I Want You, Bank
(This entry’s title is obviously wordplay on one of my favorite songs of the late King of Pop. I have to admit that I’m not an MJ fan, but I have to agree that his contributions to popular music was immense. In effect, he paved way for more talented black artists to emerge, and he also redefined showmanship in the world of music videos. Obviously, millions want you back, MJ, since you’re gone too soon.)
A significant number of Pisay students were sick these week, hence the cancellation of classes starting Wednesday. Because of it, I had the time to actually do things that I delayed for months already, including updating my passbook. So to the bank I went to days ago. Apparently, the branch relocated anew, about four blocks away from its previous spot (its first relocation was just 30 steps away from the original site). Since the new branch location is considerably far from my home, I decided to close my account. Here are things that I learned that day:
1) Employees’ uniforms actually have a purpose. As I entered the bank, I approached a yuppie-looking man in front of the cashier and asked him about my predicament. He laughed; he was simply a companion of somebody in line. Red-faced became me.
2) Your signature defines you. Years after having my bank account, I decided to change my signature because I though the first one was corny and very grade school-y, just in time before graduation. The new one featured more strokes and self-proclaimed sophistication (haha). Obviously, the specimen signatures the bank had were my previous signatures, so when I presented my valid IDs, the process was stalled. I explained that in the previous bank branch, I already had the matter settled. Oh well. So please, to my students, have decent signatures as early as now.
3) Spelling numbers is not effortless. Since I was closing my account, I was asked to write down the remaining amount on a certain form. Then the guy asked me to write again, this time, to write in words. Woah. Writing digits 12345 is brainless, but twelve thousand, three hundred forty-five is not. The dash is tricky.
4) Interest rates are almost non-existent. We put our money in banks primarily for security, not for the money to multiply in excessive proportions, because it will not happen. Math 5 students should once in a while take a look at the interest that a certain amount earns in x months to further understand the epsilon-delta definition of limits, especially that of limits approaching zero. If I only had the business acumen, I would have invested my money in profit-generating ventures.
5) A hot fudge sundae guarantees a smile. Enough said.
A significant number of Pisay students were sick these week, hence the cancellation of classes starting Wednesday. Because of it, I had the time to actually do things that I delayed for months already, including updating my passbook. So to the bank I went to days ago. Apparently, the branch relocated anew, about four blocks away from its previous spot (its first relocation was just 30 steps away from the original site). Since the new branch location is considerably far from my home, I decided to close my account. Here are things that I learned that day:
1) Employees’ uniforms actually have a purpose. As I entered the bank, I approached a yuppie-looking man in front of the cashier and asked him about my predicament. He laughed; he was simply a companion of somebody in line. Red-faced became me.
2) Your signature defines you. Years after having my bank account, I decided to change my signature because I though the first one was corny and very grade school-y, just in time before graduation. The new one featured more strokes and self-proclaimed sophistication (haha). Obviously, the specimen signatures the bank had were my previous signatures, so when I presented my valid IDs, the process was stalled. I explained that in the previous bank branch, I already had the matter settled. Oh well. So please, to my students, have decent signatures as early as now.
3) Spelling numbers is not effortless. Since I was closing my account, I was asked to write down the remaining amount on a certain form. Then the guy asked me to write again, this time, to write in words. Woah. Writing digits 12345 is brainless, but twelve thousand, three hundred forty-five is not. The dash is tricky.
4) Interest rates are almost non-existent. We put our money in banks primarily for security, not for the money to multiply in excessive proportions, because it will not happen. Math 5 students should once in a while take a look at the interest that a certain amount earns in x months to further understand the epsilon-delta definition of limits, especially that of limits approaching zero. If I only had the business acumen, I would have invested my money in profit-generating ventures.
5) A hot fudge sundae guarantees a smile. Enough said.
posted by mardan at 9:00 PM
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