Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Birthday Breakfast in Chocolate Fire

My girlfriends at work have this thing where in we chip in on something for the birthday celebrator among us. We have been doing this eversince it's now become our little tradition. This year aside from that but we also celebrated in pairs. Josie and I treated them for a birthday brunch at the Fort last July and this month Edz and Gherry treated us for breakfast at Chocolate Fire in Leviste, Makati. 

I am really beginning to appreciate these girls because I am learning a lot about love through them. I'll explain.

Kami yung tipo ng group na, we don't really have anything striking in common but we're friends kasi nagkataon na kami-kami yung unang naging magkakatabi at magkakakilala when we were still new at this work. 

I first met Edz at the waiting room when it was my job offer. When she arrived, she stopped at the door frame, gave this big sighed of relief and smiled at us as if magkakakilala kaming lahat doon. She travelled that morning all the way from Batangas and she was there to submit her employment requirements. We talked and exchanged numbers that day and I mentioned to her much later that there was this likeable aura about her from the onset.

It was first day of onboarding when I first met Gherry. I was at the waiting room with the others and she was that pretty girl who caught my eyes when she came in the room and sat next to me. I don't remember feeling thrilled that she did that. I mean, who wants to be seated next to a pretty girl right? A dude. I'm not a dude. I was this awkward girl who was uncomfortable with her own skin and a pretty girl sitting next to me was exactly what I needed. I didn't think we're supposed to talk, but she started a conversation and we learned that we're both from Teletech and that had become common ground at that moment. I was supposed to meet Edz later but I realized I cannot get rid of this pretty girl so I might as well introduce them so we can all be friends. 

So we sat beside each other during onboarding and Josie was sitting next to us. We became a group, us and another girl, Rhianne, but she eventually got transferred to another department on a morning shift so it's just the four of us now.

I guess it's pretty automatic sa ganitong setting na kung sino yung mga unang nakilala or nakatabi mo ang magiging group of friends mo. But not all of that lasts. Eventually you would find people who you most resonate with and you'll part ways. That is true even to us. We've been transferred to different teams and we met new friends along the way. We hardly spend anytime together in the office these days. We go with our other friends during breaks. We have hurt and offended each other at one point or another. But here we are, still celebrating birthdays together. 

I used to be seatmates with this guy Glenn who can quote famous lines from the Tagalog films he's seen with his girlfriend. He says he watches them because his girlfriend wants them to. And to him, "gusto niya eh, eh di go". He doesn't care if doing so hurts his masculinity because the only opinion he cares about is his girlfriend's. He wants to make her happy. And that is love, it looks a lot like sacrifice. Kaya naman kahit hindi ako mahilig sa horror at nasasayangan akong gumastos para sa tagalog films eh napanuod ko ang "A Secret Affair" at ang "The Strangers" sa sine. Dahil kahit puyat, these girls would fight stay awake to spend some bonding time with a cranky person like me. It's only right to do the same.

Minsan wala kaming bagong mapag-usapan kasi walang bago sa mga buhay namin. But it's nice to know that if anything comes up, I have them. Relationships are not always exciting, sometimes they can be dull. But I learned that relationships happen to us but for them to last is our choice. And that choice looks a lot like work. That looks a lot like setting a side time and even money for each other and forgiving each other when we don't get treated like what we expect. 

Anyhow, time for some pictures. :)


 Chocolate Fire's interior, ground floor
 upstairs
hindi nakakatuwa yung cinnamon toast 
Each of us had sundaes, mine is called "Strawberry Sunrise". Pricey with too many calories, it's just wrong. But these made us happy, the giddy kind.
 Gherry taking a selfie with her sundae. Her birthday was in September. 
 it was gonna be Edz' birthday the next day
my signature bathroom selfie with my new haircut which I believe is a mistake

Monday, October 14, 2013

Last Shot

I'm at that point in my life wherein I am convinced that my hair, like credit card debts and gambling, is a serious problem and I need to do something about it before it destroys me. I should get it rebonded but thinking about the maintenance that comes along with it, I just want it chopped off. So I faced the mirror to decide what haircut I should get and the next thing I knew, I'm taking selfies of myself.


This is unfiltered, with no powder on hence the oily face (pero nakuha kong maglipstick no?). Do I think I look pretty? Yes. Not in a "ang ganda-ganda ko" kind of way but more of "I can't believe I can look like this in photos" kind of self-admiration. It's one of those delusional moments only self-absorption can induce. 

I really don't look like this in real life. But like most girls or people for that matter, kapag nakachamba ka sa picture you don't go saying "oh nice" then forget about it.  Let's be honest here. You keep the picture, you bluetooth it from someone if you need to, you share it in social media as if to say "Hey, once upon a moment I looked like this." That is exactly what is happening here right now. Haha. I'm just posting it here because there have been unfavorable opinions going around about selfies lately. I don't want anyone annoyed from seeing my face on their newsfeed against their will.

Last picture with my hair this long. I'm cutting it. :)

Monday, October 07, 2013

Then September Ends

I went out every weekend this September, just when I wanted to spend it at home to commit myself to being a nerd. Irony.

September 14. Alex and Aisa's wedding. 

Learning from experience, here are my tips to stopping a wedding: 
1. Dress the part.  
2. Pick a groom you were once linked with, but make sure you're not friends with him and the bride. They would never buy the idea that you don't want this union to happen.
3. Be late, but not too late. Arrive around the time the minister asks if anybody objects, not by the time they're already exchanging vows.



We headed straight from the wedding to some secluded part of the south for Kim's birthday party. Siya ang nalasing hindi ang bisita niya. The photo below has him dancing Gimme-gimme.


September 21. Terno Inferno in Saguijo.

Natarayan ako ng isang waitress who Jed was already unhappy about. Melay, who would not let this waitress ruin our night was ready to have a word with her but RJ and I just stopped her. Kinabahan ako dun, alam ko seryoso siya.

It wasn't really a bad night altogether.



September 28-29. Our last team building with Nelle as our TL (she has been assigned to a different team). We were disappointed at the resort (Alahbiga in Laiya, Batangas) but atleast we enjoyed each others company.


We only have 2 photos taken kasi wala sila sa mood. Hehe. I was taking little video clips using my phone at dahil nga wala kaming pictures, I was obliged to put them together. It feels different, good different. Iba pala kapag nagpopost ka ng shots ng iba kesa puro mukha mo. For a second, I felt as though I'm not narcissistic.


team nelle from Si Raqs on Vimeo.

To my surprise, quite a few people like what I made.  They're not that many, but the few who did REALLY like it. I remember feeling so humbled and touched I tweeted this.


Wake up. It's October. :)