Thursday, August 31, 2006

Randy had a busy day at work, as well as with his dentist and ex-wife, Rose. She dropped by at his place to do some paperwork. I took advantage of the situation to do my laundry until he's back online to chat.

When I went to Equitable PCIB with Pearl and Shiela at past one in the afternoon, I told him to go to bed early so we can pray the rosary before he leave for work.

I deposited Php 5,000.00 (US$ 99.00) to load.com.ph's Acct. no. 1238-01816-8 Equitable PCIB, Pasig - Kapitolyo, photocopy the transaction then faxed it to 6723260. Then, I went to Allied Bank to deposit the MC I purchased. We spent the rest of the afternoon doing some grocery shopping. Paul Denise later followed us to help us carry 22 bags of grocery items.

When we arrived home and I logged in to load.com.ph, they already credited the 6% to my account, I've got Php 5,300.00 load credits! Load.com is a FREE prepaid load service provider via the Internet, Text Messaging, or WAP! Besides, I want to purchase any product in load.com.ph at discounted rates and more convenient for me to pass load to my children without using my post paid line. What I liked too is that I don't have to look for any prepaid game cards elsewhere to top up my Rose Online account as my game time ended this evening at 2310 H.

Level Up is celebrating its 4th year anniversary and they are giving away 15 additional days game time if we top up between August 15 and September 15, 2006. I was just hesitant to credit six 500 load to my account to enjoy 365 days game time + three months free following ePLDT’s 60 percent buyout of Level Up!

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

This morning, I woke up as early as 7 am but, decided to turn off modem and router then went back to bed. I got up again when headache and congested chest bother me due to severe coughing. I was surprised it was almost 9 am when I got out of the shower.

Randy's already online when trillian logged on. We voice chat through skype while I was playing Rose online. He's watching National Geographic Channel featuring Osama Bin Laden and the 911 while I completed a Luna quest, Sonnet of the Galaxy (Visit Mildun to bring back a Spare Mana Engine for the Flying Vessel), through the help of a fellow Rose Online player.

I gave up doing the quest last night after playing for three consecutive hours. My son, Junjun, said that I should go to Goblin Cave and attack all goblin swords only but no Selloin document has been dropped. Junjun tried to complete the quest himself but when I logged in back this morning, I found out the quest is still active. Anyway, I went to B2 in Goblin Cave and finished the quest in less than 10 mins. Goblin guard held the precious document to fulfill a Luna quest and I gave it to Aphonso, an NPC character that serves as a transit point from Junon Polis to Luna. The quest requires that players should be at level 70 to do it but, I did mine at level 59. When I confronted Junjun about it, he was laughing and told me that he has forgotten how he did his quest.

Tintin invited me to "party" at Arumic Valley (Luna) while waiting for Randy to go online, to share experience points and loots according to level, since she's eleven levels ahead of me. I gained another level and managed to get 1 skill point.

Meanwhile, Randy was late logging online this evening. I had to call his phone number couple of times to let him know that I was waiting for him online. He had a dream that it was weekend and had thought of waking up late, only to find out he's too late for work. I recited the rosary alone before going to bed.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

The warm environment in Starapple Computers made me real sick that I woke up this morning with influenza. Tommy told me that Makati Cinema Square's Central air conditioning needs a million peso budget to repair their cooling system that the computer shop had been suffering for many years now awaiting for the building admin to fix it. What's worst, the rent remained the same in spite of failure to provide them central air.

Anyway, I was glad that I can now run Rose Online game in my new PC without crashing its system. Rose Online Evolution was launched on the 18th of August but, we're not home to try the game. Rose Online - Polaris Channel 3 had been busy all the time since the Philippine Rose Online accomodated the European players. The kids played the game as soon as we arrived from Hong Kong on the 21st but, I was able to play the game only today, when we replaced the video card of my new PC yesterday from Ati Radeon X550 to X300SE, for video driver compatibilty purposes.

Both Randy and I were upset since we cannot play this game together due to territorial agreement between South Korea's Gravity and Philippines' Level Up Games. We are still hoping that they will expand their territorial space soon or allow Randy's IP to access and play in their game server.

This morning, Papa called up and told me today is his 72nd birthday in Chinese Calendar but he will be celebrating it tomorrow with his fellow Diabetic friends in Quezon City General Hospital. Too bad I am too sick to visit him today to treat him to a Chinese restaurant. Anyway, Happy Birthday, Papa!

Meanwhile, Randy was sad when he informed me that the oldest woman in the world died today! The said woman from Ecuador died at the age of 116 due to old age. Our sympathy and condolence to her family and friends. May her soul rests in peace!

