Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Why leave the country?
A very close friend of mine just broke up with her boyfriend, now ex-boyfriend, who resides in NY, USA. Reason: the long distance thing is killing their relationship. Just killing it!
The guy is a Filipino but he chose to make his living in the US and to stay there... forever. Nothing wrong with that. Almost all my relatives are already living outside the Philippines. But what infuriates me is that this guy is forcing my friend to drop her life here and fly to the United States so they may be together forever in the Land of Milk and Honey where supposedly all your dreams do come true.
Fortunately, my friend is not blindly in love with this guy. She's painfully in love but not a martyr. She said that going to the US is an option in the future but not in the very near future.
She told me, "Maan, I don't want to live there. I love my life here. I have my own place, I have a personal maid and a driver."
I said, "That's right. Bakit ka pupunta dun? Dahil nandun sya? Kung sa tingin nya walang future dito sa Pinas, sya lang yun. Tayo may future dito. He's using emotional blackmail against you and telling you that 'if you really love me, you will come here'. Kung magaling talaga sya, tumira sya dito at hindi duon. Kung mahal ka nya, sya ang umuwi dito."
In fairness to the guy, he does earn a decent living in the US. In fairness to the girl, she also has a career here and is living a comforable life. So why leave?
Hindi sa nagmamalinis ako. I admit that I have also entertained the thought of going to the US a million times to the point that I wanted to look for a guy I can pay off just to marry me and make me a US citizen. There was a time in my life when I felt that nothing will happen to me if I stay here. That even if I work my butt off, spend my weekends in the office instead of with my family and friends, do overtime every goddamn day of the week, I will never go anywhere. Thank God my perseverance and hard work paid off. So I have to say that there is still hope here in the Philippines. Basta ba masipag ka, matiyaga at madiskarte sa buhay.
Just think that living here in the Philippines has more PROS than CONS such as:
1. The beaches. If our schedule can permit it, we can go to the beach every weekend.
2. The food. Just imagine that if you leave the country, you're going to miss the taho, barbeque, banana que, Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwhich and a lot more food.
3. Hired help. You don't have to wash or iron your own clothes, wash the dishes, clean the house, or do other house chores.
4. Almost every thing is cheap. The clothes, the movie tickets, massages, manicure, pedicure, hair cut, etc. If you were in the US, tingnan lang natin if you can still afford to color your hair.
5. The people. If you go to the US, you're going to miss your mom, your ate, your nieces, friends, officemates and especially me. We won't be able to have coffee together in the mornings or go out for lunch or just window shop in Glorietta.
6. A whole lot more things which I won't enumerate anymore because it's going to take me forever to finish this entry.
So don't leave just because of a guy. Don't cry over this guy. He's not worth your tears. No guy is worth our tears.
Maan @ 11:35 PM
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Sunday, March 20, 2005
City or Jazz?
I've always dreamed about getting a car of my own. But never have I thought that deciding what car to get, given the specifications that the company requires (dual airbags and anti-break system) and the limited budget, is going to drive me crazy!
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I got promoted about 3 weeks ago. It was officially announced last Feb 28. I signed the papers for my promotion and my official start date is Feb 16. But I will officially start with my new job this coming monday, Feb 21. Yesterday was my unofficial last day with Fleet.
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For the past 3 weeks, the major topic in our department was "What car should I buy?"
Should I get the cheapest car which is the Jazz? It's a cute hatchback. It's a girl's car. It's economical. It's a compact car. Too compact for my taste.
The people who like the Jazz are: Leny, CK, Jay, Tonski, Ambo (it's a girl car), Anton, Marge (the Honda Agent), Therese (Maan, live within your means), my cousins Francis and Justin.
So should I get a less compact car such as City? It has the same features as Jazz but it has a trunk so it's not too small. It's a sedan. The black one with cream interior looks really nice. But it's expensive and there's something wrong with it. Quoting from Don, "Parang bitin ang City." Quoting from a much harsher Jay, "Mukhang ipis and amoy ipis." The people who voted for City rather than Jazz: Connie (City na wag lang Jazz pero mas gusto ko Mazda 3), Don, Glenn, Jerard, Marianne, Trexyl, Thea, Red.
Or should I get neither and go for Connie's suggestion which is the Mazda 3? It has dual airbags and ABS but it's more expensive than Jazz or City.
For today, I feel like getting a City. But everytime I see a Jazz on the road, especially the red one, my decision wavers and I feel like getting the Jazz. Aarrgghhh!!!
I never thought that getting a car is going to be this hard. It's like getting married. You really, really have to be sure that it is what you want because you're going to get stuck with it for a very long time. In marriage, it's going to be forever. With my car, it's going to be 8 long years of paying for it. So I guess whatever car I get, I should just learn to love it and live with it.
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After exactly 2 years and 11 months with Fleet, I will be moving on to another department. A chapter in my life is finished and I can't help but feel sad.
Maan: Shet! Nalulungkot ako! Aalis na ako ng Fleet.
Leny: Maan, don't be. You should be happy. Besides, you're just on the other side. Tumayo ka lang kita mo na kami.
Maan: Kahit na. Iba pa rin. Wala na akong kausap dun. Kausap ko sarili ko.
Leny: Eh di pumunta ka nalang dito.
Maan: Hay! Mayaman nga ako, malungkot naman ako. Alam ko na, bibilhin ko nalang ang friendship nyo. OK ba? Babayaran ko kayo para lang mag-lunch tayo.
Leny: Ay I'm sorry. My friendship is not for sale.
Leng: Maan, ako OK lang. Sige bayaran ako!
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Friends, wish me luck!
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So ano na ba talaga? Jazz or City?
Maan @ 2:21 AM
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