.
I GREW up in seven houses. Maybe more, my memory escapes me and that's the thing -- house-hopping displaced much of my childhood memories, the kind that I believe helps the soul grow fonder of its past and be at peace with itself. What the hell am I writing?
The past 10 years, I've been obsessed with the idea of owning a house and to this day it still bothers me why I view home ownership almost like it's a measure of success. I know it's part of being a responsible adult -- making sure I don't become a geriatric who pitches tent in the son's apartment or an overstaying visitor ina realtive's house. But it has got nothing to do with this obsession. There's a big part of me that smiles -- like some gland that releases happiness-inducing chemicals -- every time I think of ways to make sure I don't miss my mortgage payments.
Levi's jeans and a mango tree
Maybe it pains me to be aware that I've lost too many childhood objects that in most families are kept in their rightful corners ready for their owners to see and touch when their lives' currents call for a trip down memory lane. I don't have them because there was just no place to keep them. There was none for my siblings either. We moved from one house to another at a pace that made it ridiculous to grow an emotional bond with a mango tree, a flight of stairs, a corner of the neighbor's fence or the belly of a dining table. I had trophies and medals as a young boy and nobody knows where they are now. No. I can't auction them off to pay for the mortgage. But who knows, they could be among my great consolation prizes if life's ventures fail.
I remember wanting to cry as an adolescent one day. I couldn't because we were new in the house and I had yet to find a reliable hiding place for my weaknesses. Delaying a tear drop and not knowing how long I could keep it suspended was more painful than not having the money to buy just one pair of Levi's jeans.
Peso bills on the roadside
This may be a childhood dream although I don't remember dreaming of ahouse for myself as a child. I longed to have a study table of my own and an aparador (closet) and bed under my name so I'd be free to breathe life into them with graffiti and hide in them peso bills that I found on the roadsides.
There's a bit of irony in my thoughts right this moment. Being aware of what I've lost and did not have makes me feel like I know myself more this time. Call it petty, but what I know about myself for certain is that Me wants a house. No graffiti.
I believe it's a good idea to once in a while retrace what's left of my childhood memories and keep them alive on my journey to owning a house. Alas, there'll be no mango tree within sight of my condo unit in the Philippines.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
A personal finance expert not
Friday, January 30, 2009
4
.
EITHER I've begun to take blogging way too seriously or I'm under the illusion that I could be a blogger extraordinaire. Truth is, I simply want to write. But I keep forgetting why I've joined millions of others in the blogosphere.
If you've noticed the past couple of weeks I carried in my Sidebar a link to Money Hacker, a network of personal finance blogs that aim to teach people financial literacy. Of course, the network didn't bother to reply. I can't recall what exactly went on in my head when I applied for membership in the network. But I surmise I did it on the belief that I could teach people how to handle their money. And I even had the gall to write in my header that this is a personal finance blog.
Bollocks.
It took me nearly two decades to begin sinking my money in what I've always wanted: A house. Just because I've made the first step doesn't qualify me for the ranks of the financially sophisticated. In fact, the years leading to that last mortgage payment is laden with uncertainty. What if I lose my job? Knock on wood.
And so today I come back down to Earth, back to being just another mathematically challenged home buyer who writes to make 10-15 years of monthly mortgage payments more bearable. Keeping a private journal is all I really need. In no way does blogging bring me any inch closer to my financial goals. Can't stop blogging though. It doesn't earn money, but it does help my mind retain a big picture of wealth.
EITHER I've begun to take blogging way too seriously or I'm under the illusion that I could be a blogger extraordinaire. Truth is, I simply want to write. But I keep forgetting why I've joined millions of others in the blogosphere.
If you've noticed the past couple of weeks I carried in my Sidebar a link to Money Hacker, a network of personal finance blogs that aim to teach people financial literacy. Of course, the network didn't bother to reply. I can't recall what exactly went on in my head when I applied for membership in the network. But I surmise I did it on the belief that I could teach people how to handle their money. And I even had the gall to write in my header that this is a personal finance blog.Bollocks.
It took me nearly two decades to begin sinking my money in what I've always wanted: A house. Just because I've made the first step doesn't qualify me for the ranks of the financially sophisticated. In fact, the years leading to that last mortgage payment is laden with uncertainty. What if I lose my job? Knock on wood.
And so today I come back down to Earth, back to being just another mathematically challenged home buyer who writes to make 10-15 years of monthly mortgage payments more bearable. Keeping a private journal is all I really need. In no way does blogging bring me any inch closer to my financial goals. Can't stop blogging though. It doesn't earn money, but it does help my mind retain a big picture of wealth.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
It's pig simple: Feed the pigs
Thursday, January 22, 2009
1
.
SHUT UP or you'll sleep in the pigsty tonight.
That was how Grandmother hushed me up about two decades ago and I recall it today upon knowing that I have failed to raise an equivalent of 100,000 pesos. That's extra money I should now have in a separate bank account a year after I concluded that saving just a tiny bit of my monthly income would translate into a significant number every year. Yeah, I'm good at wealth planning in my mind. But, wait, I guess I could blame the piglets. They didn't come, they didn't do their work.
Had the piglets been efficient as my associate wealth managers, I would have been richer by an equivalent of a hundred thousand pesos today. I'm talking about that thing called piggy bank. I had always ridiculed this image of a pig that feeds on coins, but believe me it once subsidised my holiday. Yes, annoying coins that I tossed into piggy banks gave me the dough to treat my family to Sbarro's, Yellow Cab and other budget wreckers at an SM mall during one trip to Manila.
It was fun digging into delicious pizza and pasta knowing that I could foot the bill using money I raised by feeding so-called piglets for about five months. The containers came from a remittance company that handed out plastic water jugglers and tumblers as giveaways. They looked rubbish in the apartment so I placed the tumblers at several corners as if the colors could add life to my abode. Over time they became coin collectors. You know how coins jingle in your pockets; they can get on your nerves you just have to get rid of them every so often, and so I dumped them regularly into the piglets. Just before heading for my holiday in Manila, I realized I didn't have enough money so one night I busied my mind by counting the coins. The next morning I had an equivalent of 10,000 pesos. Not bad for somebody untrained in animal husbandry, eh.
It gave me the idea of using piggy banks however ridiculous they may be. The plan was to feed piglets on a bigger scale -- drop nuisance coins plus notes in small denominations every day. I used empty drawers of tables in the apartment. It went on smoothly for awhile until I lost track of the piggery's financial goal. The piglets died of starvation.
I may have proven myself to be bad in the saving department, but I now believe the old folks are no fools when they talk about saving a few pesos a day. Even the wife has proven this in a small way. Back in my Quezon City apartment, she ordered me to participate in a piglet feeding program by dropping at least one five-peso coin into that ceramic wild mammal. It worked as a makeshift emergency fund that she dipped into each time payday felt too far away.
Grandma's piggy bank version was theatrical. As a child I went with her once on her regular visits to backyard pigsties in the barrio (village). She pointed to one pig and said: "Kana para kang Dondon (That one is for Dondon)."
"What will Dondon (not his real name) do with the pig?"
"Once it's heavy enough, I will sell it, give the money to his mother. It will send him to school."
We went to several backyards as she had 10 grandchildren. "Oh this one is for you."
"Lola, why is it smaller than Dondon's?"
"Shut up or you'll sleep in the pigsty tonight."
As I reflect now, I can say there's been no dearth of teachings on saving culture from where I come. I've been a failure in this department though and I won't declare now that I will be good this year or I might end up in the pigsty one night.
Back to Home
::: First time here? Take a quick look at my list of articles. There's more to this blog than livestock feed. I sometimes write stories showing my erudite side (Lol), such as "Stupid's Wealth Creation Hypothesis" and "Sex and Investment".
::: Hopping tracks: Stumbled upon a good site today named abbysmusings.
.
Pass the bacon, please
Press the button
SHUT UP or you'll sleep in the pigsty tonight.
That was how Grandmother hushed me up about two decades ago and I recall it today upon knowing that I have failed to raise an equivalent of 100,000 pesos. That's extra money I should now have in a separate bank account a year after I concluded that saving just a tiny bit of my monthly income would translate into a significant number every year. Yeah, I'm good at wealth planning in my mind. But, wait, I guess I could blame the piglets. They didn't come, they didn't do their work.
Had the piglets been efficient as my associate wealth managers, I would have been richer by an equivalent of a hundred thousand pesos today. I'm talking about that thing called piggy bank. I had always ridiculed this image of a pig that feeds on coins, but believe me it once subsidised my holiday. Yes, annoying coins that I tossed into piggy banks gave me the dough to treat my family to Sbarro's, Yellow Cab and other budget wreckers at an SM mall during one trip to Manila.
