Happy New Year 2009!

Wishing everyone a happy new year for 2009.

Where did it all go?

Time flies so fast. My eight days of long break is coming to an end. And I think I have not done so much for that eight days! Where did it went? I have to double time enjoying and going out with friends and relatives before I went back to Manila, and think of work. And stress.

Quick. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.

Copylandia Christmas Party

My employer’s Christmas Party was on the eve of Christmas day, Dec 24. The event was toned down this year. It was simple and no-frills. But amidst the anticipation to go home at exactly 5pm to be with our own family in time for Noche Buena, everyone enjoyed the time with each other for the spirit of Christmas. See the glowing faces below.

…and Raining!

It’s been four days of overcast sky, cloudy afternoon, and scattered rainshowers from time to time. That means three days of “house arrest”, staying indoors due to bad weather. But not really.

The other night I was in a friend’s house for dinner. It was their barangay fiesta. Some of my high school friends are there. It was jovial because some of the faces I have not seen in a long time.

And because it is raining, everyone was in a rainy getup as reflected from the picture above. Hector, Dennis and Venice are in jacket and caps. Most are donning shorts because going to Guia (the barangay) is like going to a Motocross competition complete with muddy, wet and bumpy road.

As always, the sinful foods are present. Predominantly meat. And scattered vegetables on the sides. And after gluttony comes the great equalizer: booze.

San Mig Light for the waistline conscious, and Generoso Brandy for those who don’t like the bitter aftertaste of beer.

The contagious laughing was override by the chill factor of the weather. Rain and the cold breeze are to be blame for the subdued atmosphere of the get together. Everyone’s curling up a bit, we are not as noisy as we want it to be, we have gobbled up not enough bottles as we want it, and the noticeable lethargy is just evident. See the proof below:

Ian is texting, maybe to kill time and the cold?

Mae is sleepy and not in the mood. May LQ daw ba?

Pointy and skinny.

Everybody’s face is downward sloping. Please, can somebody stop the rain? And this gloomy weather.

Home and rain.

Get this.

It was my first time to go home for the Christmas holidays, since I went working with my present employer. And that was four consecutive years of celebrating the birth of Jesus alone. For four years.

Thank God for the long holiday break, I was able to change the course this year. I went home! I leave Manila on December 25, Christmas Day. Yeah I know, I am travelling on Christmas day. But I don’t care, the long break is mine for the taking, that I don’t mind going home on a Christmas day. Besides, our last day of work is Dec 24, so I have no choice.

I have already planned what I will do while I am here at home, enjoying the vacation.

1. Go and see friends.

2. Eat. Eat. And more eat.

3. Go swimming. Beach is very much accessible.

4. Sleep late at night, wake up lunch time.

5. Read the books and magazines that I haven’t have the time to read.

You see, the weather has not been cooperating. I am now in my second day here in my hometown, and it is raining like non-stop. The kind of weather where you just have to stay indoor and read a good book. Bad trip.

I am hoping that tomorrow will be sunny. Please, so I can go to the beach.

Sicko.

My cough is not going anytime soon. Blame my hard-headed stance not to visit the doctor. I am the type of person who hates hospital, and as much as possible, avoid it. So I take extra precaution not to get sick.

But this viral thing happening in our office, everybody is coughing, gets into me. It is been three weeks now, and I am still coughing. My voice is still hoarse. I still spew phlegm from time to time. And I feel cold on some nights.

Im sick, but not consulting a specialist is more sick.

Video of the Week: James Morrison & Nelly Furtado “Broken Strings”

Coming Soon: New U2 Album

It was officially announced that the new U2 album will be released in March 2009, according to AP. The title of the album is “No Line On The Horizon.” This will be their 12th studio album.

Can’t wait.

Rogue Magazine December 2008 Double Cover Issue

There’s Angel Locsin, or the People’s Champ Manny Pacquiao.

The magazine is now out in Manila stores.

Outliers: Not You, Nor Me.

I am currently reading the latest book by Malcolm Gladwell, Outliers. It tells about the stories of some people who succeed far more than the rest of us. This is how he defined the word:

OUTLIERS: 1) something that is situated away from or classed differently from a main or related body; 2) a statistical observation that is markedly different in value from others of the sample.

Although his theories are quite familiar to students learning psychology or social sciences, but what makes it interesting is how he uses simple English, to be understood by the common reader, without much use of technical terms.

The book is widely available in Philippine bookstores (National, Powerbooks, Fully Booked).