Monday, August 28, 2006

Since my new PC was delivered two weeks ago, I didn't know it has video driver incompatibility until I installed 580 mb Rose Online game when Randy left Manila on the 22nd.

The game kept crashing that I had to bring back the CPU to Starapple computers after Alex failed to trouble-shoot the problem last Friday, August 25th. Daughter fixed the HDD partition based on what I liked then, she reinstalled win XP on both partitions. But, she failed to fix the crash problem whenever I ran the Rose Online game.

Tommy suggested to bring the CPU today so we had spent our entire day at Starapple Computer Shop while Alex was busy diagnosing the monitor, sound and video compatibility. I had breakfast and lunch with Pearl and Tommy at Emer's Food Center located at Lower Level, Makati Cinema Square. The food they served was fine that I'd ordered for takeout grilled whole Chicken, Pata, and Pancit Bijon. This Chinese restaurant doesn't charge too much unlike the other restaurants we frequently visited.

Randy and I remotely exchanged chikka messages to update him what's the development with the PC and us. He tried to wait for us to get home but, we're back to zero when the PC crashed again late afternoon and we concluded that ATI RADEON X550's driver needs upgraded version and when we replaced it with 256 mb ATI RADEON X300SE, the said video card was compatible with the existing X550 video driver! Earlier, Win XP was reinstalled in first partition but Alex had difficulty running the audio device since motherboard sound has incompatible driver too. It says in the readme.txt that the sound card will stop running after September 2005, and we're in August 2006 now! After couple of difficult browsing efforts made since they are current PLDT DSL subscribers, and their internet connection, as usual, dropped frequently, it kept delaying us.

Past 6 in the evening, I finally decided to replace the video card Randy bought for Junjun in April, ATI RADEON X550, to lower version, ATI RADEON X300SE, and it cost me Php 2,200.00 for the new video and display adapter. Tommy said some hardware manufacturers supplied wrong version of installer and that the video card was running perfectly but we need a higher version of video driver which we cannot find available for download online. I had been given 48 hours to use the new video card and I left to the shop our video card so they can find a supported driver for it.

We left the computer shop at closing time and was able to chat with Randy who is already online waiting when I logged in this evening. Too bad, Randy was all alone playing Blogshares and Neopets because I was out and busy fixing my PC.

After Randy and I prayed the rosary, I loaded the game and it ran perfectly well. Am so happy it didn't encounter any further crash errors.

Friday, August 25, 2006

Tommy, the Starapple Computer's branch manager where I purchased my new PC, sent Alex last night to troubleshoot errors why PC kept crashing when I was starting Rose Online game.

Randolph was the one who installed Windows XP - Professional, all drivers and softwares based on specs I ordered but, since he's leaving to Dubai on Sunday, he doesn't have the time to drop by and checked what's the problem with my PC. Since it was delivered on the 14th, I didn't find time to install my programs and games because Randy and I were busy with shopping, running some errands, and been away with the kids in our Hong Kong trip.

I found out yesterday that XP 1 was installed in Drive D and XP 2 was installed in Drive C! Too upset, I asked my daughter to fix 4 partitions and blocked two partition to separate it from the other two. It's a 200 GB HDD and I didn't know that it's hard to do the reformatting in DOS until daughter finished all the partitions at past three in the morning. Glad we sent Alex home at past 9 in the evening after Denise tortured him to sing one videoke number.

When Pearl left at noon today to accompany her friend, Junjun fixed the audio so that Randy and I can voice chat over skype. I used my old pc temporarily but it's too noisy in the sala because Denise and Tintin were watching TV. Randy and I were able to voice chat at past one in the afternoon, before Junjun left to school.

One thing that upsets me more is the fact that I cannot install Mozilla for unknown reason. The saved bookmark.html works only with Mozilla and I was able to install Firefox and Thunderbird to retrieve my mails but unable to import bookmark links!

These inconveniences affect my blogging schedule and I wonder if there are still visitors reading my old entries over and over again. Oh! Randy published most of the pictures taken from Manila and Hong Kong. I will include their links in my entries one of these days.

In the meantime, we will try to figure out what's wrong with my new PC and I cannot run successfully Rose Online Evolution. I will send back to Tommy the motherboard and have it replaced if in the next few days, am still unable to play the game.

My kids are in Star City this evening and I got time to blog.

Thursday, August 24, 2006

I rushed to PLDT Business Office late this morning even Randy was still online. I had to confront anyone there for billing me PhP 6,352.97 this month while in fact, I didn't have phone line and myDSL for two weeks!

