perception

last week, my mom brought home tops given by a friend of hers for my aunt and me.  she was saying she thinks i would get the blue, blue being my favorite color.

i was like, 'huh?!  that's green, mom!'

she said one is blue; the other, black.

eh?!  i was seeing the supposed blue as green and the supposed black as purple.

we were going back and forth and we could not agree.

what do you know...  six days later this photo of a dress went viral.  there are those who were seeing it as blue and black while others were seeing it as white and gold.

my dad, my mom and my sister all see it as blue and black.  me, i see it as gold and white.  odd man out, at least in the fam...  :"}

i read in the new york times that with more than 28 million views, "White and gold was winning handily."

the thing is, the dress is supposed to be really blue and black!

uhm...  just because you're in the majority does not mean you are right...  : }

it's not about you

mom asking something about a picture uploaded in facebook...

me:  'when you tag a photo in facebook...'

mom cuts me off:  'i don't tag photos in facebook...'

me:  'wait, mom...  when you upload a photo in facebook...'

mom again interrupts:  'i don't upload photos in facebook...'

me:  'mom!!!  let me finish!  i'm not talking about 'you' you...  i'm using 'you' in general...'

: }

just be there

cousin sent SOS on something she's doing on her computer...

so i was at her house and she was trying to show me what has been going wrong...  guess what, the error won't appear...

cousin:  'what happened?!  i kept on repeating that earlier and the error kept on recurring...  now that you're here, it won't occur...  remember last time?  when i called you, the error also suddenly disappeared...'

me:  'oh, just like with my mom...  she calls me; i just go there, no reboot, no nothing, and the errors are gone...  they're scared of me, hehe...'

sometimes the mere presence of someone is enough to make things right...  ;")  <3 <3

bread to stone

i was at a mall when my phone rang...

caller:  '<inaudible>'

me:  'what?  <place>?  wait...'

i walked over to someplace a little less noisy...

me:  'what were you asking?'

caller:  'the one you said is correct...'

me:  '<place>?'

caller:  'yes... what do you want here?'

me:  'what do i want at <place>?'

caller:  'yes...  which of their cakes do you want?'

me:  'hmmm...  i don't remember so that means i didn't find it that yummy...'

caller:  'ok...  that's enough...'

me:  'huh?!  are you at <place 2>?'

caller:  'no...  i'm at <place>...  i passed by...  now i just walked out...'

me:  'you're not buying me cake anymore?'

caller:  'no more...  you said you didn't find it yummy...'

waaaahhhh!!!  a cake is yummy even if it's not that yummy...  \m/

He sees

friend and i scheduled to go out within the lenten season...

friend:  'no camera...  40 days fasting supposedly...'

me:  'huh?!  you're supposed to sacrifice for real and not just in appearances, duh!'

you're doing it for Him and not for anyone else...  \m/

priorities

my credit card company has a rewards program for purchases...  you charge a certain amount, you get something...  i was following up a reward i was supposed to have received two weeks ago yet...

phone banker:  'i was able to retrieve your request, ma'am...  it says here high priority...'

me:  'huh?!  that's high priority?!  why is that high priority that's just a reward?'

1.  there are a lot more urgent concerns than that

2.  if it's high priority how come it's two weeks late?

: }

a sieve for directions

' have to be at a cousin's place at 11:30 a.m...

me:  'how long does it take from here to there?'

cousin:  'it takes us about twenty to thirty minutes...'

me:  'oh?  that quick?!  ah...  but that's the opposite direction, 'no?'

cousin:  'no...  even from there to here...'

me:  'really?  i was thinking it takes much longer...'

cousin:  'traffic's light on sundays...'

me:  'ah...  so if i leave at 10:30 that's sufficient allowance already...'

cousin:  'that's more than enough...  that would factor in getting lost already...'

me:  'oh...  i get lost a lot...  i should leave at 8 then...'

toinks!!!  ;")

hair and body

i gave my mom argan oil soap several days back...

me:  'have you used the soap, mom?'

mom:  'yes...  you said it prevents falling hair...'

me:  'huh?!  that's soap not shampoo!'

mom:  'yes...  but it's oil...  so i used it for the hair as well...'

me:  'don't you use shampoo?'

mom:  'i do...'

me:  'then why'd you use it for your hair?'

mom:  'you said it prevents falling hair...'

me:  'it's the hua mulan comb i gave you that's supposed to minimize hair fall, mom...  it's anti-static...'

merry mix-up...  ; )

what big cake you have...

i order stuff online...  one of the drawbacks is that my purchase is based solely on pictures...  i get to see the item only upon delivery to me or, if i send it directly to the province, i don't get to see it at all...

whenever i can therefore, i try to check out the same item in a brick-and-mortar store before ordering...

now there's this baking spatula that i liked...  there are different sizes ranging from 6" to 14"...  i ordered the 14" (i want the best, hahaha)...

then i was at this department store and i wanted to check how it actually looks (uhm, i didn't have time to check before placing the order).  they didn't have the same item though so i just asked the salesladies whether spatula measurements refer just to the blade or to the whole thing.  i said i had ordered a 14-inch baking spatula online.

