Since September 23 falls on a Thursday (weekend here) then Wednesday (September 22) will be a holiday in observance of Saudi National day.  We, in the hospital are all forced to file our leaves except for those staff who are on–calls.   A day will be automatically deducted from our accrued balances as per circular memo so we have to use it.  Hmmm… this will be a great bonding time for my family since my 2 children will be arriving tonight aboard Philippine Airlines.  They will stay for 10 days only just enough to renew their about to expire iqamas (residency permit).

We’ve  just returned to work after our  7 days Ramadan Eid holidays and barely a week, we have to rest again!   The present Saudi Arabian ruler King Abdullah pushed for reform of his deeply conservative country and upon his decree, September 23 was declared official holiday.  We believe that King Abdullah had this modern approach in ruling his country. The National day celebration is getting more colorful and public and private sectors employees are getting paid day off.

For sure, we will be enjoying left and right shopping (if our budget will allow) for most items will be up for 50% sale.

Very good!

Since “ber” months had ushered in,  many are already comparing notes of possible Christmas gifts to give to a loved-one.  I’ve overheard a lively conversation on how to be in vogue.   The ladies were discussing that these days it is no longer enough to coordinate your clothes, bags, shoes and belts,  but your laptops and smart phones as well along with their covers!   It is a fact, that these electronic sidekicks  (cellular phones, MP3, ipods, laptops ) already have become extension of our lives and we highly depend on them.   We have considered it as indispensable tools.

Nowadays,  ” fashionistas” are called such not only on the style of the clothes they wear but the gadgets they own.   And oftentimes, to become trendy,  it is  not what we wear but rather what model we’ve got.

Technology is evolving in such a rapid pace that trends seems to change from one season to another.   My children casually mentioned about Apple’s iPad and iPhone 4 but I did not paid much attention to it because I don’t have plans to buy them those gadgets.   But I’ve heard that those gadgets have become this season’s must have.

I was somehow intrigued and did my own  research.  I found out “what’s hot” and “what’s not.”

IN                           OUT

laptop with skin plain without cover!

smart phones                    all other phones

Dotties cover                         hard plastic cover

High Perf. headsets            Standard earplugs

Funky USB’s                       Corporate USB”s

Oh well, I am definitely in the “out” list.   I am not much into gadgets.

I got a call from a friend an hour ago updating me of his plans to revive “Mabuhay” Toastmasters Club where my husband and I were a member of.  The club ceased to hold its weekly meeting when most members got so busy with their respective works and with their other committments.  The dwindling membership and attendance affected the club’s operation and saw it’s “death” early part of this year.   However, a well-meaning friend , a dentist Dr. Delfin decided to bring back life to the club by calling all members to once more join and participate.   We did responded to his call and signed up a reinstatement Membership form and the club will be in action again starting this Friday.    We have to give justice to the name “Mabuhay” which means “Long Live”!

We learned and appreciated the art of public speaking through this club so we are supporting it.  Although, we are busy but we promised that we will find time to attend just so we can contribute the skills we have acquired during our active years in Toastmastering.

I am already a CTM (Competent Toastmasters) and would love to target the DTM ( Distinguished Toastmasters Category ) hopefully.  Self improvement…

You bet!  Our cafeteria is buzzing these days with discussion about the hostage drama in the Philippines.  We, Filipinos somehow were so saddened by this tragedy and embarrased and angered by the cold blooded behaviour of the disgruntled police officer, Rolando Mendoza.  Lunch break became a lively discussion on how incompetent the police in handling such crisis.  It rattled the Philippines and it raised questions about the police ability to deal with hostage-takers.   It was reported that 8 Hongkong tourist were killed despite the hope that negotiations could bring the standoff to a peaceful conclusions.    But it failed!

Now, that the Hongkong government had issued a warning against travel to the Philippines and requested tourist still in the country to return home, we were telling our lunch buddies who are scheduled to tour Hongkong to cancel their vacation.   We were telling them not to take the risk, but of course we were just joking!  However, they were hoping that by the time they will go on tour, people had already  gotten over the news. 

So, we are expecting a busy cafeteria in the next few days….

If there is bad news.. definitely there will be good news.  The hostage taking incident that happened in Manila which involved a disgruntled police officer  and  ended into a bloody drama was a major event!  While  Ms. Venus Raj,  the  Philippines representative to this year’s Miss Universe pageant may have failed to get the coveted crown, but left something for the whole world to remember — the term “major major.”   Due to it’s sudden popularity, Venus Raj became the hot topic across the globe.   Probably out of nervousness, during the Miss Universe question and answer portion, Venus was asked about the biggest mistake that she made in her life and what she did to make it right.

This is her reply, “You know what, sir, in my 22 years of existence, I can say that there’s nothing major major problem that I’ve done in my life because I’m very confident with my family, with the love that they are giving to me. So thank you so much that I’m here. Thank you, thank you so much!”

She became the fourth runner-up after the question and answer portion.  A major event for us Filipinos to celebrate and to be proud of.   She will continue to gain popularity as everybody seems to be talking about Venus.

Will the word “major major” will have the same fate as jejemon.. the country’s ”Word of the year”  Well, that remains to be seen!

