Lockdown: The Ws and H of Our Generation

If you will sum up the year 2020 in one word, even if we are still in the first half, one of the words that would easily come to mind is “lockdown.”

Online dictionary www.merriam-webster.com defines lockdown as "an emergency measure or condition in which people are temporarily prevented from entering or leaving a restricted area or building during a threat of danger."

Unless you are living under a rock or deep in the Mariana Trench, you will surely agree that this generation has never faced a worldwide nightmare like the COVID-19 pandemic. Global economy nosedived… thousands of deaths recorded every day… people turned like prisoners in their own homes… millions of employees affected of the full or partial workplace closures… unimaginable things became realities.

But in the midst of fears, uncertainties and so many questions looming in the air, hope still exists. We celebrate every small win humanity achieves from inspiring survival stories to good news of possible cure for the virus to initiatives of organizations and individuals who have gone extra miles in this battle against the unseen enemy.

I would like to share not only my story. I am recollecting tales of other people I know and come to know and the many Ws that we faced during the lockdown along with the traps and cages that a lot of us are still trying to unlock while looking for the H.

My name is Richard. A 40 something family man who has a day job as a main source of income. In the last 90 days, I miss (an understatement) fun breakfast chats with officemates, the traffic jams to and from work (yes, because I used those moments to finish my favorite TV series); weekend family dates; our annual summer getaway and the euphoria of seeing #WalangPasok on my feeds because of a national holiday.

My daily musings are not really worthy of a social media shoutout compared to the noble acts of good Samaritans like police officer Jon who gave his well-kept $100 bill to a delivery guy he caught due to a traffic violation; bicycle owner Fe who refused to accept the payment of an senior citizen who have been wanting to buy her bike; Couple Penn and Avic who despite having no income converted their shop to be a kitchen for free meals of needy strangers and frontliners; student Kenneth who wanted to sell all his medal to help out his mother who has no work; Doctor to the Barrios Dr. Mar who give free consultations all his life and died along with other doctors in their battle versus COVID-19.

They are just some of the people who kept this nation sane in the midst of the chaos with their kind hearts, sacrifices and the good vibes they bring.

To be honest, when the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) was announced last March, I thought it was no big deal. I am not new to work from home set-up since I used to have clients from overseas from previous work. I can also work on my own although I still prefer face to face to face team collaboration.

For the first few weeks, it feels okay and I thought I am already getting the hang of it. I receive my monthly salary and have it transferred to online payment channels which I used to purchase grocery and food for delivery.

But then it hit me. I lost count of how many times I uttered or sent messages of condolence. The number of deaths during the pandemic, whether due to the virus of not, is alarming. The worse feeling is I was not able to personally pay my final respect to my three cousins who died just weeks apart due to different medical conditions.

This is something that will haunt me for a while. I hate to admit it but I was not prepared for this.

You need not to go far to witness heroism, how bold or simple the act may be. You can hear about them in the news or read from a Facebook share of a friend. You might also already sitting beside them now in your respective offices or talking to them via online meeting rooms if you are working from home like me.

It is through online meetings and messenger group chats (GCs) that I was able to have real talks and exchange of thoughts with friends, officemates and relatives on how to get through the situation.

We even had a blind survey among colleagues and through that activity, we were able to find out that most of us are experiencing mental issues like excessive worrying or fear, feeling sad or low, confused thinking or problems concentrating, sudden mood changes, prolonged or strong feelings of irritability or anger, difficulties understanding or relating to other people, changes in sleeping habits or feeling tired and low energy, and other concerns. Our team is already taking appropriate steps to manage the situation.

I also find a venue to help others in need in social media. Together with some friends, we silently chip in donations from cash to grocery items to lend a hand to victims of online food delivery pranks, individuals who have nothing to eat, frontliners who are in need of PPE and others.

The joy of being able to help is priceless and in a way therapeutic.

You might have heard of this saying for countless times before but it's Oprah Winfrey's version that I always remember, “I trust that everything happens for a reason, even if we are not wise enough to see it.”

The magnitude of the impact brought about by the coronavirus pandemic is an enormous challenge across the globe. While we continue to thrive and heal in the midst of waves of disruptions, many of us still struggles to accept all the lost opportunities, financial challenges and worse, death of loved ones.

What have a learned during all of these disruptions? It is still hard to say honestly because the battle has not won yet and we still don’t know what is the end of this war looks like.

