Photot Hunt 9: Childhood

I am kind of frustrated because I wasn't able to do my intended sharing for this week's photo hunt theme. It would really take so much time that's why I postponed it. I have to go over all our childhood pictures and have to scan and maybe photoshop them. I just didn't have the time. It will come in another post. Another option I wanted to post was my husband's pre-school graduation picture. Haha. But he sure didn't want it to be posted here for all the visitors to see. So anyway, here's my take on my "childhood" photohunt.

These are two of the oldest books I was able to keep. Part of my childhood, late childhood I would say. I had them since I was thirteen. Juvenile books if there's such a thing. Girls in my age bracket then go for Sweet Valley High, Sweet Dreams and the college kids go for Mills and Boon. I choose my books randomly and I have a variety of interests from Catcher in the Rye to Roald Dahl books but these two books were my favorites back then. Well, just because.




You know the story, high school girls whose friendship disintegrated because of one overachieving girl who wants all the attention all to herself. I like their names, Jennie, Hillary and Emily, known as the Awesome Threesome. Junior high's take on popularity, jealousy, forgiveness. There's one character here I love so much, Paul "Classified", smart and good looking, the guy with the silent presence, you're just aware when he's around. Haha. So high school. What I liked about this book is that it was written diary type. Each characters write their stories on their life book and that's how each chapter unfolds.

The other one, Was it Something I Said, is about Bonnie (what a name) who just have to see the best things in her to earn that confidence in dealing with other people. And what I love about this book, she dumped the popular boy. Haha. Anyway, look at the pages, they're all brown and quite battered. Oh yes, I do put a plastic cover on all my books. :)

How May I Help You?

We just had a Pizza Hut delivery. My daughter loves cheese so much and I love this new product of PH, Cheesy Pops. It's so cute, even their tagline is cute (24 pullable pops) and the commercial with the three yuppies dancing is quite catchy. Anyway, we do food deliveries every so often. I couldn't help but chuckle whenever I hear customer service reps (CSR, the one who takes our orders over the phone) from different food chains say their script.

KFC: (usually in monotone) Thank you for calling KFC Delivery. This is blabla speaking. Phone number please.

Jollibee: (usually takes a while to ring and takes around four rings before any CSR answers): Thank you for calling 87000. This is blahblah speaking. How may I help you?

McDonald's: (Recorded voice on their new product. It used to be like a kilometric voice over. Good thing now they shortened it. Ringing tone follows.) Thank you for calling McDo delivery. This is blabla speaking. Can I have your phone number please?

Pizza Hut: Thank you for calling PH delivery. How may I help you?

I can't understand why they have to ask "how may I help you". Of course it's for delivery. The thing is when I answer "I'd like to have a delivery of (insert product here)", the CSR would answer, "phone number please". They don't even acknowledge what I had just said. Then after encoding my number, they will ask now what I will order when I have just told them what I wanted. Lol. They strictly follow a script. I grin from ear to ear when I hear this. It never fails to amuse me. And never learn. Why don't I just say my number first. :) They should be taught how to go with the flow when talking to a customer. They can do that without deviating the idea of their script. Don't their higher ups call their delivery service and take note of this awkward script?

Though it sounds so impersonal, it's better that after all the greetings, they ask for the phone number. They ask so they can see from their data base if you're an old customer. They don't have to ask you your address but just confirm if the delivery will be on the said address. Then they ask your order. It's faster that way. In spite of the booboo on their script, Pizza Hut has the best customer service representative so far. They compensate it on other things. They have nice speaking voice for one. They ask you first if you want to know more about their promo. They do suggestive selling the right way. And they are sensitive enough not to push their products if they sense you've made up your mind on your orders. They're the most professional among all other delivery services.

While I'm at it, I hope the food chains will take time to be true to their advertisements when it comes to product presentation. A lot of times they are presented so well on their menu boards only to be disappointed when it's handed to you. Like this one for instance. Sometimes it makes me lose my appetite. When I was in the food industry, we always have this reminder to the managers and crews that what should be given to the customers should be "pang-commercial" so that they won't feel shortchanged.


It was like this.
When it was supposed to be like this.

*2nd picture originally from here.

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I'd like to post my Monday Madness on this Tuesday evening. MM On television shows. :)

Currently, what television commercial is your least favorite?
Political advertisements especially those from politicians I wouldn't vote for.

And which commercial is your most favorite?
Oh I love that commercial of Nescafe with the very pretty and sexy girl doing some dancing on a very hot day. Makes me want to have my own cold coffee mix. And I love the reggae theme. Check the youtube video here if you want.

