On Why I Love Pasalubongs

Whenever anybody I know leaves (for a business trip, another city or even for the day), I often tell them to remember my “pasalubong”. It doesn’t really have to be something extravagant or expensive – just something that would make me feel special and loved. That even if we were miles apart, at one point wherever they were, they remembered me. Nothing makes me happier than a loved one coming back home, safe and sound, with my pasalubong in their hands. :)

I thought I’d share the recent pasalubongs that I got from some of my favorite people.

1. Oatmeal Bars from Claudette’s – Ian usually buys this for me when he’s not able to buy me anything from wherever it was he went to. Or sometimes he brings me this just because. These oatmeal bars are very delicious – chewy and moist – with chocolate chips generously sprinkled on top. Claudette’s have a stall in Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3, near one of the exits in the ground floor. Perfect last minute pasalubong to family and friends.

2. Borneo White Coffee from Kota Kinabalu – My friends Chat and Lyn went to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia last month and brought these coffee grounds back with them. As a coffee lover, I love this pasalubong! I’m just waiting for the right moment/equipment/container in order to brew it.

3. Kindle Power Adapter from Amazon.com – I ordered a Kindle last June but unfortunately, my shipment was sans a power adapter. Fortunately, my Tito Jeff was scheduled to arrive in the Philippines and was able to bring my power adapter with him. Nowadays, charging my kindle is easier and faster thanks to direct charging (and not thru USB cable).

4. Round Necklace from Mansoureh – My Iranian friend Mansoureh came to the Philippines to renew her passport and she brought with her this awesome necklace. I love it! The chain is light enough that I don’t feel like I’m being strangled and the pendant is very colorful. The photo above shows us together with me wearing the said necklace.

I love, love pasalubongs! Not only because of what they are (gifts!) but more importantly because of what they mean (I’m thinking of you).

Finally Got A Kindle!

I have been, and still am, an avid reader. I used to be one of those people you see browsing bookstores, looking for new releases from my favorite authors. Nowadays, I still read books but almost exclusively, the electronic kinds. I've ran out of space in my room to store actual books and ebooks can be stored very easily on a computer with loads of space to spare. 

I used to do my reading on my pda - a Tungsten T5 - with Mobipocket reader. It could actually do a lot more than that but I just mostly used it as an ebook reader. However, it started giving signs that it wanted to retire. And so the search for a new reader began.

I read about various readers but finally chose the Kindle from Amazon. What ultimately sold me about this product was the fact that I could use it in broad daylight because it had no glare. In fact, its screen looks just like a page from an actual book. 

After a few weeks of hemming and haw-wing, I placed my order and had it shipped to my uncle's place in the US. My cousin brought it when she came to the Philippines to visit last June. Now, my Kindle is one of the gadgets that I must always have with me (along with my phone). And It has made waiting painless and enjoyable.

Of course, any device needs a decent cover - and mine's the Kindle Lighted Leather Cover in Burnt Orange from Amazon. This was an easy choice since it uses the Kindle itself as its battery source (so no need to worry about running it ever running out of charge) and one only needs to charge the device. It makes reading at night or in the dark a breeze.

If you're in the market for an ebook reader, the Kindle is definitely a good one to get. Special thanks to Ian for funding my Kindle and for my uncle Tito Jeff for my lighted cover. I love them both! :)