Friday, December 31, 2004

Several nights after Christmas

What I like about Christmas is that it seems to be unending. This is especially true in the Philippines where the Yuletide season starts as soon as the "ber" months arrive and ends on January 6 to celebrate the visit of the Three Magis. Now that is one long season, isn't it?

This Christmas season is very memorable for me as a blogger because it was at this same month when I first opened my first blog Soft Grumbles. So, in a way, I am celebrating my first anniversary in this line of interest. One year of blogging and I am now friends with some of the most prolific writers in blogosphere, owners of the most sought after blogs in the county today. Who wouldn't know about the sites of The Sassy Lawyer or the famous medical journal of Doc Emer and of course, the very scientific explanations of Batjay on what would seem to be the most mundane of things to mortals like us?

But what really makes this Christmas season a very important one is that I got to meet with some of the bloggers in person! It started out at Batjay's house on the 22nd of this month where I first met with Belle and Sassy and got to experience Jet's fantastic tiramisu, pancit bihon and her mom's awesome "lengua" on white sauce.

And then it happened!

Last night, the party of all parties, the bloggers' Christmas party where each one of us finally became flesh and bones rather than mere obscure individuals on the internet came to fruition. Hosted by pinoyblog.com, the party was spearheaded by the animated plughost owner Yuga and Sassy who was joined by her hubby and children, at the Cabalen restaurant at Mega mall. It was a get together of some twentyish very interesting people, who are the who's who in blogdom. I first met up with master storyteller Bong K who graciously picked me up from the house. At Mega mall, we joined forces with Batjay and Jet at Tia Maria. We proceeded to Cabalen at exactly 7:00 pm. The bloggers arrived one at a time after that. Last to arrive was the good doctor and his special soulmate who seemed to be updated with everyone's blogs as she can relate to any topic that only the bloggers would have known. Obviously, she's been reading our blogs.

Although the food was not that spectacular, the company was. Since Toni who was supposed to provide the name tags for the event cancelled at the last moment, we were left to our own ingenuity by first using table napkins which later on developed to post-it stickers for name tags. Need I mention we looked pathetic which made me think the owners of Cabalen must be wondering if we had the ability to pay for dinner. Dinner was had with hearty laughter recalling who said what in his/her own blog and the like. Soon after, we exchanged gifts and thought that the night was still young at ten and decided to proceed to Starbucks at the Podium. There, we agreed to come up with several gimmicks for pinoyblog like giving awards for the best something. Unfortunately, as the cliche goes, good things also have to last. We called it quits at 1:00 am. It was truly a night to remember.

Let me see if I can stretch my failing recall and mention each one of the attendees. I'm leaving the posting of pictures with the others. I'm sure Batjay will have one.

There's that dashing lawyer, Marvin Aceron, the tall and as good looking as Giordano models Mari and Ajay, proud father Apol the great, Edu Manzano look alike, Watson, owner of pinayexpat,amiable AnP who just flew in from Germany with hubby and yes, her son, regular commenter Enya, sexy Mec who came in with a former student of mine (i started teaching very very young you see), the always elegant Joyce Jimenez, fresh graduate from La Salle, rocker Karla, soft spoken doctor and well-mannered Julsitos, enticing conversationalist Lorna Dahl and the mysterious Vixen lady.

So there, I hope I have remembered everyone. If I have missed out on anybody, please holler. Matanda na po ako e.

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

hi tito rolly! salamat sa description mo sa kin. medyo feel ko yata yung model hahaha, j/k. happy new year!

batjay said...

ako, di na ako nagbanggit ng mga pangalan tito rolly. sigurado may makakalimutan na naman ako. you know how my limited memory works. BWAHAHAHA...

happy new year. kita tayo sa 3

rolly said...

Mari Alam ko walang tatanggi diyan. Ag tumanggi babatukan ko, hehehe.

Yaps Had you been there, you would have been the youngest but we wouldn't have minded. It was such a fun gathering.

Batjay Siguro nga. Ako din pinilit ko ipicture yung pagkakaupo natin sa dinner kagabi. Mahirap nang makalimot. Bale practice ko na rin yan kasi baka I am prone to have alzheimer's disease someday like my mom e.

It was such a fun evening sharing it with you guys!

Dr. Emer said...

Happy New Year Tito Rolly! :) It was nice meeting with all of you --- face to face, finally --- last night. Hope we can still meet up before BatJay and BatJet fly to Singapore.

Dr. Emer said...

Hello tito rolly! I forgot to tell you, di ka naman pala mataba in person. Para kasing chubby ka sa pic sa blog mo e;) It was nice meeting you and all the other bloggers. Even though im not (yet) a blogger, im glad i went with doc emer to cabalen last night. Di ka pla masyado nasarapan sa food despite the "halo-halo?" Hmmm. Wish we could see each other again soon. Parang kulang kasi ang kwentuhan. We had to go to another party pa kasi kagabi. Di bale, meron pa namang next time. More power, Tito Rolly!

-- doc emer's soulmate:)

rolly said...

Doc Emer Sana nga magkita-kita uli tayo before Batjay and Jet leaves for Singapore.

