Black Folding Umbrella

Osaka, Japan. When I was a teenager, mother used to remind me often to always bring a jacket and an umbrella. During my younger days, an umbrella wasn't thought to be cool. It probably still isn't to a teener. But to a thirty-ish practical like man like me, a "payong" is a necessity. I actually don't give a hoot what people think as long as I don't get sick.

Enough said. Now let me tell you about my over 5 year old well travelled black folding umbrella. I know I bought it in the Philippines but the name of the store escapes my mind right now. It has accompanied me almost every rainy day and a staple in my trips to the US (2X), SG (2X), MY, ID and JP.

One of its support is already broken. I think it has outlived its useful life and now time to retire. Then again, an adhesive only cost 50 pesos so I might as well repair it and extend its life. That's the practical side of me talking.

What's with Denzel Washington?

Osaka, Japan. What? No love scenes? No fast cars? No picturesque location? And yet the movie grossed US$ 152.4 million! En route to Japan, I indulged myself in CX's in house movie and watched a D. Washington film called the Book of Eli. The film released in Y2010 was a worthy replacement for a 2 hour sleep. And speaking about being blessed, I was fortunate to see the award winning actor in Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills driving his black Porsche Carrera 4S.

Bless Kids

Osaka, Japan at 6AM. These children sleeping beside me right now at Righa Royal Hotel are truly blessed. Only 12 and 6 y.o., they've been to 5 countries already. My first international travel was at age 10 when I went to Hongkong with a cousin and stayed with an auntie who worked for the Philippine Embassy. After that, my next international travel was when I was already 33 y.o. Young as they are, they are privileged to have already visited HK, ID, MY, SG and now JP.

CX Galore

Osaka, Japan. Our first option for air travel from Manila to Osaka was every Juan's favorite Cebu Pacific (CP). Unfortunately, flight back to Manila was booked and a CP and CX combo would be more expensive. The tour package includes Philippine Airlines (PR) however we opted out because there is only one flight in and out of Osaka. It arrives in the evening and leaves in the morning which already shaves two days off.

This year's family trip was serviced by Cathy Pacific (CX). It was the most expensive amongst the 3 choices (by $50) but the most practical, travel wise. For the organizer (that's me), it was overall value for money. We arrived Osaka just after lunch and leave in the afternoon. This schedule gives us more time to enjoy the city.

Some of the highlights of the plane that we rode include:
1- Live video feed of the plane's frontend. The camera is probably placed in the fuselage. So in the event of a crash, you have just 1 to 2 seconds to pray the Hail Mary and Our Father. J/K!

2- In house movie at your fingertips. Think Avatar, Book of Eli, Shutter Island, et al. They have the new releases as well as a good selection in their library hence a great time to catch up on the latest. Not only that, you have full control of the movie. The common video buttons are available- pause, stop, play, forward and rewind.

JAPAN TRIP DAY 5 – June 6. Kobe

After being ultra confident as a result of day 4 experience, we decided to do Kobe on our last day. Hotel check out time was 2PM, travel time to the target destination was almost 1 hour one way hence our day had to start early. By 9AM, we were onboard a train to Kobe. We stopped at Kobe JR station took pictures and decided to try our luck and see Akashi Kaiko bridge (the longest central span of any suspension bridge at nearly 2 kilometers). Unfortunately, time was not on our side and the view was blocked by buildings. While in Kobe, we stopped at Kobe and Sumakaihinkōen Stations. We explored the Suma-ku ward and checked out their neighborhood. After that it was back to hotel then back to reality. The Japan 5 day dream concludes today.

JAPAN TRIP DAY 4 – June 5. Kyoto and Nara

The Chinese blood in me was in hyper mode last Saturday. After we’ve finally decided to do Kyoto & Nara sightseeing tour, we discovered that: 1- there was at least a one day pre-booking requirement by the agency and 2- that the tour is booked to the hilt until June 7. By then, we would be in the Philippines. The tour package cost 15,400 yen per person and it was like a blessing in disguise as our adventure to Kyoto & Nara that started at 7AM and ended 13 hours later only cost us 2,510 yen per pax.

We rode almost all types of land transpo on that day – inter-city train, intra-city train, bus and taxi. In Kyoto, we saw the Ni-jo castle. We would have wanted to see the Kyoto Imperial Palace that day however it was closed. Para siyang government office na closed on weekends. In Nara, we went to the Nara Park (where deers freely roam around. MC calls them Bambi), Todaiji Temple (considered the world's largest wooden building) and took pictures in front of the National Museum. Both Ni-jo Castle and Todaiji Temple are World Heritage sites. We also saw the Shinkansen or the bullet train. Dinner was at McDo again for the second straight day.

JAPAN TRIP DAY 3 – June 4. Osaka

The plan was to check out the Osaka Castle, tour the Osaka River through the Aqua-Liner and explore the Namba area (south). This day is relatively relaxed compared to the other days. We were only able to do the Osaka Castle and Aqualiner. What’s interesting is that I discovered the answer to the question “Who is Hideyoshi Toyotomi?” Google it and you’ll find out who he is but we’ve seen where he lives! Or at least a reproduction of his former empire. It is good to note that they have a free English audio tour guide just like Tony the fictional audio guide character in the Empire State Building.



