#MommaDiaries | RL AND ELECTIONS

We were in the car, on our way to the office last week, when RL noticed the streamers and buntings that lined our street. We live near the barangay and there was an LP campaign stop the day before. Today, another candidate was coming to campaign.

RL: "Mom, are these people enemies?"
K: "What makes you think that?"
RL: "Well, because they are putting the new posters of another man today. It's a different color. So are they friends? Are they going to fight each other? I saw _____ (he mentions a presidential candidate) talking on TV, he was saying bad things about _____ (mentions a rival candidate). Why are they destroying each other? If they are, then they are not friends. Because they are not saying nice things."

So I thought for a minute and I thought hard. How does one explain this to a 7-year-old? I proceeded to explain in the simplest way possible - an explanation I am sure he will understand.

K: "See, it is just like your friends in school. You are friends, but when, say, there is a competition, you have to compete against each other. And sometimes, you say things you don't really mean to say... just because you want to win."
RL: "Things like, 'Nee-ner-nee-ner-nee-ner, who is the loser??!"
K: "Well, yea, I suppose. Or like you know how you guys attend a party, and you are in a game. You guys play to win, and even if you guys try to outsmart each other to win the prize, after the game, you're all still friends."
RL: "But are they really friends? And are they going to remain friends after the elections? Because if they want a nicer Philippines, it is better to work together. Fighting is a waste of time. Just like in a game, it is more fun if everyone wins."

For the Philippines, I hope so. I sure hope so.

Teaching Compassion.

My daughter A has been talking about this new girl in the school bus, E, who is some sort of a bully. "The other kids call her Donya since she's such a boss, but she's the newbie, so it's irritating."

That was a couple of months ago. And during that conversation, I wondered if I was lacking as a parent, and if I failed to teach my kids compassion. I discussed each situation that A claimed to be "annoying" and proceeded to lecture her about doing "what Jesus would have done." I cited many possibilities resulting in the kid's attitude toward her new bus mates, including the fact A supplied - "she lives alone with her lola."

And I thought she understood what it meant to see past faults after that conversation.

This morning, while in bed, RL comes up to discuss school bus stories (he rides the bus home with his sister).

RL: "Mom, Ate A doesn't like me talking to Ate E (same new girl in the bus)."

K: "Why? Does she (E) bully you? Does she fight with you?"

RL: "No."

K: "No one talks to her? Doesn't she have any friends?"

R (answering with conviction): "She does! One friend!"

K: "Who?"

RL: "ME!!!"

While I am sad that I need to have another talk with my daughter, my heart is rejoicing over RL and his heart. 

"Train children to live the right way, and when they are old, they will not stray from it." (Proverbs 22:6 NCV)

Mondays.

I left my mobile phone at home. Bah! What a way to start the week. But all is good. I actually feel good today. I have no idea what's different. I just woke up telling myself it's going to be a great week.

Do you ever get that feeling? I mean, waking up on Monday and just knowing how the rest of the week is going to be?

I worked this weekend. I thought I'd catch up with pending stuff and found myself actually enjoying the time I spent juggling between encoding new releases and watching "The Lucky One" on rewind (that's because I kept going back to scenes I missed while filling out information sheets, haha).

Filled up information sheets for permits for these new releases...

It's mighty quiet at home, what with A spending the summer at my folks' and RL pretending he is the only child. Leave him with his Lego kits, and you're sure to find loads of peace and quiet - that is, until he gets tired (and mind you, this little boy gets bored easily, but yes, we're working on his patience).

RL putting together a LEGO Firetruck all by himself.

Saturday. We were supposed to head out to BGC for "Chak the Walk" but A decided she didn't want to go (because it had rained hard in our area and she wanted to be home when my siblings get home from Boracay) and RL just wanted to stay in bed (after spending most of his morning and afternoon at Trumpets). He actually slept through the rest of the day, getting up at 10pm to get dinner then played with his LEGO sets until the end of the movie (and encoding).

Sunday. I had to check on the new girl manning our Greenhills store. We were late for the 2 o'clock service and pretty early for the 4 o'clock. I guess all the waiting got to RL as he ended up sleeping in big church! Oops. At the last minute, and because it wasn't as traffic yesterday (compared to Friday and Saturday's mall sale traffic), I took RL to Rockwell after church to catch the last day of Make Your Own Havaianas 2013. Yes, yes, I know, a late notice to you readers. I was planning on blogging about it before the actual event (like I always do), but I got caught up with work. Last week was mighty crazy!

