HAPPY HALLOWEEN! XD
*ISH VERY TIRED~!* DX
Youngest bro decided on the last minute to change his mind and was convinced to get his ass off to go and register to vote....
ON THE FREAKING LAST DAY OF REGISTRATION!?!?! DX
So the storm has finally passed on to the South China Sea and the sibs have got together to go visit papa's urn's resting place at The Garden of the Divine Word in Christ the King Seminary in New Manila. While in transit going there youngest bro asked if he should register and I said, "Okay. After we visit Papa." He said, "Okay."
In my mind I was panicking because it is already in the afternoon (about 2p.m.) and we still have to stay for a bit at the columbary to pay our respects before we go home, get his birth certificate and have photocopied together with his school I.D.
Stressed? Hardly..... NOT! DX
Elder Bro and I talked earlier and decided to go to the columbary today, 31Oct, to visit instead of tomorrow where parking, time and noise will welcome us otherwise from the solemn quiet resting place that the Garden is known for. So we rounded up the two younger siblings to get ready to leave by 2p.m. and we got there around 3p.m. because of the slow traffic in EDSA.
So we got to the columbary to find that our vase was moved and is being used by another group which I had to point out to them belongs to us and I waited for them to hand it over so I can clean it up, get water and put in the flowers we bought for it while my brothers and Engr.Bro light up some of the candles we also brought as they waited for me. Got the vase cleaned, put water on it and went back to our area to arrange the flowers. Then we said a short prayer for the dead for Papa. We sat for a bit of reflection and then I later went up to the grotto to pray to the miraculous statue of Our Lady of Anunciation, said a short prayer of thanks and guidance and prayed the rosary then walked back and met one of the staff who was supervising the building of tents on one area where the visitors may eat. He told me that the people have started coming in just this afternoon also and they (The Garden) will be open from 31Oct to 2Nov but the Seminary's gates will close at 10pm every night.
We waited for a bit more since there was another scripture rosary being prayed and out of respect for that and the month of the rosary we stayed and waited for it to finish before we then went home.
Got home, ordered pizza to be delivered (pizza hut stuffed crust!) and looked for youngest bro's birth certificate to bring to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) office along with his valid I.D. (the school I.D.). Passed by the City Hall and found an open photocopier stall, had the BC and ID copied and went on further down the road to the COMELEC Office for our district. Not surprised to see the long line and worried that we might not make it but I convinced myself and sib to wait it out since we were already there (we just walked all the way from the house to there! yup, THAT NEAR!) and stayed on the line. This was already 5p.m. and registration closes at 12Midnight. And the line was about 1 1/2 to 2 Km LONG snaking from the COMELEC office! I'm not kidding!
I chatted with some of the people in the line to pass the time and from time to time the line moved for a bit but when it was 7p.m., the line barely moved. I was feeling my hunger distinctly by then. Our last meal was that brunch we had at home and we haven't had our dinner yet because we went straight here to get youngest bro registered. He was able to get a form to fill out earlier, made a mistake and I asked for another paper but the lady gave us a duplicate of the other form which he already filled out. Luckily there was another set that was being passed around and I had him fill this out once more. While in line there was a security passing along the lines to write down the numbers at the back of each form. This is important because we are assured that we have a chance to get registered and the right to demand that we were there early. More were still coming and falling in line. We were last in line when we got there and that line keeps getting longer. From where we were (the last in line) up until then (by 7.pm.) the line seems unchanged as we have moved from that area to the 1Km mark because people still keep coming trying their luck to get in line hoping to be able to register, re-register, file their transfer at the last minute. Typical Pinoy. Always at the last minute. -.-"
I walked for a bit to see where the line was from the office and I estimated that it will be another hour to get near the office and another hour or so to get inside the office. I was thinking that by 8 or 9p.m. we will be done. Boy, was I wrong! D:
I bought some fried patani beans (erm those big green kidney shaped beans whose skin goes brown when fried) to eat just so to ease the hunger pangs. It helped for a bit. Another hour and a half have passed and we are finally seeing the office and its door! YAY! Or so I thought.
When he was nearer (about 25-50m or so) I decided to go up the front to see why the line seems not to be moving and found to my surprise that from the door there were chairs lined up to approximately seats 50-80 people and then the line snakes out from there. Augh. It will be another two hours before we get there. And I hate to be right.
