PHONE-tics

Back when I was in 1st year high school, cell phones were not a necessity. Yes! that’s how old I am. Our parents have cell phones . They use it for work. Texting was for free at that time. E-load was never heard of back then.

In our class, the only person with a cell phone is Melcy. It was a green Nokia 6520? I am not so sure of the model but it looks like a distant cousin of Nokia 5110. It has an antenna. The only games in that phone were Rotation and Snake.

During lunchtime, 45 people would flock over Melcy to borrow her phone for games. That’s how popular you are if you have a cell phone back then.

To give a cell phone to a 13-year-old back then was to like give an iPad to a 5-year-old these days.

After a year or so, cell phones have become popular. A lot of rich classmates have one. Most especially those whose parents are from abroad.

Since my parents are not rich nor from abroad, I got my first cell phone when I was 15 years old. I was in 3rd year high school at that time. My first phone was a Nokia 3310. It was one of the “newest phones” back then. It costs at about 10,000 pesos. I still remember my mom asking me more than 10 times if I’m sure about the phone that I wanted to buy. I have to make up my mind because she is not going to buy me another phone until that 3310 is broken or lost maybe.

My next phone is a Nokia 8210. My 3310 did not give up just yet. it was still alive and kicking but I wanted a smaller phone. I was in College at that time. My 3310 is too big for my jean’s pocket. Back when I was in college, I did not carry a bag. Yellow pads, notebooks, ball pointed pens, money, perfume, powder and the like all goes to my jean’s pocket. Ask me to do that again now and I tell you, I don’t know how. I doubt if I all that jean-pocket-stuffing business now, even if I want to.

My next phone is a Nokia 3220. This was in my late college days. Camera phones have been around. I don’t consider camera’s in cell phones as important. I mean I can live with my 8210 and my 3310 combined. I was a heavy-texter at that time. I had two batteries for my 8210. The first photo that I took in this first ever camera phone is that of Baby Sabrina, fresh out of the hospital. She was such a weenie baby then. Now she’s a beautiful baby girl who will be in her Grade 1 come June 2011.

My next phone is a Motorola 220. It was a low-end music phone. It does not have a camera but it has a radio. I love listening to NU107 at that time. The radio kept me entertained. Its color is pink and its a flip phone. I remember flipping it open for hours just to pass the time.

After my bad experience with Motorola’s battery draining issues, I switched back to Nokia. My next phone is a red e63. This phone is my most expensive phone so far. It has everything that I needed at that time. But after two baths at the beautiful beaches of the Philippines, namely Isla de gigantes and Siquijor, the phone eventually died.  I am not in any way reckless, but things just happen.

The first drowning incident of my phone was when our boatmen were too lazy to come near the island so we jumped off the boat. The water was like waist level, I had my bag when I jumped off. That was stupid of me.  But my e63 did not die just yet.

After 5 months, we went to Siquijor and I slipped at the pool. It was an accident. No harm happened to me but for my camera and my phone, it was another story.

It sucks because the technician that I went to for help said the phone was beyond repair but when my father had it checked with his technician friend, he said that I was fooled by the technician that I dealt with. Oh well, karma is out to get that freaking technician. He won’t be rich out of that little phone of mine.

Now, my phone is a Cherry Mobile P1. It looks like a calculator. I bought it for 1,000 pesos. It’s in pink. This phone is back to basics. It has everything I need as of the moment. You see, I am not a heavy texter anymore. I’m usually online so I communicate with most people via Skype or via Facebook chat.  Now, i can’t live without my charger, the phone dies after one day regardless as to whether you use it or not.

Back when I had my e63, I’m scared to text while I’m at the jeepney or in “dangerous” public places for snatchers might be around. With my P1, who cares about the snatchers?

As I’ve said, I’m not that much of a cell phone person. I don’t care if I have a phone or not. I mean, I can spend 5 days straight without texting. I have my land-line number anyway.

In as much as it is a necessity to communicate easily, the medium that you use does not really matter.  You can give me a Nokia 5110 now and I’ be glad to use it. Really! As long as it has enough load, as long as it can call, as long as it can receive and send messages, I’d totally happy with it.

Books

Booksale is heaven to me. Today I went to Booksale Gaisano and bought 3 books.