Deciding which pins to put on his sister's pair.

I wanted to get lime green flip flops (as it is the closest color to anything flou) but they ran out of the soles! I suppose I should start going on the first day. Two years ago, I had won tickets to their pre-event and got A and I the colors we had wanted. I ended up getting dark gray slims with lime green straps and a hot air balloon to commemorate this year's MYOH. Beautiful pair! I'm not quite sure if A will like hers. She wasn't with us yesterday, since she opted to sit this year out. But I got her purple ones with amethyst straps and a bicycle pin, since that's what she's been doing all summer - bike (and swim).

RL was proud with our finished work, he gladly posed with our loot. Oh, we used our Citibank Card and got a 10% discount! I would have gotten more, only A's enrollment is this week and we're on a super strict budget.

~~~ * ~~~

So, I forgot all about finishing this post earlier. Mondays always mean more work, especially since my brother moved to corporate and I'm struggling two positions. In the meantime, remember what I said about knowing today would be a great day (as with the rest of the week)?

Well, today I got blessed with an early birthday gift! Thank you, Mike and Mitchelle!

Then my bff J told me she was coming over tonight with a surprise from her mom (I'm guessing some Durian! So do watch out, neighbors!). It isn't even my birthday until the end of the month!  And you know how enrollment's this week? I found out from my daughter that tuition this year is a whopping __ thousand pesos!!! Excuse the blank, but I do not want you rolling your eyes asking me why. But see, I didn't even have time to worry about getting the money. Yesterday, I had to get money from the ATM and lo and behold, when I checked to see how much I had, I realized God was way ahead of me. Half of our 13th month pay got deposited early, and I already have enough to cover the first installment for tuition! And I think I can come up with enough cash to cover books, supplies and uniforms. Isn't God grand?

I am feeling the love! Thank you, friends! Thank You, Lord!

Great times!

After the Chaos.

The S&R Sale started Wednesday morning. I initially thought I'd be alone fighting the crowds, as I couldn't imagine taking our nanny AND the three kids (RL and the nanny's two girls). A has exams this week. But last week, A came home really excited because her school declared Wednesday as Home Study/ Rest day (teehee, maybe some of the teachers wanted to go to Members' Treat, too. LOL). She had AP and Filipino exams for Thursday, so we agreed to take her notes and study while waiting in line.

So yes. We woke up really, really early.

We left for S&R Congressional waaaayyyy before the sun came up. When our alarm went off (I shall not tell you guys what time, because I don't want you think we're cray), I was actually thinking we had loads of time to spare. In fact, with that in mind, A and I decided to drive thru McDonald's for breakfast baon, so we don't starve while waiting for the store to open.

The empty lot at... secret (!) o'clock. LOL!

Too early, and yet, about 50pax already in line ahead of us.

When we got to Congressional, there was a short queue of people and cars outside the main gate, as they still weren't letting people in. I thought it was wise to just wait in the car, as I didn't want A to join the queue along the sidewalk. A few minutes later, they started letting people in. I let A fall in line as I went to park the car. It was way too early and yet, when I joined A, there were about 50 people in line ahead of us. My, we weren't the only cray ones there!

After about 30 minutes, they moved the queue beside the building entrance. People started coming, probably thinking they were early, only to find out, they weren't quite that early. LOL!

This was how far we were from the entrance.

The queue at about 5am. And you think you were early?!

Armed with our step-stools, water bottles, Mickey D's sandwiches, mosquito repellent, and A's AP book and notes (plus the iPad, in case we got bored), we were ready to wait. A found it awkward to be studying in line. Everyone in front of us were staring as I explained the AP text in English. LOL! But that was my condition - we can go only if she studies while waiting. Besides, we started only when the sun came up. The rest of the time, I spent playing Carrot Fantasy on RL's iPad. Hehe.

You know how, when you need something done, time just flies? Well, time flew. And by the time 645am came along, they started letting people in! Too bad for those who sent drivers and helpers to queue for them during the wee hours, because they weren't there when shopping hour came along. Ha!

Hello, Mr. Sun!

A lot of patient people in line this year. I didn't hear any yelling or bickering.
Except maybe for the guy behind us, but that's because he stopped a lady from cutting into queue.

The scene right before they started letting people in...

The great thing about being really, really early is you get first dibs on limited stock items, plus you get to shop fast. There weren't many carts in line for the cashiers when we decided to fall in line at around 730am (yes, we were that fast). I told A that we were sticking to necessities this sale, so we went with a list! I know, Mia, who am I kidding, right? LOL! But really, I think I did pretty well.

The cashier lines at 730am thereabouts.
There was only 1 cart ahead of us, but they took a while to ring up since the cashier had to go on a potty break. Hehe.

The store at 9am. They added a couple of cashiers at the end. The wait wasn't so bad. Well, at least for us.

Our car was coded so we waited another hour. The crowd wasn't so bad. I say, last September was crazier.  But then, we were really early this time, and I guess that was an advantage in itself.

The crowd outside (around 930am). Like I said, it wasn't as bad as September.

It took us a while to load our loot, because our nanny forgot to empty the trunk. Nyar. That, plus there were a lot of cars on the lot, vying for spaces as customers left. But yea, it was a morning well spent.

My first day S&R loot. Yes, you read that right. First day. I went again last night. And again, today, with my officemates.

