ANGELS AMONGST MEN

Hi! As you can see, I have posted my friends pictures here! Maybe because I'm so excited to see them. The last couple of days had been a roller coaster ride for Lany and me. Last 17th of this month I went to my airline agent to confirm our ticket reservations. I was looking for the lady in charge of our company's ticket reservation but she wasn't there. Apparently on leave daw. So I guess its ok since she's only an agent. There are several tables in their office all occupied by smiley faced agents. All I have to do is pick one! And so I did. I went for the person nearest to me. She's Indian and nice, and have that plastered smile...and I'm confident that she knows what she's doing. And so I asked her to move our return trip to the 26th of January, just to have atleast a days rest before we go back to work. When she typed in slow-mo, I knew there is something wrong. And after serveral minutes of more typing she said, "It will be better If I come back on saturday because I'm not sure of something in your booking. The person in charge of your company's booking is on leave, and will be back on saturday. But everything is ok..." Then I told myself, shit there is really something wrong here! To make everything short, when I came back that week they told me that our reservation expired last week! The same day that I came to their office! I am so mad at that Indian girl! Because this isn't just a vacation, we are getting married! And of all the times that there will be a snag, it picked the most important time of our lives!!! If there was a complimentary shot gun in their office, I would have loaded it with a couple of 12 guage shells and BANG!!! However, it will be unfair to say that the entire House of Travel agency is a F*!$-up because of one rotten agent. Afterall, all my other bookings are efficiently well taken cared off. We must all be very careful of our dealings. (moral lesson #1)

How did we fix it? (okay! I said I will make it short. But if you want to find out what happened you have to read the long part of the story!)

I believe that there are angels amongst men. Not the ones with fancy wings, and carries a harp! Because any women can have wings (whisper with wings! hehehe!). I mean, I believe that there is good in everyone. Even from those who we don't expect to recieve a good deed from. Friends are Angels, and some men are angels. After our ordeal with the agency we called some friends that could help us. Someone who have connections from up above(....and when I say above, I meant Cathay Pacific... they own a portion of the skies you know. I will mention the "G" word later). We called Mrs. Weng Caday, a long time friend of ours. She is also our godmother when we get married (and we picked a good one!). She recomended us to BTTB travel agency, to Mr. Reggie to be exact, to help us with our problem. Reggie did a good job. (Very professional. Next time I travel I will go straight to this dude!) He made reservations to the several dates and he called Angelo Abonis of Cathay. Problem solved!

Sure, there was hope hanging in the air. Afterall, they managed to get us on the waiting list. But we aren't there yet! There is still something that has to be done! We decided to call several friends. Ate Babes was kind enough to say that "If nothing happens, call me!" We informed Ate Telly as well. She said "No problem, I will call my friend." All these "angels" are pointing to one person. The man in charge!

ANGELO ABONIS
Cathay Pacific
+973-17226226

He is the man of the hour. He made it possible to book us, eventhough we had an expired booking. So if you have a problem with Cathay Pacific, call this guy! It doesnt matter even if you are not in Bahrain. He can do wonders! He told me that Ate Telly and sister Mayeth called him up, to extend us a helping hand. (how nice of them! we owe you!)

There! This is my testament that there are angels amongst us. They may not have wings, but they have mobile phones! A phone call can be much faster than a physical flight you know. But more than that, we are glad that we are surrounded by friends. Thank GOD for giving them to us. We are truly blessed! al-hamdal-alah (Thanks be to GOD in arabic!)

On another topic, my friend Dr. Philip Lopez, and Dra. Zen Lopez have been reading this blogspot! Its a nice way to keep in touch di ba? Philip is my best man. That makes Zen the best woman of the groom! Please tell Richelle (can you believe that he wants to be called Ritchie?) to make himself useful and read this blog! He didn't greet me on my birthday this year! Not like the past years! Wala kwenta talaga! hehehe!!! joke lang!

