Live in the Philippines

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Nothing On TV?

Entertainment / by

Note from the Editor:  He’s back!  Yep, Paul Thompson has been missed and today is his re-appearance here on LiP!  You should not expect that you will be seeing him weekly from here on out, give him a chance to heal from his sickness!  But, Paul will be continuing to make a comeback as he can.  Welcome back, Paul, it is great to see you on the mend!  Bob

This took Place 4 days prior to my going to the hospital a few months ago and I found it and remembered I owed it to Sir Bob, (LOL) as I’ve missed a few Mondays. As I improve I’ll try more.

It started years ago with an old Sharps TV, the family seemed contented but then that was in the 1990’s. Then came the dream satellites which even had a pay for view porn channel (That lasted a few months until the church found out) but here on the mountain Dream was the only way to go. For 16 years we were hooked up to it, but every few months a channel would disappear. It was never a religious or cooking channel it was always something like HBO. When called they would explain the cost was why it had to be dropped, but my cost never lowered a centavo.

The old Sharp’s TV was still working but then this guy was knocking on the gate wanting to pawn a couple of months old JVC 36 inch screen, with matching stand for a few thousand Pesos’, hell I couldn’t have stolen it for a better price. A few years pass and at the gate appeared the man whom pawned the TV to me low those many years ago, explaining that for three thousand pesos’ more I could own the TV outright. Since it had been a few years I figured I already owned it. But to prevent a protracted argument between me, him and the Barangay Kaptian, I just told him; “No thank you, sir.”, but he could purchase it back from me for the amount I loaned him plus the few years interest he owed me. For some odd reason I never saw him again.

Five years ago my granddaughter and I were in SM Mall and she decided that Lolo Daddy Paul should have a flat screen TV and of course it had to be “3D” capable, and of course I did, a 46 inch Samsung flat screened that sat on a box in the living room. The story of the box: On my way to the Philippines a shipmate gave me a bag of decorative brass fittings and the plans to have this box made. The plans were in metric, my builder used inches and the box was too large to ship to California. I bought the box from him and we sat at Uncle Bob’s in Guam and laughed about it.

All is well as all the Pacman fights are now viewed the purok on a big screen TV and there is happiness abounding. But not all is well; I’m as deaf at a hoot, so I bought a Sony (Old Style) TV as it had big speakers built in and put it upstairs..

I’ll explain. The old Sharps is now part of a Karaoke set up out back in the drinking spot. The LBC is now in the spare bedroom, the flat screen in the living room and the Sony for the hard of hearing is upstairs.

Along comes Ann, the long time Dream agent and presents a new satellite TV company called Cignal, in “High Definition” only one TV is set up for “High Definition” and that’s the one in the living room. You know what will happen now don’t you?

Move the old Samsung flat screen upstairs to my room, move the Sony to the extra master bedroom, give the still working well, JVC and Sharps TV’s to her brother and sister who’s TV\s have gone south for the season never to return. AND WHAT PRAY TELL HAPPENS NEXT???

Go to Savers Mart to buy a new Samsung 55 inch flat screen TV on sale at 50% off. But they didn’t have it in stock, yes that’s correct only the floor model. So while the head scratching was taking place and the manager who happened to be a batch mate with Maria (Mayang) and her twin Clara, I guessed his age and stumped him as to how I did that. (I never told him)

But I saw this huge 58 inch flat screen DeVant TV darn near 10 inches bigger than my old one for less money than the Samsung we were looking at (Oh remember that 3D feature on the old one that was never used even once?) this one had it too! But it was also a Wi-Fi compatible Smart TV which meant absolutely nothing to me, as if I\d check my Facebook on TV.

But using my cagy brain I spied that because of the stand placement it would no longer sit on the Nara wood box. But the display table they had it on was perfect and was available for nine thousand pesos upstairs (New in the box) Wow I told them that was a deal breaker. But if they added in the stand with the colossal TV at the same price as the original Samsung TV they didn’t have in stock, we were cooking with gas. The batch mate manager Thought about it for a second power scratched his head and said yes, saving me all in all six thousand pesos, and free delivery!
Paul is available as your personal shopper, for a slight fee. (LOL)

So that night Mayang when came up stairs I was reading, and the TV was dark and she asked me why. I grinned and said; |Nothing on TV!”

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Paul, welcome back. Hope you are feeling much better now. You have been missed, shipmate.

    • Gary;
      I’m feeling better than before, I don’t want to go through the past few months again, so I’m following the doctors (and most important my wife’s orders). it’s tough with no beer or rum. but that’s the price I pay and since they stopped me from smoking back in March I see no reason st start them again.I’m going to try a couple of articles a month from now on until I can do more.

