videoke kings & queens

june 8, 2008

i'm proud to say my family knows how to sing. (period)

my sister's 34th birthday was held at home. i used to celebrate my birthdays like the way she held it. hers was always q-u-i-e-t. 'ya know, dinner & a cake at home , surrounded by family & that's it. maybe this time she felt she was losing her touch, growing old too fast, realizing that in a few years time, her kids would be the ones throwing parties w/ their friends. in fairness, my sister doesn't look her age...oh well...i often get the same remark too. here's a recent chat from a workmate:

vince: where do you see yourself in 5 years? me: i'll be 35 by then... vince: woahh..you don't look like you're 35 me: bwehehe vince: seriously, you don't look like you're 30.

when i'm with my mom, people often make the mistake we're sisters. we're a breed of fresh young skin & beauty what i can i say! *:)

back to 'D' day, the noise of the videoke my mom rented bellowed at our garage & gradually woke me up by late afternoon. yeah, i wake up on my days off really late in the afternoon. i just make sure i catch up w/ time w/ my rayna for the remaining hours of the day until she sleeps before 11pm.

the 'songers' were our neighbors but i didn't really complain. i was actually antsy to get my chance on the microphone. ye yea yeah.. i realized lately that i looovvvee to sing. after bathing & a little time w/ my kid, i grabbed the microphone & sang 1 song before i sped off to withdraw since i promised my sister a case of beer that night but i didn't leave any cash after that saturday party.

when i came back, from a brief meet with ryan at timog as well, our garage was already filled with my sister's guests..errr..mostly my brother's hehe.

it was so much fun, everybody had their turn on the microphone & gave all their best. too fun that the party ended 7am the next day!

happy birthday ate! you just threw yourself the most awesome party everrr!

a bitch, i am

When I stand up for myself and my beliefs,

they call me a bitch.

When I stand up for those I love,

they call me a bitch.

When I speak my mind, think my own thoughts,

or do things my own way, they call me a bitch.

Being a bitch means I won't compromise what's

in my heart.

It means I live my life MY way.

It means I won't allow anyone to step on me.

When I refuse to tolerate injustice and

speak against it, I am defined as a bitch.

The same thing happens when I take time for

myself instead of being everyone's maid, or

when I act a little selfish.

It means I have the courage and strength to

allow myself to be who I truly am and won't

become anyone else's idea of what they think

I 'should' be.

I am outspoken, opinionated and determined.

I want what I want and there is nothing wrong with that!

So try to stomp on me,

try to douse my inner flame, try to squash

every ounce of beauty I hold within me.

You won't succeed.

And if that makes me a bitch,

so be it.

I embrace the title and I am proud to bear it.

B - Babe

I- In

T - Total

C - Control of

H - Herself

B - Beautiful

I - Intelligent

T - Talented

C - Charming

H - Hell of a Woman

B - Beautiful

I - Individual

T - That

C - Can

H - Handle Anything

charity & sports

june 7, 2008

april's handywork. excellente..well-done kumare!

the technology department spearheaded a new project, sponsor a charity institution for abandoned children, toddlers mostly.

my contribution? my daughter's almost brand new clothings, socks & shoes. for the event, i took care of the tarpaulin, helped in transporting the donations to the venue & took position in the registration & balloon wooing hihi. (P50 per balloon w/ a prize inside)

the occasion was for an auction night (cash proceeds went to charity ofcourse) & the sportsfest awarding altogether.

my team, the white team, was awarded 1st runner up for both billiards & basketball. bravo to us!

took place at the makati sports club. there was music, buffet, beers, expats (who always bid the highest), & ofcourse, the deluge of gifts/donations for the charity.

that's dolly, who i was pointing my finger to, the mastermind of this project. congrats boss!

would you believe we've accumulated a total of P100,000 in cash to donate by the end of the night? believe me, we did. *:)

sick cycle carousel

several weeks ago i was fine.

i can sleep on time.
i can work properly.
i can eat.
i can play with my kid.
i can go out with my friends.
i was candidly dating.
i wasn't blogging too much, i was always preoccupied.
i had too little time in my hands, but i never got tired.
i had inspirations.
i was contented.
i could smile.
i did not worry.
i could fight.
i was perfectly fine.

crash & burn i suppose. or perhaps it's pms in the works?

pushing & pulling & its sick cycle, i'm getting tired of this game...not painless i'm telling you.

if you want me, i will embrace you, but you have to embrace me EXCLUSIVELY.

if you don't want me, you should've just let me be.

