That's the spirit! (Thrillah in Manila: Manila Spirits 2009)

To be honest, I didn't really want to join Spirits this year because it was quite pricey, and I figured that I had "been there, done that," and didn't need to repeat the experience. But I'm so glad my teammates convinced me to join! Even though I had a heartbreaker of a play that I'm still replaying in my head, it was an awesome tourney over all.

Reg par-tey

Oldies (Mundz, Mina, Dino, Cel, Kring, me), newbies (JM, Lloyd), and in-betweens (Yelle, Jacq, Jim). People were surprised to see me with a beer.

The registration party was held at Giligan's--free food and booze, but I didn't get to really enjoy it because I was stuck in a room for the captains' meeting. (Hmm, didn't I resign from this?) I was one of maybe three girls out of an entire room of male captains from all over the world. Thirty-two teams in all! Met a Korean guy from the team KUNT, a French guy based in Sri Lanka, a Pinay-looking girl from Guam...and the common complaint was the traffic! Welcome to Manila, y'all!

Day 1

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't utterly frustrated the first day. I really should work on my temper. We were all still feeling each other out because this version of the team hadn't really played together. I sorely missed the old members, but saw a lot of potential in the newbies. We're a work in progress. Again. Haha. Funny scenes:

A Mindanao team dressed up as fairies when they played against the Hong Kong Fairies! The boys were even skipping and doing jetes on the field when they came out!

Another Mindanao team teaching us to "bumba."

Z-Day Party

The theme: Z-Day. The costumes: zombies. The music: courtesy of a totally bitchin' band that played 90s rock music! (And Sherwin rapping to "Humanap Ka ng Panget." Hahaha.) The highlights: good food, free-flowing drinks, stage divers and body surfers...

Zombie killers spraying the zombies with booze from their water guns, a team full of zombified Elvises...

It amazed me how teams from abroad made an effort to pack costumes!

And a photo booth!

From baicapture.com. One of many many photos we took when we monopolized the photo booth!

Too bad we don't have the boys' photo with the Spotlight security guard! Classic!

Day 2

We finally won! I realized that, save for that heartbreaker point, I'm much more effective on D than on O. I had a lot more blocks than points last weekend. BUT I also realized that maybe it was a little easier for me to mark and defend since I didn't have to play with the usual speedy ones that I guard. No matter. My new objective is to work on my D. Which means I'm going to have to have to start running again.

The Finals and the After-Party

The finals were a bit of a snoozer, but oh well. Hung out with Peng (who didn't play) and Dindi, and played with a Ben Affleck-lookalike's daughter. Met Jim, an American dude from China--he ducked under my (er, Mundz's) umbrella and offered me a free beer in return. Woohoo! Peng calls him Wengweng. Haha. He's taller than me but there's something so lovably hobbit-like about him and his brother Joe (Dusk-til-Dawn candidate who wouldn't stop dancing). As we were talking, the bleachers behind me--filled with my teammates and sister team, Circus--chanted "Ger ger! Ger ger!" Real mature, guys. Haha.

With Jim (in black) aka Wengweng, who offered to, uh, rescue me should the beer bring about an allergy attack. The Warriors took a papparazzi shot of the two of us talking before they rushed forward and joined in.

The highlight of the party: getting our pic taken with various ultimate superstars (e.g., Panoy of Dragons, members of champion team Black Flag) and random people from other teams, such as this white dude who, under his shirt, had taped nipples. Don't ask.

After about ten minutes of talking with us, he said, "Who ARE you guys?!" Hahaha.

Too bad Team Pilipinas didn't even make it to the finals. But everybody wins when the parties are rockin'!


My husband took our cam with him on his trip abroad, so all pics stolen from Kring, Ogee (Z-Day pics), and Jacq (last pic).