Sim Card for $40

Yup a sim card for $40 (Rogers Mobile)! That’s like Php 1680 and to think that’s Canadian dollars people (Canadian dollars are higher compared to US Dollars). I’m kind of not over the converting-to-peso phase because woah I can’t live like this. Good thing thought that earning here is no problem. Got a job already at Tim Hortons and I like what I see (so far).

I kind of want to go back to the Philippines to go shopping. Just wish our baggage capacity is big enough hehehe. I’m being too ambitious. The truth is all may look good over here but if you don’t work hard and watch your budget then being bankruptcy is not that far.

So where ever you are in the world may it be the first world or the third world, working hard and spending thriftily is the key to a life of success. Hey that reminds me, is there a second world? If there is what are these countries? Because all I’m hearing is first world and third world. Weird.

Hollywood Baby!

I don’t know why but the shows flashing on my TV screen are Hollywood gossip shows! Like why am I watching these crap? Uhm am I like absorbing western culture? The glitz and glamour part of it? Maybe. Anyway I really can’t live a life of a celebrity because the paparazzi will eat me alive!

Like having cameras around you and being famous is very difficult. It’s like being in an arena and you are open to everyone’s criticism and scrutiny. Not a very comfortable idea. Geez… good thing I’m a nobody hehehe. ^_^

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Photo credits to http://www.maggieandannie.com/Web/HollywoodSign2.JPG

Stubborn Father

Ok I know, this is another one of my rantings... well maybe I should change this blog into my rant zone huh? Well if you don't want to hear rantings you may visit my other blog Angel in the Sickroom or you may choose not to read this post any further.

My father is maybe one of the most stubborn people in the world. He doesn't admit that he's wrong and that he blames other people for his short comings. Like the use of the washing machine for example. The washing machines here in Canada are very different from the ones we have at home. You can say that it's sort of hi-techy. In here there are different settings like the choose of either warm, cold, or hot water in washing or rinsing. It's actually quite complicated but if you only read what is written on the knobs then you can work your way around.

But my stubborn father insists on not learning because it's totally different and says that we should be the ones to operate it because he doesn't know how to. Well if you only use your common sense and your eyes instead of your loud mouth cursing and mumbling to yourself I bet one could easily figure its use out. It's not like a total mystery that needs a rocket scientist to figure out.

And there are so many jobs in Canada and he wants to choose a job as a garbage collector. For a person who has a mechanical engineering degree I wonder why he could be so stupid. He reasons that he knows a garbage collector in Canada who has a three story house and three Ford pick-ups. But the thing is that garbage collector may have another source of income like selling the furnitures and other stuff he salvages from the dumps and sell it to the third world countries. Or he could be like my dad who has a wife who has a higher paying job than him and the only one who literally feeds the family and makes it alive.

Yes, my dad is so stubborn that he doesn't want to continue his education to be able to land higher paying job saying that he's not fit for it. Well I kind of agree because he can't even make his own resume for Christ's sake and he always relies on my mom for this. I just wonder how my mom could keep up and tolerate living with a person who does not even contribute to the family but even cause damage to it.

But honestly. I don't expect much from my father because by the way he's going he's not going anywhere (except down) and my mom will have to clean up after his mess like all the time. He's also has a very loud mouth which is also very irritating. As they say it's the loud people who have the less brains and I have to say that it's true.

Nokia beats Sony Ericsson big time!

I had planned a phone with my hard earned money from blogging and the phones that I had in mind were a Nokia N95 and a Nokia N81. Since both Nokia phones were similar in features I opted for the N81 because it was cheaper. But then I found the phone that attracted me the most: the Sony Ericsson W960i! The thing that attracted me most was that it was a touch screen and has handwriting recognition features which was really great. Plus it was part of Sony Ericsson's Walkman Phones which we all know are great. Compared to the N81 it was really superior in all terms especially the 3.2 Megapixels Camera plus it was more stylish than the brick looking N81.

The huge downside which I found was that it couldn't transfer video files to the phone. This may be because of copyright reasons or what but the thing is I found on the net that you could indeed transfer and play videos on the phone if you purchase a Professional Sony Ericsson Media Manager Serial Number. The W960i comes with the Basic Sony Ericsson Media Manager.

What makes me angry is that for a $523 (Php 22,000) phone how come it doesn't include that stupid feature. And I'm not happy with the earphones that come with the phone too. My brother bought the Nokia N81 and he has a better earphones than me and his phone was cheaper. Plus Nokia Nseries phone comes with Phone softwares that does not require any additional purchase to activate the essential features like video transfer and media conversion.

This is why Nokia is trusted by most phone users because of their great innovation and user friendly features. So the next time I'm going to buy a phone, it won't be a Sony Ericsson.

Air Canada Lost My Bags

Yup bad luck for me indeed. Of all the 9 bags that we had checked-in on the airplane only mine got lost and all my clothes are in there. Well not all my clothes but what will I wear now? Will I continue to wear the same set of clothes over and over again? Not to mention that my black leather shoes are in that bag huhuhu...

But at least I can look on the bright side that the airplane company that lost my bag is Air Canada. At least I am assured that they will replace my stuff by paying me in Canadian dollars (sosyal diba? hehehe)! I'm actually not mad at them (yet) but I will be if they don't reimburse me for my lost which I know they will.

Well I don't know how much they will be giving me for my old clothes and shoes but definitely it will be enough to buy me new clothes. Air Canada called yesterday and asked for the brand of the clothes and how many pieces. Well I forgot how many clothes I had because I didn't bother counting them. But I did make sure to let them know that I had W. Brown shoes and Guess jeans. At least they will think that my clothes are expensive hahaha! I was going to say that my laptop was in there but that would already be deceitful and unbelievable. I'm already in Canada so it's time for me to be an honest and law-abiding citizen.

