Door to Door Delivery

One of my hobbies is collecting books. I love books so much, that sometimes I don’t eat lunch so that I can save enough money to buy them. Then it all change because of Ebay Philippines! Because of this wonderful site. I was able to buy books at will! The prices are very reasonable, and the sellers deals with you in a most professional manner. Buying any product is no big deal in Ebay. Delivery is another matter.

Every time I won an item; I opted to have the item delivered right to my doorstep. of course COD is allowed even meet-ups. But because of my work I would opted for the delivery because of its convenience. I would pay the seller via GCash or deposit the payment in their bank accounts then wait a day or two and you the item.

There are some great couriers out there and one of them is JRS Express. I bought a book about a month ago in ebay. After I paid the seller, the seller went to their local JRS Express office and had the book delivered to me. It was arranged on a Saturday afternoon. I received the book on Sunday afternoon. Now that what you call quality service.

Then there’s LBC “Ang Hari ng Padala” (“The King of Delivery”) truly they deserve the nickname because. I always get my packages on time.

Then there’s 2GO. Beware of this company. Their may have a flashy name, but it’s all glitter. I have experience 3 deliveries from this company and only one is successful, yes my friends only one as “1″ only one successful delivery to my address. The first delivery was done about a year and a half ago. It was successful on time and the delivery guy was pleasant. The last two I think were handled by morons who doesn’t know how to read, or just simply lying through their teeth. First was a book that I was really counting on reading that weekend. I waited and I waited….. and waited for nothing. Finally I had to call the seller of the item so that they can do a follow up. You know what the 2Go Customer service agent said? “A delivery was attempted, but there was no one by my name that lives on that address.” Wow! I was so angry with their reasoning that I called their customer service and gave them an earful. I then ask that the item be delivered to the nearest outlet so that I can pick it up. I was waiting on a Saturday and I got the book Wednesday Afternoon. So much for relaxing with a good book on a weekend. Then the most recent one. I waited again in vain. I called their so called customer service and got the same reason. I was really angry, again the same reason. I told the lady at the other end of the line that the reasoning was very impossible! Why? Because I’m the only person in that street who has the name “Dennis” and the my wife’s relatives live in the same street. 85% of the homes there are occupied by my wife’s relatives so it’s very impossible to say that the addressee is non-existent. So once again, I opted for the item to be delivered in their nearest outlet so that I can pick it up. They promise that I can pick it up tomorrow in the afternoon. But with the level of intelligence of this company’s employees I doubted it.

There’s a reason why it’s called “Door to Door delivery” Sadly 2GO doesn’t know what it means.

Start Trek: Fictional Science at its Best

Star Trek has been with us for decades. It started in 1966 and even though TOS (Star Trek: The Original Series) was canceled after it’s third season it has a fan base that is still going strong even today. The Original series was also the foundation for 4 spin off series, an animated series and 10 full length films as of last count. The eleventh movie is due to be release on May next year.

In all Star Trek related shows the Captain is the most noticeable, and most recognizable character in all of it’s reincarnations. There’s was:

Christopher Pike played by Jeffrey Hunter. Although short lived and only showned during the 1st Pilot episode, he is notable because he is part of the Star Trek Canon and if you have seen “The Cage” or “The Menagerie” you’ll see that his part of the canon is well deserved.

James T. Kirk played by Canadian William Shatner. He was the most well known Captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 through NCC-1701-A.

Jean-Luc Picard of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D and E. Who was introduced in Star trek: The Next Generation. He was played by Shakespearian actor Patrick Stewart.

Benjamin Sisko played by Avery Brooks. Captain of the Space Station Deep Space Nine. The first African-American to have a lead role in the franchise.

Kathryn Janeway played by Kate Mulgrew. She was the first female to get a lead role in the franchise.

And then there was Jonathan Archer. captain of the NX-01 the first star ship to bear the name. He was played by veteran television actor Scott Bakula.

Nearly all episodes of any spin-off will deal with the captain. In fact only few episodes that were shown revolves around the first officer or other character. But it seems logical because on a ship that’s out to sea, or an airplane the captain is the one who makes almost all of the decisions that needs to make that particular vehicle on shape, whether during the time of peace or war.