On my way downstairs, my neighbor complained too about their dead phone line for almost two weeks now. She gave me her statement of account so I can notify PLDT about it.

It was almost lunch time when I arrived at PLDT Office, Muñoz Branch. A certain Remedios Cruz attended to my complaint and after showing her my previous statements and adjustments made by another customer care clerks, I ended up paying Php 2,026.00 and a promise of two weeks rebates on my next bill. I was informed that their computer system recognizes changes only after two months and since what Adeliza Isidro made prior to my complaint thirteen days ago had not been in effect yet even I already surrendered my modem, PLDT still billed me for DSL internet for this month.

Somehow, I feel sorry for those people who kept paying and / or being billed by PLDT even though this company failed to deliver the services many of us subscribed for, kind of a simple ripoff one can hardly notice...

Anyway, since Bayantel's Sky DSL internet had been installed two weeks ago, so far we are happy that we're getting the true bandwidth speed based on 1.5 mb plan subscription. I made several bandwidth speed tests from different sites to determine differences:

2Wire Speed Meter: Your bandwidth was clocked at 2.33 Mbps

ZDNet Bandwidth Test: 1052.9 Kbps

Sky DSL Download Speed Checker: Your download speed is: 1476.28 kbps

speedtest.ph: Your current bandwidth reading is 1.13 Mbps

Bandwidth Directional Speed Test: 1221 kbps Download and 56 kbps upload

Bandwidth Speed Test: Communications 677.5 kbps and Storage 82.7 kbps

A Beltronica: (24-08-2006 07:24:08 Philippines) Download, 1085.76 kbps and Upload, 188.48 kbps

GlobeQuest Bandwidth Meter: Your current bandwidth reading is 1290.04320 kbps, which means you can download at 161.26000 KB/sec. from our servers.

When PLDT offered me an upgrade last April, their 2.2 mpbs broadband boost promo was misleading because instead of getting a faster DSL broadband speed when they upgraded my account from Plan 2500 to Xcel 3000 on May 9th this year, that's the time I had online nightmares of slow bandwidth speed ranging from zero kbps up to 4 kbps almost everyday that I gave it up this month to stop them from ripping me off.

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Pacette arrived at 7 am this morning and we left to RTC to attend a hearing for Case II, for the Correction of my Birth Record.

Our case is number 9th in the court calendar. The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) filed its Notice of Appearance on July 27, 2006 and delegated authority to the Prosecutor's Office to represent the State in the instant case. My counsel undertook to furnish the Prosecutor a copy of the Petition within 5 days from today.

Next hearing is on October 18th at 8:30 am. As usual, I gave Atty. R her appearance fee before Pacette and I went to Smart Wireless Center and Abenson.

At Cyberzone, I went to Smart Wireless Center first and took a number then I proceeded to Abenson to claim the washing machine hose. We found out that all new washing machine does not provide any hose anymore but, they gave me a free laundry basket instead, as part of their washing machine promo.

We then went back to Smart Wireless Center and I complained about the annoying experience we had in Hong Kong when incoming calls and text messages failed to get through my mobile. Text messages had been sent a day later and identical messages were sent repeatedly in different times. When I verified how much international roaming calls and text have I spent for the entire Hong Kong trip, the Php 5000 I paid in advance had all been consumed!

When Ate Neth picked up her Chinese slimming tea last night, she told me that even Smart's local SMS were received and sent late since we were in Hong Kong, cited her experience with her text message to mama as an example.

Anyway, am upset that the correction of my birth record is causing us so much time and money. I was wondering how many more months will I have to wait to get favorable result...

Meanwhile, Randy made it to San Diego minus his luggage at past 3 in the afternoon my time. PAL flight to SFO had been delayed and unable to release his luggage. United Airlines will deliver his luggage tomorrow.

Unfortunately, we're not able to recite the rosary before he left to work because his rosary and prayer book were inside his luggage. Also, he's still suffering from severe pain on his left lower rib, which he got when he lifted one of our luggages out of the bus service in Hong kong airport.

Get well soon, Randy!

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Randy and I woke up early and recited the rosary before we went to McDonalds, SM North EDSA, to have breakfast at past 9 am. Kids were all sleeping and we didn't bring them with us.

After our breakfast, we then did some grocery shopping before going home. We've planned to buy some ingredients to make taco for lunch but we ended up buying one full cart of goods. Shopping with Randy was fun. He's quick on finding items in the grocery and he seemed to know the place more than I do. We got some breakfast from Jollibee for the kids after the grocery.