It was fun digging into delicious pizza and pasta knowing that I could foot the bill using money I raised by feeding so-called piglets for about five months. The containers came from a remittance company that handed out plastic water jugglers and tumblers as giveaways. They looked rubbish in the apartment so I placed the tumblers at several corners as if the colors could add life to my abode. Over time they became coin collectors. You know how coins jingle in your pockets; they can get on your nerves you just have to get rid of them every so often, and so I dumped them regularly into the piglets. Just before heading for my holiday in Manila, I realized I didn't have enough money so one night I busied my mind by counting the coins. The next morning I had an equivalent of 10,000 pesos. Not bad for somebody untrained in animal husbandry, eh.
It gave me the idea of using piggy banks however ridiculous they may be. The plan was to feed piglets on a bigger scale -- drop nuisance coins plus notes in small denominations every day. I used empty drawers of tables in the apartment. It went on smoothly for awhile until I lost track of the piggery's financial goal. The piglets died of starvation.
I may have proven myself to be bad in the saving department, but I now believe the old folks are no fools when they talk about saving a few pesos a day. Even the wife has proven this in a small way. Back in my Quezon City apartment, she ordered me to participate in a piglet feeding program by dropping at least one five-peso coin into that ceramic wild mammal. It worked as a makeshift emergency fund that she dipped into each time payday felt too far away.
Grandma's piggy bank version was theatrical. As a child I went with her once on her regular visits to backyard pigsties in the barrio (village). She pointed to one pig and said: "Kana para kang Dondon (That one is for Dondon)."
"What will Dondon (not his real name) do with the pig?"
"Once it's heavy enough, I will sell it, give the money to his mother. It will send him to school."
We went to several backyards as she had 10 grandchildren. "Oh this one is for you."
"Lola, why is it smaller than Dondon's?"
"Shut up or you'll sleep in the pigsty tonight."
As I reflect now, I can say there's been no dearth of teachings on saving culture from where I come. I've been a failure in this department though and I won't declare now that I will be good this year or I might end up in the pigsty one night.
Back to Home
::: First time here? Take a quick look at my list of articles. There's more to this blog than livestock feed. I sometimes write stories showing my erudite side (Lol), such as "Stupid's Wealth Creation Hypothesis" and "Sex and Investment".
::: Hopping tracks: Stumbled upon a good site today named abbysmusings.
.
Pass the bacon, please
Press the button
Monday, January 19, 2009
Sex and investment are an item
Monday, January 19, 2009
0
.
WHOSE idea was it to invent the bolster? It's one of my least liked items in a household -- in a matrimonial bed, to be specific. At night it sits like a wedge in bed between the wife and I when disagreements hit the boiling point. But, thank God, of late the bolster has found its rightful place elsewhere in the bedroom and the queen-size bed now feels just right -- tight enough our flesh touch each other every night. It feels good to share the bed with the wife. Thanks to that condo unit in a building that will be completed in two-three years.
It's strange. How could an investment in a condominium unit that is yet to be built smooth out the rough edges of a relationship? Strange, but it is happening to us and it's a welcome surprise. A big-ticket investment such as property can be a relationship-wrecker, but it doesn't have to be if all parties concerned have a good appreciation of the sacrifices to be made.
The Head of State and the First lady of the Republic of CondoKo have poor fiscal management skills. When we decided to sign the contract to buy the condo unit, we both knew it would involve significant changes to our lifestyle for the next 10-15 years of mortgage payments. I thought it would possibly scatter shards of broken glass in the apartment. We had never been good at money matters. Almost every finance-related congress we organized always ended with the bolster occupying a third of the matrimonial bed. This investment in a condo unit, however, has worked wonders for our relationship.
The past seven weeks since we signed the contract, we've not had major skirmishes at home. We've had arguments over household expenses, but this time they were surprisingly easy to resolve. And that, my friends, is an impressive record for my dear Republic.
I don't know if this should be credited to the stars being perfectly aligned this year as far as our marriage is concerned. Or perhaps it's simply because the decision to invest was popular. Let me recount the days before we signed on the dotted line.
We made a vow to place this property investment at the centre of our financial plan at least for the next two-three years. School-related expenses, of course, still take precedence, but all else is secondary. We recited this vow several times over two nights.
We read to each other a list of things we would give up while we stabilize our cash flow. We read it as if it were some kind of litany. Again and again and again.
We asked ourselves over and over how we wanted this investment. And each time, it was a convincing duet of lovers who wanted to own a house -- more specifically the condo unit we were about to buy.
The result? I'm pretty confident we could overcome any future disagreements on money matters. And more importantly, the bolster has been out of commission and these days we tend to keep the airconditioning hard at work every night so the room's temperature can play catch up with ours. Okay, that's wasting money. Well, life's not all about money. Okay, got to turn out the lights.
Back to Home
::: Related topics: 'Saving for Dummies' written by Stupid; Poor guy signs cheque for 4m++ pesos
::: First time to visit? Head over to my library for a quick look at previous articles.
After what I've written I think it's appropriate for me to say:
Share the love.
Press the button.
WHOSE idea was it to invent the bolster? It's one of my least liked items in a household -- in a matrimonial bed, to be specific. At night it sits like a wedge in bed between the wife and I when disagreements hit the boiling point. But, thank God, of late the bolster has found its rightful place elsewhere in the bedroom and the queen-size bed now feels just right -- tight enough our flesh touch each other every night. It feels good to share the bed with the wife. Thanks to that condo unit in a building that will be completed in two-three years.
It's strange. How could an investment in a condominium unit that is yet to be built smooth out the rough edges of a relationship? Strange, but it is happening to us and it's a welcome surprise. A big-ticket investment such as property can be a relationship-wrecker, but it doesn't have to be if all parties concerned have a good appreciation of the sacrifices to be made.
The Head of State and the First lady of the Republic of CondoKo have poor fiscal management skills. When we decided to sign the contract to buy the condo unit, we both knew it would involve significant changes to our lifestyle for the next 10-15 years of mortgage payments. I thought it would possibly scatter shards of broken glass in the apartment. We had never been good at money matters. Almost every finance-related congress we organized always ended with the bolster occupying a third of the matrimonial bed. This investment in a condo unit, however, has worked wonders for our relationship.
The past seven weeks since we signed the contract, we've not had major skirmishes at home. We've had arguments over household expenses, but this time they were surprisingly easy to resolve. And that, my friends, is an impressive record for my dear Republic.
I don't know if this should be credited to the stars being perfectly aligned this year as far as our marriage is concerned. Or perhaps it's simply because the decision to invest was popular. Let me recount the days before we signed on the dotted line.
We made a vow to place this property investment at the centre of our financial plan at least for the next two-three years. School-related expenses, of course, still take precedence, but all else is secondary. We recited this vow several times over two nights.
We read to each other a list of things we would give up while we stabilize our cash flow. We read it as if it were some kind of litany. Again and again and again.
We asked ourselves over and over how we wanted this investment. And each time, it was a convincing duet of lovers who wanted to own a house -- more specifically the condo unit we were about to buy.
The result? I'm pretty confident we could overcome any future disagreements on money matters. And more importantly, the bolster has been out of commission and these days we tend to keep the airconditioning hard at work every night so the room's temperature can play catch up with ours. Okay, that's wasting money. Well, life's not all about money. Okay, got to turn out the lights.
Back to Home
::: Related topics: 'Saving for Dummies' written by Stupid; Poor guy signs cheque for 4m++ pesos
::: First time to visit? Head over to my library for a quick look at previous articles.
After what I've written I think it's appropriate for me to say:
Share the love.
Press the button.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Saving For Dummies written by Stupid
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
8
.
NO RESPONSIBLE person dives into property investing without careful planning. I say it because I consider myself irresponsible, even stupid. And if you don't wish to fall into the same trap I did, you may want to extract a few lessons from my own missteps.
About seven years ago, I was still working in Quezon City in the Philippines and had an extra 15,000 pesos ($300) in my ATM plus an equivalent of 60,000 pesos ($1,268) in foreign currencies stashed in the closet's deep recesses. The wife and I went on a so-called tripping to a housing project located an hour's drive from Ortigas. It was not the first such tripping and the marketing agents took us to two sites we did'n't like. At the third project site, I instantly fell for the development's concept and convinced the wife we had to reserve a unit, never mind that we couldn't imagine how everyday life would be commuting between the house and the workplace. I withdrew 10,000 pesos for the reservation on our way back to Ortigas where the agents later dropped us off.
