Side quests

I don't need a new jacket.

I don't need a new smart watch.

I certainly don't need a new badminton racket? haha

I'm starting to hate my red uniqlo jacket because the color has faded a lot ever since we started adding colorsafe bleach to the laundry. How ironic. We've stopped doing that since. My gym shorts have also faded significantly because of the habit.

Do I need a new smart watch? I just went back to using my old analog watch because I'm starting to hate having to charge my fitbit every now then. But what I actually hate is the charging clip. It's hard to find an angle that's conducive for charging. And I've replaced the charger multiple times. Also cleaned the charging pins. Beats me. But hey, it's been a good few days without it. I realized I don't really care about my steps that much, and my sleep too. Those are things you just have to feel for yourself. 

Wasn't there a time when we didn't obsess over step count and sleep quality? I miss those times. If I wanted to walk I'll just walk. Then I'll look at my watch to see how much time has passed. No timers, no GPS, no hurry. Then I'll go home, eat well, shower, maybe read, then sleep. My have we complicated things too much these days.

So yeah, maybe this is an effort to reduce distractions. Or maybe replace it with more productive ones. Like writing, or reading, or drawing. Anything but doomscrolling.

I'm babbling.

Let's get to yesterday the other day. I really wanted to talk about how HECTIC yesterday the other day was. 

So we have a big steak order. A surprise one actually. Because it came from the same person who ordered our first big batch (15 steaks). We didn't get any form of feedback from him the last time so we thought that was the end of it. But wow, not two months in and he wanted 20 steaks this time! We had to preorder his steaks cos our inventory was running low so it took 3 days to fulfill his order. We were also short by 4 steaks cos our butcher ran out of Picanha.

Anyway. Yesterday was delivery day. My plan was clear. Since Jec is going to the office and bringing the car with him, I had to do everything by myself. We've prepared the ice blocks, styro box, and labels beforehand. I knew I had enough time because the cutoff at the station is 7pm, and the bus leaves 8pm.

Here come the side quests...

I was in the middle of showering when Koomi knocked on the balcony. Indicating he needed to poop. I rush taking a shower and attended to him. Then I realized we're out of wet wipes! So I had to get one from the storage closet. No big deal really except there's a chance Koomi might follow me in the house and spread poop droppings cos he's having diarrhea. Good thing he didn't follow me inside! Whew! One down!

Next side quest. Earlier that noon someone ordered 5 steaks. So we weighed them and sent the total and asked for their preferred MOP. I gave our bank QR, but they requested for bank details instead because her boss doesn't have online banking daw. This is usually a red flag for us as we have experienced someone faking a proof of payment and demanding a refund because they didn't send the correct amount daw lol. So yeah, we still sent our bank details but we're not expecting anything from this.

Now it's around 3pm. I attended to a little something at work then resumed to setting up the big order. I was readying the ice and the styro when Jeckie called and asked if I have received the payment. What payment? Turns out the "scammer" really went to the bank to pay and sent us a deposit slip. Wow. I checked my bank account and the money was there. Unbelievable. And I'm saying this in fascinated surprise because all the red flags were there. Asked for a bank account instead of QR, no access to online banking daw, the inquiry didn't even come from our ad placement, it's organic, the order was already sure from the start, and it was pretty big too.

Anyway, wow! Thank you Lord! But now I have to rush packing this one first and make sure to dispatch it asap because I have another order to pack and it's been raining so hard! So I packed, did the labels, and booked a ride. Thank goodness I got a rider in no time. So I went down and handed the package and that was done. It was still raining mind you and I was so sticky when I got back up.

Alright now onto the main quest. I thought it was gonna be easier this time because we made much more ice and even made bigger blocks. But now my challenge was trying to fit the blocks because the lid wouldn't close haha so I had to bash the bigger blocks to make everything fit. My hands were burning from the cold but I was so proud of my masterpiece, look!

