peeeeechyurs prom da beeets

pictures courtesy of Jas Molina (Tenkyu, Camel! Mwah!)

happy beach and videoke people!

(tan? lasing? filter? lighting!!!!)

happy feet!

it's a baywatch moment.

jump that wave!!!

"um, miss...sa'n may cleavage?"

the supa-pout (beat that, tyra banks!)

the beautiful ones minus one (we miss you, love!)

beach bums

ang baaaaaagaaaaaaal ng internet....

...kaya nakakatamad tuloy mag-update. Pero excuse lang yon, kasi ever since the Christmas break started, my brain's been on hibernate mode. Does. Not. Function. Pentium I, sobra.

Ayun, Christmas just passed me by. I got so caught up in the last-minute rush--preparing for and slaving over Noche Buena (that flopped, big time), buying presents with the measliest budget ever--that it just literally passed me by. Next thing I know, it's the 26th, and I'm rushing off to a coffee date with pals.

The trip to the beach was my lifesaver (Thanks, Saku!!!). Had it not been for a change in environment, and friends, I would still be in my Holiday slump. It was just the 6 of us--Saku, me, Leni, Jas, Joe and X (and Saku's lovely family)--but it was so much fun. The beach, videoke, a few drinks, and super good food--it was enough to last me for the remainder of the year (which is just one day as of this time, and ticking down). Not to mention a fresh tan for 2007. Yes!!!

I was supposed to go to the Mana gig tonight with Leni. Pero...nakalimutan namin, hehe. I just decided to go to the mall, brave the throngs of year-end sale-hungry revelers and get my hands on the first nice (more importantly, cheap) thing I see. Alas, I fell prey to the charms of the skinny jean. At hindi sya mura, pramis. I don't want to go into detail, I'll just feel bad about it.

Tomorrow (well actually, today na pala) is the last day of 2006. Looking back, it had the perfect mix of the good and the bad. Lots of things to be thankful for--graduation, the trip to the States, green cards, lots of work, new friends, etc. Lots of things that I hope won't carry over to next year too. I cherish the good and banish the bad, as I always do every year-end. I am hopeful. Hopeful for today, as that Faith Evans song goes.

It's gonna be a new year in a little less than 24 hours. I can't wait to see what 2007 will be like. :)

hayyyyy...

i.am.bored.

it's not even been a week after the super party of the year, and now i'm so freakin' going to die of boredom.

gising. kain. tv. net. kain. ligo. tv. net. kain. tulog.

whattalife.

i miss work. i miss UP. i miss my friends.

kapit pa....

a sad day.

It's hard to lose someone you love--much so at times like these when family and togetherness mean the world.

A very good friend lost a loved one just yesterday--a mere 5 days before Christmas.

I wanted to say so many things to comfort her--things like "I know what you're going through." or "I feel your pain." or "It's going to be okay." I decided not to. After all, no amount of empathy can patch up a heart that's totally broken and lost for answers.

I know what it feels like, having been in a stitch like that a couple of times around. I also know that it is going to be okay. But I let her talk, let her grieve--something that, from the time tragedy struck, she was never able to fully do amidst the chaos and the commotion. As a friend, it was all I could offer.




To my dear Olivia: My only wish for you is that with this big loss, you find an ever bigger part of yourself. I love you, and I'm always here for you.

peechurs from my infamous la-la-la-la-lasheng basagan party of the year ever (at iba pang events)!

jayboy batchoy in da haws!

nice....

anna and soooooodie (yihee...)

"and we both know..." (kaya mo yan, james!)

la-la-la-la-la-la-lasheeeeng!!!!

anna tanggera and the boys of af

basag na...maganda pa rin :p

umm...okay lang kayo boys???

japaaaaaan!

basag na si anj...

af sa lantern parade [that never was]

me, jon, and the bobble-belen

bing and paolo a.k.a. "unless" @ sarah's

the faculty (ampogi ni sir danny!)

sir nick "kapit-tuko"

* di ko na alam kung kani-kanino galing to (sa akin, kay leni, kay saku, kay dax, kay mara...), pero salamat sa kinuhanan ko kung sino man kayo :p

suka muna bago suko (wahehe).

ito ay isang mahabang update tungkol sa isang mahabang (at napakasayang) linggo. sa wakas--i feel the christmas spirit! yebah.

