That Saturday (17 Dec.) was Christmas shopping at the mall day for the Thompson Family. I swear I was not the one to pick a Saturday morning to go to a mall here in the Republic of the Philippines; my first choice would have been to receive a beating from a few large men, than go to a mall. But, as always family obligations will always prevail.
My daughter said she’d pick us up at 9am, so at 9am I knew I could watch Anderson Cooper on CNN and not miss a minute. 10:15am they arrive.
Now we are at the SM mall in San Fernando and the fun begins, but this time I am keeping a close eye on my soon to be disappearing son-in-law Chris, he planned his move and I was on him like Rugby Glue, you can only fool me once. We wandered to Ace hardware, and grunted at tools and things. We hit the Starbucks and had a nice cup of coffee, and where Chrisanto pointed out this guy loading 9 people into a Honda City automobile. It was refreshing to know that we found the same things funny. Next we watched a lady in a late model Toyota run into the back of an old Pajaro, the owner of the Pajaro jumped out raising holy Cain and never noticing that what little damage there was, was to the woman’s bumper. He had this big steel pipe thingy as his bumper and it had plastic and paint from her car on it.
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Call the police he demanded of the security guard, until I pointed out that the Pajaro’s break lights never came on. They were tested and found to be lacking, the police were not called. But Chris did hear the man mumble “Damn Foreigners!”
Now this is the part where I blame my friend Don (a regular reader on LiP) who lives up the road from me. When I’m sitting at his house I notice his big screen TV and what a great picture it has. Then I go home and turn on my old fashion picture tube TV and find it wanting. My wife had asked about a new flat screen TV last year and I told her that when the one I had died we’d get one.
So not the case, I went into the SM Appliance store and the entire back wall was full of them, and thankfully Chrisanto was there to guide me through the array of confusing features available to us dumb consumers, or at least me!
I’m looking at a Samsung 43 inch marked from P45, 000 to P35, 000. Here’s what I know, it’s very big and I can afford it. Nuff said! Then this Kano walked over and told me that it was much cheaper at Sam’s Club in the states. So I pointed out the cost of the round trip airfare to buy one, and this one seemed like a bargain to me. He wandered away!
People can be so helpful. I bought it, then I find out it plays 3D movies and comes with a free blue ray video player and two electronic pair of 3D glasses. The deal now seems better. We leave the TV there and will return at the end of the day to pick it up. My granddaughter points out that we have no 3D videos at home. She is the smart one. Off to the video store where she picks out five to start with. I was so pleased that I now had 3 movies and 2 cartoon movies in 3D.
While still in there a security guard heard my son-in-law and his daughter talking about the features on Lolo’s new TV, and pointed out the singing microphone that holds ten thousand karaoke songs and gives you a free song book with it all for the low, low price of P 5,999.00. My granddaughter eyes popped wide open and then looked up at me. The security Guard turned salesman points out that they also have the 2 wireless microphones’ that comes with a DVD with 4,000 songs and the obligatory song book for only P2,999.00! Heads were spinning; I’m scratching mine when this super salesman points that for P 7,000.00 I can have both. Now the store manager came and spoke to the guard in a harsh tone, when I butt in and said this was the best salesman I’ve encountered here in this mall, and as a matter of fact I had no intention of buying these two sets until he took the time to show me them. But I’ll leave if it’s going to be a problem. The manager and guard became fast friends and I thanked him truly for his help.
One karaoke set for the house, for use on the new TV and the other is out back in my man cave for parties. I added an old TV from my daughter Yhen’s storage room and replaced it with the one from the living room.
Two days later I am alone at the house and I think I’ll check out this new 3D deal I’ve got, I break open the box and find 2 pair of the old style paper 3D glasses. I pop disc # one in the machine and put on the electronic glasses and guess what? I never saw any 3D, nothing nada, zilch! I even tried the paper glasses with the same outcome. Don was up later and I told him about it, he picked up the box and then informed me that I was trying to watch 3D, using the 2D disc. It was a happier simpler time back in the day of 8-tracks. So that’s the story of my High Tech challenged Christmas.
