Curse those who curse the bankers

Hey, even those people working in banks have rights to have their christmas party and holiday vacation. So you people who keep yapping about blah blah blah, shut the hell up.

My dad works in a bank. And guess what, just because one of their ATMs only had 400K, he had to make calls and ask some of his co-workers if they could drag their asses in the bank (some of them from Cavite and Laguna) just so they could fix things up. While people were busy preparing for the famous day when someone special was born, there were my dad and his colleagues beating the heavy traffic to put money in their machines and please the powers-that-be. Instead of us family and other families enjoying the day, there were one of the family members in each family missing all the fun. Sure, there were days when bankers work the day before christmas, but dammit, Dec 24 2007 wasn't included in those days!

And I just can't let this pass. While I can understand the frustration some people feel because their bonuses hadn't miraculously appeared in their accounts, these same people are a bunch of insensitive no-goods for saying that instead of relaxing, bankers should work their asses off during the holidays. Anong akala niyo, kayo lang may karapatang magsaya? Kayo lang may karapatang kumain? Akala niyo ba ganun lang kadaling gawin lahat ng gusto niyo? Shit! I've seen how stressful a banker's life can be, my dad being one ever since I was a baby. Sabi niya, working in a bank might be considered as a glamorous thing, but not everyone can handle the stress it brings. Sana, before you curse the bankers for taking a well-deserved vacation, think that they are people too. I know your family comes first and all those other dramatics, pero know that there are also other people who feel the same way you do ---- us people who had to spend the so-called christmas without one of our loved-ones.

Holiday Season Ramblings

My family went to Trinoma last Saturday all because of Krispy Kreme. Remember when I won P400 worth of KK gift certificates during the 2007 Philippine Blog Awards? It expired last Saturday, December 22. We were supposed to go to the shrink, but we had to cancel because...well, just because. Good thing anyway. I had a migraine and decided to sleep it off. My mom woke me up at some time past 7pm and asked me when the KK GC would expire, and I, still groggy, answered the question sleepily: Today. Hah, we left only because of those damned GCs. :D It was only my 2nd time to eat KK donuts. Too expensive, but hey, once in a while, right?

After we got a parking spot, everyone waited for the fireworks display of SM (as always). But as it turned out, Trinoma went first. I loved the colors of the fireworks, but the whole "event" was just simple. After it ended, as if right on cue, SM's fireworks display started (awesome!). Did they talk it out? How about a bridge between the two malls now?

I bought a new seat padding for the office/computer chair in my room. First time I ever entered Landmark. Got googly-eyed with all the stuff there (now I want a damned expensive oven in my kitchen coz I wanna bake). After the necessary useless-stuff-shopping --- the "useless stuff" including a party mustache, bubble guns, torotot, mini bowling set (I think you get the drift now, and an idea where the shopping was done) --- my mom talked about our plans for the holidays (which ended with the deal that I'm the one who's going to cook in New Year's Eve).

On the way to the activity center where my dad and brother waited for us (after they went techie-shopping), I saw a child letting out heart-wrenching sobs. It seemed like he was missing. I approached him and asked what's wrong. There's a saleslady only a feet away from him, 3 other people within 2 feet, and no one noticed him? I was a good 10 feet away and even I had the decency to ask the kid what was going on. When he was "accounted for" already, I asked my mom this nagging question --- one that I've asked myself many times over the past couple of years: Why do people ignore something going on right before their eyes? It's either people are blind, they pretend to be one, or they simply don't care. Is it too hard to notice missing kids that they just ignore them? It doesn't matter one bit if their parents are just playing with them and only hiding. Once you talk with the kid, the parents have to have half the mind to reveal themselves. Shit, are we only desensitized, or are we downright insensitive?

And the people who ignore the needy are the ones who go on and on about the meaning of christmas and all. Hypocrites!

I'm averse to giving money to children. As much as possible, when someone asks me for spare change, I give food, or candy even. That way, I'm sure that the money isn't used for something destructve or stupid, or both. A couple of days back, a group of kids sang the classic caroling song "Ang Pasko ay Sumapitt." As my brother was about to reach for the dashboard for some coins, I told him to give them candy instead. Can't forget those kid's faces when they opened the wrapper. Which made me remember another time when I was on my way to school. You know the SM-UP jeepney route? Where somewhere along BIR and East Ave, there are kids who board the jeep and wipe dirt on people's feet/shoes and ask for money? Naalala ko, one time there's this kid who did just that. I was near the "exit" then. I gave him a candy. He smiled. The candy fell out. He cried. I was so amused (some people actually chucked loudly --- that's how extremely funny the situation was) that I to keep myself from laughing at his face. I gave him another candy instead. He didn't open it until he got out of the jeep. :)

And speaking of carollers, is it me, or it's a dwindling tradition? Kids usually start croaking on christmas songs as early as November (earlier, if possible), but in our area, the croaking started on 2 weeks ago. Aside from that, I've noticed that the caroller groups run in small numbers now. What's happening?

