So, which of the two should I pay? If the guy who answered the call is to be believed, it should be the first one. Then why label the second one (the smaller amount) as TOTAL?
I’ve been paying SCB in full when I use my SCB card. The SCB bill always confuses the SM tellers. It confuses me, too, and that confusion leads to my previous rants.
So last month, the installment amount was Php2650.31, and the total payment due was Php2585.74. Naturally, I paid Php2600 because I thought the amount that I should pay for was the Total Payment Due. Then to my shock, for this month’s bill, I was charged Php70 interest. For what, my brain asked.
So calling the not-so-helpful SCB guy, the amount due for last month was Php2650.31 and not the Total Payment Due (which was Php2585.74). I kept on arguing and I felt my blood pressure rising so I did not bother anymore. Instead, I had my first card cancelled, and will have the other one cancelled as well, once I have completed the installment payments.
Maybe the way the bill is structured is designed to confuse the cardholder and thus earn more from people like me. Let this be a lesson for future Standard Chartered credit cardholders. There are better cards like BPI.
“Hindi ko pinapaalis, I am just requesting advertisers to have it removed,” Abalos told abs-cbnNEWS.com.
He said the advertisers have already committed to removing the ad.
Of course they will commit, it’s an order from God, right?
But the mayor insists that this is not a moral issue.
“Baka sabihin nila nagpapaka-moralista ako. I’m not very conservative,” he said.
He isn’t? What was his reason for “requesting to have the billboards torn down?
Abalos said that the advertisement was inappropriate, especially since it was placed prominently along a busy area. He added that he was specially concerned about children who see the ad.
Let’s repeat what Fr. Abalos has said.
“Baka sabihin nila nagpapaka-moralista ako. I’m not very conservative,” he said.
Yeah, right.
Citizens of Mandaluyong, you have elected a hypocrite for mayor.
PS: Citizens of Valenzuela, look at the kind of mayor that you have elected – a hypocrite.
PPS: The nearby seminary and the Archbishop’s Palace will be pleased.
OK, my newest amusement: this music video from the Korean boyband B1A4. Seriously, the music is catchy, and that dance step when they sing “I love youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.”
I know you want to sing along, so here are the romanized words:
OK That’s right
B1A4
OOH OOH I’m closer baby
Cheotneune piri kkojhyeo neo wa na
Love me love me love me Love me love me baby
Eunmuhi jugobadneun meshiji
Tell me tell me tell me now
Namjadeul chim heullimyeo neoman bwa
Love me love me love me Love me love me baby
Cheongsunhan geullaemeoe puk ppajyeo
Show me show me show me now (show me now)
Neol chaja irijeori hemaesseo
Love me love me love me Love me love me baby
Eodie sumeo itta nawasseo
Tell me tell me tell me now
Wae neoeui balsuriga kkok mabeob cheoreom kkeullilkka
Na jeongshin mot charige eodeijinghan sarama
OK, girl neoegeman yes man
Mweodeunji da haejulge
OK, girl ijebuteo nikkeoya
I love you~
Naneun ne namja (neoneun nae yeoja)
Yeongweonhi nareul modu gajyeo
OK, girl meoributeo balkkaji
I love you~
I need you I’ll never let you go
Saranghandago soksagyeojweo
Neol bomyeon nal bukkeureoweo
I’ll never wanna leave you, Kiss me now
Peo peo peobeulkkeom cheoreom
Sujubeun han sonyeo OK
Ingiga manheun neo sashireun na buranhande you~
Haengbokhan bimyeongin geol!
OK, girl neoegeman yes man
Mweodeunji da haejulge
OK, girl ijebuteo nikkeoya
I love you~ WOW OH WOW OH
Naneun ne namja (neoneun nae yeoja)
Yeongweonhi nareul modu gajyeo
OK, girl meoributeo balkkaji
I love you~ WOW OH WOW OH
OK, girl neoegeman yes man
Mweodeunji da haejulge
OK, girl ijebuteo nikkeoya
I love you~
OK
—
English translation:
At first glance, there was a connection between you and I
Love me love me love me love me love me baby
We secretly exchanged messages
Tell me tell me tell me now
Guys look at you and drooled
Love me love me love me love me love me baby
Caught up in your innocent glamour
Show me show me show me now
Why do I hear your breathing as if it’s a spell
There’s no way to avoid you, you amazing person
O.K girl, I’m all yours, yes man
I’ll do everything for you
O.K girl, from now on, I’m yours
I love you
I’m your man (You’re my woman)
You have all of me forever
From head to toe, I love you
As if caught up in a fantasy
As if having everything
Even time seems to stop
I wanna get yours be mine (so hot)
Cute fox, I can’t resist your sweet temptation
I heard a weep and it’s not cool
I’ll protect you forever
I’m searching everywhere for you
Love me love me love me love me love me baby
Come out from wherever you’re hiding
Tell me tell me tell me now
Why do your footsteps drag on like magic
I can’t get my head straight, you amazing person
O.K girl, I’m all yours, yes man
I’ll do everything for you
O.K girl, from now on, I’m yours
I love you
I’m your man (You’re my woman)
You have all of me forever
From head to toe, I love you
I need you I’ll never let you go
After I whispered ‘I love you’, I feel shy whenever I see you
I’ll never wanna leave you, liss me now
A shy girl like bubble-gum
The popular you makes me unsettled
You! It’s a happy scream
O.K girl, I’m all yours, yes man
I’ll do everything for you
O.K girl, from now on, I’m yours
I love you
I’m your man (You’re my woman)
You have all of me forever
From head to toe, I love you
O.K girl, I’m all yours, yes man
I’ll do everything for you
O.K girl, from now on, I’m yours
I love you
Got teary-eyed while watching this video. I wonder if it was because of his story, or because of his voice.
