Easy

It was probably one of the most fuss-free Christmases I've ever had. I knew that the house wasn't going to be ready in time so I did what I could: I bought disposable plates, forks, and spoons and an assortment of drinks - Coke for the kids, San Mig Premium for Dad and me, and Coke Light for Mom. Knowing I didn't have the energy to cook, we just got two orders of Crispy Pata to go with the Roasted Chicken, Putanesca, and Kani Salad that my sister B and her husband A were making. Mom and Dad brought with them fresh shrimps, yum! We laid out the feast on two makeshift tables out in the front yard, put on some lights, and there celebrated our merry Christmas :)

















































P.S. What would Christmas be without an after Noche Buena meal. Here, cake and Putanesca at E's house :)

Invincible

December went by like some kind of twister. What is it about the holiday season that makes us want to do a thousand things in just thirty and one days? All that Christmas cheer, perhaps, gives us such a surge of energy that for one fleeting moment, we imagine ourselves to be invincible. We fool ourselves to believe that we can do anything and everything: meet friends, move residences, buy presents and wrap them up in twinkly paper, then eat, drink, and be merry.

Well, I was one such a fool, getting by on only a few hours of sleep almost every day to get all the things I'm supposed to do done. And guess what? I made it! I leaped into the thick of things and here I am still gloriously alive. Sometimes, I suppose, you just have to be either a believer or a fool. I was both this time around Mwahahaha




At the homecoming, shouting and screaming...





... kicking and jumping to the eighties!





By night's end, we were all so very happy and all so very drunk!





I didn't get drunk at lunch with B and P but I did get incredibly happy. I love these girls!





At dinner with friends from college, B, R, J, and I reminisced about pillows and tree trunks!





Yes, it's true! After all that packing, we've finally moved! Hurray!





Here, some last-minute shopping with the boys at the mall ...





... but first, we had to stop by the optical shop to get K a new pair of eyeglasses (again!). Here is S waiting for his brother; he is so tall now!





At the Ahead Christmas party, I had to dress up like a female matador! That was definitely a first. I hope nobody posts the video!





E and I still managed to squeeze in some bazaar time ...





... where I got to meet K, who became one of my favorite customers. Here, she's wearing a piece that can be worn as a necklace or a belt.

Hope the season was just as merry for you!

Silver: Out Now!

And so I got drunk. It was a stressful week filled with all sorts of deadlines, and of course, the non-stop packing of stuff for the big move. Silver was to be launched Saturday night at our 25th homecoming; the next morning we were to move into our new home. I was frazzled to say the least.

When I got to the gym, which had doubled in size since last I was there, I was in party mode. After all, I was with all these people who I shared so many happy memories with. How could I not have fun?!

More on that night next time. For now, here are some pages from Silver for our friends abroad who still don't have their copies. Bong, sorry, your family name was spelled wrong here but in Silver, it's correct na.

Enjoy!

Silver

For the past few months, Dr. A and I have been working on our homecoming yearbook. If you've been reading this blog, then you probably know that Dr. A is a very good friend of mine.

I remember the first time that we thought of the yearbook idea: we were having lunch and I had just said goodbye to my day job. Today, many months later, it is almost ready, the product of long hours of going through all sorts of photographs, old and new, and reading through an assortment of reminiscences of the good old days. I am a relatively fast worker but this time around, I took my sweet time going through my batchmates' little vignettes. You see, they brought back a lot of good memories, and those you'd want to taste and savor.

In some sense, the yearbook is also a testament to the strength of our friendship: Dr. A and I's. Several times through those long, long months, we almost butted heads, bugging each other about timelines and deadlines. I could be pretty bitchy when I don't get my way, you see, and Dr. A (who loves me dearly, thank goodness!) always understood that I was just doing my job.

And so, here's a spread from Silver.

I'll be coming home this Saturday! See you there!

Chilling at SMX

The first time that I joined a bazaar, I was frazzled and nervous. What if I didn't know what to say? What if nobody liked my stuff? What if I didn't sell anything? There were so many things running through my head, and I was sort of a nervous wreck.

A couple of bazaars later and I am better. Oh, I am still not an expert at selling, and truth be told, I don't think I will ever be like my Mom or my daughter E. But last weekend at SMX, I was definitely more relaxed and more friendly (M, who visited our booth, said he was surprised at how chika I was mwahahaha). I just resigned myself to the fact that I will be stuck at that venue for 12 hours (Yes, 12 hours!!) and so I might as well make good use of those 12 hours.

I read a book. I went through the proofs of Silver, our homecoming yearbook. And I made chika! And oh yes, I also managed to sell my stuff while having fun! Mwahahaha




Our joy and inspiration: Love the shirt!





The Bangles!





Merienda at Mangan with K





Our youngest customer, S, with her cute Frollic roll shoes!





E projecting while packing





And we're done for the day!





My chain gang

Hunting and Fishing

J was one of my first editors. We worked at the papers when it was still OK for everyone to smoke in the newsroom. I always thought of him as a very cool cat. He never got angry, never lost his cool, never raised his voice at anyone. He got the job done while treating everyone with respect. Plus, he knew where to get a drink of beer--cheap!

When he migrated to some rustic-sounding town in the States, I never thought I'd see him again. But life is full of surprises and you never know what's going to happen next--ever! And so, there I was one night eating some curry while J talked about his hunting expeditions in Maryland (Did I get that right, D?).

J is now a teacher and in his spare time, he hunts deer (very Robert de Niro!) and goes fishing. He has also grown to be such a respectable persona that I almost couldn't connect the person that I shared many bottles of beer with, with the person sitting in front of me talking about values and teenagers. It was like an episode of Twilight Zone.

Always, I am amazed at man's capacity to invent and reinvent himself (and I'm not just talking about Madonna). It was great seeing you, J! :)






The lifestyle team: J, D, and J!

And Just Like That, It's Christmas

I feel like I'm in a race. I love Christmas! I love the holidays! But this one seems particularly challenging. There are just too many to-do-things on my list before I get to Christmas, a happy mix of work stuff and family stuff and friends stuff that just boggles the mind. I am now living day-to-day on a calendar that mercifully ends on the 31st. Wish me luck!

Oh, and happy Christmas!!!
















Just had to put this in. After all, Christmas is for children :)