The Starbucks Experience

Okay, i know most of you have already gone to Starbucks or maybe have drank a cup of Americano and those expensive coffee that comes in different sizes and maybe sat in one of their stores and ate their equally expensive cakes and cookies. Well, I have.

My first Starbucks experience was when a date bought me a cup of Americano. At that time, I never wanted coffee in any form, in any color or in any prize. No coffee for me. But since he, yes HE, was a hot and handsome date, who would say no to anything that he offers, even if it meant drinking a very expensive and bitter hot coffee. 

The other  Starbucks' experiences that followed are very vague in my memory already....well until two years ago when I went to Baguio. 

I went to have my PRC card renewed. And because life has been good and that I can already afford to buy me anything from Starbucks, I went to their store to buy me one.

So I went. 

And wait, there's more....and embarrassing as it may, when I saw the people lining up for that expensive cup, I almost did not go in. But because I wanted to check if that cup with that green twin tailed mermaid or fairy logo is really that expensive, I went in. But since it was my first time I had to know how to order a cup. I did not want to appear so probinsiyana so I Googledhow to order.

Yes I Googled how and what to order. But then, everything that I wanted is there on their menu. I got myself a venti of Green Tea Latte and a venti of Dark Moccha. I forgot how much it cost me then. But I knew they were the most expensive in the menu. Well, mayabang ako eh. Gusto ko magyabang. Besides, yung mga orders nila tall at mga solo lang. Their orders paled in comparison to mine. And yeah, since it was Christmas time I bought 4 of their tumblers that I will be giving away to my family and friends. Gusto ko lang nun magyabang. And dahil din sa kayabangan ko naubos ang pera ko. Well hindi naman naubos. Masakit lang sa loob that I have to spend that much to experience Starbucks.

Well I guess, that double tailed siren must have something to do with how people act irrationally when they get in the store. The magic of Starbucks I guess.

I realized, the taste of what I bought from Starbucks is forgettable. I do not even remember if it was sweet or not. What I remember is how they misspelled my name, mispronounced my name and yeah, the money spent.

Do I regret it? Hell no. I will still do the same to experience it.
Will I do it again? No. Probably the next Starbucks coffee that I will drink will definitely a treat from someone else. 

*Photo is mine. It's a picture of my tumbler that I got from someone.

HOMECOMING 101 PART 2

AUTHOR’S NOTE: I wrote the first part of the article and published it a year ago. Now I am publishing the second part (I wrote it the same year but too bad I forgot the password of my wordpress so I wasn’t able to publish it before the first part celebrates its first year anniversary in my blog. hahahaha)

Now you have the funds, the concept and how the reunion should be done. What is the next thing to do? Now, WHO SHOULD YOU COORDINATE WITH, WHO SHOULD YOU CONTACT?

1. YOUR ALUMNI OFFICERS- Why should you contact them? Yes they probably are old and old fashioned and no millennial sense, BUT HEY, they were elected to be in those positions. They represent your whole alumni community. They can tell you the guidelines, the what should be and what should not be done. If they are older, they must have had experienced hosting a reunion and they can tell you the booboos and the secret/s of a successful reunion. My class was branded as the “INCORRIGIBLE BATCH” of Holy Spirit even in High School. When we graduated, the sisters must have sighed with relief. Well, we were a bunch of achievers but we were also a bunch of rebels. And we were the only class who wanted to bring the reunion OUTSIDE the school campus. Good thing, cool minds prevailed. We went to the Alumni President (Because during that time when we were going to host, she was the only officer working, the others were incognito *haha excuse the word) and told her this is how we wanted the reunion to be. And true enough she told us the things we needed to do and suggested some cheaper suppliers, because you see whether you want to admit it or not, you are working on a budget….unless you are willing to spend “Sky-is-the-limit”.
2. SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR/PRINCIPAL – Why? Well true the Alumni Association is a SEPARATE organization from the school BUT if you will be needing the campus for the reunion site and you needed to contact some alumni (I’m sure some of them enrolled their children in your former school), then you needed to coordinate with them.
3. CLASS PRESIDENTS/ REPRESENTATIVES OF DIFFERENT CLASSES- For obvious reasons…you needed attendees on the day of your“hosting job”. Remember, it might be your turn to be the host class, but you must also remember that you are just hosting the event, it’s NOT your night. IT’S THE ALUMNI ‘S NIGHT! The class presidents/representatives will help you achieve that goal.
4. SUPPLIERS- In your class there is one or two caterers/ band members/ owners of lights and sounds/ and everything you needed on that night. I mean, come on you probably do not know they existed. During our time, our theme was the 80’s, from outfits to stage decorations to food. We served American dishes, those that were not normally served on our dining table…well except for the 3 roasted pig and calf and our classmate catered for the event.