First one is a hardcover of Zappa for 75 pesos.

Next is BFG by Roald Dahl for 50 pesos.

Last but definitely not the least is Stone Diaries for 45 pesos.

Over all I spent 170 for books which I are not only a good read but I certainly would treasure forever.

I may have said this a thousand times before but it does not matter, I love you Booksale!

Attracting Lumix

According to the LOA, like attracts like. I like this. I want this. I will have this.

Soon. Real SOON!

You are going to be MINE!

Open Letter (sa nag-kwa sang bag ko)

PRELUDE:

Melcy: Nugunan ko ya magbakal muni nga phone, basi madula kanugun..
Mera: Wala pa man ko ya kaagi dulaan phone. Kaisa pa lang ko madulaan kwarta gani ya……..

After an hour or so, I lost my bag and everyting inside it….

* I may have lost a wallet, I may have lost a bag, I may have lost a digicam but at least what I said to Melcy is still true… Waay pa gid man ko ya nadulaan cell phone….

DearManong/Manang Makawat,

Tani INDI mo pagkadlawan ang pictures sa digicam (picturess of my family during my parent’s church wedding, picture of Jason and Timi two saturdays ago and Dromo pics at guimbal) Mayu lang ky alert ko magpang upload….
In fairness, at least my idea ka kung sin-o gin kawatan mo…

Tani indi mo pag ihaboy ang bag kag wallet, ipa-deliver lang diri sa blay or gisi-a lang ang mga ID and all…

Basi kung ihaboy mo kag makita sang isa ka concerned citizen kag ibalik sa BOMBO…… Kahuluya to the nth level gid na ya….kawati lng ko indi lng pagpka huy-i…..

Ang VS ko da, damu pa unod halin to kay Shiela. Magpuli di siya sa December gaan ya man ko na guro liwat perfume ah….Isa pa, indi man amu na favorite scent ko….

Ang bag ko, wala pa na guba, ihatag sa nobya/asawa/nanay/lola/utod mo….. (para matultulan ta ka!)

Ang wallet ko gamita, swerte na…basi ma transfer ang swerte sa imu….

Dont worry, wala ta ka gin pa-police, pero my karma police man ah…..

Ang coins nga ara sa purse, imu lng na, gamita mag-carolling ka, lapit na lang dan Disyembre.

Ang headset ka phone ko tagua lang, basi next time makawatan mo ko, phone naman… completo na dayun.

Ang mga ID, gisi-a lng please, INDI paghaboy. I repeat, basi may mkakita kag i-uli sa Bombo….Waay ako nainit sa imu, pero kung ipa-tawag ko sa Bombo, syett ka! Indi na ta dayun friends forever…..

Ang mga resibo kg “t.s” ko da, indi mo na ma-intindihan kay indi mo kilalal si Rhonda Byrnes.

Ang husay da, iya na sang mama ni Agustin, Hala ka!

That’s all for now.

Hope someday we can meet….

Yours Truly,
(refer to the ID)

*Mayu lng ky ara si:

Augustine “Malas subong,swerte dasun”

Arthur “Isipa lng nga imul siya kag kinahanglan ya ang kwrta, te kabulig ka pa sa iya”

Harren “Materials things lang na, no point in crying over spilled milk”

Col-col “Dula man hubog ko sa imu Me ba”

Eden ” zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz”

Facebook Notes by Mera Joy S. Aniolga on Sunday, September 13, 2009 at 11:53am

Maane Kanimu

Dear Maane,

Nag-abot na si Nanay, may kwarta na ako. Maka-upod na ako sa Nogas. Tani upod na lang kita tanan noh?

Akon kwrta 1 thousand GD!

Ambot kung kaigu ini ah, bahala na.Basi bala maglakat ko puli, hinali hasta lang sa Miag-ao akon plite pero bay-i da ah, ara mn si Augustine, updan ya man ko na siguro lakat.hehehe.

Pero promises ko,dal-an ta ka shells. PRAMIS! Ano pa gid gusto mo? Ang lighthouse? Try ko lang kung dala ko ah…

PS:
Sakpa sa pangadi mo nga kaigu kwarta ko.H ehe..Good luck sa Hisaon Party. Sige lang biskan layu kami sa inyo we  are under the same moon, the same time zone, the same country, same region……

Yours Truly,
Junie lee
Pati ah..
Mera =)

Facebook Notes by Mera Joy S. Aniolga on Friday, April 24, 2009 at 11:22pm

15th and 30th

It is pay day..it is my favorite day of the month, 15th but don’t get me wrong I also love 30th.