We wasted no time as we got home. He kept all the goods we bought in proper places while I was busy pressing his clothes. We're both packing his clothes when delivery guys from Abenson arrived. They delivered the LG 11.5 kg. washing machine Randy purchased 7 days ago. It was so wide it didn't fit in the door, we had to let it pass through kids' room window.

Time is running so fast today. After we removed the old washing machine and cleaned up the mess, he then cooked the meat for taco while I was cutting lettuce, onions, and tomatoes. Taco made by Randy was so yummy I had eaten two big tacos. Kids enjoyed eating with us as well. They had been throwing jokes on me by stopping me to eat more. Behind those smiles, we know deep in our hearts that we're going to miss Randy around...

When Jhun arrived at 6:30 pm, we then went downstairs with Randy's luggage, off to the airport. Paul Denise carried it for Randy because he severely hurt himself yesterday. On our way to the airport, I called Egay, who is celebrating his birthday today. He talked with Randy also and wished him a happy trip. HAPPY 36TH BIRTHDAY, Egay!

At the airport, Randy called me up as I arrived home and we talked for about 30 mins before his final boarding. I can hardly believe ten days is over and he's going back to San Diego again.

Monday, August 21, 2006

Upon our check-in at Philippines Airlines Counter in Hong Kong Airport, this airline ground staff gave us a hard time. They were asking us the return ticket of Randy to USA which he left in Manila. Randy was forced to buy a one way ticket, MNL - SFO, as airline policy to in-coming pax bound to the Philippines.

At the tarmac of NAIA-Centennial 2 Airport, PAL crew kept us for over an hour standing inside cabin after landing. Reason: no shuttle bus to take us all inside the airport. Please read all details here.

Friday, August 18, 2006

I am flying with the kids and Randy to Hong Kong at 1455 H today via PR 306 for a long weekend relaxation and fun. Eric Kwan, our fellow BS player, will be meeting us at Marco Polo Hotel (Hong Kong) at 1900 H to have dinner with us.

Randy is here in Manila for about 6 days now and I had been late blogging due to busy schedule. Not to mention that I got a new ISP and new PC. I didn't find time to transfer all files and it's a pain to retrieve passwords.

We will be back from Hong Kong on Monday afternoon.

My apologies for not blogging lately but, there's nothing to worry about as life is great with us. I will update this blog once we're back here in Manila.

God bless us all...

Sunday, August 13, 2006

I picked up Randy at 5:00 o'clock in the morning at NAIA Centennial Airport 2.

In the afternoon, we attended the 5:00 o'clock mass with the kids and mother before we proceeded at Kamayan's Restaurant in Ortigas.

Papa, Mama, the kids, my brothers, sisters and some of their kids, along with Vera and Sherwyn had fun with ultimate buffet dining...

Sunday, August 06, 2006

My son, Paul Denise, went to my brother's home last night to set up his game, Rose Online, on Egay's PC.

Our PLDT myDSL connection had been unstable and my son was preparing since last month for today's pRose Online Clan (Player VS Player) Polaris Server's Lion's Den 4 Match. He's a member of LegendsII Clan.

Unfortunately, my brother's Bayantel DSL went dead after probably 30 mins Paul Denise was online playing the game with me. It was too late for him to go home so he slept there overnight.

Early in the morning, he called me from cyber cafe and I assured him that our internet connection had been stable since he left last night. Well, I lied, just to encourage him to go home. Then, he asked me to connect his pRose account while he's on his way home because the elimination round between clans has started. I told Randy that we have to give way to Denise to use my PC until he finished with the competition then, we closed all our programs. At 10:30 am, all players logged into Polaris - Channel 2 server and meet up at Junon Polis.

When GM Lileth summoned the players at 12 noon, the unreliable PLDT myDSL connection dropped him and he was left behind! All of us were upset. Then I called PLDT 172 and told them how bad their timing was. Paul Denise rushed to his fellow LegendsII clan member's cyber cafe while I logged on his account when myDSL logged me back online then I told his clan to wait for him as he was on his way to cyber cafe to login from there.

I run all my programs again and told Randy how upset my son from the "unlimited service" we're paying but we're actually given a dialup bandwidth speed. GM Lileth announced that summoned for the rest of the players was done and no one else will be able to join Lions Den 4 anymore. With that announcement, we're sad and worried for my son but, Junjun, told me later that Denise was able to get through.

We excitedly followed the GM's announcement and I was grateful my son's clan won the first round against Phoenix, Demonz won in the second round against EvoExecutioner, and final round LegendsII won against Demonz with flying colors. The Polaris Clan Winner, LegendsII, will then have to fight against the Sirius Clan Winner on Wednesday, August 9th!