To cut the story short, I wasted the reservation fee. The money I stashed in the closet (yes, I was actually that stupid to think that the closet was safer than the pillow as a vault) disappeared, so there was no way I could pay the minimal downpayment the developer required before the transaction could be completed. And there was no way I could recover the reservation fee.
I then ditched the idea of buying a house, but each time those agents handed out flyers at the malls I could not completely ignore them. I later began working outside the Philippines and each payday a hazy picture of a house flashed in my mind, which I would brush aside immediately. For two years, we could have saved a third of my monthly income and I did, but we always found a reason to spend it. And spending what little savings we had was easy because we had no monthly financial obligations to meet other than school fees and apartment rent.
Less than two months ago, the wife and I fell for this condominium project in Mandaluyong. We had no money. But our heads were screaming: You ought to buy a unit and begin investing in a future home. We caved in, borrowed money from the sister-in law and prayed for luck and more blessings.
Had we built a small fund for property investing, we wouldn't have gone through all the trouble of borrowing money and sitting on a seat's edge every month's end when a cheque is about to be cleared by the developer.
It's easy really. Every payday I could have saved a third of my income, deposit it in a separate account and do this for at least two years. At the end of this saving period, I could have assessed our readiness for this major investment.
Saving regularly for at least two years (depending on how much your income is) also gives you an idea of the kind of house that you can afford. Once you sign the Contract To Sell (that's the document you sign when buying a house) and you've been saving regularly for this investment, you will have a better idea of how easy or difficult it will be to pay the mortgage.
Back to Home
::: First time in this site? Visit my library for a list of articles. Related stories: Someone withdrew my money; Ang pera ko at ang presyo ng bilihin; Don't ask me how to save money; I bought a house.
::: Site-hopping tracks:
::: I'm not shy about my stupidity in financial planning. If you wish, you can share this story using the button below.
NO RESPONSIBLE person dives into property investing without careful planning. I say it because I consider myself irresponsible, even stupid. And if you don't wish to fall into the same trap I did, you may want to extract a few lessons from my own missteps.
About seven years ago, I was still working in Quezon City in the Philippines and had an extra 15,000 pesos ($300) in my ATM plus an equivalent of 60,000 pesos ($1,268) in foreign currencies stashed in the closet's deep recesses. The wife and I went on a so-called tripping to a housing project located an hour's drive from Ortigas. It was not the first such tripping and the marketing agents took us to two sites we did'n't like. At the third project site, I instantly fell for the development's concept and convinced the wife we had to reserve a unit, never mind that we couldn't imagine how everyday life would be commuting between the house and the workplace. I withdrew 10,000 pesos for the reservation on our way back to Ortigas where the agents later dropped us off.
To cut the story short, I wasted the reservation fee. The money I stashed in the closet (yes, I was actually that stupid to think that the closet was safer than the pillow as a vault) disappeared, so there was no way I could pay the minimal downpayment the developer required before the transaction could be completed. And there was no way I could recover the reservation fee.
I then ditched the idea of buying a house, but each time those agents handed out flyers at the malls I could not completely ignore them. I later began working outside the Philippines and each payday a hazy picture of a house flashed in my mind, which I would brush aside immediately. For two years, we could have saved a third of my monthly income and I did, but we always found a reason to spend it. And spending what little savings we had was easy because we had no monthly financial obligations to meet other than school fees and apartment rent.
Less than two months ago, the wife and I fell for this condominium project in Mandaluyong. We had no money. But our heads were screaming: You ought to buy a unit and begin investing in a future home. We caved in, borrowed money from the sister-in law and prayed for luck and more blessings.
Had we built a small fund for property investing, we wouldn't have gone through all the trouble of borrowing money and sitting on a seat's edge every month's end when a cheque is about to be cleared by the developer.
It's easy really. Every payday I could have saved a third of my income, deposit it in a separate account and do this for at least two years. At the end of this saving period, I could have assessed our readiness for this major investment.
Saving regularly for at least two years (depending on how much your income is) also gives you an idea of the kind of house that you can afford. Once you sign the Contract To Sell (that's the document you sign when buying a house) and you've been saving regularly for this investment, you will have a better idea of how easy or difficult it will be to pay the mortgage.
Back to Home
::: First time in this site? Visit my library for a list of articles. Related stories: Someone withdrew my money; Ang pera ko at ang presyo ng bilihin; Don't ask me how to save money; I bought a house.
::: Site-hopping tracks:
::: I'm not shy about my stupidity in financial planning. If you wish, you can share this story using the button below.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Someone withdrew money from my account
Sunday, January 11, 2009
7
.
LISTEN UP, Mr. Frugality! This is the draft of my first State of My Republic speech.
Someone withdrew money from my bank account. And it's a welcome development as far as my personal goal of owning a house is concerned.
Yes. Yes. Yes. Add exclamation points. Yes. A few days ago I wrote: The money that I sent through a remittance firm is finally in my checking account waiting for the developer to collect as my first monthly downpayment for, uhrrm, my condominium unit in the Philippines. I made it. It was a long wait and it kept me on the edge of my seat because of the long holiday back home. The cheque was scheduled for clearing on Dec 30. My reliable sister-in-law deposited the money on Monday morning, according to the account details that I just checked through the bank's online banking site.
Today I've confirmed through online banking that the developer has already cleared the cheque.
The wife and I mumbled a little prayer. One cheque down, 156 more to go. It's a long journey from now and more belt-tightening steps ought to be discussed and put in place.
Frugality is a concept that remains a stranger and insists on living in our apartment. Every now and then, we all give this creature named Frugality a dagger look as he hovers among us during conversations, meals and family conventions in front of the telly.
I've reminded all citizens of my republic
...that Mr. Frugality is on a state visit here and everyone is expected to treat him with utmost respect. Not that I worship Frugality what's-his-last-name; I, the Head of State of my republic, will purchase that notebook computer (the First Lady agrees we need one) when the bank account shows a bit more leeway for extra expenses. The First Lady and I have decided, after a lengthy and medium-fire discussion, that the republic needs a notebook computer. The First Son needs it for school-related research work; the First Lady needs it to start blogging and; the Head of State needs it to sustain his site dedicated to keeping him on track in the family's financial goal.
Frugality is moping at a corner in the apartment. I will not assuage his pain. After all, he'd be furious if he learns how much we spent the last three days. On top of basic household expenses, we shelled out about $70 (US) on two paperbacks for the wife, undershirts and hankies for the son and other items frowned upon by the State Visitor. If Frugality calls for scrimping on matters directly related to basic and continuing education, I will not think twice about committing a diplomatic faux pax.
My republic's fiscal health isn't impressive, but it has met its financial obligations.
Back to Home
::: First time to visit? Read my earlier posts (Poor guy signs a cheque & I bought a house) or visit my library for a list of articles.
::: Wonder what that Money Hacker logo on the sidebar is all about? It's a network of personal finance sites. I applied for membership and obviously the group doesn't find this blog eligible. But let me keep the logo for a few more days. Looks cool, isn't it?
::: Site-hopping tracks: Ms Ellen (Kenji notified her of my comment and she posted in her blog. Thanks Kenj of thoughtskoto.blogspot); Hypen (Read only one entry and my jaw dropped. Didn't have time to establish if the blog is on his fiction work.); ...
LISTEN UP, Mr. Frugality! This is the draft of my first State of My Republic speech.
Someone withdrew money from my bank account. And it's a welcome development as far as my personal goal of owning a house is concerned.
Yes. Yes. Yes. Add exclamation points. Yes. A few days ago I wrote: The money that I sent through a remittance firm is finally in my checking account waiting for the developer to collect as my first monthly downpayment for, uhrrm, my condominium unit in the Philippines. I made it. It was a long wait and it kept me on the edge of my seat because of the long holiday back home. The cheque was scheduled for clearing on Dec 30. My reliable sister-in-law deposited the money on Monday morning, according to the account details that I just checked through the bank's online banking site.
Today I've confirmed through online banking that the developer has already cleared the cheque.
The wife and I mumbled a little prayer. One cheque down, 156 more to go. It's a long journey from now and more belt-tightening steps ought to be discussed and put in place.
Frugality is a concept that remains a stranger and insists on living in our apartment. Every now and then, we all give this creature named Frugality a dagger look as he hovers among us during conversations, meals and family conventions in front of the telly.
