My shopping trip to SM Megamall a few weeks back might have been an omen. I swore never to come back to Sugarhouse, that deli cum bake shop whose smashing and best seller apple pie has now shrunk to a miniscule for a hundred and fifty pesos a slice, topped with a small scoop of cream. I swore too that the scoop of cream tasted a bit off - rancid, I should say. I asked for a cup of water (i.e. paper cup) – I knew they no longer served water in glasses since they moved from the bridgeway. They would sell you bottled water even if you’re choking to death. How horrible. More recently, I looked for its other outlet in the basement to give in to my sweet tooth. I couldn’t find it, has it lost that business too?


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My cable provider is SkyCable by reason of default although I wanted Destiny. The condo building only has provisions for SkyCable, why argue. Last month, I noticed the images on my TV were reddish brown going darker the longer it stayed on. I called SkyCable for technical support and to troubleshoot my connection over the phone -- ahhhh that very familiar unplug and replug from the power source and the cords behind the Digibox. It was worked after. The next day it was the same reddish brown picture and much as I didn’t feel I wanted to get cheated for the monthly advanced charges, I couldn’t bear losing the television next to Sleepasil.

I settled for a tech dispatch rather than a replacement of my Digibox. As a challenge, the customer service representative said I would be charged three hundred fifty pesos if it were a TV trouble and if their technician would fix it. Okay, fine whatever. Ten days gone, the technician had not shown up. I learned the SkyCable crew attempted to see me in the morning while I specifically told at least 3 representatives that I can only be home from 2pm. Does that give you an idea how many times I called?

Two instances I was on the phone with representatives, I asked for a supervisor which is a normal way of getting things done if not satisfied. I was put on hold, and, under any stretch of normal understanding can’t believe this happened for longer than 10 minutes that I had to vent my anger on Facebook. Oh yes, they came after a friend helped talk to SkyCable – it was my TV I acknowledged but what’s the deal? One of the representatives offered a discount for bad their lousy customer service? Or couldn’t answer my questions? Or for not handing me to her supervisor? Next horror, I received my bill and SkyCable overcharged me some Php120.00. Heaven forgive.



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Choosing between Globe landline and PLDT for my internet was a no brainer. I knew I could rely on PLDT’s backbone for my DSL. I was on dial-up before, and my friends would call me that my phone was busy and I had to get off the internet. For two years now my DSL hasn’t failed me…or thought it did until I myself fixed the problem.

My office’s Outlook Web email application was reformatted to accommodate larger bytes. On the first 3 weeks of this new version, I couldn’t send email nor reply to any using any browser, e.g., Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome. PLDT’s technical support couldn’t figure it out either… there at least I got to talk to a supervisor. We exchanged information, modem brand, server and port numbers and such. After my fifth call to PLDT’s technical support hotline, I ventured to download Opera, another browser that’s hitting the ‘Net waves. Voila, there came my email… in light version but now can reply and send emails.


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“Ma’m, ano po hinahanap niyo.” Oh wow, I said to myself, finally a proactive attendant at the nearby mall. “Prunes,” I repeated at least 4 times, he couldn’t even pronounce it. Oh nevermind, I turned around and went in a huff.

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“Saan ba dito mga Cardigan?” Doon po… “Saan ba dito ang Cardigan?” Doon po…. “Saan ba dito mga Cardigan?” “Ma’am ano po ba Cardigan?” At a department store in Makati, the one that has a long catwalk going to Greenbelt.