Yesterday the Marianas branch of the Santos family tree hosted a lunch party for the Agno and Paco branches. I drove the parents to Tramway first to get some chow. Afterwards we arrived at Wilson's place where I got to swim in the Marianas Townhome's pool for the first time. Needless to say it's been awhile since I swam so the irritation my eyes felt from the chlorine shouldn't have surprised me. Spent most of my pool time towing and pushing Mia in her inflatable shaped like a shoe, which had it's air leaking out so we had to constantly pump it full of air. I dubbed it the SS Mia, SS for "sinking shoe."
After lunch (Chinese food and my spaghetti) I drove the 'Rents to their new accupuncturist. I didn't join in the session this time, but Ma got a sharp end of the needles, so to speak. She said unlike the other accupuncturist this guy stuck in more needles... and deeper into her shoulder. Yes, it hurts just thinking about it. I learned my lesson from last time and brought some comics to pass the time while waiting.
Jun 16, 2003
Jun 4, 2003
Jun 1, 2003
More Birthday Stuff, Etc.
As I type this Jasmine's birthday party is winding down. Only kids left are the celebrant and Laiza (Francis' daughter) playing on the former's new plastic kiddie picnic table. Still, to avoid leaving anyone out 3 birthday cakes were bought, one each for Jasmine, Hans and Mia. Needless to say the photo session was a circus since the kids kept blowing out the candles the second they were lit.
As for how I spent the afternoon I finished packing up the comics I plan to get rid off, only this time with the hope of getting some money out of it, as opposed to just giving it away like last time. All in all: 303 comics (hardcovers included) packed in 62 bags, all in one box. Lots of leftover plastic covers.
And for the day before (Friday) I stopped by Glorietta for the Midnight Madness Sale and got the latest Hellblazer and Exiles trades, as well as The Big Book of Scandal.
As I type this Jasmine's birthday party is winding down. Only kids left are the celebrant and Laiza (Francis' daughter) playing on the former's new plastic kiddie picnic table. Still, to avoid leaving anyone out 3 birthday cakes were bought, one each for Jasmine, Hans and Mia. Needless to say the photo session was a circus since the kids kept blowing out the candles the second they were lit.
As for how I spent the afternoon I finished packing up the comics I plan to get rid off, only this time with the hope of getting some money out of it, as opposed to just giving it away like last time. All in all: 303 comics (hardcovers included) packed in 62 bags, all in one box. Lots of leftover plastic covers.
And for the day before (Friday) I stopped by Glorietta for the Midnight Madness Sale and got the latest Hellblazer and Exiles trades, as well as The Big Book of Scandal.
May 29, 2003
Wet Birthday
Typhoon Chedeng (accent 1st syllable) has left, it's rainy tail still wagging, leaving drizzles in it's wake. So naturally I went to the office. Irma Flores dropped by for a sales pitch to the ladies for the spa she's working for at City Garden Hotel across the street. No sale.
The Families (sans Boit) attended the first birthday party of John2's son Matthew at Gloria Maris GH (where just last Saturday I attended China friend Bernadette's wedding reception). Better food this time, though as always the kid's table seemed to get a better meal with fried rice, shrimp balls and sweet 'n' sour pork.
By coincidence it's Jasmine's (and Ogi's) birthday today, as well. I got Jasmine an inflatable toy. I wanted something more "educational" but since Jocelyn's family sells school supplies coming up with something original wasn't easy.
Typhoon Chedeng (accent 1st syllable) has left, it's rainy tail still wagging, leaving drizzles in it's wake. So naturally I went to the office. Irma Flores dropped by for a sales pitch to the ladies for the spa she's working for at City Garden Hotel across the street. No sale.
The Families (sans Boit) attended the first birthday party of John2's son Matthew at Gloria Maris GH (where just last Saturday I attended China friend Bernadette's wedding reception). Better food this time, though as always the kid's table seemed to get a better meal with fried rice, shrimp balls and sweet 'n' sour pork.
By coincidence it's Jasmine's (and Ogi's) birthday today, as well. I got Jasmine an inflatable toy. I wanted something more "educational" but since Jocelyn's family sells school supplies coming up with something original wasn't easy.
May 28, 2003
May 26, 2003
So ANYway...
Yesterday I went to Makati, hitching a ride with Jocelyn (a first for both of us, I believe), then going our separate ways as she headed for Rustan's and I to Glorietta. Ran into Richard Lim (who tells me that Jasper Soon is in the country, apparently for months now) and Mona (who tells me I'm really losing my hair), accompanied by their respective beaus. Finally I bumped into DJ and her cute friend Janelle at A Different Bookstore.
Managed to find a gift for Jasmine for her birthday this Thursday, but held of buying any new graphic novels (or factoid books) 'til this Friday.
