I wonder why things around us most of the time come in even denominations -- or in well rounded numbers. It might not be the case in different parts of the world, mostly because of culture and psychological (as well as economic) differences. However, in the Philippines, the price has to be in denominations such as P1, P1.50, P20 -- and when I ask other people why it is so, it's either they haven't really thought about it, or para madali tandaan.
When I was having my vacation at the US, I found prices set at really odd numbers -- $0.99, $0.34, $3.45. It isn't really something I could attribute to any particular factor, but I think it would be so because not everyone really cared -- everybody was either carding it, or in case of cash were letting the cashiers keep the change. Not only that, the measurements on a lot of things were in inches (compared to the metric system, was quite uneven or non-uniform). And when they say $1,500 (in words), they would sometimes say "fifteen-hundred" dollars.
Earlier, I was doing my swimming laps in denominations of 100m -- 100 meters at a time. The pool at the baker hall was 25 meters long, so a 100 meter swim would take me 4 lengths of the pool. I was with my friend Jyas, who was also doing her laps (when I swim 100 meters, she swims just 50 ;) ). All in all, I swam 400 meters of slow-moderate freestyle, 100 meters of heavy butterfly, and around 200 meters of so of drills (warm ups, crawl, etc). I never thought about how the workout I had needed to be even, until I found out that the fare was either rounded up to the nearest 50 centavos.
Not that I'm complaining -- see like most people I don't like carrying around lots and lots of coins -- but our culture sometimes makes it a habit of not being exact. Sometimes, we're too exact that we want things to cost around the nearest peso or bill denomination -- but even if they're not, we round them UP. Not that I'm complaining that is...
Anyway, I'm now feeling the good effects of the stuff I'm taking. I feel lighter, a tad healthier, a couple of fat cells yet, and tons of energy fuller. Now I could actually do things in the morning and have a full day ahead -- to those that know me, they'd be surprised that I could actually do something in the morning. And that's not all, I am enjoying myself more than before I started taking the stuff -- and mind you, it's not illegal nor in the form of a drug. I'll be writing about when I finally lose a couple of kg's or inches around my waist, which shouldn't be too far off the schedule.
I'm currently watching the Roddick-Ancic Men's semifinal match at Wimbledon -- and wishing I got more into tennis during my youngers years, and maybe (just maybe) I could be one of the people actually playing in the Wimbledon finals. Of course I'm rooting for the cool, calculated, and ever so cunning Federer, but I could be off with that -- given the way Groejean, Roddick, and Ancic have been playing. See, even in tennis the scores are 15,30,40 -- very odd progression, which I never got into investigating...
It's been a full week, and I'd love to have another full week ahead. By the way, Happy Birthday kuya Jino. :D
Chill...
When I was having my vacation at the US, I found prices set at really odd numbers -- $0.99, $0.34, $3.45. It isn't really something I could attribute to any particular factor, but I think it would be so because not everyone really cared -- everybody was either carding it, or in case of cash were letting the cashiers keep the change. Not only that, the measurements on a lot of things were in inches (compared to the metric system, was quite uneven or non-uniform). And when they say $1,500 (in words), they would sometimes say "fifteen-hundred" dollars.
Earlier, I was doing my swimming laps in denominations of 100m -- 100 meters at a time. The pool at the baker hall was 25 meters long, so a 100 meter swim would take me 4 lengths of the pool. I was with my friend Jyas, who was also doing her laps (when I swim 100 meters, she swims just 50 ;) ). All in all, I swam 400 meters of slow-moderate freestyle, 100 meters of heavy butterfly, and around 200 meters of so of drills (warm ups, crawl, etc). I never thought about how the workout I had needed to be even, until I found out that the fare was either rounded up to the nearest 50 centavos.
Not that I'm complaining -- see like most people I don't like carrying around lots and lots of coins -- but our culture sometimes makes it a habit of not being exact. Sometimes, we're too exact that we want things to cost around the nearest peso or bill denomination -- but even if they're not, we round them UP. Not that I'm complaining that is...
Anyway, I'm now feeling the good effects of the stuff I'm taking. I feel lighter, a tad healthier, a couple of fat cells yet, and tons of energy fuller. Now I could actually do things in the morning and have a full day ahead -- to those that know me, they'd be surprised that I could actually do something in the morning. And that's not all, I am enjoying myself more than before I started taking the stuff -- and mind you, it's not illegal nor in the form of a drug. I'll be writing about when I finally lose a couple of kg's or inches around my waist, which shouldn't be too far off the schedule.
I'm currently watching the Roddick-Ancic Men's semifinal match at Wimbledon -- and wishing I got more into tennis during my youngers years, and maybe (just maybe) I could be one of the people actually playing in the Wimbledon finals. Of course I'm rooting for the cool, calculated, and ever so cunning Federer, but I could be off with that -- given the way Groejean, Roddick, and Ancic have been playing. See, even in tennis the scores are 15,30,40 -- very odd progression, which I never got into investigating...
It's been a full week, and I'd love to have another full week ahead. By the way, Happy Birthday kuya Jino. :D
Chill...
In the grocery, they give out exact change. I boought something for P14.90, gave a P20 bill, and they gave me back P5.10.
ReplyDeleteNowadays, I carry around 25 and 10 centavo coins so if ever I have to take the jeep, I pay the exact amound of P5.50, or if I get lucky P4.40 for the student fare.
What stuff are you taking that makes you more active?
-cha