Top 10 for 2009 (part 2)

And the list continues...

5. GNO girls

I miss my girls! And my small waist! But not the stress that produced it.

The night was legend--wait for it--ary! My girls just gave me a night (stretching until sunrise) of fun, fun, fun! It was a rockin' way to bid my single life adieu! Jo, my reflective, creative, unbelievably intelligent friend, with whom I can have such meaningful, mind-blowing conversations. Mottie, my gorgeous gorgeous NY partner in crime. Chingy, my BFF--need I say more?

When I imagine what kind of friendships I might have thirty years from now, I think of Mamma Mia! and am quite convinced that that's the kind of friendship I would have with these ladies--jumping off piers in Greece, and just giving life and each other great big hugs!

4. Mads

My dress by Mads, of course!

What would I do without Mads? She is my soul sister, the one who never judges me, the one whose family has adopted me! Whenever I wonder if I'm a bad person, I try not to be too hard on myself and attempt to see myself through Mads's eyes. This pure-hearted angel always sees the best in people. Pancake House is my happy place, but her house--filled with the warmth of her family and the deliciousness of their food--is a very close second! I am ecstatic that 2009 was a milestone year for her as well, with her engagement to my soon-to-be brother-in-law. Mads deserves every happiness that this world has to offer.

3. Marie and Tata

Only pic I could find for now. That's me, Tata (center), and Marie (beside me) with the fabulous Preview girls.

The charmed ones. My two-man wedding committee. They helped me make decisions (not an easy task when the decision-making involves wedding details, mind you) and, more importantly, served and continue to serve as my nonwedding-related personal cheerleaders. From them, I get good vibes, lots of positive energy, great conversations, and plenty of laughs. And, in Marie's case, gorgeous makeup. When she remembers. Haha. (Sorry Marie, I couldn't resist! You know I love you.)

2. My mom

My beautiful mother with my sweetheart of a niece (she was in her Snow White phase when this was taken)

Being married is awesome, but what do I miss most about my past life? Or, more appropriately, who do I miss most? My mother. If it hadn't been for her, our wedding probably would have been delayed, more expensive, and more stressful. When H was away and I slept over at their place, she had packs of Moo stashed in the fridge for me. She sometimes sweetly asks me if I need our trusty driver Lolito. She is one of the kindest, most loving people that anyone would ever be lucky to meet, and I am immensely blessed that she is my mom! (The rest of my family rocks, too!)

1. Man of the Year: My husband

Our first Christmas as husband and wife. A very merry Christmas, indeed!

Of course!

What can I say that I haven't said before? That, even though I didn't think it was possible, he's an even better husband than he was a boyfriend? That every night, I relish sleeping beside him, and that every morning, it is absolute joy waking up next to him? That it makes me teary-eyed (case in point: um, now) just thinking about how deeply I love him? That I want to spend my whole life thanking God for blessing me with such a wonderful partner?

In fact, I want to spend my whole life thanking God for surrounding me with such amazing souls. (Miguel, that includes you. Haha.) Every person on this list has touched my life--in 2009 and even in years before that. And there are many more people who may not be on the list, but who are constantly in my prayers. To my family, friends, all the people I hold dear--thank you!

Top 10 for 2009 (part 1)

Instead of blogging about the top 10 experiences of 2009 (number one, of course, would be the day I became a missus!), I've decided to honor 10 people who made an impact on my year and helped make it memorable.

I originally intended for this to be just one post, but I've had to divide it into two. I figured that these people deserve more than one line each!

10. D&G

Me and the brothers with Xtian and his scary-ass stare

Lolo and my lil bro. These boys actually watched me dance on stage...and made fun of me afterwards (but also asked me to teach them the steps to "Single Ladies")--surprise of my life when the stage lights went on and I heard a familiar voice from the audience yell, "Go, tanda!" They joined my team for whatever reason (most probably alcohol). They took me out for drinks when I needed it most (i.e., the peak of all the wedding stress). They were there on my wedding day, and D supposedly got out of work just to be able to do so.

T: Kumain ka nang marami.
D: I can't, I have a shoot next week.
T: O sige, uminom ka na lang. Open bar.
D: Hindi rin pwede.
T: Hindi ka kakain, hindi ka iinom. Ano ba yan!
D: ANG DAMI MONG HINIHINGI! NANDITO NA NGA AKO!

9. Blue

Photo by Ogee

My favorite Blue quote of the year: "Sayaw nang sayaw, akala naman niya kagalingan! Gusto pa sa gitna!"

I once told him, "For someone who says a lot, you sure don't reveal much!" I can tell him anything, and I completely trust that he won't yap about it to anyone else--even when he threatens to. He was my bud in Dumags, and for some reason, I feel like I could chat or talk to him forever. He's a great listener and gives really sensible advice. Oo, ako rin nagulat. Hahaha. Peace, dude.

