Suzuki Al - TWO

Shangri La Mall is giving away a LandRover Freelander. Powerplant Mall is raffling off a BMW 320d. Paseo Center has up for grabs an Audi A3. It's raffle season again and the time of the year when everybody has a chance to win...A NEW CAR!!!

MINIMUM PURCHASE
And then there's the minimum purchase required. Heck, you're going to buy the stuff anyway so why not meet the minimum required. Waltermart, our fave mall is giving away two Suzuki Altos for a minimum purchase of p1k. Our weekly grocery bill runs to a live over p3k hence that's good for 3 tickets per week. The promo runs from November to January hence we have at least 36/X chances of winning.

LUCKY ME?
If we are lucky enough to get the 2009 white Suzuki Alto 3 banger, that goes straight to the classified ads. NO use in keeping the car since our alternative car is almost perfectly doing its job. I say almost because the rear right tire is flat as I write this entry thanks to a nail which found it's way in the tire. The cute hatchback retails for P350K and we can probably sell it for P300K and get a quick buck. In case we win, automatically 10% goes to church and the balance will be part of investment for the children's education.

The lead vocalist of the eighties hit group The Dawn said in one of his songs, dreams as made for children. I guess it’s not true because dreams are for adults as well.

Papa Not a Car Lover

Papa BoyLac often uses BL as a code for himself. BL was the antithesis of a car lover. He was the epitome of what a car user should not be. It’s not that he hates cars but it’s just that the feeling is not mutual when it comes to him and cars. To name a few examples:
1- Our cars would often get into car trouble which shows lack of preventive maintenance. I recall most if not all of our cars had overheating problems.
2- The gas tank reads empty often in contrast our current practice of keeping the tank full at all possible times.
3- He brings our cars to the farm. It goes without saying that cars are not made for farms.

His affiliation with cars ends where his immeasurable love for his family starts. Here are four stories that I vividly recall about my father, the not-so-car-lover:

1986 Transhow in Manila
The affair was the 1986 Transhow in PICC, Manila. It was my first car show and a car nut like me was definitely excited. I was a sophomore in high school then and during those times, going to Manila on a weekend was a rarity because of the travel time and the condition of our car. The highlight of the show was the entry of fellow Tarlaqueno Boy Romero, a 1979 red Mitsubishi Lancer which was re-branded as a Dodge Colt. While Cong Boy Romero’s car was the Best in Show winner then while my father BoyLac won the best father of the year that in the eyes of a 14 year old car lover from Tarlac writing this entry.

’81 Toyota Corolla DX
In my earlier entry, I mentioned about the family owning an ’81 Toyota Corolla DX. Just like any normal car, the car’s oil need to be changed and some parts just wear off. Quite a few times, we did the oil change by ourselves. In one of the occasions when we had car problems specifically the clutch system, BL and I decided to buy a clutch cable from the friendly auto supply and attempt to play mechanic and replace it ourselves. It was a major father-and-son bonding time. It took us the whole day to try and fix it but in vain. So we ended up going to the mechanic and have the cable installed. While it was a frustrating experience, we had fun trying. The realization was to leave the complex stuff to the experts.

Ford F150
The year was 1997 and the Ford F150 just released. It was the all new truck that everybody wanted to have and timed with the re-launching of Ford Motors Philippines. Coming from Tarlac, BL and I went to Ford Pampanga out of a whim. The truck retails for P1,2M then and we were entertained at the showroom by no less than the manager.
The funny story was that Pa and I were talking about how much gas that thing consumes and the accommodating manager then said that if you had money to buy a P1,2M truck then you won’t mind the gas consumption. The manager was probably right but then again, if you bought an F150 for over a million then, you’d be lucky if you sell it for P300K nowadays. What’s important is that father and son had fun going to that trip in Pampanga and that was actually one of my first few lessons in practical living.

Kennedy Jeep - M151 MUTT
We both shared the dream of building a four wheel drive that we can use in the farm. My father who is a green thumb loves the farm. Growing up, we had a green MacArthur M38 jeep which was used in the farm. We got fascinated with a jeep called Kennedy and that prompted our search for the M151 MUTT military jeep. The search brought us to the provinces of Pampanga, Nueva Ecija and places in Tarlac. The unfinished project jeep had a Toyota 4K engine but the body, suspension, transmission and drivetrain essentially the same. The Kennedy Jeep was driven off road a lot and I mean a lot. Even if there where paved roads going to the farm, we opted for less friendly roads so we can test the limits of our toy. I think we spent over P100K then for something that was sold for less than P50K but it was fun. Memories such as those are priceless.

While Papa was NOT a car lover but he loves his family so much. And I think in the end, that’s what matters and that is what made him special.

