Saturday, December 22, 2007

A post-script to a long evening

'What ifs' seem to be a recurring theme in my life. As much as I dislike indulging in thoughts that ultimately will result to nothing (kaya nga what if, eh), I can't seem to avoid triggers that send me off in that direction.

The sad thing about the 'what ifs' in my head is that they're all actually quite logical and plausible. It's usually just a matter of being at the wrong place/wrong time, with the wrong guy (haha).

But fate does smile on star-crossed misfits sometimes, and I found myself in a rather unusual situation where I was forced to look at a what if straight in the eye.

And then you suddenly just know that it's time to let go. It was, as you succinctly put it, how our story was going to end. It's nice to know that happy endings do exist even for what ifs. :-)

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Buzzed thrice in one night (a series of Christmas parties)

It's been a long December and free drinks are always welcome respite. But hopping from one place to another around the Makati-Taguig area can be an absolute nightmare, one that I surprisingly braved that night.

So from the yummy lechon (roast suckling pig) at the Liquid Post party at Mile Long, to the all night drinking at Porcelain, a quick drive to "Ladies Night" at saGuijo and back to more drinking and lechon at Liquid Post more than made up for the madness of end 2007.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

We finally did.


saGuijo café, dec. 12. photo by dan gil.


Wednesday, December 05, 2007

NU Rock Awards 2007

Screw the curfew. Hail Boni Day!

After the half-assed takeover at The Pen and the government's media overkill, I was looking forward to just having beers, watching a few bands, and catching up with old friends. I successfully did all.


20 years, and still counting!


Rep. RA "Mark" Rivera


Ely and the DJs.


Backstage photo ops.


Hilera, Best New Artist.


Red Horse Extra Strong Beer, the night's sponsor.


Raimund works the crowd.

Sunday, December 02, 2007

Pitch in the time of Trillanes.

I've been meaning to write this entry but never really found the time to do so (what else is new?).  I was caught up in week-long pitch preparations and it's been one of the most grueling pitches I've been on because (1) I just came back from Singapore and had to catch up on the work; and (2) it was a major must-win one. The pressure was both regional and local in nature but whichever way you look at it, I was fortunate enough to have experienced some form of mentoring from P, our regional planning director, who's been stewarding brands for this account for five years. 

Pitch day didn't start out promising. The weather was terrible and we had a pretty good chance of getting rained (or flooded in). D, our group account director was already checking with the client if they would like to have the pitch over at the office (their office was located in an area that transforms itself into the Pasig River whenever it poured).

Ever the optimist, I felt good. Despite some last minute birthing pains and with only five hours of sleep had in two days, I was pretty wired (must have been the mugfuls of coffee I drank like water that entire week).  The presentation went well, clients were laughing with us and seemed to enjoy the whole thing. They loved the strategy, and the work was fun and straightforward. Of course, whilst all this was happening, unbeknownst to us, Sen. Trillanes and his band of renegade soldiers walked out of his hearing and marched on Ayala towards The Peninsula (talk about a PR nightmare!). The regional clients were billeted at The Pen and I'm not sure if they actually sat through the other agency's presentation that afternoon.

Sen. Trillanes had my sympathy during the Oakwood mutiny (never mind that I wasn't able to celebrate my birthday in 2003 as a result of their takeover) because he came across as a young, idealistic solider who was earnest to expose corruption in the government. He was elected to the Senate without the same political machinery as most running officials have, a sign that people were looking for new faces in government that they could trust. Unfortunately, it is an opportunity and privilege that he misused. Pucha naman, you could have made all the changes in the world as a senator, and you pulled off the same, cheap old trick? 

I went home that day dazed and satiated from the delicious, well-deserved lunch that our team leisurely enjoyed. I slept on the couch with the television on, unmindful of the updates about the revolt. When I woke up, the President has declared a curfew and the media covering the event were arrested. 

Naghihintay sa susunod na kabanata. Alas-nuwebe ng gabi, Maynila.