starshadow_rivaulx (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
starshadow_rivaulx) wrote2009-12-30 11:47 pm
starshadow_rivaulx) wrote2009-12-30 11:47 pm
As 2009 draws to a close
I can hardly make it real that tomorrow will be the last day of 2009! For
the first time I can remember, I'm actually dashing out tomorrow morning to
pick up some last-minute supplies. The other day I was in S&R (nee
PriceSmart) at the Fort, and spotted the perfect walker for Ma to use when
she starts physical therapy next year. Of course, I had to get her approval
before purchasing it, which is the main reason for the quick in-and-out
tomorrow.
Was not really very surprised to see the new parking fee rule that's now in
place, but am still feeling ambivalent about the way it's being implemented.
The first two hours are free if you (a) buy 500 pesos minimum, and (b) have
the ticket validated. Then the third hour or fraction thereof costs 40
pesos, and ten pesos for every additional hour. I'm pretty sure that in
succeeding visits, I am going to try very hard not to linger over my
shopping. Which seems a bit strange when I think about it; I pay 45 pesos
for the first four hours at any of the Ayala Malls (except Market!Market!
where I pay 30 pesos), and dawdle like the dickens. (SM and Rustan's have
special arrangements where the first hours are waived if you buy X amount
from the supermarket and get your ticket validated, in essence, free parking
if you're within the time limit.) Waltermart gives you the first two hours
free if you shop at the supermarket and get the ticket validated there
(regular rates are Php 20 for the first two hours, ten pesos for every hour
after that), which also gives you free parking if you're within the time
limit.
Eh. I dunno, maybe it's the phrasing? Hormones are playing whoopee-doodle
with my reasoning faculties. In any case, I had my usual waffling over
whether to renew membership or not once expiry date rolls around. I last
renewed in April 2009, and since then I've only been inside the place about
three times, if that much - not counting yesterday. Three times in eight
months...not exactly maximizing the membership fee, is it? *shrug* They've
got a nice beauty products section, and the meat and fish sections are quite
respectable. They have bulk sizes of laundry and bathroom supplies. But it
doesn't really click with me the way Cash n Carry does, or any of the SM
Supermarkets, or Rustan's. Heck, I'd even take the Landmark Supermarket
over at Trinoma over S&R.
So for all that it's got good stuff (but dear Lord Almighty, when will they
ever put proper tinned cat food on the shelves...), it's languishing at the
bottom of my "places to shop" list. Still, I have until April to come to a
decision. Who knows, I might just renew membership again, in spite of
everything.
* * * * *
Today I slept in, and then set myself to tidying up my account books. All
the receipts have been catalogued and their details duly entered in the
proper logbooks. It is my hope that in 2010 the process will be somewhat
more timely than it has been this past year.
And speaking of hopes for 2010, I'd like to make the coming year a time for
really catching up on all those projects that have been sitting on the back
burner for ages while I've been tending to other people's business. Things
like the photo albums from our last *four* trips abroad. Digital slideshows
of said albums. Cross-stitch projects. Knitting projects. Crochet projects.
READING and WRITING. I don't care if no one ever reads what I write (not
that any of it will be fit to share), I need to get ideas out of my system.
Am coming to the conclusion that all this pent-up writing is making me
irritable - authorial constipation, if you will.
I want to survive this mega-project of the Women of Malolos somehow (rest
assured that I will be bombarding heaven to provide me with ways and means),
and then wash my hands of everything except writing for the Kampana
newsletter. I want to do things for me, darn it, before I hit "Golden Girl"
age and feel frustrated that years have slipped by with apparently nothing
to show for it in terms of personal satisfaction.
Gee, it felt good to get *that* out. :)
* * * * *
I had the oddest dream early yesterday morning. Even odder was that it was
as sharp and clear as an HDTV telecast, and I actually remembered an actual
segment, the part just before I woke up.
Basically, Ramon and I were on the way to a posh hotel to check in for some
occasion. While in the lobby, we met a group of people who had apparently
come from some assembly in one of the function rooms, perhaps the main
ballroom. We had to get through them to get to the elevator lobby, and then
ran into one of my Dad's former bosses, Don Jaime Zobel de Ayala. He
recognized us, and we exchanged pleasantries, and then he had to move into a
function room for more matters of business; we could see him through the
open door.
