WRONG NUMBER

My phone rang and woke me up in the middle of the night – 12:45am. The phone was just right beside me, so it was louder than the usual. Thinking it was my 6:15am alarm, I franticly reached for my phone, half-asleep and eyes still shut, only to find out that it wasn’t. I realized that I forgot to put my phone on silent mode (the alarm and ring tone of my phone are the same). The number kept flashing on my phone, it was a local number, and obviously it was someone whose number was not in my contact list. I was hesitant to answer it at first. But maybe, just maybe, I was thinking it could be someone I know. It might be an emergency. A bit pissed off for having been awoken earlier from my slumber, I answered with a husky voice.

Me: Hello?

Man: Hello? Si Billy ba toh? Billy! (the man said in a cheerful-excited voice)

Me: I’m sorry, wrong number.

Man: Billy! Andito ka pa ba sa Singapore? (still in a cheerful-excited voice)

Me: I’m sorry. I think you got the wrong number.

Man: Huh!? Then who's this lor? (now his voice sounded a bit fierce)

At the back of my mind I was thinking, I’m not obliged to answer his question. Why should I tell him my name? He was the one who called me. I paused for a few seconds and then sharply answered.

Me: I’m Ramon. Sorry, I think you really got the wrong number

Man: Ramon right?

And before I could say yes, the man had already hang-up the phone. What a jerk! The annoying thing is that, he never even said “sorry.” It never hurts to say sorry, especially when it’s your fault or when you know you’re bothering someone else for this matter. I think the man is educated enough to have reached Singapore. I presume that he would also have a bit of knowledge about phone etiquettes. If not, then it’s definitely time for him to learn about it. Moreover to the lack of phone etiquette, what concerned me most was that the person is a fellow countryman.

Popcorn CRAZE!

It was last year, 2oo8, when I first tasted this overly delicious popcorn from Manila, Philippines - Chef Tony's. I'm not sure if they have branches in Cebu, but I know for a fact that you can get it in most SM stores in Manila.





It comes with various flavors that you'll love and crave for; Parmesan, White Chocolate, Mochachino, Cinnamon Butter, Classic Light Butter, Caramel and Pesto. It's affordable and low in fat, a true Popcorn lover world surely go gaga about this.





I first fell in love with the Parmesan perfection as the cheese melted smoothly in my mouth. And have feasted over the flavorful mixture of coffee and chocolate with roasted almonds in Mochachino. I have yet to taste the other flavors and I can wait.

Yummy!!!! munch,,,, munch.... munch...









***** To all popcorn lovers

FUNNY MOMENTS @ WORK

Part of my job is liaising with other airlines regarding flight bookings. Not boring a job, it’s somehow a bit challenging; from the clients, to my colleagues and to the overly exaggerated daily quota. Although, most of the time frustrating, irritating, confusing but sometimes, really amusing. Don’t get me wrong. I like my job and I enjoy what I do. So let me share these funny experiences I had at work, which usually happens almost everyday.

SCENE 1

Ring… ring… ring…

Colleague: Hi! Good afternoon. Yes, I wanted to check what happened to the flight under this booking reference. It’s 23TXFG1.

Airline’s Agent: Ah Ohkhey sir, whone moment please. Let me repheat tat booking reference number it’s, number 2… 3… T for tiger… X for excellence… F for father… G for golf and number 1

**** like you can really say X for extra. Duh! Hehehe

SCENE 2

Ring… ring… ring…

Me: Good Morning. Hi! I’m Ramon and I want to check on this reference number. Its number 4… A for Alpha… B for Bravo… C for Charlie… K for Kilo… number 3 and E for Echo.

Airline’s Agent: I see… Ohkhey let me repheat tat one sir… Its number 4… A for Alpha… B for Baby… C for Charlie… K for cake… number 3 and E for England.

**** yeah, I suppose the K for cake comes with K for candles on top. Hahaha

SCENE 3

Ring… ring… ring…

Me: Good Afternoon. This is Ramon and I want to check on this booking blah… blah… blah…

Airline’s Agent: Sir, can I have the passengers’ name please.

Me: Yes, the passengers’ name is Ms Renegado, Lourdeliza. Can you check what happened to her flight? Why was it cancelled?

Airline’s Agent: Thank you. Ohkhey let me check tat whone. Can I put you on hold fhor ah mhomhent?

Me: Ok, no problem. Thanks.

(after almost 10 minutes on-hold)

Airline’s Agent: Thank you for waiting Ms Renegado, Lourdeliza. I check and…

(I interrupted)

Me: Oh, I’m not Ms Renegado, Lourdeliza. I’m not the passenger. Like I said I’m Ramon from blah… blah… blah…

Airline’s Agent: Oh I see. So how can I help you sir?

