No not the lizard of Arizona fame, and not the ship that fought the Merrimac during the Civil War but the one attached to my Putter that allows me to see all the pretty pictures on the Interweb thingy. The one I had was imported from China it was a 15 inch flat screen and lasted two years, which in itself was 18 months more than I expected.
But while working on my Lip Article last week, in mid sentence it went dark, ceased to perform, died in my arms and was never to perform again. Now I have a guy for that also, one who can work his magic and restore it to life.
Within an hour I’m heading down to his shop, or “shed in his backyard” to place The Monitor in his care. When he saw the name and that it was from China, he smiled and said if I’m lucky it could be ready within a week, unsatisfactory answer but not his fault.
It had cost me 4,000 Peso for the old one and only the gods knew how much to fix it, so I went off to buy a new one. On the way we stopped at the Royal Store and Mayang mentioned that she needed new sheets for her new bed and they were on sale there. Off she went, as I wondered aimlessly to the electronics section, on the counter using as a demo for security camera’s was a what I thought was a monitor I gave the young man my Putter cable and asked if it fit the one they had, oh, and yes it fit and yes it’s for sale, Plus I received a solid yes that they are in stock!
I’m batting 500, but the price for the new Westinghouse SK-19H210S 19 Inch LCD HDTV was 5,700.00 pesos, but I figured it was two years since I’d bought my last monitor and it was a Hey Joe brand from China, and the one I was looking at was a Westinghouse 19inch. So an increase of 1,700.00 pesos seemed fair, and this time I wasn’t buying it from the Hey Joe dealer on a back street, that had just fell off the truck kinda’ a deal. But while researching The new monitor I see that back in the big Island of the USA they sell all day for $59.98, But then the cost of a ticket to the states would have really set me back, so I guess I got the best deal I could have, or I’d just been really screwed.
I skipped all the testing stuff and just wanted to go home and finish writing for Bob Martin’s LiP site, as he can get testy if I’m late. (Come on you know I’m joking about that) Now came Mayang with her new sheets two sets each. Remember the Monitor cost’s 5,700.00 pesos, the two sets of sheets were 11,000.00 pesos AND THEY WERE ON SALE!!! (I was thankful for that)
I’m all set to open my mouth and I quickly remember that she doesn’t ever ask for much, and that her house and how it looks is important to her, so I smiled and said; “Oh sweetheart they are very pretty.” and I paid for them gladly.
We arrive home and the Mother of our Grandson (Ymir Thea) who is techno savvy looks at my new Monitor and announces: Wow Daddy, it’s a new TV!” You know I was wondering what the remote control in the box was all about. I was going to try and bluff my way through and answer; “I knew that!” But instead I just said; “Aw crap”.
Then she explained it would do both, so I hooked it up, and pushed buttons until the Puter stuff appeared on the screen and deemed it a good thing. But herein lays the rub, while pushing all those buttons I’ve somehow set the TV/Monitor to shut down every 90 minutes. To which had shocked me the first time, and found that the remote control albeit I’d thought it an extra piece of equipment, also served a valuable function. I’ll turn off that whatever it is someday, but I’ll just live with it for now.
Then I hear from my daughter: “Daddy, may I have the old monitor?” I wondered about her wanting it and said yes anyway. Now here is my prediction, she will get it fixed and then trade me it for the new flat screen TV/Monitor that would fit so well in her room. What do they think; that I just fell off the turnip truck?
I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.
Paul< I Have a new monitor which I went all the way to China to get and I'll give you ar special deal on it since You buy stuff from me all the time, it is a 22 inch flat screen and and comes with my sister for just 22,000PHP
Exactly.
Joe;
Ovay! What a deal you have for me, but I’ll wait until my daughter fixes my old one and takes my new one to her room. It sounds like a cheaper way to go. Oh BTW I’ve not slept on those new sheets yet!
Bob;
Exactly what? Is the NSA monitoring this site???
Ha ha… that was a response to a comment I put on FB. 😉 Sorry for the confusion. NSA monitoring is a probability, though… some of those guys might want to retire in the Philippines!
Bob;
Yeah a retired NSA guy having a beer beside me in a bar. I’d be afraid to say a word.
BTW, Paul, we have those monitor lizards here in Mindanao. You don’t see them often, I think I’ve seen 3 in the 13 years that I’ve lived here. The biggest I’ve seen was about 6 feet long. 😯
Bob;
Six foot long? I’m staying on Luzon with my fog horn Frogs!
Paul: They are on Luzon also…
John;
Well than I’m lucky I’ve never seen one or I’d be down the road like a rocket ship!