~~~

After getting our passports from the Korean Embassy yesterday, my gf G and I decided to check out S&R BGC. There wasn't a line going in, and there weren't as much shoppers as I had expected. Lines were organized, but I noticed that stocks weren't as plenty as that first day at Congressional (maybe because the  first day crowd at BGC bought 'em all?).

The BGC crowd. See... happy people. I love it when only the patient shopaholics shop. Haha!

It's fun shopping with someone as patient as I am. G and I took our time checking out the items on sale, and had dinner after.

Doing what we do best. LOL!

I am expecting that the crowds will be wilder tonight and on the weekend, today being the 15th and all. But yes, I went back earlier with my officemates. And yes, I shall be back tomorrow with the in-laws. I love S&R, and I guess you can call it my happy place.

What about you? What was Members' Treat like for you this time around?


PS. I think "Early Wednesday" is an understatement. We may have gone to line up late Tuesday. LOL! Okay, okay, just kidding.

Life is Short

My good friend and sister for life, T, recently lost her dad to cancer. He was given a few weeks to live when they found out last year, but got to live long enough to see and meet his long, lost daughter, R/K, who finally flew to the US four days before his passing.

How sad. But R/K says it was perfect timing. Had she moved her flight a few days later, she wouldn't have gotten the chance to hug her dad ever. T posted a photo of her sis and her dad about two days before he passed. The photo haunts me to this day - it is a reminder of what could be. But it is also a great picture of a father's love. R/K was given up for adoption right after she was born. The story (I shall reserve for next time) and how she found her birth family, is an amazing one. So all these years, she hasn't seen her parents in the flesh (just over Skype and social networks since she tracked them down a few years back).

Anyway, I sometimes wonder about our R and how he feels about living away from his kids. Will he finally wake up one day and realize the void, or will he figure it out too late? God has been good all these years though, but I can't help but fret sometimes. Life is short and our kids deserve better.

Life is short. Find time.

Big, Bold and Beautiful!

Three days ago, while engaging in small talk with my co-workers, it dawned on me that I am now actually a year older. Yes, it slipped my mind. I guess this type of amnesia happens when you're old... er...oldER. I can't believe I am actually... this age. When my mom was my age, I considered her ancient. LOL! So I took a good, long look at my reflection in the mirror that morning, and started feeling a tad sad. "I'm old!", I sobbed, thinking about my age. Took another long look and heard my mom's words echo with "And fat." Yes, folks, I have gained weight. Not that none of you have noticed. A stalker reader even left a comment on my McDonald's BIG N' TASTY post just to tell me so. Ha!

Ten years ago, I would have taken snide comments to heart, worried about it, and let it eat me up 'til who-knows-how-long. But as I've pointed out, I am older now, wiser, and a little more attuned to the fact that life is short, and the many other maxims that really try to tell us that it doesn't matter what others say about you. What's important is what you know and believe to be true about yourself.

Over fourteen years ago, when I worked for Makro, I realized this very same thing. I worked side-by-side nursing, engineering, and education graduates who couldn't find jobs that suited their degrees. Instead, some had to work for my canvassing team - recruiting members for the then-new (and alive) business and wholesale giant. Once, on field work along Banawe Avenue, my co-canvassers and I were literally kicked out of a car shop, manned, ironically, by a batch mate from Ateneo. Yes folks, he kicked me out - AB Economics degree and all. My co-canvassers were pissed. I, however, took it with a grain of salt. This man knew little, if not none, about who we were, so he chose to look down on us. But did it matter what he knew? Did it matter that he called us "tsao-hwans" (a derogatory remark meaning dirty, stinky people in Chinese slang), when we knew we weren't? I told my canvassing team to keep their chins up. They were college graduates, and this man didn't know that.