Me: Huh?!@#*%$*$^

**** I can’t help but giggled and explained again to her.

I can’t really say I have the ideal job. But hey! It pays may house rent, stack food in my refrigerator and provides fund for my guilty pleasures, so I’m cool with it.

***** To the stressed agents at my work place.

Phonetic Alphabet 101

According to Wikipedia, phonetics is the study of the physical sounds of human speech. It is concerned with the physical properties of speech sounds (phones), and the processes of their physiological production, auditory reception, and neurophysiological perception. Phonetic Alphabet is used when spelling out a word over the phone for better understanding.

It’s not the first time that I have encountered weird Phonetic Alphabet over the phone. Some would use name of countries like; N for New Zealand, B for Berlin, Z for Zimbabwe, etc. I’ve heard even countries or places which I myself don’t even know it exist. Imagine others would spell it out like they’re trying to tell you their family tree; F for father, M for mother, B for brother, etc. Good luck on that. While majority have a tolerable way of spelling out words in their own self-invented Phonetic Alphabet, the rest just can’t seem to make it. Just like when I called a certain Airline the other day to check on a flight booking. I was partly amused on how the agent spelled out the booking reference number to me. Here’s how part of the conversation goes.

Agent: Good afternoon. You’re speaking with Ra!@#%, how can I help you?

Me: Hi! Good afternoon. I’m Ramon and who am I speaking with again?

(it was quite a difficult name to catch)

Agent: My name is Radchatatili (not the agent’s real name), how can I help you Madam?

I didn’t know that my name could pass as a woman’s name and old woman by that. I guess she heard “Ramona”, which happens most of the time. I didn’t bother to correct her because I was rather focused on spelling out her name on my notepad.

Me: Radchatatili, I wanted to check on this booking but I don’t have your booking reference number with me. I have the flight details though. Will you be able to help me?

Agent: Ahhh.. Ok. Can I have the flight number Madam?

Me: It’s on blah blah blah (cannot say the airline) and departing from Singapore to Bangkok

Agent: Ok I see. I have it in front of me now Madam. All flights are confirmed and ticketed.

Me: That’s great. Can I have your booking reference number for this one please? Thanks.

Agent: Ok. It’s Mama, Item, number 2, How, Fuck, Love (not the exact 1^st and 3^rd alphanumeric of the booking reference)

Me: I’m sorry. What was that again please? M for Mama…

Agent: Yes madam. M for Mama, I for Item, number 2, How, Fuck, Love

I couldn’t help myself, so I put the phone on mute for seconds and giggled out. I can’t believe that she spelled the last 3 letters the way she did. So I had her spelled it out for me twice just to make sure I heard the right words she used. And towards the end of our conversation I thought of repeating it again to make sure it was spelled out correctly.

Me: Ok. So it’s MI2HFL right?

Agent: Yes, that’s right madam.

Me: Thank you so much Radchatatili for your help. That would be all and have a nice day.

Agent: Your welcome and you too Madam have a nice day. Thank you for calling blah blah blah.

I hang up the phone and laughed my heart out. Imagine the F word being used while spelling out a certain word. OMG! If my grandfather had heard her, for sure she would have gotten a lecture of a life time. Or could it be that she said Fox or maybe Fork? But from what I’ve heard, I was sure that she said the F word. It may have sounded funny to me but who knows it may also sound offensive to others.

So I think it’s time to brush up on our Phonetic Alphabet just to make sure that we don’t sound funny or annoying over the phone. Below are tables of accepted and commonly used Phonetic Alphabet and make sure you familiarize them.

NATO Phonetic Alphabet

Letter	phonetic letter
A	Alpha
B	Bravo
C	Charlie
D	Delta
E	Echo
F	Foxtrot
G	Golf
H	Hotel
I	India
J	Juliet
K	Kilo
L	Lima
M	Mike
N	November
O	Oscar
P	Papa
Q	Quebec
R	Romeo
S	Sierra
T	Tango
U	Uniform
V	Victor
W	Whiskey
X	X-ray
Y	Yankee
Z	Zulu

Western Union Phonetic Alphabet

Letter	phonetic letter
A	Adams
B	Boston
C	Chicago
D	Denver
E	Easy
F	Frank
G	George
H	Henry
I	Ida
J	John
K	King
L	Lincoln
M	Mary
N	New York
O	Ocean
P	Peter
Q	Queen
R	Roger
S	Sugar
T	Thomas
U	Union
V	Victor
W	William
X	X-ray
Y	Young
Z	Zero