I made sure to fill the whole box this time. But when it came to lifting it omg, IT WAS TOO HEAVY! I didn't think it would weigh this much cos I was able to easily carry it the last time. Then again that had less ice. But I have no choice right? It took a while for me to get a Grab ride and when I did it was 16 minutes away. I'm not complaining though cos it gave me enough time to rest at the lobby and find that my matured MP2 earnings have been credited. So I transferred it right away to my new MP2 account and well, I'm just so happy cos it took less than 2 weeks! I was expecting for it to take months because our government is such an efficient workhorse yknow /s.

Okay so I'm in the taxi now heading to Partas Cubao. Traffic was hella bad both ways so I was thinking of skipping the cab on the way home. I dropped off the box successfully, it was 11kgs, and contemplated some more on whether I should book now or walk to the MRT station which isn't too far but super hassle cos it's raining.

I decided to walk to the station. It's a short walk, around 650m per Google Maps, and it was... fun! The roads are super wet, stinky puddles everywhere, it was still raining but not so hard, and myyyy there were so many street food vendors around! I smelled adobong mani, barbecue, calamares, banana-q, lumpiang togue, uuuurgh! I would've stopped to eat but it was raining and I didn't want to reward myself too early. 

I reached the MRT station. Nothing has changed and it's been more than 5 years since I rode the train. Luckily they have libreng sakay for National ID holders so I was able to get a free ride! Yey! Time was around 5:45pm and I got off at Boni station around 6pm. It wasn't too crowded yet. I got a seat immediately. I don't think it gets too crowded around this time on a Southbound train. Normally it's the Northbound route that gets pack this early. 

Anyway. That's really it. I went down the station, walked to our condo, and oh right! I also picked up my IKEA order on the way to the unit. It was a GRÅFJÄLLET side table. I was already very tired from all the side quests but this was the last for today's adventure so I thought I'd give assembling it a go before having dinner haha. And so I did. 

Finally replaced the wobbly table that used to sit in this corner. It took me maybe 30 minutes to do this. Quite intimidating at first but once it starts taking shape you get more excited about it hehe. And that's it! After assembling this one I had about an hour to eat dinner before I go into a series of meetings for the day.

Oh finally, when I went to the bathroom to pee I saw that I forgot to flush Koomi's poop! HAHA

So yeah, that was a day ago lol.

 

 

I need a financial stimulus. Since Jeckie resigned before his payday we've been broke for a month now hahaha. Yeah we weren't too liquid during our Bangkok trip. Jeckie funded most of our pocket money from his savings and I carded our flights and hotel so I need to pay for them soon. They I also have a backlog of debts and new stuff I want to buy and I can't wait for his first paycheck so yeah. I'm gonna pull in from my savings in the meantime.

Koomi has been having diarrhea since yesterday. I must've fed him boiled carrots that went bad when I left it to cool for hours on the dining table. I feel so bad. He's been pooping every hour this morning. Bad, wet, watery poops. He was able to hold it in for 3 hours this afternoon, then the intervals are getting longer this evening, but still the same wet poops. Now with blood. We're taking him to the vet later. Fortunately, it's just diarrhea right now. No vomiting, loss of appetite, and lethargy. Hopefully it's nothing serious!

Time jump!

That was a week ago. We took Koomi to the vet and he was prescribed fortiflora, sucralfate, and RC gastro diet. Bloodwork looks fine. No need for antibiotics. He's slowly recovering but he's farting like hell and so frequently too that we could probably light a match in the air and cause a fire! It's so bad we had to air out the bedroom this morning because the smell was so suffocating! I think it has to do with his gastro diet. For something that smells like luncheon meat I read that gastro diet tastes a bit bland for dogs.

Anyway. That's really it for this chapter I was gonna post something new then I saw this draft. Today was crazy. See you in the next post. 

[Success] Claiming my matured MP2 savings online

// Maturity date: July 23, 2026

I followed the steps at the Pag-IBIG website, submitted the application form and uploaded everything they asked, then waited for feedback. 

It's pretty straightforward once you get in the site. Of course, by government standards, the submit button may or may not work, and the page may show some mysterious error message, after which you'll get an SMS notification that you have successfully filed a claim.