Because I was right. I told youngest bro and the others in line with him what I saw and what we have been noticing. Despite the control number and the line there were still others who are able to sneak in and register ahead of us. I told sib to stick to his line and wait it out rather that get in trouble if we try to sneak in there and be the ire of many who waited for hours like us only to be put last because of some unscrupulous individuals.
It was already 9p.m. and I was really hungry and thristy by then. I told sib that I'll go to Jollibee to eat something and I'll buy him take out and get back to him in the line asap.
Decided to ride the jeep since my feet were aching bad (I hadn't sat for hours since we went in line to register). Got to Jollibee and ordered a regular yum with a glass of ice (for water) and jolly hotdog meal for sib since the promo he wanted had already expired. wolfed down food. drank the water very slowly (i don't want to get caught the need to use a restroom while waiting in line with him). and got out of there to get back to sib. rode the jeep and got off at the front of the office. saw that the line had moved a bit more and gave sib his dinner. he was really hungry by then and this helped eased his hunger a bit. another hour has passed and he was finally seated with the others while another companion's sib and I waited for our sibs on the other side until they finished. we observed the others in there and was frustrated to find how many still were unprepared with the documents they have with them. Saw a lot of them getting out of the line to photocopy their valid docs while others who were already inside stepped out to do just that. Most didn't bother to make a photocopy of their IDs and BCs earlier and were just getting it done there and then (it's already late where will you be able to get to photocpied?!) while the others do not have sufficient identification or documents with them when they fully well know that it is needed hoping they would still be allowed to register. Such is the perrenial(sp?) problems facing most of the Pinoys from the CDE crowd. D:
While this is happening others do not bother to read what was needed and they keep asking questions to the others who don't know any more or much less than them. Gah. It is so easy to do but it takes them time to realize it.
Anyway, bro got inside finally and I had to wait for another half hour before he was done. We finally finished there and got home at a little past 11pm.
And the line still snakes up to the place where we started at 5p.m.
Got home. Went to the toilet. Rested a bit. Took a shower to remove the smells from the exhaust of vehicles and cigarettes. Ate a slice of pizza for dinner and promptly got to bed to sleep.
This is how I spent my Halloween.
Youngest bro decided on the last minute to change his mind and was convinced to get his ass off to go and register to vote....
ON THE FREAKING LAST DAY OF REGISTRATION!?!?! DX
So the storm has finally passed on to the South China Sea and the sibs have got together to go visit papa's urn's resting place at The Garden of the Divine Word in Christ the King Seminary in New Manila. While in transit going there youngest bro asked if he should register and I said, "Okay. After we visit Papa." He said, "Okay."
In my mind I was panicking because it is already in the afternoon (about 2p.m.) and we still have to stay for a bit at the columbary to pay our respects before we go home, get his birth certificate and have photocopied together with his school I.D.
Stressed? Hardly..... NOT! DX
Elder Bro and I talked earlier and decided to go to the columbary today, 31Oct, to visit instead of tomorrow where parking, time and noise will welcome us otherwise from the solemn quiet resting place that the Garden is known for. So we rounded up the two younger siblings to get ready to leave by 2p.m. and we got there around 3p.m. because of the slow traffic in EDSA.
So we got to the columbary to find that our vase was moved and is being used by another group which I had to point out to them belongs to us and I waited for them to hand it over so I can clean it up, get water and put in the flowers we bought for it while my brothers and Engr.Bro light up some of the candles we also brought as they waited for me. Got the vase cleaned, put water on it and went back to our area to arrange the flowers. Then we said a short prayer for the dead for Papa. We sat for a bit of reflection and then I later went up to the grotto to pray to the miraculous statue of Our Lady of Anunciation, said a short prayer of thanks and guidance and prayed the rosary then walked back and met one of the staff who was supervising the building of tents on one area where the visitors may eat. He told me that the people have started coming in just this afternoon also and they (The Garden) will be open from 31Oct to 2Nov but the Seminary's gates will close at 10pm every night.
We waited for a bit more since there was another scripture rosary being prayed and out of respect for that and the month of the rosary we stayed and waited for it to finish before we then went home.