Then a door opened and Don Jaime's cousin, the late Don Enrique Zobel,
walked into the scene. I gasped when I recognized him, and went up to
introduce myself. EZ, as we always referred to him in the family, was my
Dad's primary boss in all his years as the corporate pilot of Insular Life
and later the Ayala Corporation. Every Christmas, Ma would make me write
thank-you notes to him, for our company Christmas basket. She started me on
this at the age of six, never mind my scrawly handwriting, and it continued
through the years until Dad retired.
We were all startled at the news of the riding accident that turned EZ into
a quadriplegic - my parents, having known him as a vital, vibrant man, were
deeply saddened. We were lucky to have seen him for a short visit, on one
of his visits to Manila, and kept track about any news about him until he
passed away. When we heard the news, naturally Dad and I went to pay our
respects at Santuario, and that, we thought, was that.
So back to the dream...I introduced myself to EZ, who was as healthy and
pink-cheeked as in the days when I was a little girl who came up to his
knee. I remember he was wearing his glasses, a white polo shirt trimmed in
navy blue, and khaki pants. He remembered Dad when I mentioned his name,
smiled, and there were vague pleasantries until the elevator doors opened
behind Ramon and I, we walked into the elevator...and I woke up.
When I told Ma about the dream, she said maybe EZ wanted some prayers. We
remembered those thank-you notes for the Christmas baskets, and that his
birthday is in January. So we'll include him in the list of Mass intentions
for 2010 when I give in the list on January 4th.
I for one am relieved that in the two cases where I have had sharp dreams
about the departed, they have always appeared smiling and calm. In this
particular case, smiling and healthy.
* * * * *
I think all my efforts at decluttering and tidying up are bearing fruit.
There is a definite neatness to the office space now. The bedroom could
use a little more tweaking, though, but is adequate. Cannot wait for the
first recycling fair of 2010, as the amount of recyclable material is
growing by leaps and bounds in the laundry area.
This will probably be the last post for 2009, unless I manage to squeeze in
something while waiting for the New Year. I wish all of you blessings and
all manner of good; health and wealth and the love of family and friends.
Be safe on New Year's Eve, and I'll catch you in 2010!
the first time I can remember, I'm actually dashing out tomorrow morning to
pick up some last-minute supplies. The other day I was in S&R (nee
PriceSmart) at the Fort, and spotted the perfect walker for Ma to use when
she starts physical therapy next year. Of course, I had to get her approval
before purchasing it, which is the main reason for the quick in-and-out
tomorrow.
Was not really very surprised to see the new parking fee rule that's now in
place, but am still feeling ambivalent about the way it's being implemented.
The first two hours are free if you (a) buy 500 pesos minimum, and (b) have
the ticket validated. Then the third hour or fraction thereof costs 40
pesos, and ten pesos for every additional hour. I'm pretty sure that in
succeeding visits, I am going to try very hard not to linger over my
shopping. Which seems a bit strange when I think about it; I pay 45 pesos
for the first four hours at any of the Ayala Malls (except Market!Market!
where I pay 30 pesos), and dawdle like the dickens. (SM and Rustan's have
special arrangements where the first hours are waived if you buy X amount
from the supermarket and get your ticket validated, in essence, free parking
if you're within the time limit.) Waltermart gives you the first two hours
free if you shop at the supermarket and get the ticket validated there
(regular rates are Php 20 for the first two hours, ten pesos for every hour
after that), which also gives you free parking if you're within the time
limit.
Eh. I dunno, maybe it's the phrasing? Hormones are playing whoopee-doodle
with my reasoning faculties. In any case, I had my usual waffling over
whether to renew membership or not once expiry date rolls around. I last
renewed in April 2009, and since then I've only been inside the place about
three times, if that much - not counting yesterday. Three times in eight
months...not exactly maximizing the membership fee, is it? *shrug* They've
got a nice beauty products section, and the meat and fish sections are quite
respectable. They have bulk sizes of laundry and bathroom supplies. But it
doesn't really click with me the way Cash n Carry does, or any of the SM
Supermarkets, or Rustan's. Heck, I'd even take the Landmark Supermarket
over at Trinoma over S&R.
