Lilia's nephew just came in country. He's to attend the wedding of a relative of his wife's. In Ilocos. Great concept for a vacation! Wedding, Ilocos and Christmas!
Anyway, we met Roland and his wife Jane, albeit briefly, last Saturday, Christmas Day. I was at work the night before so we left Marikina for Novaliches after lunch. And we arrived at my in-laws house just as they were leaving. They were going to my sister-in-law's with another of Lilia's nephews (Boy with his wife Ann).
Funny thing is that he had a Samsung digital camera and a Sony camcorder (DCR HC30). I mentioned that starting next year, the team I work with will be supporting the software which came with the Samsung camera. And that we are also doing the support for the software which came bundled with the Sony Handycam. Anyway, they live in Sacramento, and our telephone number is an Area Code 213 (Los Angeles) number. They can call even if it's a camera issue and not just because of the software. What the heck, they can just call the number for anything.
With regard the pictures I took, I can't help it if I like to take candid shots. And the pictures show it, too.
--andoy
28 December 2004
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Christmas 2004 part 4
I was on board Christmas Eve. I was also on board Christmas Day. Considering everything these were easy days. What made them hard was that I would have preferred to be at home for the Noche Buena feast held after before midnight of Christmas Eve. Also traditionally, we have a prayer of Thanksgiving prior to partaking of the meal. This year the table motif was "Green Christmas." That was Adora's idea. She masterminds the food during family celebrations, parties and other gatherings. There was vegetable salad (with choice of dressing, the tomatoes were on a separate plate from the rest of the vegetables, and with more than ample lettuce), buko pandan salad, pica-pica, (quartered) tuna sandwiches, hotdog and marshmallow on sticks, and, of course, ham and edam cheese. (I don't remember the brand but it was not the traditional dry, flaky, semi-hard edam cheese ball, but moist and soft. I am not complaining; on the contrary, it has always been my opinion that I have never met a cheese I did not like.)
After the feast the family members exchange gifts and then open these amid a lot of merry making, laughter and picture taking. During the past several years, there have been absent family members because they have to be at work during Christmas Eve. Last year I was able to beg off work, at least during the first part of the shift, and was allowed to login at 5:00 in the morning. I was then present during for the Noche Buena. This year, because of lousy schedules, I had to be at work, and so I had to leave the house before 10:00pm.
The pictures were taken with Jonas's Canon digital camera. I was not able to get the model number. With 3.2 megapixels, it has more than enough resolution for 4x6 prints. The picture quality is not bad, not bad at all.
As usual, pictures were taken while the gifts were being given. And then also afterwards while these were being opened (and, at times, worn immediately). The kids danced until 3:00, and almost everyone present were still awake at 4:00 in the morning.
Just for the curious, as is usually the case, I don't think there was any alcoholic beverage that night. Not that we would say no to wee bit of a drink, it's just that there wasn't any.
--andoy
28 December 2004
After the feast the family members exchange gifts and then open these amid a lot of merry making, laughter and picture taking. During the past several years, there have been absent family members because they have to be at work during Christmas Eve. Last year I was able to beg off work, at least during the first part of the shift, and was allowed to login at 5:00 in the morning. I was then present during for the Noche Buena. This year, because of lousy schedules, I had to be at work, and so I had to leave the house before 10:00pm.
The pictures were taken with Jonas's Canon digital camera. I was not able to get the model number. With 3.2 megapixels, it has more than enough resolution for 4x6 prints. The picture quality is not bad, not bad at all.
As usual, pictures were taken while the gifts were being given. And then also afterwards while these were being opened (and, at times, worn immediately). The kids danced until 3:00, and almost everyone present were still awake at 4:00 in the morning.
Just for the curious, as is usually the case, I don't think there was any alcoholic beverage that night. Not that we would say no to wee bit of a drink, it's just that there wasn't any.
--andoy
28 December 2004
Christmas 2004 (13): (seated) Kenneth and Darwi, (crouching) Raul, Tatay, Irene and Dong
Posted by Hello
Monday, December 27, 2004
Christmas Party
We were supposed to have a Christmas Party last night Sunday, December 26. This was for the team at work, and the team leader volunteered to sponsor it at his residence. This was also supposed to be the despedida for our OM. I am not sure what happened. Only that there were no invites, no location maps or directions to the venue and no reminders.
So just as suddenly, without a bang, but like a shadow passing by, there was no more mention of a Christmas Party. Which would be very much in character for the team leader.
--andoy
27 December 2004
So just as suddenly, without a bang, but like a shadow passing by, there was no more mention of a Christmas Party. Which would be very much in character for the team leader.