Doc Emer's Soulmate This is your first time to comment on my blog. So, i think it is just proper that I welcome you to my little cyber nook. Nadaya ka lang ng black shirt ko. hehehe Mataba talaga ako. Pero just the same, thanks a lot. Hope we can all meet again soon.

Jet said...

To kinder Gods and fiercer loves, to brief jealousies and even shorter griefs, to wine, to tea, to sunsets and coffee, to family, friends and country! Joyous cheers to the coming year!

joyce said...

sir, thank you for the kind description...hehehe...enjoy ako!!! naisabay ko pa pauwi sina ajay, watson and yuga :) parang bitin pa nga yung kwentuhan namin eh!

celia kusinera said...

Happy New Year Tito Rolly! I'm so delighted to hear you all had a great time at the party. Cheers!

Tanggero said...

kainggit!!!

ajay said...

Tito...am so happy I finally got to meet you. Truly, you are as fascinating in person as you are in your blog. I hope we still get to meet, food trip and whatever with the rest of the bloggers..special mention si joyce kasi siya ang sexy chauffeur namin that evening, haha. Happy New Year!

JMom said...

Happy New Year to you and your family! It looks like you guys had a great time at the party. Ingit ako...

lornadahl said...

Hi, Tito Rolly! It was great to meet you! How's your New Year?

1 am na pala tayo natapos? I lost track! Hahaha.

Marvin Aceron said...

Happy new year Tito Rolly! Nice meeting you guys. WHo you're calling dashing? he he he salamat.

Marvin Aceron said...

Happy new year Tito Rolly! Nice meeting you guys. WHo you're calling dashing? he he he salamat.

BongK said...

happy new year ka Rolly! sa uulitin muli...

ting-aling said...

Happy New Year Tito Rolly. Na speechless ako doon sa mga pictures niyo. "Inggit" was a better term. But looks like you guys really had a good time.

Apol said...

have just arrived home from pangasinan...

happy new year tito rolly! it was realy nice meeting you and the rest of the guys. sana'y maulit muli :)

Mec said...

Tito Rolly!!!

nice meeting you!!!

and like what jet kept saying all night... what a small world talaga no!!!

Jojo and I have decided that IF we're having a reception/the usual wedding after all (as opposed to a small 60-pax wedding, as we're poor), we'd invite you along so you can see your former students and know what lives they're leading now...

anyway, here's to more gimiks with you guys!!!

Toni said...

So sorry for cancelling. :( Didn't mean for you guys to look pathetic with the table napkins and stuff. I'm happy you had a blast anyway! :)

rolly said...

I didn't realize this comment box had grown on me. Allow me to respond to your comments in a reverse thread for a change.

toni I hope you didn't feel bad about my having said we looked pathetic. No, that was just something I said to sound funny. Now, I regret having written that. It didn't sound good somehow. Especially when I kidded you about it last night. I hope you just took it for what it was, a joke. :-(

And I wouldn't have forgiven myself if I hadn't gone last night. It was another night to remember. Enjoyed your company tremendously.

rolly said...

Mec Aha, so you guys are planning to get married. That's nice. Sige, just give me the time and place and I'll be there. Tell it to me way in advance para makapag-ipon ng pang-gift. hehehe

Apol Sana hindi ka natraffic sa North Diversion Road. Bwisit parati traffic dun pamula Malinta.

Tingaling I have to thank you kasi it was you who alerted me of that christmas party. Next year, sana maka-uwi ka no? I'm sure we're having a repeat.

Bong K Happy New Year din sayo...

rolly said...

Marvin aha, the dashing lawyer. Oo naman, ikaw yun no. Welcome to my little corner in cyberspace.

Lornadahl It was great meeting you, too. The night was lovely sharing the table with you. Okay naman New Year ko. Maraming napanood na fireworks.

Jmom Happy New Year to you, too. Like Tingaling, I hope you guys can come home next year for the next get together.

rolly said...

Marvin aha, the dashing lawyer. Oo naman, ikaw yun no. Welcome to my little corner in cyberspace.

Lornadahl It was great meeting you, too. The night was lovely sharing the table with you. Okay naman New Year ko. Maraming napanood na fireworks.

Jmom Happy New Year to you, too. Like Tingaling, I hope you guys can come home next year for the next get together.

rolly said...

Ajay And I'm glad to have met you finally, too. Ang galing ano? It was the first time for all of us to meet each other but we clicked alright as if we've been friends for quite a long time. One of these days, let's meet at a restaurant and have an eating spree. Just give me time to lower my sugar level first, ha.

Bayi Thanks for the update. And thanks to you, both of them are having a good showing at the polls. We're blessed to have you with us.

Tanggero Sorry, uwi ka kasi no, hehe

Celia Kusinera Ikaw din, uwi ka na dito to spend some time with us.

Jet Ang unique mo namang bumati ng Happy New Year. hehe Sa lahat ng sinabi mo, same to you. CAn't wait to see you again, soon.

Toni said...

*LOL* Well, I did feel guilty when you posted that but no hard feelings! And no worries about last nite too! :) Great to have finally met you, Tito R! Sa uulitin! Another round of Pata Tim perhaps? Hehehe.

cathy said...

i know i left a message some days ago or my dementia is acting up again.
just to thank u for those nice words about me at the purple girl's "interruptions". Titorolly, huwag tayong magsama sa party, kabag ang aabutin nila.