BoyLac's Birthday

Papa would have celebrated his 63rd birthday today if he didn't take the eternal vacation in May 2008. While we are confident that his destination is the paradise in heaven, we continue to pray for the eternal repose of his soul. Happy Birthday, Papa! We love you. And we miss you.

P2 done!

Eight months after completing ph1 of my CIV sound upgrade (head unit + seps), ph2 which includes a JBL GT5-A604 amp was completed last November 21 Saturday. From March onwards, I was able to sell my old-but-still-working-fine-sound-system which includes a Pioneer head unit, Alpine amps and Pioneer equalizer. Originally planned to include a subs upgrade in ph2 but I still have in my possession the Ryan Audio subs which came with the car when we bought it in 2007.

Now on to phase 3. After I sell my Ryan Audio subs, that will be my queue to get a new subs. I still haven't decided yet which subwoofer to get and have difficulty prioritizing porma over quality over practicality. There are just so many choices and to top it off, budget is limited. Oh well, for now, I shall enjoy listening to "Buttercup" with a 60 watt amp connected to an 8 inch pair of subwoofers!

Monte Maria, Batangas City

Monte Maria, Batangas City
Originally uploaded by dylac

My family and I made the 121 kilometer 3 hour trip to Brgy. Pagkilatan, Batangas City last Saturday November 14. The target site is the Monte Maria, the brain child of renowned healing priest Father Fernando Suarez. A Eucharistic celebration was schedule at 10am and we arrived there just in the nick of time. I estimate that there were close to 300 people who attended the mass and healing service. There were at least 20 cars, SUVs, jeepneys and 2 buses in the parking lot. The service was organized thanks to Father Suarez' angels and supporting crew.

Here's Father Fernado Suarez' site for your reference:
http://www.fatherfernando.com/

You may check out my pix taken of the breath taking place at this site:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12465415@N02/4103013664/

A tita of mine apts summarizes our Saturday trip when she said via text "You and your family are now blessed."

An E90 by 40

An interview by DyLac on DyLac about his car dreams.

Q1: How much does an E46 (2002 BMW 320I) cost?
A1: It retails for P650K in the Phil market.

Q2: How much does an E46 (2004 BMW 320I) cost?
A2: It retails for P850K in the Phil. market.

Q3: How much does an E90 (2005 BMW 320I) cost?
A3: It retails for P1,3M in the Phil. market.

Q4: How much does an E90 (brand new 2009 BMW 320i) cost?
A4: An E90 cost P2,75M.

Q5: What are your sources?
A5: I checked out the ff. sites: www.buyandsellph.com, www.carfinder.com, www.sulit.com.ph, www.topgear.com.ph., www.wikipedia.com

Q6: What’s an E90?
A6: An E90 is the platform number for a BMW 3 series released in 2005 to present.

Q7: When is the 6th generation 3 series BMW going to be released?
A7: The next full revision of the 3 series is expected in 2011.

Q8: When is your 40th birthday?
A8: In March 2012.

Q9: By Y2012, how much is the expected retail price of a 5 to 7 year old E90?
A9: It would probably retail between P650K to P850K.

Q10: What color should I get?
A10: Silver, Blue or Red.

KOD - Keep On Dreaming!

A Win Win For Pacman

Why Pacman is phenomenal? He has champ belts in the ff. weight classes:
1- flyweight (112 lb)
2- super-bantam weight (122 lb)
3- feather weight (125 lb)
4- super-featherweight (130 lb)
5- lightweight (132 lb)
6- junior welterweight (140 lb)

On Sunday, he'll be facing Cotto for the welterweight crown (145 lb). If Pacman wins, he will become the ONLY FIGHTER ever to capture seven world titles in seven weight divisions. If he loses, he'll share the limelight with legendary boxer Oscar De La Hoya who currently holds distinction of having titles in six different weight classes.

Pix used in SG photo exhibit

It's official, Singapore Philatelic Museum (SPM) used my pix taken of the Bamban Bridge in Bamban town, Tarlac, Philippines in their August 28 to 30, 2009 photo exhibit in Singapore.


This is the original photo posted in my Flickr.com (dylac) which SPM requested permission to use. This was taken using a Nikon D40 DSLR cam while on the Bamban Grotto which was a hill adjacent to the bridge.

Pix emailed by ML of SPM taken during the exhibit.

Pix emailed by ML of SPM taken during the exhibit.

Pix emailed by ML of SPM taken during the exhibit.

Here's the confirmation email from M. Lim of SPM, Singapore:

From: ML
Subject: RE: [Flickr] Request to use photo of Bamban bridge
To: DL
Date: Saturday, November 7, 2009, 11:32 AM

Hi DL,

Yes it did, it was at the Central Library from 28 – 30 Aug. Pls see the photos. Your name was credited next to your picture.