Thanks Paul, now I don’t like my TV so much. In fact I don’t like my DVD player anymore. Your the man Paul. Enjoy!!!
Gary;
I’m just doing my part to spread the joy of 3D viewership on a very big screen TV. Hell that’s what Don did to me!
Hi Paul – And Merry (Hi tech) Christmas to you too! He he. I’m always entertained reading your post. You know, the magic sing is good buy! it’s loads of fun. I’m telling you! So you sing Paul? He he 😉 As for the TV set, Finally you heard your wife! and got a new TV. He he. CRT set are kind of of obsolete now… ..but it’s still cool to be old school! 🙂
Sugar;
There you go, I didn’t even know my old TV had a name, CRT (I figured out the meaning) I do sing, I sing solo, so low no one can hear me!
Hey Paul,
php 35,000 was a good deal! Besides, picking one up at sam’s club not only would have cost you an airline ticket, but it’s also only 120 volts. Dumb Kano…what do they know.
Hudson;
I figured that helpful Kano would just plug his Sam’s Club TV into the wall here and fly back to the states to complain. (lol)
3D or not 3D it sounds like your shopping mall adventure is more entertainment than you would ever get on TV and that surely was in full 3D.
On my last few visits I have had a one night stayover in Manila and there is an SM almost across the street from the hotel. I like looking around in the electronics and appliance departments and my attention is constantly taken away from what I am looking at by what seem to be an overabundance of salespeople / clerks etc. As a visitor, I didn’t want to be rude to the multitude of them that kept asking me if I needed any help. Next time I do that if I remember I am going to keep count of how many times I repeat ” no thank you, just looking “. Maybe I am saying the wrong thing if the ” no means yes and yes means no” applies here !
My friends that I visit know that I enjoy sitting in a place and looking out the windows and they call it ” Bobs big screen TV “.
Enjoy your new toys Paul. I enjoyed reading about your adventures in the Mall. Next time I am looking for the best deal I will ask one of the security guards.
Hey Bob, yeah even to me it always happens, and I’m not even foreigner. He he. Like wherever I go, they follow and I’m like ok, just looking, I have no money, but then they’re going to sales talk about the best product and all that. What I really hate is when I pass by the cosmetic /perfume section then they’ll try to give sample of perfume or spray some an follow…and it’s so annoying! ^_^
Sugar;
I wonder why they never spray me with that perfume? But it would be hard to explain to Mayang.
NY Bob;
But did you notice that SM hires some of the prettiest girls I’ve ever seen to assist you? Even my wife pointed out to her friends that I like shopping at the SM Store, for some reason. May she never find out why! And you’d be right to get the security guard as he’s less of a distraction.
For some reason? LOL Paul. Never underestimate the intuition of a woman, Paul. Mayang knew all along why you like to shop at the SM store, especially when you put those sun glasses on inside the mall. Hahahaha
Ricardo;
This is where fate dealt me a poor hand, I wear transition glasses that lighten up when I’m inside. It’s a cruel world we live in! (lol) But the SM store is a kinder, gentler place.
Paul,
I guess shopping in the mall on Saturday wasn’t so bad after all. Looks like a good deal, but i don’t think i could wear those 3D Glasses. Leave them for the kids. When i move there i’m going to bring my own brand new TV. It’s an Australian one sold in the states. Also will bring my old laptop and also a new laptop too. Hope you and your family had a wonderful Noche Buena and Christmas celebration. Take care.
PapaDuck;
Those electronic 3D glasses are very cool and you’ll never notice them after a minute or so. Bring stuff with you is good, flying back to get it, is bad (lol)
A great Christmas was had by all here at the House of Mayang.
Paul
With the new TV the Red Sox better have a good line up this year.
You have to post a pic with you sporting your new fangled paper 3d glasses.
Neal;
Believe me I thought very hard about watching baseball, while shopping for the new TV. Those little boxes that tell you who’s on base were getting hard to read on the old TV.
Hello Paul.
