slow wallet death

Ger and his friends coined the term 'wallet death' (at least I heard it from them first). I usually have a budget for expenses in a given month, because our payroll is given out monthly, and the salary for one month is usually given within the last few days of the preceding month. Anyway, I killed any form of budget I had made for the next month by bringing on wallet death (actually impending wallet death since I charged most of this).

I had a packed weekend. In fact, coming to work this Monday morning was like a dream. It was like the middle of the week for me. [It's a good thing I got some rest time. More later.] The greater part of Saturday was spent at work. I was supposed to join the SmashPhilippines STG but overtime on Friday night was not enough to iron things out before our cutoff. I went over to MusicOne because I just had to have the Celtic Circle 2-disc collection--one wonders why one has to have a compilation of Celtic-inspired music, but I did. I was getting tired of waiting for the Two Towers copy Lawrence was burning for me; and I wanted to have a copy of some Loreena McKennitt and Clannad music, too, so here this was. There's no Enya, although there's a version of her May It Be vocal from the Fellowship of the Ring. Instant favorites were McKenitt's Mists of Avalon theme The Mystic's Dream (have I mentioned Mists... is one of my favorite books?) and Brian Dunning's CuChulainn's Last Battle. Maybe the next time I can reengineer wallet death by buying Celtic Circle 2.

A quick trip to the parlor because they were having a 50%-off promo on hair treatments. Heaven knows my hair has been due for one for ages. It took about an hour. I forgot to bring my book (still London, still haven't finished reading that epic thing--because right now the only reading time is synchronized with toilet time). Hair is softer now, but still totally frizzy. I think I'm going to give up on this mane of mine. Well, the mane was quite tame when Bespren J. and I trooped over to Rockwell to watch Runaway Jury. I used to be a huge fan of John Grisham but then sometime after The Client, when they were all being made movies, I stopped reading his books. By the time it got to The Rainmaker, The Firm seemed like such a distant memory. It still is. I don't find myself consciously gravitating towards any John Grisham novels right now.

Sunday was badminton day in the morning, Festival Mall and Sasha Pelejo's christening (actually the reception) in the afternoon and early evening. Bought a copy of Her First Bible for the baby. I looked over the Bought a copy of The Da Vinci Code, finally in mass market paperback which I can afford.

Tuesday was sick day; I had intestinal flu of some sort and it was not a pretty sight. Rest day for me but it wasn't very restful because I had to go the the bathroom quite often. Wallet death seemed to have been averted. Not to mention I was able to go through a couple hundred pages of London.

And then yesterday, of course I had to go out and beat the sweltering heat. I think it was to drum in the fact that it was Ash Wednesday. I don't know if the Catholic in me is being superstitious but it seems that Ash Wednesday and Good Friday almost always are among the hottest days of the year. Mass at Greenbelt amidst a mass of people--sweaty, with ash on our foreheads, mostly solemn, and feeling blessed. Of course right above the Greenbelt Chapel is Powerbooks (don't forget, it's Live!). Got my hands on quite a few books, including four bargain books for my teen cousin (about teen witches and ghastly things), Complete Idiot's Guide to Trouble-Free Car Care, and this hard-bound Jack Kerouac with which I plan to gift Bespren M on her coming twin birthday with Bespren J.

Then went to the supermarket. Was able to procure Mane & Tail shampoo and conditioner (recommended by my hairdresser) for PhP700 for the set. A little steep but then supply has been quite short and demand quite large. Of course I had to buy fruits, pudding mix, sour cherry juice (only available in Cash and Carry!), yadda yadda yadda... Bought Kirkland Calcium-Magnesium-Zinc-Vit D tablets too, since my mom already has mild osteoporosis. I sealed my wallet's fate. In the span of five days I had spent about Php6,000--considering that only about Php1,000 was real money, I'd say my wallet has been ferried across the Styx and is dining with Hades. Past redemption.

good and rich charlotte
Charlotte Church (whom I just saw on Hollywood Squares yesterday) is turning 18, and that gives her control of a $30M trust fund, earnings from her child prodigy career as an angelic soprano. "I don't really need a lot of money right now," Charlotte says. Give some to us, dearie. Hehe.

She will be embarking on a pop career now, with songs that are "somewhat rocky". Rocky as in rocky road? I just hope she doesn't totally turn her back on light classical music because I think her voice is really made for that. But then she could also be the next Celine Dion. Who knows?