1. I am always feeling anxious lately. I feel the need to visit the church or chapel, not attend mass, so as much as I can, I swing by adoration chapels or churches before going to the office or before I go home. Not in a church with an on-going mass. It feels more peaceful when there are no other people, or no priest celebrating mass. Most of the time I don’t feel enlightened after listening to a priest’s sermon. They talk and talk lengthily without actually connecting with the parishioners. Dapat simple lang ang sermon and one that is attuned with the times. Huwag na yung panahon nung parting of the red sea. Dapat diretso na lang ang sermon. Yan naman talaga ang purpose. To lecture. So keep it straight and simple. Examples: Huwag kayong magnakaw. Huwag mandaya ng kapwa. Kayong mga lalaki, huwag nyong kalantariin yung mga maids nyo, secretaries, masahista, manikurista, etc. Mga misis, tigilan nyo mga drivers, security guards or bodyguards nyo. Kayong mga kabataan, maging magalang sa inyong mga magulang, iwasan ang droga, huwag magpauto sa mga kabarkada, etc.
2. I lighted four candles for my son, Oyen, Edmund and I.
3. I had lunch by myself in Fire Lake Grill. I took home one order of tuna salad, one order of beef salad, and one order of angel hair pasta with grilled prawns. For two days no one touched the food so on the third day, I ate two pieces of prawns and 3/4 of the pasta and the next day Oyen took the 1/4.
4. I didn’t attend the Ash Wednesday mass held at Makati Ford. I arrived an hour late. Makikipahid na lang sana ako nung ash.
5. Aling Tinola’s husband had a stroke. I was giving her two weeks vacation to be with him or even longer but after three days she was back.
She’s actually not poor, they own hectares of land, but I think working in Manila is more of an escape from her responsibilities as a wife and mother. Many women work away from home because they savor the independence. By sending their families money takes away whatever guilt they would feel for leaving their families behind.
6. I went around the service area in Makati, just checking. While I was standing beside the security guard, I noticed there was a guy inside the service area, He didn’t look like an employee. I asked the guard who was that, he said customer daw nagpa bomba daw ng gulong kasi malambot.
I told the guard di ba bawal sa customer pumasok dito.
While I was about to go back to the showroom area, I noticed a young girl, must be 10 – 12 coming out of the service area, holding a bottle of family size coke with water. Parang namalikmata ako. Saan galing yun? Eh bawal nga sa loob ang outsiders. Baka maipit pa sila ng sasakyan, mabagsakan ng mga bakal, madulas sa langis, etc.
When I asked the security guard on duty why he was allowing outsiders free access, at first his alibi was he didn’t see the girl enter because he left his post to get the car keys. I got pissed. I couldn’t control my inis, I told him, “guard, nagsisinungaling ka sasapakin kita”.
Then I asked “ano’ng ginawa nya sa loob?” The guard said “kumuha ng tubig”. I thought of assigning a retired Philippine marine officer to assist the guard daily but the guy may not be the right fit.
7. I was walking in the hallway leading to the service lounge when I saw another security guard about to enter the toilet that has a big sign on the door FOR CUSTOMERS ONLY. “Guard, saan ka pupunta? Ang laki-laki ng karatula For Customers Only. Sa susunod na makita ko kayo pumasok dyan tatanggalin ko kayo lahat.” I talked to their chief. “Bantay salakay kayo, kailangan pa kayong bantayan, wala kayong malasakit at respeto.” After that day, every time I enter the main door, the chief would give his standard salute but he doesn’t look at me, he looks at the floor. BAka masermonan na naman.
8. I was walking to the door when I saw a very young looking boy wearing a security guard uniform. I called him “gwardya ka ba dito? Ilang taon ka na? Napakabata mo pa.” Twenty years old daw sya.
I asked him if he has a gun, if he has ever worked before as a security guard, if he underwent training, etc. Of course the answers were no.
I went back to my office fuming mad and instructed our HR assistant to contact the president of that security agency to tell him ” Sabihin mo ayoko ng makita dito yan, ang bata-bata pa, baka tayo pa ang magtanggol dyan. Train him first and send him back to us pag trenta anyos na.”
9. I told my husband that I think as I get older, instead of becoming more patient, I am becoming violent. Gusto ko ngang sapakin yung guard. One of the P.A’s has the habit of borrowing money from me while we’re in the vehicle, running. Mam, pahiram muna ng limangdaan. Mam pahiram muna ng isang libo, isoli ko din. Mam pahiram muna ng dalawang libo. Nasasanay. Madalas I don’t even remember that he owed me money. Nainis na ako so I warned him. ” O eto, isoli mo sa akin yan kung hindi bubugbugin kita.” Eh sundalo eto, isang ihip lang sa akin tatalintaw na ako. Ganyan ako ngayon, pagnaiinis ako, gusto kong mambugbog o kagatin na lang sa leeg.
