Globe – you are giving me a headache

On 19 December, I called 730 1000 to have my son’s phone reconnected as he’s flying back from abroad today. I was told to fax travel documents and a letter of request. I was told to follow up an hour after. I did that.  I called again on the 20th for good measure and was reassured by Laarni that they had received the documents I sent and would reconnect asap. Now this girl Jolly tells me I didn’t fax anything, no travel documents, no letter of request as I speak with her today, 23 December, 4 days later.

After I mentioned Laarni’s name she said “Give me 1 minute to check” – we had been on the phone for 9 minutes by then. Then she tells me the request and documents are there and would be acted upon in one to two hours — I had to mention Laarni’s name for her to admit they had received the documents? Where was she looking before I mentioned Laarni’s name? She also mentioned something about having a limit to the documents they get – I couldn’t understand it. And what peeved me the most was her insisting I hadn’t faxed anything!!! They didn’t receive anything, she kept reiterating. So why did the girl on 20 December say she did? And now this Jolly, after I mentioned Laarni’s name admits seeing the request? Pray tell, Globe, what is happening out there?

As I asked Jolly how much a text message is from Singapore, she cut the line or the line was cut.   It’s so exasperating when this happens because then one has to call again – no problem there  – and explain to another person one’s predicament — now that is exhausting. How I wish Globe would return a cut call to prevent a customer’s having to retell the story and re-experience the angst/anger. Hayyyyyyy.

I called again – a male answered this time and of course I had to tell the story again. Oh but before I did I asked how much a text message costs from Singapore. I had to wait a minute for that answer. I asked why can’t you answer offhand? Apparently Globe has several rates in effect so they have to verify. Kakapagod ang Globe.

Buying an Aircon

Two days after Ondoy, we left the country. Seventeen days later, we came back. A week or so after, we had the aircon in the sala cleaned – it had been partly submerged in flood waters. After it was cleaned, it was tested and it worked. Alleluia, I thought. Then last week, I was tutoring and decided to turn it on. It refused to work.

Called the service center who said the fan had to be change and a certain board. Total estimate was P6k. Then the following day they said it was P4k. But while they said it would work thereafter, I wasn’t too sure. Years back, we had a certain part in an aircon replaced and it conked out completely shortly afterwards.

So, rather than “waste” money on repairs, we decided to get a new one. And the quest began.

Called SM in Power Plant. Then I tried Abenson in Shang as it’s nearer. As the price was similar, I decided to ask the man in Shang to reserve a unit for me. He said we had to go there and that’s when he’d order: a 2 hp Panasonic window type aircon with remote control. If I had opted for a 1.5hp, we could have picked it up immediately.

So we went. And the guy who was the person I had spoken with looked friendly. To cut a long story short, out of sheer exasperation, we wheeled out (I can’t walk, remember?). Why? It all had to do with the installation and discount. At first he said he could recommend someone to install it more quickly than if we coursed it through the store. Then he said I should just look for a carpenter as that would be cheaper. I gave him my card with that option in mind. Then he came back and said he had found someone who could install it. But that person was charging as much as an official installer so I balked. As I was about to go on with the transaction nonetheless, he showed me the schedule of prices. Earlier he said there was no discount for cash transactions, but when I looked, there would have been P500. Then he said he could give me a P1500 discount but I had to give him back P700. By then my head was spinning. I got the sheet of paper I got my cards back (Abenson card and credit card) and wheeled out. At the exit, I thought to get the paper I had signed (it wasn’t a receipt, just an info sheet) and crumpled it.  I was just so disgusted.

I thought to postpone the purchase until the weekend. But husband said why not try other stores? I called SM Power Plant to ask what time they’d close – 10 pm. It was 8 pm then. But I thought PP was too far, so I said, “Podium”. We Went only to find out that the SM Appliance branch there had closed. Darn. I was all set to give up and postpone the purchase, but husband said to try Automatic Center in Eastwood Mall. INitially, I offered to stay in the car so husband wouldn’t have to carry me out, in and then in, out again. Husband approached a guard to tell him to look out for me but as it took a while, I noticed that it was getting uncomfortably hot in the car. So I told husband to please bring me down.

Went to Automatic Center and before long we had made the purchase. Joseph Uy, the manager, promised to send the aircon by Friday. Friday morning, it was nowhere, 3 pm, it was nowhere. Called AC and they assured me it would come (as Wilcon had promised then but didn’t deliver, I was wary and showed AC so, but Laarni was patient). In the end, the aircon came at 6:15 pm. Thank you AC.

It has since been installed. Whew.

Voters’ Registration

Tonight it was announced that the voter’s registration process has been extended to 9 January 2010. Hooray. First-time would-be voters, especially, will have time to register. Don’t wait for the last minute please.

Check out this link.

Jai Reyes in GMA 7

Watched 24 Oras and Pia Guanio said “Jay Reyes” (Pia, it’s Jai, so pronounce it as Ji (long i, not long a) is now with Pinoy Records and has guested in Show me the Manny. I didn’t catch what she said about Jai and Unang Hirit but she said something about Jai and UH. There was a short interview of Jai and he said he’s enjoying himself. he is cohosting PR with Chris Tiu, whom everyone knows was his teammate in Ateneo.

