Merry Christmas to Everyone!

Hey everyone!

It's almost Christmas! Only a few hours to go! Have you bought your gifts to your special someones? Me, I just barely made it! Whew if I may say so myself! There goes all the money haha!

Anyway, looking back, 2010 was a good year for me. I suffered major downers on the first half of the year, but eventually it got better – a lot better. I got a job, I'm already earning a quite modest amount, and most of all, I now have the power to make people around me happy in so many ways. And I thank God, my family, and the people around me for giving me such blessings in life – yes dear reader, that also includes you. Thank you for continued support to this blog. Tj's Daily wouldn't have made it without you all.

Finally, I doubt I'm going to be able to post later so I'll be saying this now:

Merry Christmas to everyone!

To the kids: Have you been good? I heard Santa and his Christmas elves are now preparing his around-the-world sojourn to give you your Christmas wish. He's going to leave the North Pole at around 11:40 I guess. You should be asleep by then. I know in my heart that you'll receive your gift. Just wait for it. =)

Have a joyous December 25th people of the world!

'Till my next installment.

(Photo by Smashingapps.com)

Exchange Gift Ideas Under P200 to P500 for an Office Christmas Party | Exchange Gift Ideas for Boys and Men

Recently at our office we did the usual Monito Monita Christmas routine - the raffling of employee names to other employees so they can exchange gifts.

The minimum amount set for our Christmas gifts was P200. We were then asked to write what we wanted that was around P200 on a piece of paper. That's when I thought, "What's a good exchange gift idea under P200 for an office Christmas party?"

Written below are my exchange gift ideas under P200 for office Christmas parties:

•Lottery Scratch Cards 

Costs P20 each. You can buy ten pieces of this. Exacts to the P200 peso mark. Who knows, your officemate might win P200,000 during your Christmas party.

•Hard Boy T-Shirts | Hard Boy Tees

This T-shirt brand is of good quality and sells for P100 at Divisoria. If your exchange gift partner is a male of slim body build, you can give him two pieces of this nice shirt. There's even a Hard Boy Polo Shirt that costs exactly P200. I approve. I own 10 shirts of this brand myself.

•Earphones/Headphones

Who can say no to earphones and headphones? You can check your local Comic Alley for earphones that cost P199. CD-R King also offers headphones and earphones that won't go past P200. Better yet, check out Land Mark Ayala. They sell a plethora of earphones and headphones there, 95% of which are under P200, plus the fact that they're very cool to look at too. Models include football earphones, basketball earphones, billiard ball earphones, a whole lot of other random models. 

•Food

Yes, food! You can gift your Monito or Monita with a 6-pack of those large fine cookie biscuits. I'd happily accept one myself.

•Gift Certificates

Why not? Every year end we receive lots of gift certificates from fellow office workers worth around P200 to P500 and I gotta say it helps a lot when we do our Christmas food shopping. I'm even thinking of purchasing turkey to be served on Christmas Eve. Perfect for mothers or young women aiming to help their families with the expenses. Here's to a lot of gift certificates coming this Christmas!

•Prepaid Cards

At least your officemate can enjoy a month's worth of prepaid cellphone load. Or if your exchange gift partner particularly likes playing online games (Ragnarok, Warrock, etc.) you can give him or her 2 pieces of P100 prepaid game cards specifically for the game that he or she is playing (make sure you don't get it wrong or else it'll be a major bummer). I guarantee you that the one you'll be gifting with this will be absolutely happy. 

So there you have it. My short but sweet list of exchange gift ideas under P200 to P500 for an office Christmas party. By the way, Christmas parties are gonna tide up for sure this coming week so better buy your stuff now. 

'Till my next installment.

What I Think of People Using Free WiFi at Malls and Food Chains

Have you ever been one to order a drink or a meal at Starbucks or Burger King (or any other establishment that offers meals or services in a "time is of the essence" situation for that matter) only to suddenly realize that there's nowhere to sit at because of all the laptop-using pricks occupying the tables, sitting their asses out on hours end while leeching away the free WiFi the establishment is offering even when their meal was finished centuries ago? I feel your pain. I feeeeeeel your pain.


Last Saturday, me and my girlfriend found ourselves enjoying the weekend at the SM Mall of Asia. Everything was fine. Until lunch time.

We went to Burger King at the lower level of the mall to eat lunch at around 2PM. Even after the peak of lunch time was over, there were still lots of guys and gals eating, chatting and surfing. All seats were occupied. So being the carefree couple we were, we were like "Yeah, after we order there's gonna be lots of seats available." Unfortunately, it didn't happen that way.

