Work in progress
Perhaps, we were born broken.
And as we got through life, we take in fragments from other people to make us whole again.
Far from perfect. But every bit as precious.
Still, more than enough.
Square peg, round hole
If you always try to fit in, you’ll lose parts of yourself; important pieces that make up who you really are.
So just be yourself, and the right people, your kind of people, will follow.
Break the mold.
Ward
The days go by,
regrets never left my side.
But you did.
Life did.
I pray,
that you found your peace.
And as my demons haunt me,
that I’d find mine.
Au revoir, mon ami.
Loop
Thoughts, turning
Never really knowing
Running in circles
Seemingly unending
Slept, waited
Still, nothing
Awake, adrift
Emotions fading
Lying, thinking
Still not knowing
No longer feeling
Back to the beginning
It’s easy to be misunderstood these days
Everyone has this idea of everybody else. This may be fine and all, but everything just takes a turn, for the worse at times, when that idea is suddenly, for some unfounded reason, turned into our own truth.
We perceive people based on our experience with them. To many, that short time is all it takes to paint a picture of who the other person is. Perhaps because it’s within our realm of comfort to understand them just within our level of perception rather than put in the effort of knowing who they really are.
So, is it really easy to be misunderstood these days?
No. Not really.
It’s simply easier to misunderstand.
We’ve become too preoccupied fighting our own battles that at times we lose interest in trying to understand almost everything and everyone.
And to be honest, that’s not our fault. That’s just us getting through life.
And being the misunderstood person that you are, it’s not your fault either.
So when you doubt yourself for seemingly being misunderstood most of the time, don’t.
Don’t go beating yourself up for something you have no control over.
All you can really do is to understand them. Or at the very least, try to.
Bull’s Eye!
Bucket list: a number of experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime.
I have to admit, 80-90% of the time that I spent in high school, I imagined I was elsewhere. Yeah, I know, typical teen backstory. But I can honestly say today that that time was well spent. I was always adrift, thinking of things I wished to do in the future.
11 years have gone by, and I haven’t done anything of what I intended to do, until last weekend that is.
Note: By the way, I’ll share my bucket list in another post.
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow.
In short, you use a bow to shoot an arrow at something (usually a target) or someone.
Okay, you can scratch the “someone” part, unless of course if you’re:
a.) using arrows with suction cup tips; or
b.) a psycho.
As much as I would like to share with you a brief history of what Archery is, I think a brief definition would suffice. And you’ll take what I give you, so end of discussion.
I have always been interested in Archery. Well, not really. Sorcery is my game. But let’s face it, until that day comes when I’ll be able to throw fireballs and lightning spears at people, Archery is the closest thing that I’m ever going to get.
It was a stroke of luck when I found out just recently that a College friend was in it too. See, the thing with MY planning style is, if I plan on doing something alone, there’s a huge chance that I’ll bail. So this indeed is something fortunate.
Oh, and we also invited another College friend to come with us.
And then there were three…
Note: and yes, I know the above only works when you started with many and your numbers dwindled. But I wanted to use it, so there.
We went to Kodanda Archery Range in Makati for some Archery fun. For details, you can visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/KodandaArchery.
Ready, Aim, Fire!
Note that there are other Archery ranges in Metro Manila (like Benel and Gandiva). But of course, this is the first one that I’ve ever been to.
I have to admit, the place wasn’t really awe-inspiring. I expected more of a wide area with the targets mounted on hay stacks. I guess my imagination was just way up there; my bad.
They charge Php 500.00 an hour. That’s inclusive of the following:
– A side quiver with 5 arrows
– A finger tab
– An arm guard
– A recurve bow
– An instructor
You also have to pay Php 30.00 for the printed target. I was under the impression that you can bring one for your own use (and save 30.00). A picture of a person perhaps?
We also followed certain rules. Not sure if I can remember all of ’em, but here’s what I can gather:
– NEVER dry shoot. Dry shooting is when you pull and release the string without an arrow. This can damage the bow.
– Rest the bow on your foot when not in use.
– Place the bow back on the rack before taking back the arrows from your targets.
