Missing You Badib

 for Jibb Relmond 

(May 29, 1984-January 16, 2009)

Death. That is the only way out. As I stare at the walls of my confinement day and night, I realize that only death will really free me. Day and night I would stop, sit still, and stare; then stop, and sit still, and stare again at the walls, and then I would look out as far as my vision permits and would longingly wish to touch the banana leaves which I can see right outside my room. When I first came in, the walls had been purely white; now, there are yellowish patches on every corner, proof that it has been a very long while since I was able to venture outside. Well really, when was the last time I saw the cornfields outside? My, I couldn’t even remember the year, but perhaps it has been 3 or 4 years ago since my parents decided to place me in this cell. But I remember that first day clearly. It was typically hot, and I was brought in through a hired taxi from the city to our province- right before our house’s gate. During the ride which lasted for 3 hours more or less, I can’t remember much what, or how I felt, except being relieved that I am finally going home. That was when I got out of a rehab facility. Right after I was released, a family consensus has been agreed that I should be put in a cell: alone, with a big lock right outside the grills which was especially installed right behind my door. It is supposedly for my safety and well-being. Well, who would trust a young 21-year old like me (who makes decisions like a 15-year old), to be on the streets again after 6 months of drug rehabilitation? Even I, myself, do not trust my own will any more. I know I badly need help and everyone from my family and friends couldn’t have been much helpful. They had sacrificed a lot; my mother especially, has spent countless hours talking and begging me to change. They already sent me to the psychiatrist; they had held prayer vigils, and long hours of watching me while I lay sleeping just to ensure that I don’t go out into the night where temptations are lurking. Sending me to a rehabilitation program has been their last hope; only to be agonized yet again, from an unsuccessful outcome. Thus, my day would start by staring at the white walls, until midday. After lunch, I would again stare at the other corner of my room, and wait for any intervention which would hopefully break the monotony of my endless hours. 

Jeepney Etiquette 101 (JE 101)

Taking off from Lumbak123’s first four guides for a better jeepney riding experience: 

5. Avoid Talking Loudly

 Now, that confined space is not your living room, right? All sorts of people are in it- some are worried about their children’s daily school allowance; some are daydreaming into Winterland; some wants to maximise their reading time there; and some even use  commuting time to catch on lost sleep. So, please, if you had to talk, keep it to yourselves. 

6. Don’t Date

Yes we know it. You are really into her and both of you can’t stop ogling at each other. But in a PUJ, really? There are mostly young people (I’d say mostly, because there are also times I’ve seen oldies do this too), who usually treat the jeep as the place where they can show tender loving eww este, care for each other which results to encroaching other passenger’s rightful space. Next time, please wait for you to get to wherever you are going and show your manhood there. As they say, patience is a virtue especially when you commute. If you can’t wait, then go take a cab! 

7. Spit Properly

The urge to spit is not really unavoidable (especially the phlemy type) so how do you make it proper at the least? Well, you should start by covering your mouth first, of course. Then make sure that your head is fully outside the jeep’s window and, wait! –f or the right TIMING, which is highly crucial. Before parting with that rich warm spit, wait till the jeep is slowing down or if possible, on a full stop. Why? Because a running jeepney means going fast with air, so you run the risk of spewing some of the saliva to passengers beside you! Cripes!

8. Don’t Bring Shit, Literally

Oh, this one’s gross. You took a longer time to bathe because you are excited for a date night after work. You put on your awesome outfit, squirted more perfume than usual and head on to work. When you rode the jeepney, all was bright and shiny especially that it’s payday. The driver picked up more passengers, and one came with a cow’s,or a dog’s, or a carabao’s SHIT on his slippers. So the whole jeep stunk with that unawesome smell and so did your day. 

HAPPY PAYDAY, EVERYONE!

***You thank the gods when you finally took off from that jeep when you notice the office still smelled with that SHIT. Then you check your awesome yellow shoes, and alas, there it was! A tinnie-tiny piece of dirt-shirt stuck in the sole of your shoe. What would you do? 

Feel free to comment below. *winks!* 

WHEN LOVE DIES

by

 (Melanie T. Lim-SunStar Cebu)

SOMETIMES, love dies. And there is no easy explanation for it.

Some of us see it coming. Some of us don’t. But most of us try not to see it at all. Because it is easier to pretend that all is well rather than admit that your dreams have been shattered and you are left only with the broken pieces of your heart.

It hurts to imagine the person we love with someone else. It hurts to no longer be the object of his affections. It hurts to no longer be the centre of his universe. It hurts to no longer be wanted. It hurts to be discarded, replaced and dumped unceremoniously like an old rag that has outlived its usefulness.