Next on the list is a tour around Osaka City’s river system via the Aqua-Liner. At first, I was adamant on taking the river tour because of the cost (1,880 yen for adults and 940 yen for children). No regrets, both are a must see in a visit to Osaka.

In the evening, JML’s brother and cousins based in Kyoto and Nagoya in Japan visited and treated us for coffee in Starbucks in the Namba area. The Caffe Latte taste is consistent but the price is X3.

Our trip is more than 50% complete and day 4 promises to be equally exciting.

JAPAN TRIP DAY 2 – June 3. Osaka

The phrase "I enjoyed" is relative to every individual. For a parent, seeing your children enjoy to the superlative degree is tantamount to shouting at the top of your lungs that "I enjoyed!" The family trooped to Universal Studios in Japan today. We covered 4 out of 10 show attractions, 2 out of 5 play zones, 4 of 8 performances and 2 of 9 ride attractions. B5 liked the Jurassic Park and Terminator 2: 3-D, MC liked Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic and Aphrodite, JML Hello Kitty and Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic, DSL Jaws and Terminator 2: 3-D.


The statistics show we nearly reached 50% of what the park’s menu and that pretty much justifies the 2 days visit recommended by USJ however for this trip, we can only spare a day. The 5800 yen entrance fee for adults and 3900 yen for children was well worth it.

And now comes the exciting park, on our way home, we had to take the public transportation – the subway train. It should be easy if the signs were in readable English but it was pretty challenging. After missing the right train stop, we went back to point a then on the right path in no time.

JAPAN TRIP DAY 1 – June 2, Osaka

The day started as early as 2AM since our CX flight was at 6AM. First stop was HK because of the 2 hour transit break. We arrived in Japan just a little past 2PM. We had to take the bus from KIX (Kansai International Airport) to the bus station where a free hotel shuttle awaited us. The trip from kix to hotel cost only P750 compared to an airport to hotel arranged transpo which will be bank breaking P50,000! Dinner was at a ramen resto whose name I can't understand and whose menu is similarly sense challenging.

ALMOST BAHRAIN

The date was August 27, 2007 and we were scheduled to go to Bahrain for official business trip. We includes myself and my superior. We were booked on a flight via Emirates Airline and had a reservation at Ritz-Carlton Bahrain Hotel & Spa‎ in Manama but the trip was not meant to be. Three hours before our 12:20AM flight, I got a call from my superior saying that there’s been a change of plan and we will not proceed with the trip. I suddenly remembered this almost Bahrain trip while searching for a file and the Bahrain stay permit popped up. If that trip pushed through, that would have been my 7th country to have visited. I have 188 countries to go!

Did You Know that by most accounts, there are 195 countries in the world?

MAGICAL MOUNTAIN

T'was my fifth time to go to Dambana ng Kagitingan (Shrine of Valor). It's a World War II monument which opened in 1966 during the term of the late president Ferdinand E. Marcos. It sits on top of mount Samat in Pilar, Bataan covering an area of 73.66 hectares. The things to see include the memorial cross and the colonnade. The memorial cross is 306 feet high with an elevator and a viewing gallery (arm of the cross). The colonnade is a marble-capped structure with an altar, esplanade museum.

In my 5 visits to this Bataan landmark, it is only now that I discovered that there is an interesting basement museum. Unfortunately, the elevator was not working and nobody dared climb the 30 storey stairway so we missed that part.

Back to Central Luzon

From 1999 to 2004, my job area of responsibility was Central Luzon region where the provinces of Bataan and Zambales are a part of. When I handled the region, I went to these two provinces numerous times. Despite being a frequent visitor, the recent personal trip brought revelations and new learning. Last May 22 and 23, my immediate family, my mother and two godmothers went on an escapade to our neighboring provinces.

BATAAN MARCH
The original itinerary includes: 1- Abucay Church, 2- Mount Samat, 3- Las Casas Filipinas and 4- Friendship Bell Tower. Despite being 1 hour delayed in ETD, we covered everything set in our day's sked. We had to scrap Las Casas because of the cost and lack of time. Lunch was at Villa Amanda Resort and Resto, my second time in the area. By 5pm, we were all dead tired from the travel and the heat and dreamt of a cold shower and the confines of an airconditioned hotel room. By 6pm, the dream was realized courtesy of Buena Casa Hotel in Subic.

TWO BASES
So I've lost count how many times I've been to this former US Naval Base. Plotted for today are Camayan Beach, JEST, bat kingdom and monkey watching and duty free shopping. Only one was realized, the Camayan Beach. There was a major change in plan after lunch, we decided to check out Clark field, Pampanga. Two former US facilities in a day - not bad! These two zones were recently linked by the Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX). In clark, we checked out Clark Expo Center, Mimosa and Holiday Inn area and Fort Stotsenburg monument. Our two day trip was capped with a Holy Mass in the Divine Mercy chapel in Air Force City. We had dinner at Perfect Loaf in Angeles City just before going home to Tarlac City.

