When we got to Serendra, my husband and I were surprised at the number of available parking slots. I looked at my watch and saw 6:15 pm. I thought my watch was broken: could it be that early? My husband confirmed the time – no wonder parking wasn’t a problem.

Determined to go to FU for dinner, we nonetheless stopped at Conti’s for takeout- chicken pie only in my mind until I saw the other goodies available: so I got two  tuna pies, two cheese crisps and 4 chicken pies, plus a box of assorted brownies. I would have wanted to try the frozen goods of Conti’s but I thought they might spoil if we bought them as early as then. Next time perhaps?

On to FU. We ordered suckling pig 3 combination, so with it we chose to have century eggs and soy chicken. Also ordered spinach with garlic and Fu fried rice. All tasted very good but there was no attempt whatsoever to present the fried rice artistically. It was bereft of color. Never mind, it tasted good. Yes, I like fried rice very much, CHinese fried rice especially. Can anyone share what gives Chinese fried rice in all CHinese restaurants that distinct taste? what’s the secret, pretty please? After the meal I asked permission from Ricky of Fu who has been waiting on our table each time we are there if I could eat a brownie. He smiled and said to go ahead. And guess what, he gave us two platitos with forks. How kind of him. Fu has this campaign 8 for 800 or something to that effect. There’s a form one fills up if one is inclined to donate to Virlanie foundation for the street children.

After Fu we stopped by at a different bookstore. The person who attended to us was apparently well read – he knew right away that the book I was looking for (Tracy Chevalier’s The Lady and the Unicorn) was on stock. He then told me I should also read TC’s other book, The Lady and the Pearl Earring. He recommended the other books he had read and said to come back tomorrow as they’ll have a sale – 20% off books. Darn we were a day too early.

After ADB, we went to Fully Booked. As usual, I savored the smell of new books as soon as the door opened. Sigh. Reminds me so much of my childhood. There I finally found a copy of Catherine de Medici by Leonie Frieda, which M recommended. I read it as husband looked at CDs on the fourth floor. He bought a Radiohead CD (com lag) and I got Johnny Alegre’s 3rd CD for son – as Christmas present. I also saw Gela skin with a bear playing a red electric guitar on it. So I got that too for son. For his old MacBook. While there we received a text from him saying they had just crossed the border into Holland and would be in Amsterdam in a few minutes. I couldn’t help but feel excited for him. What a thrill.

Some comments – The sales personnel in Conti’s are all very warm. They smile a lot. Perhaps that’s why Conti’s is such a success.

The personnel of ADB are knowledgeable. They know if they have a certain book or not. They can tell you which books they like. Way to go.

When Connie Sison said “kumpirmado na si Edu Manzano…” I thought she’d say something bad had happened to Edu. Little did I expect that something was happening to our country – I mean, you know. Sure, Edu has more brains than some people in government. Sure he can swagger. But he’s funny – so we have or will have a funny VP? Let me absorb that for a while. I’m not sure I’m awake.

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Asked a cousin-doctor whom she’s voting for in 2010. She said Edu was a good vice mayor in Makati. Now I’m even more confused. Choosing won’t be easy, that’s for sure.

Watching Fr. Sinnott, the newly released Irish priest, all of 77 years old, brings tear to my eyes. Why, kidnappers? He had just had a quadruple bypass, for heaven’s sake? He has done you no harm, has he? So why?

While in Paris we met this priest in Notre Dame Montparnasse and he mentioned upon learning that we were from the Philippines how a confrere of his, Fr. Michel de Gigord had been abducted twice while in Mindanao. So their religious order no longer has a priest there.

Why are the religious abducted? Red Cross personnel? Teachers? What evil have they done? Aren’t they the very people who help or try to help make the lives of people better? They aren’t well paid, if at all, for their efforts and then there’s every chance they will be abducted. Sad.

Sigh.

When I turned on the TV this morning, I heard a voice mouthing the prices of pork and it didn’t sound like a Channel 7 voice. True enough, when I looked, I saw that the TV was on 2. Then I recalled watching Probe last night, until after the feature on Nicanor Perlas was over. NP is one of the presidential candidates for 2010. I used to think he would be a good choice. Maybe, I still do? I am not so sure. Featured with him was my Chemistry teacher in high school: Sr. Aida Velasquez, OSB. They are both anti-nuclear power plant, that’s why.

So after hearing Pinky Webb enumerating the prices of pork, I decided to change channels and happened to see Vroni Cabaluyot (that’s how I thought her name was spelled the first time I heard it eons ago), Cookie del Mar and someone who used to be on 2, a male. I decided to watch them and thought maybe I should more often. They were just the right mix, very calm, not noisy, not yabang-annoying. VC, or rather Veronica Baluyot Jimenez has always been a favorite of mine. I think her husband is connected with GMA7. Perhaps that’s the reason she left the channel, so no charges of nepotism will be directed her way. I miss seeing her on TV though. So again, perhaps, I should watch Channel 4? The prospect doesn’t exactly excite me because NBN4 is a government channel and guess what that means? But maybe for the sace of Vroni I can watch early morning tv in 4.