– You must let ALL archers finish their round before taking back your arrows (unless of course if you’re stupid, or you like the adrenaline rush, then by all means).
– Wait for the whistle before loading.
I’m not going into detail on how to shoot an arrow as I think this would differ from one archer to another. But a good tip is to mind your stance. I was unfortunate enough to fire a round with an incorrect (or lousy) stance. Thus, my left arm was hit by the string 5 times, and it hurt even though I had the arm guard on.
There are three distances: 5 meters, 8 meters and 10 meters.
As much as I wanted to start immediately at 10 meters and show them how great I am, all beginners start at 5m.
Note: I’m not sure of the mentioned distance of the targets. Will have to double-check.
The whistle blew, and off went our arrows. At first, I had this feeling that I’ll get this right off the bat.
Of course I was wrong. I didn’t know what I was doing. I wasn’t even hitting the target.
First round in; seeing my shots at the target, the pressure was on. I know this isn’t a competition, but I personally had to make it one. It’s the only way to push myself even further.
Praises were given by the instructor for my also-beginner friend who didn’t even want to play in the first place. As much as I wanted to aim at him and shoot out of envy, I can’t, and I won’t (unless otherwise provoked by my own lameness).
Our game was only for an hour. Waiting for our turn felt like forever, but time went by so fast when we were already playing, realizing that an hour is definitely not enough.
When our time was up, I couldn’t be more proud of what my target looked like: A few shots in the middle (yellow part, 10 and 9 points) and everything else was everywhere.
My friend’s sales pitch before we even decided to go was that when you’re shooting, you tend to forget everything; your mind will go blank; it’s just you and your target. While I can say that I’m an expert at blanking out, the way she said everything was like she went to Nirvana and back or something.
And in all fairness, she was right. In that one hour, I seem to have forgotten: the bad stuff, the good stuff, my name, my friends’ names, etc. and in my case, that was just what the doctor ordered.
On to my verdict. To answer the most obvious of questions:
Would I go there again? Yes.
Was it all worth it? Yes.
Did you try Archery out because of the Hunger Games? HELL NO.
My advice is not to snort at the place upon seeing it. You’re in there to have a good time, and a good time you shall have; for a price of 530 that is.
I am now thinking of doing this for two hours on a monthly basis, and maybe get that gold-plated, bladed compound bow that I was talking about and practice at the mall during the weekend holiday sales.
“‘Tis the season to be jolly.”
Starting Over — Again
I haven’t done any posts for quite some time now, 5 months to be exact, and I have to be honest here, I’ve thrown all my “hard work” in said span of time. Yup, I’ve gained it all back. In fact, I’m 3 pounds heavier compared to when I started last July 2012. So yes, I have a lot of catching up to do, and I guess it’s about time.
I can’t help but wonder: if I have had a strong will, even just a tiny bit for me to continue, by now I could have achieved my goal weight. But as they say, there’s no use crying over spilled milk, so let’s just skip the dramatics and move on, shall we?
Let’s get you up to speed with what you’ve missed so far:
– I gained weight again (currently at 210. Really bad).
– I’m not longer in Law School. A bit sad but at the very least, all of the pressure’s off.
– I’m working again. Yup, this is the main reason why I gained all that weight. I’ve been enjoying a lot of “alone time” at fast food chains, and by a lot, I mean almost everyday.
I can officially say that I’m a mess right now. And what should we be doing with messes? That’s right, clean it all up.
I will have to set some ground rules, but that would be for another post.
I have to say this before I set forth on another mission: it’s good to be writing again.
“Saying what’s on your mind without any burden is a good short break from insanity.”
Korean Night: Gaji Namul
Okay, so it’s now two nights in a row. Maybe I should make it a week? Or maybe a month? Hmm…
Anyhow, I’ve decided not to end my “obsession” with Korean cuisine, so I’ll be making one or two dishes when I can.
Tonight’s banchan was Gaji Namul or Seasoned Eggplant.
The spices weren’t that intricate. I used almost the same ones that I’ve used the night before on my Sukju Namul and Dubu Jorim.