Maybe, I learned to be more hopeful and how to patiently wait. Indeed, it is during circumstances like this that we discover a little bit more something about ourselves.

Why should we move forward? Remember that there is no place to go but up when you’re down.

Why should we lose hope when there are still courageous frontliners out there--- military and policemen manning the streets rain or shine, health workers with their lives on the line, delivery personnel who bring food and supplies to our doorsteps, government employees sending help to every corner of the country---- and they only ask for prayers for their safety.

Why should you easily embrace darkness when there is a promise of celebration of humanity once we finally reach the light at the end of this tunnel.

Right now, the question of how is still something we all wish to answer as soon as possible. How do we end this pandemic?

There is no guaranteed respond for now.  However, we can start healing one wound at a time. Let us learn to change tires while driving.

I want to share a prayer that I prepared for one of our online meetings. I feel a sense of comfort every time I recite it before I begin my day. I hope you'll experience the same feeling when you read it.

Dear God, 

You know how hard the struggles we are going through now. Many of us bear problems financially, emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually. There are some who feels like giving up while others already lost the fight. 

But despite all these challenges, we continue to keep the faith knowing that you have the power to remove all the yokes that had been giving us sleepless nights.

We believe that your healing hands is always upon us... that help is on the way... that the promise of cure to the pandemic is within reach.

Continue to guide, bless and protect us with your embrace of unconditional love. We will fight our way out of this chaos, we will heal as one, and celebrate every small victory.

We ask all of these through your holy name. Amen

Please continue to support efforts of the government and private sector during these challenging times. This pandemic may have broken this generation but we will not be defined on how many times we fall but how many times to stand up and hold our ground. We’re all in this together. We heal as one.

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This story is an entry to ComCo Southeast Asia’s “Write to Ignite Blogging Project”. The initiative is a response to the need of our times, as every story comes a long way during this period of crisis. Igniting and championing the human spirit, “Write to Ignite Blog Project” aims to pull and collate powerful stories from the Philippine blogging communities to inspire the nation to rise and move forward amidst the difficult situation. This project is made possible by ComCo Southeast Asia, co-presented by Eastern Communications and sponsored by Electrolux, Jobstreet and Teleperformance.

“Classic” Practical Ways of Taking Care of Your Timeless Piece

I’m a big fan of pop classics.

My weekend breakfasts taste better with “Bread” and “The Beatles” via Spotify or Youtube.

My idea of a romantic date night is on a couch with Sandra and “While You Were Sleeping” or “Sleepless in Seattle” with Meg. I don’t mind also if it turns out to be a disaster like “Titanic.”   

Invite me to join mobile games, I will bring Scrabble, Boggle, Games of the Generals and other board games.

Yes, I’m your classic Tito and you don’t have to remind me. If you’ll ask me friends about my look, how I dress up or does my #OOTD, more likely they will remember me in my wash and wear shirts than in my long sleeves polo. It’s a bit surprising because I am in my company uniform at least 8 hours in 4 days a week.  The explanation on this could be because I seldom post selfies in corporate attire on social media. I am usually wearing shirts in my FB and IG posts because I am more comfortable with them.

But of course, there are special moments that we get to experience to be in our classy and timeless look. It can be during life-changing events from your first date and wedding that needed you to be in your most photo album-worthy outfit.

In all those “special moments” I have this one timeless piece that I consider fool-proof and a must have. It’s a black blazer that I can put on top of a polo and tie or even on a shirt. It gives me confidence that I am formal enough to meet and talk with my bosses and executives from our companies. It empowers me to be the best me when dealing with clients or making a prospective business partner.

One of the most recent events where I used it is during the 60^th year anniversary of our company.  I really have to dress up and look good because we launched our company Almanac, a project which I spearheaded and was one challenging year in the making, sweat and tears not yet included.  Thus, I really have to take care of the blazer because it has been part of a lot of personal and career milestones and important occasions in my life’s journey.  

I am not a clothing expert but my fabrics have a long “shelf life” in my closet. I have pieces that are years old, not only for the reason that I am a sentimental fool but also because I really take care of my clothes and that’s the right thing to do. I would like to share 10 classic practical ways of taking care of your timeless pieces. To easily remember these tips, I am using brand ELECTROLUX to abbreviate my list. And besides, the company is well-known for its quality laundry appliances trusted in millions of households worldwide.