Sooooo...My gift to my parents? One day at the spa. Well, to be more accurate, about 2 hours. They need it. They deserve it. I gave the brother a wallet and the PS2 game he's been begging me since forever, Driver Parallel Lines. Father gave him P650!!! The nerve! I have never received that much money from the dad until I turned 18! DAYAAAAAA!!! Haha!

AND I CANT ACCESS GMAIL!!! WTF?!

Holding on to my sanity...barely

My shrink's gone off to Iloilo because apparently, she's having problems of her own. As it turns out, she's caught up in the middle of a nasty annulment case with her husband, and she needs to bid bye-bye for a week to her patients, which, needless to say, includes my brother and yours truly. I've been having problems with my raging hormones (not the sexual ones, thank goodness) for the past couple of days. That's why I've been treating myself to lots of books and other offline stuff, trying to stay out of trouble. That's why I stayed out of the online scene for a week: to take a much-needed breather and clear my mind of problems. Good thing it's effective. I'm not sure I can handle more emotional breakdown, but I'm trying to cope with the situation, goddammit.

I'm a bit mad at myself for being dependent on prescription drugs to make things well. With the way things are going, my family has got to shell out more than P5K/month for my meds alone. My brother's are - thankfully - cheaper. I've apologized to the 'rents numerous times. My dad insists that the money is nothing compared to the...[mental] betterment...of us two kids. Still, the guilt is eating me alive, but hey, I'm doing the best I can to battle this thing. If I can't pull myself back together, no one can. I'm my own keeper anyhow. And I've gotta fight.

Of course things aren't as easy as they seem. In addition to the very expensive Prozac and other meds I'm taking, I've suggested to the shrink that I enter a behavior modification program of sorts to maximize the result. Most probably the whole family's gonna have to undergo counseling in order for each of us to deal with everything that's been going on. Both Robby and I have stopped attending school, which, in effect, pushed me to quit offline and online work to take charge of his special homeschooling program. Good thing though, that the school allowed him to attend the Christmas party. It breaks my heart to see the brother evidently missing the simple task of attending his classes and seeing his teachers and classmates. We may not agree with the way things are being handled by the school admin (and I really really really am very annoyed with the stupid self-righteous bitch that's an excuse for a guidance counselor), but I understand their decision. Much as they want to help my brother, they've also got to take care of the rest of the students. As for me, I already told my parents that I don't intend to return to UP to pick up where I left off. I'd rather die and put an end to my lapsed Catholic status than go back there. Of course they're not happy, but they know better than to meddle with my decisions ever again, knowing that things always turn out for the worse whenever they do that.

I cried to my dad a few days ago. I know they're having a hard time, that they just want what's best for me, but geesh, my rebel nature's just not overjoyed with the schools they keep sending me to and all the things that have been going on. In fact, ever since the move to QC, then the transfer to QC Science for high school, I've been downright miserable. As my teary-eyed father puts it during one of our recent heart-to-heart talks (when I apologized for being such a disappointment in the family), I didn't grow up happily, and they know it damn well. Hurts to admit it, but ain't that the truth.

Skeletons in the closet now struggling to break free, I tell yah.

In the meantime, my damn cellphone's broken, and it adds fuel to my already cranky/crazy behavior. I have to use this Nokia thingy while my dear old Ericsson has to undergo major phone surgery --- hopefully before the holidays. I've given up on this Nokia (why do I keep spelling it N-o-k-i-e?) thingy and just call those I need to talk with if it's important. Not used to this thing, although I've used it before. I love my phone. Why, oh, why is technology such a pain in the you-know-where?