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The other day, was at the grocery. There was no white sugar. I thought Rustan’s had just run out like it sometimes does, but possibly, it’s because of the shortage of this, that and other stuff in our part of the world these days. Heavens, will there be gasoline in the stations when we gas up this weekend? I remember how it was in the 70s when Papa would ration gasoline in Bacolod. he was very strict and fair, gained a few friends in the process, lost or irked some. What’s happening, Philippines?

Sadly, the oil companies aren’t exactly fair – they earn so much and what’s a few weeks of holding back prices as people recover from the repercussions of Ondoy and Pepeng? As people have to contend with fixing their houses, cars and what have you so they can go on with their lives? But no, the oil companies want their profits intact, regardless.

Meanwhile, government’s decision to hold back prices – sometimes government does things for political mileage, for pogi points especially because of the 2010 elections. So one wonders – is government sincere in this move to put a price cap on oil prices?

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Speaking of government, why isn’t anyone wanting to run as Gibo’s VP? Poor Gibo. So who will it be? GMA for VP? Noli de Castro? Many have turned down the offer: Vilma Santos, Miguel Zubiri, Prospero Pichay even. And GMA, Ermita and Claudio have chosen to distance themselves a bit from Lakas to untaint the party so Gibo will gain some followers, I guess, followers who aren’t exactly fans of the current administration. Possibly, this move comes a bit too late. I am not taking sides here, mind you. Actually, Gibo seems okay but then again because he is an administration candidate, one thinks twice.

So who will it be for me in 2010? I still haven’t decided. For VP, I think I’ll vote Mar for sure. For the president… now that remains to be seen.

I have yearned to win big in raffles – like a condo, trip abroad, the lotto jackpot, a car, a house and lot. But so far, my luck hasn’t reached such proportions. Oh yes, I’ve received text messages declaring I won P550,000. now if only these were true.

This post was instigated by a call from my all time favorite mall, Shangrila, early tonight. I won 2000 worth of e-tickets to its movie houses in the raffle tie-up of Globe and Shangrila. Yahoo, it’s always such a thrill to win such but I was tempted to ask, does a box of salon pas come with it? The theater in Shang is hardly wheelchair friendly in the sense that the only spot accessible to the likes of me is the front row and guess what that implies?

At any rate, the win has made me reminisce. I can’t remember everything but one prize I recall winning was a dozen cans of Darigold evaporated milk. This was in the seventies. The Talisay Youth Council of which I was a member had a bingo and I won that.

I also won an Easy Call pager which we claimed in Paranaque I think. Oh boy, I can’t even recall why or how I won that.

A few years back, I got a call – I won a box of Panda cookies. But I had to go to Quiapo to claim my prize. I said they could have it.

At Rustan’s, my favorite neighborhood supermarket, I’ve won twice: one was a keyboard (no, not Yamaha or JVC) and one other item. I cannot now recall what.

Lotto – I’ve won P1000 max, I also won P500, at another time P20, another time P40.

Oh yes, in the early 80s, my sister asked me to have a roll of film developed. The store had a promo – I could get a key and get the prize in the chest it would open. The prize was a camera. I gave it to my sister as it was rightfully hers.

I have been pronounced lucky in raffles by the family because they say when my yaya would ask me for numbers for daily double when I was very young, she’d sometimes win using the numbers I gave.

So who knows which raffle I’ll win next? Looking forward to that event. Pretty please, make it soon and really substantial?

I found this novena in my basket. I know someone gave this to me, but who it was, where, when and how – those things I cannot recall. But I’d like to share it with you as  it expresses what I often pray for, and may well express what you pray for as well.

Prayer for healing:

Dear God, You said, Come to me, all of you who are tired and heavily burdened and I will give you rest. I come to you, today… Right now. Please touch every pore, every fiber, every cell of my body. Touch my mind, my heart and my spirit. Fill me with hope. Teach me to believe that with God nothing is impossible. Let me forget and forgive all events that make me sad: and when I worry, teach me to rely on you. Help me to believe that nothing happens by chance and everything that happens has a reason.

I trust that no matter what, you will fight for me. I only need to be still. I need not fear anymore. Help me, heal me, hug me, be here in my pain. Blessed pain, holy pain. Blessed pain, holy pain. I accept your will, but touch every part of me that needs healing… heal my boyd, heal my heart, heal my mind, heal my spirit, heal my pocket, heal my memories. I have come to you with my burdens. You will give me peace, you will give me rest. You will give me healing… And this I believe.

I believe that I am healed.

I believe that I am whole.

I believe that I can now live life to the full.

Mother Mary, regina Rosarii, intercede for me to Jesus your Son. I ask this, in the name of Jesus the great healer, the great provider. Amen.

