Groeten from Antwerpen

April 29, 2003
Computer and Software NV
Mechelsesteenweg 121
2018 Antwerpen
7:35 pm
From him to her
(original subject: Totoong Email na Maraming Kwento)

Habi,

Luc just left the office and now I'm alone again (naturally). He was nice enough to accompany me to the neighborhood supermarket a block away to buy some provisions--white bread, whole milk, ham, pickles, and tomatoes. There, something healthy to eat everyday. Ü Kakalula lang kung i-convert, k'se all in all, they cost me PhP 345.

It was also Mama who bought me cereals, noodles, cookies, and de lata. Too bad I wasn't able to bring the Tortillos and Kornets; I wasn't able to pack them all in the olive green stroller bag Papa and I bought last Saturday. Dami ngang de lata, 'la namang kanin. How will I be able to quench my carbo-hungry Filipino soul? Hehe, kakahiya nga sa Schiphol, when I passed through customs to have my luggage checked, nakita ng customs officer kung ga'no karaming food items ang dala ko, like I was hoarding them or something. Probably one of the low moments of this trip.

Luc wanted me to meet his son Patrick, who is our age (but a lot bigger, I can just imagine, what with Luc's built). We're going out Friday night to have some beer or something.[snipped]

I also won't be working on May 1 (buti na lang ala na 'ko sa 'Pinas or else I wouldn't be spared from the no-holidays-until-ClearingPoint-is-finished decree). Maybe I'll take some time then to go around and take some real pictures. Too bad I won't be in them, unless I go acrobatic and try to do some guesswork at shooting myself along with the background.

Di naman ako masyado napapagod doing the rounds with Luc di tulad nang sa Cubepoint kung saan sobrang toxic mag-program magdamag. I told you before, this was more to my liking--technical support--development side or deployment side. Now I begin to see his point of view, that it's really frustrating to drive all the way to a client 170 km away and the installation isn't successful so you have to drive there back again for an update. That's what happened yesterday when we went to Eynatten near the German border. Kawawa naman sila, di rin nila nagamit yung program. I was conferring with Jason through text while we were there, but the update came too late: we had to leave 'cause it was already 7 pm and it was Astrid's (Luc's wife) birthday so they were going to have a family dinner. I don't know yet kung kelan kami babalik dun.

This afternoon, after receiving the uploaded updates from Cubepoint, we drove to the port office of Steinweg Antwerp, our beta testers, to do an installation. We encountered some network path problems so we were delayed for some time. We could not afford to go to Brussels anymore to do two more clients, so we decided to go to SBTC Sotramar instead, another client in Antwerp. The installation there went along quite well, and it was very reassuring for me. I was constantly crossing my fingers while the user was trying out the program. Ü I'm learning so much about C and S's operations, and finally seeing everything in actual practice. Makes me proud to see my program (well, not solely mine, just a euphemism) being used by clients.

Yes, I never forget to take my Vitamin C ("1,000 mg a day ha") and my Revicon ("Ako pa?"). I take a bath twice a day (ewan ko ba, ang sarap kasi maligo sa mainit na tubig). After taking my evening shower, I always turn the heater on in my room and change into your fitting black shirt (biceps need work) and Papa's sweat pants over my Capri pants. Works quite nicely. I put on some lip balm in the morning and some at night. Although I can never seem to put some on while Luc and I are in the car, I don't know why.

Well, that's basically my day today. Am going to prepare my dinner now. Will have to wake up real early tomorrow cause we leave around 8 to go to Mees and De Kerf, Panalpina, and Yusen Air. Hope everything turns out well.

Je t'aimerai à fin de temps.
I will love you 'til the end of time.