UPDATE: I first saw this video over YouTube last Wednesday via Facebook. Back then, the video had a view count of more than 300k. Today, June 9, 2011, the view count was almost 2.5m! Wow.
Been thinking of this video. If you liked it, and caused you to shed a tear or so, what do you think is the reason it made you cry or teary-eyed? Was it because of his story? Or his voice? Or both? Yesterday, I was thinking, what if I just heard his voice but never knew of his background. Would the effect still the same? And what if there was no subtitles in the video? What do you think?
Ok, on the “technical” side of things: I saw several videos over YouTube of people singing the same song. I saw the Paul Potts version, the Russel Watson video, another version by another Korean, and someone by a student. The first two being products of the same genre (TV reality talent show), these two versions are of interest. For some reasons, I find the two inferior; their versions lacked depth, as if their voices were too hollow, too weak. Sung Bong Choi is better, frankly.
(I did saw Il Divo’s version – I excluded them because I couldn’t bear it. Their version’s not too good.)
Basically, that’s the first thought that came into mind. Most of the features are evolutionary, and long time Android users will scoff at these, having enjoyed better notifications, Twitter integration, and cloud services for the longest time.
iCloud and iTunes Match are interesting, and their use-case and tight integration are something that Android users will long for. Google will have to tinker some code in Android so that Android users can enjoy such tight integration with cloud services. And Google Music Beta just became antiquated as compared to iCloud and iTunes Match. In this case, their first-to-market beta approach bit them in the ass.
Overall, not enough for me to switch to iOS. Well, Apple has to make their devices CHEAPER before I dive into iOS again. Now, for OS X Lion, it’s a different matter.
(iOS 5 is now available as a preview for developers.)
I must admit the past few days has been emotionally bleak. They reminded me of the Dark Years of my life. The signs are all there – irritable, gets frustrated easily, always gets bored, cannot seem to do what one does easily previously, envious of other’s happiness, feels lost, and an unexplainable feeling of loneliness and emptiness.
My life during the years 1997-1999 were documented in three volumes of journals, erratically written, some entries long, some entries short; there were days where pages are blank. Reading the 1997 volume was draining, because my life back then was, according to myself, like water going down the drain. I was very glad when I got out of that episode, but I guess that era has defined who am I now. I don’t like it, but I was lucky I got out alive. Getting on with it was really an option back then; I would not be writing this now if it happened.
There is another issue that I think makes me dysfunctional – I always get feelings of sadness whenever I see friends being happy/getting into a relationship. I guess it is because I am envious. Upon reflection, I got this notion that I’d grow old alone. The Dark Years, after all, began when I started to lose two of who I considered my best friends – one due to my undoing, the other to love. When things fall apart, and failure in college was imminent, that’s how it began. That my life was tragically unravelling and friends became scarce like the proverbial dodo – that brought me to the dark depths of depression. That was the crux of the Dark Years. I dunno how I got out of it, but I feel that this issue remains unresolved; hence the episodes of loneliness. Hence, the feeling of sadness due to others’ happiness.
At one point, I got this realization that if I accept the fact that I’d die alone, these episodes would never recur. As they say, acceptance is the key. I know that for my mental health I should probably accept it, but some part of me refuses to surrender. I don’t know. I feel that this refusal is not healthy.
Some people tell me that I should not feel this way; that my time will come. But I am tired of waiting and exerting effort that just ends up futile. And let’s face it – there are people who got old alone. Also, it runs with the family – I just saw an aunt died unmarried and alone. It is easy – and tempting – to give up.
Do I believe in fate? I don’t know. Because if fate is true, it can be apathetic, cruel, heartless. It seems wrong that someone is born with his future already set, as if that person’s decisions won’t matter. However, there are times when despite your efforts, everything seems futile. This is where I am now.
It is easy to give up. Being a loser brings some bitterness, but what if that is the truth? What if giving up will end all these negative feelings? What if giving up throws away all this baggage that brings me down?