As a matter of fact,any day as long as I’ll be given money is my favorite day.hahaahah.

It simply shows that I’m so MP (mukhang pera) . Well, given enough money I would probably kill all the people that  I hate, I’ll rip their flesh with my bare hands..hahaha Kidding!

14th and 29th are like my second fave dates. Since they are like the apprehension dates. I mean, during this time I can’t sleep well, I would wake up every now and then and calculate my salary which in return would cause nosebleed since I’m like so poor in math.

But the bleeding and the wait are all worth it, especially when you get to feel the cheque in your hands . Oh sweet lord, heaven!

The good thing about having salary is there is something that I can look forward too. Unlike other employed people, I still get my daily allowance from my father.hhahaah. Good thing he doesn’t know that I’m working or else he’s gonna be mad like hell. But the negative side is that the high cost of living..hahha.

But really, I mean needs are insatiable and if there is something that I want and  I have the cash, I tend to splurge. Did I say human need? I mean wants.hahaah. Havaianas, Crocs, Oversized bag and all are not needs right?

Eating is another crime…I give myself a treat twice a month.

Me and my guy, we plan to eat in all restos here in Iloilo and our plans are going so well, the only problem is that were becoming fat.

He told me once to quit my job so that we’ll have less budget for  food. But no way. There is no way in hell that I’m gonna quit, I may be bored  to death here in my terminal but I still have the best job in town. Well, being a rock star and  a porn star I must admit are the best jobs but I don’t fit in that mold, so for me,my job is the best.

Working 3 hours a day?hahaahah.

Gosh I hope my boss doesnt read this or else I’l be a dead meat. hahaaha.

On the other hand, I would probably be thinner if he fires me.

So now, it is like a few hours before my shift ends, I will probably be the first one to dash out of the office, hail a taxi and head straight into the bank…

Hello, Shopping………….

Repost from Friendster Blog: September 14th, 2007 by merajoy

Artsy Banksy

Oh God!I love Banksy. I think he is some kind of a god..I am currently obsessed with his work.The anarchist rat, ah, Genius!

What I adore the most about him is his anonymity. I mean everyone these days would want to be famous and all. But Banksy maintained his identity hidden probably afraid of the papparazis or the police…haha.

Oh well, whatever floats your artistic boat, Banksy!

If I had enough money, I’d probably acquire all his works…

Now the question, Banksy or Warhol?

A lot of forums over the Internet has been debating over the two renowned artists. Personally, I like both.

Who  cares about that anyway? Banksy is Banksy and Warhol is Warhol. I like them both and that’s it.

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Well, I can not decide, but then again as what I’ve said, Banksy’s a god and so is Andy Warhol.

Repost from Friendster Blogs. September 13th, 2007 by merajoy

Forgiving Briony Tallis

Last year, I read about 52 books. I had a review on each and every one of these books. Some  of the reviews I wrote via this Facebook thingie whose links I lost and forgot, some of the reviews I discussed over a cup of coffee with fellow bookworms, some of the reviews, stuck in my head for good as I was too lazy to type it.

This year, things would be different. I solemnly pledge to be a better “netizen” and to battle boredom using the only method I know, (other than further reading and eating of course!) that would be writing.

Atonement is my first read on the first week of the year. I bought it at Booksale. It costs 160 Php and while a book of this price is way out of my budget, I decided to buy it because at 160, it is such a good deal. (I’m a cheap skate, I buy books that cost 50 Php or less, that’s my rule.) It took me 8 days to finish this book as there are other things that I do aside from reading.

Now for my two cents worth:

The book is divided into 3 parts. One was the introduction of characters which I thought was a bit dragging. I know, Ian McEwan was trying to establish the characters, the plot and what-nots at this part of the book but I thought it was a bit too long and I was bored. In the 8 days that I read the book, I spent 5 days on this part alone. I was probably too anxious for Briony to commit her crime and that did not happen until the last part of Part 1. My eagerness probably explains why I find this part dragging.