Recipe was taken from here: http://koreanfood.about.com/od/sidedishesbanchan/r/Seasoned-Eggplant-Side-Dish-Gaji-Namul-Recipe.htm
And here’s my single-serve plating:
Of course, this being only a banchan (side dish), I have my main dish: Tuna Belly.
I must say that the two went well together, and that my tummy is really happy. If it can talk, it would probably say “thank you”.
I’ll work on side dishes for a while, or until I’m able to create at least 20 without looking at the recipe. Then I’ll try making main dishes. 🙂
Korean Night: Dubu Jorim and Sukju Namul
I’m not really over with the Korean theme for this week (all thanks to my Sungkyunkwan Scandal marathon), so I’ve decided to make two simple dishes: Dubu Jorim (Korean Braised Tofu) and Sukju Namul (Bean Sprout Salad).
Recipes were taken here:
http://koreanfood.about.com/od/sidedishesbanchan/r/Bean-Sprout-Salad-Recipe-Sookju-Namul.htm
http://koreanfood.about.com/od/sidedishesbanchan/r/Korean-Braised-Tofu-Recipe.htm
Although this is the first time that I made anything Korean, I sort of deviated from how Dubu Jorim is supposed to be cooked. I didn’t braise it at all and directly placed it in the sauce. So I guess this is more of “Boiled Tofu”. It still tasted good (read: edible) though.
Then we have the salad. It was really simple to make and the sesame oil gave it a good amount of flavor.
All in all, I can say that the two dishes balanced each other out in terms of texture. The softness of the tofu contrasted that of the crunchiness of the salad.
I don’t know if what I made was proper, if it was even acceptable, or if it’s still even Korean, but all I know is that people here in our home enjoyed every last bit of it. 🙂
Despite how sad this sounds, I’d give myself props; a pat on the back for trying.
But don’t take my word for it, here’s my single-serve plating of the two dishes:
This is not the end of it though. I’ll be trying out more Korean dishes in the near future.
But first, I’m thinking of visiting a Korean restaurant, just so I’d know how these dishes should turn out like. 🙂
When Love and Hate Collide
I’ve started watching Korean dramas again. I have to admit that it’s a refreshing experience from your typical Filipino story plot: poor girl becomes rich and exacts revenge on her oppressors, or the now common “mistress” theme.
I was first introduced to Korean dramas because of the local network stations’ adoption of it here in the Philippines. My first real obsession was “Full House” back in College. I liked the story so much that I was able to do a “marathon session” finishing it in just a day. Although this was my first dive on a part of Korean culture, in my view it wasn’t really a “proper” introduction for it.
Just recently I discovered of a Korean drama entitled “Sungkyunkwan Scandal” on ABS-CBN. Upon research, it was released in S. Korea in 2010, and while it didn’t get that much viewer rating per episode, it was still a success. The version that I saw on TV was dubbed wholly in Filipino. I caught a glimpse of the pilot episode and got quite interested with its story. As my Semestral break is about to come to a close however, I knew I wouldn’t be able to watch it on its daily time slot so I decided to watch it online. For two days I watched the English-subbed version. I would like to take this opportunity to thank “fansubbers”, for whom without, watching and finishing the show would not be possible.
(from left to right) Yoo Ah-In, Park Yoochun, Park Min-Young, and Song Joong-Ki.
It is a historical drama about a girl dressing up as a guy (I believe this has become a common plot in Korean dramas) entering an all-guys school, falling in love and changing the world (not exactly in that order), all happening in an era when females couldn’t even work, except maybe as a professional Kisaeng (Gisaeng – female entertainers / prostitutes). Of course I accept that most of the story is fiction and that it still wasn’t a “proper” introduction of their history and culture, the setting on the other hand, down to the clothes, the whole feel of the drama (and the lightheartedness of it all) actually has its distinct Korean mark on it.
In those two days, I was captivated; the characters, although a bit lacking in development, were quite believable and most importantly, likable. I commend the actors at how they made this viewer long for the camaraderie that their characters have shown along the way, as if I was part of (or would like to be part of) that friendship.
