Serendrific Birthday

Celebrated Mommy's 76th birthday with dinner at Serendra. They picked Brazil! Brazil! for the very meaty buffet. As in, karne galore! But ironically, what I liked most was the cuttlefish. Very soft with a delicate taste.

After dinner, we had coffee at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf while the kids played at Time Zone. Super yummy was the Guilt-free Chocolate mousse ba yun? As in!

Gobgob had a slight fever. But she's okay now. See her shoes? She just loves those mary janes. Bought them at Cainta Market for P160. Umandar na naman ka-cheapan ng nanay n'ya. hehehe. Tasteful naman, di ba? Pang-Serendra.

Namamasko Po

I don't see the point of some people traveling great distances just to see their ninong and ninang. "Namamasko po!" Tapos for what? For some cheap toy from Divisoria or a nearby tiangge. Naku -- lugi ka sa pamasahe!

Oh well -- tradition.

Speaking of namamasko, aren't you glad it rained on Christmas night? Nabawasan yung mga namamasko and carollers na walang katuturan. Am I a Scrooge or what?

Just tired, I guess.

We Are Family

... I got all my sisters with me. As well as cousins and aunties and uncles. And of course, Mommy and Daddy. It was a pot luck lunch. As useless, it wasn't very well planned. A lot brought meat dishes. No one brought dessert. Well at least, there was fruit salad care of Mommy. But that doesn't really count kasi given na talaga yun eh.

Anyway, the kids had a lot of fun. Gobgob didn't make as many costume changes as I wanted her to have. She has so many party clothes kasi -- hand-me-downs from sossy cousin Annika.

I won fifth place in the raffle. P1000 din yun. hehehe. Sana P12,000. Para I can get what I really want for Christmas -- one false tooth. Opo, pustiso. Kasi baka umurong the rest of my teeth if I keep the space vacant for long.

So, did you get what you want for Christmas?

I'd say having my family is enough. Pero it wouldn't be so bad if there'd be money come next year to pay for the bills. Di ba?

Anyway, a MERRY CHRISTMAS to all!

Malakas at Maganda

Had a joint Christmas party for Oca's construction group and my salon personnel. Weird combination, 'no? But everyone had fun.

Of course the belle of the ball was Michael, our 6'2" hairdresser, aka Michelle Madrigal. He/she was a total entertainer -- dancer, singer, seductress, name it.

No games for this party. No program. Just lots of food (or rather, pulutan), booze, and the ever reliable Magic Sing.

Requested Michelle to do the doble kara "Endless Love". She tried pero medyo ngek kasi hindi siya prepared. It would've been interesting to watch. So Eat Bulaga ba? Now that's Malakas and Maganda in one big package. Say?!

Like Magnet

They were on. They were off. They were on again. They were off again. Now they're on... for good. That's my friend Ria and her ex-boyfriend, now husband, Pao.

I went to their wedding last Tuesday with ex-Aspackers Ida, Jon, Bong, and JR. The place was lovely, the food was good, the bride was beautiful. Wish I brought a camera. Pero na lola ako, I forgot to bring. Wish I could upload the video right here. Pero hindi kaya ng powers ko. Anyway, if you care to see it, you can check it out here: http://www.mayadstudios.com/blog/.

Speaking of magnet, have you ever thought what kind of people you attract? Like I have a lesbo friend who attracts gay men. Ako, I think I attract beautiful people. Naks! So, do you consider yourself as my friend? Hmmm...

Open New

If my life was a computer program, new file 'to.

I'm training to be a media transcriptionist. First heard about it from a fellow dubbing script rewriter. What a media transcriptionist does is basically write the subtitles for dvd movies(the trulili, hindi pirated) as well as TV shows. Fun 'no? Perfect job for couch potatoes.

The photo is not our office. Bringing electronic devices inside is strictly prohibited kasi. Anyway, the place looks like an internet cafe in a warehouse. Construction isn't finished yet kaya medyo magulo. They should've gotten Oca to do the job. I'm sure he could've finished the job on time, mas maganda pa. Biased ba?

