Holiday Season Mission

I din't get any luckier with my Christmas wishes this year than the last one but at least I got the spirit of it in check. Top of the wishlist was of course to spend some time with those people specially close to my heart during my so-called "Christmas week". Kada taon kasi, I see to it that I at least have a week long off from work during the holiday season and make sure that during this well-worth vacation, I would look inside me and count my blessings via those people whom God allowed to cross my path and touch me on a special way.

Haha... pangit pakinggan no? "Touch" me. Parang ni-rape. "Touch my life" na nga lang.

First off... the friends!
Sandamakmak na ang tropa ko at di ko na alam pano pagkakasyahing makasama silang lahat. Still, I was able to elbow some time with most of them (if not all *lunkot*). As I've posted earlier, I went out with my friends here in the office for Krokodile Grille - Greenbelt before the workweek ended. Prior that night, I was able to hangout with my friends from my previous work in HP. Wacha (Green Lantern of our HP tropa, dubbed "Justice League-HP") was there to borrow my ubiquitous bumblebee visors. The last time I was with these guys was like three weeks ago (?) when Oh (of Justice League-HP Bangkok??) was here in Manila. We were not able to meet her for some reason but we just hang out ourselves in Gilligan's... me, DD, Kid, Jzent, and Man. However, this Christmas, the guys were sporadically dispersed elsewhere so the chance of huddling up for some impromptu Christmas gathering (like what we used to do on the Rob Summit veranda) was impossible. Dan the Flash and Ayn the "Girl faster than the Flash" have a gift for me and it's still with Angel. Next year ko na siguro makukuha yun pero salamats dudes! Much appreciation from the Bat Man!

My bro and sistah from college, Jon and Star had their son christened on the 23rd. I already have my gift for the cutey kid but unfortunately I wasn't able to come. Isusunod ko na lang bro. Jay was not there too... and of course Bo, who was already on his first year in Canada. Si Ayo lang nakapunta, of course. I missed these guys. I knew back on our college heydays that our stoic inseparability will ultimately take a different course as "life after college" kicks in but at least the solidarity's still there. Even our yearly traditional fiesta attack in Tagaytay finally came to a close. Balang araw makakadayo din ulit tayo kela Jay sa Tagaytay para lang mag arcade at basketball or makatambay kela Jon sa Bulacan para lang mag inom ng magkakasama.

Last Christmas, the denizens of da Shak (my orky sporemates) celebrated yet another traditional Christmas Leftover Party at where else, our raggedy tambayan - Da Shak (duh)! During the last year and so, in spite of its relative distance from home, this hobby haven at Kamias had been my abode of retreat when I want to de-stress, momentarily escape from the harsh realities of life, or just plain goof around. Pero kapag gusto ko din ng smackdown reality-check thrown right into my face, these orkz would gladly do it for me... una unahan pa! That's how true these dudes are. People made of polyester are strictly prohibited around the premise or will simply be mugged down to oblivion.

Da Denizens of Da Shak

All of em are my hobby buddies, scale modellers of (i could say) the best calibers in the Philippines! Almost all of them are gamers too (from card games, PC games, to airsoft!) so we're on the same wavelength. Shak Boyz din yung karamihan ng mga katambayan ko sa UP-CFA and mga kagrupo ko sa Screaming BB's... airsoft team namin.

Going back to the Leftover Party, I arrived at around 7pm with the boyz huddled up on a PSP, playing Worms Armaggedon on multiplayer while Junbo was busy himself playing some strategy game on his laptop. So, I pulled out my own modelling box and worked on assemblying my miniature fig while waiting for more Shak Boyz to trickle in.


Sinusubukan ni Emp patigilin sa pag lakad si Johnny Walker...

Attendance: Pork, Junbo, Little John, Johnny, Asshole Ian + Kids, Kuneho Ian, Phatboy Jason, Topher, Doc Marco, Fred Laki, Chilly Arvin, Garrboy, Jake Pookiemonster, Emp Kamote + GF, Plim, Fluffy, Katrina Halili

Grub: Care Care, Sinigaang Tilapia, Cox (lotsa them holy liniment!), Balot and Penoy in Kolesterol Sauce!, Naglalakad na Johnny (hik!), Kropeks


Chilly Arv's Balot and Penoy in Kolesterol Sauce... magnifico!