After watching it, I can still feel its effects. I’ve researched a lot about the actors, but most especially, their culture. I could not stop talking and thinking about it. I’ve even downloaded the free English-subbed versions for personal use. I was a man obsessed.
I thought of going to South Korea for an adventure similar to the experience that I subjected myself through these dramas, so I planned to take a trip to Seoul, and with planning, I knew that further research is required.
So there I went, researching online about the do’s and don’ts of going (and staying) in South Korea. It was a fascinating experience, until after I stumbled upon a HUGE don’t: DON’T BE A FILIPINO.
I’ve read in blogs of expats living in South Korea about how some (if not, a majority) of their citizens tend to favor Americans or Europeans (read: white people) and at how they look down on their ASIAN neighbors.
As a Filipino, although my skin is considered here to be fairly white, I still wouldn’t pass as an American or European. In other words, if I go there, I wouldn’t have the same kind of preferential treatment people from said countries would get. Worst is, I’d get exactly the opposite.
So now I am plagued with questions:
If and when I go there, would they look down on me as well? Would I enjoy my stay there if I catch locals talking about me in a demeaning manner? Should I still go there?
These form part of what I’ve read so far, and I must say that I’ve never been this conflicted.
Part of me has come to love their culture, but only insofar as it is being represented in Korean dramas. The other half, the scared half, has become restless at the disturbing fact that there’s a chance I would be treated unfairly just because of my skin color. That instead of an enchanting stay, I’d be met with THE worst experience just because of me not being Korean (duh) and not being white enough to be adored or even be looked upon.
Now this is sad.
The love that I received just from watching “Sungkyunkwan Scandal” is now being challenged by the potentially damaging status quo in South Korea.
I know, I know. “Don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it.”
But then again, why should I risk going there only to be ridiculed by people whom I was willing to love and learn from? If all the said hate towards us was well-founded, I would have accepted that such love was not meant to be. But alas, something as petty as not meeting the “whiteness standards” is pretty much incomprehensible in my book.
*sigh*
I am still open to the idea of going there though. But until these doubts have been completely laid to rest, I shall remain ever the spectator; looking at the wonderful possibilities through beautifully crafted lines and romantic acting, waiting for the day when everything from the small screen would make it into reality.
Weekly Progress Report – 06
From 201.6 down to 199.8. Lost 1.8 lbs.
So from July 30 2012, to September 10, 2012, I lost a total of 7.8 lbs. Hmm…I think that’s pretty much up to par with the recommended 2 lbs. per week.
Anyhow, I’m still gearing up on trying to hit 195 (or 190). Only then will I start dealing with the rough stuff.
Mental Note: Be careful during the weekends.
Weekly Progress Report – 05
Who knew that a slice of deep-dish pizza and a bar of chocolate could be that bad, even when done only once?
Well, I sort of had an idea. But I thought I would just burn it off like any other food I eat lately. Anyhow, the fact that I gobbled ’em up on Friday and stayed until Monday means that I learned my lesson; it won’t happen again.
At some point within the week, I weighed below 200. Now I’m 201.6. That’s .4 lbs heavier than last time.
I should not lose focus for this week. I know I can break that 200 barrier again. My sister even wagered that I won’t make it to 190 lbs and that if I did, she’d give me one grand.
It’ll take time, but I know that I’ll be a grand richer before this year ends.
Tip 001 [Eligium PH]
Note: So, I haven’t been really doing that good in my studies because of this, so I have to turn it into something ‘fruitful’ at the very least.
Equipment
One way to earn money is to look into your own equipment. Of course, one should make do with what you have, but improving on something is not a bad idea either, especially if it’ll cost you only a little.
Improving on your own equipment would make you tougher, hence people would take you in on party quests where you get the chance of netting awesome stuff. Plus, you’d probably be able to handle solo quests better, saving you time for other stuff to do. As they say, time is indeed gold.
But how can you go about improving your equipment without costing you that much?
Here’s how:
Use the Galgaron Cube
If you feel that your inventory is getting kind of stuffy with all the seemingly useless gear you get from random monsters, and that the NPCs give you a shitload of work, all for a crappy reward, don’t fret. If anything, you should be happy. You know the saying that nothing really ever goes to waste, as they’re just recycled? While this applies to our souls after death, the same goes in game.