Of the sitcoms that are on during "prime time" how many do you watch on a regular basis? Please share.
I'm afraid there's none that I watch regularly. Only those I tend to catch when there's nothing else I have to do. Will and Grace is one.

Is there a television series that you enjoy watching that is ending this season?
Well I do buy copies of my favorite shows on DVDs so I don't really know if they are ending on television or not.

Is there any type of program you'd like to see more of on television?
Shows like Twilight Zone, X-Files, Twin Peaks maybe. There's Supernatural but sometimes it's too predictable.

Is there any type of program you'd like to see less of on television?
Reality shows that borders on the insane. Haha. Like Bachelor show or something. Less also of those 'tween' shows in Disney Channel and Nickelodeon which don't really promote anything of real value to our tweeners. And then I won't have to do much screening with what my daughter watches if there's less of these or none at all.

Is there a series that is no longer aired that you wish would come back?
Friends, Sex and the City. Seinfeld. I miss these shows.

Do you watch re-runs of anything on television?
Yes, the ones I've mentioned above.

If I may add to these MM questions, if there's one series I'd like to see non-stop, it's Prison Break. :)

Wentworth Miller of Prison Break. But I watch it because the story is exciting. Believe me. (Picture lifted here.)

Ehem, now back to being a wife and mother. :)

Photo Hunt 8: Rare

Before anything, my prayers go to TNChick for her speedy recovery.

Been a little busy but here's my photo hunt for the week. The theme's about something 'rare'. Here's mine. In this day and age of iPod mini, nano and shuffle, vinyl records and cassette tapes are rare finds. I'm sure the kids of today have not seen much of them unless their parents have a collection like me and my husband.

These vinyl records serve as wall decors in one of the restaurants in Manila. They're cute. If you remember the movie Pretty in Pink (you know, Molly Ringwald...), they decorated the walls and the ceiling of their record stores with vinyl records. Well me, growing up, I was already using cassette tapes to record my favorite songs from a portable cassette recorder, where else? :) Oh this paragraph is so full of 'records', lol.



And these tapes are mostly from the late 80s and early 90s. If today everything can be downloaded, during my time, we go to a record store and submit a list of our favorite songs and presto, they will record them. I forgot how much each song. Bad, bad, bad though.



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I am participating at Amy's Scavenger Hunt. I've did this in one of our team buildings but let me see how it will go online. One thing's for sure, it will be fun! I've been wanting to blog regularly and I've been wanting to interact with different bloggers. Time constraints that is so true but I'll make time for my blogging since I get recharged doing this. I'd say this Scavenger Hunt would be one great way to do so. :)

Photo Hunt 7: Steps

I'm quite late in posting my photo hunt for the week. Blame it on Michael Scofield. I watched a few episodes of Prison Break this afternoon to catch up on what I have missed. I'm here now posting my steps photos. :)

These photos were taken during the officers and managers' team building in my previous company held at Clark Air Base. As part of the management committee we visited our team to show support on this activity. We had our own team building a few weeks before theirs but we did not undergo this kind of physical activity. We thought we 'escaped' this grueling run, roll, crawl, climb stuff. But our managers chanted each of our names to try at least one of these. No, I don't want to cross logs which are like five feet above the ground. I don't want to crawl on the grass under barbed wires only a few inches above the head. And I cannot do the monkey bar. Since I'm not that afraid of heights, I chose to climb this 8-story high ladder. There's harness anyway and we have a guide waiting for us on top to help us go over the other side so we can safely go down. Poise was non-existent at this time but it was a great experience for all of us! The team too appreciated the fact that as their leaders we are willing to support them, go with them all the way, no matter what it takes. :)


I promised my daughter to post too her picture taken at the steps of Botanical Garden in Baguio City. This place is also known as Igorot Village. Igorots is the general reference to the six ethno-linguistic groups born on Central Cordillera. This is a nice place to just walk around and take pictures of the plants and village huts. There's also artists from Baguio National Arts Club which offers to make your portrait in a matter of 15 minutes. We tried it as I've mentioned in my other post. My, they can sketch really well that fast.

Tag Along

In less than a year of blogging, this is already my third template. I guess I will be perennially in search of a perfect template. I checked this on IE 6 and it doesn't look good. A little distorted and sometimes the pictures do not load at all especially the header. Sometimes too, the blog only shows half of its content. Anyway, it looks great in Firefox and IE 7. Just let me indulge for a few days or weeks. I just love the way this looks. The pictures I post don't look cramped. It's very neat too. :)

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The daily grind started last week after the long holiday. Hay, I had a hard time adjusting. I wish we always have holidays that long every month...okay, that may be too much. Every two months will do. I got so full both on my personal and professional tasks. Even the weekend was not spared.

