Another year has passed

(originally posted on the 10-Years After Yahoogruops, then edited)

For my birthday last March 21 I bought a nice present for myself, a brand new Treo 600. They're relatively cheap now because the newer Treo 650 is already out. But in a testament to what kind of country we live in, it was stolen the day after my birthday on the MRT. It was stowed in my left cargo pocket and the MRT was so packed that morning I didn't notice it being stolen. And I thought theft like that only happened to idiots who didn't know what was happening around them. Welcome to the club they said.

And I bought that on a 12-month zero interest scheme, so I don't know what's worse, that I didn't lose my money all at once or that I'll lose some money every month for a year for nothing. A monthly reminder of the incident.

But it's ok in the larger scheme of things. From a certain perspective I even seem lucky. Last December I was hit by a cab whose driver fell asleep. The cab swerved into the incoming lane, which was mine, and hit the rear of my car. If it hit me a few seconds earlier it would have been a head-on collision. It's a major bummer, the taxi operator only offered P12k take it or sue (damage was P47k) but all in all my companion and I came out unscathed. Although I still want to burn a few of their taxis to the ground. (the operator was R&E from Caloocan, asshole owners, even their drivers say so)

So yeah, I know people personally who have been robbed at knifepoint. I know that's a lot worse. Actually I'm thinking of buying a replacement Treo because I was saving up for it until I found a credit card promo. That means I still have money with the credit card payment (which isn't that bad) yet to kick in.

Then again could this be a lesson in materialism? In a very twisted silver lining way this experience is useful to me as a writer. It gives me an emotional well to draw from and apply to my craft (naks naman, artist daw).

That was kinda my birthday experience this year.