Of course who can forget those other characters like Will Riker, DATA, Seven of Nine, Worf, Neelix and many others.

And Star Trek deals with almost all kinds of situation that can either make you laugh, cry or shake in fear. Star Trek has triggered my imagination so many times that having no Star trek in TV since “Enterprise” was canceled is a little bit unnerving at first. Thank God for DVD. Science fiction has piqued the interest of many people. Star Trek showed that science fiction has a place in our daily lives. Too bad there are some people who are comparing it with Star Wars which has entirely different view and story line. Star Trek has given us some breath taking, piss in your pants season finale’s that will make you wish that the new season will be shown tomorrow (“Mr. Worf, fire!). Although Star Trek hype isn’t that big here in the Philippines, Fans can’t wait for the new movie, they also can’t wait if a new T.V. Series will be shown.

Contant Change

I remember during the 80’s, when the month of June starts its approach, you can always bet on the weather being cool and downcast. Rains would start to fall starting mid-May and from then on it will rain constantly. It was the signal that the new school year is about to start and summer will just be part of your memory. Rains would pour down almost everyday of the week and most of all you can guarantee that the school calendar would somehow will be upset because of the inevitable typhoon that will surely visit the country. That was then.

I remember during Christmas season, the weather would be cold that you can wear a sweater all day without getting sweaty, Early morning mass would start at 4 am, and apart from the sweater you still need a jacket just so you can go out and walk to church. People were not in a hurry then, after going to church, they can still walk home and enjoy a good breakfast and then get ready for the office. I remember my dad who was working in Makati during that time. He would ride the then famous “Love Bus” at exactly 7:30 am and arrived at Ayala Ave. in under 45 minutes. There were no fly-overs then. But traffic was so light, that the only way you can be late for work is if you planned to be late that day. I think my Dad’s salary back then was 4 Grand a month. 4 Grand and it can provide food, shelter (We rent an apartment) and education and a weekly Brunch in Greenhills Shopping Center. My mom doesn’t even saw the need for her to work. Now I’m earning close to 320 Grand a year about 24 Grand a month and it can’t even cover some bills at home, and my wife’s working as well.

I remember my first car. A 1972 Mitsubishi Lancer. I can go anywhere with it. I got as a gift from my dad during the mid 90’s as a gift for having my first job. I remember only having 500 pesos in my pocket, and I will fill the car with 100 pesos worth of fuel, and that will give me about 10.5 liters of gas since my car wasn’t a gas hog. I can go all over the Metro with my friends eat at a good fast food chain, and watch a movie. Hell I can even go on a date with only 500 pesos in my pocket and me and my date can go and eat anywhere. Now if you have 500 pesos and you have bring your car, 350 of your 500 won’t even give you 5 liters of gas, your 150 will only be enough for a Big Mac meal in McDonald’s and you only have 30 pesos in your pocket, at least you still have some money for a pack of cigarettes. That is if you smoke.

Change is every where and we just can’t stop change. As Jose Mari Chan’s song goes “Life is a Constant Change”. Change is good somehow. It teaches how to be grateful, of the things we had before, and be thankful that our situation is not as worst as others. It teaches us not to take things for granted and how we should cherish each and every minute of our lives. And teaches us to be grateful to God. It teaches us how to pray. It teach us humility. Remember in life “There’s no rewinding, and there’s no replay”

Constant Change

by Jose Mari Chan

We’re on the road
We move from place to place
And oftentimes when I’m about to call it home
We’d have to move along
Life is a constant change…

The friends we know we meet along the way
Too soon the times we share form part of yesterday
‘Cause life’s a constant change
And nothing stays the same, oh no

Clouds that move across the skies
Are changing form before our very eyes

Why couldn’t we keep time from movin’ on?
Hold on to all the years before this moment’s gone?
Why must we live the days at such a frightening pace?

We’re all like clouds that move across the skies
And changing form before our very eyes

Have we outgrown our Peter Pans and wings?
We’ve simply grown too old for tales of knights and kings
‘Cause life’s a constant change
And nothing stays the same, oh no