Saturday, it was my daughter's appointment with my dentist-best friend. I was supposed to have my adjustment too but I begged off since I have to meet my group mates the following day. Yes, on a Sunday. We have to finish our presentation for our midterm in Leadership scheduled the next day.

I went to meet them around 1 pm. And who's with me but my daughter. Hubby has a very important matter to attend to also. We still have no househelp. :( For me, it's no problem if I 'tag' along my daughter in my activities. In fact, I prefer it that way if it will not be inconvenient for her. She learns too this way. She also gets to meet the people I interact with. It's a good thing because she recalls them when I tell her who I was with that day, what we did, those things.

After my work and school related activities, it was mother and daughter bonding! While waiting for my husband to pick us up, we went around the nearby mall, bought some things for her and me, had snack. Bliss. A working mom like me takes every moment spent with her family really precious however simple the activities are and even if there's no activity at all.

My daughter, I love her to bits! :)

Another bonding time for us is spending special occasions with our relatives. We live a few cities away from each other. We don't see each other often because everyone's preoccupied with work, with families and other matters. My daughter loves it if she's with her cousins. Good thing she was able to spend time with them during my niece's baptism. My brother's daughter Frankie is not here but my Princess sure would be happy to play with her too. My daughter loves babies. :)

It's late. Time to hit the bed. :)

Photo Hunt 6: Hobby

I'm going to share some of my hobbies - computers, point-and-shoot kind of photography, reading and cooking. This first photo is taken at my classmate's office. I have been wanting to use this stock photo. I just find the colors nice. Anwyay, it's at their pantry. We were trying to finish our group presentation last term. As you can see the table is a mess with all the books and hand-outs we were browsing on. But that's not the hobby I am talking about. The laptops actually gives the connection for this week's theme. I love computers, I love tinkering with it - hardware and software. I'm proud to say this is all through self-learning. I ask my IT friends and my husband but mostly, I am brave enough to 'play' with our computers on my own. :) Luckily, they're still all in one piece and functioning well. I have a lot to learn I know but that's what makes it exciting for me. Learning and applying what I've learned successfully.


It's a hobby also to take pictures, that's very obvious. Pictures of just about anything but here are three of my favorite subjects - sunrise, the sea, food (just take a peek at my previous entry). One of my family's favorite activities is going out of town and it's imperative that I take snapshots of the places we go to for my collection. :)



Reading is a hobby since I was a child. Haruki Murakami is one of my all-time favorite authors as a grown-up.


Baking is a hobby and preparing pasta but more than these two, I love preparing seafoods especially shrimps. My specialty is shrimps marinated in orange soda. The preparation is very simple but it tastes really good.



Happy photo hunting everyone! :)

Friday's Feast No. 5

Appetizer
When you were a child, which crayon color was your favorite?
Well, not just one but three - brown, green and red. I love drawing a tree bearing apple fruit.

Soup
On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being highest), how likely would you be to change jobs if it required you to move?
It will depend on hubby actually. If everything solely depends on me, I'll consider the job package which better be awesome, where the relocation will be and if I can bring along my family. If it's somewhere in or near California or Las Vegas, it's a 9 because my parents, brother and sister and immediate cousins are all there.

Salad
Take all the numbers in your birthday and your phone number and add them up, one by one. What’s the total?
I got seventy seven.

Main Course
Have you ever “re-gifted” anything? If so, what was it and who did you pass it on to?
I haven't really re-gifted anything as far as I can remember. Oh well, I'm a collector. Like, this came from this, that came from that person. Something to that effect. But then most of the time I give away some gifts I have outgrown or don't really need as donations or when there are drives in our office and my daughter's school. Is that 're-gifting'?

Dessert
Name something you need from the store.
I want some ripe mangoes right now and make some mango shake.

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While I'm at my Friday's Feast, let me share with you one of the 'small feasts' we had in one of the restaurants in Baguio City, Everything Nice Cake Shop and Cafe.


The place is cozy enough for a quick lunch and snack. The staff are friendly and very attentive. What I like about them is their sense of urgency. I can see from where I was sitting how they manage the cue of orders being taken in and out of the kitchen such that all are served in less than five minutes.


The chicken is swimming in white sauce that is so creamy it goes very well with the deeply fried chicken, ham and cheese. This chicken cordon bleu instantly became our favorite.


Whenever he can, hubby always takes his meal without rice (a substitute will do). Part of his strategic plan in dieting. Right. :) This hungarian sausage with potato salad suited him well. It's very filling.




Now for the dessert, creme brulee for Andi and their 'home made' potato chips capped our lunch. From our experience, Everything Nice Cake Shop and Cafe lived up to its name, from the place to the staff and of course, the food.