Anyway, the current pastime program, which started the day after my last intake of pills, looks like this:
8pm-1pm - Reading as many novels as I can manage while munching on as many junk food as I can find or cook
1pm- 7pm - Sleeping and snoring loudly
7pm-8pm - Spacing out or arguing with my brother over something petty or cursing/reminiscing about the ex-boyfriends and ex-flings and all my mistakes and wallowing in self-pity or beating myself emotionally, if I still have the energy to do it

Yeah, I'm slipping, I know. I've been raping Ranger in my mind since then too. I'm P5K poorer (which means I have no money left in my wallet and debit & ATM cards) after playing mallrat with my brother to keep us both occupied. Book-shopping is a draining task, so is PS2-games-hunting. Not to mention that I've developed this ridiculously classy taste in food, having dined in relatively expensive restaurants with the brother at his request (what can I say, I spoil him too much). Then I'm dancing with Shaun T to the tune of Hip Hop Abs, just for the heck of it. Sometimes I visit the la-la land whenever I feel like being numb. And dumb.

Ohlrayt. I'm talking TO myself again. Haaaay...Normalcy!!! Is there even such a thing?

Me? Flirting? C'mon! (05:19:48) Shari: :) (05:20:27) Piopi: ^^ (05:21:14) Piopi: twin musta (05:21:42) Shari: okay lang naman po. you? :) (05:21:56) Piopi: okz lng din buhay pa (05:22:42) Piopi: cnu ung carlos ?? (05:23:32) Shari: character sa isang book series. haha (05:23:42) Piopi: ahhhhhhhhhhh (05:23:46) Piopi: wala lng (05:23:51) Piopi: regalo ko?? ^^ (05:26:10) Shari: anong regalo? (05:26:20) Piopi: xmas na eh (05:26:22) Piopi: hehe (05:26:38) Shari: ano yun? hehe (05:26:42) Piopi: waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa (05:26:47) Piopi: christmas (05:27:07) Shari: di ko alam yun (05:27:13) Piopi: awts (05:27:15) Piopi: hahaha (05:27:18) Piopi: ok (05:27:23) Piopi: aun (05:27:28) Piopi: sleep nko (05:27:30) Piopi: ^^ (05:27:44) Piopi: bc ka eh (05:27:52) Shari: sweet sleep :) (05:27:57) Piopi: hehehe (05:28:08) Piopi: sana katabi kita ^^ (05:28:11) Piopi: lamig eh (05:28:21) Shari: di kaya (05:28:27) Piopi: uu kaya (05:28:33) Piopi: d2 malamig eh (05:28:45) Shari: patayin mo aircon (05:28:51) Piopi: wakoko (05:29:00) Piopi: nka patay na kninna pa (05:29:05) Piopi: malamig parin (05:29:15) Piopi: maski sa labas eh (05:29:24) Piopi: bumili kc ako ng yosi (05:29:26) Piopi: aun (05:29:30) Piopi: sleep nko (05:29:37) Shari: okie (05:29:39) Piopi: wala ba talaga ako gift?? (05:29:50) Shari: wala pera eh ^_^ (05:29:58) Piopi: ay ganun (05:30:00) Piopi: hehehe (05:30:05) Piopi: kaw nlng ^^ (05:30:12) Shari: pfft (05:30:12) Piopi: pde ba ?? wakokoko (05:30:18) Piopi: anu un?? (05:30:29) Shari: matulog ka na nga. haha (05:30:33) Piopi: pfft??? (05:30:42) Piopi: anu un?? (05:30:50) Piopi: maya na (05:31:02) Shari: expression (05:31:02) Piopi: malay mo pde kang gift saken ^^ (05:31:10) Shari: musta naman si mcdo? (05:31:10) Piopi: ahhhh (05:31:20) Piopi: ok nman cguro un (05:31:26) Shari: cguro? (05:31:31) Piopi: may asawat anak na un (05:31:34) Piopi: uu (05:31:41) Shari: onga (05:31:45) Piopi: wala lng (05:31:48) Piopi: aun (05:32:01) Piopi: ikaw d ka ba pdeng gift?? >:) (05:32:15) Shari: loko ka twin. tsk tsk (05:32:20) Piopi: wakoko (05:32:24) Piopi: malay mo pde ^^ (05:32:33) Shari: malay ko nga (05:32:38) Piopi: hahaha (05:32:45) Piopi: ang tanung pde nga ba?? (05:32:57) Shari: hindi (05:32:59) Shari: :)) (05:33:05) Piopi: yun lang (05:33:15) Shari: ninja ka na naman (05:33:15) Piopi: how sad :( (05:33:21) Piopi: d ahh (05:33:30) Shari: asus (05:33:35) Piopi: in need eh hahaha (05:33:38) Piopi: mwuah (05:33:42) Piopi: joke lang un (05:33:51) Piopi: pro half meant un (05:34:00) Shari: master ninja talaga ito (05:34:08) Piopi: wakokoko (05:34:27) Piopi: eh ung mga subbordinates ko ayaw ako 2lungan eh (05:34:29) Piopi: gaya mo (05:34:56) Shari: havent seen you in 4 years. tumaba ka na ba? lolol. oy excuse me, kayo lang ang mga ninja. lalo na nung nininja ako ni mcdo. (05:35:01) Shari: biktima lang ako :)) (05:35:13) Piopi: wakoko (05:35:17) Piopi: gumaganun pa (05:35:24) Piopi: 2maba ako (05:35:29) Piopi: kso pumayat ulit (05:35:33) Shari: shempre dapat kunwari inosente hehe (05:35:40) Piopi: kc always puyat (05:35:44) Piopi: wakoko (05:35:47) Shari: nyak,. bakit naman (05:36:03) Piopi: ehhhh ganun talaga (05:36:19) Piopi: aun (05:36:33) Piopi: pa inosente epek ka pa jan ampf (05:36:40) Piopi: sleep nko (05:36:53) Shari: shempre. sige mornin :p (05:38:05) Piopi: mwuah (05:38:19) Piopi: sana pde kang gift saken (05:38:23) Piopi: treat ko ^^ Me? Flirting?