Well those are probably the ABC’s of Hosting a homecoming. But the following are the extra tip.

For the most homecomings that my class and I have attended I noticed one MISTAKE that hosts should NOT do during the event- Sit and Eat. When we host a party at home, do we wait to be served too? NO! You go around, you thank your visitors for coming and serve them. You do not sit and eat UNLESS everyone has been served with their food and beverages. It does not matter if you have eaten or not as long as the guests have eaten theirs. Well, we have attended homecomings before us so when it was our turn to host in 2011, we have learned our lessons from these batches. We did not run out of food, there was no hang time, no dead air, everyone went home with gifts and tokens, and yes my classmates were able to bring home the bones for their dogs too…and some of us including me was not able to eat during our hosting job, not because there was no more food because I tell you there were too much, but because there were too many guests that night that you should say hello to and thank. And work around your budget, do not exceed beyond it, you would not like to stress yourself more after the reunion right? Our class paid our suppliers 50% of their service/s when we signed the contracts with them and when they delivered the goods and services (caterers, souvenirs, videographers, photographers, lights & sounds etc), they were paid in full. Utilize your classmates. The housewives and those who have more free time than some of the classmates, I’m sure you have them in your class, give them assignments. Make them decorate the stage or help in logistics. The more classmates you involve in the preparation, the happier you make them, (imagine they get to help in the preparations, that means a lot) and the less people you will be paying because classmates’ services are free of charge (just pay for their snack and tricycle fare if you want them to do errands for your class). BEWARE of the suppliers who robs you off of the contract. She/He/ They will agree with everything you wanted and they will NOT deliver the goods on agreed date/time. THAT will stress you, freaks the hell out of you and you will suddenly think you are Cersei Lannister and wanted the swindler’s head chopped off or his/ her/ their body/bodies burned.

DECEMBER 31, 2016

Homecoming is one of the best tests of how close and strong a class is. It tests the patience of each classmate, it tests the  understanding for one another, sometimes if you let it,  it could even break your class/ group apart. Every class who has hosted a homecoming have suffered a ‘slip’ no matter how closely knit a group is,  take our class for example, days before the event, it took the toll on us, every one was tired, voices were raised,  blaming the president is the easiest way out. Siding with the most famous classmate might scare the president and shakes the leadership. But if you’re transparent, fair and respects every opinion of your classmates, regardless of how unreasonable it is, everything will turn out right. On the night of our hosting job, I was screaming at my classmates, I bullied them, you see I am a control freak who is OC on details, yes a perfectionist. I thank God for giving me classmates who stood BY,  FOR, WITH, and AGAINST me during those times I needed someone to take control of me. I thank them for their angry words because if not for those, it would have been a one man show. I needed them as they needed me (Hell! I don’t even know if they needed me) but all I know when we had the homecoming, we delivered. SORRY TO THE OTHER CLASSES (in my school), but up to this date OUR HOSTING JOB is still the grandest ever.