--andoy
27 December 2004
Sunday, December 26, 2004
Old Friends
I called up some friends from the old days. (I wanted to say that "I called some old friends" but then again, these friends might think that I think they are old.) The only thing I can say is that if you want to get the most of your money, call a friend whom you have not seen in a long, long time. Better to call by cell phone, so that you can jump up and down while trying to carry on a half-decent, giddy, almost sober, definitely ecstatic conversation.
I contacted Rach over the phone and we had a short chat. From her voice she was still feeling the after-effects of the Christmas Noche Buena celebration. She's quite happy with her life right now. She was also very proud of her two daughters in college. They seem to be doing well. The eldest would soon be graduating with honors. And the second daughter, my goddaughter, would be going on OJT in the summer. Both of them are studying in UPLB.
Surprising someone with a phone call on Christmas morning, before they are really awake, is not something I have experienced before. I guess before they were surprised, I was surprised myself that I was going to do it. A day after, and I can still feel the novelty of the experience.
After Rach, I got in touch with Maricel. From what I can hear, she was shocked that I called. At the very least, she was shouting over the phone. I could swear if I was any nearer, I didn't need to use the phone. But if we were standing on the sidewalk on a chance meeting, I know I'd get a mouthful of cuss words, and some painful kicks on the shin, so that would not be surprising.
She's doing well, I guess, and she doesn't want to discuss her research work. She's finishing her PhD, which is not a trivial task. Twenty years ago, if there was someone who I'd thought would pursue a PhD, I would not even consider her for a short list. But this girl is full of surprises. When she took her Board Exams for Chemistry, she got into the Top Ten list. And nobody would even think she can do that.
She has a good memory for remembering most of my shenanigans. Better than I do, from what I gather from our short telephone conversation. Considering that most people would long remember things with which they have strong feelings about, I think she just might really hate me. She remembers a lot of things about me and the things we did 20 years ago. There were several points in the conversation which I need to research on. Did I do those things? Or worse, did I not do some things? She mentioned that I gave her a character sketch and I likened her to a tiger. Come to think of it, it would be something I would have done. And she, at that time, would have been very close to a description of a tiger. No she is not a prowler, lurker, nor a predator. But she is very feline, and like a tiger, at the time, she was quite aloof with "male admirers." A tiger is a solitary creature, mates, and then wanders off from the mate while the tiger cubs grow. Much like her -- at the time. Not really mate, as in mate, but more with how she treated the "boys" around her who wanted to know her better. She was also a pretty college girl amid a whole group of pretty girls, and somehow, she just slipped under the radar, barely being recognized for what she was. She blended into the background. And I think this was what she wished then. She was intelligent, but I doubt very much if anyone knew how intelligent she was.
Frankly speaking, I don't remember what I wrote about her in that character sketch, twenty-odd years ago. Now that she mentions that tiger description, I would agree that I would have described her so. That being said, then I don't think she's lying about that paper. She says it still exists at her parents' home. Maybe one day, she can send me a scan of that paper.
I wonder, if I ever sent her a poem. If I did, I would have a record of that somewhere, because I still have the original drafts for the poems I wrote. Most of them at least. But a character sketch! For crying out loud, was I that stupid? Whatever could have happened that I would write a character sketch? Me, of all people, write a character sketch! That would be suicide on my part! And about Maricel, too! Crazy! What was I thinking? Now I'm surprised I'm still alive. I encountered a tiger, and I survived, twenty-odd years ago. Man! I must be one lucky S.O.B!
It was great talking to her though. Sounded like a time warp or a back to the future thing. We were talking like we last met yesterday. Current family and status being a non-entity in the discussion, it was fairly glossed over. Except that I mentioned that even if I had not met her husband, I can't help but say that I like the guy. I really do admire his husband even if I had not met him, simply because he married Maricel. I like his taste. She also mentioned, again, that I have beautiful kids, and that it's a good thing they did not take from me (or did not look like me, for that matter). Of which, I can only answer that that is everyone else's comment. Of her and her kid, I can only say that the mother is a long, long way prettier.
I wanted to call some other people, it being Christmas morning and such. More as a gift to them. Or in lieu of a Christmas card. Just so happens that I ran out of (prepaid) load for my cell phone. Next time then. New Year perhaps.
--andoy
26 December 2004
I contacted Rach over the phone and we had a short chat. From her voice she was still feeling the after-effects of the Christmas Noche Buena celebration. She's quite happy with her life right now. She was also very proud of her two daughters in college. They seem to be doing well. The eldest would soon be graduating with honors. And the second daughter, my goddaughter, would be going on OJT in the summer. Both of them are studying in UPLB.