You can combine gears that you’ve picked up so far and turn it into something better by using the Galgaron Cube. You can access the cube by clicking “U”.
3 gears of the same kind, of the same color, and of the same level can be placed in the cube and be combined into something stronger.
I’ll give you an example:
You received a Blue, LV9 pair of gloves from one of your quests. From killing monsters, you received two more LV9 gloves also having crappy specs.
Open up the cube (click U), click the fourth tab, open your inventory (click B), and right click on the three (or you can also drag them to the slots in the cube).
By clicking combine, you will then be treated with a LV9 yellow pair of gloves, complete with better specs.
Got it so far?
Here’s a list of the combinations:
3 Whites = 1 Blue
3 Blues = 1 Yellow
3 Yellows = 1 Gold
Please note that there’s still a fee for the process, which depends on the level and quality of the gears.
Accessories cannot be combined in the cube. Also, please be mindful of the equipment quality. There are ‘Elite’ items out there, which means three elites are needed should you find the need to use it in combining.
So there you have it. You can upgrade stuff via the Galgaron cube for your own use, or to consign (more on this in another post).
If you happen to have read this and you have other questions about the game, feel free to ask by leaving a comment, or by sending a message to YuffieKisaragi in Oriel Server. I’ll be more than welcome to assist you. 🙂
Weekly Progress Report – 004
I’m happy to report that despite not having logged what I eat, my weight now is at 201.2. That’s another 2 lbs. down the drain. 🙂
I hope I’d go past the 200 mark by next week.
There’s nothing wrong about logging what you eat though. It’s just that, after a few weeks of doing it, I no longer need to write it down. Let’s just say I’ve become much more aware of the food that goes into my mouth these days.
That said, I hereby suspend my ‘Food Log’ indefinitely, or until I find that I need its services once again.
[NEW GAME] Eligium
I’ve been playing MMORPGs a lot before law school. LevelUp! Games popped my gaming cherry when they released “Ragnarok” way back when I was still in college. I continued my journey jumping from publisher to publisher, mostly just trying some of ’em out.
Let me list down some of the games that I’ve played (and enjoyed) along with my primary character classes, with the exception of Ragnarok. It was mostly an experimental experience for me as I made a lot of different characters.
– Ragnarok
– Tantra (Samabat)
– Ran Online (Shaman)
– FlyFF (Ringmaster)
– Perfect World (Yao Jing)
– Fiesta Online (Cleric)
– Rohan (Elf Healer)
– Forsaken World (Bard)
Note: these games are all on Philippine servers from different publishers.
Looking at this list, I can definitely say that I have this affinity for support type characters. And yet again with Eligium, I created a Druid based on the Summoner tree.
The Druid Summoner is basically the healer, and as the name suggests, it is also the games’ resident summoner. More on this class in future posts as I have decided to log my gaming experience here (possibly doing a guide for the class, as info is really scarce at the moment).
Gameplay is still a bit buggy (some quests and the creation of the Fighter class, to name a few) with scripting needing a LOT of work (ENGRISH anyone?). Also, character notification and NPC interaction prompts a voice feedback, in CHINESE. So when I’m trying to use my skill when my MP is insufficient, my character says it to me in Chinese. Wish they’d fix that once the game goes commercial.
Skill leveling is similar to FlyFF PH (pre-PK on all servers era). You need to use the skill a number of times to level it up. A little tedious, yes. But compared to FlyFF’s now non-existent system (in which I have to use a third-party program to level my skills, which I have to admit wasn’t my shining gaming moment), Eligium boasts of the Assistant feature which is available once you hit LV25. It is basically an in-game botting system. I’ve been using it to level most of my skills, and to kill a lot of monsters minus the button mashing.
The game is now in its Open Beta stage, so the quirks I wrote above are understandable. There are currently a lot of players as the 4 servers (2 PVP and 2 PVE) are either showing full or busy, and as I’m writing this, they’re currently having a system maintenance that will last ’til 3PM (approx. 6 hours from its down time), which explains why I have time to write this in the first place.