Lamentations when someone reported about the death of Golden Boy's father just two days ago. Poor kid (although being the solo heir to their businesseseses, he's now tetrazillion times richer). Condolences man.

Some talks about Sigi's wedding too. Pork, Arvs, Romy, and Fluffy were there. Again, I wasn't able to come but the invite was so so appreciated. Congrats, man! Sabi nga ni God, "Humayo kayo't magpakarami!"


That's my favorite spot right thurr... right undah my goddess, Katrina Halili...

Finally, I succumbed to the craze, playing my own team on Worms Armageddon - the Mad Doctors! This resulted on a final head to head against Junbo's Marines but alas, the Chew-baka proved himself combat worthy once again and annihilated my worms piecemeal! Ouch.


Next stop... the relatives!
Tito Joel and family drove all the way down from Pangasinan to spend their Christmas here in the hometown!

It was on the 23rd when we braved the pre-Christmas traffic to charge SM - Mall of Asia. Andaaaaaaming tao!!! I have earlier planned to visit Ly on the mountainous regions of QC North but the relatives were too persistent on confirming my attendance. Sadness. Tas sakit lang din pala ng ulo aabutin dun sa dami ng tao. *grumble grumble*

Anyway, just to capitalize on the time, I instantaneously wrote a list of peeps to give presents to, then scrounged the gigantic mall for anything worth giving. Nakarami naman ako kahit pano. I myself bought some stuffs for me-self. *happy*

This year, as tradional, most of my aunts and uncles spend their Christmas at the old family house with lolo and lola. Sadly though, one uncle is in Vegas while another have chosen to spend some quality time with his family this year. Still, the attendance was considerably ample (our lineage was never outnumbered.. hehe)


Mommy Groovy, Leo Starstruck, Ankol Boy

Ongapala. Before going to the grannies' house, me, Mommy, and my sibs attended the mass first. Lola was one of the groups that do ministry works on our church. As if on cue, after the mass, there was a call on my mobile phone. "Call" lang nakalagay so I knew it was overseas... si Bonita (Rachelle)! It was so thoughtful of her to call. She's a very very good friend from my gradeschool days and although they moved to New York before we reached highschool, we're still occasionally in contact and we've been hanging out with our gradeschool friends everytime she goes back here in Phils (although the last time was like six years ago!). Crush ko siya back on our weeny gradeschool days because she was one of them pretty but tough damsels around the school. I was new on that elementary in Batangas back then being newly transferred from Manila and she was one of the first seatmates I've got to befriend. Sabi nya on one of our conversations years after gradeschool na crush nya din ako noon. But until now I preferred not to believe or assume that. Haha. At siya din unang nagsabi sa kin na ang torpe ko. Unang girl na nagpa-realize sakin na torpe ako. Dope! Hahaha. But yeah, those were probably just laughing matters for us now. She will always be a good friend to me now. Thanks sa call, Bonita! Happy New Year and extend my greets to everyone there too... to Tita, Tito, Ava, and Toto!

Back to our family Christmas gathering...


Ilang sa mga miyembro ng Tribong Espiritu

Attendance: Mommy Groovy, Son Obi, Son Sponklong, Bon bon, Cheng, Badong, Wonder Twins Lei and Liz, Tiyo Joel, Tiya Jojie, Tatin Agi, Jian, Tiyo Boy, Tiya Betya, Bogard + Tina, Bateng, Kendeng, LJ + Stef, Klong Klong Chloe, Ashtie Grasya, Lola Groovy, Johnny Tango

Grub: Sisig!, Pata ni Tim, Sari saring Inihaw!, Sari saring Salad, Baked Mac, Graham, Molo Sopas, Lecheng Plan, Sari saring Pinirito, Ham and Chees Rolls, Pansit, Dinuguang Isaw! (oh boy they really know me!!!), marami pang iba...

So, we distributed our personal gifts and prior to that, started our clan's Kris Kringle. Si JC ang nakabunot sa kin, and gave me this Starbucks espresso shotmug (kung ano man tawag dun). Salamats!


Salamats sa lahat ng nagregalo!!

Tito Jack... email ko sayo lahat ng pics ASAP ma-upload ko lahat ng kopya! Malamang next year na, to include the New Year pics too!