The Budget Series v.2 Spending Money on Weekends

Ever since I’ve lived a more frugal lifestyle, I prefer to stay at home during weekends washing the laundry and watching TV. However, there are times when I need to buy some essentials and hence, some trips to the mall. So here’s a list of what I usually do to have some of my own fun there without having to spend:

-      Window shop for sparkling, awesome shoes. This would result into daydreaming though, as I imagine what would it feel like when I could have worn those cool pair of Pumas, or Nikes, or Adidas. But the next day, just like bad dreams, I usually forget about them.

-       I really like visiting bookstores so I would also sometimes sneak a peek into National Bookstore or Booksale and I would feast my eyes on the latest bestsellers they put on display. I’ll never ever get tired of discovering books, so it’s a big WOW for me.

-      When I still have time to spare, I would also check out fitness shops to browse through various equipment that are available. I would sometimes lift weights there and check out the latest prices of bench presses because I’ve long been planning to purchase one. I still do not have the budget though, so I just content myself by knowing its latest price.

-       I watch films at the mall, as well. There’s a company incentive of one movie ticket whenever an employee gets perfect attendance for the month. So when I already have the ticket, I would wait for an awesome movie before spending it. Although it was given for free, I want to maximize its value fully so that’s why the wait.

-      To wrap this up, I’d just like to stress here that whenever I decide to buy something new for myself like a pair of jeans, or shoes or shirts, I would first look up their prices then plan on when to pay for it. Say for example, I’d really cannot hold buying a new shirt any more, I would then calculate my expenses and check if I can spare a certain amount for it the next payday. When I can, then I’d go and purchase it after I received the money. In this way, I avoid using my credit card and getting into debt.

Hope some of you will find the above list useful. Happy malling!

SIMPLY AWESOME!

The Budget Series v.3 How to Dodge Money Borrowers

There will always be a time when a colleague, a family member or any acquaintance would ask to borrow money from us. And as much as we want to refuse them, and how ever limited the cash we carry, we still loan them money. But why risk of not being able to get repayment from our hard earned money? Why do we still acquiesce to their request despite having the gut feeling that they will not be able to repay on time? Or worse, they would give us annoying reasons of not being able to pay the amount- a situation which I’ve often been in. For me, it all boils down to conscience. As typical God-fearing Pinoys, kindness is ingrained to us that we usually find it hard not to help the needy. So how can we dodge money borrowers without being disrespectful and still have our conscience intact, somehow? I’d say somehow because we are still really going to feel guilty about some of these ways:

1.    Explain in a calm manner how you, yourself is making ends meet. Let the would-be borrower understand that if you only have the spare cash to lend him, then you would gladly give it to him even.

2.    Tell the borrower that you have immediate family members that you are helping every month. Explain that they are also going through a rough time and so, as much as you want to help him, you are also going to feel helpless for your family.

3.    Tell the borrower that you have just purchased something expensive. Have you had known that he will ask you for money, you would have foregone the purchase.

4.    This is related to no. 3. You have to buy or pay for something that is essential like the tuition fee of your brother or the insurance of your mother.

5.    Or, you can say you are knee-deep in debt yourself and mention a credit card company that you had been delivering your salary to. This usually works for me. *winks!*

If these facts will not apply to your situation, then you can just directly say that you are really, really going through a tough time and that you need to save for the rainy days. Tell the would-be borrower that as much as you would like to lend money to him, you are also taking care of your finances and that you really have nothing to give. Then, you can also offer other ways to help depending on both of your situation.

These tips are not that very awesome, but I hope these may come in handy in the future. :=)

The Budget Series v.1 Setting a Daily Allowance

For us common employees who have fixed income, setting aside a fixed amount for daily expenses is a must. However, being “fixed” makes it all the more difficult to budget. And yes, the ever increasing prices of basic commodities and everything else makes this task all the more overwhelming. So the key here is determination, discipline, and dedication. To help you out, I’d like to share how I came up with my daily allowance:

Daily Fare to work – P16

Lunch – this is free from the company I’m working so I’m lucky!

Afternoon Snacks –P8 minimum

Dinner – P25 minimum

Total – 49

For the sake of convenience, I rounded it off to P50 per day. 

Now this amount maybe unbelievable to some, as it was for me the first time I drew up this budget plan. But I started one step at a time and there were days I was able to hit the 50 budget mark, and there were days I wasn’t. Also, there were days that I didn’t have to spend all the P50 allocation (if I had free dinners, for ex.). So I didn’t become discouraged of sticking to the budget. There’s no point of being harsh to myself so whenever I get to overspend, I would also repay it by spending less the next day. The secret is to make the budget a daily habit. Well at first, it will really feel like a big sacrifice like what I felt before. But when I fell into the same pattern of spending every day, it felt like just normal for me to spend the same amount over and over. And that’s when I made it a habit, not a sacrifice. 

Next on my budget series will be how I spend money during weekends.