So really, does it matter if I look bigger, older (and perhaps, uglier) now? LOL! I'd like to believe otherwise. I actually think life is awesome, and I actually feel young and beautiful. Do I listen to what other people say about me? Sure. Do I let their words bring me down? No.

I may be big and old to some. But to me, THIS is what I know to be true: I am BIG, B-OLD and BEAUTIFUL!

~ LIFE IS AWESOME! ~

So remember that BIG N' TASTY event I attended a few weeks back? Well McDonald's had us, bloggers, fulfill specific tasks to show how BIG can be beautiful. 

TASK 1: HUG THE BIGGEST STUFFED TOY YOU CAN FIND

My not-so-little photographer A wanted to show my readers the difference in size of the plush toys we found at home.

Yes, this Barney stuffed toy is almost as big as I am!

This was fairly easy. A has had this plush toy since she was one and crazy over Barney. I was planning on selling this but couldn't let go of memories. R had purchased this with his first commission. This gigantic plush holds many, BIG memories for our family. Thank goodness I didn't let go of it. Task 1, DONE!

TASK 2: GIVE THE BIGGEST CARD TO A FRIEND

My BFF J's little boy is turning one! J has been so stressed lately - with work, preps and everything else. So last Friday, after work, I surprised her with an invitation to go de-stressing at McDonald's for a dose of the NEW! Big N' Tasty burger! For this task, I commissioned the help of my talented assistant G to assist me in making this humongous card, and J's husband RF to take photos. J obviously got the picture - nothing like a BIG card to get a BIG message across - J, KEEP CALM AND THINK BIG... N' TASTY! Tara!

Stressed and tired, my BFF J needed a break! So I took the opportunity to invite her out for a Big N' Tasty.

I wanted a BIG card to get my BIG message across. This BIG N' TASTY treat is on me!

J has been a great, great friend to me. We've been office mates for over 10 years. She has been by my side through thick and thin, and has always held my hand through the bad times. She always sees the good in the bad (yes, even in worst situations) and for that I will always be grateful. Among all my friends, J has the BIGGEST heart.

We set a date for lunch the next day as she still had errands to run and deadlines to meet that evening. Task 2, DONE!

TASK 3: POSE BESIDE THE BIGGEST WALL MURAL OR GRAFFITI

This, I think, was the hardest task for me, as it took a lot of effort. I was told that it had to be a "drawn" mural, so I had to do some research on this. I initially wanted to pose by the mural on EDSA, Cubao, but I didn't think getting caught by the MMDA would be worth the trouble. I still tried, somehow, and failed. LOL!

Effort much? LOL! Effort FAIL! Argh!

After consulting my friend, Google, on possible alternatives, I found out that the mural painted along the perimeter fence of Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center in Quezon City is now actually considered to be the BIGGEST and longest wildlife mural in the Philippines. Lucky me, I pass this establishment everyday on my way to work. So on the holiday of June 12th, my kids and I took a field trip to NAPWC, and explored their newly-painted perimeter fence.

On May 25, 2012, about 700 volunteers from all walks of life (including street kids!), led by lead mural artist, Amado Saño, came together to paint the wall around NAPWC. Measuring approximately 1.075 kilometers long, the wall showcases a design that highlights marine biodiversity in the Philippines. This finished mural is now known as the "Biodiversity Wall of Nature".

My kids and I went on a field trip and trekked around Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center to capture the new and
beautiful wildlife mural on their perimeter wall. Said to be the biggest and longest wildlife mural in the country, the
mural, dubbed "Biodiversity Wall of Nature" measures 1.075 Kilometers long, and was painted by over 700 volunteers!

Posing with my little boy, RL, by the "Biodiversity Wall of Nature."

I love taking trips with my kids, yes, even just around the metro. I haven't been to Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center since I was a young, little girl. My mom used to take us here for picnics. I didn't think the park was this BIG! Too bad we missed out on seeing the rescue center. We did get a glimpse of the monkeys in cages, by one of the outside fences, and it broke our hearts to see them outside of their natural habitat. My not-so-little girl (and photographer for the day) A wants to be a wildlife photographer/zoo ranger/veterinarian someday (she has a BIG heart for animals!), so visiting the rescue center would be an exciting trip for her. We are scheduled to visit again soon! Task 3, DONE!