Photo Hunt 5: Clean

This week's photo hunt is quite a challenge. Good thing I have checked some of my summer photos last year when we visited one of the provinces up North. These pictures were taken in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur. According to their website the Heritage City of Vigan was awarded the cleanest and greenest city in Ilocandia last January 2007. The city is included in UNESCO's World Heritage list since 1999 thus the name. The sites are chosen for their outstanding universal natural or cultural significance (as taken from this glossary).

Take a peek on some of the pictures:


Roughly four US dollars for anyone caught littering.

Established in the 16th century, Vigan is the best-preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia. Its architecture reflects the coming together of cultural elements from elsewhere in the Philippines, from China and from Europe, resulting in a culture and townscape that have no parallel anywhere in East and South-East Asia. ***Quoted from UNESCO World Heritage Center website.

Friday's Feast No. 4

Appetizer
When you travel, which mode of transportation do you prefer?
I prefer a car or SUV because they're convenient. I can bring with me a lot of things and put them all inside.

Soup
Have you ever met a blogging friend in person?
I have a blogger-classmate in graduate school. I don't know if this will count. I knew him first before I came to know he blogs too. But I haven't met yet a blogger or bloggers in person whom I first met online. The Manila Metrobloggers are supposed to have a "gimmick" later this month. I hope it pushes through this time. I have some bloggers in mind who I also want to meet in person one of these days. :)

Salad
When was the last time you were really, really tired?
I guess more than two weeks ago when I only had a day to rest in a week because I had to attend a seminar on a weekend. I didn't offset it right away the following week.

Main Course
If you could have dinner with any one fictional character from a book or movie, who would it be?
I always want my dinner light so maybe I'd choose someone who I can have a light conversation with like Superman. But only if he will come as Brandon Routh. :)

Dessert
Fill in the blank: One day, I hope to see _______________.
I hope to see my family in the US soon. I hope to see Japan's Cherry Blossoms.

Thursday Thirteen: 13 Things I Appreciate This Week

Thirteen things I appreciate this week.
1. Looking at the pictures from our trip to Baguio last week. As always, it was fun and we had our bonding moments - nothing really spectacular but I cherish moments like these. Going around the city, taking pictures of us, of the scenic views of Baguio. And just staying in our room to have some rest. And rest for real. Like just lie on the bed while watching tv, while munching something, or just having small conversations. I love it!

2. The long holiday which officially starts today, Thursday and ends on April 9, Monday which is the Day of Valor. Anyway, I'm not a Catholic so obviously, I don't observe Holy Week. I take this time to attend to a lot of things which I can't normally squeeze in on ordinary work days. I'd like to start on my digital scrapbook.

3. The sketches of the three of us - my daughter, my hubby and me - done by some of the people from Baguio Arts Guild. They do not ask for an exact fee but just a donation. They're good. :)

4. Knowing the line up of movies on my Leadership class we will have to watch. I've watched most of them before but it would be great to see them again and have some good interaction afterwards especially because my professor knows how to liven up any class discussions.

5. The refresher course I had on Emotional Intelligence last Monday. It gave me some extra boost on dealing with a few people with attitude problems. If I can nurture my relationships better, why not.

6. Being able to blog often this week. I love visiting other blogs and sharing some of my thoughts to the bloggers' posts.

7. Discovering Alex Yoong. :D I'm sure F1 fanatics know him. Well I am not an F1 fanatic but when I got to see Alex Yoong, I told my hubby I like this guy more than Sebastien Loeb of WRC. But then Lightning McQueen is still my guy. :D

8. Preparing one of my feel good foods - champorado (chocolate porridge). My daughter and I love this. And we love it when it's swimming with milk. :)

9. Uploading my "ancient" songs to my laptop for my listening pleasure even if I am at the office. What triggered and prompted me to do this is the tag on seven songs Rachel gave me. Aside from the playlist I've mentioned, I suddenly wanted to listen to the music of my generation, 80s.

10. Waking up later than usual today! I felt so recharged. There was no lazy bone in my body and I was able to multi-task and finish all that I have to do in the morning in a jiffy.

11. The summer rain which we had yesterday and today, it's drizzling outside. They're very welcome.

12. The smiley squeezeball my husband bought not really to function as stress reliever. I don't know what but it now serves as a decoration on top of our computer desk. Looks cute there.

13. Time for myself right this moment while my daughter is playing with her friend inside her room, while my hubby is also having his own quiet moment cleaning the car. :D

This is my first post for Thursday Thirteen and I love it! This is the 14th on my list of what I appreciate this week. :)

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