gift-giving season

i was privileged to be able to join one of several gift-giving events sponsored by the company this month. we have parterned with AWAM (Alcoholics With A Mission) in this endeavor.

the recipient of the goods which consisted of rice, coffee, soap, sardines and others are some 300+ high school students here in angeles, some of whom are of Aeta descent. their small campus is not far from the Clark Expo built during FVR's term.

that's santa claus right there, handing the gifts personally to all 300+ students

students, wallem employees and awam members during the annual gift-giving event

Wallem White Christmas

hindi naman halatang sobrang kabado di ba? hehe. GLOS and I had to write down our script, pray and then practice at one corner especially the parts where we have to scream at the top of our lungs simultaneously for impact. one thing i have to always remember: prayers and practice are truly effective.

counter-clockwise, from left:

• with sabrina and baet during the "hep, hep.. hooray!"
  
• with GLOS during the start of the program
  
• again, with sabrina and baet during the "hep, hep.. hooray!" game
  
• with ANNV and LAAC and the snowman
  
• me, during the welcoming of teams
  

by the way, thanks to Revlon for my "Taste of New York" lipstick and 2-way foundation. sa palagay ko naman, effective! hehe.

have a blessed Christmas, all!

two halo-halos, one gulaman and a despedida

...plus a birthday, actually.

here are photos from last november, a few days before katrin celebrated her 30th birthday and rhea along with her husband and kid mio, left for australia. rhea now joins the other members of the lamoninc (pelpel, eden and janet) down under while katz and i will have to continue our now "not-so-perfect" journey here in the country.

here's us having some local desserts at cafe via mare in serendra. life's little pleasures which we think rhea would miss when she goes to australia. we headed to aldo afterwards to buy sunglasses for her, discount coupons courtesy of katz. we could not help but take photos, of course, knowing that it would be years before the three of us would all be together again.

God bless, rhea! may you and your family find true happiness and perfection in Australia.

bits and pieces

Random things that i would like to share before the year ends:

• Recently found out how cheap air fares are from clark via Cebu Pacific or Tiger Airways. A one-way ticket to Singapore can cost 6 USD only. If you include tax, total amount is still less than 2K. I have already booked a flight to Singapore for March 4 to 8, 2009. Oooops, I meant 2010.
• I have been bitten by the *travel and photography* COMBO BUGS once more (and I think they're not done yet...) Lately, all I can think of doing during the holidays is spend time at a place I have never been before, take my camera and tripod with me and shoot away until there's no more subject or enough light around for me to shoot. I have been imagining myself in Bolinao, Boracay, Nagsasa Cove and enjoying their breath-taking views as I try to capture a piece of that in photos. I'm daydreaming about gorgeous sunsets, sand dunes and low-tides, of waves crashing over rocks, of tranquil pools, water channels, white pebbles and blue skies.... Can anybody now take me to the beach?
• I'm excited for the coming new year. Not because of all the hope and the seemingly endless possibilities that it brings (you don't really need the turning of the year for that)...I'm just thinking of shooting fireworks during the eve. Hehe.
• I have a new mobile phone, people! Finally. It's not an iPhone but at least I can now easily open the inbox and restart the phone without having to wait a lifetime! For those of you who do not know, with my old phone, I had to wait 90 minutes before I can send or receive SMS after I restart. Horrible. The new one, Sony Ericsson's W205, has FM Radio, Bluetooth, a camera just like the one I had before but this performs so much better.
• I have discovered a few wonderful things in the realm of health and beauty. Well, actually... nothing in the realm of health. Just beauty. Here goes: Pantene's 3-minute miracle is SWEET. Very impressive and cheaper than getting yourself a powerdose in the salon. My hair felt really soft and became manageable once more after using it. Revlon's make-up line is on sale at 20% off! I had to buy quite a few things which I now LOVE. I have never had a red lipstick although I have often times heard that all girls should wear one. Revlon's Taste of New York lipstick seemed to suit me very well. During daytime, I prefer their Can Delight shade. I also got their Beyond Natural 2-way foundation as well as their Blush & Bronzer. Apologies if this seems needlessly kikay. I just love things that make me look pretty. If you're a lady, you know how it is, right?
• My laptop (Asus EEE PC) is dead once more. I was able to revive it after bringing it over to the ASUS Service Center in Megamall Bldg B 5th Floor. They wiped out all my data then restored the system. I thought that was the end of it. A few days after though, it died on me once more. What's happening? I wonder what I did wrong.
• Almost a week ago, my company held a "White Christmas" party at the Holiday Inn in Clark. I had been asked to host the event and I agreed. This would be my first time to formally host a corporate event and I was terrified. Countless nights were spent wondering how I would do as a host and I spent countless days at the mall trying to figure out what to wear during the event. It was during this time that I discovered Revlon and Pantene's 3-minute miracle, hehe.
• I accepted the hosting challenge knowing that I would learn from the experience and that help will come my way. Thank you to those who prayed with me & for me. Special thanks to GLOS who encouraged my by agreeing to become my co-host during the first part of the program. I ended up enjoying myself tremendously in the process, thanks to God who I know sustained me through it all.
• When I spoke to GRAM, one of those who agreed to co-host during the Bring Me section of the Wallem Christmas Party, she told me that she didn't really know why she agreed to help out. You see, GRAM said "yes" even before SHAS was able to finish asking her whether she would co-host during the party or not. If you ask me, that's God helping me out.
• Christmas is just three days from now. However, I have not really done anything special to prepare for this event. Having no accumulated VLs yet, I would have to come to the office until the 23rd. Not enough time for Christmas shopping, but I do hope to find time next week. Thankfully, the company has declared December 28-29 as holidays.
• JP sent this last month when I asked for a HUG. I thought that he would simply send an email with the words "HUG" but he decided to be a little more creative and sent this instead. He comes home the day before Christmas. Please pray for a safe flight and travelling mercies.

 *when i stretch my arms like this... HUG ME*

Capture My Heart Again

Spread wide in the arms of Christ

Is the LOVE that covers sin

No greater LOVE have I ever known

You considered me a FRIEND

Capture my HEART again.

Lyrics from "Your Love is Extravagant" by Casting Crowns