YOU should've not disturbed my solitude.

not when things have started to fall into its right places.

not when i was already perfectly fuckin' fine!

and now i'm back to square one??

she asked

did he tell you he loves me?
- why? who was he inlove with for the past 4 months?

did he tell you he will start focusing on me?
- why? who was he focusing on for the past 4 months?

what a fool. who is she? i call her atrocity.

team out @ carafe

june 6, 2008

at work, when one accomplishes his/her probationary period, or gets his/her first paycheck, or has his/her birthdays, it entails non-stop heckling & teasing until the celebrant treats the entire group. so there goes the plan for another team night out to celebrate my staff gigi's regularization. eric, celebrated his birthday w/ us at the same day, at the carafe bar makati.

eri'c wearing maroon (or purple?) & that's gigi wearin' the black & white blouse

an equally fun night was when i took my team out, for the first time, as their sup, using company money (reimbursable), a month ago. it was a little solemn i suppose compared to the above. we had dinner at a non-smokin restaurant at metrowalk but eventually went out to drink a few beers..surprisingly few.. having spent just a few pesos on dinner & a beer bucket, we decided to get coffee. wherelese... but at starbucks. after gossiping about people not present (don't we just love doing this?) & light bonding, we called it a night before 2am.

sportsfest

it was the boys turn to organize the annual IT department team building. ofcourse, they picked what they love doing the most, sports.

i remember being asked via email months ago, which sport i'd like to have a hand in. i ticked all, except basketball. them being badminton, bowling & billiards. being often preoccupied compared to everyone else, i did not forecast choosing those 3 sports inattentively actually put me in trouble. i had to play in all 3 games, & compete w/ another group to win them. i only started to get nervous when the days came closer, when colors (teams) were chosen & divided. i picked white. then there were 4 teams, black, yellow, green & white. why nervous? i don't win in sports! i just 'play' them!

anyhow, days came & went by. teams in couples compete for different games per day. i never played badminton though. i was absent on the first date, my kid's nanny was out of town so i couldn't leave her. i played bowling once. tried out for billiards too but never really got to join the competition itself. i got a chocolate for getting a '69' score in bowling though!

since i'm no fan of the subject, let's just proceed w/ the pics *:P

at the basketball championship - white vs yellow

espasoul

may 23, 2008

remember my post 1 or 2 years ago when i watched a gig at the saGuijo bar here in makati? & coincidentally met my grade school & highschool class mate nelson (aka jon) padilla?

we exchanged sms recently. it started when i got inspired by how i successfully (not minding the number) cooked up the skycablenet's reunion last month. i reached out for my schoolmates back in immaculate, my alma mater, for a similar engagement. my attempt failed though. the weather was awful on the date we scheduled it. the communication didn't stop there for some of us. jon & i chatted about their band 'chillitees' & lucky for my timing, they were soon to launch their 2nd album 'espasoul'. he sent me an sms invite so off i went w/ a friend.

it was held at the pablo art gallery at the cubao shoe expo, formerly know as the marikina shoe expo. i got iggy when i heard the place. it was my numero uno there, to watch a gig, or shop or dine even. i passed by a few posts from my kumareng ayn's blog site recounting her visits to the art galleries & the gigs she sessioned with scarlet tears. she gave me a tip before i went. she suggested that i try halo cafe's (just 1 store away from the pablo art gallery) specialty, the malunggay pasta.