Surprising someone with a phone call on Christmas morning, before they are really awake, is not something I have experienced before. I guess before they were surprised, I was surprised myself that I was going to do it. A day after, and I can still feel the novelty of the experience.
After Rach, I got in touch with Maricel. From what I can hear, she was shocked that I called. At the very least, she was shouting over the phone. I could swear if I was any nearer, I didn't need to use the phone. But if we were standing on the sidewalk on a chance meeting, I know I'd get a mouthful of cuss words, and some painful kicks on the shin, so that would not be surprising.
She's doing well, I guess, and she doesn't want to discuss her research work. She's finishing her PhD, which is not a trivial task. Twenty years ago, if there was someone who I'd thought would pursue a PhD, I would not even consider her for a short list. But this girl is full of surprises. When she took her Board Exams for Chemistry, she got into the Top Ten list. And nobody would even think she can do that.
She has a good memory for remembering most of my shenanigans. Better than I do, from what I gather from our short telephone conversation. Considering that most people would long remember things with which they have strong feelings about, I think she just might really hate me. She remembers a lot of things about me and the things we did 20 years ago. There were several points in the conversation which I need to research on. Did I do those things? Or worse, did I not do some things? She mentioned that I gave her a character sketch and I likened her to a tiger. Come to think of it, it would be something I would have done. And she, at that time, would have been very close to a description of a tiger. No she is not a prowler, lurker, nor a predator. But she is very feline, and like a tiger, at the time, she was quite aloof with "male admirers." A tiger is a solitary creature, mates, and then wanders off from the mate while the tiger cubs grow. Much like her -- at the time. Not really mate, as in mate, but more with how she treated the "boys" around her who wanted to know her better. She was also a pretty college girl amid a whole group of pretty girls, and somehow, she just slipped under the radar, barely being recognized for what she was. She blended into the background. And I think this was what she wished then. She was intelligent, but I doubt very much if anyone knew how intelligent she was.
Frankly speaking, I don't remember what I wrote about her in that character sketch, twenty-odd years ago. Now that she mentions that tiger description, I would agree that I would have described her so. That being said, then I don't think she's lying about that paper. She says it still exists at her parents' home. Maybe one day, she can send me a scan of that paper.
I wonder, if I ever sent her a poem. If I did, I would have a record of that somewhere, because I still have the original drafts for the poems I wrote. Most of them at least. But a character sketch! For crying out loud, was I that stupid? Whatever could have happened that I would write a character sketch? Me, of all people, write a character sketch! That would be suicide on my part! And about Maricel, too! Crazy! What was I thinking? Now I'm surprised I'm still alive. I encountered a tiger, and I survived, twenty-odd years ago. Man! I must be one lucky S.O.B!
It was great talking to her though. Sounded like a time warp or a back to the future thing. We were talking like we last met yesterday. Current family and status being a non-entity in the discussion, it was fairly glossed over. Except that I mentioned that even if I had not met her husband, I can't help but say that I like the guy. I really do admire his husband even if I had not met him, simply because he married Maricel. I like his taste. She also mentioned, again, that I have beautiful kids, and that it's a good thing they did not take from me (or did not look like me, for that matter). Of which, I can only answer that that is everyone else's comment. Of her and her kid, I can only say that the mother is a long, long way prettier.
I wanted to call some other people, it being Christmas morning and such. More as a gift to them. Or in lieu of a Christmas card. Just so happens that I ran out of (prepaid) load for my cell phone. Next time then. New Year perhaps.
--andoy
26 December 2004
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Christmas 2004 part 4
Irene invited Adora and my parents to another trip to the tiangge. Last time, around, Darwi and Kenneth went with them. This time, Kenneth opted to stay. Darwi went with them but she forgot to bring her wallet. They were not able to buy anything much. Although when Dong arrived home, he sent several messages and followed them to the tiangge. Adora, Roger, Mama, Tatay and the kids went home around 11:00pm, but Irene stayed awhile with Dong to do some last minute shopping.
This time, Adora forgot her daughters' hats so Roselle and Naomi had to borrow from Darwi and Kenneth. Naomi had a cap which was several sizes too large.
Two more days to Christmas. One more day to the midnight feast.
--andoy
23 December 2004
This time, Adora forgot her daughters' hats so Roselle and Naomi had to borrow from Darwi and Kenneth. Naomi had a cap which was several sizes too large.
Two more days to Christmas. One more day to the midnight feast.