Annette's back for China, apparently for almost a month now. Seems she came back but was quarrantined for SARS (precaution) for two weeks, so they rented a place for her that had no phone. Still she managed to bump into Boit yesterday in Greenhills.
Yesterday I went to Makati, hitching a ride with Jocelyn (a first for both of us, I believe), then going our separate ways as she headed for Rustan's and I to Glorietta. Ran into Richard Lim (who tells me that Jasper Soon is in the country, apparently for months now) and Mona (who tells me I'm really losing my hair), accompanied by their respective beaus. Finally I bumped into DJ and her cute friend Janelle at A Different Bookstore.
Managed to find a gift for Jasmine for her birthday this Thursday, but held of buying any new graphic novels (or factoid books) 'til this Friday.
Annette's back for China, apparently for almost a month now. Seems she came back but was quarrantined for SARS (precaution) for two weeks, so they rented a place for her that had no phone. Still she managed to bump into Boit yesterday in Greenhills.
May 18, 2003
Migraine Reloaded
After an unventful afternoon spent watching episodes of Smallville on the computer ('Rents and Bebot went to Subic for some overnight event), Boit and I went to watch Matrix Reloaded after dinner. Though we arrived at SM Centerpoint fairly early almost all the seats in teh Deluxe section were taken, save the first row. At first I thought, No big deal, I've sat in the front row sections before, at least 3-4 rows from the front. But at the movie started (and the trailers before that) the headaches did as well. Note to self: 1st row for really desperate people. We eventually went to the back. Man, were those action scenes exhausting.
After an unventful afternoon spent watching episodes of Smallville on the computer ('Rents and Bebot went to Subic for some overnight event), Boit and I went to watch Matrix Reloaded after dinner. Though we arrived at SM Centerpoint fairly early almost all the seats in teh Deluxe section were taken, save the first row. At first I thought, No big deal, I've sat in the front row sections before, at least 3-4 rows from the front. But at the movie started (and the trailers before that) the headaches did as well. Note to self: 1st row for really desperate people. We eventually went to the back. Man, were those action scenes exhausting.
May 12, 2003
Schitzophrenic Sunday
Arrived a bit late to a christening party at Dad's/ Saisaki (Glorietta branch) that didn't happen. Since Lisabelle's husband Gilbert's grandfather died 2 weeks ago the party was cancelled. I heard of the former news but failed to deduce the latter, though it would've helped if Lisa actually told me that the party was postponed, probably 'til Baby Nigel's birthday in December. Drove home in time to get picked up for a lunch party at Tramway.
After lunch, however, instead of heading home we went to Le Pavillion in Pasay to check out Oti's booth at a wedding convention being held there. (Nice Apple monitors.) Stayed for about an hour, or 45 minutes more than I could stand. Did we head straight home after that? Nope. First, dropped Dad off at the Holiday Inn, then picked up Sis and the kids at their place for a supposed trip to Makati... which somehow turned into a trip to Intramuros and (get this) Manila Zoo. And for a place that was currently under rennovation (hence the lack of giraffes and lions), the 40-peso ticket price (half price for Manila residents) was definitely not worth it. I haven't been here for more of less 2 decades (and boy, I wish it was 3 decades).
After the zoo we picked up Dad and finally went home, though 45 minutes later we went out again for dinner at Country Waffles. Saw Bernadette Sembrano and a gentleman friend (and someone I assumed to be the gentleman friend's mother). Good steak, though the pink lemonade was too sweet. I think one of the waiters tried to flatter (or irritate) Berns by belting out "Wish Ko Lang," at random. If he really wanted to flatter her he should've called the owner of the car that was blocking theirs when they were trying to leave.
Arrived a bit late to a christening party at Dad's/ Saisaki (Glorietta branch) that didn't happen. Since Lisabelle's husband Gilbert's grandfather died 2 weeks ago the party was cancelled. I heard of the former news but failed to deduce the latter, though it would've helped if Lisa actually told me that the party was postponed, probably 'til Baby Nigel's birthday in December. Drove home in time to get picked up for a lunch party at Tramway.
After lunch, however, instead of heading home we went to Le Pavillion in Pasay to check out Oti's booth at a wedding convention being held there. (Nice Apple monitors.) Stayed for about an hour, or 45 minutes more than I could stand. Did we head straight home after that? Nope. First, dropped Dad off at the Holiday Inn, then picked up Sis and the kids at their place for a supposed trip to Makati... which somehow turned into a trip to Intramuros and (get this) Manila Zoo. And for a place that was currently under rennovation (hence the lack of giraffes and lions), the 40-peso ticket price (half price for Manila residents) was definitely not worth it. I haven't been here for more of less 2 decades (and boy, I wish it was 3 decades).