I've reminded all citizens of my republic
...that Mr. Frugality is on a state visit here and everyone is expected to treat him with utmost respect. Not that I worship Frugality what's-his-last-name; I, the Head of State of my republic, will purchase that notebook computer (the First Lady agrees we need one) when the bank account shows a bit more leeway for extra expenses. The First Lady and I have decided, after a lengthy and medium-fire discussion, that the republic needs a notebook computer. The First Son needs it for school-related research work; the First Lady needs it to start blogging and; the Head of State needs it to sustain his site dedicated to keeping him on track in the family's financial goal.
Frugality is moping at a corner in the apartment. I will not assuage his pain. After all, he'd be furious if he learns how much we spent the last three days. On top of basic household expenses, we shelled out about $70 (US) on two paperbacks for the wife, undershirts and hankies for the son and other items frowned upon by the State Visitor. If Frugality calls for scrimping on matters directly related to basic and continuing education, I will not think twice about committing a diplomatic faux pax.
My republic's fiscal health isn't impressive, but it has met its financial obligations.
Back to Home
::: First time to visit? Read my earlier posts (Poor guy signs a cheque & I bought a house) or visit my library for a list of articles.
::: Wonder what that Money Hacker logo on the sidebar is all about? It's a network of personal finance sites. I applied for membership and obviously the group doesn't find this blog eligible. But let me keep the logo for a few more days. Looks cool, isn't it?
::: Site-hopping tracks: Ms Ellen (Kenji notified her of my comment and she posted in her blog. Thanks Kenj of thoughtskoto.blogspot); Hypen (Read only one entry and my jaw dropped. Didn't have time to establish if the blog is on his fiction work.); ...
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Jetsetter OFW
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
4
.
AT AN airport, Belle and I are each waiting for a taxi to go to another airport. She looks at me and I notice her looking at me when I glance at her. We both look away and I stifle a laugh at having to look away. I look at her again and this time it leads to a casual exchange of "Pinoy ka ba?"
We agree to share a cab to go to another airport where we'll take our flight back to our host country in East Asia. Belle and I are Filipino expat workers. We spend over three hours together at the second airport, enough time to know what we want to know about each other. I'm not sure if she's interested in my life as an OFW (overseas Filipino worker), but I certainly am in hers.
Belle is in her forties, separated from her husband with whom she has a son. This is her fourth time within a year to holiday in the Philippines. I envy her for the luxury that her bank account affords: four holidays in a year! From afar, you could mistake her for an officeworker or a teacher at an international school.
"You're very lucky you have an employer that pays you really handsomely you can jetset often," I tell her. Of course we talk in chicharon Tagalog.
"Truth is, I didn't want to go on a vacation this time."
"Why? You can afford it."
"No, I can't. I can never spend a cent on a plane ticket for a vacation."
"So why did you holiday then?" I ask, meaning to unravel the mystery of Belle.
"It wasn't really a vacation. Stayed home the entire time I was in the Philippines. Each time you go out while back home in the Philippines, your finances get worst." Belle laughs at the idea of a holiday that doesn't involve at least one visit to Jollibee with her son. Her eyes search for the horizon which is not visible at the waiting area outside the airport.
"How so?"
"My amo (boss) forced me to go home for a week. He buys the ticket using his Miles points. He said the points were about to expire and he had already purchased the ticket when I decided against going home. So I went."
"Who's your amo? What do you do for a living?"
"I'm a domestic helper (DH) and my 'amo' is an airline pilot. He and his wife, the whole family, they've been very kind to me. They know I'm a single mom so they insist I take leave when their schedules allow for it, and they pay for the airfare."
"You're one lucky DH," I say and I mean it.
"Indeed. And I hope my employers don't feel I've been abusing them because I've loaned so much money from them already."
"Why so?" I ask, wondering if she's the one-day-millionaire type of OFW.
"I want a house of my own. Whatever it takes," Belle declares, her eyes proud and sad at the same time. "So one time I went home I signed a contract to buy a house near Fairview. I'm paying for it now and sometimes my monthly pay is just not enough so I keep borrowing from them. The past few months though have been a bit easier than before so I've not borrowed from them again. I'm still paying up for the old loans though."
I ask her to cite figures so I can get a good picture of her financial situation. And she talks excitedly about it while munching Skyflakes at the airport. I smoke a stick of Marlboro the length of eternity wondering why I haven't invested in a house yet. Her monthly pay isn't a fifth of mine and yet she shines in the personal finance department.
"All these months, I never go out of my amo's house during my off days so I never have to spend on anything unnecessary," Belle says. "I go to church and that's all. They insist that I go out to relax and I insist on staying in my room. And I'm prepared for this kind of life until my house is fully paid up."
While she narrates her lifestory (yup, she also talks about how she and the ex-hubby parted ways), a group of Filipino teachers who've also left the Philippines for better pay are exchanging notes on how they send money home for their mortgage, and which new housing project is hot in Cavite or some other province. I admire Belle's sharp focus on what she wants for her family's future. There's the rub in her resolve: She asked her son to quit school for one year just so she could pay the mortgage. I'd rather grow old and be thrown in some geriatric care centre than be an old ex-OFW with a nice house and a son who's unprepared for the world of work.
Belle and I say our goodbyes after picking our luggage from the airport carousel. She goes looking for her pilot amo who's her chauffeur tonight while I search the phone number of a fellow Pinoy driving a kolorum taxi.
That was nearly a year ago. If I were to enumerate the factors that have led to my desperate want for a house of my own, Belle would be one of them.
Today I'm waiting for confirmation that the developer of my condo unit has received my first monthly downpayment.
Back to Home
::: THE PICTURE: I told my property agent I don't want any sight such as this to spoil my surroundings once I move to my new condo.
::: First time to visit this blog? Click on this for a list of articles.
::: My tracks: Note for braggart_21: Your post on Savings is informative, including personal details of how you manage your finances. I wish I, too, were born to a landed family :) Thanks for the info on DBP's program for OFWs.
:::
AT AN airport, Belle and I are each waiting for a taxi to go to another airport. She looks at me and I notice her looking at me when I glance at her. We both look away and I stifle a laugh at having to look away. I look at her again and this time it leads to a casual exchange of "Pinoy ka ba?"
We agree to share a cab to go to another airport where we'll take our flight back to our host country in East Asia. Belle and I are Filipino expat workers. We spend over three hours together at the second airport, enough time to know what we want to know about each other. I'm not sure if she's interested in my life as an OFW (overseas Filipino worker), but I certainly am in hers.
Belle is in her forties, separated from her husband with whom she has a son. This is her fourth time within a year to holiday in the Philippines. I envy her for the luxury that her bank account affords: four holidays in a year! From afar, you could mistake her for an officeworker or a teacher at an international school.
"You're very lucky you have an employer that pays you really handsomely you can jetset often," I tell her. Of course we talk in chicharon Tagalog.
"Truth is, I didn't want to go on a vacation this time.""Why? You can afford it."
"No, I can't. I can never spend a cent on a plane ticket for a vacation."
"So why did you holiday then?" I ask, meaning to unravel the mystery of Belle.
"It wasn't really a vacation. Stayed home the entire time I was in the Philippines. Each time you go out while back home in the Philippines, your finances get worst." Belle laughs at the idea of a holiday that doesn't involve at least one visit to Jollibee with her son. Her eyes search for the horizon which is not visible at the waiting area outside the airport.
"How so?"
"My amo (boss) forced me to go home for a week. He buys the ticket using his Miles points. He said the points were about to expire and he had already purchased the ticket when I decided against going home. So I went."
"Who's your amo? What do you do for a living?"
"I'm a domestic helper (DH) and my 'amo' is an airline pilot. He and his wife, the whole family, they've been very kind to me. They know I'm a single mom so they insist I take leave when their schedules allow for it, and they pay for the airfare."
"You're one lucky DH," I say and I mean it.
"Indeed. And I hope my employers don't feel I've been abusing them because I've loaned so much money from them already."
"Why so?" I ask, wondering if she's the one-day-millionaire type of OFW.
"I want a house of my own. Whatever it takes," Belle declares, her eyes proud and sad at the same time. "So one time I went home I signed a contract to buy a house near Fairview. I'm paying for it now and sometimes my monthly pay is just not enough so I keep borrowing from them. The past few months though have been a bit easier than before so I've not borrowed from them again. I'm still paying up for the old loans though."
I ask her to cite figures so I can get a good picture of her financial situation. And she talks excitedly about it while munching Skyflakes at the airport. I smoke a stick of Marlboro the length of eternity wondering why I haven't invested in a house yet. Her monthly pay isn't a fifth of mine and yet she shines in the personal finance department.
"All these months, I never go out of my amo's house during my off days so I never have to spend on anything unnecessary," Belle says. "I go to church and that's all. They insist that I go out to relax and I insist on staying in my room. And I'm prepared for this kind of life until my house is fully paid up."