When Denise came back from cyber cafe, he showed the recorded video of their game. Congratulations to the LegendsII clan!

I gave him few minutes to relax and then I asked all kids to get ready for the afternoon mass. Randy remained online with us until we left home to hear the mass.

Since there's 3-days on-going sale at SM North Edsa, traffic was congested that we arrived late at Our Lady of Parish Church. My kids, along with Pearl's two friends, attended the mass. Tintin stayed home due to influenza. Rev Fr. Rey Usmon said the mass and the gospel was Mark 9:2-10. Today's mass was about the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. The first reading was Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14. The second reading was 2 Peter 1:16-19.

When the mass ended, we're so hungry and feasted on Shakey's Pepperoni and Shakey's Special Pizzas, Chick-n-chips, and Mojos. After eating, Junjun, Pearl, and her friends went home ahead while I accompanied Denise for shopping and he bought some shirts. Kids made an agreement that whatever I spent for Denise, they will get the same shopping allowance. The SM Department Store was crowded and all what Denise bought were 3 pcs of round neck shirts while I bought 4 Sleeveless ones. I failed to use the PLDT Home Rewards Gift Certificate when I was paying at the Cashier Counter so I paid in cash instead. They advised me to exchange them for SM Gift Checks which I did at the Customer Service.

Meanwhile, Randy and I were fortunate enough to recite the rosary in the evening before myDSL went dead again, so was our phone line. Tintin told me it had been like that since we left for the church. I'm just waiting for the right timing to submit a request to PLDT that I'd like to downgrade myDSL to dialup, since I had been getting a dialup speed at the price of myDSL plan. It's about time to give up hoping their service will still improve. Because of the inconveniences they're causing us, my son had to go elsewhere to log online while he has his own PC at home but we have unstable DSL service.

It's kind of annoying Randy and I were unable to voice chat again when he came back from Sunday mass because our DSL connection went dead until I had fallen asleep waiting that our DSL will be restored.

Saturday, August 05, 2006

Thanks, God that Randy's online when I logged on early this morning.

He told me he bought a new modem even his ISP is willing to provide him a new one. All he wanted is to be there for me without any delay. And, guess what? He made the reservations with Yahoo! Travel to visit Manila for ten days and he's already confirmed. His RT tickets will be delivered by Fedex on Monday.

He went to bed late at 2 am this afternoon, that's 5 pm my time. We had late lunch then and my eyes were still tired, so, I decided to stay home instead of going to the gym in the evening for Body Former and EndoSlim treatment. There's on-going 3-days sale at SM North Edsa since yesterday and traffic is congested in that area. Perhaps the kids and I will try to do some shopping after the Sunday mass and use the Php 800 worth of Home Rewards Gift Certificates I got from PLDT Business Office few days ago.

Randy wants to visit Hong Kong and we might meet our fellow Blogshares player, Eric Kwan, for three days. We might bring the kids with us if the flight is open. The kids are excited to go to Disneyland but hesitant to leave their PCs behind for three long days.

We're looking forward to Randy's visit here in Manila very soon...

Friday, August 04, 2006

For the first time since I chatted with Randy online for the past two years, he got problem with his internet connection.

We were voice chatting when suddenly he went offline from all the programs he's logged into. As I called him via overseas call, he told me he didn't have internet. I even joked with him to check whether PLDT bought SBC internet.

Before he abruptly disappeared online, he was able to tell me the good news. He can visit us for ten days, upon checking his class and dental schedules. I even advised him to check with Travel Agency the airlines' rates, to compare ticket price.

Somehow, as he logged in back in the evening, we're able to recite the rosary. He suspected his modem overheated and he told me he will buy a new one on his way home from work.

Meanwhile, I went to Slimmers' World without Pearl and Denise. They have something to do at home and excused themselves from joining me.

I did the following:
25 mins. Cardio (cycling)
25 mins. Cardio (Treadmill): I burned 112 calories (2.114 km) at 5 kph speed
Complete Stretching Exercises
3 sets of 20 Rotary Torso (using 30 lbs weight)
3 sets of 10 Vertical Butterfly (using 30 lbs. weight)
3 sets of 15 Lower Back (using 50 lbs. weight)
3 sets of 10 Deltoid (using 30 lbs. weight)
3 sets of 15 Abdominal (using 50 lbs. weight)

There are more exercises I had to do but some women used the equipments more than they should so I decided to go home instead. Working out without my kids is no fun...

My BP after the workout was 130/80.