TASK 4: EAT A BIG N' TASTY WITH SOMEONE SPECIAL

Thought bubble: How I wish I had someone special in my life to share a BIG N' TASTY with... *sad* LOL!

When I was contemplating on how I wanted to do this task, I knew my someone special had to be someone dear to me. I would have picked my kids for this, but both A and RL are more Chicken McDo lovers. So remember my BFF J? Well I was supposed to take her out for Saturday lunch at McDonald's. However, because it was the day before her little boy's first birthday party, she had to make last-minute trips to party suppliers, and had wanted to raincheck on our date. I knew firsthand how stressful preparing for a party could be, so I agreed to reschedule. That evening, however, while her whole family stressed over last-minute details, I decided to drive-thru the nearest McDonald's store and brought them a BIG N' TASTY midnight snack!

Craving for a BIG N' TASTY is not a problem as McDonald's has 24-hour stores around the metro.
You can either Drive-thru, call 8-MCDO or log on to McDelivery Online for delivery (Flat Rate of P40) -
Yes, satisfy that nagging craving, even during the wee hours of the morning!

I wasn't so sure I could pull off a surprise, so I coordinated with J's husband RF to make sure J was home and ready for some grub.

J wasn't hard to please since I already knew she also loves the NEW! BIG N' TASTY burger from McDonald's.
But she didn't think I'd make good on my promise of having the burgers on Saturday. Needless to say,
it was a BIG and welcome surprise for the tired mom. Her hubby RF took these pictures as I came in the door.    

I chose my bff J for Task 4, and had a BIG N' TASTY burger with her. 

J and I have loads in common. We both have little boys, love to tinker around with editing tools, etc. And we both love a good burger! We also both think we're beautiful, albeit BIG. LOL! And we don't let others pull us down. J is a feisty little one, and will speak her mind when needed. Otherwise, she is shy, sweet and super. She is one of my bestfriends and I love her! Task 4, DONE!

Yes, I am BIG, BOLD and BEAUTIFUL! I am blessed to have friends and family (with BIG hearts!) to celebrate this awesome, awesome life with me. Life is overwhelmingly great, as it is beautiful. I won't allow others to tell me otherwise. 

Missing!

I've been swamped the past two weeks! You can't imagine how I can possibly fit everything in 24-hour days! But I've managed - only this blog had to suffer. I AM trying to get everything back on track though. (Can you feel the stress? Lol!)

Today, I took a break for a few hours because my missing-in-action friend and colleague FINALLY visited after four years! FINALLY!!! (can't reiterate that enough)

H used to work for us, but left to work for her church. She's been very instrumental in how I changed my outlook on dealing with a verbally abusive spouse, and I praise God we crossed paths once upon a time. Today, after four long years, she came for a visit, and D and I took time off to catch up!

I miss the good ol' days. Especially those times when we had at least 3 people to share the workload in the office. Haha! If I had this team with me today, I wouldn't be missing out so much on blogging and keeping this blog updated. Lol!

But I WILL be back this week! With a bang, nonetheless! Watch out! You wouldn't want to miss my comeback!

Guest Blogger: RAR

Today, I've decided to share this entry in honor of a great woman who worked hard to see to it that her boys (and everyone else) got everything they needed (and sometimes wanted) in this world. In the few years that I got to know Tita Tonet, I know her to be a godly woman with a big heart - whose love and dedication for her family (her WHOLE family) taught me one great thing - that sometimes, to stand by the people you love the most is enough to see them through. 

The piece below was written yesterday by my goddaughter (originally R's but he has been a MIA godfather as well) Rianne. Rianne is a 17-year old young lady who seeks after God's own heart. I am amazed at her faith and at her immense love for our Heavenly Father. Her mom and I are often humbled by how she walks the Walk (and the Talk). She also writes a bit here. I hope you enjoy reading her tribute to her late grandmother, whose birthday happens to be today. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TITA TONET! YOU ARE MISSED! 

Fair and Honest! 
by: Rianne Avisa Rebulado

Because I haven't been doing anything in the past few months, I volunteered myself to "manage" one of our businesses (whenever my parents aren't around--which is what I am doing currently). A few minutes ago, an American customer called us, complaining why, according to him, we sell our products at a very high price. He was looking for the manager; however, my mom had not been around, so I took charge.