E – nsure good hygiene. If you don’t know it, sweat causes stain.   If your body is clean, your clothes will also be neat and in better condition.

L – earn basic repairs. Do not ignore loose threads or a missing button because a few minutes of sewing will save your piece from being a mere rag soon.

E – mpty your pockets. Get rid of items like tissues or even pens from your pockets before they make a mess on your laundry or holes on your pants or polo.

C – lose zippers and other fasteners to prevent snagging. During laundry, unzipped or unbuttoned pants might tangle with other fabrics or loosely tied strings.

T – ake time to fold clothes along the seams. This will help avoid unwanted creases and to maintain the shape of the item as well.

R – ewash stains. It is important to check clothes to be stain-free before ironing. It’s better to wash the shirt again if there is still dirt.

O –rder of ironing. The correct ironing order to follow is collar first before the cuffs and then the rest of the shirt or blouse.

L – earn to sort clothes to prevent colors from bleeding onto other fabrics. Wet a cotton swab and rub on the corner or seams of an item. If dye appears on the swab, handwash the said item.

U- se the instructions on the tag found on the neck or down the side seams of your shirt. It contains the garment’s laundering instructions to ensure that it stays in good shape.

X – tra Tip: invest on a quality and energy-efficient washing machine that offers the finest clothing care for all your laundry needs.

Electrolux Philippines offers wide range of washing machines such as top load and front load washers designed to provide efficiency and benefits such as ensuring your clothes stay in shape; exclusive Prism drum that minimize wear and tear of fabrics; Cyclonic Tub Clean that automatically cleans the entire tub; variable wash options for better care; and easy access, safe and durable units.

You can experience a whole new way of washing with Electrolux with their range of washing machines that offers optimal clothing care for your lifestyle and keep your classic pieces to look newer for longer use. Check out the Electrolux Amazing Holideals promo by clicking the flyer below.

Now talking about classic look, I would like to end this piece with the timeless quote, "People are not as beautiful as they look, as they walk, or as they talk. They are only as beautiful as they love, as they care, and as they share."

And with my classic laundryman pose :)

Do More With Less this Holiday season

2015 will be remembered by many Filipinos as the year when we witness how small things made big impacts to our lives.

Who can forget that simple kilig smile and pabebe wave that launched the phenomenal AlDub love team and spread good vibes all over the world (not to mention the dozens of TV ads that we will definitely see until next year or who knows until when). Or how about the struggling indie film outfit that defied the highly commercialized local showbiz industry and produced the bio pic Heneral Luna that made history in the box-office. Or how can you move on from the thousands of viral memes that we pass around online and even in our everyday conversations which were basically derived from just about any ordinary thing around us. I’m talking about the very clever and creative #hugot lines, of course (Kung hindi mo agad nakuha. What’s new? Kaya nga hanggang ngayon e umaasa ka pa rin).

Talking about hugot moments (which are even more relevant this Christmas season when most of us find this time perfect to reflect on the year that is about to bid goodbye), here are some tips, amusing they may seem, that may help you survive the holiday rush this year and beyond even if you only have less to do more.

CONSERVE ENERGY. Almost every home takes pride on how beautiful their Christmas trees are during this most wonderful time of the year.  We want our tree to be the brightest and most colorful it can possibly be. Just don’t sleep at night with those Christmas lights still turned on not only to conserve energy but also to avoid accidents in case a power outage or electrical wiring issue. Besides, true beauty comes out from simplicity.

SPEND MORE TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY. We become more generous and thoughtful individuals during the Yuletide season. We spend more money during December than any month of the year (unless your a politician, of course). But have you ever thought of spending more time with your family and loved ones? You have filled your IG and FB wall with photos of your company and weekend getaway with friends, I hope you can “insert” in your loaded schedule a family “we time” before you realize your baby is already a lady.

MAKE A SHOPPING LIST... AND KEEP IT. How many times did you go home from the mall asking yourself why you bought something you don’t even need. We sometimes tend to purchase stuff when we see them marked as “SALE” which eventually will end up in the attic or under your bed for a looooooooonnnnngggg time. A wise shopper has a list of people whom he/ she will buy a present. A wiser shopper will keep that list until the gifts are all given to the recipients. For sure, you also have moments that a person visited your home and you can’t find his gift because you already gave it to someone else, accidentally or purposely. That small piece of paper called “the list” can help you avoid this from happening again.

