Last Friday, we had our monthly team building.  The original plan was to watch a movie at Glorietta and eat dinner at Dampa in Metrowalk, Ortigas.  But since some of our teammates can't join, we decided to eat first at Greenbelt and then watch a movie.  Roslyn and one of our teammate weren't able to come.  Lalaine, Nanah, Karren, Allan, Erwin, Aldrin, Vince, Ian, and I decided to eat at National Sports Grill at Greenbelt.  After eating, watching Daniela Hantuchova, and a few kwentuhan, we went to Glorietta to watch Underworld Evolution minus Lalaine, who already went home.  Karren also went home at the middle of the movie for a reason I don't know.  The movie was action pack and the cinematic were great.  Though, I prefer the first movie of Underworld since it has a better story.  Underworld Evolution, for me, lacks twists and conflicts.  The plot and sequence of the story was very predictable.  Moreover, there were so many cuts in the movie.  All explicit and bloody action scenes were removed.  I recommend it for people who like well directed and graphical action scenes with a no brainer movie plot.  After the movie, Nanah, Allan, Aldrin, Erwin, and I used the free games from the movie tickets in Time Zone.  We played punching game, Daytona twice, Basketball hoops, and the Japanese game.  After which Nanah, Allan, and Aldrin went to Max Brenner while I went out with my college friends in Greenbelt.  That ends our typical team building.

Wala lang... Just wanted to show our pictures from Jude's camera...

Last Saturday, I attended the christening of SAM (Maria Arwen Sofia Cantos) at Cavite.  This was the first time I’ve personal attended a baptism as a Ninong.  I already have 4 inaanak but unfortunately, I needed a proxy in all of their baptisms.  The day started with a grueling commute on an ordinary bus from Taft to Dasmarinas, Cavite.  As soon as we arrived at the Church, we immediately swarmed around SAM.  It was the first time we saw SAM and the first time the aribakidz reunited after a long time.  Ang cute-cute ni SAM… Kakainggit tuloy… Kailan kaya ako magkakababy… GF muna bago baby… Hehehe… Anyway after the baptism, as usual picturan galore na.  After which we went to the reception at Max.  The food was great (Chicken, lumpiang shanghai, pancit canton, and chapsuey).  The part I liked about it was the people in our table don’t have as large appetite as me.  Kaya mas marami akong nakain… Hehehe… After eating and few kwentuhan and updates, picturan galore and kulitan ulit.

After the reception, nagkayayaan sa Tagaytay since maaga pa naman.  Dera, Abbie, Jude, Joseph, Paulo, and I decided to go to Tagaytay.  Grabe ang lalakas ng loob magyaya, wala namang auto.  Hehehe… So there we was, we took one bus and a jeep and landed at Picnic Grove.  At first site you would say that the place wasn’t that well maintained.  But when we arrived at the Eco-trail, the scenery was astonishing.  Picture-picture… Kulitan… We had 3 cameras (Abbie’s, Joseph’s, and Jude’s).  Kaya naman naging adik kami sa picturan.  Hehehe… Grabe yung trek na yun… Pababa siya ng pababa pakonti-konti.  Then  at the end of it, when you reach the lowest part of it, saka merong isang malufet na paakyat.  Lahat nung binaba mo na paunti-unti, pinagsama-sama sa isang mahabang akyatan.  Grabe nakakapagod… Pero oks lang kasi malamig…  At the eco-trail, we decided to eat the bulalo special at Leslie’s.  All jeeps passing by are all full that’s why we decided to rode a tricycle.  Grabe… lufet nitong byaheng itoh… Imagine the six of us riding one tricycle.  Paulo and Jude were the lucky one since they were seated comfortably at the back of the driver.  Unfortunately, Dera, Abbie, Joseph, and I were squeezed at the sidecar of the tricycle.  Normally at max, only 3 persons could fit inside of it.   Grabe… Tapos ang dami pang lubak na dinaanan ni manong… Sakit sa pwet… Dun pa naman ako sa maliit na upuan sa gilid… Dalawa kami ni Dera na nagshashare dun… Wahhhhhh… Para akong imabuso ng bading… Hehehe… Finally, we arrived at Leslie’s and ordered Bulalo, Sisig, and Garlic Kang-Kong.  While waiting for the order, syempre picturan galore nanaman… Hindi kami tumigil sa kakapicture hanggang hindi nauubos yung mga battery ng cam namin.  When we went back at our table, our order wasn’t there wet kaya napagtripan naming idub yung isang couple doon na may LQ… Hehehe… Sabi nang two plus two equals four eh… Di mo ba maintindihan yun… Hehehe… At last, kainan na… Hehehe… Grabe… We had a total of 5 refill of sabaw ng Bulalo sa sobrang lamig doon…  Kakalagay lang ng Bulalo, nagsesebo na agad… Hehehe… Before we went home, we had a final batch of picture taking.  Then the day ended as it started, with a grueling commute on an ordinary bus.

P.S.  Pictures courtesy of Abbie’s camera and some cell phone taken pictures.  Jude and Joseph, padala niyo na mga pictures natin ng maipost na… Hehehe…

After going to mass, our family together with my cousin and our helper had our Noche Buena at home.  Our dishes included chicken something, crab relyeno, sweetened ham, binagoongang baboy, and inihaw na bangus.  Grabe busog… After eating, we had our gift giving.  The morning after, December 25, we went to our province at Batanggas.  Grabe minsan away kong umuwi dun kasi para kang Santa Claus pag-umuwi ka dun.  Lahat ay nanghihingi ng pamasko… hehehe… 4 pa naman ang inaanak ko dun… hehehe… Pero oks lang masaya naman na makihalubilo sa mga pinsan, tito, at tita ko dun.