thursday, 12/14
pagkatapos ng paghagilap sa boss ko para magpapirma ng mga dapat pirmahan, tuloy-Carolfest 2006 na kami sa UP theater. medyo kinakabahan pa kami ni Jon kasi medyo malupit na sablay yung dry-run nung choir isang oras bago ang call-time. nyiii. pero, in true arki fashion, Arkaira (yung choir) was able to pull a pretty good performance (jingle-jingle, jingle-jingle-jingle....). nanalo pa kami ng third place! hanep. tapos nakakita pa kami ni leni ng mga cute na performers (hi, mr. muscles ng pep drummers :p).

pagkatapos ng Carolfest, we went to Sarah's to join the boys. Tutugtog kasi sila sa Maskipaps ng Eng'g, kung saan magde-debut ang KING JAMES SUBJECTS. yun yung (sa wakas) pangalan ng banda nila foom, james, chino at emong--wag nyo nang tanungin kung bakit yun ang pangalan nila, hindi ko din masasagot. ayos na sana yung performance nila---kaso sablay. hehe. pero in fairness, kaya pa ni James mag-bass habang mega-bangenge. wehehe. past 12 na ako nakauwi, nag-bonding pa kami ni leonard sa taxi pauwi. hahaha.

friday, 12/15
paglabas ko pa lang ng taxi sa harap ng arki, medyo na-sense ko na na parang may mali. unang-una, parang walang tao sa arki, samantalanag yung yung araw ng lantern parade. pangalawa, nakatambay si sir nick sa harap ng arki, sambakol yung mukha and texting furiously on his cellphone. pagpasok ko ng office, naunawaan ko bigla. sabi ni ate agnes, wala daw lantern parade na magaganap. huwaaaat?! kelan pa nangyari yun? kasi daw, magkakaron daw ng malaking protest dahil ibababa na daw yung decision regarding the tuition fee increase.

owenonamanngayon? wala naman yung kinalaman sa parada ng lantern na pinaghirapan ng mga estudyante. pero for security reasons na lang daw. bwisit na bwisit tuloy ang mga tao. lalo na si sir nick at ang mga 3rd year (na gumawa nung langtern). nanalo pa naman sila ng most creative lantern. tapos ang dami pang tao na nag-aabang. yung dad nga ni sir alex lumuwas pa from palawan just to watch. naawa nga ako dun sa isang mama na may kasamang bata. sabi kasi niya, "Sayang, first time pa naman sana ng anak ko makakapanood ng parada."

sa badtrip ng mga tao, napagdesisyunan nila (pati faculty ha) to defy the chancellor's memo and parade the lantern around UP, even if it means kami lang yung magpa-parada. pero hindi kami pinayagan ni dean. badtrip, gumawa pa naman ng kanta si sir nick para lang dun. parang end of the world na nung mga panahong yun na nagmumukmok yung mga estudyante sa labas ng admin, habang isang mainit na diskusyon among the faculty ang nagaganap sa loob.

finally, the college reached a compromise. hindi kami paparada. instead, we'll just go to our booth (which won first place too), pick up the lantern and belen, and sing our rendition of tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang pasko. so fine, kami ay nagtungo sa booth. at nag-picture ng 10,000 times along the way. ang init, at nakakapagod, pero masaya. masayang magsama-sama as a college despite the tension in the university air. masayang mag-picture AF style (meaning, nakaharang sa kalsada, blocking traffic). masayang kumanta ng, "...sapat nang ang ARKI ang kasama nyo, tuloy na tuloy pa rin ang pasko!" basta, masaya.

pagbalik naman sa college, nag-simula na silang mag-setup for the party to follow. ako naman, bumalik sa office at nagpalamig sa aircon. nagutom ako at nilabas ang regalo sa akin ni leni na carrot cake (na ayon kay sir danny ay super-sarap, yihee) at shinare sa faculty na nakatambay dun (sir danny, sir o, lolo jojo and dean luis). maya-maya may wine nang binuksan....patay na. a couple of glasses of wine and a plateful of lechon later, medyo weng-weng na kami. including the dean. nakakatawa pala sila pag medyo tipsy. and you thought your professor were as straight as rulers. isang malaking HINDI NO!!! hehe.