  4. Welcome back you old matelo! Will sell my shares in SMB now its no longer worth the investment.
    Get well soon mate and lets have more of your wit and wisdom.

  5. John;
    Wit maybe but wisdom was never my strong point. But even I left the hospital smart enough to know which bathroom to use, what happened to America?

    • I have a prediction along those lines, Paul. With all of these “guys” who feel the need to use the female bathroom, how long do you think it will take before one of them sues because there is no urinal in the ladies room? Somebody will get a quick $5 Million for that one! 😉

      • Hi Bob,

        I am living here in North Carolina which is in the center of the controversy. I see another scenario where a transgender male to female is forced to go to the Men’s room at a Carolina Hurricanes Game, gets the crap beaten out of him and sues. I am not sure what the answer is there really did not seem to be a problem before the people in Charlotte(local government) first then the people in Raleigh (state government) passed silly laws. The first one on the Left the second on the Right.

        Peace

        Jay

      • Bob;
        The first one to sue will be a transgender dude, maybe Bruce Jenner; he’ll do anything for money.

  6. Hi Paul,

    We purchase a Panasonic 50 inch plasma tv a little over 10 years ago. It set me back a little North of $1700. A year latter, they were selling for half that and it dropped another half not long after that. A couple of months ago it started to die. For awhile we could unplug it for awhile then plug it back in and it would work until we cut it off. Then we would have to leave it unplugged for awhile to get it to work. A month or so ago it died for good.

    I did something my wife does all the time picked out and purchased my own birthday present. She does not trust my judgement with good reason. I bought myself a 48 inch Samsung Smart tv for $422 at Sam’s Club here in Raleigh, NC. It is early to tell, but this seems to be a big upgrade.

    Really happy to be reading another of your articles! Glad you are doing better! Take care of yourself.

    Peace

    Jay

    • Jay;
      I miss my hard of hearing 36 inch Sony TV as here in the Philippines it is hard to figure out the Cygnal Sat. format. But you are right the price will drop as soon as you get them into your home. (lol)

  7. Interesting article. I have heard that electronics are very expensive in Phil, so how much does a TV cost (say a 40 inch flat screen)?

    In general, I would be interested to know the cost of anything which anyone wishes to communicate so I have some price ideas in my head.

    And best wishes on your health; life is full of tunnels but it seems you are out now in the light.

    • Steve;
      The prices I quoted were from here in the Philippines, so you tell me which is cheaper, as I have no stateside reference. After a while you forget to think western prices and just shop for the best deals you can find here.

    • If you web search for appliance dealers in The Philippines you may be able to get some kind of idea of the cost of electronics and other appliances. You can go from low end bargain basement prices to the high end stuff. I have purchased items in PH to use as donations and also some as gifts for friends I have there. For the most part I only do business in retail establishments that have posted prices.

  8. Hey Paul, Good to have you back. Read every one of your old articles while you were away. Keep getting better, Nick

  9. Nick;
    That is the first time I’ve ever heard that, but I thank you for your loyalty yet I feel I don’t rate it. But I will try and write as often as I can just to prevent you from ever having to do that again. (LOL)

  10. Hi Paul, good to see you back confusing the hell out of us all with your superior technical knowledge of the TV industry. Last year I parted with our Sony 42″ HD TV that we brought with us from the UK which was around 12 years old and still working as good as new. My mother in law can now sit in her kitchen and watch TV while she eats and still see everything from the Sala. We replaced the Sony with a Samsung 42″ Flat Screen HD and with enough inputs to run and control a fleet of Drones. I must confess the picture is superb however I wonder if it will last as long as the Sony, only time will tell.
    Take care.
    Regards.
    Jim.

    • Michael;
      Albeit I paid for them but I’ve never lifted one, remember all those TV’s I gave to the family?

  12. Paul! Good to have you back. I could tell I missed you as I was reading this nicely woven tale and then the punch line!! Nothing on TV 🙂 I chuckled and said to myself He’s Baaaack! Stay well.

    • Denzil;
      Think asbout how I feel about being back (LOL) the alternative was bleek.

  14. Paul,
    Great to see your back! You have been missed by me and so many others. Take it easy and heal up Sir.

    I just sent a LG 50″ TV from the US to Gensan. My wife went to see how much the same TV was there and even with the shipping and taxes it was way cheaper than if we bought it there. Now when I get there it will be up to me to get the TV hooked up. My wife gets confused when I say cable which our subdivision supposedly has and satellite.