Breeze Through

It’s June 1, 2010 today. It’s been 5 full months since I last posted an entry. With a brand new responsibility, my 5th in the last 4 years and my 2nd this year alone, I’m back to the “learning phase.” Unfortunately for me, “learning phase” is an unacceptable phrase in this part of town and it’s expected that as if you’ve been doing the role for the past decade. I have some serious catching up to do reason why my blogging had to take a back seat.

1. Cuts like a Knife
I went through a life changing process in January. No, I did not undergo a sex transplant as I'm happy with my sexuality. While it was not my choice to go under the knife it was necessary to further extend my expiry date.

2. Jumping Jobs
January 1, 2010 marks my 6th responsibility in the company. While this is good because it minimizes stagnation, I'm always in the learning stage. Just when I was feeling my way in my new role, I was called again in February week 3 to handle my 7th role. Hence, my 6 week stint was the shortest tenure in a group.

3. Birthday Boy
Two more years before I hit the big FORTY. In March, I turned 38 years old. I am relatively still considered young by majority of the population and will be a kid forever in the eyes of my parents, uncles and aunties. Will I have the budget to celebrate my 40th in a big way? We will see.

4. Quindecennial
Just 3 days after my birthday, I celebrated yet another landmark - my 15th year in the company. Fresh out of college, I joined ths company because I wanted to have experience and the company seemed interesting enough. Fast forward in 2010, the gamble paid of. This is what you call being in the right place at the right time.

Thanks to technology for providing my bread and butter, for extending my life and for allowing me to update my blog using my phone and uploading it online, wirelessly. Life is great !

JEJEMON IN THE HOUSE

During my quest to get a new compact cam for the family, I came across this saleslady from one of Makati's hundred of appliance stores. Lo and behold, she was a Jejemon!

What is a Jejemon?
Jejemon (IPA: ['dʒɛdʒɛmon]) is a pop culture phenomenon in the Philippines. Jejemons are defined by Urban Dictionary as those "who has managed to subvert the English language to the point of incomprehensibility and online lynch squads."[1] A Jejemon is described as one of a "new breed of hipsters who have developed not only their own language and written text but also their own sub-culture and fashion."[2] Jejemons also imitate "gangster" like attitudes which make them similar to the English chav, Scottish ned, Irish skanger, Russian gopnik and Australian & New Zealand bogan. (source: wikipedia)

Jejemon translator:
http://kalokohan.guissmo.frih.net/jologs.php

Now to translate my blog entry to Jejemon:
DuRiNg My qUeST 2 GET A NEw coMPct CaM FoR d Family, i CAMe Acr0SZ tHIz SleslAdy~ fROm ONE of mkTZ~ hUNdred~ of~ APpLiANCe S2rES P0wH. lo nD bEhOld, She wz~ A jEjEMOn~ lolz!

A New Toy !

Last March 13, 2010, we bought a Sony Handycam DCR-SX40 at Western Appliance. The list price was P22,999 and we got it for a rock bottom price of P16,999. The highlights of the new toy include:
HYBRID convenience: 4GB internal memory & Memory Stick
60x optical zoom
Touch Panel LCD with user-friendly menu system
Easy Handycam® Button
Scene Selection
2.7" Wide LCD
Compact at 53mm x 59mm x 113mm (W x H x D)
Lightweight at 200g (approx)
(Source: http://www.sony.com.ph/product/dcr-sx40/sku/dcr-sx40_lc+e23 )

This video camera is a fitting replacement for our 7 year old Sony Handycam DCR-TRV19 (mini DV). While our first handycam served its purpose and still useful, technology already caught up hence the need to replace it. Now the challenge is to convert the movie files from miniDV to DVD format which actually cost P650 per hour at www.copytown.net.

Actually, the financial impact of this expense to our resources is merely P4,000 since the company shouldered P13,000 as a service award gift for being with the company for the last 15 years.

A good deal indeed.

Wealthy You Month!

The company declared that March is Wealthy You Month! They invited financial guru J-Randell Tiongson, RFP to share his thoughts and improve our financial literacy. While I’ve read ALL his articles published in Money Sense magazine over a period of 3 years and found them interesting and helpful, I was a bit disappointed when I attended the seminar because that night, he was apparently energized and was in a jovial mood. He was extremely funny but I did not attend the seminar to be regaled by stand up comedienne instead was looking to improve on my financial knowledge.

At any rate, here are some of the items that I picked up during the seminar:

Stages in Life
(1) Getting Started 22 to 35
(2) Growing Family 30 to 45
(3) Children in College 40 to 55
(4) Trapped in the Job 50 to 65
(5) No Income 65 up.

6 Steps to Smart Start
(1) Establish Financial goals and plan for getting there.
(2) Separate needs from wants.
(3) Create a monthly spending plan.
(4) Start saving and bank wisely.
(5) Stay on top of your loan obligation.
(6) Use credit wisely.

Despite my experience, I will still continue to read his articles but probably avoid attending his seminars. We will see.