Little Lulu

International Name: Lucien
Nickname: Lulu

Local Name: Espasol
Nickname: 'Spa

This is my new car, a 1.3 S M/T Honda Jazz.
No license plates, yet, bummer.

Brief history:

So in 2004 I saw the cute TV ad about a girl with a Honda Jazz that she managed to stuff everything into. Including the dog. Zero impact on me.

Then I had a coffee with someone who will not be named on this blog at the end of that year and I didn't realize he had the compact/hatchback until I got home. It seemed like a regular sized car inside. That sparked my decision to eventually get one if I could.

By the last quarter of 2005, I was REALLY set on buying the Honda Jazz. Until I went to Honda Cars Alabang and the Sales Executive told me that I would need Php 400K for 50% down payment. Then she advised me that they phased out the red-colored unit so they were recommending a pink-colored unit, shudder. Plus she never called me back for the test drive. I decided to resign myself to becoming a Toyota Vios owner. They had a red-colored unit and the car came with an airbag.

In the beginning of 2006, I started surfing the net to read the reviews on both cars. I even looked at the Honda City as a last resort. I was set on buying a car before the end of the month to beat the price increase due to E-VAT :P

One Saturday morning Nini and I dropped by Toyota to get a feel of the Vios: cramped and restricted. Even worse, they weren't interested in having me trade-in Silver as part of the downpayment. Imagine, their own car, strange. In the afternoon, I took a chance and dropped by Honda again. The Sales Executive this time gave me a better computation and the difference between the down payment for the Toyota Vios and the Honda Jazz was less than Php 20K. There was also the issue of airbag vs. storage space. More importantly, they were interested in getting Silver as part of the down payment (bittersweet, I know).

Well, I came up with the money and am enjoying the perks that come with Lulu. Just around a radius of 15 kms. Southbound from my home though until I finally get my license plates, heh2! ;)

It's the start of a beautiful friendship...

Things the media won't say out loud

Just read this on www.megcabot.com

A lot of people have been writing to ask what I think about Brangelina. Well, people, I don't know about you, but I've finally figured out what's going on, and frankly, I'm afraid. VERY afraid. Between Brangelina, TomKat, Gwen, Gwyneth, Britney, and everyone else, it's totally obvious what's happening: Certain celebrities are breeding in order to amass their celebrity army, with an eye towards eventually taking over the planet.

I can't believe US WEEKLY and the STAR aren't all over this story. I mean, can't they see what's happening before their very eyes? The worst thing is that they're trying to pull other, DECENT celebrities down with them. Thank God Jennifer Anniston made it out in time, but we've already lost Katie Holmes. We might still have a chance with Nick Lachey, though. Run, Nick, RUN!!!

WAKE UP, PEOPLE. The celebrities seeking world domination are reproducing at an alarming rate, while, we just sit idly by, LETTING it happen. It's true, we can't keep them from breeding. But we could at least stop paying so much attention to them. If we just pretend like they aren't there, maybe they'll all go away. With no attention to feed off of, these celebrities might just stop spawning, and we can all go about our business.

Didn't you see that mini-series, “V”? We are under attack, and must act as a united front against the celebrity scourge. Otherwise, they won't stop at just HAVING babies: Soon, they'll be trying to RAISE them. THEMSELVES.

And that just can't be allowed in a civilized society such as ours.

Bye-O, Silver...Away!

In May 1997, our family purchased a 1994 Silver Toyota Corolla XL from a family friend. Since my Mum is a foreigner, the car was assigned to me. It was the first time I owned a car so I was all trippy about it. Then came the peer pressure of naming the car so I called him Silver (Full name: High ho, Silver, away!). My fondest memories of Silver are his fuel efficiency (1.3) and his quirk early on of the turn signal lights clicking on and off like there was no tomorrow on rainy days (It was due to an electrical problem but I always liked to think Silver was just high on caffeine that day).

I'm trying to remember the furthest places I've driven to with Silver but my memory fails me at the moment. I can recall driving to the Quezon Avenue/Banawe Street area but I'm not sure how far South we've gone together. Maybe Enchanted Kingdom in Sta. Rosa, Laguna? I even remember the first time I bumped another car: I was backing out of a parking lot and didn't see that there was a car behind me because it was the corner of a full stop intersection. Does that make sense? Suffice it to say I went pale and could hardly explain to the other driver that I bumped his car ("I...I...I bumped..."). Thank goodness he was very calm and just told me to have my insurance call his insurance (Bless him). He was even kind enough to ask if I was doing okay in the week that followed.

Fast forward to 2006 (and maybe three {3} major accidents later) and Silver recently had to have a lot of work done. Plus he was only clocking in eight (8) kms. per liter. It was time to let go of my friend of almost nine (9) years. I know it's silly because it's only a car but it was so funky when I had to turn him over to his new owner. I felt like Oscar Schindler in his drama moment towards the end of the Spielberg movie but more like, "There's so much more to do with this car right now." To quote Bruce Springsteen's Human Touch: Yeah, I know I ain't nobody's bargain but, Hell, a little touch up and a little paint.

I bought a brand new car this week (more on that in another post) and we're getting along fine, but I will always have a soft spot in my heart (?) for my first car.

A Tale of Two Rabbits

Angelina Jolie and I were born on exactly the same day so I thought of doing a checklist on where we are in our lives now. Okay, Angelina Jolie: pregnant with Brad Pitt's baby...hmmm, I guess that I can't top that one so she wins hands down.

Hassle.

Happy weekend to everyone ;)

The year that was

So I have come to the end of my 2005 planner and am looking at the lists I've made...


Best thing(s) I did in 2005:
Went to Bacolod for a weekend (the craziest thing I did, too).
Sent The Lovehammers a Christmas card ;)
Paid off my education plan

Best person(s) I met in 2005:
Layla Andrea Vargas Ortega :D
Two of my bosses (who will not be named in this blog, heheh)

Best place(s) I visited in 2005:
Hacienda, Batangas (Laguna Properties)
Terrazas, Batangas (Landco)

Best movie(s) I saw in 2005:
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Sky High
Waiting

Best meal(s) I had in 2005:
The chicken asparagus sandwich of McCafe-Bacolod
The seafood medley of Vivere Suites, Filinvest, Alabang, Muntinlupa

Best drink(s) I had in 2005:
Tropicana cooler
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Banana Caramel

Hassle how I couldn't reduce everything to one item.
As for movies, I would've listed HPGoF but I haven't seen it enough times (withdrawal) and I haven't seen King Kong, yet.
I'm ready though for what 2006 has to offer.

Happy New Year to everyone!
Keep smiling and God bless!