A Pleasure that Comes Cheap and Quick

I will admit to a pleasure that comes cheap and quick, as cheap as 20 pesos. See the picture below. That's my sister. She's tried it once, following my lead. Not sure if she liked it though.

This one below is my son. Unlike my sister, this happened without any influence from me. I came from the ladies' room and found him as such, seated, giggling, obviously enjoying himself. He got his sister to lend him 20 pesos so he could get a 6-minute massage.

Garrett checking out the massage chair. And those are my big thighs. :-)

This spot is so strategically located at the mall entrance from the car park. Yesterday, it greeted me again as I went in, and pulled me to it before I went out.

Here are some reasons why I am magnetized to this massage chair:

1. I said it already, I know, but it’s the main consideration, so let me say it again. It comes at very affordable prices, flexible to suit my budget and free time: 20 bucks for 6 minutes, 50 for 15 minutes and 100 for half an hour.
2. It’s effective. The machine kneads the back muscles and parts of the neck, head, and hips as well.
3. No tips required.
4. No hassle of changing clothes.
5. Accessible within mall hours.
6. You get consistent quality of massage, no disappointments or frustrations in the end. 

It comes with its downsides though, but do not significantly erode the upsides as I see it.

1. You have bright lights above your head, making the experience not that relaxing.
2. You must be ready to take the spotlight. Because this business is not yet that “mainstream,” people passing by would glance or stare at you, curious and probably thinking of trying it out themselves. If you go to a community mall, like the one I go to (SM Taytay), the chance of being seen by people you know is not remote, such as co-parents from your children’s schools.
3. And then there’s the issue of whether the chairs are clean, so it’s better if you’re wearing jeans/pants to minimize skin contact.
4. For someone who’s into massage as a de-stresser, the services of a trained masseuse in a reputable/decent spa or massage center are still better.

I thought I’d share these thoughts with you and get you to think about yourself, to pamper yourself because you deserve it! I would be happy to hear your thoughts, share them in comments, please. :-)

How to Save on Pricey Car Fuel

I have just dropped off Garrett at school. I parked the car to write this short post before I forget the fuel efficiency tips that my 11-yr-old, wide reader son was telling me as we were driving up to Antipolo with the car A/C off.

I thought his tips were very timely with the looming rounds of fuel price hikes, owing to increased world demand particularly by snow-laden countries. The tips he shared are very practical, in fact, it takes pure common sense that they need not be said. But I was enlightened because I am one of those drivers who just know how to drive, and sadly, practically nothing else about engines and car mechanics. I'm sure you'd find these tips useful as well:

1. Make sure the air in your tires is just right. Soft tires require more work for the engine to get them rolling.
2. Unload items that are not needed to lighten the car weight.
3. You really don't need to warm the car before taking off. You can just go slowly upon starting the engine to rev it up.
4. Not using your aircon does not always help with fuel efficiency. Sometimes it's better to have your A/C on rather than your windows open because the air outside can drag the car.
5. Avoid stepping hard on the brakes.
6. Manual cars are more fuel-efficient.

I wish it was Garrett himself who shared the tips above as he explained them to me in simpler and clearer terms. He speaks English better than me. :-)

Incidentally, I took a passenger jeepney yesterday as a last resort on the way home from a quick trip to a hospital. I took a couple of photos to mark the moment, as I rarely take the jeepney now, unlike way back in the 80s and 90s when I was still a student. FX is now the choice of many public commuters like me because fares are just a few pesos more than jeepney fares. It was good to re-experience hunching low to get on and off the jeep, tolerate the mid-afternoon heat and the smoke, and observe co-passengers whose ages span at least six decades. Yesterday's ride serves me well as I have a photo to go with this post. :-)

Only in the Philippines: passenger jeepney

For more saving tips, you might like to check out the blog link: http://agarrettlubag.wordpress.com/2013/03/04/ways-to-save-electricity-and-energy/. You will find practical, witty, funny and, sometimes, crazy tips on saving energy and the environment.

The Act of Giving

Don’t we all just love Christmas? Filipinos that we are, no matter what, no matter how meager our finances might be, whatever our present circumstances, we would always find a way to celebrate Christmas. To us, it’s the season of giving and sharing, our version of Thanksgiving Day.

As a continuation of my last post, last Saturday was a day I would want to imprint in my mind. On that day, I picked up a valuable lesson from my very own son about how it is to truly give.

We went to the newly opened Uni Qlo shop that occupies a vast three-floor space at the end of Building B of SM Megamall. While I was busy checking out discounted items, Garrett asked permission to go around by himself, to “explore,” he said. I allowed him to roam around, well, with some hesitation since I don’t really feel it’s safe for children to go around in a mall, as big and crowded as Megamall is, without a companion. After some time, he came back to me with a striped XL shirt and a pair of socks, saying he wanted to buy them for his dad. I discouraged him, explaining that I have learned my lesson not to buy his dad clothing items. He was insistent though. He said he just wanted to have something to give as a Christmas gift to his dad, and showed me that the socks were on sale, and that the total price was P400. I said, “No.” “Alright, alright,” Garrett conceded, and asked if he could further explore the store.