While she narrates her lifestory (yup, she also talks about how she and the ex-hubby parted ways), a group of Filipino teachers who've also left the Philippines for better pay are exchanging notes on how they send money home for their mortgage, and which new housing project is hot in Cavite or some other province. I admire Belle's sharp focus on what she wants for her family's future. There's the rub in her resolve: She asked her son to quit school for one year just so she could pay the mortgage. I'd rather grow old and be thrown in some geriatric care centre than be an old ex-OFW with a nice house and a son who's unprepared for the world of work.
Belle and I say our goodbyes after picking our luggage from the airport carousel. She goes looking for her pilot amo who's her chauffeur tonight while I search the phone number of a fellow Pinoy driving a kolorum taxi.
That was nearly a year ago. If I were to enumerate the factors that have led to my desperate want for a house of my own, Belle would be one of them.
Today I'm waiting for confirmation that the developer of my condo unit has received my first monthly downpayment.
Back to Home
::: THE PICTURE: I told my property agent I don't want any sight such as this to spoil my surroundings once I move to my new condo.
::: First time to visit this blog? Click on this for a list of articles.
::: My tracks: Note for braggart_21: Your post on Savings is informative, including personal details of how you manage your finances. I wish I, too, were born to a landed family :) Thanks for the info on DBP's program for OFWs.
:::
Why I want to stay young forever (2)
.
I've been tickling my brain about saving up for retirement so I'm putting pen to paper to get a clearer picture of basic concepts that I will have to bear in mind in attempting to map out my route to financial freedom. Whew! Wish me luck. Below is the romanized version of my thoughts. This is the second instalment of the article and if you want to go straight to Part 2, scroll down.
Part 1
I'M THE salaried type and inflation is a cause for concern. Soaring prices of basic goods and services, a trend that doesn't seem to show a steady weakening over time, make it lousy to depend mainly on retirement benefits when it's time for me to hit the rocking chair. Okay, I've to plan. But to be honest, planning has yet to become a permanent addition to my vocabulary. I've got to come to grips with this alien, nonetheless.
Financial advisers talk about identifying first the lifestyle that a person wants upon retirement and this should help me arrive at a ballpark figure of how much I should be able to withdraw every year from my nest egg.
Here's the basic principle according to the gurus of personal finance: If what you want is to lead the same lifestyle (financially, that is) that you have now which costs you, for example, half a million pesos a year, add to that the projected inflation rate for the next two decades or longer, and you have your financial goal for each year of the entire stretch of your life after employment. I've tried crunching numbers and, believe me, it gives me reason to want to stay young forever.
Got to plan now if you still have a quarter of a century before your age makes employers consider you too old. It's a different story of course when you're already a few years before the retirement bell rings. It's pointless to seek advice from professional financial planners when you're about to collect the first tranche of your retirement fund.
Be realistic when you do take the time to plan. Come back to earth when you notice that you're floating in the skies as far as targeting how much money you want for your retirement. Acknowledge whatever amount you can save up every month for long-term investment. Don't be hard on yourself.
Part 2
ONCE you're done setting your target, stick to it for a year maybe. That means months of rejecting your old life of going to clubs, regular movie dates ... If after a while you still have nothing enough to buy T-bills or stock shares for your retirement nest egg, you may have to begin stepping on the accelerator as far as your job promotion is concerned. But that might not be an option for all of us. In the case of Pinoy expats, this may mean taking a second job. Tall order, yeah?
Don't regret you ever took the pains of planning and sticking to your master plan if all this fails after a few years. When you conclude after some time that it's not doable, you can at least make another conclusion: That it's better to enjoy what life has to offer in the here and now and let whatever savings you've got take care of your life as a grumpy old man.
But if it works and when there is enough you have accumulated over time, experts say, you can begin moving up the chain of financial planning and develop foresight.
One more concept: outpacing inflation when planning. This is what many professional financial planners tell us. Which means the money we save up for future use as for retirement must be higher than the speed at which prices of goods and services rise. Whew! But really, all this stuff can be difficult to swallow and could just make you worry. So if you’ve been true to simple goals such as setting aside money in a reputable bank, be happy.
Of course I'm no expert, so seek out certified wealth planners if retirement is visible in your long-term horizon. For my part, my condominium is all I see.
:: THE PICTURE: What's luggage got to do with this page? Uhmm, well, I'm preparing in advance the necessary luggage that will carry all belongings I want to bring with me when I move into my new condo. Tumataas din ang presyo ng maleta, buti nang handa. :)
::: First time to visit this site? I invite you to have a look at my library for a list of articles.
::: My site-hopping tracks:
I've been tickling my brain about saving up for retirement so I'm putting pen to paper to get a clearer picture of basic concepts that I will have to bear in mind in attempting to map out my route to financial freedom. Whew! Wish me luck. Below is the romanized version of my thoughts. This is the second instalment of the article and if you want to go straight to Part 2, scroll down.
Part 1
I'M THE salaried type and inflation is a cause for concern. Soaring prices of basic goods and services, a trend that doesn't seem to show a steady weakening over time, make it lousy to depend mainly on retirement benefits when it's time for me to hit the rocking chair. Okay, I've to plan. But to be honest, planning has yet to become a permanent addition to my vocabulary. I've got to come to grips with this alien, nonetheless.
Financial advisers talk about identifying first the lifestyle that a person wants upon retirement and this should help me arrive at a ballpark figure of how much I should be able to withdraw every year from my nest egg.
Here's the basic principle according to the gurus of personal finance: If what you want is to lead the same lifestyle (financially, that is) that you have now which costs you, for example, half a million pesos a year, add to that the projected inflation rate for the next two decades or longer, and you have your financial goal for each year of the entire stretch of your life after employment. I've tried crunching numbers and, believe me, it gives me reason to want to stay young forever.
Got to plan now if you still have a quarter of a century before your age makes employers consider you too old. It's a different story of course when you're already a few years before the retirement bell rings. It's pointless to seek advice from professional financial planners when you're about to collect the first tranche of your retirement fund.
Be realistic when you do take the time to plan. Come back to earth when you notice that you're floating in the skies as far as targeting how much money you want for your retirement. Acknowledge whatever amount you can save up every month for long-term investment. Don't be hard on yourself.
Part 2ONCE you're done setting your target, stick to it for a year maybe. That means months of rejecting your old life of going to clubs, regular movie dates ... If after a while you still have nothing enough to buy T-bills or stock shares for your retirement nest egg, you may have to begin stepping on the accelerator as far as your job promotion is concerned. But that might not be an option for all of us. In the case of Pinoy expats, this may mean taking a second job. Tall order, yeah?
Don't regret you ever took the pains of planning and sticking to your master plan if all this fails after a few years. When you conclude after some time that it's not doable, you can at least make another conclusion: That it's better to enjoy what life has to offer in the here and now and let whatever savings you've got take care of your life as a grumpy old man.
But if it works and when there is enough you have accumulated over time, experts say, you can begin moving up the chain of financial planning and develop foresight.
One more concept: outpacing inflation when planning. This is what many professional financial planners tell us. Which means the money we save up for future use as for retirement must be higher than the speed at which prices of goods and services rise. Whew! But really, all this stuff can be difficult to swallow and could just make you worry. So if you’ve been true to simple goals such as setting aside money in a reputable bank, be happy.
Of course I'm no expert, so seek out certified wealth planners if retirement is visible in your long-term horizon. For my part, my condominium is all I see.
:: THE PICTURE: What's luggage got to do with this page? Uhmm, well, I'm preparing in advance the necessary luggage that will carry all belongings I want to bring with me when I move into my new condo. Tumataas din ang presyo ng maleta, buti nang handa. :)
::: First time to visit this site? I invite you to have a look at my library for a list of articles.
::: My site-hopping tracks:
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Why I want to stay young forever (1)
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
0
.
When there's not much in the wallet I always try and remember what the old folks say: Count your blessings. Each time I still do weigh my fortunes and it only reminds me I've wasted much of it. But now I'm trying to plan ahead so I could make the most of what I earn because to this day I've nothing significant in my bank account despite working outside the Philippines for well over four years now.
I always begin with some crude research into what others have experienced and what the so-called experts have said on financial planning. So now I'm putting pen to paper to get a clearer picture of basic concepts that I will have to bear in mind in attempting to map out my route to financial freedom. Whew! Wish me luck. Below is the romanized version of my thoughts.