HOMECOMING 101 PART 1

I guess most of us have attended some Alumni Homecoming of our own schools already. Maybe your class has become Host Class, Junior Hosts, Jubilarians, etc. I myself have attended Alumni Homecomings at my high school (Holy Spirit Academy of Laoag) and for some reasons; I was also able to attend the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Homecomings some years back. I guess I got lucky.

For the past homecomings that I have attended, there were close to perfect ones, ho-hum ones, and What-the-hell-am-I-doing-here ones. The best Alumni Homecoming that I was able to attend was that of PMA. There are the parades of graduates grouped by classes from the oldest to the youngest graduates. The oldest graduate and the youngest graduate are sat side by side at the stage and watch the presentations/parade. What makes it exciting is the unity that they all have. There were banners welcoming the graduates as far as Tarlac especially in Baguio.

So let me go back to  how homecomings are prepared.

HOST CLASS

This is the class who will host the homecoming that year. Most often than not, they are the SILVER Jubilarians, the ones who celebrates their 25th year as graduates of their school. They are the ones who  will take charge of everything, from the mass (for Catholic Schools), motorcades, dinners, programs and whatchamallits.

WHAT SHOULD HOST CLASS DO TO PREPARE?

* DO NOT HOST A HOMECOMING UNPREPARED!!!!

1. ATTEND REUNIONS– Host Class should at least attend 2 homecomings for them to know what to expect and prepare. To give them ideas of what they should do when their time to host will come. My class attended 5 reunions before us.
2. OFFICERS– A class should at least have a set of officers.
   1. President
   2. Vice President
   3. Secretary
   4. Treasurer
   5. Committee Chairmen

• Food
• Lights and sounds
• Giveaways
• Motorcade
• Invitations
• Guests
• Logistics
• Shirts
• Program

3. CLASS FUND– This is the most important if not one of the most important part of hosting a homecoming. Do not expect the school to provide you funds for the homecoming UNLESS your school is so rich that it will fund the homecoming. But first how should you raise funds. Homecoming is the most difficult reason for donations especially if you attended a private school, unless you are so famous that any company/ group of people would donate to you without resservations, then you can skip this part of this article. You can not just ask someone to donate for your school especially those who did not  attend it. But for those who are worried then read on
   1. CLASSMATES– you need to contact every classmate of yours especially those who are better off than most of you. These classmates are kinda “mapagbigay” basta for the class. Gather all the classmates that you know who are still in the area where you graduated. A half of my class is already residing abroad. We were 90 plus (3 sections). And one very important tip DO NOT BE CHOOSY! Classmates are classmates. You spent 11 years together. Some you spent 4 years with. Your last names are all your class year, eg. Rosary-Anne O. Pagatpatan HSAL 1986, Melanie B. Sy HSAL 1986 etc. ,etc., etc. In my class, we all came from all walks of life but no one is above anyone. We have Doctors, Teachers, Lawyers, Nurses, Architects, Engineers, and even the City Mayor is our classmate but they do not throw their weights around. Hell, our President is not even famous in high school. She just happens to be the most passionate about her class being together with her motto: One Class, One Family.
   2. CLASS DUES– Every classmate MUST pay her monthly class due. In our class, we collected P100/classmate in 2000. Then raised our monthly dues to P150 them P200. The classmates abroad paid their dues in $$$$ and the richer classmates were made to pay their past, present dues.
   3. FUND RAISING PROJECTS- We had Ukay-Ukay, we had carrolings every year. All proceeds went to the class fund.
   4. DO NOT TOUCH THE CLASS FUND KAHIT MAGUTOM NA LAHAT ANG CLASSDMATES KAKA PRACTICE NG SAYAW.
   5. POT LUCK– All parties/gatherings/inuman etc will all be pot luck. Each classmate who will attend the event will bring food and beverage. Have the affair in one of your classmates’house, that way you do not touch the class fund. KAHIT ikulong pa nila classmate mo, do not touch the class fund.