Just when I thought I've already forgotten how to flirt...

(05:19:36) MrXXX: morning
(05:19:48) Shari: :)
(05:20:27) MrXXX: ^^
(05:21:14) MrXXX: twin musta
(05:21:42) Shari: okay lang naman po. you? :)
(05:21:56) MrXXX: okz lng din buhay pa
(05:22:42) MrXXX: cnu ung carlos ??
(05:23:32) Shari: character sa isang book series. haha
(05:23:42) MrXXX: ahhhhhhhhhhh
(05:23:46) MrXXX: wala lng
(05:23:51) MrXXX: regalo ko?? ^^
(05:26:10) Shari: anong regalo?
(05:26:20) MrXXX: xmas na eh
(05:26:22) MrXXX: hehe
(05:26:38) Shari: ano yun? hehe
(05:26:42) MrXXX: waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
(05:26:47) MrXXX: christmas
(05:27:07) Shari: di ko alam yun
(05:27:13) MrXXX: awts
(05:27:15) MrXXX: hahaha
(05:27:18) MrXXX: ok
(05:27:23) MrXXX: aun
(05:27:28) MrXXX: sleep nko
(05:27:30) MrXXX: ^^
(05:27:44) MrXXX: bc ka eh
(05:27:52) Shari: sweet sleep :)
(05:27:57) MrXXX: hehehe
(05:28:08) MrXXX: sana katabi kita ^^
(05:28:11) MrXXX: lamig eh
(05:28:21) Shari: di kaya
(05:28:27) MrXXX: uu kaya
(05:28:33) MrXXX: d2 malamig eh
(05:28:45) Shari: patayin mo aircon
(05:28:51) MrXXX: wakoko
(05:29:00) MrXXX: nka patay na kninna pa
(05:29:05) MrXXX: malamig parin
(05:29:15) MrXXX: maski sa labas eh
(05:29:24) MrXXX: bumili kc ako ng yosi
(05:29:26) MrXXX: aun
(05:29:30) MrXXX: sleep nko
(05:29:37) Shari: okie
(05:29:39) MrXXX: wala ba talaga ako gift??
(05:29:50) Shari: wala pera eh ^_^