pero since badtrip pa rin yung mga 3rd year at gusto pa ring mag-parade (kung hindi daw boboycottin nila yung party), napag-isipan naming kausapin sila, talk some sense into them. may konting iyakan, mahabang advice portion, mga words of wisdom and encouragement. buti naman at nakinig sila. tama sila sir danny: it's bad to be sore losers, but to win and still sourgrape over it is even worse.

tuloy ang party. but not after dinner inside the dean's office. grabe, ngayon lang ako napadpad dun, nakakain pa ko. hahaha. pamatay yung sinampalukan, ang lupet. tanggal-amats. yum!

paglabas ko, sakto namang dating ng beer and whatnot na pinag-ambag-amabagan ng mga tao. may games din, tugtugan. super kulitan and super fun, in general. sinong nagsabi na mapipigilan kaming magsaya ng pagpigil saming magparada? eto sayo cao, um!

pagkatapos, sarah's ulit. this time, wala nang inuman (sila lang), chillax lang. para bang nagko-kondisyon ng katawan para sa isang masayang bukas. yihee!

saturday, 12/16
ang hirap gumising ng maaga after a late night of merrymaking. pero kailangan, kasi may lunch party kami sa HTC with the lolos and the team members. ang traffic, nawala pa kami ni cheska at dax (kasi hindi ako marunong mag-process ng directions na baliktad). at sa wakas, nakarating din kami sa little quiapo. it was soooo worth it. ang sarap--karekare, sinigang na sugpo, bangus, pancit, lechon kawali, leche flan, coke at isang bundok ng kanin. heaven! may take home pa. yummmm...

tapos, pumunta na kami sa sm nila cheska, dax at foom para mag-grocery for the party later and to wait for leni and mara. tapos, uwi na para simulan ang saya!

what can i say--party of the year na itoh!!!! ang saya, ang daming tao, ang daming food, ang daming booze, ang lupet ng magic sing moments--at mas malupet ang lasing moments. grabe. all-nighter ito! sabi nga sa kanta, "rak en rol hanggang umaga!" wiiiiiii!!!!!

salamat sa mga pumunta: leni, foom, james, jay, joel, dylan, sudar, cheska, saku, jika, dax, jas, pat, loz, jiddu, jax, faye, joe, jon, bea, christian, mara, andrea, mariel, arlene, sa friends ni anna, sa san mig light, sa red horse, sa gsm blu, tanduay, at iba pa.

quote of the night: "Wag nyo ko dalhin sa tambakan! Ayoko magpa-tambak!"--Jax "You Tube na Ito" Chang

grabe, pag ganun kasaya, hindi mo mapipigilan na maramdaman ang christmas spirit. sabi nga nila, huli man at magaling, naihahabol din. or something like that.

sunday, 12/17
buong araw na akong natulog kahapon, inaantok pa din ako. iba talaga ang exhaustion na dala ng isang tambak na saya. sabagay, mas gusto ko na yon kesa naman pagod ka na, malungkot ka pa. dun na ko, anytime!

lumabas na din ang daddy from the hospital. at since isang linggo na lang before christmas, na-feel ko bigla ang urgency na mag-plano ng noche buena menu. this year, simple lang siguro. hind naman kailangan ng sobrang bongga. isa pa, hindi ko mapigilang mag-isip na madaming tao na ni wala man lang pambili ng pagkain pang-araw-araw, let alone for noche buena. kaya simple lang dapat. mahirap ang buhay eh. basta ang goal ko lang sa pasko ay ang mag-simba, na matagal ko nang hindi ginagawa. nakaka-guilty nga na habang ang dalas kong mag-good time kasama ang mga kaibigan ko, hindi pa ako nakakapag-simbang gabi. simulan ko kaya mamayang madaling araw? :)

MALIGAYANG PASKO SA INYONG LAHAT!

scrooge.

I've just officially Scrooge-ified myself (it's so ironic how it sounds so much like 'crucified').

1. My lolo was asking me to change 1000 peso bills to 50s, for the kids around the neighborhood who come by the house every Christmas for aguinaldo. My answer was a big, fat, resounding "BAKEET? Helloooo...wala nga tayong pera bibigyan pa natin sila?"