So for all that it's got good stuff (but dear Lord Almighty, when will they
ever put proper tinned cat food on the shelves...), it's languishing at the
bottom of my "places to shop" list. Still, I have until April to come to a
decision. Who knows, I might just renew membership again, in spite of
everything.
* * * * *
Today I slept in, and then set myself to tidying up my account books. All
the receipts have been catalogued and their details duly entered in the
proper logbooks. It is my hope that in 2010 the process will be somewhat
more timely than it has been this past year.
And speaking of hopes for 2010, I'd like to make the coming year a time for
really catching up on all those projects that have been sitting on the back
burner for ages while I've been tending to other people's business. Things
like the photo albums from our last *four* trips abroad. Digital slideshows
of said albums. Cross-stitch projects. Knitting projects. Crochet projects.
READING and WRITING. I don't care if no one ever reads what I write (not
that any of it will be fit to share), I need to get ideas out of my system.
Am coming to the conclusion that all this pent-up writing is making me
irritable - authorial constipation, if you will.
I want to survive this mega-project of the Women of Malolos somehow (rest
assured that I will be bombarding heaven to provide me with ways and means),
and then wash my hands of everything except writing for the Kampana
newsletter. I want to do things for me, darn it, before I hit "Golden Girl"
age and feel frustrated that years have slipped by with apparently nothing
to show for it in terms of personal satisfaction.
Gee, it felt good to get *that* out. :)
* * * * *
I had the oddest dream early yesterday morning. Even odder was that it was
as sharp and clear as an HDTV telecast, and I actually remembered an actual
segment, the part just before I woke up.
Basically, Ramon and I were on the way to a posh hotel to check in for some
occasion. While in the lobby, we met a group of people who had apparently
come from some assembly in one of the function rooms, perhaps the main
ballroom. We had to get through them to get to the elevator lobby, and then
ran into one of my Dad's former bosses, Don Jaime Zobel de Ayala. He
recognized us, and we exchanged pleasantries, and then he had to move into a
function room for more matters of business; we could see him through the
open door.
Then a door opened and Don Jaime's cousin, the late Don Enrique Zobel,
walked into the scene. I gasped when I recognized him, and went up to
introduce myself. EZ, as we always referred to him in the family, was my
Dad's primary boss in all his years as the corporate pilot of Insular Life
and later the Ayala Corporation. Every Christmas, Ma would make me write
thank-you notes to him, for our company Christmas basket. She started me on
this at the age of six, never mind my scrawly handwriting, and it continued
through the years until Dad retired.
We were all startled at the news of the riding accident that turned EZ into
a quadriplegic - my parents, having known him as a vital, vibrant man, were
deeply saddened. We were lucky to have seen him for a short visit, on one
of his visits to Manila, and kept track about any news about him until he
passed away. When we heard the news, naturally Dad and I went to pay our
respects at Santuario, and that, we thought, was that.
So back to the dream...I introduced myself to EZ, who was as healthy and
pink-cheeked as in the days when I was a little girl who came up to his
knee. I remember he was wearing his glasses, a white polo shirt trimmed in
navy blue, and khaki pants. He remembered Dad when I mentioned his name,
smiled, and there were vague pleasantries until the elevator doors opened
behind Ramon and I, we walked into the elevator...and I woke up.
When I told Ma about the dream, she said maybe EZ wanted some prayers. We
remembered those thank-you notes for the Christmas baskets, and that his
birthday is in January. So we'll include him in the list of Mass intentions
for 2010 when I give in the list on January 4th.
I for one am relieved that in the two cases where I have had sharp dreams
about the departed, they have always appeared smiling and calm. In this
particular case, smiling and healthy.
* * * * *
I think all my efforts at decluttering and tidying up are bearing fruit.
There is a definite neatness to the office space now. The bedroom could
use a little more tweaking, though, but is adequate. Cannot wait for the
first recycling fair of 2010, as the amount of recyclable material is
growing by leaps and bounds in the laundry area.
This will probably be the last post for 2009, unless I manage to squeeze in
something while waiting for the New Year. I wish all of you blessings and
all manner of good; health and wealth and the love of family and friends.
Be safe on New Year's Eve, and I'll catch you in 2010!