Once again, thank you for letting us use the pics.

Warmest regards,
ML
Assistant Manager, Special Projects
SPM, 23B Coleman Street, Singapore 179807
www.spm.org.sg

From: DL
Sent: Saturday, 7 November, 2009 10:28 AM
To: ML (NHB)
Subject: Fw: [Flickr] Request to use photo of Bamban bridge

Greetings from the Philippines, ML!

I was just wondering if the 3 day exhibit already happened and if I can ask for pictures of the exhibit for my reference.

Thanks.

DL

Cat has 9, I have 1

Everyday is a blessing! Each time I wake up in the morning, I thank God for letting me live another wonderful day. I intend to do this until I breathe my last breath. There are not-so-good days but I sleep at night praying that the next day will be different. Attitude really matters.

This year marks my 5th year for surviving a “holocaust” of life threatening experiences. Last July officially marked my being part of the elite 95% survival rate club. I’d rather not elaborate and leave that part in mystery but will elaborate on this entry my second brush with the grim reaper.

It was a cloudy day in September 2004 when my officemates whom I consider friends Andy and Roland where on the way to Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro. While cruising around 60 kph on a slippery road of Victoria town in Oriental Mindoro, the white Toyota Hilux Pick up truck owned by the company skid, made a quarter turn, hit a tree before going back to the upright position. The three of us survived the accident thanks to THE TREE. If not for the sturdiness of the tree, we would have gone through the house near it. We got out of the wreck with some bruises and body pain.

After the smoke cleared and everybody checked in to be alright, I called my father and asked if he was OK. He said he was so I told him that since he and mother were alright, that we’ve met a car accident in Victoria, Or. Mindoro but we were alright. It was a room full of alrights!

Alright so this wraps up my blog entry. Have a great day ahead to everyone. Smile – it helps!

DYK that AYT in email and text lingo means ALRIGHT.

Bivouac in Banahaw

Tiring? Punishing? Exhausting? Energy Zapping?

Our escapade last October 23 Friday brought us to Mount Banahaw located along the boundary of Laguna and Quezon provinces. Imagine travelling by car for 8 hours, walking up and downhill for 3 hours to plant 1 tree. That is considered a sacrifice to a typical office worker like me who spends an average of eight hours a day at work.

HOW IT STARTED
It started when our department head Bing Payumo encouraged all her direct reports to contribute to mother nature's longevity by joining the tree planting in Mount Banahaw which was organized by HR and PA. After doing Mount Pinatubo in February this year with the Smart Photo Club and Smart Mountaineering Club, I reckon ths would be a relatively easy climb.

EARLY BIRD
The day started early. I woke up at 2AM, just in time to prepare, pick up some officemates on the way to Icon, QAve. Registration started at 4AM and by a little past 5AM we were on the road to Quezon province. Before 10AM, the trek uphill to the site started and we reached there just a little past noontime. Lunch was served on a banana trunk and leaf. The sub 1 hour planting session ended just before 3PM and that marked the start of our descent. By 10PM, we were back to our homebase in Manila.

TREE'S NOT A CROWD
The seedlings planted last October 23 were Lauan (an endemic tree) and fruit bearing lansones.

While it is unfortunate that we were only able to plant only one tree, October 23 is a special day because of our sacrifice for mother nature.

Mom's in School

Get over the idea that only children should spend their time in study. Be a student so long as you still have something to learn, and this will mean all your life. ~Henry L. Doherty





My net research says the oldest university student is 95 year old Nola Ochs from Fort Hays State Universtiy in 2007. Mom is not actually the oldest student and in fact she is more than 3 decades younger than the oldest student on record hence she has a lot of educational mileage on her odometer.

She's taking up an associate degree in Early Childhood education at a state college in the US. This comes 3 decades after she finished her Masters in Public Administration in her hometown university when we were growing up.

To up the ante, she's doing this while working at a pre-school. This actually qualifies her to be called A WORKING STUDENT.

In search of a new Nokia celfone

The Requirements:
(1) quad band
(2) mms/gprs/3g ready
(3) wlan ready
(4) bluetooth
(5) 3.2MP camera
(6) data suite compatible
(7) micro sd card compatible
(8) lightweight
(9) mytv (nice to have)

My almost 2 year old phone is still doing its job effectively. It has served me well but I wish to upgrade to a better model while it still has a decent value. I plan to sell it between p7k to p9k then upgrade to another Nokia celfone with a budget of P15K thereabouts.

My choices:
E75 (top notcher, P17K)
E52 (1st runner up, P15K)
E66 (2nd runner up, P13K)
N52 (P15K)
N85 (P18K)
N96 (mytv, P28K)
E51 (P10K)

I'm down to my last 2 choices, the E75 that is out of my budget by P2K and the E52 that exactly fits my budget. I'm giving myself two more weeks to research and get the best value for my money.