After the zoo we picked up Dad and finally went home, though 45 minutes later we went out again for dinner at Country Waffles. Saw Bernadette Sembrano and a gentleman friend (and someone I assumed to be the gentleman friend's mother). Good steak, though the pink lemonade was too sweet. I think one of the waiters tried to flatter (or irritate) Berns by belting out "Wish Ko Lang," at random. If he really wanted to flatter her he should've called the owner of the car that was blocking theirs when they were trying to leave.
May 9, 2003
Power Out, Out of Power
Got up really early. Six AM, in fact. Why? Last night the power went out (11:16PM, according to Meralco) in a "scheduled power interruption," and there I was just finishing a Tae Bo workout a few minutes earlier. Needless to say trying to get some sleep was a bitch. Power came back 7 hours later.
Had lunch with Joy at Bubba Gump Shrimp. Even though I had already packed a lunch (2nd time this happened with her) the restaurant staff didn't make a fuss when I had fried rice with their bucket of mahi mahi, shrimp and lobster (and fries buried underneath).
Tonight I had dinner with Rafael, Cheryl Uy and 2 of their friends from Canada, Jocelyn and Grace, at Josef Imbus Stube, a German restaurant in San Juan. Like with Ivy's wedding reception, not being the "alpha male" of the conversations, I only had a moderately good time. Nothing against the company, but they simply had more history together. Most of the time I didn't know what they were talking about. Part of me regretted uninviting Josephine (and Marjorie by association) to this get-together. A small consolation come in the form of Karen Lim and her batchmate Laurie, both of whom also went there to eat.
Got up really early. Six AM, in fact. Why? Last night the power went out (11:16PM, according to Meralco) in a "scheduled power interruption," and there I was just finishing a Tae Bo workout a few minutes earlier. Needless to say trying to get some sleep was a bitch. Power came back 7 hours later.
Had lunch with Joy at Bubba Gump Shrimp. Even though I had already packed a lunch (2nd time this happened with her) the restaurant staff didn't make a fuss when I had fried rice with their bucket of mahi mahi, shrimp and lobster (and fries buried underneath).
Tonight I had dinner with Rafael, Cheryl Uy and 2 of their friends from Canada, Jocelyn and Grace, at Josef Imbus Stube, a German restaurant in San Juan. Like with Ivy's wedding reception, not being the "alpha male" of the conversations, I only had a moderately good time. Nothing against the company, but they simply had more history together. Most of the time I didn't know what they were talking about. Part of me regretted uninviting Josephine (and Marjorie by association) to this get-together. A small consolation come in the form of Karen Lim and her batchmate Laurie, both of whom also went there to eat.
May 4, 2003
"So, How Was Your Labor Day Weekend?"
April 28: Had lunch with Joy at Gloria Maris in Greenbelt, despite the fact I packed a hotdog lunch for myself that morning. Hell with it. I haven't seen her for a long time. Also managed to download and print myself a copy of the latest Michael Crichton novel Prey. Almost got Michael Moore's Stupid White Men too but the stupid PDF file was in German.
May 1: Watched X2 with Vince, DJ, Russell and Beth (Dee couldn't make it) at Robinson's Galleria. Missed the opening sequence featuring Nightcrawler, but was really frustrated me was the P120, "single viewing only" ticket price. Save for the ridiculous climax (which had Wrath of Khan written all over it), the movie kicked ass. And I was right about the spoiler.
May 2: Goverment employees had an extra day off. No such luck with private employees such as yours truly. Luckily Ma was in the neighborhood and picked me up from work. We went to Megamall to check out the 3-day sale, Day 1. Got some new shorts, a baby carriage (gift), plastic flower pots and a couple of electric fans. I got another "missing" issue of Black Panther and Captain Marvel, as well as Codename: Knockout #16, while issues 0 to 15 are still with Jeffrey Co in the US. Well, gotta start somewhere.
April 28: Had lunch with Joy at Gloria Maris in Greenbelt, despite the fact I packed a hotdog lunch for myself that morning. Hell with it. I haven't seen her for a long time. Also managed to download and print myself a copy of the latest Michael Crichton novel Prey. Almost got Michael Moore's Stupid White Men too but the stupid PDF file was in German.
May 1: Watched X2 with Vince, DJ, Russell and Beth (Dee couldn't make it) at Robinson's Galleria. Missed the opening sequence featuring Nightcrawler, but was really frustrated me was the P120, "single viewing only" ticket price. Save for the ridiculous climax (which had Wrath of Khan written all over it), the movie kicked ass. And I was right about the spoiler.
May 2: Goverment employees had an extra day off. No such luck with private employees such as yours truly. Luckily Ma was in the neighborhood and picked me up from work. We went to Megamall to check out the 3-day sale, Day 1. Got some new shorts, a baby carriage (gift), plastic flower pots and a couple of electric fans. I got another "missing" issue of Black Panther and Captain Marvel, as well as Codename: Knockout #16, while issues 0 to 15 are still with Jeffrey Co in the US. Well, gotta start somewhere.