'

caller laughs:  'no...  actually, <blah-blah-blah>...'

aw!  he took it back...  : }

he said, she said

on the phone...

friend:  'we should be early...'

me:  'how early?'

friend:  'around 1...'

me:  '1...  p.m.?'

friend:  '1 p.m...'

me:  'haha...  i thought when you said early 'twould be morning...  turns out it's in the afternoon yet...'

friend:  'they run out quickly!'

me:  'oh...  what time do they run out?'

friend:  '4 to 5 p.m...'

me:  '4 o'clock yet?  so 1 to 4?  is that quick?'

friend:  'isn't it?'

hmmm...  i think our standards are not quite the same...  : }

sucker

my phone rings...  i hear background noise...

me:  'where are you?'

caller:  'outside...'

me:  'where...'

caller cuts me short:  'where am i going?'

me:  'yes...'

caller:  'to your heart...'

aw!  :")