Thanks for 2017, Hope 2018 is Better

In Miracle on 34th Street, Kris Kringle sent a shopper to a rival store when the store he's supposed to represent could not meet her needs. While I have encountered people in the service industry who've done the same, nowadays, they're a rare species. It's usually company first, customer second.

A stark contrast to the CSR I've mentioned in my post a month ago (He who insisted that their system is perfect. Dude, my brother is a computer programmer. He handled bank systems of countries, plural, all at the same time. He gets tickets at 3AM. I think he is in a better position to tell anyone that no system is perfect.) are the CSRs from PLDT who've been contacting me and my sister's numbers. They're pleasant to talk to, not pushy or bossy, do not sound bored, are not too chirpy either.

There were also these CSRs from Globe Telecom and another from The Generics Pharmacy. The one from Globe gave me the benefit of the doubt when others would have suggested that it was my fault. She walked me through to how it's possible that my data subscription got consumed so fast, no accusing tone, no air of detachment. Just concern that I have lost data.

Meanwhile the CSR from The Generics Pharmacy showed initiative after I messaged a query through their facebook page. It was just a question but this CSR put two and two together then took it upon himself to resolve our problem without any prompting and without me telling him initially what our problem was. It was the first time I've encountered a CSR like him. This person genuinely cares about the customer. And so because of him, we have been buying my mom's monthly meds from TGP.  If how this CSR handled our situation is company policy, I feel confident I'm buying meds from a company that got our backs.

I do wonder how the sales of Sanofi products are doing now what with the Denvaxia controversy. But then I don't think a lot of people check labels for the manufacturer in as much as they do check the price.

2017 was pretty much a repeat of 2014 for me and the family. It was health crisis after another and being victimized by people. After 2014, I'm not as afraid of things I could not see as I became aware that people are more capable of inflicting pain, with twisted reasoning to boot. Or without, trip lang. Still scared of demonic possession though. 2014 was not a really good year, so much so that I gave up writing by 2015 and had not been as active on social media. With 2017, I was, "why should I give up things I enjoy doing?" I'm not going to mope around. Okay, maybe a tiny bit.

So thank you to everyone who has made 2017 a less than bumpy ride for me and my family. Wishing a better 2018 for all of us.

SM Bonus Bacon, Bird Flu and Super Mega Companies Who Care Only About Themselves

In recent months, I learned the hard way, like a blow to the head, that some massive companies would save their asses first and not take responsibility or show/express remorse/regret for the pain, suffering and distress they have cost you and your family.

Because, really, these premier companies and most of their employees only care about the company. They do not care about you. They may show that they supposedly care via foundations and CSRs but that's all there is to it, for show.  Besides aren't they enjoying tax perks with those foundations? Aren't they getting media mileage with those CSRs? While not very popular giant companies have been donating stuff /helping out without fanfare, these gargantuan companies are all about hype. When it comes to dealing with individual customers, well, you're just a speck to them. You're nothing. Most of their employees will protect the company. Never you.

We're a couple of kilometers from bird flu ground zero. So to be on the safe side, the family has refrained from eating chicken, quail, chicken and quail eggs and other products that have chicken and quail eggs (like bread) a couple of weeks ago. Never mind government agencies saying it's safe already to consume them. Like our two barangay ambulances are anywhere around when you need them.

Back to mammoth companies, I bet they will tell you that it is hard to prove that the only chicken you've consumed is their chicken even if you have the receipt as proof. Because, hey, you were okay when you left their establishment and it's only a few days later that you're not feeling well and in that span of time a lot of things could have happened. They will tell you their product / system is perfect. They will insinuate that something is wrong on your end when clearly the evidence points to them as culpable. As what most complainants have pointed out: would we make a complaint, risk ridicule, take the time, spend the money, show proof, if we are at fault?

Abstaining from chicken isn't really hard especially if you're into seafood. 'Sides, there are a lot of yummy foods out there. Like bacon. But not this bacon.

SM Bonus Honeycured Bacon tastes like bacon that's been soaked in water first. The bacon taste barely registers.  It barely smells like bacon either. Some of the slices even look like ham or are a tad too thick. Sayang P230 ko.

Anyways, what's that other word for big? Super Monstrous is just about right.

The Banana Cue Camote Cue Turon Ambulant Kid Vendors of Pandayan and Meralco Village

If you really live in our subdivision, you would have an idea who I'm talking about. And this could be used as a test by barangay officials to know if someone who claims to have lived in the neighborhood for sometime is telling the truth. Have them call out "Banana Cue, camote cue, turon" the same way as those kids do.

I am irked when some kids (yups they're kids being kids but that does not stop the grating in my ears) would imitate how they call out their wares in a sing song voice just for fun.Or when some people would pretend that they're customers, call from within their gates then leave the kids waiting there only to realize later that they've been pranked. Okay, so I'm not exactly happy either when the same things happen to other ambulant vendors.

Here in the Philippines, if people would like to buy something from an ambulant vendor, they would shout out the name of the ware or service the vendor has been calling out. I've never been comfortable with this custom. I kept thinking, they're people, they're not  things. But that's how it is isn't it? Without knowing anything about them other than their familiar face, voice, wares and services, I guess they will be defined by the wares or services they are offering. Asking for their name seems obtrusive and may freak them out but that's what we did with our suking manong magbobote. Calling out "manong!" or "miss!" would get you stares from just about everyone.  Same goes with "psst!", "hoy!" and clapping ones hands, which I feel is a bit rude. So when I hear a vendor calling out, if I need something from them,  I would make sure I'm out in the street before they pass by our house.