Image credit: how-to-recycle.blogspot.com

RECYCLE. You received gifts, big and small in the most colorful papers, bags and boxes. What do you do with the gift wrappers? If you can be just that careful in unwrapping gifts, you can re-use the papers to wrap your own gifts or find other uses like ornaments for DIY Christmas decors and making lanterns. By doing this, you lessen the clutter in your house while saving some money. This would also be a good start to initiate recycling in your home. I’m sure you’re aware that plastic containers of mineral water, softdrinks, cooking oil and newspaper can be sold. Start this coming January and by December next year, you might be surprise of how much you have earned.

IT’S BETTER TO RE-HEAT FOOD THAN TO SPOIL IT. During Christmas and New Year’s eves, our dining tables will be turned like buffet platforms like those we see in restaurants. But yours has a much better deal because everyone can eat for FREE. It’s a sure thing that you’ll have bowls of leftovers from your feasts and more plate-full delicacy from your neighbors. If you have plastic containers, keep food that won’t easily spoil like lechon and adobo and just reheat them. You don’t have to cook for the next 2-3 days and you will stilll have a happy tummy. Trust me, our Electrolux microwave oven has been a great companion it situation like this in more than three years now.

Indeed, the holiday season brings the that one of a kind joy that we only experience during this time of the year. It’s up to us how we will make the moment more magical. One sure way is to do more with less. Wishing everyone a blessed and fruitful 2016!

This blog post is in support of the #DoMoreWithLess advocacy led by Electrolux Philippines.

Santa Claus Trivia and a Christmas Giveaway

My Little Charlie with a gang of Santas

I saw Santas!

That was my son who screamed at me while pointing at the life-size Santa Claus statues standing in a display of a mall in Cubao during one of our recent Saturday family date.

This man is a head-turner. Whether you're a kid or an old folk, you can't understand why you feel like approaching him. There's really something special about Santa.

I would like to share some trivia I got from allthingschristmas.com about St. Nick that will make us understand in a way why the world love this man in red.

1. His origins appear to be in the 4th century when Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, in Turkey, was kind to children and legend has it that he threw gifts from a window to poor children.

2. As early as 1773 the name appeared in the American press as “St. A Claus,”, later becoming Santa Claus.

3. The author Washington Irving gave Americans their first detailed description of Saint Nicholas, describing him as “a chubby little man with a jolly smile, drawn by a team of reindeer.”

4. First seen in poetry in 1823, when Clement Clarke Moore made him even more famous with “The Night Before Christmas”, including the names of eight reindeer (not including Rudolf, who was to appear in 1939 as lead reindeer). This is one of the best loved and most re-told Christmas poems.

5. Historical letters from Santa, dating back to 1849, including well kept & interesting copies for the children of JRR Tolkein, are available both online and in print.

6. First pictures & publicity, illustrator Thomas Nast, who depicted a rotund Santa for Christmas issues of Harper’s magazine from the 1860s to the 1880s, including his toy making.

7. “Is there a Santa Claus” was the title of an editorial appearing in the September 21, 1897 edition of the New York Sun, ending up with the much publicised verdict, “Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus”

8. In 1930, an image of Santa was used by a well known drinks company in a Christmas advertising campaign-big, depicting his white beard, black boots and a big red coat. This is the image that we know and love of him today.

9. In 1939 Rudolf, the ninth reindeer, is introduced by writer Robert May. His “very shiny nose” achieves almost instant fame, through songs such as “Rudolf the Red nosed reindeer” and later, TV and movie appearances.

10. In 1999, image recorded by SETI, search for extra terrestrials monitoring, you can actually see an image of the old man himself.

Now, here's one good news to those who wants to be a Santa Claus for a day.  Electrolux Philippines is giving you a chance to win a gift for your loved ones this Christmas!

To join, visit www.electroluxman.com/santaforaday and send a letter to Electrolux containing no less than 500 words that answers the question, “What Electrolux appliance would you like to gift someone special this Christmas and why?” You can accompany your letter with a creative video or a photo. The complete list of appliances you can choose from is found on the contest website and includes a wide range of Electrolux appliances including washing machines, refrigerators, cooking appliances, air conditioners and small appliances.

