CONSUMER REPORT

Two months ago we purchased an HP 2613 computer. It will practically do everything except make coffee. I don't have any problems with regards to its printing. I can say that it rivals the prints that comes from the shop. Scanning is also very easy to do. You can even scan a text document and edit it. No need to retype it because of its I.R.I.S. technology.

But last week the LCD stopped working. No remedy from the HP Certified Online Technician can help me. All they can tell me in the end is that "its a hardware issue", which I don't really understand. I guess the best advice that they gave me is to send it to the Authorized Service Center. In this case its the Zayani shop along Sitra. The service personel were very assuring that it will be fixed. It only needs about a week because the new spare will be coming from Dubai. Who cares for 2 weeks if they will bring my LCD to life, right? And afterall, I am entitled to a "free service". It says so on the warranty. No need to worry about payments.

But after a week they called me to say that they didn't fix my printer, but instead they are giving me a new one. It was far better than what I expected. Imagine a new printer? But I knew that its too good to be true. When me and my wife got to the HP center they gave us a printer wrapped in plastic. No more new printer smell...it isn't new!!! We asked why it isn't new, but all they could tell us is that with this kind of model they dont repair it anymore. Models like this gets shipped to Dubai and replaced by an old refurbished unit. We tried to reason with them that this isn't fair. AFterall, our unit is only two months old. The one that they were giving us is probably older. It has scratches all over and a nick to one end of the scanner cover.

Even when we called the Manager Mr. Mohammed Shafi, he told us the same thing. But regardless of his reply, I thanked him for his help, and that I hope Mr. Zayani reads the Gulf Daily Newspaper. He said "Thank you". We chuckled afterwards and took the refurbished printer. Lets just see what happens after I wrote the editor of GDN.

MINUS ONE

Shortly after I took this photo the memory of an old ice cream commercial came to mind. Remember that old one, when two kids were separated after the boys family moved to another place? The little boy asked "Eh sinong best friend mo dun?" The other boy replied "Syempre ikaw!" Cute.

According to Prof. Water Bayubay of FEU, it's his commercial. Yep! He claimed this one to be his when I reviewed for the Med. Tech Board at Pioneer Review Center. Apparently, the other boy was Gary Valenciano. I don't know if there is any truth to this, but it would have been a nice memory to keep.

Have you ever been separated from your childhood friend when you were a kid? It's tough. Maybe because these are the years that we need someone to share the changes in our lives with.

When it was time to say goodbye to Ate Raquel and the family last night, we didn't really have a problem letting go, because we know that they are going to be in a nice place. But after seeing Mariam and Trisha say goodbye for the last time while, each one was separated by a steel barricade at the airport...man that really had our tear jerked from our eyes. It's sadder than the two mice that sang James Ingram's "Somewhere Out There".

The best of luck to Ate Raq's and the rest of the family. May you find what you are looking for in Canada. We'll miss you all!

DECADE

...how do you measure a year?

It was 10 years ago when I graduated from college. At this time I was still in disbelief about the facts of life. If I didn't hold on to one out of a million of my dreams, then probably I won't be here posting this blog. I'm not suicidal! I'm just thinking that I would have strayed in a different path. Who knows? Maybe I could have been a priest...

It was 10 years ago when I became serious in a relationship. And it was also 10 years ago that I decided not to become serious with my relationships. (uy bawi agad!) I learned that I was still very young to decide on that matter for fear of the word "Marriage". (sabi ko na nga ba pang-priest ako e..) By this time they are already giving away discount cards to motels in Mendiola and Recto.

It was 10 years ago when I passed the Medical Technology Board Exam. (Panis!) I didn't get the highest score but I passed! I ran out of the house wearing my underwear to buy 3 copies of the Manila Bulletin when I got the call from a friend that I am in the passers list.

It was 10 years ago when my mother had breast cancer. She had to undergo 2 surgery's because the first doctor that she went to is not qualified to remove her right breast. I wish I sued that OB-GYNE for malpractice.

It was 10 years ago when I played rythym guitar in band. We won first prize at a battle of the band contest in Malabon. I miss my band-mates!

It was 10 years ago when I got employed at a hospital in E. Rodriguez, Q.C. We had the best line up of cool staff in the lab. If we hadn't have any financial problems (like the rest of the masses.) we wouldn't have left that place. The management sucks, but we rock!

To be continued...

Teka lang may patient pa ako...

LOGO

Been practicing my Adobe Photoshop 8 skills. Thanks to online tutorials I found a new hobby. And yes there is going to be a new look for this webby in a couple of years... joke!

COOL SONG

Enough of Cat Stevens "Father and Son"! I heard a new song to replace it in my favorite song list. Heard it from Crazy Kevins radio program one morning. Its very remeniscent of James Taylor by with the cool lyrics. If you have time you can download the mtv and music from its official website. The mtv worth downloading. It makes me want to copy the background design to replace our own. The name of the song is "JCB" by Nizlopi. Check it out!

MY SHOT GLASS COLLECTION

Some people collect stamps. Some collect antiques. My friend from college collect girlfriends. I on the other hand collect shot glasses. Yes. Because I learned my lesson from collecting different kinds of liquor...they don't seem to last! But not all shot glasses are worth collecting. I started mine when my friend Sarah brought home a shot glass that lights up when you tilt it. Cool eh?? Then I bought my own from Hong Kong and Starbucks SM City branch. Later on Sarah and Hameed got me a pewter from their honeymoon trip to Thailand. So far the my collection stopped from there, thats why I'm reviving my collection from today. Does anybody care to give me one?