the salesladies were not sure but were inclined to think it refers to the whole thing.

me:  'if that is the case, how do i know the length of the blade and the length of the handle?'

saleslady:  'but 14 inches is too long if it's just the blade, ma'am...  that's longer than a ruler!'

me:  'yeah, i know.  but is there a standard length for handles?  so, for example, if you tell me one is 14 inches, another 6, all i have to do is deduct the size of the handle to know the size of the blade?'

no definite answer.

it's ok.  thanks...

finally, my spatula arrived.  ta-daan!  the 14 inches refers just to the blade!  i burst out laughing when i got it...  14-inch blade plus 5-inch handle equals 19 inches!  wow!

sword fight anyone?  ;")

either-or

lunch out...  if you spend a certain amount, you're entitled to pick an ang pao (it's chinese new year) which gives you a chance to win certain dishes...

my mom picked  ->  "Thank you."  <-  no prize.

mom:  'i have no luck in these things...  i don't win...'

me to mom:  'it's ok, mom...  you're lucky in love...'

then i turn to the waitress:  'miss, may i try?'

waitress:  'oh, you're allowed to pick just once, ma'am...'

me:  'no...  i'm not going to claim a prize if i win...  i just wanna know what i'll get had i been the one who chose...'

the waitress lets me...

ta-daaan!  i 'won' a katsu sando!  : D

mom again went:  'i really have no luck in such things!'

me:  'mom, you're lucky in love...  'lucky at cards, unlucky in love'...  look at me, i won...'

nyahaha...  toinks!!!  ; }

nothing more

sister and i exchanging stickers in viber...

me:  'why'd you 'LOL' my 'amazing' to your 'howdy?'?'

sister:  'i've sent you the other stickers so i just settled for that...'

; )

not worth it

sending my friend copies of her files stored in my drive (bland, general files)...

me:  'i'm going to send you a cheapie flash drive...  if it gets lost or anything, don't waste your time thinking about it...  but then don't lose it just because it's cheap...  but if it gets lost, it's ok...'

don't sweat the small stuff...  \m/

tail of an elephant, head of a mouse

at a restaurant...  manager offering us a big order...

me:  'thanks, that's enough...  we'll still have ice cream after...  we'll try <ice cream 1>...  do you know if that is good?'

manager:  'it's very good, ma'am...  it's the best ice cream!'

me:  'wow, best!  so it's that good, huh?'

manager:  'have you tried <ice cream 2>, ma'am?'

me:  'yes...'

manager:  'it's even better than that!'

me:  'huh?!  <ice cream 2> is not even in my list of best ice creams at all so that's not really saying much... <ice cream 3>, that one, it's among the best ice creams for me...  <ice cream 4>, <ice cream 5>, i like trying them out...'

manager:  'ah...  maybe you're referring to the best of the best ice creams, ma'am...  <ice cream 1> is just best among the other ice creams...'

ooops...  hehe...  ; )

nothing special

at a restaurant...

me:  'we have a reservation...  under <my name>...'

staff:  'oh...  the one who doesn't want a cozy nook!'

me:  'haha...  yup...  it's post-valentine...  you might put us in a romantic corner...  we're just friends...'

\m/

how romantic

i wake up and first message i read is about lithium batteries, etc. with no mention of valentine whatsoever.

guy's 'explanation'?  he doesn't even think about valentine's day.  he says the regular times that you spend together, 'that's what it's about, not 1 day a year ;-)'

oh...  ok...

good thing he's not my man though...  ; p

HAPPY valentine's day everyone...  spread the love...  <3 <3 <3

selling point

cousin giving me sweets...

cousin:  'try this...  peanut brittle from baguio...  it's covered in sesame seeds!'

me:  'thanks but i don't like sesame...'

cousin:  'it's more of peanut brittle...'

me:  'haha...  you're really good at sales...  you were able to divert right away from what i don't like...  emphasis was sesame suddenly it's peanut brittle...'

whatever you want, eh...  ; )

live up to your name

my mom has been trying to call loyola plans for several weeks now.  she's been following up something and was told in e-mail she'd be given feedback by first or second week of january.  it is now second week of february and still no feedback.

the number she has is 8405644, the number of the Senior Manager for Plan Benefit Administration & Customer Service.

okay.  i searched the web and was able to get the trunkline for Loyola Plans Consolidated, Inc., 8170000.

someone answered.  she said the manager my mom has been trying to call is right there but she's in a meeting so she cannot go to the phone.

no problem.  i asked for the manager's other number as my mom has been having a hard time getting through the number she has.

i was told there's just 8405644.

i asked for some other number in the same building.

i was given trunklines 8170000 and 8926076.

i said it's actually a trunkline i used for the current call.  i asked whether i could have some other number in the same floor.

again, i was told the manager's number is 8405644.

we were going back and forth with me repeatedly asking for some other number nearby not necessarily the manager's and she repeatedly replying with 8405644.  finally she passed the phone to someone else.

i apprised the next lady of what has transpired so far.  i told her my mom has been trying to call the manager but has been unable to get through so i was asking for some other number nearby not necessarily the manager's.

again, the reply was 8405644.

me:  'i was asking for 'some other number,'  a different number on the same floor...'

the reply?

