ValentiMes
Last night, my V-day plan did not include wine, roses, and romantic dinner for two, because, well, i didn't have a date. So, as part of the annual celebration, our family along with my titas held a potluck dinner for everyone who were dateless or just too lazy to get out. Wierd thing was, with the exception of my brother who was out with his friends, EVERYONE was there. Like my titas, titos, cousins, etc/ What? Twenty years later and EVERYONE was spending their Valentines night the same way? Something is very wrong with this picture.
But nonetheless, we stuffed ourselves with great food and Asti. And as part of the the singles V-day plan, Marsha decided to throw a drink-and-jam-party for all the single ladies (and boys) out there. I invited my friends but you know what? Most of them were on a date and I think I was the only one celebrating this alone! Oh well. But it was a blast. We drank and we jammed (hence the party title) and I really, really missed that.
I barely knew the people there as it was the first time I hung out with Marsha's friends and it was part of extend-my-friendship circle pact I made with myself when Jana and I were talking about how everyone knew everyone else in Manila and people tend to cling to their own comfort groups. She pointed out that it's not that the circle is small - but the people are. They don't make an effort to expand their network of friends and befriend those who are different from them. Notice that most of our association know each other from school, band scene or the movie scene. But she makes an effort to join different social groups like diving, jujitsu and god knows what else to do something different and meet new people. This girl has only been in this country for 3 years but she has triple the friends I have, all from different walks of life. So, I decided to be a lot more sociable and try things I've never done and hang out with people I didn't know.
And it paid off. I had such a great time because they were doing stuff we did in college. Bring out the guitar, play and sing. I remember most of our pictures during those days involved people on a banig with a guitar on hand. It was brought everywhere - Baguio, Puerto, Bora, and every other bench party we had (and even the friday night party at Jun's place during freshman year!). The Bora was one of the best as Nino and Fort and Dave free-jammed by the beach. The feeling wasn't a reminiscent one but more like a pang on why we had to stop doing this. It was so good back then, laze around and listen to the strings, sing on top of your lungs, with a beer on hand. Now, I guess due to time and distance (and lack of talented people) constraint, our meeting places has either been restaurants or bars in Makati.
Funny thing was when I said that Manila is small, I guess Manila is small, no matter who you meet and where you go. In my 5-hour stay there, I met a couple of people who knew some of my inner circle of friends. I guess I expected that because they are from the band scene but you just can't escape that. I met Mo, who apparently used to produce shows in KAFE in Katipunan (aaah! That dingy old place!),and a Carlos, who, earlier that day, met up with Rinka, Enzo and Zach. Tsk. tsk.
But nonetheless, we stuffed ourselves with great food and Asti. And as part of the the singles V-day plan, Marsha decided to throw a drink-and-jam-party for all the single ladies (and boys) out there. I invited my friends but you know what? Most of them were on a date and I think I was the only one celebrating this alone! Oh well. But it was a blast. We drank and we jammed (hence the party title) and I really, really missed that.
I barely knew the people there as it was the first time I hung out with Marsha's friends and it was part of extend-my-friendship circle pact I made with myself when Jana and I were talking about how everyone knew everyone else in Manila and people tend to cling to their own comfort groups. She pointed out that it's not that the circle is small - but the people are. They don't make an effort to expand their network of friends and befriend those who are different from them. Notice that most of our association know each other from school, band scene or the movie scene. But she makes an effort to join different social groups like diving, jujitsu and god knows what else to do something different and meet new people. This girl has only been in this country for 3 years but she has triple the friends I have, all from different walks of life. So, I decided to be a lot more sociable and try things I've never done and hang out with people I didn't know.
And it paid off. I had such a great time because they were doing stuff we did in college. Bring out the guitar, play and sing. I remember most of our pictures during those days involved people on a banig with a guitar on hand. It was brought everywhere - Baguio, Puerto, Bora, and every other bench party we had (and even the friday night party at Jun's place during freshman year!). The Bora was one of the best as Nino and Fort and Dave free-jammed by the beach. The feeling wasn't a reminiscent one but more like a pang on why we had to stop doing this. It was so good back then, laze around and listen to the strings, sing on top of your lungs, with a beer on hand. Now, I guess due to time and distance (and lack of talented people) constraint, our meeting places has either been restaurants or bars in Makati.
Funny thing was when I said that Manila is small, I guess Manila is small, no matter who you meet and where you go. In my 5-hour stay there, I met a couple of people who knew some of my inner circle of friends. I guess I expected that because they are from the band scene but you just can't escape that. I met Mo, who apparently used to produce shows in KAFE in Katipunan (aaah! That dingy old place!),and a Carlos, who, earlier that day, met up with Rinka, Enzo and Zach. Tsk. tsk.