I've been quite the homeboy too when the holiday break started. Napirmi ulit ako sa house (hallelujah!) para makipag-bonding naman sa bahay, lalong lalo na sa kama ko. Tambay lang ako with Mommy Groovy, Bons, Long, Badong, Cheng and the Twins almost everyday! I was able to finish reading yet another Starwars book "The Joiner King, Dark Nest Trilogy" and started reading this Dune book "The Battle of Corrin". Hanggang ngayon gusto ko pa rin gumawa ng inbentaryo ng mga libro ko. Pero makita ko pa lang yung dami nila, inaantok na ko. Haha. I'll have time soon, hopefully. Also, I continued working on my miniatures. Spray painting primer black on 22 miniature figs, painted details on one Assault Marines, and as earlier mentioned, assembled one more mini at the Shak.


Goliath - zero
Super Twins - two

Hmm... ano pa ba?

I should remind myself to hang out at Tiya Nine's condo again before New Year. They've always been a welcoming extended family to me this year as was during my post-college heydays. I also tried to contact their ampon Batgirl but to no avail. Sadness. Apparently, kasama siya sa list of special people ko. Spending a while with her around this season (in fact, anytime) should be a treat, something to keep my spirits high for an astig na year-ender sana. With matching kilig kilig pa, oh walang papalag.

Funny how when circumstances gradually trained me to yield to insensitivity, Fate will have his own devious way of pitching me back to the ultimate reality that I can still "feel".

Yaaaaan ang hirit! Haha. Seriously though, more often than not, it only leads me clueless on what to do next. Bahala na.

Ano pa ba?

As of writing this thing down, Jay just contacted me if we could go to Jon's this night sa Marilao. Sabi ko kung mahihintay nya ko after work, why not. Makakasama ko pa rin yata pala sila afterall! Hintay ko na lang confirmation nya.


To wrap up my list!
On my Christmas week...
I was able to spend time with:
*joyness*
- former HP officemates
- family
- most relatives
- Shak Boyz
- some of the SBB's
- current officemates
- talks with Bonita
- God

I wasn't able to spend time with:
*sadness*
- college tropa
- Joseph and Tan, my kababata brothers
- Tita Nine and family + Batgirl
- Justice League - HP
- Jai, HS tropa

Happy New Year sa lahat!! Tagay na... haha!! Have a safe one, mga dudes.

(Di talaga ko palainom ng "hard", props lang yan)

Holiday Season Mission

I din't get any luckier with my Christmas wishes this year than the last one but at least I got the spirit of it in check. Top of the wishlist was of course to spend some time with those people specially close to my heart during my so-called "Christmas week". Kada taon kasi, I see to it that I at least have a week long off from work during the holiday season and make sure that during this well-worth vacation, I would look inside me and count my blessings via those people whom God allowed to cross my path and touch me on a special way.

Haha... pangit pakinggan no? "Touch" me. Parang ni-rape. "Touch my life" na nga lang.

First off... the friends!
Sandamakmak na ang tropa ko at di ko na alam pano pagkakasyahing makasama silang lahat. Still, I was able to elbow some time with most of them (if not all *lunkot*). As I've posted earlier, I went out with my friends here in the office for Krokodile Grille - Greenbelt before the workweek ended. Prior that night, I was able to hangout with my friends from my previous work in HP. Wacha (Green Lantern of our HP tropa, dubbed "Justice League-HP") was there to borrow my ubiquitous bumblebee visors. The last time I was with these guys was like three weeks ago (?) when Oh (of Justice League-HP Bangkok??) was here in Manila. We were not able to meet her for some reason but we just hang out ourselves in Gilligan's... me, DD, Kid, Jzent, and Man. However, this Christmas, the guys were sporadically dispersed elsewhere so the chance of huddling up for some impromptu Christmas gathering (like what we used to do on the Rob Summit veranda) was impossible. Dan the Flash and Ayn the "Girl faster than the Flash" have a gift for me and it's still with Angel. Next year ko na siguro makukuha yun pero salamats dudes! Much appreciation from the Bat Man!

My bro and sistah from college, Jon and Star had their son christened on the 23rd. I already have my gift for the cutey kid but unfortunately I wasn't able to come. Isusunod ko na lang bro. Jay was not there too... and of course Bo, who was already on his first year in Canada. Si Ayo lang nakapunta, of course. I missed these guys. I knew back on our college heydays that our stoic inseparability will ultimately take a different course as "life after college" kicks in but at least the solidarity's still there. Even our yearly traditional fiesta attack in Tagaytay finally came to a close. Balang araw makakadayo din ulit tayo kela Jay sa Tagaytay para lang mag arcade at basketball or makatambay kela Jon sa Bulacan para lang mag inom ng magkakasama.