SAI-nara by Toyota

http://www.caranddriver.com/news/car/09q4/2010_toyota_sai-auto_shows

Toyota recently unveiled the all new first generation hybrid car Sai at the 2009 Tokyo Auto Show. It adapts the body of its more elite brother Lexus HS250h but will be offered as a Toyota brand. The Toyota Sai won't compete against its more popular smaller brother Prius since the Sai is considered a mid sized sedan.

We dream of owning a hybrid sedan in 2012 when we're done working for the 3G Vee. The realistic choices include a hybrid compact sedan or a compact SUV. We really want a BMW 3 series or a BMW X3 but that's considered an unrealistic choice. If we win the P100M lotto jackpot, I'm off to the nearest BMW dealership and buy the car of our dreams!

Going back to reality, the 2009 Toyota Prius retails for P2.2M currently. The Philippine congress is cooking up something (I hope it's a law) to bring down the cost. I heard in the grapevine that once in effect, the cost of a Prius might be down to P1.3M. I guess that's more within range compared to a P2.7M BMW 320i or a P3.9M BMW X3.

My BMX days (circa 1988)

I got my first real bicycle when I was 12 years old. It was a red Mongoose BMX (Bicycle Motocross) which my father got for my birthday in 1984. I recall he bought it from Mascom General Merchandise. For the next 4 years, my first BMX underwent numerous metamorphosis until it reached its final state:

FRAME: GT Pro Performer (cr-mo)
FORK: Hutch (white)
BARS: Redline (cr-mo)
STEM: Hutch (black)
GRIP: OGK (black)
BRAKE LEVERS: Dia Compe (alloy)
BRAKES: Dia Compe (alloy)
CABLES: Shimano
CRANKSET: SR
SPROCKET: Shimano
CHAIN: D.I.D
PEDALS: MKS Jaws (graphite)
SADDLE: Kashimax Aero
SEAT POST: Strong
CLAMP: Strong
HUBS: Suzue
SPOKES: Stainless Steel
RIMS: Araya
TIRES: IRC

INVESTMENT
Back then, my final and almost dream set up reached more than P3,000. From the Mongoose frame (which was a bit heavy), I upgraded to an Aero frame (which didn't fit right), then to a Skyway frame (which wasn't cool enough) then finally to a GT frame (ah perfect). The money came from mostly my savings and some help from my parents.

RACE
I joined a couple of track races but was not lucky enough to win an individual award however our team, the SR team won first place in '88. My teammate then and neighbor Rey Tinio won the event. Funny but one of the former BMX race organizers is now my brother in law.

MY TEAMMATES
The SR Team (short for San Rafael because that's the barangay where we live) was coined from a BMX product called SR which was short for Sakae Racing. My teammates then were Rey Tinio, Dexter Antonio, his brother Harley, Errol Aganon, an adopted teammate Dodie Bondoc. Did I miss anybody?

FREESTYLE
I was confident enough to do some air tricks (dirt jumping) then like a tabletop and an array of flatland tricks like pop a wheelie, do a bunny hop, an endo and a 360° spin. In fact, until now, I can still do a wheelie and a bunny hop on a mountain bike.

Those were the days.

The Back Stabs Here

Flagellation is a weeklong affair in Pampanga and Tarlac for religious devotees who believe this is the best way to sacrifice. We have to respect their belief. Back stabbing in the corporate setting on the other hand is a yearlong affair. While we have to respect their belief, we have to show these back stabbers that we are not their doormats that they can tramp on anytime they wish to.

ROOT CAUSE
So why do these people back stab? Are they cold blooded killers in their previous life? Are they Batanguenos who love using their beinte nueves (fan knives)? My assessment leads to the best excuse in town - it's cultural. Culture dictates that Filipinos are; (1) non confrontational by nature, (2) suffer from crab mentality and (3) love engaging in gossip esp. the nasty ones.

HOW TOs
What to do when faced with this situation? Here are some of your options:
(1) Do absolutely nothing. Continue with your work, mind your own business and focus on your performance. Magsasawa din sila. At nakakasawa din naman kung ikaw lagi ang topic. Parang balita lang yan. Nakawan sa Greenbelt 5 na pinaguusapan ngayon. Luma na kasi ang kwento kung nagpakawa ba ng tubig ang San Roque dam.
(2) Stop, look, listen and respond. Assess the situation; if true then tell the world you're guilty and promise not to do it again. And make sure it doesn't happen again. If false, then show them facts. Do these professional and semi-professionally. Professionally using the available corporate media and semi using word of mouth. Statistically, WOM is still the best form of advertisement. Just remember to stick to the facts and veer away from mud slinging.
(3) Grab the bull by the horn. God wouldn't like this and the bible tells us not to retaliate but push comes to shove, you have to play their game. Chinichismis ka nila, chismis mo din sila! Just ensure that you can sustain it because in the end you might be engaging in a battle where you simply cannot win.