You see, after we received our meals, and as I was holding the tray, I looked around. To my dismay, the same folks who were sitting at the tables right after we got in the food chain were still there. It's like nothing happened, it's like nobody got up and left. And guess what, most of them were using - yes you guessed it right - laptops.

So, I walked around the chain slowly, making these inconsiderate laptop-using pricks around the area see me as I held the tray with a single hand (I didn't mind the people who were chatting with friends even after they were done eating. You'll see my point at the end of this post). I was like, maybe they'll realize that they've been sitting their asses out far too long and that we needed to have a seat to eat. But after all that slow-walking around, still no dice.

Anyway, we found a table - and the farthest table outside the chain too - where it was windy and dusty and where lots of people pass by. I don't like people staring at me and my girlfriend while we're eating. Do you? I don't like the people passing by sneezing while we're eating. Do you? And most of all, I don't like my hair getting messed up and blown by the wind. Hey, I'm a hair guy. What can I do? I mean, name me a guy who likes his hair getting messed up by the wind or by other people. You fix your hair for it to remain fixed and nice. You don't fix your hair so it would get messed up. If there's such a guy, I'd slap the bajeesus out of him myself.

So anyway, we decided to eat right there and then. We didn't have any better spot to eat at so what the hell. At least we got a table. Better something than nothing right?

So, as we ate, the wind kept blasting all our napkins, our burger wrappers, our mats, our french fry containers, my hair, our everything. I was cussing by myself because I was so irritated with them laptop freaks inside the chain. I was so irritated in fact that I eyed a couple of the laptop-using guys/gals who were at the other side of the chain (the outside and the inside were separated by window panes. I made sure they saw me eyeing them). I mean, all their burger wrappers were crumpled, all their soda cups were empty, and they have the nerve to stay for hours just to surf the net. Long story short, the same people who were using their laptops at the food chain were still there, surfing away, even after we were done eating, even after we stood up our seats and left. Me and my girlfriend lost what could've possibly been a nice memory.

And so the point of this post is, if you bring laptops to a mall with the sole intention of taking advantage of the free Wi-Fi it's offering:

1. You must be a very lonely person

Imagine, just to enjoy yourself at the mall, you bring your laptop along as your date. You'll sit your ass in a prime seat and order a single cup of Joe or a cup of ice cream and surf away in your laptop 'till Kingdom come. And even after you consume all your food and lots of other customers holding food trays looking for seats pass you by, you're like "I don't care mother******. My laptop and I are enjoying the free Wi-Fi." Poor you. Have you ever heard of manners and consideration? Guess not. You have friends? Guess not too.

2. You must be a very Internet-deprived person

In times like today, it's very hard to find a home without an internet connection. Well, you can - in the homes of our financially-unfortunate brothers and sisters. But hey, obviously you're not one of those unfortunate people. Well, you look good, you smell good, your hair's all prepped up, you got a PHP 20k laptop, aaaaaaand you don't have internet connection in your home? What? Are you kidding me? If that's the case, go somewhere when you can't disturb or irritate people that are looking for tables to eat at. We don't like you occupying that prime seat for hundreds of years because of your laptop.

If that's not the case, maybe you don't get to enjoy your internet at home. Maybe your parents are too strict with what you do on the internet. Ever heard of a PC rental cafe? Go there. You have the money. Don't irritate us. Our meals will get cold. We don't like you.

3. You must be a trying-hard jerk

There are people who own a genuinely expensive laptop. There are people who own a fairly-priced laptop. And then there are those people who make it look like their PHP 10k laptop is a PHP 50k laptop. These kinds of people, the poseurs, they irk me the most.

These are the kinds of laptop pricks who bring their cheap run-off-the-mill notebooks at coffee chains for the sake of bringing it and let other people notice it. These are the people that gratify themselves with other people's curiosity. They think like "Hey, that dude's looking at my laptop. I guess he's so poor he can't afford one. Lucky me, hehe." Well guess what: We're people who have notebooks and desktops with broadband internet connection in our homes and we don't bring them out on malls or food chains because we're here to enjoy ourselves and spend time with the people we love. Unlike you, we're people with social lives. We don't stick our faces in our PCs or notebooks to the point that you need to check your Facebook status every minute even when you're dining out. Honestly, it sucks to be you. And hey, wake up. You're done eating. Get outta here.

4. Your boyfriend/girlfriend doesn't love you

Kind of similar to #1. Let's take the couple we saw at Burger King as an example. The girl, even after she and her boyfriend finished eating, kept on pressing the keys on her bulky laptop. The guy was obviously bored and furious at her girl for being a laptop prick that he decided, with a mad face, to leave her girlfriend behind. He walked away and exited the chain, as simple as that. The girl? She didn't mind. She kept pressing the keys on her machine.