ME: Hello, good afternoon, sir. 
CUSTOMER: Hi, I have been ordering from you for a very long time, my staff does. But I just found out that your price is so mahal (expensive). I just called Petron and they told me that the 11kgs is only Php560, why are you selling it to me for Php820? Is it because I'm a "Kano"? 
ME: That's not true, sir. We sell all our products at the regular price, to anyone. 
CUSTOMER: But I just called Petron. Call them, and ask them their price. 
ME: Okay, kindly hold the line (then I called Petron).

PETRON: Hello, good afternoon. 
ME: Yes, I'd just like to know how much the 11kgs is. 
PETRON: Php806. 
ME: Okay, thank you. 

ME: Sir, I just called Petron and they told me that their 11kgs is at Php806. We are an outlet that's why we sell it at a little higher price. (Not anyone can buy directly from Petron. ☺) 
CUSTOMER: Are you sure, the 11kgs? Let me call them. (then he called Petron) 
CUSTOMER: Oh, I am really sorry. They confirmed that it's Php806. I'm really sorry. I really like your service and I've been your customer for a very long time. I will continue ordering from you; even if you sell it at Php830. 
ME: It's okay, sir. There's no problem. 
CUSTOMER: Okay, thank you. 

This isn't the first time we've encountered something like that. Some of our customers had moved to smaller companies who sell their products cheaper than we do, thinking that they could save more if they would; but then most of them would come back to us saying they like our service more.  Because, with us, they are sure of the products - from the quantity to the quality.

My grandmother started this company back in 1969, when it was really hard to put up an LPG business/company. If you didn't do the math, we've been up and running for more than 40 years already--which would have been impossible if we weren't fair and honest to all of our customers. Today, it really is so much easier to put up this kind of business. There aren't as much processes to go through now as compared to before, when it was stricter and harder.

My uncle, Alvin Rebulado, shares his side of the story of how this company started. Read his inputs below:

Tonet Rebulado

Mom started working for Shell under the management of Mr. Sunga. During that time, LPGs weren't very popular and like other new products in the market, they were very expensive. The advantage was to cook your food using a stove instead of the traditional charcoal cooker or butane stove which will only last for a couple of days. The product was promising and soon add-on features and products like the Gas Range were added. Though it was so expensive, people started to hug the technology - same as how we are hugging new tech stuffs in the market.

So anyway, from what I heard and remember, Shell wasn't making much money as expected, because not everyone could afford the initial investment. Technically, you would have to buy the empty cylinder first, then you can buy your gas refill whenever you need it. So Shell started to run a promotion. I can't remember if it was FREE cylinder or a cylinder discount for every customer who bought the refill, but I remember mom telling me that she started to buy her own cylinder stocks and kept them at home as she knew that this was going to be big business in the future.

And so she did! She started piling up those tanks to the point where she was ready to start her own business. In business terms on today, this is considered as 'conflict of interest' (hehe... sorry, Mom). But hey, it IS business and she was later open about it with her boss. Management was impressed with her enthusiasm and decided to have her open a branch at 14-B 15th Avenue, Murphy, Cubao, Quezon City. This was one of the first Shell LPG dealerships in Quezon City! It was popularly known as OSELITE Gas and Appliances Center. I remember growing up hearing the banging noise of those tanks and honestly, I really miss them (being here, abroad for almost 15 years) - the noise... and those 10-wheeler trucks trying to park its way to a small space, to dump 200-300 LPGs! Petron and Manila Gas later joined the party. With ERB regulating the industry and so on and so forth, the business grew and branched out to different locations. From Paranaque, all the way to Pulang Lupa, the stores were called AA&M Gas Center (for ALVIN, ANTHONY & MEL). Each of us had a our share in running this lovely business. A lot of people have wonderful futures because of this very business. This little thing grew to help dozens raise their families. This is my mom's legacy to us and to the many people she helped. IT STILL IS AND ALWAYS WILL be. 

My grandmother is no other than THE Ma. Platona "Tonet" Ordona Alcantara y Rebulado.

We are Murphy Gas Merchandise, located in Quezon City. We sell and deliver LPG products around the area. You can call us at 911-0439, 330-0196 (PLDT) or 437-MGAS (437-6427) (Bayantel). You can also call or text +639192218888, +639194888886 (Smart) or +639277268888 (Globe). If you want to be sure of the LPG that you use, go and dial those numbers now!

Draw Something!

Draw Something!

It's the new Temple Run (although I never really got attached much to that app, but you know what I mean), Draw Something! -- the app making waves nowadays. Zynga, social network game giant, reportedly purchased the company behind Draw Something, OMGPop, for P200million. I am not surprised. With the rising popularity of Draw Something! -- hitting Top App (both Top Purchased and Top Free) in just six weeks since its launch, someone's sure to take notice.