2. I just made James my Christmas gift for him: a compilation of sickeningly sad MP3s I titles "James' Breakup Kit".

3. Nobody's getting any Christmas gifts from me this year--well, except for James.

4. I've just decided that I'll sleep through Christmas. And maybe New Year too. (Sige na nga, after I hear Christmas Mass :p)

5. I just want to have a Christmas party as an excuse to drink with my TGIS (Thank God I'm Single) buddies till we all become shitfaced and pass out.

This is so not like me. It's so sad.

making sense

A few Starbucks sessions ago, I told Leni that my elevated social activity for the past couple of moths was a manifestation of my paranoia over getting older and feeling the time ticking away the last precious moments of my youthful life. I felt like I was clamoring for the last remaining worry-free years of my life; that is, until I get some sense knocked into my head and start thinking (not to mention, doing something) about the future.

Now I realize that I had another reason, as little as it was. It was not just about fighting for that last bus ride to youth and carefree-ness--it also had something to do with the desire to restore normalcy (and possibly, sanity) in my life.

Then again, it could just be a pathetic attempt at excusing my social behavior for the past couple of months. Or, finally coming to terms with the idea that I, since coming back, suddenly found it hard to enjoy being in my own house.

Nowadays, I really honestly don't like being at home. It's not even home to me anymore, it's just a house. Home was a happy place, with children chasing each other around, happy dogs barking, light pouring in from the open terrace into the dining room where a family shared stories and laughter over a warm meal. Today, home is anything but happy--the children have grown into tired, jaded adults; the dogs angry and ferocious, ready to strike at the smallest sense of disturbance; a concrete wall stands where the huge sliding doors of the terrace once was; the dining room dark and empty, with both the terrace and the family gone. Mealtimes together are rare, and when there are, they are devoid of talk and laughter.

People say that home was where the heart is--but I don't know if I'm that ready to surrender my heart to heartbreak.

hollow [wo]man

"I'm sorry if I bothered you...again." Was that supposed to make me feel better--or guilty? Well, it doesn't, because it's the truth. You did bother me, and I feel like I'm wasting my time going in circles in your sorry little game.Wait--let me rephrase that: wasting my life, should I say. Because that's exactly how it feels. I feel like everytime I've gone back to being normal, being just me, you just find a small rip in my fabric of happiness and just manage to shred me apart into pieces. I hate you for doing that, but I guess I hate myself too for allowing you the pleasure of breaking my spirit every single time. For allowing you to take away from me the control of my own life that I've been striving so hard to get.For dragging my inner weaknesses out despite my efforts to play it cool and unaffected on the outside. I'm tired, frustrated and sad--all thanks to you. Most of all, I'm just so hollow --you hollowed me out and took everything inside of me.

KKO [kanya-kanyang opinyon]

Let's Tell The Real Meaning of Christmas!

T'was the month before Christmas
When all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying, Nor taking a stand.
The Politically Correct Police had taken away,
The reason for Christmas - no one could say.

The children were told by their schools not to sing,
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.
It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say,
December 25th is just a "Holiday."

Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit,
Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!
CD's from Madonna, an X BOX, an i-pods
Something was changing, something quite odd!

Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa
In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.
As Targets were hanging their trees upside down
At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.

At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears
You won't hear the word Christmas;
It won't touch your ears. Inclusive, sensitive,
Di-ver-si-ty are words that were used to intimidate me.

Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen
On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!
At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.

And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace.
The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.

So as you celebrate "Winter Break" under your "Dream Tree"
Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.
Choose your words carefully, choose what you say;
Shout "MERRY CHRISTMAS!" Not Happy Holidays!

*****
This poem is from an e-mail my Ninang sent me. Nagsimula kasi yung issue sa isang usapin sa States na palitan ang greeting para sa Pasko, para naman maging mas angkop ito sa panahon ngayon. Politically-correct, ika nga.

Naisip ko tuloy yung isang usapang nangyari sa amin nung isa kong kaibigan, tungkol sa isang issue na naiinvolve ang kanya-kanyang religious beliefs. Naisip ko tuloy, medyo may point nga yung gustong mangyari ng US, kasi hindi naman lahat ay Christians, Catholics. At lalo namang hindi lahat ay naniniwala, let alone may, Pasko. Pero naisip ko din, hindi naman siya masyadong malaking issue kung Merry Christmas ang sasabihin mo o Happy Holidays. Kanya-kanya lang yan eh. Hindi ka naman babati ng Merry Christmas kung ang relihiyon mo ay hindi naniniwala sa Pasko, pareho lang ng hindi ka naman babati ng Eid'l Al Fitir sa hindi nagcecelebrate ng Ramadan.