At the back of the prayer pamphlet are indicated the following information:

email: reginarosarii@yahoo.com

website: www.reginarosarii.org

Regina Rosarii Center for Contemplative Prayer

70 Scout Fernandez Street

Barangay Laging Handa

1103 Quezon City

Posts back, I was excited to report what I had just read: that Aga Muhlach would transfer to GMA 7. Unfortunately, it ain’t so according to his manager, Ethel Ramos, per Philippine Daily Inquirer. Sigh.

On another note, Susan Roces will make a Christmas special in GMA7. Now that is certainly something to look forward to.

When we were in Casino in Dijon, we saw on display small cans of Coke. I bought one for my sister who is an avid fan of Coke. Then I saw a sign that seemed (yes, I don’t understand French) that if one bought a certain number of Coke in cans, one could get free glasses with the Coke insignia embossed. I wanted to get for my sister but two constraints held me back- I wasn’t sure how many I had to buy to get the glass. I was scared to bring something breakable home.

then lo and behold, McDo here has this ongoing promo: buy a value meal and you can get a Coke glass for P25. Sight unseen except in TV commercials, I ordered two value meals two hours ago and wasn’t disappointed to get a pink glass and a lime one, as chosen. I was even happier when I flipped the box holding the glass: it read Luminarc. I shall try to buy more meals so I can have more Coke glasses which are so cute. Luminarc isn’t as cheap as P25 per, I think.

There’s this TV commercial whose model is a known actress-beauty queen. I’ve seen it several times but each time I have to think what product she is endorsing and top of mind, whiskey is what comes to mind. The music and the setting belie what she truly is endorsing – perfume by a known makeup group. I think perfume advertisements should be more toned down, misty, quiet. Besides, her siblings and father have a TV ad that so reminds me of her own in terms of tempo and setting. Oh well.

Unang Hirit News/Features:

a) Janice Jurado – she was interviewed about her drug problem and cancer. At the end of the interview, she had a message to everyone – don’t even think of doing drugs. I think the government entity in charge of drug rehabilitation should take Janice as its spokesperson. Who better than someone who has been there, done that?

b) GMA to run for VP? is that why up till now Gibo has no running mate? Is that why Chiz has no VP? Sigh, what’s that saying about power and absolute power? I know it, you must too.

c) Kangaroos on a rampage because of hunger – scary

d) An oldish man (but not that old) interviewed in NEPA Q Mart on rising prices of commodities gave very good advice – Stop grousing. the problem won’t go away. Look for additional sources of income. This is one of the best things I’ve heard in a long time. Remember how last week I mentioned Mac and getting him to take charge of repairs in the house? His carpenters came Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. they haven’t returned since. Carpenter A came Wednesday. He barely finished one cabinet – open cabinet with two “layers”. He was joined Thursday by Carpenter B. They finished that one cabinet and began a second. Friday they were joined by Carpenter C. A and B finished the two cabinets – no varnish yet, no paint. Carpenter B the most junior of the three started chipping away on the sides of the bathroom door in preparation for the installment of a new one. Carpenter C worked only when he saw my husband. At the end of the day they wanted their pay but we said to talk to their supervisor first who in contracts past insisted we give him the payment. They did and the policy held. They haven’t been back since – a week exactly. So our bathroom door is open, there’s wood in the garage, PVC doors etc. lying in wait. And the poor complain there’s no money. Why? They do not work. Sigh.

PDI – A common malaise of some feature items and even TV features is the failure to mention the exact locations of places featured.

a) Jenni Epperson wrote on apparel (bag and clothes) with Ang Kiukok’s artworks. where are they available, pray tell? She mentioned it is a Freeway collection, so where is it available?

b) Rina Silayan Go wrote on Fino and Skin’s owners. She didn’t mention where their stores are. It’s okay about Fino, I have seen it in Shangrila and Power Plant. But where is Skin located?

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The other day, went to Shang and in the Food Court I saw two LV messenger bags right there. One was slung on the shoulder of the owner of my favorite eating place there, the other was on the table where sat two men. Gays both. One had silver rubber shoes on. One was having sinigang, the other barbecue when this little boy, maybe around 3 or 4 years old dropped by their table and showed off his red toy car. They were trying to engage him in conversation when the mother saw the boy and took his wrist, brought him to their table a few feet away. Then I saw the boy’s father chastising him, hitting him even. I wondered if he did this because the boy strayed or because he, the father, was homophobic. Then he started feeding the child. Soon after, the boy threw up. I don’t know if it was because he was anxious or what. the man changed the boy’s shirt roughly and went off to wash his hands. I so hate it when children are physically disciplined by their elders.

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back to UH – I’ve noticed that Rhea Santos no longer handles the news even if she’s around. Today, it was Pia Arcangel doing it with Arnold Clavio. The other day, Connie Sison was doing it. Speaking of Rhea, I saw her at the food court as I wheeled to the elevator. She had some makeup on and was ravishing. One cannot help but look at her. Initially, I didn’t realize it was her but gave her a second look because she was so striking. She was smiling this time. In a previous post, I mentioned she wasn’t.