(05:29:58) MrXXX: ay ganun
(05:30:00) MrXXX: hehehe
(05:30:05) MrXXX: kaw nlng ^^
(05:30:12) Shari: pfft
(05:30:12) MrXXX: pde ba ?? wakokoko
(05:30:18) MrXXX: anu un??
(05:30:29) Shari: matulog ka na nga. haha
(05:30:33) MrXXX: pfft???
(05:30:42) MrXXX: anu un??
(05:30:50) MrXXX: maya na
(05:31:02) Shari: expression
(05:31:02) MrXXX: malay mo pde kang gift saken ^^
(05:31:10) Shari: musta naman si mcdo?
(05:31:10) MrXXX: ahhhh
(05:31:20) MrXXX: ok nman cguro un
(05:31:26) Shari: cguro?
(05:31:31) MrXXX: may asawat anak na un
(05:31:34) MrXXX: uu
(05:31:41) Shari: onga
(05:31:45) MrXXX: wala lng
(05:31:48) MrXXX: aun
(05:32:01) MrXXX: ikaw d ka ba pdeng gift?? >:)
(05:32:15) Shari: loko ka twin. tsk tsk
(05:32:20) MrXXX: wakoko
(05:32:24) MrXXX: malay mo pde ^^
(05:32:33) Shari: malay ko nga
(05:32:38) MrXXX: hahaha
(05:32:45) MrXXX: ang tanung pde nga ba??
(05:32:57) Shari: hindi
(05:32:59) Shari: :))
(05:33:05) MrXXX: yun lang
(05:33:15) Shari: ninja ka na naman
(05:33:15) MrXXX: how sad :(
(05:33:21) MrXXX: d ahh
(05:33:30) Shari: asus
(05:33:35) MrXXX: in need eh hahaha
(05:33:38) MrXXX: mwuah
(05:33:42) MrXXX: joke lang un
(05:33:51) MrXXX: pro half meant un
(05:34:00) Shari: master ninja talaga ito
(05:34:08) MrXXX: wakokoko
(05:34:27) MrXXX: eh ung mga subbordinates ko ayaw ako 2lungan eh
(05:34:29) MrXXX: gaya mo
(05:34:56) Shari: havent seen you in 4 years. tumaba ka na ba? lolol. oy excuse me, kayo lang ang mga ninja. lalo na nung nininja ako ni mcdo.
(05:35:01) Shari: biktima lang ako :))
(05:35:13) MrXXX: wakoko
(05:35:17) MrXXX: gumaganun pa
(05:35:24) MrXXX: 2maba ako
(05:35:29) MrXXX: kso pumayat ulit
(05:35:33) Shari: shempre dapat kunwari inosente hehe
(05:35:40) MrXXX: kc always puyat
(05:35:44) MrXXX: wakoko
(05:35:47) Shari: nyak,. bakit naman
(05:36:03) MrXXX: ehhhh ganun talaga
(05:36:19) MrXXX: aun
(05:36:33) MrXXX: pa inosente epek ka pa jan ampf
(05:36:40) MrXXX: sleep nko
(05:36:53) Shari: shempre. sige mornin :p
(05:38:05) MrXXX: mwuah
(05:38:19) MrXXX: sana pde kang gift saken
(05:38:23) MrXXX: treat ko ^^
(05:39:15) Shari: shattap. good morning. sleep tight

It's an IM conversation a couple of minutes ago with someone from "the past." (4 years is an exaggeration...If you were at the pig out when I turned 18, you'd probably seen him there). Changed his name to MrXXX to protect his identity (as if it needs protecting). He's been out to get inside my panties for quite a while now, even during the McDo-Shari team-up.

McDo is a close friend of his and a mistake fling of mine from 3 years ago. He's 8 years older than I am, and quite a ladies man. A hunk, they say, but not exactly my type. He has tried to exercise his "ninja powers" to me more than once whenever I got a little bit tipsy. Deposited me into his (own) car, (own) house, and (own) bed while his girlfriend was away, that wicked sex maniac.

"Ninja" is a term we use to tag someone when s/he often makes sexual advances toward, uhm, another someone (haha). A simple kiss, a simple touch, a simple everything makes the perpetrator a ninja. MrXXX is the master ninja, as mentioned; and McDo comes next in the ninja heirarchy. Obviously.

Carlos (Ricardo Carlos "Ranger" Manoso) is a character in the Stephanie Plum book series by Janet Evanovich. I've been dying to get boinked hard by the Cuban American hottie for the past couple of months (maybe even years) now. Too bad he's just fiction. Most book series lovers imagine wrestler Dwayne Douglas "The Rock" Johnson perfect to be a Ranger; I imagine there's no one else like him. Ranger, I mean.

Anyway, damn, I'm such a flirt!

The Golden Compass and the controversy

My brother and I watched The Golden Compass Wednesday afternoon at TriNoma. Never mind what the religious hypocrites say that it's "atheism for kids." It's a damn movie --- fantasy, fiction. Whatevs. OA much?

Movie's less than what I had expected though. And it's so bitin. People were reluctant to leave at first, not believing that the movie was cut short. Comparing the first Narnia movie to this, I'd say Narnia wins hands down. I do think the effects are awesome, but I keep thinking that there's something missing from the movie, and I can't figure out what it is. Heart? Depth? I don't know. Maybe it's just Aslan (y'know, the lion, my crush), for all I care.

What I like about the movie is that it didn't drag me from scene to scene. There's always something happening. Kumbaga, never a dull moment. Hindi ko na nga napansin ang oras eh. Not an awesome flick, but close.

