immaculate reunion

the next day

i was out wih my daughter when i received an unanticipated call from my elementary/high school best friend. it was the very first time i've heard her voice since we parted ways after our high shool graduation, after 14 years!

we had reconnected after her husband died from an accident 2 years ago, also a classmate back in high school. i found her in friendster, in YM, exchanged numbers, then exchanged sms from then...we've had quite a few failed invites to meet (even just for coffee)...until...

elaine called to advise me of an impromptu meet w/ our fellow immaculadas that night at the quattro bar in timog. a meet to discuss how we can extend financial assistance to one of our high school teachers, mrs. lontoc, who recently got diagnosed w/ breast cancer.

i didn't think twice. i hastily committed. apart from my concern w/ the meeting objective, i was so so eager to see old faces & observe how each of us transformed throughout the years. it was high time anyways that i attend one of these reunions (there had been about 3 reunions i didn't go to, but not on purpose. work schedule conflicted) & high time for elaine & myself to finally meet & catch up!

i called sheila about the reunion. she & her hubby vince are fellow immaculadas & i was glad to hear they were available. they fetched me from home (i finally was a passenger yea! ha ha).

shiela & marifin

elaine, marifin, jenny & sandra; joseph, mike, geronimo (hiding??) & another mike (hihi), osmundo, ely & vince

shiela & elaine (my 2 HS bff's); vince & shiela

myself, jon & elaine (we had to take a picture, we were the only vianney's {or from the star section} who came); joseph & osmundo

nostalgic it was! elaine & myself couldn't stop hugging each other...recalling crushes or vice versa... reminiscing our 'innocent' after-school gimmicks & even fist fights w/ the other girls (for real!).

we collectively clicked. something that could not have happened back in high school. we were all plain schoolmates who instantly became good friends. elaine & myself were often teased the 'nerds', the 'aliens', the 'brainiacs', for we both were the only ones there who thrived in what our school categorized as the star section since we were grade schoolers. i had to call nelson, aka jon, so the 'nerds' grew in number haha, actually just plus 1, before the nostalgia ended at 3am.

this has to have a segunda parte. can't wait!

down the frames @ bela bar

september 12, 2008

accompanied my brother to his band kamada's gig at the bela bar. my first time to tag along by myself (alex was honeymooning w/ her hubby in baguio).

they were invited by mudslide productions to guest in their show called down the frames at the bela bar in san juan. they were one of the 2 guest bands enlisted.

i was astounded by the profound appreciation & applause they garnered during their 3-song stint from both the bar patrons & other bands as well.

as soon as they stepped down the stage, i watched as various individuals approach each of 'em, showering them multitude of compliments & absolute admiration. i heard one of 'em devotees (i assume) who stole a quick chat with my brother, that they were the highlight of the gig, incomparable to any of the bands who just played(yihee!).

oh well. i guess the heavier metal, the better. *:)

congrats guys. i hope you stay level-headed always.

after bela bar, we went to timog for a few drinks.

freedom @ the freedom bar

september 5, 2008
freedom bar
featured:chonkeys, talahib & more

ofcourse the birthday week of alex didn't end at saguijo & ten02.

earlier, a couple of my workmates sent me a message that the first leg of the oktoberfest was to be held that night as well. imagine that, my birth month's most anticipated festival has already began a month early. awesome!

eric was summoning me to go but i had my eyes on the freedom bar gig so i just replied that i'd follow...which i didn't...coz they sent me an sms after a few hours that they backed out due to the sheer volume of crowd that came. the venue could no longer hold those who were still incoming even those who had tickets.

anyhoo, having met so many friends lately, i get random gig scheds through sms everyday, favorably. i got the freedom bar gig set that friday from jolly of good leaf (buenos dias jolly green! ahehe). chonkeys' guitarist is my bro's band cakewalk's frontman years ago & had been in our house so many times for practices so it was perfect that i knew someone who was on set. syalam members were friends back in the days but only jamir was present & just jammed w/ one of the bands.

the event by the way was a benefit gig for a non-profit org TABAK (tunay na alyansa ng bayan alay sa katutubo). slides were previewed during breaks demonstrating the support & appreciation of various musicians & groups towards our ancenstors.

the last band caught my undivided attention. talahib. ethnic ensemble w/ music blended w/ heavy guitar riffs, emotional lyrics, pieces were extremely passionate about our country. their last song was about stopping the war & saving mindanao & delivering peace to every filipino. touching.

chonkeys' frontman

yohan at the left

talahib

showing off my rag doll; the birthday cheerleader (literally, she wore a pink shirt & ruffled mini skirt w/ a 'save the cheerleader' print haha)

tara

i forgot to mention that the event held at saguijo on the 4th (posted below) was a benefit/fundraising gig for tara bosch-santelices (guitartist of saffron speedway, stormy & a regular guitar sessionist for scarlet tears).

tara is the girl who got shot in the head during a holdup aboard a jeepney ride along cainta on the eve of her birthday. more details found in this news report.

after the incident, numerous fundraising gigs have been set, extending to strangers (like me), to support her family in paying the medical bills (she has shown slow, but remarkable progress the past weeks).

i have not met tara. not even through my kumareng ayn's band scarlet tears. the news came to me via sms the day after, through my coffee break island contact. only later did i learn that she is the bandmate/friend of my kumare.

i went to route 196 for one of the benefit gigs last week of august. i finally saw scarlet tears but minus my friend ayn *:(

i got introduced to strikingly talented bands though like cherry cornflakes & good leaf.

scarlet tears' kat

my wordle

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ingat avenue @ saguijo

september 4, 2008
saguijo bar

so my good ol' gal pal alex had her birthday & she implored me in the early weeks to plan the shindig.

choices:

her house? (which is just a studio-type room. gets fairly crowded w/ 3 people inside);

our house? (it was a thursday & everybody's gonna be asleep before midnight);

ten02? (reggae mistress every thursdays but naaaahhh...entrance pa lang ubos na pera niya saka sabi nga niya, sa iba naman! ehehe);

saguijo? (P150 entrance, 5 bands. she'd constantly nag me to bring her to saguijo, overly jealous of the stories i tell her about the gigs i've seen there)

needless to say, i brought her to saguijo. another gal pal salie & my brother tagged along. alex's brother followed after.

the line up, chillitees & top junk (ofcourse there had to be friends playin' right?). the rest were the ronnies, mozzie & gasulina. the pleased birthday girl ordered us non-stop cerveza negras & pulutans.

no need for spoken words, i am oh so glad she had one helluva birthday!

w/ alex & her brother

my bro w/ euela of chillitees & ene of the ronnies

that's salie, ian & myself

my idol timot of top junk (yihee hehe)

after saguijo, we fetched sam from guilly's (stayed for less than half an hour there too), then we had coffee at abs-cbn's starbucks (the only open starbucks branch after 3am in qc).

at guilly's at left; the aficionados at starbucks

the bday girl & the drunk me; at starbucks

we went home before sunrise.

feliz cumpleaños bonita! mwaaah!