--andoy
23 December 2004
Jayce
I have not seen Jayce since 1991, I think. That is a really long time not to see someone. That was when she was still a teenager. After 14 years, I didn't notice any difference. She still looked like a teenager, being of slight build.
Lilia and I were walking towards Sta. Lucia Mall when I saw her walking in the opposite direction. It was funny, we were both surprised. During the short chit chat, it was almost all "ahh" and "oohs" as we still did not believe this was happening. We exchanged cell phone numbers and I asked for her email address. I was hoping I could get some resumes from her, for some job requirements I have. The real clincher was that when she sent her email address to me (via text message) I found out she was working at a call center, where my brother also works. No more resumes from her then.
Great Christmas surprises continue.
--andoy
23 December 2004
Lilia and I were walking towards Sta. Lucia Mall when I saw her walking in the opposite direction. It was funny, we were both surprised. During the short chit chat, it was almost all "ahh" and "oohs" as we still did not believe this was happening. We exchanged cell phone numbers and I asked for her email address. I was hoping I could get some resumes from her, for some job requirements I have. The real clincher was that when she sent her email address to me (via text message) I found out she was working at a call center, where my brother also works. No more resumes from her then.
Great Christmas surprises continue.
--andoy
23 December 2004
Christmas 2004 part 3: Last minute shopping
We did our last minute shopping yesterday. These are for small Christmas gifts we were not able to buy last time around. Only thing remaining is for these gifts to be gift-wrapped.
For the Noche Buena meal, I still have no idea what the menu will be. That's my sister Adora's job. I can do some of the cooking, schedule allowing. Then I'd be off to work as I am onboard on Christmas Eve, the whole Christmas weekend. Next days off are on Tuesday and Wednesday.
I promised the guys at work I'd be sharing something from the Christmas table. Again, surprise, I don't know yet.
At least this Christmas should be better than those for the last three years. Thanks God!
--andoy
22 December 2004
For the Noche Buena meal, I still have no idea what the menu will be. That's my sister Adora's job. I can do some of the cooking, schedule allowing. Then I'd be off to work as I am onboard on Christmas Eve, the whole Christmas weekend. Next days off are on Tuesday and Wednesday.
I promised the guys at work I'd be sharing something from the Christmas table. Again, surprise, I don't know yet.
At least this Christmas should be better than those for the last three years. Thanks God!
--andoy
22 December 2004
Sunday, December 19, 2004
Christmas 2004 part 2
My wife, Lilia and I went to do some Christmas shopping yesterday. Instead of going to the Greenhills Shopping Center tiangge, we went to Divisoria. The long and short of it, I got a migraine afterwards.
We left prepared to leave home almost immediately after the kids went to school for their exams. Commuted by jeep to Katipunan and took the LRT from there to Recto. Judging by the number of people at Katipunan station and comparing that with the volume of passengers getting on and off the train up to Recto, I can say with all certainty that the majority of the passengers came from Marikina (or thereabouts) and went to Divisoria. It was not a very crowded train, but the crowding really started when we tried to get a ride at the Recto Station.
Maybe within the whole of the City of Manila, this strip of commercial district saw the most changes during the last year or two. Avenida (Rizal Avenue) from Recto to the Isetann, has been closed and made into a promenade. Which is an improvement of the area. Makes the area a whole lot cleaner. Jeep plying Avenida have been rerouted. The old Odeon theater has been demolished to give way to a new building (mall) also called Odeon. The LRT train station stands in the middle of Recto with walkways, currently still closed, affording pedestrian crossing. There is also a walkway from the Recto LRT station to the Doroteo Jose LRT I station. This on top of the finishing touches to the Recto LRT station. All in all a bustle of activity.
From the Recto LRT station, everything turned normal. The traffic was normal, the drivers were normal. The bustle was normal. In short, we got off just short of the Tutuban Mall. Unlike before, however, we did not head for Tutuban Mall, instead we went to one of the other buildings in the area where the clothes were sold. Cheap. We needed to buy several children's clothes. After a relatively early lunch at 11:00am, we went to Tutuban Mall in search of more goods. I consider ourselves lucky as we finished our shopping around 2:30 in the afternoon.
Parched, drenched and perspiring, we hastily beat a retreat with our mission accomplished.
A funny thing we saw while at the Tutuban Mall.