Moving on....

I'm glad my parents gave me the freedom to choose what books and movies I read and watch, respectively. The controversies surrounding the movie are, IMHO, a bunch of crap. I'm a lapsed Catholic. Yeah, I've been a lordy-lordy type of person years ago. In fact, I'm sure that if you knew me back then, you wouldn't believe how religious and spiritual I was. I've never been asked if I wanted to be a Catholic, but I did everything a Catholic was supposed to do. However, what I cared for the most was my relationship with God, not the religion.

When I "lapsed," my parents didn't disown me. They didn't ban me from doing things that I love. They didn't point fingers and accuse me of being a little devil (but I admit I am, haha). Maybe they never really understood the transition, but what's important is that they understood that I'm my own person. I have my own mind. I have a right to be critical about things concerning my well-being.

I don't know where the parents are coming from, sure. I can't say I understand or NOT understand their, uhm, stand. But to ban the movie? That's...*sighs loudly* quite stupid. Why not just keep your children from watching the movie or reading the book? Why not feed them with more "wise words"? Precautions? Responsibility? Fairness?

This is going to be a long debate if I expound (not in the mood to argue --- no fair), but bottom line is (for EVERY argument thrown against the atheists and/or anti-establishments)...not believing in a supreme being doesn't make someone less of a human. It shouldn't make someone less deserving of respect...of trust....of love...of life.

Of books. Of movies...

I don't like organized religions, but I have half a mind not to bash, disrespect, or even kill the people belonging to them. Unprovoked anyway. ^_^

Good Home Service/Day Spa?

So far...

• Asian Massage (thanks Benj)
• Ace Water Spa
• Serenity 24/7
• F Salon (thanks Janelle)
  

Any suggestions? Nag-plano ako na check in na lang sa hotel or some place where my parents can relax and get away from us (kami ng brother ko, hehe), kaso I have a feeling that it wouldn't work. Harhar!

HELP?! Pricing [pocket]Books

My dad gave me the 3rd degree because I've splurged on books two times within the last ten days. Can't help it. I'm insatiable. Anything at all. It's been a week since I started on my medication, and the pills make my mood "stable" enough to be lazy all the time. I figure the only way I can keep me from killing myself is to read. Things to do to keep myself busy that don't require me to write. Breather.

Problem is, the books keep piling up, and I'm running out of space. To quote my father, "Kung saan-saan nakakalat libro mo. Wala ng mapaglagyan." The bookshelf inside my room is already overflowing with stuff. I suppose the termites and other insects are having a grand time feasting on the pages of the books; it's been more than a year since I last cleaned the shelf to some semblance of order. Since the shelf was installed 9 years ago, I've documented the title and author of the books I have to keep track of my collection. And judging from both my notes and my memory, I have more than 100 "missing titles," one of them my first ever hardbound, some of them an absolute favorite.

So that's when the decision to sell some books crossed my mind. Might as well make money from these little treasures, right? Forget what my mom said years ago, that books are my investment. I need fast cash, fast! Duh? I can have a standalone rent-a-book service, but I don't think I'm trusting and naive enough to go through with it (seeing that some people don't know how to return things they don't own).

What I'm really itching to get rid of are the Sweet Valley books, all 30+ of them. Well taken care of. Most of them are, strictly speaking, 2nd to 4th hand. A few are "brand new," in half a decade sense of the word. Most have been with me for more than 10 years, and other than the yellowed pages (age), some creases (used), and minor scriblings (my name or something else), they're in good condition.

The question now is this: How much should I sell them?

Well, actually, I still have a lot of floating and swimming question marks in my mind. I've never done this before. And the most reasonable price (plus, considering that they're practicallty collectibles) I can come up with is somewhere between 30 and 50 pesos. Which is a lot cheaper than *some* 2nd-hand SVHs I've seen that look like they've been sexually abused by my dog Popoy (believe me, not a pretty sight). Goodness, have you seen eBay? Tsk! And what about shipping? Ugh, clueless, I am.

Still thinking if my Baby-Sitters Club and Bobbsey Twins collections should go as well. I've almost 100 books here, and much as they're a childhood favorite, they've become child stuff and kalat na lang. How about Dean Koontz? Barbara Michaels? Mary Higgins Clark? V.C. Andrews? And I want this Paulo Coelho book (The Alchemist) to say bye-bye too. If I sell it for P200, may bibili kaya? And I can do without these Tagalog pocketbooks!

Hay, kabaliw.