For these kinds of laptop pricks, I suggest you get a life. If you have do a life, live it properly. Me, I won't exchange my time with girlfriend with a computer unless it's important (i.e. I'll lose a hundred bucks if I don't deal with the matters at hand online immediately). Frankly, if you'd rather spend your time with your laptop than your boyfriend or girlfriend, go back to your basement and don't leave until like the end of the world. That way your boyfriend/girlfriend could look for somebody else to love.

5. You must be that kid cramming to meet project deadlines at school

Or maybe you're gathering resources for a really really difficult exam. Well, I understand. Certain people need to be in certain places and/or at certain moments to study effectively. But please, as much as possible avoid staying at food chains with high traffic (i.e. food chains with lots of people in it) because it's irritating. If you like studying at Bo's or at Starbucks, go ahead. No one's stopping you. Just make sure you're at Starbucks Tondo or Starbucks Mt. Apo or Starbucks Batanes. That way you're the only customer around, you'll disturb no one, no one will disturb you, and you can study effectively.

6. Your internet speed at home must suck so bad you download your games or music at food chains

Really? I mean, I've tried surfing using my PSP at establishments that offer free WiFi. It's not so great. With lots of people sharing the same connection, its a no brainer that the establishment's WiFi speed will decrease. One could be watching videos at YouTube, the other could be downloading files, the other one could be doing Facebook. I mean, add all those users up and you'll end up with speeds of something a little better than dial-up. If that's the case, why don't you do it at home then. You'll save the time and the effort of going to the establishment.

And then there's those establishments with really really reaaaaally fast WiFi even if there's lots of people sharing the same connection. Well, I hope your download will finish soon because if it ain't, you're gonna meet the sole of my shoe. Like I said, my meal's getting cold. Go outta here and buy yourself a proper ISP. That way you'll avoid being friends with the sole of my shoe.

7. You must be new to the magic we call WiFi

Honestly, everybody, at a point in their life, started out as noobs in WiFi. Before this WiFi thing reached Philippine shores, everybody only knew PLDT. Me, I was in the dark with this WiFi thing when it was still new (I read about it beforehand in online articles but I never knew how it really went because it was unavailable in the Philippines back in the day. You'll never really know something if you've just read about it. Application is always better than theories or reads).

So if you're a brother or a sister who's relatively new to the magic of WiFi, you're forgiven. I know you're amazed that your laptop can leech internet signals without cables and whatnot. I sure was. But please, as soon as you get well-acquainted with WiFi, don't overdo it or else you'll belong to one or more of the six categories above.


As I've said at the upper section of this post, I don't mind the people who're chatting away even after they're done eating. At least they're enjoying themselves with real people, with people that are special to them. I'd do the same thing if I was with a special someone or with my family. But if you're a laptop-using prick, we don't need you. I don't like you. I'm sure as hell other people don't like you too. Anyway, it ain't too late. You still have time to change. Leave your lappy at home if you don't have anything better to do with it aside from downloading stuff or Facebook-ing at a mall or at an establishment.

If you beg to disagree, I don't care.

'Till my next installment.

Saturday at Robinsons Galleria

This past Saturday was definitely one of me and my girlfriend's crazier days.

We started our day by competitively bowling with lots of Punongbayan & Araullo people, who were all dressed in blue shirts, at Coronado Lanes in Star Mall Shaw Boulevard. Lasted up to 12pm.

After that, we then decided to go to SM Megamall since my girlfriend wants to buy a new pair of rubber shoes for another sporting event of hers - volleyball. So okay, we went to SM Megamall to check their shoes out. Unfortunately, their shoes were either lacking the pink department or just a tad too big or small. We almost had the shoes my baby wanted - a pink Fila something - but alas, it was one size too small. This is where the Galleria comes in.

We rode a bus to Robinsons Galleria with their whole month sale in mind. We thought that maybe that same Fila pair would also be available in there, but for less. And when we got there, well what do you know. This Fila booth with guys and gals shouting "Hi ma'am/sir, try Fila" were selling the exact pink rubber pair of Fila my gal wanted, and what's more is its exactly her size! Nice eh? She bought it exactly for P999.00. But a note to Fila: Dump that "Try Fila" line would 'ya? It doesn't sound nice. It's scaring customers away.

So after that, we ordered lunch at Burger King. Two Whoppers please. Anyway, the thing I like about Burger King, aside from their burgers (which really taste like beef burgers. Yes, I'm looking at you Jollibee!), are their side-services. What I'm talking about are their free massages, free shoe-polishing, free PSP/whatever-gaming-device-you-have charging etcetera. This is the only fastfood joint in the nation that offers these services. I don't know if they offer free Wi-Fi though. But with all Robinsons Malls offering free Wi-Fi now (yes you read that right. Robinsons Malls are now offering free Wi-Fi!), who cares right? BKFTW.