8. Mia Fau
I've looked up to this very smart, kind-hearted woman ever since I was in grade school. Mia was there for me when I was so conflicted over something, and she helped me sort through my muddle of thoughts and feelings. When I felt like I was being judged by people who mattered to me, she gave me tremendous support and guidance. I feel like we have somewhat similar values and even somewhat similar lives, and so she understood me in a way that others couldn't. Hearing her words of comfort and her counsel really gave me a bit of clarity, and helped put my mind and my heart at ease.

7. Mike

I just realized Cheng's in this photo too! Just look for the girl in the wedding gown!

Our future neighbor. Haha. Mike and I have this grand plan of building our future houses on adjacent lots, and leaving the kids with H as he, Cheng, and I play disc! (H, in turn, would take off on basketball days.) In 2009, I got nothing but all-out support from Mike, one of my closest friends on the team. Through leagues, weddings (both mine and his), relationships, I felt like he was there for me, and I was more than willing to be there for him (and Cheng!).

6. Addie
(Alas my wedding-day pic with her is in another computer!)

Oh, Addie, how I love her so. Because of her, I was utterly relaxed on our wedding day. After going to sooo many weddings and seeing how pushy (veiled as "professional") some coordinators could be, I told her that I totally appreciated how nice and charming and pleasant she was at my wedding, even when craziness was happening all around her (no safety pins for corsages, a guest --who sent regrets!--who came asking for a table for 10, etc.). I loved that she made it a point to go to my despedida de soltera with Milo and Paolo in tow, so she could meet some of the key people at the wedding. I was glad she came, not for coordination reasons, but because I wanted my family and close friends to meet one of the most special people in my life.

The second half of my top 10 for 2009 to follow!

Three-month recap, the short version

Delinquent blogger = incredibly busy. The irony is that there is so much to blog about, so little time. I realized that I haven't even given a recap since August! I'd love to give a blow-by-blow, but I am so incredibly exhausted. Am typing this in bed after going home from work early--felt so sick and faint today, especially after a shoot in this blasted heat.

The last few months have been hot! And the sweat on my forehead proves it. Me and H at the bonfire for back-to-back UAAP champs, the Blue Eagles and Blue Eaglets.

So anyway, a short highlight reel, because even though it's long overdue, those months definitely deserve some blog space:

AUGUST
1. Lots of bridal showers. And a legendary girls' night out!
2. Increasing my alcohol threshold. Preparing for a wedding does that to ya! I was so stressed that I was drinking practically every night two weeks before my wedding. Not getting wasted though--just enough to calm my nerves. (Dude, if you and your fiance were still cutting out seating cards a few days before your wedding, you'd drink too.)
3. ...and while I was at it, I ended up hanging with celebrities. Strange. Was out with Lolo D a couple of times, who intro-ed me to his friends. Was baffled by a mind-blowing card trick by Angel's male best friend from the biz. Had a really weird, funny conversation with this famous male model. (Such a beautiful face. And the sign of a very handsome man: When other men think so too! H played basketball with him once, and my manly husband said, "Guapo talaga." Hahaha.) Had drinks with a sexy starlet. The most rockin' new people I got to meet were Mika and Amanda from Survivor Philippines: Palau. They were so cool and so incredibly nice!
4. The Dumaguete trip. It was awesome. I didn't really get to meet people from the provincial teams since I didn't play much, so it totally surprised me when a Dumags dude who was in town recognized me. He said hi first and said, "You're the newlywed, right?" Then he said something about remembering me because I kept drinking. Haha. Hey, people kept sending free drinks my way! What're you gonna do, right? I think it's an engaged thing. Everyone wants to wish you well by giving you a drink!

SEPTEMBER
Marrying the love of my life!

OCTOBER
1. Back-to-back champs, baby! Didn't get to watch the finals live, but we partied at the bonfire. Woohoo!
2, Media (over)exposure. I had taping for two different shows, and a radio tour around four stations. The TV segments were pretty lengthy too, not the teeny sound bites I used to give. I've got another taping tomorrow. And I have no idea what to wear.
3. Kit and Kris's wedding. The kids are finally married!
4. Settling into married life. And I am love-love-lovin' it!

Seventh heaven

The seventh month of the year was busy, busy, busy! I can't even remember everything that happened. And my cam suffered a painful death on the last day of the month, so photos are kind of unavailable right now. So it's a relatively picture-less post!