I wonder what would happen if it was Philippine Airlines that lost my bag? Maybe they'll just call promising that they'll do everything to find my bag and never call again...

Oh well, maybe God has a special plan for this and maybe something better would come to me in exchange for the clothes I've lost. You know like a Ying-Yang thing?

UPDATE: Air Canada found my bag at Vancouver and they're sending it to me later. ^_^

My Cute Cousins

I have noticed that my posts were becoming too negative and that this blog has become my official ranting place so I'd better place some nice and happy entries so that this place won't be that gloomy.
The picture above is taken during our stay in Makati at a relatives condominium building in Makati while we were waiting for our flight to Canada. The girl is Emmalyn, and next to her is my brother Ian, and the two guys in the jacuzzi is me and next to me is the naughty Kelly.

We were at first uncomfortable with each other but as the days passed by the ice started to break and we were already happily playing and talking with each other. We enjoyed taking for a swim on the pool upstairs, playing PC games, surfing the net, and of course going to the malls (we have Three to choose from: Greenbelt, Glorietta, SM and all of these are just a walking distance from our place).

I kind of got a hang of it with the life in Makati and I got so close to my cousins already that is why it's hard to say goodbye. But I know that we'll see each other when we come back to the Philippines for our vacation and I am looking forward to that.

Goodbye Philippines!

I don't want to be negative in this blog but some Filipinos really are thoughtless and tactless. Of all the Western culture they could adapt with they decided to adapt the attitude of "I'm better than you you fat pig!". So what if I'm fat? Does that cause the world to crumble?

But don't really care actually. So to my haters out there in the Philippines, I am happy with my life and I know that all doors and opportunities for a better and successful life is just at my grasp in a first world country like Canada.

I am sick of the Filipino crab mentality and how people act and live here in the Philippines. I know that people won't give a damn if I wear designer clothes and how I live my life. People here in the Philippines just love sticking their nose to my business and it irritates me. What do you people care about what I do? I don't give a damn how you people live your lives so don't meddle in mine. It's not my problem if you are insecure and I intimidate you.

So people take care of your own lives before meddling with mine ok?

On Airport Security Measures

This was only the second time that I had ever went to the airport to ride a plane to Manila. The first time was (I remember vaguely) when I went to Manila as a toddler to attend the funeral of my beloved grandmother (mother’s side). That time even when I was a toddler, I could still remember that very tight security measures were not that implemented then.

Presently, well it’s a completely different story. I had to remove my shoes, belt, cellphone, coins, etc and I felt like my privacy was invaded. I understand why the coins and metallic objects are needed to be removed (this is so I could pass the metal detector without any beep) but the shoes? My mom did inform me that checking the shoes was also required as some people place drugs, weapons, and other illegal contrabands in their shoes’s sole. Ok case closed, but why do we have to be checked twice? Before entering the airport lobby and before checking in at the departure area? Mind you the Cagayan de Oro airport is very small so the second detector would be just a few steps away. Why the very tight security anyway? But at least they are trying and giving much effort to secure our safety so I quite understand and leaving my comfort zone for our own good is quite acceptable to me…

Genuine Microsoft XP

I was quite happy with my self that I was able to reap the fruits of my labor (Php 15,000 or $357)! And what do I get my self with some of my money? A Genuine Microsoft XP Operating Software for my lappy!

Some people would look at me in wonder for my decision but it makes sense really. If the Custom Officer notices that my laptop has a counterfeit operating software then they have all the right to confiscate my laptop and boy I sure don't want that to happen!

Anyway I wanted to get a Windows Vista Starter Pack which is only Php 2000 or $47 here in the Philippines but everywhere I go they only had a Windows XP so I've decided to buy a Windows XP Home for Php 4000 or $95. Windows XP may not have the beautiful designs of Vista but at least my lappy will run faster... I should have bought a Vista when I had the chance or I should have waited until we went back to Makati but maybe God has a plan with this all (oh man my defense mechanism: rationalizing!).

Anyway I'm happy with my Windows XP Home and my laptop is running quite fast really. I just wished that Microsoft didn't have to make this ugly sticker to certify that my laptop is installed with a Genuine Microsoft Software:

CD-R King Big Let Down

I had always loved CD-R King because they are the only store who sells CD-R/RW, DVD-R/RW/+R/+RW and such for very low prices! They are actually a very popular techno-gadget store since they sell products here in the Philippines for super low prices. The gadgets like keyboards, flash disks, mouse, speakers, bags, etc are priced so low that CD-R King is being imitated by stores like CD-R Queen.

Anyway I have been a very happy patron of CD-R King until I bought a mini-speaker from them for my laptop. You see my Acer Aspire 4310 speaker is not that loud so I decided to buy a CD-R King branded mini-speaker because it only cost Php 350 or $8. But like cheap products there are down sides... and the downside of my purchase was that the mini-speaker had a bad sound and only one speaker plays. I was going to return the merchandise because it was still under the 1 week warranty period when I read the clause that the package must be returned with the box and everything but unfortunately I burned the damn box already.

I really am pissed of because I just threw away my money for some useless piece of junk! Next time I buy anything I am going to make sure to check the following:

• the product is working with no defects (I was going to do this but I was in a hurry then)
• make sure that the product is branded (Branded products come with better warranty and support)
• Never throw away the box and receipt until the warranty expires.