Part 2 was gripping. Robbie’s struggle in prison and in the war made me sympathize with him even more. The reunion of Cecilia and Robbie was poignant, more of a bittersweet get-together. It was a happy reunion but a sad farewell. The war was depressing and cruel, the march to the Channel was brutal and almost endless.

This part shows the genius of Robbie. The fact that Mace and Nettle could not speak French or read the compass made Robbie’s superior intellect stand out. Reading this made me hate Briony even more as her crime continues to plague Robbie. He could not get a better rank because he used to be in prison. I also imagine the possibilities that lay before Robbie had Briony not ruin his future. The medical school would have made Robbie a good doctor.

Part 3 of the book was where Briony realized that she made a mistake. That it was not Robbie (Briony’s suspect) or Danny Hardman’s son (Cecilia and Robbie’s suspect) who abused Lola but rather it was the chocolate guy, Marshalls. The wedding of Lola and Paul Marshalls was a eureka moment for Briony as it made her realize how wrong she was at her accusation. Her cousin married her rapist.

This also prompted her to confront her sister. The confrontation was intense as Robbie was there with Cecilia and  Briony was unaware and unprepared to meet him though she managed to make amends for her mistakes by agreeing with the couple that she will set up an appointment with the solicitor, tell the truth to her parents and write a detailed letter to Robbie about it.

This is where the narrative of Briony Tallis ended.

Part 4 was more like a confession. She was about to lose her memory due to some sort of dementia. 77-year-old Briony Tallis sees Lord and Lady Marshalls. She narrates about their struggle over protecting their names. After the encounter at the Museum of War, she headed home and waited to be picked up for her family had planned a birthday party for her at their old house which was converted into a hotel. Leon was there, Perrot was there. But the lovers, Cecilia and Robbie weren’t.

It was then that Briony Tallis revealed that in reality, the lovers were never reunited. That Robbie died while waiting for is evacuation and that his Cee died drowning because of the Blitz.

This book made my cry. Not that it’s unusual for me to cry while reading books. But the tears was due to the anger that I felt for Briony Tallis. I also cried for the lovers as their love was true but time made it impossible for them to be together.

On the first part of the book, I did not really care about her and her crime. I’m so used to the rich falls in love with poor, poor goes to jail because rich’s parents do not want the poor for their child. This is very common, most especially in Filipino movies.  The only twist is that Jack and Emily did not send Robbie to jail, Briony did.

If the reader steps back and sees the whole picture of  Briony’s crime against Robbie, it will make the reader want to kill Briony.

All through out the novel, Briony’s  accusation haunted Robbie. He lost his chance to be a doctor, he was separated from the two women that he loved the most: Grace, his mother and Cee, his true love.

I admire Robbie’s determination to come back and resume his life after prison, to come back to England where Cee is waiting for him. “I’ll wait for you, come back”, the very words of Cecilia pushed him to move forward and survive.

I am not being one-sided as I recognize Briony’s efforts to atone her mistakes. She turned out to be England’s Martha Cecilia, the prolific writer of love stories. I assume she was thinking of Robbie and Cecilia in every characters of every story that she wrote. She was tormented but it served her well.

As a child, I forgive her for being stubborn but as an adult, but I can not forgive her for being a coward. I can tell that she was tormented but she deserved it.  Never having the guts to apologize to Robbie or Cecilia, by my standards is another crime under her name.

She may have made up for her sins by reuniting them in her novel, No Time for Love or as in the novel Atonement, Two Figures in the Fountain. It was Robbie and Cecilia that she was reuniting in each and every novel that she wrote.

Machiavelli said, “the end justifies the means” but in Briony’s case, her end can not and will never be able to justify her crime.

To quote Cecilia in the 3rd Part of the Book, “Don’t worry, I will never forgive you”.

Of Belongingness and Beyond….

To be out-of-place in the midst of people you know for years is a strange feeling.  Considering the fact that I am a very talkative, the feeling of being “out-of-place” is foreign to me. But they were gambling last night and  don’t know a thing about gambling.

“I gamble with life and not with my money”

I have been living with this adage for quite a while. This works for me as I’m a cheap skate. I don’t want to spend my money over  things which I can’t use, eat or wear.