Got home, ordered pizza to be delivered (pizza hut stuffed crust!) and looked for youngest bro's birth certificate to bring to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) office along with his valid I.D. (the school I.D.). Passed by the City Hall and found an open photocopier stall, had the BC and ID copied and went on further down the road to the COMELEC Office for our district. Not surprised to see the long line and worried that we might not make it but I convinced myself and sib to wait it out since we were already there (we just walked all the way from the house to there! yup, THAT NEAR!) and stayed on the line. This was already 5p.m. and registration closes at 12Midnight. And the line was about 1 1/2 to 2 Km LONG snaking from the COMELEC office! I'm not kidding!
I chatted with some of the people in the line to pass the time and from time to time the line moved for a bit but when it was 7p.m., the line barely moved. I was feeling my hunger distinctly by then. Our last meal was that brunch we had at home and we haven't had our dinner yet because we went straight here to get youngest bro registered. He was able to get a form to fill out earlier, made a mistake and I asked for another paper but the lady gave us a duplicate of the other form which he already filled out. Luckily there was another set that was being passed around and I had him fill this out once more. While in line there was a security passing along the lines to write down the numbers at the back of each form. This is important because we are assured that we have a chance to get registered and the right to demand that we were there early. More were still coming and falling in line. We were last in line when we got there and that line keeps getting longer. From where we were (the last in line) up until then (by 7.pm.) the line seems unchanged as we have moved from that area to the 1Km mark because people still keep coming trying their luck to get in line hoping to be able to register, re-register, file their transfer at the last minute. Typical Pinoy. Always at the last minute. -.-"
I walked for a bit to see where the line was from the office and I estimated that it will be another hour to get near the office and another hour or so to get inside the office. I was thinking that by 8 or 9p.m. we will be done. Boy, was I wrong! D:
I bought some fried patani beans (erm those big green kidney shaped beans whose skin goes brown when fried) to eat just so to ease the hunger pangs. It helped for a bit. Another hour and a half have passed and we are finally seeing the office and its door! YAY! Or so I thought.
When he was nearer (about 25-50m or so) I decided to go up the front to see why the line seems not to be moving and found to my surprise that from the door there were chairs lined up to approximately seats 50-80 people and then the line snakes out from there. Augh. It will be another two hours before we get there. And I hate to be right.
Because I was right. I told youngest bro and the others in line with him what I saw and what we have been noticing. Despite the control number and the line there were still others who are able to sneak in and register ahead of us. I told sib to stick to his line and wait it out rather that get in trouble if we try to sneak in there and be the ire of many who waited for hours like us only to be put last because of some unscrupulous individuals.
It was already 9p.m. and I was really hungry and thristy by then. I told sib that I'll go to Jollibee to eat something and I'll buy him take out and get back to him in the line asap.
Decided to ride the jeep since my feet were aching bad (I hadn't sat for hours since we went in line to register). Got to Jollibee and ordered a regular yum with a glass of ice (for water) and jolly hotdog meal for sib since the promo he wanted had already expired. wolfed down food. drank the water very slowly (i don't want to get caught the need to use a restroom while waiting in line with him). and got out of there to get back to sib. rode the jeep and got off at the front of the office. saw that the line had moved a bit more and gave sib his dinner. he was really hungry by then and this helped eased his hunger a bit. another hour has passed and he was finally seated with the others while another companion's sib and I waited for our sibs on the other side until they finished. we observed the others in there and was frustrated to find how many still were unprepared with the documents they have with them. Saw a lot of them getting out of the line to photocopy their valid docs while others who were already inside stepped out to do just that. Most didn't bother to make a photocopy of their IDs and BCs earlier and were just getting it done there and then (it's already late where will you be able to get to photocpied?!) while the others do not have sufficient identification or documents with them when they fully well know that it is needed hoping they would still be allowed to register. Such is the perrenial(sp?) problems facing most of the Pinoys from the CDE crowd. D:
While this is happening others do not bother to read what was needed and they keep asking questions to the others who don't know any more or much less than them. Gah. It is so easy to do but it takes them time to realize it.
Anyway, bro got inside finally and I had to wait for another half hour before he was done. We finally finished there and got home at a little past 11pm.
And the line still snakes up to the place where we started at 5p.m.
Got home. Went to the toilet. Rested a bit. Took a shower to remove the smells from the exhaust of vehicles and cigarettes. Ate a slice of pizza for dinner and promptly got to bed to sleep.
This is how I spent my Halloween.