The standouts (a lot are wedding-related!):

Kobe! Kobe! Thanks to OK! Magazine, I got an awesome Special Ringside ticket to see Kobe Bryant at the Ultra. (Luckily, there aren't really a lot of basketball fans at the office. Haha.) I'm not a big Kobe fan, but at least I'm not a Kobe hater, and it was as close as I was going to get to seeing a live NBA game for now! Haha. It was just surreal seeing the MVP in person. Thank goodness I wore my contacts!

Coni almost caught an autographed ball!

My first fitting! The fabulous Enan Almado called me for my first Big Day gown fitting. It was just the lining, but it already fell so beautifully! I have a photo of me fitting, but taken from the side--my unmentionables could be seen in front because the beadwork hadn't been done yet, and all there was was a big cutout where the Indian-inspired bling is supposed to be. No posting as of now, in the off chance that Fiance reads my blog and sees it! Not until the day itself!

Meeting Tita Bai. H and I went all the way to Intramuros to Barbara's (post to follow in my neglected food blog), where we met up with the woman that the resto was named after. Tita Barbara, or Tita Bai, is good friends with H's mom, and is one of our beloved sponsors. She was very accommodating and fed us a delectable lunch! It was just cool visiting the area with H.

We don't often find ourselves in the cobblestoned streets of Manila.

It's official. We can officially get hitched now, after getting our marriage license! Woohoo! And, of course, who could forget that riot of a family planning seminar at Quezon City Hall? One of the unexpected highlights of the wedding preps!

Back at Bellini's. Sort of--we didn't go to Cubao X this time. On a break from the Seminar That Wouldn't End, H and I decided to have lunch at the 10-year-old Marikina branch of Bellini's. Yummmmmmm.

Sweet wine to end our meal of chicken with herbs, truffle cream risotto, and a tiramisu gelato cake.

Indoor picnic. Not only has my trusty Canon Ixus died, but my phone cable is also missing--so I can't download photos from my phone. Boo! For now, let me just describe our unique date for the month: a picnic at our new, nearly empty house! We decided to visit our new place one evening, with nothing but a brand new electric fan (our first home purchase! Haha), some grub, a banig, and H's laptop. We laid out the banig, sat on the floor, used the electric fan's box as a makeshift table, and feasted on KFC while listening to music from H's computer! Cheers to our new home!

Final food tasting. We went over to our lovely caterer Kaye Cunanan's place and just ate and ate and ate. Luckily, I had Martha Stewart Weddings editor in chief Tata in tow to help me make decisions. I trust her opinion more than I do my own. Haha.

Kaye: Would you like all carrot rice or half plain, half carrot?
Me: Hmmm...half and half.
Tata: Hmmm...don't you want to do all carrot? I think most people would go for that, and once there's only plain left over, the others will feel like they missed out.
Me: OK, all carrot rice then.

~*~*~*~

Kaye: Would you like green flowers or white flowers?
Me: Green.
Tata: Hmmm...don't you want all white flowers?
(And after she said that, of course I did. Hahaha.)

I find such comfort in the fact that Tata says our food will be delicious! I just want our guests to pig out.

Mini CADs reunion. Triple8Funk founder Joel (aka Sloj, aka my Nikki's baby daddy. Haha) took a break from being New Zealand's hiphop guru and swung by the PI. It was unfortunately too late when I broached the idea of an alumni dance workshop, but hey, there's always next time! It was cool just hangin' with the ever-humble Sloj--and getting a rockin' T8F shirt to boot!

The T8F shirt is considered alimony.

Poker night. I dropped by SP's fund-raising poker tourney after my first bridal shower (which is a highlight, but I'm doing an all-in-one post for all my showers!) just to give a small donation and say hi, but ended up staying for over an hour, just catching up with an old friend! It was so cool seeing Dindi and just yapping and making a whole lot of noise in a place where barely anyone knew me. Ahehe.

Wrecking my cam. I'll admit, I was so incredibly bummed when it happened. After learning how much it was going to cost to have it fixed, and realizing that I barely have enough moolah to spare for a new one (Big Day + home renovation + stuff that'll go into new home = daym!), I just felt so down. I couldn't believe that I wasn't going to have a camera to document my last few weeks of singlehood.

But after my bachelorette party, I realized that maybe wrecking my cam was a good thing, a blessing in disguise. I was able to just be in the moment, and didn't have to think about snap-snap-snapping away. And the more I reflected on it, the more I figured out that I tend to use my camera as a crutch. When I'm uncomfortable or bored or simply tamad to make conversation, I just whip out my cam and take pictures. Now, I'm all about just being there and talking to people and laughing. And having my photo taken by someone else! Because really, someone else is bound to have a cam!

Silver linings rock!

Twenty-oh-nine seems to be moving at warp speed. So quickly, in fact, that I've got less than two months before The Big Day! Eep!