I'M THE salaried type and inflation is a cause for concern. Soaring prices of basic goods and services, a trend that doesn't seem to show a steady weakening over time, make it lousy to depend mainly on retirement benefits when it's time for me to hit the rocking chair. Okay, I've to plan. But to be honest, planning has yet to become a permanent addition to my vocabulary. I've got to come to grips with this alien, nonetheless.
Financial advisers talk about identifying first the lifestyle that a person wants upon retirement and this should help me arrive at a ballpark figure of how much I should be able to withdraw every year from my nest egg.
Here's the basic principle according to the gurus of personal finance: If what you want is to lead the same lifestyle (financially, that is) that you have now which costs you, for example, half a million pesos a year, add to that the projected inflation rate for the next two decades or longer, and you have your financial goal for each year of the entire stretch of your life after employment. I've tried crunching numbers and, believe me, it gives me reason to want to stay young forever.
Got to plan now if you still have a quarter of a century before your age makes employers consider you too old. It's a different story of course when you're already a few years before the retirement bell rings. It's pointless to seek advice from professional financial planners when you're about to collect the first tranche of your retirement fund.
Be realistic when you do take the time to plan. Come back to earth when you notice that you're floating in the skies as far as targeting how much money you want for your retirement. Acknowledge whatever amount you can save up every month for long-term investment. Don't be hard on yourself.
To be continued tomorrow. Napagod kapiranggot kong utak.
Back to Home
::: THE PICTURE: This is not an advertisement. If I were to buy a brand-new car today, it'd have to be this -- affordable and kind of cool. But nah, the desire for wheels got to be kept in the attic for now. By the time I'm ready to give in to my droolings over wheels, I will have forgotten about this image.
::: First time to visit this site? I invite you to have a look at my library for a list of articles.
::: My site-hopping tracks yesterday: PenMan (as usual, a very engaging article); sun-eater (a writer in dumaguete); ofwjournalism (a very unimaginative name); and spanky
When there's not much in the wallet I always try and remember what the old folks say: Count your blessings. Each time I still do weigh my fortunes and it only reminds me I've wasted much of it. But now I'm trying to plan ahead so I could make the most of what I earn because to this day I've nothing significant in my bank account despite working outside the Philippines for well over four years now.
I always begin with some crude research into what others have experienced and what the so-called experts have said on financial planning. So now I'm putting pen to paper to get a clearer picture of basic concepts that I will have to bear in mind in attempting to map out my route to financial freedom. Whew! Wish me luck. Below is the romanized version of my thoughts.
I'M THE salaried type and inflation is a cause for concern. Soaring prices of basic goods and services, a trend that doesn't seem to show a steady weakening over time, make it lousy to depend mainly on retirement benefits when it's time for me to hit the rocking chair. Okay, I've to plan. But to be honest, planning has yet to become a permanent addition to my vocabulary. I've got to come to grips with this alien, nonetheless.Financial advisers talk about identifying first the lifestyle that a person wants upon retirement and this should help me arrive at a ballpark figure of how much I should be able to withdraw every year from my nest egg.
Here's the basic principle according to the gurus of personal finance: If what you want is to lead the same lifestyle (financially, that is) that you have now which costs you, for example, half a million pesos a year, add to that the projected inflation rate for the next two decades or longer, and you have your financial goal for each year of the entire stretch of your life after employment. I've tried crunching numbers and, believe me, it gives me reason to want to stay young forever.
Got to plan now if you still have a quarter of a century before your age makes employers consider you too old. It's a different story of course when you're already a few years before the retirement bell rings. It's pointless to seek advice from professional financial planners when you're about to collect the first tranche of your retirement fund.
Be realistic when you do take the time to plan. Come back to earth when you notice that you're floating in the skies as far as targeting how much money you want for your retirement. Acknowledge whatever amount you can save up every month for long-term investment. Don't be hard on yourself.
To be continued tomorrow. Napagod kapiranggot kong utak.
Back to Home
::: THE PICTURE: This is not an advertisement. If I were to buy a brand-new car today, it'd have to be this -- affordable and kind of cool. But nah, the desire for wheels got to be kept in the attic for now. By the time I'm ready to give in to my droolings over wheels, I will have forgotten about this image.
::: First time to visit this site? I invite you to have a look at my library for a list of articles.
::: My site-hopping tracks yesterday: PenMan (as usual, a very engaging article); sun-eater (a writer in dumaguete); ofwjournalism (a very unimaginative name); and spanky
Monday, January 5, 2009
Pinoys in UAE set up group for needy
Monday, January 5, 2009
0
.
Organizing isn't a department in which the Filipino people excel. And the Filipino expat community (OFW) in general has been weak in organizing despite the fact that we could actually contribute to positive changes we want for the country by our sheer numbers. It's good news to me then that Pinoy expats in the UAE have come together to set up a foundation to help Filipinos in that part of the world during their time of need. (Let's just hope not too many Filipinos there get affected by the wave of job cuts in Dubai.)
I'm not very knowledgable on the mechanisms by which the group could reach out to their needy brethren, but this is something that most Pinoy expats who really care about their own country should aspire to do. Many of us talk endlessly, even bitch, about how rotten the Philippines has become and yet we don't lift a finger to do anything constructive. (No, I'm not about to gather my fellow Pinoy expats where I live now for a meeting. I'm good at thinking aloud, not leading others.) Everytime we hear about a fellow Pinoy being abused while working in the same country where we are based, we simply mumble a few words of sympathy and the air around us hears them. Other than that, we don't do anything.
We don't actively participate in some kind of outreach or a simple activity to gather funds so the abused could buy a plane ticket or take home some money to help tie the loose knots. Okay, fine, it's the Philippine government's job. Why create something that might encourage those bastards in the bureaucrazy to renege on their job in the knowledge that some other charitable group will anyway take care of the mess?
(Honestly, while I was justifying my opinion, I actually asked myself: Why should I lift a finger for the abused and unfortunate when it is, indeed, the Philippine government's job?)
We need to do our bit. That's all I'm saying. Meanwhile, I go back to my own comfortable world with big dreams. :)
::: First time to visit this blog? Have a quick look at my library for a list of articles.
::: My site-hopping tracks: ellen, the no-nonsense journalist dissects a recent attempt by malacanang's spinmeisters to paint a good picture of the philippine economy. she calls it a desperate attempt; another in-depth look at us OFWs. if reading stuff that looks at the innards of our scattered community is your cup of tea, then check it out; there's nothing new on jfrancisco's blog. it's not been updated for quite a while now.
Organizing isn't a department in which the Filipino people excel. And the Filipino expat community (OFW) in general has been weak in organizing despite the fact that we could actually contribute to positive changes we want for the country by our sheer numbers. It's good news to me then that Pinoy expats in the UAE have come together to set up a foundation to help Filipinos in that part of the world during their time of need. (Let's just hope not too many Filipinos there get affected by the wave of job cuts in Dubai.)
I'm not very knowledgable on the mechanisms by which the group could reach out to their needy brethren, but this is something that most Pinoy expats who really care about their own country should aspire to do. Many of us talk endlessly, even bitch, about how rotten the Philippines has become and yet we don't lift a finger to do anything constructive. (No, I'm not about to gather my fellow Pinoy expats where I live now for a meeting. I'm good at thinking aloud, not leading others.) Everytime we hear about a fellow Pinoy being abused while working in the same country where we are based, we simply mumble a few words of sympathy and the air around us hears them. Other than that, we don't do anything.We don't actively participate in some kind of outreach or a simple activity to gather funds so the abused could buy a plane ticket or take home some money to help tie the loose knots. Okay, fine, it's the Philippine government's job. Why create something that might encourage those bastards in the bureaucrazy to renege on their job in the knowledge that some other charitable group will anyway take care of the mess?
(Honestly, while I was justifying my opinion, I actually asked myself: Why should I lift a finger for the abused and unfortunate when it is, indeed, the Philippine government's job?)
We need to do our bit. That's all I'm saying. Meanwhile, I go back to my own comfortable world with big dreams. :)
::: THE PICTURE: Wala lang. New Year feast.
::: First time to visit this blog? Have a quick look at my library for a list of articles.
::: My site-hopping tracks: ellen, the no-nonsense journalist dissects a recent attempt by malacanang's spinmeisters to paint a good picture of the philippine economy. she calls it a desperate attempt; another in-depth look at us OFWs. if reading stuff that looks at the innards of our scattered community is your cup of tea, then check it out; there's nothing new on jfrancisco's blog. it's not been updated for quite a while now.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Cheap calls, expensive talk
Sunday, January 4, 2009
0
.
You'll know it when you enter a computer shop and the customers around you are (Filipinos) Pinoy expats. There's no way you will miss it. Unless the entire Philippine archipelago is deprived of Internet connection.