We're 13 in the class. Wide age range*, iba-ibang walks of life. There's Ariel - ang aming quiet senior citizen; Rusty - the tall former call centerer who lives in San Lo; Patrick - diver on the side Ingglisero; Marianne and Dolly - mother and daughter tandem; Valerie - little girl Ingglisera; Justin - ever the early bird, he lives in Philam, takes the MRT to work and walks all the way from the Ayala station; Jason - ang kalbo from Meycauayan Bulacan; Cyrus - parang anak siya ni Dolphy; Eoms -one of the girls sa backrow; Gia - my softspoken lunchmate on our first day of training; and Jen - bubbly mommy representing Tagaytay.

Our trainer's name is Cap - former military guy, Efren Reyes look-alike, who's a stickler for time. Syempre on our first day of training, he super emphasized the point na - "There is no excuse for being late." Tapos on our second day - ano pa nga ba - na-late ako! Joskoday!

On our third day, I was there by 6:37 AM. OA 'no? (We start at 8 AM, with 10 minutes grace period)

Panay lecture pa lang, so far. Never thought there's so much to learn pa pala just to be able to get the job done.

Two months ang training, including OJT. I wonder if this chapter will be among "My Favorites" or something that's better thrown into the "Recycle Bin"?

Let's see...

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*The company is senior citizen-friendly. They used to have an employee who's like 80years old!

(photo by laffy4k)

Hindi Ako Bakla

I just hate it when sales clerks call me Ma'am Sir. Anobeeh! Is it my hairstyle? Is it the fact that I'm flat-chested? Is it the way I walk?

Oh well, don't count on me to buy something from you if you call me Ma'am Sir.

Construction Paper

This page is for Oca's construction group. Opo, plugging na naman. The name is Free Space Builders. They've done a lot of residentials and a couple of office renovations.

Oca, the hubby, is an architect. He used to work in the Design/Construction groups of Shakeys, Pollo Loco, Round Table, and Gloria Jeans. So, yup - if you have a resto business, he's the guy for you.

Now if you have a friend who needs an architect/contractor and you refer Oca to him/her, you get a commission! That is, if we're able to seal the deal. :)

Call or text na lang if you have a project for him. His numbers are 0922 8870571/ 0918 8236902.

Come in Twos

If you want to look pretty or if you just want to relax amidst the holiday rush, how about dropping by Free Time Salon? For only P250, you and a friend can either get a regular foot spa or a hot oil treatment plus haircut!

Free Time Salon is at 975 G/F MPI Bldg., Maceda St., Sampaloc. From Welcome Rotunda go to Espana. Turn right at the second stop light. Free Time would be to your left.

Our senior hairdresser used to work at James Cooper. So think of it as getting a James Cooper haircut at 90% off. Bargain di ba?

Call 906-5582 if you want to inquire about our other services.

Crisismas

Time to make a Christmas list! May pang Christmas shopping ba ako?

Ever since I was a kid, I always saved up for Christmas. My sisters and I even had the "Frixie Fox Club" -- something that my Ate Lora came up with. We saved the barya from our allowances so we can buy Christmas gifts for Mommy, Daddy, our cousins, and other family members. I remember going to Alemars (the one near Rizal Theater) and having lot of coins to use for our Christmas shopping. Cute 'no? Little kid with jar of coins doing her Christmas shopping.

Ngayon, wala ng jar of coins. Wala ring wads of bills. Ngak!

So guys - stop complaining if you don't have a Christmas bonus. Ako nga walang 13th month pay. Worse, wala nga akong sweldo!

What about the parlor? Well it's barely surviving. What it earns go back to the employees.

Any ideas for Christmas gifts na really cheap (but nice). I'm thinking of plants. Do you know that our wedding souvenir were seedlings that we got from DENR for free? Hmmm... Pwede... What if GCs na lang sa salon? Hmmm... Print out lang yun.

Oh well. Bahala na.

Oh I was thinking of applying for a job today pero tinamad ako. Bed weather eh. So I guess I'll just have to embrace the fact na wala akong pera ngayong Pasko. Ngak!

So, do I make a Christmas list? Next year na lang.