ALDUB ADDICTION

I am one of the Millions of fans of the famous AlDub couple Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza around the world. When I said Millions, I am not exaggerating. And if you do not agree with me, well I suggest that you stop reading this cause the next that you would be reading will be how hooked I am about this young love team.

I discovered them after so much prodding from my younger sister. She told me to watch “Juan for All, All for Juan” cause there is this new love team and she wanted me to watch so I could tell her what happened cause she can’t watch the program as she is still on board when the segment is on. I ignored it for 2 days cause first I did not want to argue with her daughter, my niece Hannah who wanted to watch Nickelodeon rather than Eat Bulaga. And I would rather watch “Small People, Big World.”.

On the fourth or fifth day of AlDub, I finally watched Eat Bulaga. Don’t get me wrong, I have been an EB Baby since 1979. I am not that old. I was just 8 or 9 then when we would watch TVJ with Richie D’ Horsie and Double L Double N (those who have watched them since Day1, I know you know who I am talking about.

Funny thing is, Vic used to sing one of the songs to Chiqui that Alden now dubsmashes to Maine.

My family will watch Eatr Bulaga everyday except Sundays. That has been a habit since 1979.

So when I satrted  watching them, I was hooked. I do not know why. Maybe I am not a hypocrite like those pa smart people I know on FB who has nothing good to say about other people. Maybe I am just a person who like the others want to feel a stress- free lunch break. Maybe I am just a simple person who who has simple joys….at hindi rin ako pa impress para maiba lang.

After watching this kalyeserye everyday, I can not help but smile. They are trying to bring back my childhood in a modern day scenario. During my time, we were forbidden to entertain suitors on the streets. We  had strict parents. We were expected to be respectful, honest, courteous all the time. Broken promises are broken trusts. You do not promise your parents to go home early when you can’t. During those time, suitors are allowed to visit you at home during Friday nights and Saturday night, not any day of the week. You can not entertain them on the phone when they call because it’s either your Dad will tell you to put down the phone or listen thru the extension.

During my time, there were no challenges anymore. Only during my parents time OR maybe in the barrios where they still practiced those traditions. When I was courted I received flowers, love letters, poems, books,candies etc. I remember one time when my sister entertained a suitor, my Dad read newspapers a table away from them where they were talking. My sister did not end up with any of those suitors, neither did I end up with any of those who sent me love letters, gifts and flowers. I went on dating guys my Dad have never laid eyes on…it was fun….i was happiest when I had to be serious with one of them. My Father and Mother respected that anyway.

So this Saturday (Sept. 12, 2015) I was hoping that Alden and Maine would be given the chance to talk. They need not hug or kiss cause, THAT would be their first time to really talk. You do not kiss on the first meeting right? I am hoping that together with Lola Nidora, they would be given a chance to shake hands, talk, smile, kilig and everything that any normal people do when they finally meet their textmate, their phone pal, their pen pal.

And Alden, being perceived to be a gentleman, a modern knight in shining armor, a modern Cassanova, he should give Maine flowers, candies (because it is what she likes) that he himself bought. And Maine? Let her be Maine. Let her giggle. blush, smile, laugh, dance or whatever she feels like doing….besides, this is her first love team, love exposure and hell we wanted to see a glimpse of reality in theis drama/ comedy kalyeserye.

Lola Nidora on her part should give them this chance. She should not be too strict or KJ because in reality those who were so strict with their children were the ones who got pregnant early. She should maintain her strict persona but a considerate one. She should be consistent with her PANGARALS she should not breed hatred and disgust between her and the lovers. Look what happened to Romeo and Juliet, we do not want that to happen right?

