Almost Christmas

Tonight, I think, is the last Christmas party I'll be attending before heading to Zambo. Since Friday last week, it was a party frenzy...agency party, AAP music matching, FMB year end celebration with the occassional kainan in different offices, WNG get together, *H3!()-bashing cum dinner and after dinner drinks and finally... post bday, Bailey's drink marathon at home with some officemates. So much for a quiet Christmas celebration with my bestest friend...and a supposed-to be dinner out with someone out there. char!

Shirly's off to Davao today. I betcha, she is having a blast at this very moment sipping durian coffee at Blugre. Or probably taking pics with Pag-Asa at the Phil. Eagle Center. Davao is a very nice place. Aldevinco, Victoria Plaza and Gaisano, Luz Kinilaw and everything Durian. Yum!Yum!

Can't wait for tomorrow. Tomorrow is the day I am flying out to home sweet home. But first things first..I still have to pack! A luggage full of gifts and a can of skyflakes courtesy of Shirl. Hmm, I think I only need to bring 3 sets of clothes and lots of moolah. Hiram na lang ako sa bahay.

3 days na lang, Pasko na. Happy Christmas, everyone!

Trippin'

It is our 4th time in Puerto Galera...but this time, we brought along Agnes. Shirly's officemate who is so inlove with the camera. In short, not as camera shy as I am.

Our day started very early since it was just an overnight gig. There were a few weekenders that time - some group of Koreans and Caucasians trooping to Sabang (where else?!), a bunch of noisy grown up men, 3 cool dudes, occasional kabarkadahan, and the ever present natives of Mindoro. We were pretty disgusted before our byahe because we had to change ferries! But looking back, we had a detour to Muelle Pier...which is a pretty amazing sight.

Our day was spent swimming in the Tamaraw beach, boating and snorkelling at the Coral Garden. Poor corals...the area was pretty shallow that people tend to step on these corals. So much for appreciating the view. Well, we did find a few of Nemo's cousins.

But the best part of the day was the body massage along the beach. Heavenly...lying there and having someone to ease those sore muscles. And we had the beach all of ourselves, btw. Heaven talaga!

Nightlife in PG is not the same without the Mindoro Sling. So, we had Agnes taste the famous drink...a pitcher for the 3 of us. We all looked lango (except for Shirl) after gulping (!?) 3/4 of the content. Hey, even Agnes, fell off her chair (but that was prior to the drinking). There were dancing and smoking but we did neither of the two.
When everything seemed blurry and walking in a straight line was such an effort, we headed off to our room for a beauty sleep.

Shirl and I spent the following morning swimming and swimming and swimming and swimming. Kesehodang umitim. Besides, we believe that we stand out sa group pics with tanned skin. Hehehehe

Another kaasar trip happened on the way to Batangas Pier. Our trip was delayed because a group of friends begged manong driver to wait for them because a friend apprently was not feeling well. Yeah, blame it on the henna tattoo he just got. Magsiniungaling na nga lng, di pa convincing. :)

Our trip way back to QC went well. No more pasaway pasaheros. We were tired but happy. Kulang ang overnight, definitely. But it was worth every second. Every milli-second really counts on that trip, but we're not complaining.

-alotlikelove

It's a mad mad rush

The Christmas mad rush is dawning upon us. And I’m rooting for Christmas vacation already. Vacation mode is turned on already, but not quite. Still have to make a post-event report on our Christmas basket distribution, send TY letters to donors, get some stuff ready for a series of prison visits, entertain members and sponsors on Dec 15 for a cocktail reception, do some last-minute reminders and to-do list before I leave on the 22nd, and other work-related stuff.

And of course, have to do that last-minute Christmas shopping. I promised myself, I won’t do it, but the shopping bug is too infectious – and the shopaholic side of me just can’t resist those items with screaming SALE tags, or those cute items I need to have for myself. Talk about being “hayok” or even worse, deprived, hehehe.

I admit it, I’m an impulsive shopper. I have to get this for a friend, and that for my cousin, aunt. They’re all cheap and good buys. And sometimes, they end up in my closet, or my kikay kit, or my much overloaded box of stuff – needed or otherwise. Talk about giving some to one’s self. I’m almost done with my list, though I still have to scour St. Francis Square and Marikina tiangge’s.

I'm off from work tomorrow, one last VL before the Christmas vacation. More shopping to do.

`STF

a pinch and a punch

A pinch and a punch for the first day of the month. Hay December na! 24 more days to go, at Pasko na. So goes the usual countdown on TV and radio. It’s as if reminding us to get done with our Christmas shopping, and sulk over our non-existent lovelife (for those na mala-bloke ng yelo ang lamig ngayong Pasko). I’m not complaining really. 2006 is just around the corner too, so I’m wishing for a more hopeful (i.e. a more hopeful lovelife, that is!) life ahead of me.

December is my fave month, despite the hectic work schedule – with 3 upcoming events I’m working on simultaneously. December is the time to “eat and be merry”. There goes the diet (kuno)! December gives you kinder and more smiling people around you (maybe because of the 13th month pay, or the gifts they’re expecting from you?), longer and colder nights (a torture really! – you know what I mean), crowded malls and Divisoria (I finally give up on going to Divi – I need tens of thousands of moolah para masulit pagod and pagka-harass ko don). And yes, the feast! I’m so looking forward to kinilaw, lechon, and lahat ng pagkain na di ko nakakain dito sa Manila. Feeling deprived ba?

***
Go Team Philippines! We’re still unbeatably number 1 in the medal standing, with 53-31-37 medals. There were controversies on the side, countries richer than us (i.e. Thailand) accused Pinoys of fraud. How dare they! Di lang siguro sanay na leading ang Pinas sa SEA Games.

Let’s just hope that we can maintain this lead, and be the overall champion (for the first time!)

***
2 days before another PG escapade. Finally, I’ll be back again in paradise. Kaso nga lang, overnight lang kami. We even had to squeeze this schedule in my so-hectic December calendar. Kahit 1 full day lang, OK lang un, we’ll just make the most of it. Or…maybe Love will change her mind and pwede syang umuwi ng Monday.
This time, Agnes (officemate, ka-chika, ka-emote-an, lil sis) will go with us, finally! Three's a crowd, they say. I don't think so. Three means more fun, more emoting moments and of course, less gastos, hehehe...

In the meantime, have to take care of work piling up my desk right now.

Merry Christmas guys!

`STF