Lucky 13!  Contrary to superstitions,  today, Friday the 13th brought good news to my blogger son for his best entry to Samsung Super One Blogger contest.   He bested a hundred blog entries for his work Super One talking about his girlfriend.  I think he was a run away winner (of course, I am his proud Mom).  He veered from the usual pattern of blogging instead he spiced it up with a cute animation which I believed made him the winner.  He is a genius!  I trust it’s the genes….

Well, we are so happy for him eventhough it was pretty obvious I am no longer the first priorty in his life.   I am now the second best because there is now a  Super one in his life.  But, he drew his good inspiration from her so we let him be.   

I hope he will give up his old cellphone and pass it on to his sister Kukay whose phone was stolen few months back. 

So, there’s a smiling lucky guy at this moment!  Bravo!

Since it’s Thursday and we are off from work, I decided to be the perfect homebody that I could be.  I started clearing away unnecessary papers , decluttering our shelves of unwanted files.  I saw hundreds of loose pictures that needed to be stored in the album.  However, album seemed to be not common nowadays, with the advent and proliferation of digital cams, pictures can alreay be stored in CD’s.    I believe that digital cameras had almost killed the film industry.   I already stored my regular camera using a photosensitive paper (film) that usually is sent to a film lab for developing.  Now, I had gone modern already and is using a digital camera that will save the picture onto a flash memory card.   Point , pose and shoot and you can already view the images when downoaded to a computer.

My digital compact camera is very handy”a point-and shoot camera”which is in my bag all the time.   There are wide range of digital cameras in the market depending on what you want.  My daughter who is taking up Multi Media Arts and Sciences is using a larger (and more expensive) digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR).  It is more complex than what I am using.   There are higher end digital cameras but I don’t think I will go for it.   I know it requires training and passion for such cameras. 

The film industry I believe is almost phased out and most likely bulky photo albums will no longer be a sight in the living rooms.   Now, pictures can be viewed and posted in Facebook, Friendster, Twitter, etc  for our close friends to view.

What I need to do with those pictures are just to scan them &  saved onto hard disks and CD’s before they fade away.  I need to preserve them for the next next generation to see.

…that is Ramadan..  In observance of and out of respect for the Ramadan period, we non-Muslims are reminded to refrain from eating, drinking and smoking in the presence of Muslims.   Once the crescent moon is sighted (as we were told) our Muslim brothers will start their fast.  I,  for one have high regards to them who do self purification through fasting.  It is intended to teach Muslims the virtue of patience and humility.  

We non-Muslims will respect their observance of the Holy Ramadan month.  It might be hard for us not to eat or drink publicly but that will test  too our patience.  It will be a month of self sacrifice and the best time for us also to re-assess our lives ,refrain from everyday evils and practice self restraint.  I trust that we should all be doing it all throughout- self purification and not only during the month of Ramadan.   God will be more than pleased!

Ramadan Kareem!

Plastic or cosmetic surgery are no longer a hush, hush thing.   Nowadays, procedures are done publicly with media exposure like the recent news about Charice Pempengco receiving Botox and Thermage treatments  in Belo Medical Clinic.  It has stirred up controversy worldwide as there were questions raised whether a teenager should be undergoing cosmetic procedure.  I believe that a plastic surgeon for that matter could explain better why people have to go to that extent.  In Charice’s case, because she is a public figure, I think unintentionally she had given wrong signal for full -facedto individual to come to the conclusion that having a full face is something that needs correcting.  Well, let us not dwell so much on what she did.  Let us just respect whatever her reasons are.  She will make us proud once more because she will be part of the Glee Season 2 appearance this fall as I’ve read.   Good luck on her Glee debut.

On the other hand, as they say, to each his own… I hope my daughter Kukay will not approach me one day and convinced me that she needed the procedure Charice has undegone – Botox to make her naturally round faced narrower, because she too is full-faced.

We can still call it luck although not very lucky!  Why?  Remember,  I wrote that my in-laws from Canada  also came home for my mother in law’s burial?  They were picked up from the airport and are supposed to use the van of an aunt who will accompany them all the way to the province.  But due to mechanical failure on the way,  they had no choice but to take a public bus instead to avoid further delay.  But for heaven’s sake!  After almost 4 hours of travel and halfway to their destination, a bus drama unfold.  Group of 4 young men announced a bus hold up that send some passengers stunned and in panic.  Luckily, my in laws who were seated at the middle section of the bus, still had the chance to discreetly hide some of their valuables while those armed men were busy divesting other passengers of their belongings who mostly are balikbayans. Quite lucky, only a wallet and cellphone were taken from them unlike others in the front row who was caught by surprise  gave away their bags with their hard earned money.

Speculations went around that somebody might have tipped those men that a particular bus is loaded with balikbayans. It is not a far fetched idea.  On lookers or spotters are roaming in bus stations identifying people whom they believe to be a good catch and all they have to do is call or text the bus name and number and the cohorts will wait for their would be victims.  Scary! Times are hard so beware and take extra care.   Especially if you just came from abroad and will travel by bus to the province.  Those luggage alone will send off clear signal that you are indeed with money.   Most of the time, it paid off to be simple and discreet.

Sad, very sad!