Look at me. I am soooooo addicted. If I used to stay up blogging (yes, excuse the partial absence), then this app has taken its place. ADDICTED. And so are my friends. Right now, I have more or less 20 active games with friends all over the world.

That's the great thing about this app. You get to play against a friend from the other side of the globe. Never mind if it's 2am in Australia, or 12mn in Japan, chances are, your friend's up and addicted as well. LOL! The funny thing about this game is that there is no competition. You do not play for points or rank. YOU JUST PLAY. It's similar to Pictionary, only this one's a 2-player online game.

How do you play?

Once you have the app, it's easy. You have the option of linking the app to your Facebook page and find friends who are already playing. Then you create a game with them.

Create a game, or choose from friends already addicted... er... playing.

You start by choosing one word from a list of 3.

Choose the word you think you can draw best. 

Then draw that word for your friend. Click DONE when done with your drawing. Then wait. Or go on with your day's work (if no one else is playing against you). Your phone should prompt or notify you once you have a new game pending. You click and see your friend guess the word you drew for him/ her.

Hard to guess, so I wrote "besties 4 life" to mean "BFF" 

Then go on to guess his/ her drawing for you. It's that simple.

Watch your friend draw...

...and guess the word!

Because the game is called Draw Something, don't be a killjoy by writing down the answers. My first few random games were not as fun. The other player (strangers that the game randomly picked from somewhere across the pacific) would write down the answer! Also, you DO have to draw something. They would have called it something else if you didn't have to actually draw. (LOL! Sioti KR, sorry, I used your "drawing" as an example, hihi, peace!).

LOL! Draw Something! I couldn't stop laughing when I got this.

Here are some of my Draw Something "Works of Art". LOL!

Simple apple drawing... (but yes, I had to draw the worm)

Wala lang, I wanted to draw something that actually looked like a parrot. Well, sort of.

Because it was easier to draw SPONGEbob over drawing just the sponge.

Nyar. Now that I think about it, I don't even know what's addicting about this game. It just is. Sooooooo addicting. Better than Temple Run, I say (but that's just me). See, almost everyone's playing.


So excuse me now, I have to go Draw Something. :)


On an iPhone? Get the full version of Draw Something here. Or the FREE version here.
On an Android? Check out Draw Something on Google Play!

http://omgpop.com/drawsomething 

Hearts From the Field

A Valentine message from our friends at ARK - Advancement for Rural Kids.

Love, students of Dumarao 

PS. ...Last July, 3rd graders from Sibariwan Elementary School, to the surprise of their teacher, made adorable paper hearts. During the afternoon break, each of the kids gave one (or 2) to each of the four newly-arrived and jetlagged ARK visitors who were leading a full day of student workshops. We hope their art lifts your heart as they did ours. Thank you for your love and support! The ARK Team 

PPS. ...Look out for ARK's off-the-hook summer internship and fellowship opportunities which shall be available very very soon. Interested? Like us on Facebook and check out www.ruralkids.org.

ARK, or Advancement for Rural Kids, raises funds to: support school-based feeding programs, create after school initiatives and scholarships; purchase school supplies; and provide critical infrastructure improvements. ARK collects books, computers and other educational aids for school libraries for the use by the entire community. Their programs enable kids to stay in school, have better health, improve academically, and have a better future.

Want to help? Write to ARK at info@ruralkids.org

Advancement for Rural Kids 
10 East 85th Street 
New York, NY 10028

Home Away From Home.