NOTE: Please don't forget to indicate in the Referred by section the name of this blogger Richard Mamuyac so I can track the status of the entries by my followers.

All qualified entries will be judged and the beneficiaries of the 3 best entries will receive an Electrolux appliance.  The winner with the highest score will be given a chance to be a Santa for a Day as the Electrolux team will accompany him or her to personally deliver the prize to the nominated recipient. Deadline of submission of entries is on December 10. Share the love and make someone happy this Christmas season by nominating them in Electrolux’s Santa for a Day Contest!

To know the full mechanics of the Electrolux Santa for a Day Contest, check out Electrolux’s Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/thelittlewhitebook. Share more of our thinking at www.electrolux.com.ph, and follow us through twitter.com/ElectroluxPH.

SWABE: Sunday Winners And Big Endings

Yesterday was one of the most exciting Sundays I've ever experienced.

Good thing I was not sleeping (Well, I had a 5-minute nap while hearing mass. Sorry po, Father... it's not you, it's me)

Anyways, if there is one word I can describe July 8, 2012--- it's SWABE because of the many Sunday Winners And Big Endings that just happened in the span of 24 hours.

Boom! From PH with love (Image credit: Yahoo.ph)

Sunday Winner no. 1: Nonito Doñaire
Big Ending: The Filipino Flash dominated South African Jeffrey Mathebula in their super bantamweight title unification held in California thus more people now agree that he is the Philippines’ newest candidate for boxing superstardom.

The newly-crowned Kitchen Star (left) and the proud owner of a brand new stainless Electrolux microwave oven (right)  (Image credit: Green Dei)

Sunday Winner no. 2: Rigette Osoteo
Big Ending: After undergoing a 2-day cooking boot camp under some of the respected and known chefs in the country and another 2 days of exciting kitchen competition, this petite soon-to-be chef took home a prize worth over Php 150,000 after being proclaimed as this year's Electrolux Wok-A-holic Kitchen Star.

The Big J and Big C--- Caguiao, that is (Image credit: Inquirer.net)

Sunday Winner no. 3: Robert Jaworksi
Big Ending: After almost 15 years since he wore the popular no. 7 jersey on the hard court, the Living Legend of Philippine basketball has finally received the fitting tribute that he rightfully deserved. His Ginebra San Miguel uniform was hanged to the rafters and forever will be displayed in Smart Araneta Coliseum where some of his epic battles took place.

Bozeman's buzzer beater (Image credit: Interaksyon.com)

Sunday Winners no. 4: Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings
Big Ending: After the Jaworski tribute, the Gin Kings played a very physical yet exciting ballgame against sister team Petron Boosters. All throughout the game, the Brarangay was outplayed by Petron until the "never-say-die" spirit that the Big J exemplifies somewhat jolted into each and every player of the team en route to a game-winning shot from Ginebra import Cedric Bozeman with .3 seconds left in the ballgame.

Lola Ilang's pink kung pink birthday cake

Sunday Winner no. 5: Lola Ilang
Big Ending: Our beloved lola celebrated her 90th birthday with a big feast in my in-laws home in Quezon City. She vowed to stay as loving and sweet as she is for 30 more years. I was not able to take part of some of the surprises since I was "on duty" in another place the whole afternoon but I was able to witness and the last part of the party--- packing of leftovers! Thus, we had a big dinner in our own house in Pasig.

With this, I wish for more SWABE to come! Let's drink to that!

What’s the story on your chest?

 

I like looking at people's chests.

And boy, I think I have seen almost everything. Some possess as big as watermelons. Those a little conservative flaunt medium-sized like melons while others like it to be plain like water as in nothing to display, invisible, nada!

Before you raise those eyebrows and call me a pervert, I just want to make it clear that I am talking about the size of the designs printed on the shirts of people I get to meet everyday. I developed the hobby of getting a glimpse on what others are wearing through the years of commuting to and from the office.  Imagine your self getting stuck inside a sardine passenger jeepney. How would you spend the next hour or two doing the upong otso pesos without getting bored?  Here are some of your options:

a. Sing along with the tunes being played by the driver.  You’re lucky if you share the same taste in music.  If not, you can step out the jeep anytime you want but remember that God knows Hudas not pay.

b. Pray the rosary.   Sometimes it’s like a miracle to finish a mystery especially when Mr. Driver starts to run his play list from a medley of remixed disco version of songs from Tiny Bubbles to the beerhouse classic Skyline Pigeon.  

c. Play games on your cellphone or portable gadgets like PSP, Gameboy, etc.--- and put your life at risk!  Forgive my paranoid-like behavior but how many times have we heard in the news about people who got killed by “gadget hunters.”

d. My recommendation: just sit quietly inside the jeepney and look for interesting subjects inside like who looks fresh and has the nicest or oddest getup, or you can always do silent reading of what are written on the shirts of fellow passengers.