Last Christmas, the denizens of da Shak (my orky sporemates) celebrated yet another traditional Christmas Leftover Party at where else, our raggedy tambayan - Da Shak (duh)! During the last year and so, in spite of its relative distance from home, this hobby haven at Kamias had been my abode of retreat when I want to de-stress, momentarily escape from the harsh realities of life, or just plain goof around. Pero kapag gusto ko din ng smackdown reality-check thrown right into my face, these orkz would gladly do it for me... una unahan pa! That's how true these dudes are. People made of polyester are strictly prohibited around the premise or will simply be mugged down to oblivion.

Da Denizens of Da Shak

All of em are my hobby buddies, scale modellers of (i could say) the best calibers in the Philippines! Almost all of them are gamers too (from card games, PC games, to airsoft!) so we're on the same wavelength. Shak Boyz din yung karamihan ng mga katambayan ko sa UP-CFA and mga kagrupo ko sa Screaming BB's... airsoft team namin.

Going back to the Leftover Party, I arrived at around 7pm with the boyz huddled up on a PSP, playing Worms Armaggedon on multiplayer while Junbo was busy himself playing some strategy game on his laptop. So, I pulled out my own modelling box and worked on assemblying my miniature fig while waiting for more Shak Boyz to trickle in.


Sinusubukan ni Emp patigilin sa pag lakad si Johnny Walker...

Attendance: Pork, Junbo, Little John, Johnny, Asshole Ian + Kids, Kuneho Ian, Phatboy Jason, Topher, Doc Marco, Fred Laki, Chilly Arvin, Garrboy, Jake Pookiemonster, Emp Kamote + GF, Plim, Fluffy, Katrina Halili

Grub: Care Care, Sinigaang Tilapia, Cox (lotsa them holy liniment!), Balot and Penoy in Kolesterol Sauce!, Naglalakad na Johnny (hik!), Kropeks


Chilly Arv's Balot and Penoy in Kolesterol Sauce... magnifico!

Lamentations when someone reported about the death of Golden Boy's father just two days ago. Poor kid (although being the solo heir to their businesseseses, he's now tetrazillion times richer). Condolences man.

Some talks about Sigi's wedding too. Pork, Arvs, Romy, and Fluffy were there. Again, I wasn't able to come but the invite was so so appreciated. Congrats, man! Sabi nga ni God, "Humayo kayo't magpakarami!"


That's my favorite spot right thurr... right undah my goddess, Katrina Halili...

Finally, I succumbed to the craze, playing my own team on Worms Armageddon - the Mad Doctors! This resulted on a final head to head against Junbo's Marines but alas, the Chew-baka proved himself combat worthy once again and annihilated my worms piecemeal! Ouch.


Next stop... the relatives!
Tito Joel and family drove all the way down from Pangasinan to spend their Christmas here in the hometown!

It was on the 23rd when we braved the pre-Christmas traffic to charge SM - Mall of Asia. Andaaaaaaming tao!!! I have earlier planned to visit Ly on the mountainous regions of QC North but the relatives were too persistent on confirming my attendance. Sadness. Tas sakit lang din pala ng ulo aabutin dun sa dami ng tao. *grumble grumble*

Anyway, just to capitalize on the time, I instantaneously wrote a list of peeps to give presents to, then scrounged the gigantic mall for anything worth giving. Nakarami naman ako kahit pano. I myself bought some stuffs for me-self. *happy*

This year, as tradional, most of my aunts and uncles spend their Christmas at the old family house with lolo and lola. Sadly though, one uncle is in Vegas while another have chosen to spend some quality time with his family this year. Still, the attendance was considerably ample (our lineage was never outnumbered.. hehe)