Last night, we went at George’s house, it was his granny’s wake. Wake in the Philippines is synonymous to gambling, most especially at night. The main reason why I went there was to catch up with my old friends and the free food of course. I would be a hypocrite to say I went there for the old lady, I didn’t even know her personally. Her grandson was a classmate, a schoolmate and a friend, we’re related because of George.

My boyfriend of 5 years is a quiet type of guy. Yes we’re opposites. He is not the type to open up easily. He knows my friends by name and by stories that I tell him but he is still as shy as the first time he met them the moment there are get-together, parties and reunions. I make it a point to be with him so as not to make him feel out-of-place.

It’s not as if my friends were snobs, it’s just that my boyfriend is a shy type of guy. If he were an animal he’d be a turtle.

Anyway, a friend from college texted me while I was at the wake, she wants to borrow extra cash and she was waiting for me outside. I told my boyfriend that I need to meet up with her outside. In my mind, I was expecting him to say, “Okay, I’ll come with you.”. Imagine my surprise when he didn’t even bother to stand or look up from his cards. He just said, “Yes, be back soon.”.

My boyfriend may be shy, but he is a natural-born gambler. Gambling for him is like alcohol, it makes him loosen up.

I was glad that finally he was comfortable with me leaving him alone with my friends. After getting back from the errand, I spent the rest of the night watching them play, feeling out-of-place as I don’t know a thing. I suggested we play “amo-amo” (amo is the local term for monkey) but the game was too childish for them.

So there I was feeling out-of-place in between long time friends and long term boyfriend. Ironic, strange and weird. I wonder if this is how George’s grandma feels seeing people she does not even know in her wake. But she’s dead as a doornail and if there is no life after death, I guess it would just have to be me and my “feeling out of place” in the midst of friends and strangers who are dealing and outsmarting each other all in the name of money.

Its time everyone flies

I normally don’t go out on weekdays. By not going out I mean staying at home for 5 straight days. I work at home so going out is more like a luxury that I can not afford to make every single day.

But today is different. I went out as I have a very important thing to do.

I WILL PAY FOR MY ONLINE BOOKING at BDO.

Since I work at home, I do not have an ITR. Therefore, I can not in any way apply for a credit card. This sucks as on-line bookings are paid via credit cards. It is a good thing Cebu Pacific upgraded their payment methods. They now have this “Payment Center” option where one can book on-line and pay on or before the allotted time at the payment centers.

For 2 days, Cebu Pacific had a seat sale. I tried booking on the first day but the system says payments must be settled on or before 12:59 pm. This is impossible as I booked at 8pm and there are no payment centers that are operating for 24 hours. I tried to book again on the next day because I thought I can fool their system. I booked on the last day thinking I can pay on the following day. The total amount that I need to pay on or before 12:59 PM is just 351Php for a good for two round-trip to Cebu.

I’ve been to Cebu but this time I want to go to Bohol. I booked on October 8th to 11th as I thought this would be a perfect time to have a vacation in Bohol. I headed out the next day at the nearest BDO branch. It was a good thing that my friend’s girlfriend is the assigned teller at BDO’s payment area. I gave here the 14 digit confirmation number as well as the 6 digit transaction number. I was opening my wallet ready to take out 351 Php. At this point, we were talking about a common friend who died two weeks ago. In the middle of our sad stories and eulogies, she said that my booking is already closed.

CLOSED. CANCELLED. NO CAN DO. NO BOHOL. NO 351.

I’m a bit sad and disappointed as it would really be a huge savings on my part. For a cheap skate like me, a cheap plane ride is like winning an Olympic medal for haggling. This left me with two options for the next time: pay early or use other people’s credit card.

I actually have another option but I’m not open to it. I can always work at a regular job that mandates you to pay for contributions such as Pag-ibig, SSS, Philheath and TIN. If I pay TIN, I will have a copy of my Income Tax Return which will eventually qualify me to have a credit card.

But no! I can never give up on one of the most amazing jobs in the world. Nothing can beat the fact that I work in my pajamas. I can travel while working or as long as the place that I go to have an Internet connection.

If I work on a regular 9-5 job, my salary will be a regular salary and my ultimate goal of having a credit card which is to travel will be defeated as time and money won’t allow me to do these thing with a regular job.