If we were given a chance to choose a pill, what would you choose?
  • Be Rich
  • Bring someone dead back
  • Never feel pain
  • Never catch a disease

Be Rich and Never catch a disease would seem the better choice for most?


- Be Rich: Choosing this pill would potentially grant you financial wealth and abundance. It could provide opportunities for a comfortable lifestyle, access to resources, and the ability to pursue your goals and desires.


- Bring someone dead back: If you choose this pill, it implies the ability to resurrect someone who has passed away. This could bring back a loved one or someone you care about. However, it's important to consider the ethical and moral implications of tampering with life and death.


- Never feel pain: Opting for this pill would mean you would no longer experience physical or emotional pain. While this may seem appealing, it's crucial to remember that pain serves as an important warning mechanism and protective response in our bodies.


- Never catch a disease: By choosing this pill, you would gain immunity to diseases, reducing the risk of falling ill. This could potentially lead to a healthier and longer life.


Ultimately, the choice depends on personal values, priorities, and perspectives. It's essential to consider the consequences and implications of each option before making a decision.

I'm thrilled to share that we've received our National IDs today, although they're not complete yet—only mine and my third son's. Surprisingly, even though we registered on the same day, we were placed in separate processing batches, a fact we discovered when checking on https://trn-verifier.philsys.gov.ph/ to see if our IDs were ready for printing. There was a notice about a delay in the physical ID card production, with the option to obtain a temporary printable digital version.

Interestingly, our physical ID cards had been ready for delivery since May 18, according to the PhilSys tracking page, so it took a whopping three months for them to finally reach us. It's snail mail, quite literally.

I made numerous attempts to contact PhilSys to inquire about the status. I was redirected to another department and attempted to call them, but received no response. I also sent an email, which went unanswered. At one point, I even worried that our IDs might have been affected by the fire that occurred at the Lawton Post Office in May. Eventually, I gave up trying to reach the right person for an update.

Nonetheless, the IDs are in our hands now, and we eagerly await the arrival of the next batch.

I encountered a bank’s pop-up message about Ghost Month, and interestingly, related content also appeared on my TikTok For You Page. Ghost Month spans from August 16 to September 14, and I’d like to share the information I found below.

Ghost Month, which is considered an inauspicious time in some Asian cultures, it's wise to avoid certain activities to prevent any potential negative influences or bad luck. Here are some tips on what not to do during Ghost Month:

1. Avoid Outdoor Activities at Night: 
It's believed that wandering spirits are more active during the nighttime. To minimize encountering them, it's best to avoid outdoor activities after dark.

2. Avoid Swimming: 
Ghosts are thought to be drawn to bodies of water, and swimming during this month could increase the risk of encountering malevolent spirits.

3. Don't Hang Clothes Outside: 
It's believed that spirits might try to possess hanging clothes, so it's better to avoid hanging laundry outdoors during Ghost Month.

4. Avoid Whistling at Night: 
Whistling at night is believed to attract spirits, and doing so may inadvertently invite unwanted attention.

5. Avoid Renovations or Moving:
Ghost Month is considered an unlucky time for significant changes. Avoid starting renovations, moving to a new house, or major life decisions.

6. Limit Celebrations:
It's customary to avoid holding joyous celebrations or weddings during Ghost Month, as this might offend the wandering spirits.

7. Don't Step on Ashes or Offerings:
It's common to see offerings on the ground during Ghost Month. Be respectful and avoid stepping on them.

8. Avoid Ghost-Related Activities:
Engaging in activities related to ghosts or death, such as visiting cemeteries or watching horror movies, is generally avoided during this time.

9. Don't Open Umbrellas Indoors:
It's believed that doing so may invite negative energy and bad luck.

10. Avoid Disturbing Natural Areas:
 It's thought that spirits reside in natural surroundings, so avoid disturbing areas like forests, mountains, or rivers.

Remember that the practices and beliefs associated with Ghost Month vary from culture to culture, so it's essential to be respectful of the local customs and traditions. If you're uncertain about a particular activity, it's always a good idea to seek guidance from individuals familiar with the cultural practices of the region.