Lastly, Eat Bulaga should play up on the fact that Maine and Richard Jr, have met already 5 years ago, and meeting each other again is an opportunity not to be wasted. Besides, don’t you get goose bumps when you think of everything that matches them and the opposite traits too? Dingdong met Marian before Marimar, they became a couple after 2 years, Dingdong said, she fit perfectly in his arms when he put his arms around her. We (fans)would like some day they will become a couple (Of course!) But since God is the writer of their love story, we will let Him do what is best for them…. butit does not hurt to pray for it right?

M y 2 Cents: LET US ALL BLAME THE MILITARY

MY 2 CENTS: LET US ALL BLAME THE ARMY


EVERYONE has contributed on the Mamasapano encounter. It's a matter of a blame game now. Everyone blame everyone. Now its the Army's turn to be blamed. Why did they not reinforce? They were just 1 Km away. Etc., etc., etc.


How do you think they will reinforce? Just attack with blindfolds not knowing where the people they were going to save are?


It is a big camp for Christ's sake and the soldiers did not know where the police are because the SAF did not even know where they are at. Take note, the SAF who was IN the camp could not tell his exact location.


Soldiers MUST know where they are at so when reinforcement comes they would know excatly where to drop the bombs or cannons.


Second, if they went in without any coordination, there might be a MISENCOUNTER because the soldiers might misfire at the SAF. MISENCOUNTER happens when two forces in the same side fires at each other because they got lost in the area where they are operating.


You see to be able to be a good commando YOU SHOULD KNOW HOW TO READ MAPS because it will also save not only your life but also the lives of your men/ comrades. Why will you assign a soldier/commando to go fight a battle without him knowing where he is. (Ang magnanakaw nga sinusurvey pa niya ang bahay na aakyatin niya para alam niya kung saan pupuwesto)


Going inside the camp and join the firefight without any "immediate" plan will not only endanger the 50+ policemen, we might not be mourning 44 now... we might be mourning more. So let's all blame the army, because they were 1Km away, because they were too late, because well. we do not care about them anyway if they die because that's their job, right?


P.S.

in every operation/lakad/ patrol that a soldier does (regardless if he's a Company Commander, a Platoon leader, a Squad leader) he has to have an operation order...PLANO.


#blamethearmy

#truthofthefallen44

#mamasapano

HUSBANDS, MARRIAGE AND IDIOSYNCRASIES

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I was so drained at the end of the day that I had a hard time sleeping. I’m truly worn out. The rain is a welcome aid to soothe my depressed soul. Yes, I love the rain. There are so many reasons why I love it. Some think that rain brings out gloom, dampness, and drabness but instead of my morale slumping i feel refreshed and energized by the rain.

I read somewhere before that says love is free but sometimes costly.

In my own opinion, it’s booth.

Sometimes just when you think you know all there is to know about your mate, just when you think you have enough to begin an annulment, something new pops up to bewilder you, for men and women belong to different species and communication between them is a science still in its infancy.

Lee and I have philosophical dialogues many times, especially about my being so “burara” and him being cluster-free person. We philosophically talk about his collection of tekky materials and my collection of drinking glasses on the computer table. No one changes the habit because changing a habit violates the entire tradition of marriage.

When you first begin sleeping with your husband, all your moves are like Anna Pavlova because the glow of being deeply in love gives delight to even the nonsexual ballet in bed.

As the years of our marriage have passed, Lee and I have grown closer in mind and heart but not in sleep. He snores and I sleep walk. I could not sleep with his chainsaw-snoring and he would go looking for me when he suddenly wakes up in the middle of the night and finding me not beside me. I don’t sleep often now. But he still snores.

We still listen to different kinds of music, country for him and RnB for me. But he has started listening to Akon as I am starting to listen to his kind of music.

There will still be a lot of philosophical dialogues as we grow old together, there might even be a time we will think of other people while being married to each other, there will still be “secret” crushes and might even have the time for falling out of love but I know like any couple, we will go through it together. Because if we will not, what is the use of staying together, Right?

SOLDIERS, MILF, OLYMPICS, GLORIA AT IBA PA.

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