BAGAHE BLUES

SENDING packages to Inang Bayan is quite easy these days. With no-weight limit policy among the companies vying for attention from foreigners living in the Land of Ichiro Suzuki.... it is so convenient! Indeed! * KNOWING that I would be tied up in the Winter with the arrival of so many KENSHUSEI[s] [TRAINEE[s], I decided to take out my DREAM BOX [this one is where I keep all my purchases which I intend to be my pasalubongs] today and made a listing. Besides, I have the mornings free for cleaning the house; I work in the afternoon,usually after school hours. ** I WAS astonished to find that my NIMOTSU [BAGGAGE] have blown this much! All these time, I have not noticed all these things. They have piled up and filled the closet. Goodness! I have enough already. I need to send this by late November in time for my arrival in December. Good timing? Naaahhh...just proper planning. *** WHY so much? Well, most Bags were given by Shiseido,the cosmetic company which I patronize. Then most "samples" are free.[read: LIBRE!]. So I have horded brushes, foundations, lotions,ad indinitum.... Then the "End-of-Summer Sale" usually offer bargains and these things [tees, shorts, blouses, blah3] are wearable in the Tropics. Small toys are likewise LIBRE, if you eat with kids. My friend always get them for me....while I pay at the Cashier hahahah!!!! That would be good as give-a-ways, right? Mr. Donut here gives a lot of "presents" , PRESENTO they say.... From plato to cups to tabo to mugs,door mats, diaries,.... Likewise the PAN-YA [BAKERY] which sells my favorite HOKKAIDO MILK PAN [BREAD] gives chinawares for purchases made on the 15th of each month. So there! **** MADALI lang makaipon ng anuman dito. In fact, kapag nagsawa na yung mga Hapon, itatapon na lang. ISTORBO lang kasi sa bahay. Dati kasi, pwedeng magtapon ng TV sets, o ref, o anumang appliances sa GOMI-BAKO [ BASURAHAN]. I made "pulot" in Tokyo when I studied there. I had this nice table and a bookshelf. Maganda pa and sturdy, but I had togive it up also when I moved to KYOTO. ***** Two years ago, binago na ang rule kasi ang daming basurang nagkalat. NOW, one has to pay the DENKI-YA SAN [APPLIANCE STORE] a certain fee for every appliance we throw. Yung ibang Pinoy na taga-Davao always wait for news if we will buy a new one. This means we will discard the old ones....so meron silang magagamit sa apartment nila. OK din, db? HINDI nmn sira ang mga itinatapon...lumang model nga lang. Most Pinoys even pack the old bicycles they picked up and sent them via BALIKBAYAN BOXES. Great ideas, indeed. Yun nga lang, kailangan, talagang GOMI [BASURA]or given by someone...or else, baka matulad doon sa isang Pinoy na pinick-up ng pulis dahil he was using a bike that was reported missing. Tinawag ako ng pulis para mag-interpret sa nahuling Pinoy pero wala ring lusot. ****** OLD AND NEW. GIVE AND TAKE.

*