Breathe in, breathe out.

To keep me from again going into panic mode over stuff I haven't done (so much for Bridechilla, eh?), let's just focus on the little events that made my June.

Getting measured! I got measured for The Gown of All Gowns, and so did the rest (or most) of my entourage. I wish I had taken pics of when Marga was getting measured. Enan loved how my butterball of a niece arrived wearing a tube top and matching shorts. And normally suplada Marga went nuts over Enan's "baby," his shih tzu Fiona!

My girls are going to look fabulous! Slightly worried that they'll look hotter than me. Hahaha. But it's all good. I'm not out to put them in pouffy peach monstrosities!

Seeing Maan again after seven years. Wow. It was weird hearing Ryden--big boy that he is--calling Maan "mommy"! She was gone for that long! It was cool getting together with my high school friends, and seeing how far everyone has come. Four of them have kids already, and I'm about to tip the scales and join the marrieds in a bit.

Together again. MIA: Chris

Our Independence Day date. It was the start of something special for me and H--our unusual monthly dates. Have yet to figure out what to do this month, considering we're neck deep in preps!

The start of the Bonnie and Clyde league (aka Malakas at Maganda). I am not a big fan of all-girl leagues, because there's too much estrogen on the field. And this particular league isn't something I'm so eager to be playing in because I'm worried about the pesky midday sun wreaking havoc on my skin. Ordinarily, I wouldn't mind getting all bronze. But I've really gotta start getting some semblance of my real color back. I want to be a blushing bride, not a burnt one.

Photo c/o Mico. When I'm not wearing a dress or a skirt on the field, I look like a boy!

Nonetheless, it's a good league because we've merged with a few other teams, which means I've met some awesome new people--the Weng Weng girls are so open and all heart on the field, the BC girls are able handlers, and the USC girls have solid fundamentals. And all of them are incredibly easy to get along with! And, as it is with every league, it's a constant learning experience. I ain't co-captain anymore, but the new kapitanas have still asked me to help out. Rotation still proves to be a bit of a problem for us. But we're learning, we're trying, and that's pretty much the point now.

My favorite quotes from the first league day:

(During the boys' game)
Pat: Time out.
Greg: Tap mo 'yung disc.
Pat: Ha?
Greg: Tap mo.
(Pat drops the disc)
Greg (stomping towards Pat): T*NGINA, "TAP"! BINGI!
Pat: Akala ko "drop"...

~*~*~*~

(Saturday)
Me: When you pull, where do you get the power from?
D: Arms and legs.
Me: OK thanks.
(So there I was on Saturday, practicing my hucks, trying to make sense of D's tip. Next day...)
D: Why were you asking about pulling?
Me: Coz I have to pull today.
D: Oh, pull! I thought you meant "pull" as in tug of war!
Me: Pucha, saan naman ako mag-tu-tug of war?!

~*~*~*~

Mike: Burger! Burger! P*$@NGINA!!!!!! (with matching frustrated vigorous rubbing of the head and stomping away. Hahaha!)

Dinner with Chingy. It had been a while since I spent one-on-one time with BFF Ching, so we decided to have dinner one night. We ended up just talking for hours. I totally missed her, and it was just so awesome catching up.

Book launch and gimmick night. We launched our fourth book (yay!), and we had some really yummy food by Chef Him Uy de Baron (I am still dreaming about the turon with this Chocnut sauce that he served at an event before). Afterwards, H and I headed to Members Only for a SoFA/Marangoni event, where two of my favorite girls were muses. I was wearing a lovely maxi dress made by (who else?) Madhuri Hemandas.

With Marangoni muses: designer (and my BFF) Mads and one of Preview's best dressed for 2009, Pam Q

Mads's masi (aunt): Does Tisha ask you to make a lot of clothes for her?
Mads: Oh yes!

This particular number was made in, like, a day. What a demanding customer I am! I needed a colorful dress for the launch, and I couldn't find anything that I loved. I decided it was about time I asked Mads to make me the boho dress of my dreams. Such a purty, purty fabric!

I foresee July to be a month packed with wedding preps and work, work, work. Gotta get some stuff done before I go on extended leave.

Let's hope every Sunday is a rainy day though. I can't take any more sun!

May 2009 highlight reel

My oh my, five months have gone by. And merry May was pretty much a month of weddings…

Yogesh weds Surabhi. Ah yes, my “son” actually beat me to the altar (although I’m not sure that’s what it’s called in Hindu weddings). As with other Indian weddings, this one also had other events leading up to the actual wedding, including the Youngsters’ Party.

Me in an ultra-comfy jumpsuit. Yogs with his beautiful bride.