If you want to try this game out, come join me at Oriel server. My character name is YuffieKisaragi (yes, FF7 FTW!).
To know more about this game, you can visit LevelUp! Games microsite here.
If you already have a MyLevelUp! account, you can create an Eligium account by logging in here and clicking the “Create Game Account” tab.
If you still don’t have one (a MyLevelup! account that is): “Register Now!“
Weekly Progress Report – 003
Nothing much to report from last week.
My nose is still oozing like crazy, and I still have two exams out of the three remaining days for this week.
My weight did not change from last weeks’ weigh-in at 203.6. I don’t know if it’s good or bad but considering that majority of those days were spent “binge eating”, I could probably say that it’s good.
Anyhow, I’ll be logging in some new content for this week. Food Log will also be on hiatus for the rest of the week. The numbering will start from where I left off.
Have a nice week, everyone.
Food Log – 018 to 021
Has been suspended yet again. I am currently sick (flu). On top of that, I have my midterm exams to worry about.
Posting will resume on August 20, 2012 and will start on issue 022.
Note: Tissue and Food are my friends right now.
Food Log – 017
Breakfast:
– 1 Hard-Boiled Egg
– 1 Sponge Cake
Lunch:
– 4pcs Spring Rolls (Pork with Veggies)
– 1cup White Rice
Snack:
– 2 Sponge Cakes
– 1 bowl Chicken Macaroni Soup
Dinner:
– 4pcs. Pork Barbecue
– 1 Chow Pao
– 1pc. Chocolate Brownie
Note: too many sweets today. Tsk tsk tsk.
Mini-project in the works.
I’m starting a new project wherein I jot down every piece of comment from a certain someone at home. They are mostly negative in nature, so I figured that I might as well do something productive about it than just bear with it.
Well, this person has a lot to say about what’s on TV that I just had to write down most of it. Some are hilarious, while others are just plain ridiculous.
Due to the nature of our relationship however, I am obliged not to divulge this person’s identity.
Also, I already named the project. But due to delicate nature of the project title, I can’t share it here either. (Hint: It has that person’s identifier on it).
Anyhow, I just hope I’d be able to handle all of this before I go mad.
Food Log – 016
Breakfast:
-N/A
Lunch:
– 5 Tbsp. Corned Beef
– 2 cups. White Rice
Snack:
– 1 cup Green Tea
– 1/2 cup Stir-fried Noodles
Dinner:
– 1 pack of Cheese Crackers
– 1 Big n’ Tasty
– 1 med. Twister Fries
– 1 med. Orange Juice
– 1 Glass of Strawberry Soy Milk
Note: Tsk tsk. That is all.
Facebook and Twitter Deactivation
I have to admit, Facebook and Twitter wasn’t really my thing back then. Sure, in the end it was my choice to join these social networking sites, but thing is, the circumstances that led me to that choice was greatly influenced by others.
I joined both services sometime in 2009. I created a Twitter account because I got curious as to how it works. I didn’t find it useful back then and only really started using it in 2011.
On the other hand, I joined Facebook because of the games. Also, because of the interaction between my family and friends (yes, they know each other), to which I am left out of. Joining meant I get to be “in” on the buzz.
My use of both services has evolved from casual use to borderline obsessive; checking the feeds and reading them constantly, without real purpose as to why I’m doing it.
When it comes down to it, the only real use I get with these services is information; updates from our school to be precise. But now that I found a way to get those updates working via Google Reader, what else is left for me to use those services?
Thing is, I’m really not a sociable person (read: shy). I know, if you know me personally you might think that this is complete BS. I don’t know how it works, but I am like that to people who I do not know.
Also, I’ve stopped playing Facebook games a couple of years ago. One of the main contributors to my joining the said social site.
So, now that I’ve established that I’m not a social butterfly (fly is more like it), that I get my news somewhere else, and that I lost that one reason why I joined in the first place (games), I have come to a conclusion that there is no point for me to continue using Facebook (and Twitter for that matter).