8405644.

me:  'different!  how do we define different?  not the same...  different digits...  different figures...'

again she gives me 8405644.

me:  'are you saying in that whole floor you have only one number?'

staff:  'no.'

me:  'then please give me another number...  not necessarily the manager's because it is very hard to get through that number.'

staff again gives me 8405644 then hangs up.

oh...  Benefit Administration & Customer Service, you say?

amiss...  : }

unavailable

me:  'is your great wall of chocolate good?'

crew:  'oh, we don't have great wall now, ma'am...'

me:  'aw...  that's what i like...'

crew:  'try our other dishes, ma'am...'

me:  'yes...  but, of course, it would be nicer if there's great wall...'

crew:  'there was a problem with the commissary, ma'am...  we haven't had delivery of great wall for two weeks now...'

me:  'two years?!'

crew:  'two weeks, ma'am...  two weeks...'

me:  'oh, sorry...  i thought i heard two years...'

it shouldn't be on the menu if it's been that long...  : }

remembering and forgetting

ran an errand for a friend...

friend:  'did you pay again?'

me:  'of course!  how do i get it if i don't pay?'

friend:  'so how much do i owe you now?'

me:  'ugh!  i told you to be the one to keep track!'

friend:  'you have to remind me to pay you...'

me:  'you know i don't like asking for payment!'

friend:  'but i'm forgetful...  i forget about these things...'

me:  'yeah, right!  the P10 (yup, ten pesos!  wahahahaha...) i owe you you deducted from your payment right away...  the ones i've been shelling out for you, since november yet, so many times already, you keep on forgetting to pay...'

selective memory...  : }

repeat

on the phone with a friend...

me:  '<blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah>...'

then i noticed there was no reaction...  ooops, the line was cut...

i rang...

friend:  'we got disconnected...'

me:  'yeah...  up to what part did you hear?'

friend:  'how many points...'

me:  'nyeh!  that's right up the start!  i've said so much already!'

ugh!  from the top...  : }

non sequitur

i saw a teeny piece of wood and threw it in the trash several meters away...  it went in!  : D

i think i have a future in basketball...  ; )

rewards

called this merchant to clarify some things regarding shipping... and then i mentioned this certain e-mail i sent them a while back...

customer service representative: 'do you have a ticket ID, ma'am?  or can you give me the order number?'

me: 'oh... i can't access my e-mail right now... can you retrieve using e-mail address as key?'

CSR: 'i'll try, ma'am...'

i give her my e-mail address...

CSR: 'i was able to retrieve your record, ma'am... but there are so many! you have so many orders, ma'am!'

me: 'see... that's how loyal a customer i am... don't you have a loyalty program? a rewards program?'

CSR: 'i'll suggest that in our meeting, ma'am... gift card, ma'am?'

me: 'wow, sure! but i actually prefer free shipping... whenever there's free shipping i get so happy already...'

CSR: 'oh, free shipping, ma'am? ok... that's what i'll suggest...'

me: 'and gift card, too...  maybe you could suggest both... others might prefer the gift card... me, i want free shipping...'

CSR: 'okay, ma'am...'

if this company starts offering free shipping and/or giving away gift cards, you can trace it back to me...

you are welcome... : )

threshold

cousin sent her maid to hand me payment for something she charged on my credit card...

and then when we saw each other, she went:  'did you receive it?  let's settle later...'

me:  'oh...  you have change?'

cousin:  'no...  i still owe you...'

me:  'how much?'

cousin:  'around P50?'

me:  'oh, just P50?  never mind...  consider it my treat for you...'

cousin:  'i'll check...  it could be more...'

me:  'more?  if it's P51 then you'll already have to pay...'

; p

perfect timing

may of last year, i got something for someone.  we rarely see each other but i thought she would find it useful so i requested one for her.

then last month we saw each other.  i told her i have something for her but it's been so long i'm not sure anymore where i put it.

then this morning, i was looking for my rewards card but found instead what i was supposed to give to her.  oh...  i told myself i have to see her.

guess what, i was at the supermarket and, ta-daaannn!!!  we bumped into each other!  whoa!

i told her i just found what i was telling her i was gonna give her.

she told me she needed one actually.

she went home with me and there i handed her the item.

"you will find it when you need it."

\m/

two rights

dinner...  supposedly just my sister and i as our parents were still full...  i led the prayers...

and then my dad decided he'll eat a bit...  my mom as well...

mom starts to pray...

sister:  'haven't we prayed?'

dad:  'yes...  we've prayed...'

mom:  'were we included there?'

dad:  'yes...  i was standing there...'

me:  'we've prayed!'

mom:  'is it wrong to do it again?'

ooops...  ok...  \m/

cheapest

carrying my laptop, my external drive, my cellphone and my mouse in my arms...  my mouse fell!

i was so happy...  ;")