Mommy Groovy, Leo Starstruck, Ankol Boy

Ongapala. Before going to the grannies' house, me, Mommy, and my sibs attended the mass first. Lola was one of the groups that do ministry works on our church. As if on cue, after the mass, there was a call on my mobile phone. "Call" lang nakalagay so I knew it was overseas... si Bonita (Rachelle)! It was so thoughtful of her to call. She's a very very good friend from my gradeschool days and although they moved to New York before we reached highschool, we're still occasionally in contact and we've been hanging out with our gradeschool friends everytime she goes back here in Phils (although the last time was like six years ago!). Crush ko siya back on our weeny gradeschool days because she was one of them pretty but tough damsels around the school. I was new on that elementary in Batangas back then being newly transferred from Manila and she was one of the first seatmates I've got to befriend. Sabi nya on one of our conversations years after gradeschool na crush nya din ako noon. But until now I preferred not to believe or assume that. Haha. At siya din unang nagsabi sa kin na ang torpe ko. Unang girl na nagpa-realize sakin na torpe ako. Dope! Hahaha. But yeah, those were probably just laughing matters for us now. She will always be a good friend to me now. Thanks sa call, Bonita! Happy New Year and extend my greets to everyone there too... to Tita, Tito, Ava, and Toto!

Back to our family Christmas gathering...


Ilang sa mga miyembro ng Tribong Espiritu

Attendance: Mommy Groovy, Son Obi, Son Sponklong, Bon bon, Cheng, Badong, Wonder Twins Lei and Liz, Tiyo Joel, Tiya Jojie, Tatin Agi, Jian, Tiyo Boy, Tiya Betya, Bogard + Tina, Bateng, Kendeng, LJ + Stef, Klong Klong Chloe, Ashtie Grasya, Lola Groovy, Johnny Tango

Grub: Sisig!, Pata ni Tim, Sari saring Inihaw!, Sari saring Salad, Baked Mac, Graham, Molo Sopas, Lecheng Plan, Sari saring Pinirito, Ham and Chees Rolls, Pansit, Dinuguang Isaw! (oh boy they really know me!!!), marami pang iba...

So, we distributed our personal gifts and prior to that, started our clan's Kris Kringle. Si JC ang nakabunot sa kin, and gave me this Starbucks espresso shotmug (kung ano man tawag dun). Salamats!


Salamats sa lahat ng nagregalo!!

Tito Jack... email ko sayo lahat ng pics ASAP ma-upload ko lahat ng kopya! Malamang next year na, to include the New Year pics too!

I've been quite the homeboy too when the holiday break started. Napirmi ulit ako sa house (hallelujah!) para makipag-bonding naman sa bahay, lalong lalo na sa kama ko. Tambay lang ako with Mommy Groovy, Bons, Long, Badong, Cheng and the Twins almost everyday! I was able to finish reading yet another Starwars book "The Joiner King, Dark Nest Trilogy" and started reading this Dune book "The Battle of Corrin". Hanggang ngayon gusto ko pa rin gumawa ng inbentaryo ng mga libro ko. Pero makita ko pa lang yung dami nila, inaantok na ko. Haha. I'll have time soon, hopefully. Also, I continued working on my miniatures. Spray painting primer black on 22 miniature figs, painted details on one Assault Marines, and as earlier mentioned, assembled one more mini at the Shak.


Goliath - zero
Super Twins - two

Hmm... ano pa ba?

I should remind myself to hang out at Tiya Nine's condo again before New Year. They've always been a welcoming extended family to me this year as was during my post-college heydays. I also tried to contact their ampon Batgirl but to no avail. Sadness. Apparently, kasama siya sa list of special people ko. Spending a while with her around this season (in fact, anytime) should be a treat, something to keep my spirits high for an astig na year-ender sana. With matching kilig kilig pa, oh walang papalag.

Funny how when circumstances gradually trained me to yield to insensitivity, Fate will have his own devious way of pitching me back to the ultimate reality that I can still "feel".

Yaaaaan ang hirit! Haha. Seriously though, more often than not, it only leads me clueless on what to do next. Bahala na.

Ano pa ba?

As of writing this thing down, Jay just contacted me if we could go to Jon's this night sa Marilao. Sabi ko kung mahihintay nya ko after work, why not. Makakasama ko pa rin yata pala sila afterall! Hintay ko na lang confirmation nya.


To wrap up my list!
On my Christmas week...
I was able to spend time with:
*joyness*
- former HP officemates
- family
- most relatives
- Shak Boyz
- some of the SBB's
- current officemates
- talks with Bonita
- God

I wasn't able to spend time with:
*sadness*
- college tropa
- Joseph and Tan, my kababata brothers
- Tita Nine and family + Batgirl
- Justice League - HP
- Jai, HS tropa

Happy New Year sa lahat!! Tagay na... haha!! Have a safe one, mga dudes.

(Di talaga ko palainom ng "hard", props lang yan)