Yours truly, Ritchie (sometimes I dont know who I'm referring to when I call him like this) and Philip have a way of roasting each other when we get together. Most of the time me make a secret alliance with one another and we ambush the third guy by roasting him! Very crispy!!! I guess we like embarassing ourselves in front of an audience. Good thing Mama Ester (Philips mama! Godmother to us also this January) is there to save me when the two evil boys have pinned me down. But now that I have the upper hand, I can tell the whole world how retarded you guys are! Bwa-ha-ha-haaaaaaaa!!! So be extra nice to me! That goes to you Dr. Lopez! Bwahahahahahaha! You told me that my cheeks are huge, just like a patient who just finished his dialysis session in our blog pictures. Cute! You ridiculed me with medical terms man! Galing! you really are a doctor. We are not finished yet! Har-har-har-har!!! (evil laughter)

Anyhow, my next blog is about the evil of mankind and my friends. Promise! For now my boss is coming back to the lab now. I don't want to be caught eating, or surfing the net here at lab...Again! I don't want to get in trouble with her before I go on vacation. I don't want to have any bad blood between us. I love my job!

To my honey, we'll get over this soon. Think positive! I love you!

>>>>>Love,
>>>>>>>>>Dennis

Last vacations picture at the Lopez's residence in Laguna. Wish we'll have more fun this year! 

RANDOM THOUGHTS:

Thanks a lot to those who responded to my last blog. I didn't expect that kind of response. especially from my friends whom I haven't seen for years. It only goes to show that friendship transends all barriers.

I'm convinced that a blogsite is a powerful communication tool, to send keep in touch with friends. Maybe not directly. But our friends become first audience and critic (thank God I only get good response!). And now, whenever I make a post, I keep in mind that whatever nonsense I write counts in bridging the gap between us. Like a satellite hovering above us.

So on a personal note to Shay and Gigi, thanks for keeping in touch. And thanks for being there when I needed help. Just like old times when mobile phones aren't available. We use to call each other and talk for hours. You guys are great! Keep in touch!

WORK ETHICS

What is your motto when you started to work? I'm sure that you picked or switched a job that you like so that you can continue working. Maybe you like the job and the people that you work with thats why you continue working. Well, whatever it is you didn't work just because of these reasons. You work because you need to support your daily needs. Or sometimes more...you need to support your family's needs.

I was mad when somebody told me that we work regardless of the pay. And because our nature of work gives us the benefit of gaining knowlege that nobody else can get access to. I would probably fall for that if I'm as rich as Bill Gates! Or if i wanted to be a priest and enter a vocation that pays you charity money. I have a lot of wants and a lot of needs. We work hard to get what we want. We work to upgrade our living conditions. To be comftable enough to eat more than 3 times a day, and watch satellite tv for at least an hour. Its a shame when our employers put us down and not care about us. Shame on them!

MY BLOG WAS ERASED!!!

HI EVERYONE!!!

Before I explode and burn into ashes, I regret to inform you that the blog I uploaded last night was erased! Dear God, I swear I only used the spelling check to polish up that blog. But not only is this blog my reason for despair, we also have several concerns that hasn't been addressed yet. The plague is as follows:

1. CHURCH REQUIREMENTS- not yet completed. There is too much red tape going on within the family.
2. MARRIAGE CONTRACT- according to the Navotas Municipal Gov't, we should personally go to them and get it ourselves! Dios Mio! We are here in Bahrain and we can't possibly get it ourselves! Even if we do get home in December, the processing will be slowed down by the holidays.
3. INVITATIONS-believe it or not, up to now we still haven't got a supplier for this item.
4.MISALETTE- not even this.
5. DRESS FOR THE ENTOURAGE- if 1-4 isn't complete, I'm not surprised that this isnt either.

If we get any of these things done, especially number 1 & 2 we will be very happy. Unfortunately, we are only relying on special people to do this for us. We know that they too have obligations to themselves, and at home. But in our desperate case I really think we should take fast action.

To everyone who are trying to help us, thanks a million! You don't know how much these things mean to us.

And to honey, I wish you pleasant dreams and peace of mind. And for God sakes! stop crying! We will get through this I promise. I love you!

--Dennis