Elemental

Elemental (2023)
PG | 1h 41m

Follows Ember and Wade, in a city where fire-, water-, land- and air-residents live together.

I can’t help but see a connection between Wade’s emotional nature and my son, who also describes himself as very emotional. For context, there was a time when I was addressing him about missing school, and he was already in tears, struggling to catch his breath. I asked him why he was crying so intensely, especially since I hadn’t even raised a hand to him. His response was that he has a “sensitive heart.” At that moment, I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or continue with my discussion, but I ultimately decided to stop. It’s amusing because he inherited this emotional side from me, which I, in turn, inherited from my late father. Despite his outwardly tough and strict demeanor, my father actually had a tendency to cry easily! 😄

Since that incident, I've been working on toughening him up through playful banter and teasing each other, all in good fun, of course! The aim is to ensure that he isn't easily hurt by words, but I also make sure to provide him with compliments to boost his self-esteem. Interestingly, when I heard Wade mention that he, too, has a sensitive heart, we both shared a chuckle.

Anyway, returning to the animated film, I derive great enjoyment from watching it. It offers a refreshing and one-of-a-kind concept, unlike anything I've come across before. While it does evoke shades of a Romeo and Juliet theme, this story concludes with a joyful ending. I couldn't help but ponder what their offspring might be like.

After a lengthy wait of 49 days, our SIM replacement has finally been delivered.

We promptly reported the loss of our phone, along with the registered SIM, due to theft. However, the process of resolving the issue involved numerous days and weeks of follow-ups, during which we received generic replies indicating that the matter was still under review. The level of stress I personally endured was unimaginable, particularly when we discovered that our registered number was still active and being used by someone else. Despite reporting this to the provider, they failed to take immediate action, such as temporarily deactivating the SIM. Consequently, the unauthorized user continued to consume the remaining GB of data, even after we had submitted all the necessary documents, including a police report and proof of ownership (such as the SIM bed). Each time we reached out to the provider, their response merely stated that their support team was still reviewing the case. This situation has left me wondering if there are multiple users facing similar challenges with SIM replacements.

In retrospect, choosing this mobile data provider for my sons' usage was undoubtedly a mistake. I deeply regret my decision, as I believed it would be a better choice, especially considering that we did not actually require mobile data at home. The offer of no-expiry data seemed appealing initially, but the experience has proven to be a source of great disappointment and regret.


Anyway, let me share the steps we followed to obtain our SIM replacement, in case it proves helpful to others. However, if you have the opportunity, I highly recommend switching to SMART as soon as possible. They also offer a no-expiry promo, making it a more favorable option.


1.  Before reaching out to GOMO, it is important to prepare an AFFIDAVIT of LOSS (notarized). This document will be required as part of the submission process for your SIM replacement request. Keep in mind that GOMO has a deadline of 7 days from the initial report to accept the necessary documents. Therefore, it is crucial to have the affidavit ready beforehand.  


2.  To contact GOMO, it is recommended to reach out to them through their Twitter account page. However, it's important to be prepared for the security verification process that they have in place. They may require specific details to verify your identity before assisting you with your SIM replacement request.

Information they needed are as follows:

GOMO Number: 
Name registered in the app:  
Email Address registered in the app:  
Recent Transactions:  
Date of latest transaction:  
Time of latest transaction:  
Reference Number of latest transaction:  

TIP: It is advisable to avoid using their Facebook Page for SIM replacement inquiries. This is because the Facebook Page might lead you into an AI loop, where you might not find a specific menu option for SIM replacement. It can feel like navigating through a labyrinth maze, making it difficult to get the assistance you need. Even if you manage to reach the part where you can chat with an agent, there is a possibility that no agent will be assigned to you, causing delays in resolving your issue.