Some of them frequently make use of instant messaging with video and talk functions, and they go about it with abandon. I know it because I'm Pinoy and having lived and worked outside my country for about four years now, I've done the same to keep in touch with my family back home.
But let's just say I'm a bit shy when talking to my wife and whispering sweet nothings at one million decibels too loud in a public place such as a cybercafe. Others couldn't care less.
They can shout at the top of their lungs just to make sure Son or Daughter gets to hear their words of wisdom delivered through cyberspace. It can really be annoying, particularly to other nationalities, but forgive them for they surely have reasons to be inconsiderate inside a computer shop.
It drives me nuts as well, but I know better than call their attention or hush them up. Most of the time, I amuse myself by connecting tidbits of information about the noisy Pinoy expat and get the bigger picture of my fellow countryman's lifestory. At other times, it doesn't work, so I leave the shop but not before collecting pieces of the puzzle that is the offender's life circumstances that I can tell friends over coffee.
Now, pretend you're having coffee with me...
Female Pinoy expat:
"E bakit kasi hindi ka agad humanap ng uupa dun sa isang bahay. Maghanap ka. Yong isang libo sayo, tapos yong tira ilagay mo lang sa bangko... E yong townhouse, ano na nangyari? ... (Rought translation: Well, I don't see why you didn't look for somebody to rent the house. Look for a tenant. One thousand pesos goes to you and the rest you deposit in the bank... How about the townhouse? ...)
"Ay! Andyan si Deeesiree? ... Ha? Kausapin ko nga... Hoy Desiree! Ano, punta ka na raw Australia? Oy, e pano, magaling ka na mag-Engliss? ... Oy, pupunta ako Australia, magbakasyon. Dito na lang ako apply ng visa sa embasi dito, mas madali e... Oo ... basta magbakasyon ako dun ke Ate Leleng ... (Is Deeesiree there? ... What? Let me talk to her ... Hey, Desiree! So, I heard you're set to go to Australia? So, is your Englisss good? ... I'm going there as well, for a vacation. I'll apply for a visa at the embassy here, heard it's easier here ... Yeah ... Spending my holiday at Ate Leleng's ...)"
(Kibitzer's silent bubble: O sya, mayaman ka na, lam na natin lahat dito. Nakapagtataka lang kumbakit ayaw mo bumili na lang ng phone card para sa overseas calls mo.)
Male Pinoy expat (he tries to whisper but I can still hear him from five cubicles away):
"Sweet'art naman, nag-iipon nga ako para pag finish contract nako, may pera tayo pang-negosyo... O, ayaw mo ba talaga maniwala sakin? ... Oo magne-negosyo tayo ... Ha? ... E, di sabihin mo na lang ke Kuya makitira muna kayo sa kanila... Ha? (C'mon, sweetie, I'm saving up for a business venture we'll have after my contract here ends... You really don't believe me? ... Yeah, we'll be in business ... What? ... Why don't you just live in Kuya's house for a bit ... Huh?)
"E, lam mo namang lab talaga kita e... E, lab mo ba talaga ako?... 'Tart, tart, wag ka ganyan ... Hindi totoo yon... Hindi... Kaibigan yon ng katrabaho ko, magpi-finish contract na kaya nalabas kami ... Hindi. Tart, tart, tart, makinig ka... (You know I truly love you ... Do you really love me? ... Don't be , sweetie, don't be ... That's not true .... No ... She's a co-worker's friend, her work contract's ending so we gave her a farewell party... No. Sweetie, sweetie, sweetie, listen up ... )
(Kibitzer's silent bubble: Kasi naman, kapatid, pag tinawagan ka ng misis mo, siguraduhin mong wala syang maririnig na boses ng babae sa paligid mo habang nagke-kwentuhan kayo. At magpadala ka ng sustento sa tamang oras, wag mo itaya pera mo sa sugal. Kasi naman.)
One day, I will record these not-so-discreet conversations at the cybercafe and upload them here. What you think?
::: THE PICTURE: Those are the wife's feet. Lovely, isn't it? Well, forgive me, I adore the wife's feet and I'd rather caress her feet all day than endure OFW loudspeaker conversations in a cybercafe. :)
::: First time to visit this blog? I know this blog entry is a bit too inane for you. If you want annoyingly serious stuff on this site, visit my library for a list of articles.
You'll know it when you enter a computer shop and the customers around you are (Filipinos) Pinoy expats. There's no way you will miss it. Unless the entire Philippine archipelago is deprived of Internet connection.
Some of them frequently make use of instant messaging with video and talk functions, and they go about it with abandon. I know it because I'm Pinoy and having lived and worked outside my country for about four years now, I've done the same to keep in touch with my family back home.
But let's just say I'm a bit shy when talking to my wife and whispering sweet nothings at one million decibels too loud in a public place such as a cybercafe. Others couldn't care less.They can shout at the top of their lungs just to make sure Son or Daughter gets to hear their words of wisdom delivered through cyberspace. It can really be annoying, particularly to other nationalities, but forgive them for they surely have reasons to be inconsiderate inside a computer shop.
It drives me nuts as well, but I know better than call their attention or hush them up. Most of the time, I amuse myself by connecting tidbits of information about the noisy Pinoy expat and get the bigger picture of my fellow countryman's lifestory. At other times, it doesn't work, so I leave the shop but not before collecting pieces of the puzzle that is the offender's life circumstances that I can tell friends over coffee.
Now, pretend you're having coffee with me...
Female Pinoy expat:
"E bakit kasi hindi ka agad humanap ng uupa dun sa isang bahay. Maghanap ka. Yong isang libo sayo, tapos yong tira ilagay mo lang sa bangko... E yong townhouse, ano na nangyari? ... (Rought translation: Well, I don't see why you didn't look for somebody to rent the house. Look for a tenant. One thousand pesos goes to you and the rest you deposit in the bank... How about the townhouse? ...)
"Ay! Andyan si Deeesiree? ... Ha? Kausapin ko nga... Hoy Desiree! Ano, punta ka na raw Australia? Oy, e pano, magaling ka na mag-Engliss? ... Oy, pupunta ako Australia, magbakasyon. Dito na lang ako apply ng visa sa embasi dito, mas madali e... Oo ... basta magbakasyon ako dun ke Ate Leleng ... (Is Deeesiree there? ... What? Let me talk to her ... Hey, Desiree! So, I heard you're set to go to Australia? So, is your Englisss good? ... I'm going there as well, for a vacation. I'll apply for a visa at the embassy here, heard it's easier here ... Yeah ... Spending my holiday at Ate Leleng's ...)"
(Kibitzer's silent bubble: O sya, mayaman ka na, lam na natin lahat dito. Nakapagtataka lang kumbakit ayaw mo bumili na lang ng phone card para sa overseas calls mo.)
Male Pinoy expat (he tries to whisper but I can still hear him from five cubicles away):
"Sweet'art naman, nag-iipon nga ako para pag finish contract nako, may pera tayo pang-negosyo... O, ayaw mo ba talaga maniwala sakin? ... Oo magne-negosyo tayo ... Ha? ... E, di sabihin mo na lang ke Kuya makitira muna kayo sa kanila... Ha? (C'mon, sweetie, I'm saving up for a business venture we'll have after my contract here ends... You really don't believe me? ... Yeah, we'll be in business ... What? ... Why don't you just live in Kuya's house for a bit ... Huh?)
"E, lam mo namang lab talaga kita e... E, lab mo ba talaga ako?... 'Tart, tart, wag ka ganyan ... Hindi totoo yon... Hindi... Kaibigan yon ng katrabaho ko, magpi-finish contract na kaya nalabas kami ... Hindi. Tart, tart, tart, makinig ka... (You know I truly love you ... Do you really love me? ... Don't be , sweetie, don't be ... That's not true .... No ... She's a co-worker's friend, her work contract's ending so we gave her a farewell party... No. Sweetie, sweetie, sweetie, listen up ... )
(Kibitzer's silent bubble: Kasi naman, kapatid, pag tinawagan ka ng misis mo, siguraduhin mong wala syang maririnig na boses ng babae sa paligid mo habang nagke-kwentuhan kayo. At magpadala ka ng sustento sa tamang oras, wag mo itaya pera mo sa sugal. Kasi naman.)
One day, I will record these not-so-discreet conversations at the cybercafe and upload them here. What you think?
::: THE PICTURE: Those are the wife's feet. Lovely, isn't it? Well, forgive me, I adore the wife's feet and I'd rather caress her feet all day than endure OFW loudspeaker conversations in a cybercafe. :)
::: First time to visit this blog? I know this blog entry is a bit too inane for you. If you want annoyingly serious stuff on this site, visit my library for a list of articles.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Blogging OFW community gets media mileage
Saturday, January 3, 2009
3
.