We also celebrated the New Year with my cousins and nephews at home after going to mass.  Are Medya Noche includes kare-kare, spaghetti, sopas, sweetened ham, and buko salad.  We had no firecrackers since we have decided long ago that it is just a waste of money plus it is dangerous.  We just watch the fireworks of our neighbors… Hehehe… some of my mom’s superstitions includes collecting 12 circle shaped fruits (apple, orange, pineapple, starapple, chico, melon, watermelon, grapes, peach, suha, mango, and lychee), and showering coins in our cabinets.

Since there were only three of us that went to office at the week of December 26-30 and there are only 3 working days (December 27-29), our team lead decided to have a rotation of lunch treat.  My other officemate treated us to Chef Angelo on Tuesday.  Each of us had a sampler 1 and we ordered pasta for the three of us.  The next day, Wednesday, It was my turn to treat them.  Our team lead decided to eat at Pho Bac Restaurant at Greenbelt.  They serve mainly Vietnamese cuisine.  We ordered a large beef noodles bowl, large seafood noodles bowl, and a regular sweet and sour noodles bowl.  Grabe d na ko mauulit dun… hehehe… Di ako mabusog… mahal pa… hehehe… Lastly, our team lead treated us to Gerry’s Grill Restaurant.  We ordered grilled squid, sinigang na bangus, and chicken inasal.  Funny thing is when we ate the chicken inasal the chicken was not yet fully cooked.  There was still blood at the bones so we decided to return it and have it re-cooked.  When we were already half way eating the chicken, we saw that there was still blood at the bones so we called the waitress and the manager who decided to just cancel the chicken from our bill.  In fairness, the squid and sinigang na bangus was delicious.  Since the chicken inasal was cancelled at our bill, our team lead decided to treat us to ice monster.  Yahooo… sarap… hehehe…

I attended a total of 5 Christmas Party this December (16, 17, 18, 19, and 27).

 Last December 16 was our Ariba project Christmas party at California Pizza Kitchen at Glorietta.  We first ate then had our team presentation contest.  Our team got lucky and won the prestigious P1000 prize.  Hehehe… Our winning piece was a comedy aquapella of Kumukuti-kutitap followed by an irritating Pinoy Ako dance.  After the presentation, we had out Bad Santa exchange gift.  The mechanics is that the person who opens a gift has a choice to get the gift of the other persons who have opened a gift before him/her.  Fortunately, I got number 34 with 49 being the highest and most advantageous number.  I end up getting a Dickies backpack bag.

The next night, December 17, was our SFC Christmas party at #56 Peugeot St. in Village East Subdivision.  As usual, we started with eating dinner at 9pm.  hehehe… After eating, we had our presentation per household.  Of course, my household won… hehehe… Yabang…  And our wining piece was the nakakarinding Pinoy Ako dance.  hehehe… After the presentation, we had numerous games.  Our First game was A-SO-KA, followed by the flying fish, then chopstick-peanut, and finally an eat bulaga style guessing game.  Of all the games, I liked the guessing game the most.  The mechanics of the game is as follows:  (1) there are two players; (2) the first player has a word stick at his/her forehead and he could ask any question and his partner could only answer oo, hindi, and pwede; (3) the motive of the game is to guess the word in your forehead as fast as you can.  And luckily our household won again.  Hehehe… The night ended with our exchange gift and short sharing from the new grads of our recently concluded Christian Life Program (CLP).

The morning after, December 18, we assisted in the Feeding Program Christmas party of our Parish.  All 8 schooling charity of our parish was their.  Grabe ang gugulo ng mga bata… Ang hirap iorganize.  hehehe… Sarap kutusan ng mga batang makukulit at ng mga magulang na mas makukulit pa… hehehe… Anyway, masaya naman kasi kasama SFC family.  Some of my SFCmates performed the Ever after dance.  My household was also scheduled to perform the Pinoy Ako dance but fortunately or unfortunately we were already chasing time so they decided to cancel our much awaited performance.  Hehehe… Finally, we were assigned to distribute the gifts from the children at the end of the program.  Grabe ang dami nila… Muntik nang hindi mabigyan yung iba… Pero galling talaga ni God… Sakto lang yung mga gifts… may konting sobra pa… hehehe…

Last Monday, December 19, Our Accenture Christmas Party was held at the World Trade Center.  Grabe ang dami na namin sa Accenture almost 5,000 na ata e.  The motif of the party was Paskong Pinoy.  The party started with the registration, the free and unlimited Pepsi max, and Pinoy appetizers namely chicahrong baboy, chicharong hindi baboy, and mane.  After the appetizers, the main dish was served which composes of pansit, adobo, beef steak, and barbeque.  Then the desserts were served namely bibingka, yema, and pastillas.  After eating, Hale performed followed by Bamboo.  Personally, I liked Bamboo's performance better.  Hyper siya sobra… Si Hale kasi medyo solemn… Parang pangbakla… hehehe…

Lastly, I and my SFCmates attended the Parish Chistmas party last December 27.  It was held in the village east basketball court.  All the different sector of the Parish performed.  We performed the walang kamatayang Pinoy Ako dance… Grabe… naririndi na talaga ako sa kantang yun… hehehe…