People showed up in their pajamas, in keeping with the theme. The event was held at Club Mwah where everyone--clad in jammies and negligees--witnessed an elaborate show, danced to some hiphop/house/Bollywood beats courtesy of a Singapore-based DJ, and partied with a funky jazz trio flown in from France (the cost of which could probably surpass what I’m spending for my entire wedding!). It was awesome hanging with the Bintan peeps again!

(Top) A member of the French trio; (above) with my BFF Mads, "our" sis Prits, and Tash.

The next night was the actual wedding. It seemed like they booked all the ballrooms to accommodate all the guests (800 to a thousand, by Yogi’s estimate)—there was even a “kids’ ballroom,” which, funnily enough, was much quieter than the big ballroom. The whole event was ostentatious and crazy chaotic and utterly sparkly—even my bejeweled dress seemed terribly under-ornamented, next to all the bling-y traditional Indian outfits. Mark my words: I shall wear a tummy-bearing Indian outfit when Mads gets hitched!

My dress by Mads. I was happy to wear a bindi again after so long!

Kaye’s shower. Jackie planned a bridal shower for her best friend Kaye a couple of weeks before the bride-to-be’s wedding. We divided into two teams for one of the games, the Project Runway challenge: We had to fashion a honeymoon outfit using just black and red crepe paper (and some tape and scissors)! Since everyone else was in comfy PJs (another pajama-themed party!), and I was the harlot wearing nothing but a tight tank and hot pants, I had to “model” our creation. I made a really cute, super short ruffle-y skirt, while my teammates took care of making the suspenders and hearts covering the, uh, chest area. We even had a little ruffled garter! Sorry, no pics. Haha.

I was up against Claud, who was wearing what looked like makeshift clamshells. We, of course, were talking trash the whole time. (And by “we,” I mean “I.” Hahaha.) Me to Claud: “Outfit daw na pang-honeymoon, hindi pang-perya!” Don’t get me wrong—I love love love Claud to bits! This was all in good fun!

And guess who won? Yay us!

Gino weds Kaye. “Kasal nanaman?” It’s the typical response when I have to beg off a game or a training session. I left a game day early to prep for the wedding, and since I didn’t have much time, my hair was left kind of unstyled and in all its natural (messy) glory. Oh well. Perhaps the gorgeous Richie Ortega dress kind of made up for it…

One of the rare times that I wasn't in a Madhuri Hemandas creation! With my barkada, minus the buntis who left early.

The couple’s first dance was really cute—starting with Panalangin and ending with a wonderfully cheesy choreographed version of Chris Brown’s Forever. Unfortunately, I didn’t even get a single photo with them in my cam.

House blessing. Well, the renovation’s finally done, and the studios are now for rent! Hope the parentals find some awesome tenants! Oh, if anyone's interested in renting a studio with easy access to the Cubao MRT and LRT stations, and a really wonderful landlord (aka, my mother) let me know! I could send you pics...of the studios, not of my mother. Hahaha.

Marvelous March

Now time for the March 2009 highlight reel!

Dance, dance, dance

Photo by Aaron Vicencio. Notice my makeshift leg warmers made of an old pair of Winnie the Pooh slipper socks that I never used!

I had it in my head that this was going to be my last major CADs concert. The 15th anniversary concert seemed like a good time to take my final bow. But then H said, "Why does this have to be your last?" If I can still shake it, then honey, I betta shake it, right? Haha. If I'm not preggers by next year, then perhaps I shall dance again.

Serendipity

While I got to meet up with friends I haven't seen in ages (hullo, Jerry Bear!), it was also cool how I ran into people in the most unexpected places. Dondi and I were trying to figure out how to meet up, and as I was walking down the street, he was driving down the same road! How cool is that? A little later in the day, I was waiting for mumsy to finish her meeting at Power Plant. While I was at a store, I heard a familiar voice yell "Tish the Dish!" It was the other D, Derek, who along with G and G's cousin, accompanied me 'til mumsy wrapped things up. I intro'd D to mother, whose friend asked me later on, "Sino 'yung kasama mong may malaking muscles?" Hahaha.

Boracay Open 2009

Photo stolen from Fel

The Warriors' first time to join the Boracay Open. It wasn't about winning. It was about camaraderie--and one last hurrah before the honeys left. (Which, by the way, is an April 2009 lowlight. Boo!)

And so it begins...

Yummy barbecue chicken salad by K. by Cunanan

I told myself that I wouldn't start preparing--really preparing--until six months before The Day. I spread out the tasks over the months leading up to it, and gave H his own to-do list, just so we won't get overwhelmed. I am really aiming to just be chillin' the week before The Day, so I'm trying to stick to the sched. Pat on the back for me for already meeting with my potential gown maker (who gave me a really good price. Thank you, Tatamaps), and for sitting down with our caterer, Kaye Cunanan, for initial food tasting! She was really lovely and gracious and accommodating, and I feel comfortable entrusting the food and the setups to her! And H and I have also finalized our entourage. Yay!

