Tuesday, September 27, 2011

A Birthday Party and a Birthday Boy like No Other


High School friends meet at least three times a year – there’s our annual Christmas party, Valentine’s Day dinner, and, not to be overlooked or undermined for its significance,  the class clown’s birthday – Jessen’s.

J and J strike again!
Man, believe me when I say how this is one of the occasions we look forward to.  You could say that this is one of those well-attended affairs – even if it falls smack in the middle of a rainy season.  It’s already a given that whenever high school friends get together, fun is sealed and guaranteed.  But in this “annual” party, what we love all the more is that here, the food is divine!  It’s almost like an eat-all-you-can kind of a thing, if only one is not too lazy to get off one’s butt, step away from the chit-chat’s, and get some food.  That’s how it is for me, at least.   And then there is, of course, the abounding hospitality from the birthday boy’s family – really like no other. J  Plus, you’re never really obliged to bring gifts! :p  For this year, I guess it was a present enough that the birthday boy was able to shoot Mike Defensor several times.  Too bad it was just in a laser tag match. :P

After a tiring game at Lazer Maxx, Centris

After eating dinner at the birthday boy's beautiful casa :)

This year’s birthday is extra special since this is his last as a single person!  As a gift to him, his fiancĂ©e, our friend, hired a mobile bar where everyone can hide their apprehensions and unleash their “drinking self”.   This, undoubtedly, was the star of the night. 

Pretty and Sexy Divineee as the bartender (who owns all the pics in this blog post, hehe!)
Oh, wait!  Not to be overshadowed is the new game they bought.  It’s called Guesstures.  It’s pretty much like charades – only more organized and more fun because of the time pressure involved.  You know, normally, when we would play, it’s boys versus girls.  But, I would like to propose that this has to end – teams should be mixed in the future.  The way boys trick and cheat themselves to a championship is something I can no longer tolerate. :p

The girls won the first round!  And since you weren't there,
I'm gonna say we won the second round, too! :p

I hate that I had to go home before anyone.  I have an early appointment the next day, and though I was extremely having fun, I was already sleepy (sign of aging #1).  I was jealous that they had another round of Guesstures, lasing edition this time!  Nevertheless, I drove home that night smiling as I recall the happenings, thankful for the gift of the birthday boy's person.  After all, he is, possibly, the funniest, pinaka-kaladkarin and pinaka-game person and most reliable friend alive.  I pity anyone else's barkada which doesn't have a Jessen like we do.  And I believe I speak for everyone who was there when I say that we slept a good sleep that Saturday night as the inner child was recharged.  That night truly was, borrowing from a children’s book whose title escapes me now, “What fun, what fun!” :D

Goofing around by the bar and improvised photobooth ;)

To you who were born in the stormy month of September, walang sinabi sa ‘yo si Ondoy o Pedring.  You bring rains.  Rains of laughter and friendship which keep the heart healthy and the memory young, that’s what.  Let this be my written gift to you.  Happy birthday, Tsong!

Monday, September 19, 2011

Handmade and Homemade Invites :)

Since the paper crafting thingy that I wanted to purchase last August gave me sleepless nights (spell "overacting"), I just decided to buy it!  And boy, was I glad to know that there's a scrapbooking store right here in San Juan!  My gosh, to think that I was so ready to buy the one from eBay and wait for it 'til a friend from the States come home by November, thank God I was able to hold out a little bit longer.  Anyway, in between my busy days working on the thesis, I tried it out and made some couple of scratch, sample projects - like boxes, envelopes, etc. (making them was a breeze!)

Well, the best thing about my paper crafting thingy is -wait, fine, I'll call it by its actual name: scoring board - the best thing about my scoring board is I was already able to use it to make some "real" paper products.  You see, my cousin is turning 18 this October, and she was still in the gray area of whether to have a party or not.  Initially, I was against the whole party thing as it would cost a lot.  But as you may have guessed by now, after I've gotten my scoring board, I'm of course all for the party, provided that I'll be the one to make the invitations.  Hahaha!  That will serve as my gift, too, syempre.

After about a week, of looking for materials, figuring out the design, etc., here's what we (I hired some help) came up with:

Look, Ma, it's a purse invite!

I got the idea from the video tutorials with the scoring board I got.  Then, we tweaked a bit to adjust to the black-pink-gold theme (don't ask me, teenagers are weird), using materials both local and imported.  Since the base paper is black, I had to get me some opaque ink pads (thank you, San Juan scrapbooking store!) for the embellishments.  It was also a good thing that I was able to use the flower border stamp I just bought - at least nasusulit!  The middle picture shows how the inside looks like.  When you open the "purse", the inside paper will spread out instantly.  :)

For the materials, not counting the money I used to buy the stamps, I spent about a thousand.  If I were to divide it by 70, the number of cards we made which, apparently, is still not enough, then I think it was worth it.  Even if I include the blow-to-my-pocket price of the scoring board, it would still appear that we spent less compared to when we order the invites from someone.  Not bad, eh?  Now, if there's one more set of invites that I'd have to make in the future, then that would truly seal my money's worth. ;)

And so if I already got my money's worth here, the that gives me permission to get a new paper crafting tool!  I already know what to buy next!  Yey!

I wanna think I did a good job here.  My mommy said so, anyway! :p

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Grade One-ism

About a boy who cries just about anything in the world...

Me:  What do you feel when you're crying? (I wanted to elicit the answer, "I don't feel good.".)


Boy:  Sad... Like when it's painful in the inside...

Me:  (a bit disturbed)  Oh...what do you mean by that?

Boy:  Like there are cracks in my heart...

Me:  (trying to control one boisterous laugh) Oh...

Monday, September 05, 2011

Ang mga Goals Ko

Noon:  Makagawa ng magandang thesis para maging okay, kung sakali, for publication

Ngayon:  (Ok na kahit hindi) Basta makagawa lang ng thesis

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Noon:  Makagawa ng magandang thesis para maganda tignan sa resume

Ngayon:  (Ok naman na resume ko a) Basta makagawa lang ng thesis

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Noon:  Makagawa ng magandang thesis para ayos kung mag-a-apply ng scholarship sa abroad

Ngayon:  (Kalimutan mo na yung scholarship na 'yan) Basta makagawa lang ng thesis

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Noon:  Makagawa ng magandang thesis para pwedeng makapag-shift ng career

Ngayon:  (Ok na 'ko dito) Basta makagawa lang ng thesis

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Noon:  Makagawa ng magandang thesis para hindi naman nakakahiya sa Ateneo at UP

Ngayon: (Eh ano naman) Basta makagawa lang ng thesis

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Maganda talaga mag-set ng mataas na standards sa simula e, para kung tamad-tamarin ka na at gusto mo na kalimutan ang mataas na standards na 'yun, at least babagsak ka pa rin na may "standards".  Mababa nga lang.  Hehe.

Optimism, nasaan ka?!  Nakakamiss ka! :p