Back stabbing and back stabbers are part of life whether corporate or personal. They are given to us to make us tougher and learn how to react. To morph U.S. President Harry S. Truman's desk sign, the back stabs here.

Who is Edison Arantes do Nascimento?

He is God in the soccer universe. He is Michael Jordan in basketball. He is Cory Aquino in democracy restoration. He sports #10 jersey and better known as Pele.

Growing up, my original chosen sport was soccer and not basketball. In the early 80s, my heroes then were soccer players like Italian Paolo Rossi, German Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, German Franz Beckenbauer and Brazilian Pele. My dream shoe then was the black 6 stud Adidas spike shoes. It was too expensive before so I had to settle with a pair of black 13 stud Grosby and then a pair of white Mondial spikes which my parents got me as a pasalubong from their trip from Italy.

Pele was born on 23 October 1940 in Três Corações, Brazil. He lorded over World Cup from 1958 to 1970 bringing with him 3 titles ('58, 62 and '70). He had tons of endorsements then worldwide and one of the most famous one was with Sony. I'm pretty sure he still lives on endorsements until now in South America were he is currently based. Years ago, he was egged to run for the president of Brazil but kept away from politics. I believe it was the best decision that he made in his life.

Hummer-time!

"U Can't Touch This!!!"

In the late 80s, Stanley Kirk Burrell best known by his stage name MC Hammer, popularized the song mentioned above. At the same time on the other side of the mainland US, a company called AM General introduced the military High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) or Humvee.

After years of being exclusive to the military, in 1992, the first commercial Humvee or more popularly known as Hummer was released by the same company. However in 1998, AM General was sold to General Motors. For more than a decade, two more generations were introduced, the H2 and H3.

The H2 was lighter and slightly slimmer than the H1, while slightly longer and slightly taller. The H3 baby hummer shares the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon compact pickup trucks chasis hence smaller compared to its predecessors.

Recently, the Hummer brand was sold to Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery and a group of private investors. The 3rd and latest owner bought the iconic brand for a reported US$150 million.

Now the Chinese showed that the Hummer "can be touched!"

Who is Michael Collins?

Neil Armstrong is known for being the first person to set foot on the Moon and delivered the line famous words "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

Buzz Aldrin is known for being the second person to set foot on the moon, following his mission commander, Neil Armstrong.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the lunar landing. On July 21, 1969, just in the nick of time of President John F. Kennedy’s declaration in the early sixties that before the end of the decade, we will land a man on the moon.

Little is know about Brigadier General Michael Collins despite his contributions to space history. I only encountered his name last Sunday while watching Discovery channel where they have a show about the Lunar Landing. I’m pretty sure it was discussed in science class but his name just didn’t ring a bell as much as Buzz Aldrin or Neil Armstrong. Or I was day dreaming the time his name was being discussed. In fact, when I checked wikipedia.com for Michael Collins, you’ll be prompted to 20 namesakes compared to only one for Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. But that’s not his fault. It’s also not his fault that he was assigned to man the Apollo Command/Service Module on that fateful 21st day in July 1969 when Armstrong and Aldrin became part of history. He was a TEAM PLAYER in the truest sense and he had to make the SUPREME SACRIFICE of traveling 768,806 kilometers from earth to the moon (round trip) and not to set foot on it because somebody has to take care of the ride back home. I salute you, Michael Collins.

Papa Boy's last 5 messages to B5

My father was very thoughtful. While they were based in the US, he regularly sends text messages to his loved ones especially his first apo, B5. B5 fondly calls him ToyLac.

DATE / TIME / MESSAGE
17-Jan-08 / 1:10:14 / Happy birthday my dear B5! From papa n mama nette
13-Feb-08 / 20:14:29 / Hapi valentines our dear B5 and MC. We love you.
18-Feb-08 / 5:55:11 / Congrats again my dear B5. Keep it up ! Love u.
20-Feb-08 / 1:18:53 / Good afternoon B5. We are proud of you. Love u B5!
17-Apr-08 / 1:46:00 / Congratulations my dear B5 we are proud of you! We love you.

4Ws & 1H in Tarlac City Brgys

DATA BANK : A WORK IN PROGRESS.

A journalist would ask the following questions:
(1) Who?
...is the current Barangay Captain?
...are the current Barangay Councilors?
...did they support in the last election (Mayor, VMayor and councilors)?
...are the past Barangay Captains who still have influence?
...are the biggest family members (with influence and w/o influence)?