Parang malabo, pero actually, madali lang. Ang bottom line lang naman eh hindi na importante kung ang Pasko para sayo ay panahon para kay Kristo o hindi, panahon para mag-shopping para sa sarili mo o mamahagi ng biyaya sa mga hindi ganon ka-swerte, at kung dapat politically-correct ang iyong pagbati. Ang bottom line, kanya-kanya lang talagang opinyon yan. Depende lang yan kung tama yung opinyon mo o hindi. Joke!

Which brings me to another topic. Galing kasi sa isang issue (na naman) yung nasabi ng kaibigan kong si Christian na, "I always thought that giving and sharing was a universal thing." Tama siya doon, kasi kahit saang doktrina ka tumingin, yun yung tinuturo na isa sa mga pinaka-importanteng gawain na pwede mong gawin sa iyong kapwa. Kaya medyo hanggang ngayon nalalabuan pa rin ako sa ideology ng isa pang kaibigan tungkol sa isang isyung hindi ko na idedetalye. Basta may kinalaman sa pagtulong at sa religious belief na dapat hand-in-hand diba, pero medyo hindi faithful sa idea na yon. Pero sabi ko nga kanya-kanya lang yan, kaya tatantanan ko na.

JMHO (Just My Humble Opinion)

I was just talking to a really good friend over YM about well--like I've established in previous posts--the inevitable. That is, love. Relationships. Partnership. Call it whatever you want.

I'm amazed/astounded/flabbergasted (sort of) about how her take on things like that seemed. We were talking about this guy she recently met and had a long-distance-friendship-turned-mutual-admiration-thingy with, and I guess I wasn't so comfortable with the idea that she was actually having thoughts about their future together in the States. I mean, this early?! She said they just have so much in common and were completely compatible with each other, that her only worry as of now is how they're going to emotionally jive once they meet sometime next year.

My head started spinning, thinking, "Never mind emotionally getting along. You've just put everything into overdrive!"

Now I don't know if I'm just emotionally tired, or cynical, or just plain jaded about relationship issues, but I just can't help but feel like she's rushing into things so fast and so easy. It didn't help that she actually said, "I hope this really is it. Because I'm getting tired of looking for The One."

I say go to Astrovision and check under Action Movies. At this rate in their [not so] relationship, only Jet Li can be The One :s

I have to say this, and this is without any trace of sarcasm or cynicism: I'm scared for her. I'm scared for people like her, who look too much, look too far, too wide, and too soon for Mr./Ms. Right. Because I'm a firm believer in the idea that the more you look for it, the more it becomes elusive.

Easy for me to say, right? I mean, for someone who's not currently in a relationship and (more importantly) someone who's not looking to be in a relationship anytime soon--it's so easy for me to trash their lovelorn dreams of relationship bliss.

But it's not easy. Because I know what it's like to keep on looking for that someone, and in all the wrong places nevertheless. It really does not work that way. For some, maybe. But only a lucky few actually do find that treasure on the map. Some may be reading the map wrong, and some are just plain looking for treasure that was not there in the first place.

Sure, it sucks to be alone come Christmas. And it doesn't help your ego to stick out like a sore thumb on Valentine's Day. But there really is truth to that so-called single-blessedness. I've come to know that--I learned more about myself, did whatever I wanted to do, went out with friends whenever I wanted to. Learned the truth in the saying that, "Before you can love others, you have to learn, first and foremost, to love yourself."

Most importantly, I found truth in that Whitney Houston song I've been singing since I was three. The one that goes, "Learning to love yourself--it is the greatest love of all."

Hehe.

new year's resolutions, automated karma and lovesh*t inuman blues

Anj's New Year's Resolution #1: STOP SNOOPING AROUND LIKE YOU'RE FREAKING SHERLOCK HOLMES!!!

