My Pet Peeves

A pet peeve (or pet hate) is a minor annoyance that can instill great frustration in an individual.

there are some things that a person can do that can greatly annoy the person or next to him. But the thing is, the same action that can be annoying to some, can be ok to the next person, Here’s a list of my pet peeves, things that can really blew me through the roof:

Price tags – I hate price tags that the stores use to stick on their products. Specially on new books. I hate readung books with the price tags on, so I try to scrapped at until it’s all gone, it will leave a stickey residue so I make sure I wipe it all off before continuing with my reading.

Big bites – You’re eating a sandwich, and a friend of yours will ask you “Pakagat naman.” (“can I have a bite?”) Of course as filipinos we would offer it to them as if everything is fine, which is! But what’s really bugging me is the size of their bites. I have a schoolmate who would ask for a bite of my sandwhich, every day and he would take an enormous bite into my sandwich as if his mother hasn’t fed him in years and leave with you with a small portion. Related to this is when your in a restaurant and you order one thing and your friend orders another thing. The food arrives and you start eating then your companion, would pierce a piece of something from your plate then say “Patikim ha” (MAy I try it?) Breeding is not only for dogs people.

Jeepney Drivers with one way hearing – You may have experience this yourselves. Your riding a jeepney and you hand your fare to the driver. everythings going all right, the trips is ok. Then you ask for your change and the driver will ignore you, ask again and still nothing. You shout on the top your lungs and then that’s the time he’ll hand you your change. This can also happen when you’re trying to get off the jeepney. Same mechanics here.

Nosy Neihgbor – There’s always a person in your neighborhood that really annoys you. The one that will ask the Fed ex guy what’s in the box he’s delivering to you. I mean if murder is not punishable by l;aw. I could’ve killed someone.

Lazy office mates – I worked in a call center and there are times that the queue is to high that you can’t even have a break. There’s always this one person who will go to the restroom very frequently, sometimes after each and every call. So instead of diminishing the queue, it will just worsen. Why don’t he/she go home, and let us do our jobs.

Mother’s who spank their kids when they trip – I seen this numerous times. You;ll see a mother with a kid in tow. And for no reason the kid would trip, the mother istead of comforting the child would spank the kid, and shout something like “Ang lampa mo namang, lechce ka!” (You clumsy fool) for good measure. Why bring the kid along if you can’t stand him tripping all the time.

Noisy People in movie theaters – Your in the middle of the movie’s climax and then you’ll hear someone whisper “He’s gonna get killed here.” or a cellphone would ring and instead of turning off the the phone that person will answer it, talk to person on the line talking in a very low voice, but you still hear them. Why don’t you go out for awhile, you knumnuts!

People who can’t afford motels – still there are couples would enter the cinema then go to the last row and make out. Kissing, hugging and all, the worst that I seen is there’s no place at the back row, sit beside or in front of you, then make out like there’s no tomorrow. Some people may enjoy this, but I find it distracting. Hey! you can’t help looking at them. Human nature!

Listening music on their IPod’s with the volume at high levels – DO I really have to describe it?

Actors/Actresses singing on T.V. – This applies to an actor or actress, who can’t carry a tune, can’t hum then try to sing on T.V. because it’s their birth day or something, Example: Alma Moreno and German Moreno both are guilty.

There’s many more but, I think this is enough. It just goes to show us, that’s our world and it’s inhabitants are not perfect.

Typhoon “Frank” the Scourge of Malabon

Last Sunday, I got off work at exactly 3 pm and hurriedly went home to my family. Typhoon “Frank” is blasting the country and I live in the “Flood Capital of the Philippines” – Malabon. I was glad that the trains on the LRT’s running because its operation was suspended early that morning because it was an elevated train and they operators were afraid that the train would roll over because of the high winds, and being on an elevated track has added risk factor. So when I stepped in the train to take me to Monumento I said a prayer of thanks, I’m anxious to get home because electricity was turned off at 5 am that morning and hasn’t been restored yet by that time. My wife texted me a grocery list because flood waters has already reached our patio. So when I reached Monumento I was stunned to see the Mall connected to it close. I never saw that place closed at 4 pm so it was a real surprise for me. As I walk on, I started formulating plans on where to go next just in case I don’t see the any open stores in that area. then I saw a group of people walking through the side entrance of the mall. “What’s this?” I asked myself. I approached the door and asked the security guard if the grocery was open. I breath a sigh of relief to find out that the mall is closed but the grocery is open for business. Thank God! I hurriedly got the items and pay for them. then ran out of the store crosses the road for a jeepney ride to Malabon. I felt at ease at least the situation’s not so bad, otherwise I won’t get a ride home. Unfortunately the driver has other plans. The driver stopped at a point were it would take me 20 minutes to walk home in sunny weather. So I complained and he told me that the roads going to our place is flooded already up to the waist line, and they just can’t go on otherwise his jeepney will be damaged. So I get off I really can’t blame him. At least I’m closer to home. I rolled up my pants and decided to wade in the water, because I will be Damned if I pay 75 pesos for a human powered tricycle to reached home. Then I saw it! I thought it was a monster, it was a military amphibian vehicle and they are giving free rides to my area. Hallelujah I ‘m saved! The vehicle was massive. it’s height is at least 20 feet (I may be wrong, I didn’t have tape measure) and its tires were huge! “No flood, can stop that.” I thought.

So I climbed the ladder and got on board, there were no seats available so I was forced to stand and get wet (Are we not men?) As the vehicle move I saw for my self the devastation the typhoon ha brought. floods as high as the waist line, and some people who lived in that area have their belongings wrapped in plastic bags and tried to walk to the end of town because the waters are much lower there. The fish ponds are no longer fishponds, the dividing markers between the pond and the roads have been swept away, and the waters claimed the pond. Free fish for those who can catch it! And even though there was a calamity I can see some people waving at us on the amphibian, some are waivng to the camera as GMA 7 was also on board and shooting off reports. You really can’t break the Filipino spirit that easily. I reached my town and get off the vehicle. I flagged down an tricycle (foot powered, mind you) and tried to guess how high the floods near my house. There were no floods! the roads turned into a river. the water was about knee deep and I swear I saw fishes swimming (remember the fish ponds?) It’s a good thing that I took off my shoes as soon as I got on the pedicab and rolled my pants because there’s just no way for me to go home without going home, not unless I’m Captain Marvel and fly. I was tired, wet and hungry as I reached home.

The first thing I heard was my son, waiting for me. “Dad!” I smiled he was sitting by the window, looking at me with a hugh smile. I don’t feel tired anymore, who could be with that kind of reception. My wife was there, terribly relieved I got home. Dinner was waiting. As I sat down to eat I gave a short prayer of thanks. There’s hope after all.