You see, I'm still totally clueless. I wanted to post the comment below on Ms Ellen Tordesillas, blog entry on the OFW Awards subject only to realize I had to be registered on WordPress to be able to do so. E paano na to, nasulat ko na comment ko, ilang minutes din yon. Lol. Post ko na lang sa sarili kong blog, link it to Ms Ellen's and hope she gets to read this. Ms Ellen is one highly respected and hard-hitting Filipino journalist. Here it is:
Hi, Ms Ellen!
It's good to know that even Ms Ellen Tordesillas would care to post the OFW Blog Awards. I heard about this event and thought it was something that the OFW blogging community cooked up simply to strengthen the community, for fun and all. And now I realize, after your post, that it is indeed a worthwhile endeavor to keep Pinoy expats connected. I have my own blog and I'm definitely a greenhorn in the blogosphere and for a while there I thought I was doing something inane, even stupid, until I began blog-hopping and found out there is a huge community out there of Pinoy expats keeping in touch with each other in cyberspace.
Have a good day, Ms Ellen!
You see, I'm still totally clueless. I wanted to post the comment below on Ms Ellen Tordesillas, blog entry on the OFW Awards subject only to realize I had to be registered on WordPress to be able to do so. E paano na to, nasulat ko na comment ko, ilang minutes din yon. Lol. Post ko na lang sa sarili kong blog, link it to Ms Ellen's and hope she gets to read this. Ms Ellen is one highly respected and hard-hitting Filipino journalist. Here it is:Hi, Ms Ellen!
It's good to know that even Ms Ellen Tordesillas would care to post the OFW Blog Awards. I heard about this event and thought it was something that the OFW blogging community cooked up simply to strengthen the community, for fun and all. And now I realize, after your post, that it is indeed a worthwhile endeavor to keep Pinoy expats connected. I have my own blog and I'm definitely a greenhorn in the blogosphere and for a while there I thought I was doing something inane, even stupid, until I began blog-hopping and found out there is a huge community out there of Pinoy expats keeping in touch with each other in cyberspace.
Have a good day, Ms Ellen!
::: THE PICTURE: If you don't love your wife's hair, you'll be in trouble. Smelling her hair is like sniffing fresh mountain air. Strands of her hair, however, are strewn all over our apartment now so I will have to ask her to wear something on her head when we move into our new house. That's years from now and it gives me enough time to persuade her about it. :)
::: First time to visit this blog? You'll get a better grasp of what all this rubbish is about if you check out my first few posts catalogued by my very own librarian.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Clueless in cyberspace
Friday, January 2, 2009
0
.
Call me clueless. Surprised to learn there are thousands of Pinoy expats who've occupied some good spots in blogosphere. And quite popular, to boot. Which gives me a bit of a push to blog on as I plod on with my work that I count on to pay for the condo unit that's been occupying me for more than a month now.
I've been wondering how much rubbish I'm depositing on the Net, talking about my personal goal and what I do to keep myself on track. If it's rubbish, then I'm not the only one. Got to contribute to the making of a mega mural made of rubbish on cyberspace. Lol. Forgive the negative language.
Some of them dish out interesting reads. Lost track of time one afternoon after hopping from one Pinoy expat blog to another, from Canada to Kuwait to Korea to Germany. Others are drowning in mushy stuff and pestering pontifications about how important we Pinoy expats are to the Philippine economy. Yahdah.
Point is: I'm here and let's see how long I can sustain this new-found diversion. You think I'm wasting my time on blogosphere?
Anyway, gotta look for the Energizer guy.
::: For this entry, I drew inspiration from the lively pages of these folks:
pininggapura
Culture something in Singapore
Kabayan Junction
In Germany, confessions
Brgy OFW -- what a name, sweet
Pinay sa Korea
Girl in Canada
Pangit in the States
::: First time to visit this blog? You'll get a better grasp of what all this rubbish is about if you check out my first few posts:
See if I made a purchase on impulse
Poor guy signs a cheque for 4million ++ pesos
Call me clueless. Surprised to learn there are thousands of Pinoy expats who've occupied some good spots in blogosphere. And quite popular, to boot. Which gives me a bit of a push to blog on as I plod on with my work that I count on to pay for the condo unit that's been occupying me for more than a month now.
I've been wondering how much rubbish I'm depositing on the Net, talking about my personal goal and what I do to keep myself on track. If it's rubbish, then I'm not the only one. Got to contribute to the making of a mega mural made of rubbish on cyberspace. Lol. Forgive the negative language.
Some of them dish out interesting reads. Lost track of time one afternoon after hopping from one Pinoy expat blog to another, from Canada to Kuwait to Korea to Germany. Others are drowning in mushy stuff and pestering pontifications about how important we Pinoy expats are to the Philippine economy. Yahdah.
Point is: I'm here and let's see how long I can sustain this new-found diversion. You think I'm wasting my time on blogosphere?
Anyway, gotta look for the Energizer guy.
::: For this entry, I drew inspiration from the lively pages of these folks:
pininggapura
Culture something in Singapore
Kabayan Junction
In Germany, confessions
Brgy OFW -- what a name, sweet
Pinay sa Korea
Girl in Canada
Pangit in the States
::: First time to visit this blog? You'll get a better grasp of what all this rubbish is about if you check out my first few posts:
See if I made a purchase on impulse
Poor guy signs a cheque for 4million ++ pesos
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Loneliest blogger
Thursday, January 1, 2009
4
(Continued from yesterday's blabber)
There are days though when I haunt myself with questions about the insanity of having to write blog entries when I have no idea whether there are readers out there who would bother to read stuff they most probably don't care about. I sometimes persuade myself to think that there are Filipinos like myself who might be in the same situation and would be glad to know that some other guy has a bigger problem. But really, I need to remind myself as well that I am blogging primarily to keep myself on track regardless of whether anyone gets to read my thoughts.
I've to admit, however, that a month of blogging has developed in me a thirst for interaction, which I could never get under the circumstances. I've visited a number of blogs that are so popular to the point that the blogger actually interacts with visitors and (this one surprises me most, me being so clueless about the blogosphere) friendships are created. How can two strangers actually become friends on the Net? Sabagay, a lot of desperate people (maybe not desperate, forgive me) have struck serious relationships over the Internet and these have blossomed into marriages.
Okay, where was I?
There are days though when I haunt myself with questions about the insanity of having to write blog entries when I have no idea whether there are readers out there who would bother to read stuff they most probably don't care about. I sometimes persuade myself to think that there are Filipinos like myself who might be in the same situation and would be glad to know that some other guy has a bigger problem. But really, I need to remind myself as well that I am blogging primarily to keep myself on track regardless of whether anyone gets to read my thoughts.
I've to admit, however, that a month of blogging has developed in me a thirst for interaction, which I could never get under the circumstances. I've visited a number of blogs that are so popular to the point that the blogger actually interacts with visitors and (this one surprises me most, me being so clueless about the blogosphere) friendships are created. How can two strangers actually become friends on the Net? Sabagay, a lot of desperate people (maybe not desperate, forgive me) have struck serious relationships over the Internet and these have blossomed into marriages.
Okay, where was I?
I want interaction on this space and I've got an idea how others have succeeded in it. But I simply don't have the time to do that. After all, this diversion isn't expected to earn extra.
But hey, a few days of trying to get some traffic to this site and maybe some interaction has taught a few petty things (I call them petty because, really, those are non-essentials to me) about blogging. Like I can install visitor counters and it's for free. Like how to install some buttons that allow readers to subscribe to my pages (again, as if anyone cares).
If you're reading this, break an egg on my head to wake me up from my delusion.
Or you can just tell why my entries simply don't connect with you.
.........................................................................................................
First time to visit this blog? You'll have a better idea of what this blabber is all about if you click on previous entries below.
whoawhoawhoa, wait.
Happy New Year!
But hey, a few days of trying to get some traffic to this site and maybe some interaction has taught a few petty things (I call them petty because, really, those are non-essentials to me) about blogging. Like I can install visitor counters and it's for free. Like how to install some buttons that allow readers to subscribe to my pages (again, as if anyone cares).
If you're reading this, break an egg on my head to wake me up from my delusion.
Or you can just tell why my entries simply don't connect with you.
.........................................................................................................
First time to visit this blog? You'll have a better idea of what this blabber is all about if you click on previous entries below.
whoawhoawhoa, wait.
Happy New Year!
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