Around two, we bought a pair of tickets to watch tadada! -Angelina Jolie's spy thriller Salt. At first I refused to watch the movie because we should have had watched that in Greenbelt courtesy of Nuffnang. The sad part is their alert e-mail arrived late resulting to me being cut off from the 70x3 ticket limit for the said movie. I hope next time them e-mails won't arrive late. Anyhow, we got seated in our seats around 2:45 PM. At first there were no people whatsoever, just the two of us (just the two of us, you and I). A few minutes later everyone started coming and suddenly the empty cinema was now teeming with life.

Fast forward to 5pm. The movie was over, my girlfriend and I were having the casual after-movie discussions when she spotted something on the ground. No, it's not a bag of weed. It's something even better - two hot tickets for Cinema 8, The Sorcerers Apprentice.

We were flabbergasted, confused even. We were placed in a "use-it-or-return-it-to-the-security-guard" situation. Right there and then we brainstormed. If we were going to surrender it back to the security guard, chances are he will be unable to find the original owners of the tix. Why? Because we walked back and forth for twenty minutes around the area looking for a couple who fits the profile of having lost something that's worth three hundred bucks. We were looking for a fighting couple, a sweating couple, a can't-describe-your-face couple. Why a couple? Because we found a pair of tickets. And The Sorcerer's Apprentice would probably pass for a movie date. Anyway, if the security guard doesn't find the original owners, he'll probably return it to the ticket booth or just use it himself or something. So after crossing that situation out, we decided to use the tickets ourselves.

We thought four times before eventually deciding to use the tix. Well, as a boyfriend, I know the pain and anguish of a derailed date plan all too well. Say, I plan for an expensive dinner but suddenly I dropped my wallet somewhere. Probably some heartless stoner would find it and think "Finders keepers." When the time to pay the bill comes, I reach out to my pocket and there's no wallet there. Eventually my girl would pay but the pain and shame and hurt is there. That's how I felt at that moment when we found the tickets. But seeing there's no use on crying on spilled milk, we cashed it in.

Fast forward to The Sorcerer's Apprentice. This was to be the second movie of our day. Me and my girlfriend were thinking of watching a double-movie a long time ago. Never thought it would come true all of a sudden, and for free.

Around 7:30pm, the movie was over. I was very dizzy. Came back to my senses a few short minutes later. It was to my pleasurable surprise that the once empty mall is now full of gorgeous Filipinas and Koreans! Once we got to the stream of people, gorgeous ladies were passing me by left and right. There was this overload. My girlfriend even pouted her lips pointing me to look at a Korean girl dressed in a very short skirt. I wanted ask her if she was lost or something. Anyway, she was whiteness and gorgeousness at 95%. What's 100% you say? My girlfriend of course. No, make that 1000%, because she's the most-gorgeousest-bestest-finestest lady you'll ever lay your eyes on. That's how you define an angel on Earth.

She rode the train home back to Heaven. I didn't want God to be mad on me for not returning her angel on time.

So, if you have read up to this point, congratulations. You have just finished a screed. Usually, people are afraid of walls of texts, but not you. So have you enjoyed reading my story? If so, tell me what you think about the lost tickets? Did we do the right thing? ;)

'Till my next installment.

P.S. My angel turns into a demon if she sees me eyeing (or licking[?]) another girl without her consent.

Garage Kitten | Garage Kitten climbs up a tree

Our choco-yellow-white colored garage kitten climbed up a tree in panic and sheer terror because of guard dog. See below:


Look how terrified it was. Minutes after I took this shot, this garage kitten jumped from its perch straight down the pavement, freefalling. Fortunately it didn't die.

It jumped back straight to the ground only to find out that our dog was waiting for it. The garage kitten fought our dog valiantly. I stood frozen in amazement because our dog, as huge as it may be, can't even lunge forward even though you could see the frustration on its face of not being able to attack the garage kitten properly. Never mind me. As much as I wanted to help the cat, I wasn't ready to become a chew toy yet.

The garage kitten climbed up again a second time. Only then did I chain our dog and tied it dutifully to a post. I wish I know how to climb a tree to pull that poor thing down. We also didn't have any tall ladders. Long story short, I waited for the kitten to find its way down. It did after 30 minutes or so.

Good new is that the garage kitten is alive. It didn't went unscathed, it was rapidly trembling, but still it's alive. Maybe cats really do have 9 lives to go by.

FYI, there's no name for that garage kitten yet. Maybe you could suggest a name in the comment box below. I don't want to call it Mocha or Choco or Vanilla again. Sheeesh.

'Till my next installment.