This “challenge” is meant to be temporary. I’ve imposed to myself the rules to this challenge, not using the said sites for 30 days. But who knows? If along the way I find that losing access to these sites was actually beneficial for me, then I might just make this a permanent.
Anyhow, if you find the need to contact me, you may do so through this blog, via email, or if you have my mobile number with you, just send me a text message.
Food Log – 015
Breakfast:
3 tbsp. Corned Beef (no oil added)
1 cup White Rice
1 cup Green Tea with Strawberry Soy Milk
Lunch:
3pcs. Vegetable Spring Rolls
Snack:
3pcs. Pan de Sal
4 slices of Cheese
Dinner:
1 cup Green Tea with Strawberry Soy Milk
1 Liemsilog (1 Fried Egg, 1 cup Fried Rice, approx. 5-6 pcs. Fried Pork Belly)
1 (40g) bar Cadbury Fruit & Nut
Note: That LiemSiLog is a killer. Never do that again.
Jumping Ship: SMART Postpaid Freedom Plan.
I’ve never kept my disdain towards Globe a secret. They have yet to do something that would really make me root for them.
I have been their broadband subscriber since 2007. My relationship with them has been rocky for the first 2 years. I’m telling you, back then, when Globe is really out of whack, it’ll stay that way for WEEKS. And yes, this has caused me enough frustration to last me a lifetime.
Or so I thought.
Enter 2012. Regardless of my experience with them, I applied for a Postpaid line (BlackBerry UnliSurf Plan 599). I was thinking, since this is wireless, I wouldn’t encounter problems with connectivity, right?
WRONG!
Since Feb., I have been plagued with “SIM Card Rejected” errors on my BlackBerry. Worst is that in my area (Pacita, San Pedro Laguna), there are a LOT of dead spots where the signal would display SOS, or just plain GSM. I thought you guys were widening your network infrastructure? What happened with that?
So I called them about it and the service agent guided me through the troubleshooting process. When she came into the conclusion that there were no problems on their end, she told me to have my SIM replaced.
Anyhow, it took me a few months just to have it replaced (didn’t have time to do it back then). But guess what? The problem still persists.
I sent them tweets, thrice, in different days, with regard to my predicament. But alas, I DID NOT RECEIVE AN ANSWER FROM ANY OF THE THREE TWEETS.
NONE.
So here I am, stuck with a dumb service with 1 1/2 years to go, contemplating on whether I should opt out of it. But that would mean I have to pay the base price of the handset that I availed; 8k+ for a BlackBerry 8520.
Then I saw it online. SMART’s Freedom Plans; a Postpaid plan that starts from ZERO, and you only pay for what you use.
(That was a lengthy intro, don’t you think?)
Some articles state that it targets students and those who have just started working. But I say, this is the perfect opportunity for people who are quite reluctant of jumping ship.
By getting a Freedom Plan, I can try out SMART’s network services and compare. If it doesn’t suit my tastes, I’ll just stop using it, and I wouldn’t be charged anything. (That is, if I avoid subscribing into any of their buckets).
Perfect!
So what do I need to make this all happen?
Apparently, only a valid ID and 250 PhP as application fee.
That simple? Yes, it is. (And yes, I am talking to myself again).
Now the only problem here is that most (if not all) of my contacts are on Globe. But I guess it’s still too early for me to think about that. Right now, what’s important is to test how good SMART’s network really is.
I’ll be dropping by my nearest SMART store within this week. I do hope it’s worth all of this excitement.
Weekly Progress Report – 002
It’s midterms week and man, I’m gonna be really busy.
Despite falling off the wagon, I’m surprised that there is still some progress made for me to report.
Last week, the numbers pointed to a heavy 204.8 lbs from 207.6. Lost a total of 2.8 lbs.
This week, I weigh a total of 203.6.
That’s a 1.2 lbs loss despite having that cheat weekend.
Guess everything worked out fine in the end. Now I really have to watch what I eat moving on.
Also, I failed to incorporate some exercises within that week, so now I am hoping that I’ll be able to work it smoothly into my schedule.
Adventures of a Four-eyed Monster 
You must be logged in to post a comment.