3.  After successfully completing the security verification process, GOMO will guide you on the next steps to obtain your SIM replacement. They will advise you to send the following mandatory requirements to changesim@gomo.ph within one week: 

Email Subject: GOMO Change SIM Requirements <GOMO Number>
Email Content/Details: < Requirements >
a. Duly notarized Affidavit of Loss (send digitally along with a selfie holding the Affidavit of Loss)
b. 2 Valid IDs (should match with the selfie) See list of Valid IDs in the Appendix
c. GOMO SIM bed (with visible SIM serial) (can be optional)
d. Any other proof of ownership of the lost SIM card (ex. Screenshot of Gcash linked to the lost SIM card) (can be optional)
e. Delivery Details of the customer where the SIM will be delivered.

Please submit the requirements within the week.
We will not proceed with the request if the requirements/documents are not provided and approved.
Once the requirements are submitted, they will be verified again.


4.   Please ensure that you follow up with the Twitter agent until they confirm the approval of your SIM replacement. Once approved, they will provide you with instructions on how to make the payment for the new SIM card and the associated delivery fee.

It is important to note that payment must be settled within 3 working days, and you will be required to submit proof of payment within that timeframe as well. If the payment and proof of payment are not submitted within the specified time, you may need to start the process over.

To avoid any delays or complications, make sure to promptly settle the payment and provide the necessary proof of payment within the given timeframe. This will help ensure a smooth SIM replacement process and prevent any unnecessary restarts.

Please note that the payment and delivery fee details may vary, so it is essential to confirm the specific instructions and fees with the agent.   To give you an idea of the current fees as of this writing.

SIM fee (Php 40)
Delivery Fee (Php 100 for MM/NCR; Php150 for VISMIN.  For out of delivery areas, there will be additional costs) Payment will be via Bank Transfer/Deposit.


5.   The final step is to follow up and inquire about the status of your delivery. It's important to note that the responses you receive may be generic, indicating that the company is actively working on your request. The only way to confirm that your delivery is en route is when you receive a text message from ENTREGO (in our case) notifying you that the delivery is on its way.



Furthermore, it is worth noting that Twitter agents will not provide you with a reference number, not even for the process of sending the requirements via email. There is no option to follow up through email either, as you will only receive an automated response from a no-reply email address acknowledging the receipt of your email. At times, this can be frustrating when you attempt to follow up and the agent instructs you on how to request a SIM replacement, despite having already submitted the required documents.

First day of the month, and it's time for our monthly fridge cleaning ritual once again. I looked up a helpful step-by-step guide that my sons can follow:

1. **Empty the Fridge**: Take out all the items from the refrigerator and place them on the kitchen counter or nearby table for easy access.

2. **Sort and Discard**: Check the expiration dates of the items and dispose of anything that is expired or past its prime. Also, get rid of any leftovers that have been in the fridge for too long. Consider composting any spoiled fruits or vegetables.

3. **Remove Shelves and Drawers**: Take out the shelves, drawers, and any removable parts of the fridge. Wash them with warm soapy water to get rid of stains and spills. For tough stains or residue, use a paste of baking soda and water and gently scrub.

4. **Clean the Interior**: Use a mixture of mild soap and water to wipe down the interior of the fridge. Pay special attention to the door seals where dirt and stains tend to accumulate.

5. **Clean the Exterior**: Wipe down the exterior of the fridge with a mixture of warm water and mild soap. Don't forget to clean the handles and control panels.

6. **Check the Condenser Coils**: If your fridge has condenser coils, use a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment to remove dust and debris. Clean coils help the fridge run more efficiently.

7. **Organize and Group Items**: Before putting the food back into the fridge, organize them into groups. Store similar items together, such as dairy, fruits, vegetables, condiments, and more. This will make it easier to find things later.

8. **Use Transparent Containers**: Consider using transparent containers or bins for smaller items. This helps to keep the fridge organized and makes it easy to see what's inside.

9. **Label and Date Containers**: If storing leftovers or homemade food, label the containers with their contents and the date they were prepared to track their freshness.

10. **Regular Maintenance**: Make it a habit to regularly check for any spoiled items and clean up any spills or messes inside the fridge.

By following this guide, our fridge will stay clean and organized throughout the month, making it easier for us to find what we need and maintain the freshness of our food.

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