After around 20 minutes or so, he came back to me again, this time with a Mickey Mouse shirt, worth P400, which he wanted to buy for Gabee. I then asked him how he would be able to buy it when he had no money. I would later find out that Garrett thought he still had P400+ left with me, the balance of a cash gift he got from an aunt of mine who visited us last month. When I handed him a 1,000-peso bill to pay for a book that he bought just before going to Uni Qlo, he thought I was buying the book for him with my money, when in my mind, that was the money he had me keep for him. We misunderstood each other. In his mind, what money he had in my wallet was a few 100-peso bills and some loose change, the very same ones that he handed me before. He didn’t realize that his money got mixed with my own.

Garrett wanted to use up all the money he had left to buy his dad or his sister a Christmas gift. “So, that was why you were frantically going around?” I asked him. He said, “Yes,” in a soft, sad voice, realizing that he actually had no money to buy a gift for his dad or his little sis. Looking at him, disappointed and sad, it dawned on me how selfless he is. I knew there were other stuff (books, pens and notebooks) which he wanted for himself.

I was touched and was embarrassingly in tears as I agreed that I would just pay for the gift he wanted to buy for his sister. I praised his virtuous intention. And then, of course, I suggested that we go around again and look for something, worth P400, which his sister needs and would love to have.

Garrett has taught me a lesson on the act of giving. Give all that you have. Think not of yourself. I was again in tears as I related what happened to his dad and to his sister when we got home.

A Boy's Unspoken Wish: Granted

The big shoe and bag sale at the Mega Trade Hall lured Garrett, my sister Jen and myself last Saturday. I'd say shopping for the Holidays has been staved off a bit. There wasn't a big crowd when we went. Well, judging from the ease by which we looked around for the items we wanted and how well we were attended by sales crew, it didn't yet quite feel like it was just a month to Christmas. It comforts me in a way surmising that Filipinos have the right reasons to cut back on their usual Christmas shopping madness. 

We went there with two pairs of shoes in mind - canvass shoes for Garrett and rubber shoes for my mother. Garrett is now in his pre-teen years, and gives more attention to shoes over clothes. He has simple tastes. I knew he had been for many months now eyeing easy slip-on canvass shoes. But like the good, simple child that he is, he doesn't really ask for stuff (save for books, that is). It's me who feels that we have been depriving him way too much. He had to wear out his previous pair of Puma shoes for more than two years until they had to be retired due to outgrown size. His dad made him wait several months before buying him a replacement at a super sale price, bought from a factory outlet. His sandals, which he needs to wear with his ethnic attire at school every Wednesday, are already small, with his toes and heels peering out at both ends. But he's not complaining. 

And so, the shoe sale over at SM Megamall last Saturday was a chance for me to make my little man happy. We arrived past 2pm. The crowd was thin. There was quite a number of participating brands including several that I have only encountered for the first time. Garrett had something in mind but he is as picky as his dad. After over an hour checking out all the brands, he went back to the first one he initially wanted, and tried three different styles, and then finally settled on a pair of faded black canvass shoes, which were exactly what I liked, too. There was Garrett, giddy with joy, and couldn't hide that he was overly happy with his purchase. He didn't bother to remove them anymore. He proudly wore them right there and then, almost skipping as he walked. His outgrown sandals went home in the box instead. Seeing him that way, crazy happy, made me really happy as well. It was worth every hard-earned peso (of his dad).  :-)  

A Birthday Wish

Today, Garrett turned 11. Lucky it was a holiday yesterday as we got to celebrate his birthday with family and a few of his classmates in advance. He never really asks for gifts ever since. This year, he only wished that he could invite over a few classmates and watch movies with them, and that I cook lunch. Wish granted. They watched the horror film Conjuring, covering their eyes and ears most of the time. It would have been scarier had they seen it at night.

Around five years ago, when he was six, Garrett started showing ‘great’ dislike every time he was given shirts or any clothing. He did not appreciate them and would cry, disappointed. All he wanted was books. And so, since then, his aunts, other relatives, and friends would gift him with books, and rarely anything else. 

Garrett is a simple child, he doesn’t ask a lot of material things. He wants to wear the same pieces of simple shirts and shorts over and over. I know he likes shoes, but he doesn’t demand that we buy him what he wants. He has been checking out Skechers and Sanuk, I know he likes to have his own. When he has shopping money, he ends up looking around and not buying.

It is so easy to make Garrett happy. Think books. 

This one is a no-miss kind of gift.

He also loves Origami, so Origami paper (a perfect square), which is not readily available in local bookstores, would be a wonderful gift for this little man.

He made Origami figures to give to his guests, but forgot to hand away these two.

It his birthday today. We haven’t given him anything yet. His dad feels a little guilty, and is planning to buy him what else, but books! J