we got there by 9pm..err..because that's the time jon asked us to come. we ate at halo's first, strolled a few of the still open galleries & stores. dj mickecons & eggboy played their pieces first to warm up the evening's mood. free bacardi shots were given away, shirts & cd's sold at reasonable prices. we bought ourselves shirts by the way. didn't bother to buy those cd's since jon promised me a complimentary copy which he later on gave me at another gig at il ponticello. sandwich played next, & it was past midnight already. after 4 songs, chillitees' alternative but soulful melodies rocked & 'chilled' the cubao expo atmosphere up to 3am.

here's jon after the gig
testing
sandwich (mong alcaraz me HD ako sayo! woohoo!)

chillitees' merchandise

eula, my friend got this poster

jon, i got this naman

may 28, 2008

2nd time around. i got my complimentary cd from jon. done at a 2nd floor bar at il ponticello, valero, makati city. first time there again. it was a music local's pa-gig. i got to see up dharma down up close & personal for the first time too. kewlness *:)

lea's goodbye

may 20, 2008

bummer.

lea, whom i fondly call lilia, recently resigned. she grabbed the 6-month contract as a change analyst at barclay's singapore. she'll be working side by side carol, another impressive former workmate, whom 2 years ago, found her bliss in singapore.

she broke the news to me first (aint flattering lilia!). she begged me to keep hush about it. but i wasn't able to contain my disappointment (stubborn i know). lea was the crème de la crème amongst the service desks..however, she felt doing her best wasn't given credit. it did, just so you know lilia, we often talked about your impressive work during supervisor meets, the position just aint ready yet. anyhow, she got bored waiting, waiting for her turn to seniority, but it never came. so when the opportunity in singapore presented itself, it was her cue to leave.

came the 20th, she threw her own despedida party at fat johnny's grill timog. it was one heck of a party lilia! me drama, me sumusuka, me tulog, me naliligo sa alak, me love story in the making haha, walang katapusang pichuran, at marami pang iba. the booze was nonstop. it's always fun watching colleagues get drunk & go crazy diba.

that's lea

lilia, abs & the rest are packin up for singapore on sunday & gettin problematic on how they're gonna carry all those packs of marlboro menthol you asked for! i told them to scatter the packets in their check-in luggages then lito butted, buksan na daw yung mga kaha at iscatter mismo yung sticks para di na talaga mahalata sa sg immigration! bwahaha!

i know i'll see you by the christmas season? so this is really not a goodbye, it's 'paalam babalik ako' (ika nga ni lolo for big lola, along with the british accent... teehee!)

nagkita na ule kayo ni auntie lah sa me noodelan near bencoolen? si uncle lah na cab driver na maniac? si ron?? hahahahaha...i miss you girl!!!!

xcablenet reunion

april 18, 2008

relied on tough luck, i brought together a quarter of the noc staff from my former company, skycablenet/bayantel, for a reunion. they are equally my closest friends, where 2 of them are my daughter's godfathers, louie & juvert. agnes (aka pusa) on the other hand, was one of the support staffs i used to supervise before i transferred to the noc, my yosi-buddy who's a girl (we were the only chicks who smoke overall), & one of the few who i chose to bond with in that department. dhon, haay dhon, ahehehe, who faithfully carpooled me, dropping me right at the corner of batasan, before he headed home to nova. i remember those small chats, fatherly advises, brotherly mocks, etc etc. no doubt i missed him the most. *:) & lastly myce, very appreciative of my eccentric being, & the magnificent bassist from the band we cooked up during one of our office christmas parties.

the result, a reunion of friends, superior to just being former workmates, perfectly brewed, by whoelse but me. *:)

held it at gerry's grill makati. here are some pics:

pusa, dhon, louie, juvert & myce

oh..i almost forgot. marco tagged along, the former linux guru in skyinternet, the boy next door who smoked while he worked (literally, his desk was just across our support department door), & my best man friend. i don't need to schedule any reunions just to see this guy. *:)