(2) What?
...is the source of livelihood of majority of the populace?
...are the commercial establishments in the area with a capitalization of P1M and up?
...are their current projects?
...is the Brgy's mission? Vision?
...is the total population count?
...is the total voting population?
...is the voter's turn out in the last election?

(3) When?
...was the last barangay elections?
...

(4) Where?
...is the barangay located? Point of reference is City Hall. (Identify distance in kilometers and average travel time).
...are the chapels located?

(5) How?
...do we get from the city Hall to the Barangay Hall. (Use mapquest approach).
...

Brgys in Tarlac:
1- Aguso
2- Alvindia Segundo
3- Amucao
4- Armenia
5- Asturias
6- Atioc
7- Balanti (loc of maternal grandparents farm)
8- Balete
9- Balibago I
10- Balibago II
11- Balingcanaway
12- Banaba
13- Bantog
14- Baras-baras (in laws live here)
15- Batang-batang
16- Binauganan
17- Bora
18- Buenavista
19- Buhilit
20- Burot
21- Calingcuan
22- Capehan
23- Carangian
24- Care (in laws live here)
25- Central
26- Culipat
27- Cut-cut I
28- Cut-cut II
29- Dalayap
30- Dela Paz
31- Dolores
32- Laoang
33- Ligtasan (loc of maternal grandparent's house, in laws live here)
34- Lourdes
35- Mabini (loc of paternal grandparent's house)
36- Maligaya
37- Maliwalo
38- Mapalacsiao
39- Mapalad
40- Matadero
41- Matatalaib
42- Paraiso
43- Poblacion
44- Salapungan
45- San Carlos
46- San Francisco
47- San Isidro
48- San Jose
49- San Jose de Urquico
50- San Juan de Mata
51- San Luis
52- San Manuel
53- San Miguel
54- San Nicolas
55- San Pablo
56- San Pascual
57- San Rafael (loc of my parent's house)
58- San Roque
59- San Sebastian (loc of my parent-in-law's house)
60- San Vicente
61- Santa Cruz
62- Santa Maria
63- Santo Cristo
64- Santo Domingo
65- Santo Nino
66- Sapang Maragul
67- Sapang Tagalog
68- Sepung Calzada
69- Sinait
70- Suizo
71- Tariji (relatives live here)
72- Tibag
73- Tibagan
74- Trinidad
75- Ungot
76- Villa Bacolor
Total of 76.

Happy Teacher’s Day

I definitely had over a dozen teachers, professors, educators in my school time and will probably encounter a dozen more. When I retire 2 decades from now, my aim is to be a lecturer in Tarlac State University, a government run university in our hometown, teaching management subjects. This is my way of giving back to society. Today marks the Teacher's day (Araw ng mga Guro) to honor more than 500,000 teachers nationwide. As best as I can recall, here’s my list of elementary and high school class advisers:

Grade 1 - Ms. Natividad Domingo
Grade 2 - Ms. Modesta Samson
Grade 3 – Ms. Bernadette Pacheco
Grade 4 - Ms. Betty Munoz
Grade 5 - Ms. Susan Kliatsco
Grade 6 - Mr. Raul Kliatsco
1st Year - Mr. Ronaldo Peroy
2nd Year – Ms. Arlene Kanapi
3rd Year - Mr. Popoy Pineda
4th Year - Ms. Venus Pastor

If my former teachers are reading this entry, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Happy Teacher’s day!

Dreams are made for children

Last 9-29-09, my wife woke me up in the middle of the night because I was making weird noises and she thought I that was having a nightmare. I wish she didn't wake me up because I was having the best dream in my life since 5-5-08.

I dreamt that I had a disagreement with a loved one that happened in my Uncle AGS' house which is abt 300meters from where we live. I walked home, passed through San Rafael Parish Church and arrived at my parents house. When I opened the gate, Papa was there flashing his patented smile and we hugged each other REAL TIGHT. I think I was a child in that dream because my head was on my father's chest. It was like a scene from a movie that was so vivid in my memory. The scene and the dream eventually ended when we saw my cousin NFS and I told him to bless to Papa. That's also the time my wife JML woke me up.

I miss you, Papa.

The Jewel in San Diego

FAST FACTS:
City: San Diego
State: California
County: San Diego
Country: United States of America
Population: 1,279,329 (City)
Zip Codes: 92101-92117, 92119-92124, 92126-92140, 92142, 92145, 92147, 92149-92155, 92158-92172, 92174-92177, 92179, 92182, 92184, 92186, 92187, 92190-92199
Area code: 619, 858
Website: http://www.sandiego.gov/

San Diego was named after Saint Didacus (Diego de Alcalá in Spanish). It is the second largest city in California, the ninth largest city in the United States and located along the Pacific Ocean on the west coast of the United States. I had the
chance to visit the city in Y2006. I stayed with my friend Celine and her cool hubby Rich. Originally planned to go to Mexico via SD however was discouraged and that turned out a blessing since two days to explore the SD was not even enough.