// Application date: July 24 (Friday)

// 1st update: July 27 (Monday)

Monday (July 27) afternoon I got a text that my claim was rejected. 

I followed the site to check the details, but as usual, the success rate of interacting with any government site is 50% and I wasn't able to get anywhere with my query. So I submitted another application, not knowing what was wrong.

Then I checked my email and saw my Pag-IBIG branch messaged me with the reason why. I forgot to put in my date of birth, and they do not allow e-signatures. I replied with the updated form because I couldn't resubmit anymore.

SM Aura branch is where I opened my UnionBank Loyalty Card Plus.

// 2nd update: July 29 (Wednesday)

 

They asked me the same thing. As if they didn't see my email reply. To be fair, when I got the disapproval text, I immediately resubmitted, without knowing what I missed; I just added more info. I still forgot to put in my DOB, so they probably responded to that without knowing there's already an existing thread about it. As soon as I read the email about what I missed, I replied with the updated application form. Looks like no one has read it. 

 

Oh well. I had high hopes this will be quick but as usual, our government seems to value inefficiency as a KPI.

 

And as usual, their online claim status tracker isn't working.

 

// PROCESSING: July 30 (Thursday) 

 

SM Aura branch replied that they have received my correct application as has started PROCESSING. Yey! Email also mentioned it could take up to 20 working days and that I should just wait for the money in my bank account. 

 

// CREDITED: August 5 (Wednesday)

 

That was fast! Took 4 days to process. I checked my UB Loyalty balance today and saw that it was credited already.

Good job Pag-IBIG, or more specifically, SM Aura branch! I immediately transferred the proceeds to my new MP2 account.

 

So yeah, the whole claiming process took almost 2 weeks. Not bad! 

On supplements.

I have no idea what I'm deficient at, but here are the ones I started taking daily

Supplement	RDA	What I take
B-Complex	1 tablet (per label)	Stresstabs
Vitamin D3	1,000 IU (25 mcg)	Forti-D
Omega-3 Fish Oil	500-1,000 mg combined EPA+DHA	CardiClear
Vitamin C + Zinc	500 mg Vitamin C + 10-15 mg Zinc	ImmunPro with Zinc
Magnesium Glycinate	200-400 mg elemental magnesium	Swanson Magnesium Glycinate

I added Forti-D just now because I don't see the sun a lot. Let's see if it works. I only take Magnesium Glycinate when I don't have to wake up early the next day. I find that it helps me sleep very well so if I had to wake up early I'm sure to oversleep.

Stresstabs, ImmunPro, and CardiClear all have proven to be good supplements for me. I'm careful not to take too much of anything if I don't need it. Then again, I don't really know what I need. I do feel healthier taking those supplements.  

What a downer. We know Koomi likes to lunge at moving feet, especially those of strangers', which is why it's been hard for us to take him out while we eat. Having him on the floor is a risk for those passing by. And even in the elevator when someone's coming out he would randomly lunge at someone's feet. At first we thought it was cute. We were even joking that he has a type when it comes to slippers. It's usually crocs or something expensive. We laugh it off most of the time. Not realizing it was a growing problem. He's been this way for so long. We couldn't control it, or at least haven't tried seriously looking into correcting it. 

Until today. He lunged at someone's sandals while we're walking out of the elevator. I only saw his mouth graze the woman's footwear. I said sorry then left. Later on, the guards issued us a ticket with a 5000 peso fine. Apparently the woman reported us to PMO because her sandals got bitten through and almost tore the skin under. We were found through the CCTV. We were appalled. I didn't think it was that serious. It happened so fast. We should've checked on her to make sure before exiting the elevator. We got in contact with the neighbor and apologized. We found out through a facebook post in the community. We offered to compensate for whatever medication she may need and replace her slippers too. I'm just glad they were nice and understanding. Everything is fine now, all things considered. But I can't shake this certain feeling off. Is it disappointment? That we have to spend 5k for a lesson learned? That we're such irresponsible owners for letting it happen 3 times***? Fear? That it might happen again, at a worse time, here in the condo, get a second violation, eventually get kicked off the property? Maybe both.