Paul,
We got monitor lizards in Bataan too. Haven’t seen a six foot long one though. Now that one will take a few cases of SMB to finish
Bong;
For over 20 years I’ve been living here blissfully dumb and happy never having heard about monster size lizards living up the road. Now when one of my dog army goes missing, I’ll wonder; is it because of a drinking party up the street, or a giant lizard! (lol)
Paul,
No monitor lizard would ever have the chance to grow into monster size in my Baranggay. Any monitor lizard spotted would be an instant meal. It is lucky if it gets away.
Bong;
They eat them? Oh please don’t say they taste like chicken. (LOL) But maybe that’s why I’ve never seen one! God love, the Filipinos, for if they are doing that I know I do.
Some time ago, Marlyn &I were sitting around daydreaming about the layout of our future retirement farm. We started discussing building a chicken coop. She said “The mesh has to be small enough to keep out the lizards.” Being a country boy myself, I was a bit confused. I said “Sweetheart, a lizard doesn’t stand a chance in a chicken coop.” She replied “Here you have lizards. In the Philippines, we have LIZARDS.”
Take care,
Pete
Pete;
My Daughter uses the word lizard to control the movements of my 16 month old Grandson, as he’s shown a fear of them (That can’t last ;long here) I let them live in my house (Tiny-tiny ones) as I know they eat their weight in bugs every day, The same reason bats lice in my window awnings and are welcome there. But please listen to your wife’s advice after what we’ve just learned on LiP, and they taste like chicken!
Well the Monday morning brown out is over. Doesn’t matter what brand of monitor you buy. They don’t work during the brown out. 🙁
Gary;
Brown outs last about two minutes at my house, I love my HONDA Generator, which just had it’s 15th birthday.
Holly sheet !!!! The price of sheet has really went up.
Loren;
You’ll be finding out when Merced starts putting together your new house, well in her room anyway! But I was shocked, the ship always issued mine.
Yes, I was shocked when they had gone up to $50.00 in the USA more less depending on the quality.
Loren;
Egyptian cotton maybe, but just sheet for $50.00, now I’m glad she got them here!
Every body knows it was the Monitor but who knows who won the battle?
David;
To hazard a guess I’d say the American ship won, but since they fought to a draw and the Merrimack, or (Virginia) withdrew first some historians credit the win to the North, But the South sunk more ships. I knew from passing history in the 11th grade! (One of the few subjects that I did) (LOL)
I know but I am not saying. Come on historians tell me.
David;
(LOL) Tough questions are easy when we are all logged into this Interwebbey thing, So shame on anyone who couldn’t answer your great question.
Good luck with your new TV / Monitor Paul. I bought a 19 inch ” No Name Deluxe ” one on sale at a major retail chain here about a year ago to use as a kitchen TV and it is still working. It was on sale for $99 ( USD ) Maybe some of these have split screen where you could watch TV on one part of the screen and internet on the other. What really surprised me more is the cost of those bed sheets ! Think I will stick with the ones from the Big Box Store and out of curiosity I am going to try to remember to check the price of them next time I go to one.
This is the first time I have heard of a Monitor Lizard. Is it a version of a House Lizard on steroids ?
Bob (NY)
I learned by watching Tarzan as in most of his movies he had to fight one, so when I went to class on Monday I asked my teacher about them, and ended up having to do a report on the subject. Thank god the class didn’t have to or I would have taken a few beat downs over that. (Can you see how liberals stifled the Boston educational system); I never asked another question again.
Loren (Above) said $50.00 a set for sheets back in the land of the “Big PX” at the Big Box store. I’m still shocked over the price. Please do report back on what you find out!
Wait, DON’T report back! Now I’m the guy handing out extra assignments? Just have a beer, and enjoy your trip out shopping!
Paul,
If my monitor goes out on my laptop I have 2 other laptops for backup between mine and Annes. I knew the price of electronics before coming so I came prepared. Talking about sticker shock for the linen. But I understand why you stayed quiet. It could be worse. Mayang could have asked for a new car lol.
If Mrs. Thompson asked for a new car I’m sure Paul will be happy as he is wanting a new one for quite a while now.
Bong;
As long as my new ole Honda has a breathe left in it, I’ll be motoring the roads of the RP.
Randy;
What a boy scout about being prepared, you learned from LiP well. I think the linen sticker shock came from this was the first time in 25 years I’d been at the store while it was purchased. On the merchant ship’s I’d by cartoon sheets (because they were fitted) and it drove the other sailors nuts, but only because they didn’t have them. A new car, you cause me to smile!