Subject: San Diego Trolley
Location: Park Valley Center
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Link: US Trip 2006/May 16/DSC03165.jpeg

Subject: Low Flying Commercial Airplanes
Location: North Harbor Drive
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Link: US Trip 2006/May 16/DSC03191.jpeg

Subject: Old Town Trolley
Location: Old Town SD State Historic Park
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Link: US Trip 2006/May 16/DSC03218.jpeg

Subject: Old Town Market
Location: Old Town SD State Historic Park
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Link: US Trip 2006/May 16/DSC03170.jpeg

Subject: An Old Cannon
Location: Old Town SD State Historic Park
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Link: US Trip 2006/May 16/DSC03184.jpeg

Subject: An Old Flagpole
Location: Old Town SD State Historic Park
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Link: US Trip 2006/May 16/DSC03180.jpeg

Subject: Heritage Park Inn BB
Location: Heritage Park, Victorian Village
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Link: US Trip 2006/May 16/DSC03222.jpeg

Subject: Temple Beth Israel
Location: Heritage Park, Victorian Village
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Link: US Trip 2006/May 16/DSC03224.jpeg

Subject: Senlis Cottage
Location: Heritage Park, Victorian Village
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Link: US Trip 2006/May 16/DSC03226.jpeg

Subject: Cinco Musikeros
Location: Old Town SD State Historic Park
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Link: US Trip 2006/May 16/DSC03228.jpeg

Subject: California's First Mission (founded July 16, 1769)
Location: 10818 San Diego Mission Rd
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Link: US Trip 2006/May 17/DSC03250.jpeg

Subject: A view of SD SeaWorld
Location: Sea World Adventure Park
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Link: US Trip 2006/May 17/DSC03322.jpeg

Subject: Flying Shamu/s
Location: Sea World Adventure Park
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Link: US Trip 2006/May 17/DSC03338.jpeg

Subject: Lying (Sea) Lions
Location: La Jolla
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Link: US Trip 2006/May 17/DSC03345.jpeg

How to Keep Your Boss Happy

by Anna Kadet, a writer for Smart Money magazine

http://gmy.news.yahoo.com/

1- Put in the hours
2- Emphatize
3- Defuse a Bad Situation
4- Be a conduit
5- Ask for Help
6- Connect the Boss' Way
7- Show Initiative
8- Be Positive
9- Make Like Mini Me
10- Get Your Face Time

We are living in a Corolla Family

The tenth Toyota Corola Altis was released in the Philippine market in 2008. The Corolla which means little crown in latin, is Toyota's version of the people's car and classified as a compact family sedan. The all new Corolla sports the latest in automotive technological wonder like Dual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Smart Key keyless entry/exit/engine start system. A brand new top of the line Corolla retails for P1,100,000.

Our family, led by my father, the late BoyLac had the opportunity to own 4 generations of Corollas so far and they include the ff:
69 Toyota Corolla Sprinter / Body No. E10 / first generation
81 Toyota Corolla DX / Body No. E70 / fourth generation
92 Toyota Corolla XE / Body No. E90 / sixth generation
98 Toyota Corolla GLi / Body No. E110 / eight generation

Cute Collector's Car
The 69 Corolla Sprinter was bought brand new for my uncle who eventually migrated to the US. Since the early seventies until early nineties, it was the family's primary and then eventually a second car after we got the 81 Corolla DX in '88. In fact, at one point, it was a third car when we got the '89 Mit Lancer GLX in '91 and just before the DX was eventually sold. The 2 door fastback was powered by a model 3K 1.2 liter engine. Mostly stock during the years that we owned it, it was eventually sold to a car enthusiast who converted the car to a slalom car. It now sits in a garage already stripped to the bone and rusting to eternity.

Box Type Nemesis
The 81 Corolla DX was the direct competitor of the second generation Mitsubishi Lancer box type in the eighties. Purchased via Manila Bulletin's Sunday classified ads in '88, we were the second owner and got it in pristine condition. The owner who was Fil-Chinese owed a Caltex gasoline station along Edsa hence the car was well maintained. The beige four door sedan was fuel efficient and an powered by a model 4K 1.2 liter engine. It was our first car with air conditioning, a decent stereo system and mag wheels. I had the chance to use it in Manila while studying in college for a couple of months while we were trying to sell it through Manila Bulletin in the early 90s. We bought it for P135,000, used it for 6 yrs and sold it for the same amount. Last time I heard, the car was sighted in Lipa City, Batangas.