They’ve been on the JPop scene for years, but I only got to notice them in this year’s Music Station Super Live. What got me is their showmanship. (Though I find it uncanny that they almost have a similar story and sound with WaT – started as street musician, then independent, then signed on by a label, guitars, and a playful PV at a beach.) Yuzu is now one of my favorite JPop duos.
Anyway, let’s sing along!
Natsu iro Yuzu
Chuushajou no [neko] wa [akuni] wo shinagara
kyou mo ichinichi wo sugoshite yuku
nanimo kawaranai odayakana machi nami
minna natsu ga kitatte ukare kibun na noni
kimi wa hitori sae nai kaoshiteru [ne]
sou da kimi ni misetai mono ga arunda
Ookina goshi han no yuu yake kodomo no goru to onajiyou ni
umi mo sora mo kumo mo bokura de saemo somete yuku kara…
Kono nagai nagai kudarizaga wo kimi wo jitensha no ushiro ni nosete
[bureeki] ippai nigiri shimete yukkuri yukkuri kudatteku
Fuurin no oto de [utouto] shinagara
yumemi gokochite [yodare] wo tara shiteru
itsumo to onaji amido goshi no kaze no nioi
kyoujitsu de minna mo [goro goro] shiteru no ni
kimi wa zuibun izogashii kao wo shiteru [ne]
souda itsuka no ano basho e yukou
Manatsu no yoru no nami no oto wa fushigi na
hodo kokoro shizuka ni naru
sukoshi dake subete wasurete nami no oto no naka
tsutsumi komarete yuku
Kono hosoi hosoi iura michi wo nukete
daremo inai ookina yoru no umi mi nagara
senkouhanabi ni futari de yukkuri yuukuri hiwotsukeru
Itsuka kimi no namida ga kobore ochisou ni nattara
nanimo shite agerarenai kedo
sukoshi demo sobani iru yo…
Kono nagai nagai kudarizaga wo kimi wo jitensha no ushiro ni nosete
[bureeki] ippai nigiri shimete yukkuri yukkuri kudatteku
(Presenting…this year’s….trophy girlboy. Photo by Ryan de Leon.)
Yes, that’s my new role this year.
Just a belated post to report on what happened last December 12. Basically we just handed out awards. It was short and quick and I think everyone liked the pace of the program. Adding Gabe Mercado in the mix, well let’s say this year’s prolly the best program ever.
At Twitter, Ade tweeted that he wanted to see this year: for me to go up and down the stage to accept trophies for winners who are not present (basically my role last year). I replied that it won’t happen. And it didn’t.
Because I was on stage the entire time, my role being the trophy boy.
Anyway, I am happy that the awards turned out well. The venue was small, intimate, and classy (and also the venue of the first Philippine Blog Awards, way back 2007). Kudos to the organizers, from its president, to the overall head of production, to the unnamed scriptwriter whose boring script was rescued by Gabe’s wit, to the volunteers, to the production crew, to the official photographers.
Congratulations to the winners!
MAIN AWARDS
Best Blog in Advocacy Category – Web Safety Philippines by Sonnie Santos
Best Blog in Beauty and Fashion Category – The Reluctant Stylista by Alexandra Lapa
Best Blog in Business Category – Ready to be Rich by Fitz Villafuerte
Best Blog in Culture and Arts – Anik-anik Love by Mitch Mauricio
Best Blog in Entertainment Category – Without Wang2 by Nickie Wang
Best Blog in Food and Beverage Category – Happy Foodies by Ferdz Decena and Oggie Ramos
Best Blog in Gaming Category – Back 2 Gaming by B2Gamers
Best Blog in Hobby and Recreation – Back 2 Gaming by B2Gamers
Best Blog in Home and Parenting Category – iMom by Chats Siao
Best Blog in Humor Category – The Professional Heckler by Loi Reyes Landicho
Best Blog in Lifestyle – The Creative Dork by Robbie Bautista
Best Blog in Literature / Literary Category – City Buoy by Nyl Lim
Best Blog in Personal/Diary Category – Yoshke.com by Yoshke Dimen
Best Photoblog – Gerryruiz Photoblog by Gerry Ruiz
Best Blog in Social, Politics and History – The Pro Pinoy Project by The Pro Pinoy Project
Best Blog in Sports – Filipino Boxing Journal by Kenneth Ragpala
Best Blog in Technology Category – My Silly Point of View by Richard D. Feraro
Best Blog in Travel Category – Just Wandering by Nina Fuentes
Best Blog in Video and Podcasts – Pinoy How To by Buddy and Yael Gancenia
Merry Christmas! And you are most welcome! Seriously, the song’s not that bad. Pardon the bad lip synch, just close your eyes and enjoy! (See, if you like JPop, you are used to this.)