Citibank 995 9999

The voice is different, the menu of choices too. I tend not to be able to identify which route to take to get to a live human voice. It’s so frustrating that if worse comes to worst, I will likely not renew my Citibank credit cards. For one, the voice sounds spooky. For another, it seems like an exercise in futility. You get info you don’t actually want or need, but that which you want/need – how can you access it? I honestly don’t know. Once I somehow got to speak to a human being and I had to say it, “ang pangit ng boses” of the humanoid. She said it was a trial run. But that was days ago. Scary.

Johnny Rockets

Went to a wedding but chose to skip the reception and guess where we had dinner while clad in our semi-formal get-ups? In Johnny Rockets.

Our first choice would have been Old Vine Grill but it being a little past eight pm, the place was packed as were other restos just outside Eastwood Mall. Then we saw an empty table in Johnny Rockets and decided to try it out. Everyone was so warm and friendly and we were given a table closest to the water closet, the only one available at the time.

Ordered #21 and Route 66 per the recommendation of our food server. Sidings for #21 was garden salad, mine was onion rings. For P42 additional, we got unlimited fries. Soft drinks at P100 were bottomless. Now for the shocker, no make that shockers: #21 burger with pickles, cheese, lettuce, etc was P365. Husband said it tasted better than mine which was P400 plus. Mine had mushrooms, Swiss cheese, onions. Earlier while ordering, I remarked to the server, “bakit ang mahal nito?” She said the ingredients were special. Mushrooms were fresh rather than canned and had a nutty taste to them,  the rest of the sandwich – burger was a tad dry. Patty was thicker than in McDo but for maybe half the price in Wham Burger, Brothers, etc. one gets a more filling sandwich. Promise.

Guess, it serves me right for refusing to pay heed to some people. A cousin’s son said burger in JR was not good per his friends; a friend’s dad said the place was noisy – there was dancing every so often by servers. Oh well, lesson learned and a very expensive one.

Will we go back to JR? Maybe one more time, just so son gets a chance to try it. Maybe if there’s nowhere else to eat and we’re super duper hungry. But to actively seek it out like we would Pepper Lunch, Kimpura, Cyma – I don’t think so.

At least, not until they lower their prices or improve the taste? I think hotel burgers may cost as much but may taste much better. So there.

(there are 3 jukeboxes at the resto – P1 per song)

Happy 30th, Eat Bulaga

I can’t believe it, you’ve been part of more than half of my life, and I must add, the happier part of my life. Thank you.

It was a happy reunion with Ces Quesada for me, as it was she who made me life while I was carrying my child in my womb. I loved how she’d cry while moving her head to one side during the Bulagaan portion, was it? And of course, I was sad, very sad when she left. I gave birth in October 1989 and moments ago, it was mentioned that she was with EB in 1989. See? And my son turned 20 last October. EB and I have had quite a journey together.

Ruffa and Zoren – perhaps they didn’t stay as hosts long enough? I don’t remember that they did. But their PInoy Henyo exchange was really one for the books. And Debraliz and Richie D’Horsy – arinola ang basa ni Debraliz, no wonder her strange responses. And the show has just begun.

I’ll stop here for now. Not sure I’ll continue as the show goes on as I might have to resume baking shortly. At any rate, happy 30th EB – to hosts and staff past and present. And Thank YOU for the 30 years of laughter you made possible. More to come, please.

Snow

Ang babaw ko talaga. Just because WordPress gave us the option of installing “snow falling” on our website, I changed my theme so the snow could be seen. Ay nag rhyme pa. Pwedeng haiku?

I’d like to thank the creator of DepoMasthead. Possibly, I’ll return to it (if I can find it) after the snow falls on 4 January 2010.

Meanwhile, allow me and you to enjoy the snow. I know, I know, it should be: you and me, if one were strict about etiquette. But sometimes, breaking the rules is fun and makes things sound better.

MV’s Political Ads on TV

Months back, Manny Villar had this series of plugs with Boy Abunda. Then Cory Aquino died and Boy supported Noynoy insteadd.

Now MV has Michael V in different guises interviewing him, the way BA did before. Does the fact that Michael V assumes different personas signify the fact that it isn’t he as Michael V who’s endorsing MV? Just asking. Although I was also taken aback when, a week or so ago, Dolphy was evidently present in Tondo when MV went there. Did that signify his support for MV’s presidential bid? Why was I taken aback? Dolphy has always said and shown that he is apolitical…

A TV Commercial Talent

Remember that little girl who had to hunch her body in their new house? Because she had been living in a cramped one before and thought it would be the same in their new house, only to find out their new place was bigger and therefore liberating?

A few minutes ago, I saw a cough syrup (Plemex) commercial on GMA with her in the “lead.” Trust ad agencies to take note of her popularity and use her yet again.