This post has been edited (and edited, and edited through the months I was on hiatus) so much so that I decided to just write a new one. My sentiments are the same, however -- Hotel Benito will always be my Hong Kong home.

~~~

A and I were walking back to Ramada (a dinky hotel my dad booked at the last minute - long story!) to meet my folks before they headed out on the A21 back to the airport. We had gone to Mongkok for the day and decided to get out of the B2 MTR Exit. I normally do not look up while walking on heavily-populated streets, but that evening, as I walked down Cameron Road, I decided to stop and look up. On the huge billboard in front of me was a sign announcing a new hotel that had just opened the month before. This was around 4+ years ago. The new hotel was news to me and my friends on the Pinoy Exchange Hong Kong thread (an online thread we help moderate). See, we had been looking for a nice boutique hotel. A number of us wanted to organize an EB in Hong Kong. Many of us budget travelers, we had wanted the comforts of a nice, clean hotel, without the hotel price. Hotel Benito was just that - the location came as a bonus.

Not the same billboard as this one replaced the one announcing the new hotel.

Home away from home - Hotel Benito.

Hotel Benito opened in 2007. An IKEA-inspired (well, we all think so, as it smelled like IKEA when we first walked into our room back then) boutique hotel smack right in the middle of busy Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon.

On our next trip to Hong Kong for Holy Week of 2008, my mom wanted no other hotel. It was Hotel Benito for its location! So I called and booked us 3 rooms. Needless to say, the experience was superb! My dad especially enjoyed their business lounge*, with free-flowing coffee, tea, hot choco, water, juice and Japanese Rice Crackers! Haha! My siblings loved the fact that they had laptops available for use at the lounge (if you're the type who hates lugging a laptop when you travel) and free net access** in rooms! We also loved the idea that the hotel was surrounded by bakeries, fast food joints, and shops. It was also a 2-minute walk to the nearest MTR exit; A stone's throw away from the A21 bus stop (DIY travelers know how important proximity to the bus stop is!). My youngest brother loved it that it was next door to Tom Lee Music. My kids and I just loved everything about it.

Watsons Personal Care Store right below the hotel, the famous dessert place - Hui Lau Shan, right across. 

McDonald's 24-Hour store, KFC, Yoshinoya and Burger King right outside your hotel! Look! A Crocs store!

When I first took my little boy, who was then 6 months old, to Hong Kong, I considered Hotel Benito right away. It was most convenient for kids. Especially when you have to take numerous trips back to the hotel for naps, poop breaks, or just to dump half a day's worth of shopping. Parent travelers would know what I mean when I say: Convenient location is NECESSARY when traveling with kids. LOL!

6-month old RL, looking out the window at Hotel Benito.

No way we're staying at a guesthouse again!

There was one last-minute trip to the homeland where I didn't get to book with Hotel Benito. We were so last minute then, plus it was peak season, that we decided to book ourselves into a guesthouse to save on budget and the hassle. I felt so sorry for my kids that I allowed them that experience! RL (who was then 1), A (then 8) and I had to squish into a room the size of my bathroom. Heck, even my itsy-bitsy bathroom at home is bigger than that room! Sure, I may have saved half of what I would've spent at Hotel Benito, but I learned my lesson that trip. We were booked for 6 nights - 3 of which we spent in that small hole. A small hole not even worth my 300HKD.

Let me tell you this, nothing is worth the extra moolah when it comes to convenience and the comfort of your kids. When all is said and done, a nice, safe hotel puts a single parent's traveling dilemmas at ease. After that small box of a stay, each Hong Kong trip was planned with Hotel Benito in mind. We haven't stayed anywhere else since. I've probably convinced every aunt, cousin, friend, pastor, officemate, etc to stay at Hotel Benito! So far, we've stayed at this hotel a total of 8x, not counting the separate times my family has booked with Hotel Benito without us.

RL checking out our Deluxe Twin Room. Nice! 

Mounted LCD TV that shows Cartoon Network, National Geographic, HBO, etc.

Book Direct and get welcome fruits and a note from their manager when you arrive.
You also get a daily supply of bottled water (2 bottles/ room) if you book directly with the hotel.

Nice, Clean Bathroom.

Shower enclosure, with Shampoo and Body Wash.

Coffee, Tea, and Bottled Water! Personal ref inside the cabinet to the left.

Of course it's not the Four Seasons nor The Pen. It's a Boutique Hotel.

But the hospitality here beats any 5-star hotel in Hong Kong. Their concierge, Louie, greets me with a "Welcome Back" each time he sees me. But because Hotel Benito is my Hong Kong home, to me, his welcome is synonymous to "Welcome Home."

Perfect location! Click on the map to enlarge. 

Hotel Benito is at 7-7B Cameron Lane cor. Cameron Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Standard Room Rates are HK$825 and up. Rates vary, so write to them to inquire for rates for your stay.


For inquiries and bookings, email them direct at info@hotelbenito.com or through reservation@hotelbenito.com. 

*Business Lounge access is HK$40 for single entry, HK$70 for multiple entry for the duration of your stay - inclusive of free-flowing water, coffee, juice, crackers, and use of their laptop computers with internet access. 

**Free wifi in rooms! Wired internet is also available, LAN cables are available upon request.

Check out the Hotel Benito webpage here.


http://www.hotelbenito.com