P.S. It's funny how the first question people ask me upon seeing me is, "How are the plans coming along?"

Honeys' despedida

I already miss my co-captains!

It was a highlight in that it was another crazy Warriors' par-tey. Sosyal pa kasi may chocolate fountain! Sure, we were supposed to be celebrating our NYL09 win...but that night, we were more concerned about saying adios to El Capitan and La Capitana. Incidentally, we elected new captains, and I shall be stepping down when Papa G leaves for the US. (Sigh of relief.) Congrats to the new ones! And good luck!

Feb 2009 roundup

I had a tooth extracted, was evicted from my room, am currently living in messier-than-average digs (have not sorted through everything yet—no time!), and was bogged down and bummed out by a hundred other minor changes…but Feb was not without its highlights! With the bad comes the good.

2 become 1

“Coz tonight is the night when 2 become 1…” Notice: 1) how nognog I am compared to the rest of my family (left side), 2) darling Marga in her tube top and matching shorts!

H’s mom was in town so we started off the month with the pamamanhikan on the first of February. They came over bearing a truckload of food (aside from delish dishes from Conti’s, they brought extra stuff like spaghetti), and got to meet mi familia. Dad was in character, cooped up in his room for the most part, watching the exciting Aussie Open match. (Can’t blame him.) Was a bit nervous about the whole thing, but it turned out OK.

Flower power

Getting flowers never gets old. My sweet fiancé surprised me on the evening of Friday the 13th with a bunch of purty flowers! Awww.

Full of hot air

I’m happy I decided to drag my arse out of bed at 3:00 in the morning so that I could make it to the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta. I got closer to a balloon than I would have, had I actually ridden it!

Inside a balloon as it was being blown up (photo from Fel)

Let’s do lunch

It seems like such a minor thing unworthy of a place in the highlight reel, but eating at Soms one lunch time was one of the things that made me happy this month. It’s nice getting out of the office for a relaxed, yummy lunch with a bunch of fabulous girls (the MC staff). So nice, in fact, that it didn’t matter that we got rained on as we tried to flag down a cab.

We are the champions!

(Photo from Ian)

Our goal at the beginning of the league: to become Pool B champs. And mission accomplished!

I don’t give a crap that people are saying we won coz of the two superstars on our team. Whatevs, man. We worked hard for that, we won, and they can’t take that away from us! Ultimate…Warriors!

January 2009 Highlights

And just like that, the first month of the year has gone by! Some highlights:

New Year with the fam

I looove being with my family, so even though I was bummed that H got sick (which meant we couldn't party as planned), I still had a pretty rockin' New Year.

Hyper Diego with pogi Lolo. Awesome!

We spent it at my bro's place, where the kids were in their PJs, in awe of the fireworks. (Marga had gotten over her fear.) Diego, who could already say, "That's so cool!" (I wonder if Tito Miguel had anything to do with that...), learned how to say "Awesome!" courtesy of, ehem, his tita. Everyone was in good spirits as we sat around the table and talked, and feasted on Rita's yummy pot roast, and a gooey chocolate cake. And when it comes to chocolate cakes, the gooier, the better!

H's big 3-0

Wok with Ham: Us in matching aprons. Hehe

I am now engaged to someone in his 30s! My man celebrated the big day with a steak-and-wine party--a departure from the usual beer and sisig, and perhaps, a true sign of maturity! Haha. I had fun playing hostess for the night, and was just happy that H was happy.:)

New Year League

The first league of the year has started, and our lineup is loaded! We even got two Team Pilipinas players on our roster (D & G--not to be confused with the original, Dondi & Greg). Our record so far: 3-1. Let's go, Warriors!

Ron and Rhea's wedding

I-Girls with the newlyweds (Rhea, all goddess-like in her short dress)

Rhea was the first Pinay bride I had ever seen in a short dress. Lovely! I wore another Madhuri Hemandas creation, and we stayed for as long as the flipped-out music would let us. (Let's just say the DJ played a rather, er, diverse selection of sounds.) I had quite a bit of sparkling white wine (champagne-y, without actually being from Champagne), nicked from the couple's table! Haha. Congrats and best wishes, Ron and Rhea!

Top 10 for 2008

10. Weddings galore!

Click to enlarge

The usual reason I had to miss disc practice? Weddings! "May kasal ka nanaman?" probably ranks as the second most-asked question of the year. (The first would be, "Kelan kayo?") I attended a total of nine weddings, as far as I could remember...there's one that I skipped. While I exhibited wedding fatigue by the fourth wedding, I was still really happy for my friends who got hitched and started new lives. Marriage is a beautiful thing, after all.