There were several Mulawin items for sale. This has been ongoing since the television show became a hit. Everything from T-shirts, calendars, posters and masks. Well, there was a guy standing in the middle of the walkway in Tutuban Mall selling Mulawin masks. And he was not just wearing a mask, he was also wearing Mulawin wings. Full-size wings. Considering everything, the masks are impressive because these are hand-made from native chicken feathers. The wings were also hand made, and the only reason they did not look impressive enough was because they did not enough texture or body. These were just a pair of cardboard with feathers. Large wings for sure. But just lacking in body.
Well, that just makes my day off fun. In a way.
--andoy
19 December 2004
We left prepared to leave home almost immediately after the kids went to school for their exams. Commuted by jeep to Katipunan and took the LRT from there to Recto. Judging by the number of people at Katipunan station and comparing that with the volume of passengers getting on and off the train up to Recto, I can say with all certainty that the majority of the passengers came from Marikina (or thereabouts) and went to Divisoria. It was not a very crowded train, but the crowding really started when we tried to get a ride at the Recto Station.
Maybe within the whole of the City of Manila, this strip of commercial district saw the most changes during the last year or two. Avenida (Rizal Avenue) from Recto to the Isetann, has been closed and made into a promenade. Which is an improvement of the area. Makes the area a whole lot cleaner. Jeep plying Avenida have been rerouted. The old Odeon theater has been demolished to give way to a new building (mall) also called Odeon. The LRT train station stands in the middle of Recto with walkways, currently still closed, affording pedestrian crossing. There is also a walkway from the Recto LRT station to the Doroteo Jose LRT I station. This on top of the finishing touches to the Recto LRT station. All in all a bustle of activity.
From the Recto LRT station, everything turned normal. The traffic was normal, the drivers were normal. The bustle was normal. In short, we got off just short of the Tutuban Mall. Unlike before, however, we did not head for Tutuban Mall, instead we went to one of the other buildings in the area where the clothes were sold. Cheap. We needed to buy several children's clothes. After a relatively early lunch at 11:00am, we went to Tutuban Mall in search of more goods. I consider ourselves lucky as we finished our shopping around 2:30 in the afternoon.
Parched, drenched and perspiring, we hastily beat a retreat with our mission accomplished.
- = 0 = -
A funny thing we saw while at the Tutuban Mall.
There were several Mulawin items for sale. This has been ongoing since the television show became a hit. Everything from T-shirts, calendars, posters and masks. Well, there was a guy standing in the middle of the walkway in Tutuban Mall selling Mulawin masks. And he was not just wearing a mask, he was also wearing Mulawin wings. Full-size wings. Considering everything, the masks are impressive because these are hand-made from native chicken feathers. The wings were also hand made, and the only reason they did not look impressive enough was because they did not enough texture or body. These were just a pair of cardboard with feathers. Large wings for sure. But just lacking in body.
Well, that just makes my day off fun. In a way.
--andoy
19 December 2004
New Olympus Camera
With the Japanese visit, they were supposed to be instructing us on a bundled software which came with some of the newer released Olympus cameras. However, due to one thing or another, the box (or package) the camera came in did not arrive on time. So the Japanese have come and gone, and two days later the box arrives. On my day off!
The other agents must really have enjoyed themselves with the new camera.
And next year, we would also be supporting software bundled with Samsung and Ricoh. And there would be new cameras for the team to use.
Nice toys.
--andoy
19 December 2004
The other agents must really have enjoyed themselves with the new camera.
And next year, we would also be supporting software bundled with Samsung and Ricoh. And there would be new cameras for the team to use.
Nice toys.
--andoy
19 December 2004
Saturday, December 18, 2004
Christmas 2004 part 1
Christmas is one week away!
Although Philippine Christmas celebration officially starts on December 16 (which also happens to be my parents wedding anniversary) the "real" Christmas feast is on the Christmas eve, or after the midnight mass of the 24th of December. So it is customary NOT to wake up early on Christmas day because you were wide awake feasting and exchanging gifts till the wee hours of the morning. It is a Christmas party in every house.
Anyway, I've uploaded some early Christmas pictures taken these past two weeks. The Christmas tree is ready, though not yet lighted. And everyone is just waiting for the Christmas to keep rolling along.
--andoy
18 December 2004
Although Philippine Christmas celebration officially starts on December 16 (which also happens to be my parents wedding anniversary) the "real" Christmas feast is on the Christmas eve, or after the midnight mass of the 24th of December. So it is customary NOT to wake up early on Christmas day because you were wide awake feasting and exchanging gifts till the wee hours of the morning. It is a Christmas party in every house.
Anyway, I've uploaded some early Christmas pictures taken these past two weeks. The Christmas tree is ready, though not yet lighted. And everyone is just waiting for the Christmas to keep rolling along.
--andoy
18 December 2004
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