    And again take care.

    • Hi Scott;
      True stateside would be cheaper by far, but the cost of the round trip ticket to get there to buy the TV would break me. I’ll shop on the local market, it’s cheaper. (LOL)

  15. Hi Paul,

    Great to have you back here on ” LIP ” and I hope you will continue your recovery. Your articles have always been a good read and a great way to start another week. Sounds like you are well equipped with enough TV for everyone at your house even if you say there is nothing to watch on tv LOL. At the other end of the scale, on my visit of October 2015 I bought a brand new low end 14 inch CRT ( not flat screen ) no name Deluxe TV at Gaisano for 2100 Peso that I used as a donation. Still working too as of my most recent visit a few weeks ago.

    • NY Bob;
      Any TV that works and you can use 25 feet of Bamboo as your antenna is a wonderful TV. I hope you enjoyed your trip.

  16. Hello good afternoon.how can i send you a message sir?a private message i just want to ask a help from you regarding to my bf american.i just want to ask a legal advice from you.thank you and god bless.

    • Frank;
      I will but I need some good South African or Brit jokes for Facebook! (LOL)

      • South African jokes?

        Two Kugels chatting over coffee. One asks the other “Suzee, do you chat to your husband while you’re making love”? “Goodness no” replied Suzee, “Why would I want to be making a telephone call at a time like that”?

        A lawyer draws up a will for a little old lady. He charges her R100. Only once she has left does he realise that she gave him two R100 notes instead of just one. Then he realises that he’s stuck with an ethical dilemma…should be tell his partner?

        Why does the blonde girl have the SA flag on her bedsheets? So she knows where to put her legs.

        I bought us a flat above a pawn shop, says Koos to his brand new wife. Oh really, she says, why? I thought you’d like to be near your wedding ring, he replied!

        No offence intended. Have a great day and keep well!

  19. Hi Paul, great to have you back we all miss your posts on Monday morning and your sense of humour , I usually buy Sony tv I find them very reliable we got destiny cable part of Sky cable but I don’t watch to much tv but the wife does was in Subic for a few days 2 weeks ago driving through your place dinalupihan I said to the wife this is were Paul Thompson lives she said whose Paul I said the best writer on Mindanao Bob
    Good to have you back ,Derek in pasig .

    • Derek;
      Even my wife askes; “Who is Paul Thompson” so I’m not a bit suprised. (lol) But great to hear from all the LiP folks again.

  20. Welcome back Paul.
    Hope you are recovering more each day and enjoy your books. I prefer reading to watching tv. I have a few favourite programmes

    • Marjorie;
      Could not read while in hospital as eyes wouldn’t focus, that ability has returned and I’m enjoying my books again.

  21. Sir Paul,
    Great to have you back again, even if I have to be patient and wait a few more days between your post. I along with most others I feel have truly missed you witty humor and style of writing.
    I am on board if you want to do my bargain shopping. I need a good TV…. well if I had time to watch it I would. I can never get the channel to change from the cartoon network with my kids around!
    Again, welcome back!

  23. Steve;
    Cartoon Network was required viewing when my grandson was here, I miss sponge bob……………….I’m no better shopper than anyone else, I just walk into more stores in one day. (lol0

  25. Paul,

    We are so happy you are getting back to normal. Appreciate your daughter keeping us updated about your condition and answering our comments. Just continue to take things slow and you will be back to normal soon. The bright side of not being able to drink rum/beer is you can save a little money lol. Looking forward to your next article in a few weeks. We will be going to the States on Saturday. Not looking forward to the long flight.

    • PapaDuck;
      Eating and gaining back my weight is the goal my doctor set. It is a goal I’m continent with. (LOL) Have a safe trip to the states.

      • Paul, a little off topic, but do you have any life insurance ? I cant seem to find a company that will insure me if I am living in the Philippines.. Not even USAA!

  29. Paul,
    Very glad to see you back. I always enjoy your witty commentary on Philippines life. Very best wishes for a complete and speedy recovery to full fighting form.

    • Pete;
      Only because I know where all the watering holes are on the way to the stores.

  31. Sir Paul! Thank God you’re back and getting better. I messaged you on Facebook, wishing and praying for your recovery sir. Glad to see my favorite pirate is back hehe.
    Thanks for another great and entertaining article! I never cease to laugh and smile at them, truly.

  35. Hi Paul,
    Good to see you back and writing again.

    Take good care and pace yourself.

  36. Chasrand;
    Thank you I’m back but limited because my wife and doctor said so. (lol)