True. Yan ang una kong resolution para sa bagong taon. Bakit? Kasi, masarap man makarinig ng tsismis, minsan mas mabuti pa yatang wala kang masyadong nalalaman. Kasi, oras na may malaman ka na hindi mo naman gustong malaman (as in!), bad trip yon. Kaya minsan mas mabuti pang oblivious ka sa detalye ng mga bagay-bagay.

*****

Madalas sabihin ng kapatid kong si Anna na dapat mag-ingat daw tayo kapag naka-mean girls mode ang utak natin. Kasi automated na daw ngayon ang karma. Yung tipong pag sinubuan mo ng card, may lalabas na something--may resibo pa.

Kahapon, napatunayan ko yun. Pero ayoko nang i-detalye. Mamaya, bigyan pa ko ng Christmas bonus eh. Thank you na lang.

*****

Pag malapit na ang pasko, para nago-on yung switch sa mga utak ng tao to inom-mode. Yung iba, kasi may reason to celebrate (bagong raket, masayang lovelife, bagong prospect...hmmm...). Yung iba naman, para makalimot sa lamig na dulot ng paskong mag-isa (mag-isa sa lovelife, mag-isa sa bahay, mag-isa sa...lahat ng bagay).

Nagsimula yun nung nag-party si Anna for her 21st birthday. Kung ano-anong mga timpla na pinangalan sa mga lugar (of their origin, I bet) ang natikman ko. Ultimo dessert, may tama. Ahihihi.

Tapos nung Lunes, kasama naman ang Los Lonely Boys (yun na yung bago kong tawag sa kanila. Pero wag na nating pangalanan, kawawa naman :p) sa Sarah's. Kailangan daw kasi nila ng female perspective tungkol sa mga isyung pag-ibig na babae lang daw ang makakapagbigay-linaw.

Tapos kahapon, kasama si Leni at ang "kids". Na syempre nauwi sa isang mahabang diskusyon tungkol--saan pa?--sa pag-ibig. Or lack thereof. Siyempre, bilang nakatatanda (hindi naman masyado), gusto din nilang marinig ang mga opinyon ko (aray) tungkol sa--ano pa nga ba?--pag-ibig. Teka, teka. Parang may mali. Kasi parang hindi yata ako ang tamang resource person para sa mga ganyang klaseng topic. Hehehe.

*****

Sa 16 magkakaron kami ng joint Christmas party ni Anna dito sa bahay, kasama ang kanya-kanya naming mga kaibigan. Siguradong mauuwi na naman yun sa usapang...ano pa nga ba?

Isa lang ang masasabi ko dyan: Para sa mga masaya at hindi nag-iisa ngayong Pasko, i-celebrate natin yan. Para naman sa mga nasa kabilang dako ng bakod, let's drink to that! Ahahahaha.

21 days to go...

Had a party Saturday for Anna's 21st. It was a small party, pero ang saya nevertheless. Salamat kay Jessa, para kaming may stand-up comic for hire nung gabing yon :p

Next party: Dec. 16, Saturday. Pre-Xmas party na yun for this year. Sana mas maraming tao--pero please, Mr. Eigenmann, wag na tayong mag dare-or-dare, ha?!

Is it possible to look forward to Christmas and feel a little twinge of sadness? Syempre, ang pasko daw, like the song goes is "...the most wonderful time of the year..." Pero syempre the sentiment changes depende sa mga pangyayari sa buhay ng tao. Like me. I must admit that although I look forward to Xmas every year, it's never a completely happy time for me when it comes around. Kasi nama-magnify lang yung pangungulila mo sa mga taong hindi mo kasama, at lalo na sa mga hindi mo na makakasama ever. I don't even remember the Christmases I had as a child, when both mama and papa were there, nung andito pa ang mga kamag-anak ko. That's sad, diba?

Hay. I know, I know. I should be thankful for what I have. Swerte pa rin na kahit medyo mahirap ang 2006 for the family (lalo na tong last quarter where we really experienced our financial woes), at least malakas kami, buhay, nakakaraos. I mean, how about those people who don't have anything--no food, no homes, no families? I'm sure Christmas for them is a million times lonelier and sadder than it is for me. Nakakalungkot.

Siguro unless more people in the world find Christmas worth celebrating, that's the only time when I'll be able to say that Christmas indeed is "the most wonderful time of the year."