“Palpak”
Yesterday, I went to UCPB branch near our office to report a lost ATM card. The funny part — I have a good feeling that I might have lost it since Tuesday last week but only took the time almost a week after to have it blocked! I did not know what gotten to me to forget such an important thing but I remember thinking that it might be in the office or in one of my bags at home. However, I did not actively look for it until Sunday night. LOL Maybe because it was no credit card and it needed a PIN to be accessed; but once I’ve read about modus operandi concerning stolen credit cards, I got paranoid.
I arrived past 3:00 PM, past their normal banking hours so I was stopped by the guard. Good thing I placed a phone call before coming to the office and the guard had to ask somebody inside, whom I was able to tell my situation and allowed me to come inside. I was made the fill up several forms and one of the fields require the “card number”. Who memorizes their ATM card number? I have several cards with me and I don’t even know any of them by heart. Turned out, I was not required to supply this information , though I was a bit embarassed because I did not know the name of the branch I have opened my account. Anyway, there were no other untoward incidents and I was fortunate that my money was still in my account. They will automatically charge Php 150 for the card replacement (quite expensive, compared to BPI’s Php 100) and I will pick it up next Tuesday in Ortigas.
“Sablay”
Hello again old friend. It has been exactly six years!
And the most important thing this week — the recognition rites! We normally have two ceremonies at the end of the school year: one for the college graduation, and the other for the university-wide graduation. College graduations are normally more serious, while the university graduation is more festive. I remember incessantly fanning myself with the invitation during the latter one because it normally begins past 3:00 PM when the summer sun is blazing in front of us (it takes place in the Amphitheater, behind Oblé facing west…so the sun was all on us until setting).
For the coming weekend, I will be finally attending the ceremonies to culminate my finishing of my graduate degree. I still haven’t bought a barong tagalog and I will most likely buy one this Friday. I did not particularly like the one I’ve used six years ago, so I am decided to buy a better one to make up for that lack. =D As for the Sablay, the official and distinct academic costume of the university, I have already taken it out of my closet, where it was kept all these years, with the mentality of using it again. So here I am, about to use it again, and I can’t be more happy to attend my graduation with a parent FINALLY with me. Too bad Papa won’t be able to come and attend my graduation again because of scheduling conflict. I just informed Mama that it wasn’t so bad since she’s here, and I jokingly added that I’ll just take another graduate degree so he can attend next time. LOL
I’ve been making mental notes of the things I wanted to do on Sunday, like having my pictures taken with the sunflowers along the University Avenue (because I did not have one in my graduation before) or do the same foolish stunt, climbing the base of Oblé with a left leg extension. But alas! The mind is willing but the body is unyielding. All in all, I just hope we’ll have a good sunny and cloudless (or maybe even windy) day on Sunday because I do not want to ruin my leather shoes with the rain. If I remember correctly, there was one university graduation after mine, when the weather did not cooperate at all. If that were to happen on Sunday, I would just ditch the event. Just kidding.
Seriously, finishing my undergraduate degree in 2007, I only have getting a good employment in mind, without any regard to anything at all. Yes, a UP student/graduate is expected to give back to the people who, in essence, paid for our education. Working for more than five years in a private company, I always thought that I have already paid my share back with the *insert expletives here* tax deducted from my salary. But getting my master’s degree and having a better understanding and vision of what is really out there, I now know that giving back can’t be equated to mere tax cuts. I still have yet to inform the rest of my family about my decision for a career change (sauf my sister, to whom I have shared everything last Thursday), but I guess the high spirits of the graduation rites might mitigate the shock of my announcement. =D