9. Hiring a private chef.

This soup was to die for!

For that cheesiest of all days, V Day, I hired a private chef to whip up a gourmet meal for me and H. After a few logistical glitches, we finally sat and partook of what was probably one of the best meals of my life. Read about it here.

8. Dancing again.

With Motts outside BDC after a challenging dance class

I danced at the annual CADs concert, found fellow lovers of dance at the office, and even attended a jazz funk class in NYC!

7. Everything ultimate.

Click away, if you so desire to see our faces up close. Haha

Leagues, pick-up games, hats, parties, and, of course, my beloved team. The year 2008 saw my disc addiction reach unparalleled heights. How bad was it? One Saturday, I went to the church ceremony of a friend's wedding, rushed to disc practice, then changed back to my wedding clothes and re-did my makeup and hair to go to the reception!

6. New friends.

First row: MC2 Warriors (Ian shown with a player from Team Japan); second row: Superstar Xtian, lead hound Czar, Lawee Boy; third row: Fafa Fel, Gali Ramsay, D (and old friend Atik!)

Mostly from disc. We welcomed new people to the team, most notably the MC2 hounds who used to be our bitter rivals. Haha.

5. Family time.

I just had to put this picture in! That's my 14-month-old niece. Isn't she darling?

I think 2008 was the year I realized just how much I love my family. You know how when you're younger, spending time with the fam could feel like a chore? I don't feel that now. I like it when I get to meet up with everyone. And it was great seeing my NY relatives again. Heartwarming. You could have all the friends in the world but, as Kuya Vic said, "Family's different."

4. Ilocos.

Food tripping. Going on an Amazing Race-esque trip to Pagudpud. Eating bagnet, over and over. Perhaps the highlight of the trip was seeing the Windmills of Bangui up close. Those things are jumongous! Awe-inspiring.

3. Bangkok.

Nagpapanggap na monk with monklets!

I just realized that I never finished blogging about this trip! Oh well. The food and the shopping were great. Seeing my relatives was great. But, by far, the best thing about the whole Bangkok experience was sharing it with the love of my life!

2. New York.

Turista shot in Times Square

Sigh. I still miss it, every single day.

1. Getting engaged!

Teary-eyed and incredibly happy!

About damn time!:)

An unforgettable November

November 2008 is just chock full o' highlights, but the number one highlight, undoubtedly is...

Me, with happy tears, and my hot fiance right beside me

Getting engaged! Come on, people, what could possibly top that this year? It's most likely THE highlight of 2008!

Of course, there were a couple of other things that sure made this month truly one for the books:

The Warriors joined their first international tournament, Manila Spirits 2008. We were seeded at the bottom (no exag here), being the most inexperienced team, but we clawed our way up three spots by the end of it! We won all our games on the last day! Woohoo!

Here we are with the first international team we ever played with, Team Japan!
(Click photo to enlarge!)

It was awesome playing with Team Japan, who awarded MVP shirts to Sarah and Ian on the first day. On the second day, they gave shirts to me and Czar! Woohoo! I gave my black-and-white racerback jersey to Yoko in exchange. I didn't play particularly well, I was probably given the shirt coz I was nice to Yoko. Haha. But I did score a couple of times during the tourney I think. And I even had a "double happiness" play--a layout block converted to a point. Yay!

We also stayed to watch the totally awesome finals game: Team Pilipinas vs. Black Flag. And Team Pilipinas emerged victorious! Congrats to them, they worked so hard!

And of course, the last major highlight of the month: New York, baby! The trip I thought of on a whim some months back has finally become a reality. Ahh, New York--the sights, the sounds, the FOOD, and best of all, my family!

Reunited with Kuya Vic, Gedo, Ate Udes, and Carlos (click photo to enlarge!)

It is gonna be so damn hard to leave.

But hey, I've got a fiance waiting back home!

October 2008 highlights

The two things that stood out came at the tail-end of the month:

Monster Halloween Hat

My team: Team Manay. Photo from here

A few of the Warriors joined Monster's Halloween Hat at Philsports Arena. Those who came in costume would get a discount, so I just dressed up as Gogo Yubari (or a Battle Royale character). I lost my weapon though, and ditched the bow, so I ended being a regular schoolgirl.

My Team Manay teammates: Mike, Fel, and Cel (who decided to play at the last minute). Other notables: Gali, Team Pilipinas captain Derek, and of course Manay. Gali was hilarious as usual, leading the team's warmup, and totally tearin' it up on the field. He ended up getting the MVP award. Quotable quotes:

Gali: Sumama ka na sa Tagaytay.
Me: Ummm...
Gali: Kung si Derek magtanong sa 'yo, hindi ka makakatanggi!
Derek: Tara, Tagaytay!
Me: Ummm...
Gali: Pare, dati bilib ako sa 'yo eh. Pero ngayon hinihindian ka na!