Paul,
Yes they do eat them especially at drinking parties. You are probably already familiar with pulutan. And i’m sorry they do taste just like what you said. This i know to be true, i have eaten it myself. Now about your puter monitor turning itself off after 90 minutes maybe you turned on the sleep timer and is set for 90 minutes.
Bong;
Tastes like chicken, then eat chicken. (lol) The sleep mode was the first thing we checked, but not it, it goes off when it wants to, at no set time. But no fear I have a guy to fix stuff like that too.
Paul,
I’m surprised you haven’t seen a monitor lizard yet, you living in the mountains with a lot of vegetation and all. If I remember correctly, bayawak as we call it is offered in the menu in some of the eateries along Roosevelt Park.
Bong;
Dear lord be thankful I’ve never seen one or I’d be writing this from Boston, where I know none live.
Good thing PHL doesn’t have those big komodo dragons like in Indonesia where they just held Miss World 2013.
Jonathan;
I remember Merlin Perkins from Wild Kingdom when I was a kid, that was the first time I saw a Komodo Dragon, but Merlin had his assistant “Jack” he’s send to deal with it. I don’t have my own “Jack” but I’ll get one!
2013’s Miss World is Ms. Phillippines. 🙂
Rex;
A very lovely girl with a pure Filipino name, but it means the contest will be in the Philippines next year and that is a good thing.
Yes there was definely a winner, one was so crippled it never fought another battle.
David;
There were no winners in that war.
Like frog legs they taste like chicken? I wonder if like frog legs here in the states $5.00 per #
Chicken $0.49 per # Lizard $??.?? per #. It is as those cows say ‘eat mo chikin’
Gerald;
And when I lived in Florida Alligator tasted like pork, and the cost was triple that of a pork loin, I agree eat the original food.
Paul, Gator tail tastes tinny to me, cost a ton and unlike other critters I have no desire to hunt them. Feral Pig is big here, I have one penned at a friend’s farm waiting for her to get bigger and have a lechon roast. That will not taste like Chicken or Gator.It is best cooked by two men useing a case of beer and 12 hours, it may take another six pack of beer depending how thusty the cooks are. Serve with a crisp white wine or a sweet red.
Gerald;
I am agreeing with all you said, except gator will only taste tinny only after they eat that Aluminium boat you were in. Pig does require two cooks to make it taste good, but send home the cook that is drinking wine, or switch him to beer as quick as you can.
15 years for a generator, and I know you have used it lots. How many KVA? I am pondering how large to buy, likely 3kva.
Bill
Bill;
1100 Honda, but it will run 95% of the house except any thing like a steam iron or hot water hearer. That means my 2 ref’s and upright freezer. My guy comes every sic months and services it, Oh after 15 years last month the pull rope broke, what a rip off, you would think it would have lasted longer. Did you notice I ducked the KVA question?
She’s a Filipina-American. Her name is Megan Young. congratulations to both great countries, though She’s influenced most of her life in the Philippine Culture. 😉
Rex;
I knew that she was part Kano, I just happen to find the pure Filipina more beautiful. Maybe it’s just me? But not subtracting from Megan who is a most beautiful young lady.
beautiful indeed! 🙂
Rex;
There is no denying that
Hi Sir Paul T,
I wonder what level of conservatism they set there in the pageant or any other. Because i heard that there’s some people drag her down because of her sexy related photos. BTW shes a celebrity already before she became miss world.
Rex;
Have no fear, there will always be haters, it’s the world we live in.
Sir Paul T,
Nyahaha! 🙂 yeah your right.. We arent live in a perfect world because there no such place like that! a dream maybe? ha ha ha!
Rex;
There is no perfection anywhere, make do with what we’re given.
Paul Thompson says:
October 2, 2013 at 3:14 am
“Rex;
There is no perfection anywhere, make do with what we’re given.”
– –
Paul –
There might not be perfection anywhere but some of the imperfect parts of life are pretty darn wonderful at times. I would have to say that my adopted daughter and her mama has put sunshine into my life every day and being beautiful to distraction is just a bonus. Sometimes I am very thankful to be where life has placed me and with the friends and acquaintances that life has placed around me.
If not, then I guess that is where the beer come in to make it bearable even though I decided in 1983 I could fly better without it.
Best wishes to all
LeRoy
Leroy;
It sounds like you decided to “Make do with what you were given” I’m pleased that we agree on that.
Those who would use beer to make life bearable are fooling themselves.
I just find beer enjoyable, as it has never adversely affected my life, beer is like anything else, there is a time and there is a place for it. Wisdom is the knowing when.
Sir Paul T,
you look very thirsty on youp photo sir. he he he! 😉
just kidding! Have a great day.
Magandang Umaga Madlang People!
Rex;
Me drink beer? Well sometimes!