Our 1st Family Car
The 92 Corolla XE Was our perfect first family car. We paid P134,000 in '99 for the light green four door sedan. Your first car purchased from your blood, sweat and tears is always special. While it gave us some headaches typical of a second hand cars, it was our pride and joy for almost 2 years. Like the family's first two corolla's, the car was fuel efficient and powered by 1.3 liter model 2E engine. We sold it for the same price to our Vietnamese neighbor from Angeles City, Pampanga. I think Tam (the Vietnamese) is still using the car. The car was sold for the same amount.

Not exactly our last
One of the more memorable cars is the '98 Corolla GLi purchased by my parents in 2003. We got it through a car swap deal when the dealer was trying to pull one on us but eventually turned the tables. He got our grossly beat up '94 Lancer EL for 10% more than he wanted to pay for it. Lesson learned here is don't assume that you can bully your way with a "kid who knows alot about cars and logical reasoning" to get the better end of the deal. The car was sold last November to car dealer in Tarlac. The last time I saw it was just last weekend.

An adage says "count your blessings" and my family and I are blessed to have driven different cars in our life. In this entry are Toyota Corollas but the family has tried Mitsubishis and Hondas as well. While we have not yet owned any European or American cars, we live in a country where top brands with high resale value include Toyota and Honda hence we're in the right company.

BMW: Tempting, but no thanks

My friend is selling his 1997 BMW 320i and the RFS (reason for selling) is that he's upgrading to a BMW SUV. What a blessed guy. Wonder when I can say I have a BMW SUV in my garage!

The model E36 Bimmer is color black and logged 70000 kilometers only hence relatively unused for a 12 year old car. That equates to around 5000 kms used per year. An average car mileage is 20000 kms. It has a 2.0 displacement engine, modified to M3 mags and relatively in pristine condition. The owner is selling it for P350,000 only. That's quite a bargain.

We are currently using a 7th generation Honda Civic EXi for daily ride. It has 65000 kilometers reflected in the odometer since rolled out of the plant 7 years ago. Average usage is below 10000 kms per year which is still considered below average use. It's almost stock except for the emblem upgrade, some paint job to look like a higher end model and the sound system upgrade last March. If we are lucky, we can sell the car for 350,000 today.

It is indeed tempting because every car nut dreams of driving a Euro car with a lot of history in it and will surely turn heads. This is where the factor of want versus need come into play. Yes, we want that BMW! Ever since I got developed an interest in cars, a BMW has always been a must have car and now it's within striking distance. But we have to set our priorities and at this point, paying for our home and investments for our future is much much more important. Besides, the CIV is doing it's job perfectly. For now, that dream car can wait.

New York is In My Life

FAST FACTS:
City: New York
State: New York
Country: United States of America
Nickname: The Big Apple, Gotham, The City That Never Sleeps, The Capital of The World (Caput Mundi), The Empire City, The City So Nice They Named It Twice, The City.
Population: 8,363,710
Coordinates: 40°43′N 74°00′W
Zip Codes: 100xx-104xx, 11004-05, 111xx-114xx, 116xx
Area code: 212, 718, 917, 347, 646
Website www.nyc.gov

The movie In My Life featuring Batangas Governor Vilma Santos Recto, son Luis Manzano and actor John Lloyd Cruz was shot entirely in New York City. I was watching the trailer and can't help but reminisce. I had the privilege to visit The Big Apple in May 2006. I stayed with my cousin Bubbles' place in Scarsdale and was practically in Manhattan everyday. Here are some of the pix taken which I found in my database.

Subject: Berlin Wall in Battery Park
Location: Battery Park
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Notes: A piece of the Berlin Wall

Subject: Ground Zero
Location: Lower Manhattan
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Notes: The site of the 9/11 loss, the World Trade Center

Subject: Rockefeller Center
Location: 5th Avenue in Manhattan
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1

Subject: St. Patrick's Cathedral
Location: 5th Avenue in midtown Manhattan
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1

Subject: The Library
Location: New York Public Library
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1

Subject: Worm's Eye View
Location: 350 Fifth Avenue
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Notes: A view from the street of the Empire State Building

Subject: Bird's Eye View
Location: Manhattan
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Notes: Taken from the Empire State Building viewing deck

Subject: Brooklyn Bridge
Location: Lower Manhattan
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1

Subject: Bow Bridge
Location: Central Park
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1

Subject: The Pond
Location: Central Park
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1
Notes: A view from Central Park

Subject: Old School
Location: American Museum on Natural History
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1

Subject: Bright Lights
Location: Times Square
Date: May 2006
Taken from a Sony Cybershot T1

It up to you - New York, New York! (from a song by Frank Sinatra)