You’ll be surprised that it can be a learning and entertaining activity sometime. Things I have learned through reading prints on shirts include generic names of medicines, names of local officials from towns and provinces I have never been to and handy info like the delivery service number of various restaurants.  And I am pretty sure, at least one time in your life, an amusing shirt made you smile and made your day. 

 

Let me take you down the memory lane through my more than three decades of journey and existence.  Each chapter of my life will be represented by a shirt that I owned during each period.

I was a Star Wars fan at the age of 4.  Nope. I did not see the George Lucas movie when I was that young. I was fascinated with the toy figures that I get for free in every jar of Ovaltine then.  I actually like Darth Vader among all the toys I was able to collect (still have an anything Vader collection until now).  My tatay knows that so he tried to look for a shirt with a Darth Vader print for my birthday.  Since ebay and sulit.ph were non existence during those times, he failed to find one.  His alternative was a Voltes V shirt which I also liked since I feel like I am Little John while wearing it.  They told me that I would wear it every time I hear the theme song of the cartoon series and climb on our dining table just to dance (I hate to admit it but I still headbang a little when I hear the catchy tune).

When I was in grade school, a softdrink company launched a promo where you can exchange crowns of their products for limited edition Menudo items.  They were my generation’s ‘N Sync and Super Junior.  We have a sari-sari store so collecting crowns was never a problem unless the one buying the cola also knows about the promo.  I was able to get posters, mugs and of course, a T-shirt with prints of the said boyband.  My sisters love Robby Rosa but I find Ricky Martin better. I still remember wearing a headband made from a torn shirt (which angered my mom) and would proclaim, “I want to be Ricky Martin.” If I only knew that after two decades, he would make the I-am-gay announcement, I could have chosen Charlie Maso instead since no one really likes him.

Who can forget THE shirt who has pranked thousands of unwilling victims--- the one with "Look at my Back" on the front side. The words were so powerful that anyone who reads it will look at the back of the person wearing it, only to find out an equally silly message that says, “Look at the Front.”  I had one of these shirts but customized the back portion and changed it to “Uto-uto” which I thought was clever and funnier.  My stupid plan backfired on me when people started calling me uto-uto every time I pass by wearing it.

One remarkable occurrence happened during the height of the Philippine Centennial celebration in 1998: the birth of the so called Makabayan shirt. The demand even became bigger when more I-am-proud-to-be-a-Filipino moments followed like the 20th year festivities of the first EDSA revolution, emotional farewell to ex-Pres. Cory Aquino and Francism, mixed with the creative juices of the guys from Collezione and Francis Magalona clothing line and other local companies hyped the Proud Pinoy spirit.  I have the one with the Philippine map and another with our nation’s colors (and also my wife and son Charles).  I could have been more OA if I actually used the mp3 of Lupang Hinirang that I downloaded via Bearshare as my mobile phone’s ring tone.

One tip for a happy marriage which kinda work for me and my wife Leah is to sometimes have moments that as if you are still in the ligawan stage.  A little pa-tweetums with one another will not hurt no matter what your neighbors says.  We still do HHWW (Holding Hands While Walking) and deliver cheesy pick-up lines to one another.  The most recent I told her goes something like, “Bumabagyo diba? How come I see sunshine in your eyes?”  To top it all, we have two sets of couples shirt that we wear even in ordinary days when we feel like we just want the world to know that she is my wife and I am her husband.    

All the shirts that I mentioned above each have a special space in my heart (and in our closet) although some have already went missing after the many typhoons and floods that hit our home.  I just want to special mention a shirt which has a sentimental value for me because of many reasons.