We have 2 Flat TV’s (46″ + 55″) and I am buy them always per “accident”. On my days off when my wife is at work and Junior at school I like to look around at the newest electronics. The 46″ Plasma was my 1. accident. Looking at all this expensive TV’s 5 years ago I stopped in front of that 46er and looked, looked around – and suddenly came a young sales guy. “Can I help you, sir?” Sure. $999 for that Samsung Plasma???? “Yes, sir. It is marked with this price – so that’s what you paying for….” Swipe my debit card, I pick it up in the afternoon…. I smell a bargain! Later at 5PM, back to pick it up, showed my receipt and the sales manager is close to get a heart-attack! “Who sold you that TV!!! OMG! I can’t do anything you paid already for it….!” I only lifted my eyebrows a little bit. Original price was normally $2,999 – the young guy put the wrong price sticker on it! 5 years ago…. hehehe. I got in an other store the 55″ for $1,100 – OK, it was marked that way….. Last year.
The only think what was wrong when we got our new house? I paid $378 for in-wall-wiring, so you can’t see the wires on the wall. The guy who installed it must be on drugs or so. I asked to have the connectors behind the TV what was correct and the other connectors in the middle of the wall on the floor – the guy installed it in the left corners – so now the xbox360 wires and all the other consoles from my son must be pulled have the way to the TV in front of the wall – or (what we have now – not using the in-wall-wiring and pulling all wires direct to the TV. What a crappy job the guy did. 🙁
Holgar;
With cement walls our wires just dangle everywhere. But I guess that saves money. Sounds like you got a good deal on those TV’s the prices here are also coming down every year.
Hi Paul – Hope you never had a brown out to spoil your hi-tech Christmas.
All the very best to you and yours and keep writing I love then little stories.
Best wishes.
Jim.
Jim;
My old trusty Honda generator will prevent that from happening. You can’t go dark when your granddaughter wants to sing! (lol)
Oh, btw. Are you sure you got a 3D TV? Reminds me on this scams in North America where guys like to sell you 3D hardware on the street (Projectors, TV’s and 3 D Players) for a “bargain” and there are made in China – on top of that you get this paper classes! There are NOT 3D hardware – only fake…..
Holger;
I got the real deal on the 3D, I forgot to mention that after Don pointed out I was using the wrong movie disc. (2D) I tried the 3D and it worked great. Get cheated in the Philippines? I think not!
Hey Paul, your brand new TV is Samsung right? Samsung has a promo, if you register your TV (check your TV’s model number) and submit it to the website, you will get a gift. Check this link out: http://www.samsung.com/ph/yuletidegifts/?pid=ph_home_subbanner6_yuletidegifts_20111110
Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon!
Jonathan;
I will do that today, thanks for that! WOW LiP people are the best!!!
Hey Paul,
My name is Tiny. I’m one of Rich’s ex-wife living in California. I just found out that he passed away on May 19 according to your posting in LiP website. Please talk to me about Rich. Even though we’re divorced, we continued e-mailing each other with jokes, etc. I still know some of his friends who worked with him here. Any information I can pass on about his passing to his friends and family will be greatly appreciated. You can reach me at: [email protected]. Thanks for your time, tiny
Tiny;
I sent you an e-mail.
Hey Paul,
Happy new year to you and your family. Wow a new flat screen TV ! Those LED TV really cost much but kids are so techie these days even my 4 year old niece is crazy about the videoke and she’s way better than me in using the remote control . New year’s eve she had the wireless mic (courtesy of my dad-grandfathers whew!) and was calling everyone inside the house and even people passing by.
I’m dreaming of a SONY BRAVIA Eco-friendly LED TV that automatically shuts off if your not within the 60 degree infrared range. But yeah SAMSUNG electronics are really good Paul, my netbook is a SAMSUNG. my old company makes parts for SAMSUNG so i know your money was worth it. Plus they have available parts here so if something goes wrong, its easy to get a replacement. I’m getting myself a new galaxy Y phone – as a belated Xmas to myself hehehhe.
And oh FYI to you and your friends, buy electronics here and ask if there is a service center nearby because its difficult to have things repaired if no parts are available in the RP, i remember disposing my old DELL laptop just because the exhaust can no longer be repaired. What a waste! Glad ate Mayang is well and healthy.