*** First major time it happened was at Longhorn. Dinner with the family. We were seated outside cos we had dogs. Koomi was on the floor. A waitress arrived. He lunged at her jelly shoes. The waitress got scared but brushed it off. We apologized. Later on the guard at Shang came to us with an incident report, asking for vaccination records, showing us he reported a dog bite incident because he witnessed it. We thought the waitress didn't care. Looks like somebody else did. We were bummed out but eventually accepted the situation. He's just doing his job. And between customers like us and mall employees, there should be no discrimination if someone got hurt. 

Next major incident was at Taiwan Kitchen. Same thing. We were eating. Koomi's on the floor. Someone from the other table stood up and immediately Koomi was on his feet. Reached the guy's calves. He wasn't let loose but his leash wasn't short enough. We apologized profusely. Guy seemed to brush it off at first, says it's fine, he has dogs too, but later on inquired about Koomi's vaccination records. We also gave him Koomi's Instagram in case he wanted to reach out for anything. It was a casual conversation. We went home feeling normal. We would always scold Koomi when it happens, but always playfully. We never thought it was a big deal.

Until now. 

This is truly a wake up call. To be more responsible. To always check the people he might have hurt. To take accountability and ensure everything's fine. I'd like to think we got off easy, even at this point. And that 5k is a small price to pay for the all the trouble this bad behavior has caused. A behavior we tolerated and normalized and even found cute, at the expense of others. We were lucky none of them got seriously hurt. But what if it gets to that? 

I think I know what I feel now.

Shame. 

// Urgh. My fitbit won't charge and I figured it's probably nearing the the end of its life. Again.

Okay, time jump! It just worked again haha. I remember it dying a year ago so I replaced it with another smart watch then when I got tired of the new one and checked back on my old fitbit, it started working again haha. Looks like I just need to scare it into replacement hehe.

Anyway. Now I could let off buying a new watch. But seriously I've been meaning to find a fitness watch that's small and feminine and charges easily. I only really use the step counter, sleep tracker, HR sensor, and timer. For a while I got my eyes on Garmin Lily 2. It's perfecttt but looking at the charger I know I'd have a problem with that in the future. Problem with smart watches today is they're so biggg. 

Why did they have the discontinue Fitbit Alta? That's the best fitness watch for me. 

// Okay. I really really want to move to a better condo but we can't afford it yet. I'm eyeing  Empress at Capitol Commons once it's turned over because then owners will start leasing them. I'm also looking at Portico by Alveo which is a bit farther but definitely a far cry from a DMCI development.

I don't really have a big issue with our condo yet but our landlord has been very delinquent in paying all the miscellaneous fees that we're always getting disconnection notices and even got disconnected once, while we're on vacation!

// I've realized that condo isn't the way to go long term. It's good for renting cos we can choose the location and as long as we can afford it and we can just keep moving to new developments if our place is starting to go bad. To be honest I can really feel our condo's state deteriorating. 

// Wishful thinking but I hope to move to an Alveo property or the ones at Capitol Commons in the future. That's if we can afford it!

 

// I think I may have a chronic headache. I always seem to have one every single day since last week. I thought it would stop after my period. I tend to have period migraines. But last week was the worst. Three days straight. Switched to Saridon after learning about its fast action properties. But soon realized it's bad for bedtime because it has caffeine. And my migraines just so happen to be worse right before bed. It was torture not being able to sleep through the pain because my medicine has probably ran out its analgesic effect and only the caffeine is left. But to be fair, it really is fast acting, but it's not long lasting.

// I've been having problems focusing at work. I can't seem get my focus on. 

// Dave's Premium Steaks is doing okay. We just got our biggest order (yet) last week. 15 steaks can you believe it? And it was delivered out of town. We were hesitant to take this one but the client suggested bus cargo so we gave it a try. I could only hope we put in enough ice. He doesn't sound too happy when we followed up if he got the steaks already. Oh well. Next time we'll be sure to pack in more ice.