To start, it was the first ever gift (a blue piece with prints of irregular shapes and different colors to match my somewhat weird kind of thinking, perhaps)  I received from the parents of my wife a year before we got married.  Second, it was a shirt I have worn to many out-of-towns activities, both work-related and leisure.  And lastly, it was the one I wore for two days when an unexpected flood drowned our house in Pasig as a result of the wrath of typhoon Ondoy.  All my shirts were soaked in flood water since we were not in our house when it happened.  The water system was temporary closed by the Maynila Water company as the dirty water might contaminate pipes while the rain continues to fall, so no chance to wash clothes.  During those times, who cares if you don’t take a bath or change clothes in a day or two--- everyone's just too busy saving their homes to notice it.

Below is a photo taken while I was trying to place borders in front of our gate to avoid debris entering our sunken home.  I was on serious mode when somebody shouted, “may pagong, may pagong.”  When I turned my back I saw this cute creature approaching me.  It was our neighbor’s pet who escaped from his aquarium.  It made me paused for a moment and have a reason to smile amidst all the mess in our place and in my mind.  It just made my day and remembered the saying, "At the end of the tunnel, there is a turtle” (I’m sure somebody said that line sometime I can’t remember).

It could have been perfect If I was wearing a turtle neck shirt.  But kidding aside, the one I’m wearing that time is such a special piece that has accompanied me (protected and wrapped me from all sorts of weather)  through fun and troubled times. I am glad it was the one I was wearing that time. 

I love this shirt! Now I want someone else to love it too!  I support the Electrolux Wash-athon Clothes Donation advocacy.

I want to start the Doom of the Broom

I was about to leave home for work this morning when Annie, our house help, reminded me to buy a new broom since the one she’s been using everyday is almost ready to retire (so that explains why my shoe prints last night are still visible in our living room)

I gave her a hundred peso bill and a look that says “return the change on my drawer.” For sure, her “favorite” vendor on a bicycle will pass by that day and they will have a reason for a longer conversation. That’s alright as long as all her chores are done, a small talk with her BF prospect at the gate is fine with me. Besides, I don’t want to drop by the mall just to buy a walis tambo and have a hard time figuring how to hold it inside a sardined passenger van.

While on my way to my office, I have thoughts of brooms sweeping in my mind. It makes me smile remembering my days as a young boy who dreaded the sight of a broom gripped by my father waiting for me in our front yard asking what I am still doing outside at 10:00 pm.

Funny how I always get requests of brooms as pasalubong from relatives and friends when they found out that I am going to Baguio, whether on a business trip or vacation. Did they ever consider the fact that no luggage can accommodate brooms so that person (unfortunately most the time it’s me) will have that task of carrying an extra baggage of highly inflammable materials. It would really make my day if I ended getting a ride on an ordinary bus beside an inconsiderate smoker/ passenger.

I thought I’d have enough of such broom sob story but I was wrong. Recently, my 2-year old son Charles was diagnosed of having asthma. Something that he could have gotten from me. His pedia suggested that his asthma was triggered by either dust, smoke, dirt or animal hair.

Asthma is a serious condition, one that affects an estimated 300 million people worldwide. In the Philippines, around 5.5 million individuals have asthma. That’s an alarming stat of 1 in every 20 Filipino has asthma! Whoa!

And also a broom, our main cleaning companion at home, just push the dirt around and merely re-scatter dust into the air. That means, germs are still inside our house. Something that we cannot tolerate since we have a kid at home. We can really say that the dust might have cause his recent asthma attack.

My wife and I have always wanted to buy a vacuum cleaner but getting a unit will take sometime since we are still completing payments for a couple of appliances we bought through our credit cards. So the broom will stick for now (no pun intended).

Actually, we already have our eye on the new corded stick cleaner Dynamica from Electrolux, a Swedish global appliance company that pioneered vacuum cleaners. Dynamica is easy to handle and only weighs 1.6 kilograms, yet very powerful at the same time. It can pick hair and fiber, dust and crumbs whether on carpets, wooden surfaces or hard floors.

Get into the groove with the Electolux Dynamica Broombuster move!

Dynamica has a sleek razor-like design and a double-jointed floor nozzle that enables to swivel from side-to-side, making it possible to clean areas that are hard to reach like in between cabinet and the back of the refrigerator or under the hatch. This is such an innovation since I can’t do those things using a broom. I can definitely clean all our rooms in no time using this user-friendly and wonderful vacuum cleaner.

I need change. I want to start the doom of broom. I need help!