December 25th

What a Christmas! Started the day opening gifts and watching the kids go gaga. At around 11:00am, we all flocked to Robinson's Metro East to watch ZsaZsa Zaturnnah Ze Moveeh, 17 of us, all including Lola, Hugo (2yo), my brother Earls' son, and in tow, his, and Diego's yayas. While Cak was queueing for tickets, nagkagulo na kami in taking 'souvenir' photos in front of the large Zaturnnah movie standee. Hay naku! Hilarious! Parang taga-probinsya! Hehe..!

Finally we saw Cak with this funny look on his face. "ANO BA YAN? ANG BABADUY NYO! Kakahiya! Parang taga-probinsya! Pa 'pose-pose' pa sa picture!" While he tagged mama and lola to join him and have their picture. He'd continue his battlecry while posing with us.. "KAKAHIYA NG GINAGAWA NYO! Parang ngayon lang kayo nakakita ng sinehan!! ang baduy!..." etc.etc. HAHAHAHA! The kids enjoyed the movie, lalo na ang mga yayas!

After the movie we headed back home to have a quick 'merienda' and started getting ready. Our house is usually the annual Christmas Lunch venue but just because of ze moveeh, it was moved to Christmas Dinner! Relatives came flocking in and whoa! riot! Especially now with a lot more toddlers than last year (obviously, since they've grown already), including cousins, nieces and nephews.

Mabenta ang aking Taco Salad, and Creamy Tahong-- umm, sorry don't have a more enticing name for it hehe. Red wine was flowing toward the evening and the last visitor left at 4am the next day!

Worth it!

Happy Christmas!

Before I get busy cooking with my mom for Christmas, here's wishing everyone a Happy Holiday!

Till next posting..


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First Christmas gift

Received my very first 'official' Christmas Gift the other day, a Lowell Herrero American Cat 2007 Softcover Engagement Calendar. I've been an affiliate of the SF Musicbox Company and Calendars.com for almost 2 years now, and by putting their link on your website they show their appreciation by sending you a gift of your choice. Nice no?

Way back in college and during the first few years working, I am used to have an organizer in tow. Punong-puno ito ng mga to-do's (probably because I was at the peak of my retail career). Everything was so -- organized. Until I took a wrong step. Well, about time I get back 'organized' and get my life back together. At least that step gave me two beautiful kids :-)

What I got at the Zaturnnah Premiere

I was oh so excited yesterday morning after work. We are to watch the Zaturnnah movie premiere at 7:00pm at Cinema10 in Megamall. And ummm.... we (me, my mom and my mom's aunt) accomplished a few things:

- got to leave the house early anticipating the Christmas rush afternoon traffic (we were right!) and arrived at Megamall around 3:00pm

- got to finally go around Megamall after almost a year! and checked out the newly opened Christmas bazaar at the Megatrade Hall

- got to be amongst the first to arrive (at 6pm) for the 7:00 pm 'Red carpet premiere show'

- got to spend 3 hours (yup, 3 hours!) standing, waiting for the celebrities to arrive, eventually also getting leg cramps and a very full and complaining bladder.

- got to spend another hour listening to the stand-up comics asking trivia questions to patrons para aliwin at para medyo makalimutan na ang 7:00 pm ay nagiging 9:00pm na

- got to finally see the cast arrive at 10:00 pm

- got to FINALLY watch the movie at almost 12 midnight. They change the MTCRB rating from PG-13 to GP

- got to sit at the reserved first row balcony (premiere) section of the theater and on the second row are the complete cast of ZsaZsa Zaturnnah the movie, behind us, most specifically Dolphy, ZsaZsa Padilla, Glaiza de Castro, Pauline Luna and Chokoleit.

What can I say about the movie? Well, aside from that loooong, loooong wait that had most patrons going home before they let us in, and have more leave when it was announced that the movie will start at 12midnight because of a certain 'problem', I simply just love the opening production number, Dodong's (Alfred Vargas') noodles, Rustom's acting, the confrontation scene between Queen Femina and Zaturnnah. What major thing I see here missing is comic timing. For me, it failed to get hilarious, never-ending tummy aches because of laughing sooo hard as in the musical. Some scenes were too long, parang gusto ko nang sumigaw ng 'cut!'.

ZZZ Ze Moveeh is very, very Regal Films... and I know A LOT will REALLY be comparing this movie with its theater counterpart (which will have, by the way, it's 4th run at the Huseng Batute Theater in CCP on January. Watch ulit!), though keeping in mind that this is a totally different medium, those who didn't have the opportunity to watch the play or read the book will enjoy. Toward the end of the movie, the audience were shouting 'Part 2!' already. So No further comment :-)

Pahabol: Oh yes, I still find the frog cute and adorable.

B.U.D.O.N.G.

B.U.D.O.N.G. The name we took for our college barkada. It is an acronym for Band of Unique, Demure, Outrageously Nice Girls. It used to be Naive girls... but we decided to do away with that... tanda na namin e.

We started out 8 in the group. One by one nawawala nalang, until finally we were down to 5. Last night we had our 16th annual Christmas Party at Gel's place. Apat na nga lang kami coz Nanette wasn't able to come. As always, we'd let our hair down. It's the time of year where we'd always make sure that we celebrate the season together. This year was different. It will be Gel's last Christmas with us since she'll be relocating to Michigan after her wedding this January. For the past 16 years, Gel's home was our home every holiday season. Her home was witness to triumphs, laughter, tears, wedding plans, bridal showers, new babies, etc. etc. Kakalungkot isipin. We practically grew up there.

Well, life goes on.
In top picture from left: Maan, Gel, Bambie and me