This started an evening of the two of them saying stuff like, "Hindi ka pupunta? Hindi kita papasahan!" And...

(Derek passes the disc to me but I wasn't able to catch it)
Derek: Hindi ka na nga sasama sa Tagaytay, hindi mo pa sasaluhin ang pasa ko! (in front of everyone! And then he leans in and says...) Sorry, it was short! (Geez.)

My favorite line of the night was from Gali: "Sino ka, si Rumpelstilstkin?" Hahaha.

I had a couple of points, which was cool. Gali and I were planning a play wherein I would just run to the end zone and he would huck it, but it ended up being the other way around: I caught an awkward pass then passed it to him for a point! Woohoo! Anyhoo, my team won the tourney! So Mike and I are now 3-of-3 when it comes to hats! Yay!

Halloween at the office

Tatamaps in her Venetian mask, Coni as Malena (or Marimar), and me as a fallen angel with really muscular legs (Damn! But I earned those muscles!)

It was cool that people gamely came in costume. I was an angel for the day, but Nicole remarked, "Angel ba 'yan? Ang ikli ng palda!" So I ended up being a fallen angel! Haha. It was cool seeing costumed people on our floor, but it was funny when I had to get something from another floor--where no one was in costume! Oh well.

Just another reason why I love my job.:)

My September

Daaayyym, it's the last quarter of the year!

Some highlights from September 2008:

• WTF?! We had our annual tournament, this time at Camp Aguinaldo. The champs: The Green-ada A-Discs.
  

The champs: Czar, Shane, Mavs (aww), Jun-jun, Ena, Mina, Dino, Kring, Nana, Vicky, Sarah, Mike. Click on photo for more pics!

• My TV appearance. Nothing major. But the cool thing was I didn't stress over it as much as I did in the past. It was pretty quick and painless.
  
• Lunch with mumsy and her friends. We traveled all the way to Tiaong, Quezon to celebrate my mother's birthday. Read about it here.

Oldies but goodies: With my lovely mother and her high school friends!

• Malakas at Maganda 2. The girls joined their first-ever all-girl tournament. We're learning a lot, and I think it's helping us improve and become more confident. And the boys have been nothing but incredibly supportive! I'm so touched that they've been selflessly giving us pointers during training, and coaching and cheering for us during our games. I must say I miss playing with them though. I much prefer the mixed leagues, but this is still a great experience.

Trying, trying, trying to break the Devil Dogs' cup. That's me catching the disc. (Pic stolen from Kring)

• Bonfire 2008. Sing it with me: "Weeee are the champions, my friend!" After six years, my beloved Blue Eagles are once again the UAAP Men's Basketball Champions. They (we) beat archrivals DLSU in two games--and our Juniors team bagged first place as well! Woohoo! Ching, H, and I were at Ateneo for the bonfire--unfortunately, it rained that day so it was suuuper muddy. And I forgot to bring flipflops! I had to walk around wearing H's too-large sandals. Haha. It was cool seeing the Bench boys though. I tried to buy a shirt from Pau (whom I had never spoken to my whole life, and who probably doesn't even know my name. Hahaha), and hung out with Jerry and his girlfriend. Quotable quotes:
  

Mong: This is my second collegiate party in a row. Kagabi nasa Beda kami.
Tisha: Ah talaga? Sinong tumugtog? (Meaning, Chicosci or Sandwich.)
Mong: Wala...naisip lang namin masaya do'n kasi nanalo sila, so pumunta lang kami. Ang dami naming new friends!

~*~*~*~

Chito of Parokya (onstage): Si Yuri, cousin ko 'yan since birth. Nung bata 'yan tumatakbo-takbo 'yan nang walang salawal. (Pause) Sana si Chris Tiu din! Crush ko talaga 'yan eh. Wala akong crush na lalake, siya lang.
Someone else from Parokya (possibly Vinci): Ang pogi talaga eh!
Another guy: Pero pare, parang type ko rin si Jobe.

(The others were politically incorrect jokes courtesy of the Bench boys. Some things never change. Haha.)

• Conquering wall 2.5. I used to wonder how people could climb those walls. And I surprised myself by actually doing it. Yay!

(Pic stolen from Jacq)

• Booking my flight to NY. Yup, it's really gonna happen. I just had an idea brewing in my head of spending Thanksgiving in New York. And I'm actually going to do it! One last big spending hurrah before I start setting aside money for a family!