10 years!

High School. What do I remember?

Like the rest, I can just say "high school is where I had my first love and first heartache" -- true, for me and for almost everyone I know. But for me it's more than that. It's perhaps in high school where I first experienced the first real failure when I didn't get the course I first had in mind, the first real success when I graduated and finalized the course that will dictate the career I'll have probably for the next 30 years, and the buckets of farewell tears when I had to bid goodbye to friends who had to move abroad, to my entire barkada who'll take up college in different schools (sounded really heavy, even though I knew that most will study just within Manila. haha!), and to my dear alma mater of course where I spent not only my high school, but also 12 years of my student life.

It's also in high school where I learned to build serious dreams: "I will study in ___", "I want to be a ___ ", "I want to marry ___ at the age of ___". I also remember saying "I will not frustrate my parents during college by not shifting courses, by not turning to vices and by not getting pregnant" (HAHA!), "I want to get my own place at the age of ___, to live independently or to live with ___ (insert any HS girlfriend's name here), then we will put up a ___ business...", etc etc. Oh how life seemed easy back then!

Looking back, just a few goals made it: 1. I graduated college without shifting courses (and yes without vices, and without getting pregnant! haha!) 2. I am happy with my career as a software programmer (DEVELOPER or ENGINEER, as a college prof corrected.) 3. I am now living independently, I live solo, I take care of everything on my own. I may be far from the rest - having their own families or own businesses, but I'd like to think I've also gone far, crossed out a few items in my list as my principles, dreams and priorities have changed.

I guess if there's one thing you can't change over time, it would be the friendship, your bond with your high school friends. My sister once told me that during college, you'd feel you have moved on by replacing these high school friends with new friends, demanding school work, and distance BUT once you get all the time back (plus your own money this time!) you'll find yourself re-bonding with the friends you left in high school, maybe even more frequent than your other friends. And I couldn't agree more!

I see my HS friends now at least 3x a year for birthday celebrations or plain coffee nights slash booze, plus around 2 out of town trips (considering I say no to some of these, due to time and budget constraints), plus the traditional themed Halloween and/or Christmas party. And when we're all together, we talk about the same kiddie topics - the rumors back in high school, the funny teachers, and the unforgettable incidents. Same stuff, really. But we never get tired of it!

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They say high school is the happiest period in one's life. I don't really agree with this - I think I was happy in college too, as much as I was happy in high school. Maybe too, I was happy at some points in my work life, as much as I was happy in high school and college. So you see, high school isn't really the happiEST. Or "happy" is an understatement. Perhaps High School is best described as the most unforgettable, the most life-defining, the most dramatic.

Back to present: I was surprised to see 40+ FB notifications in my mail in just a span of 1 hour. apparently, a batchmate just added me in our High School batch (CSA 2001) FB group, created for an upcoming 10th year reunion. 10th year!!! N years ago, when I hear anything about an alumni homecoming in CSA or what, I'd usually say I won't go - it just feels too early, "homecoming" sounds too old, it seems like you can't fit in any kind of reunion unless it's been years divisible by 10. right? right?! Goodness, now's the year I've been dreading to hear. THE 10th YEAR!!!!!

Reunion is on December 3, 2011, tentatively. everyone has been posting stuff in this group since it was created: some are excited, some have already expressed regret they can't come, some [those now living abroad] are hopeful it gets moved to a later date, some hope they get enough funds to fly home, some ask if they can bring their kid/s (KIDS!). Some are perhaps apathetic. It's been overwhelming at least for me, who wants to be a part of this rare event. Why, I might wait for another 10 years for the next reunion, right?! 

(Seriously... it's been 10 years?!?!?!?!)

HS Barkada Halloween Party 2010

Here's my last halloween thing for 2010, also my last backlog for October (I think. haha!):

After the halloween party in Haven for Children, I attended the halloween party with my HS friends. Originally it's a joint celebration for October and November celebrants, which ended up in an all-black themed halloween potluck party - with food (and party ideas) from EVERYONE. Everyone's just so active when it comes to halloween planning, perhaps coz it's been a tradition/reunion, which we've been doing almost every year since high school! If that was still a party of birthday celebrants (which includes ME by the way.) ...thanks then! haha!


The girls (liezl's in green - pasaway! tsk!) *


Everyone, minus Imma (tsk!) and the ppl abroad *


It was a night for comfort foods, booze and wii as always. But one thing I just realized - lately - each event brings big news. For September, two more babies were added in the barkada. And for last month (October), someone got engaged! (For the Nth time I'll say...) we really are getting old!

* - Pics from Dax. I grabbed them from fb, Dax. sorry! and thanks! haha!

Early BER fun stuff!

Backlogs backlogs...

Sep 25 - Outing at Lago de Oro, with my HS friends. Nothing to do, except wakeboarding and swimming (in the pool. Beach's dirty, but photogenic during sunset at least!). And perhaps pigging out with 'smuggled' food and booze, because there's corkage and food inside's really pricey!


Calatagan Sunset :)


group pic! a lot weren't able to come actually.

But I did enjoy this one. Not that I loved the wakeboarding experience okay! I never went beyond 3 meters, and muscle pain woke me up the next day. plus, the soil underneath felt gross, too squishy (I remember Roger saying, "Parang tae ng sheep!" haha!). gaaah! Wakeboarding sucks!!! I just loved the fact that finally I was able to try this famous adventure ...then realizing as early as now that this sport IS NOT FOR ME! Hahaha!

Oct 9 - Outing at Zambales, with Lou's family. I thought I'd be a party pooper, having slight fever from friday night to saturday afternoon, but no. Thanks to bioflu (hehe), I was able to swim, pigout, and bond with everyone (up till now I'm hoping I did not make any booboo for them to dislike me. Hehe)





We stayed at Canoe Resort, which was good - clean and not crowded (or maybe it's the rainy season). The weather wasn't good on our first day btw, so we weren't able to island-hop ..which I've been looking forward to. Good that the resort had a pool, and sunday's weather was good, I was able to enjoy night swimming, then the beach the next day! I LOVED the beach, the sand, and the landscape. That, plus the thought of island hopping, makes me want to go back! (Zambales, anyone?)

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Back in Manila... (yeah, by now, my skin's 2 shades darker!)

Last week, I was supposed to watch Eat Pray Love with the girls. But since I heard that it's dragging, Bev and I watched Petrang Kabayo instead. Very hilarious! One line I'll never forget: walang taong pangit. Depende lang yan sa katabi. hahaha!

AND finally, I'm slowly getting back the energy! The other night I attended a cycling class, after around 8 months of no gym, 4 months of no regular tennis, and perhaps 3 years of no cycling. So can you imagine?! It was really exhausting! I think I shed a bucket of sweat (haha!), I felt like I'll have a heart attack, then pass out anytime soon, but I just kept on going because I was in front, and Toby, the instructor, seemed so strict. I survived that 45 minutes of hell! But that really felt good afterwards! I'll definitely attend a cycling class at least once a week!!! (OT: I saw Venus Raj at the gym - very payatut and maitim, but wow she has sexy curves and she's prettier in personal!)

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Things I'm looking forward to, still in October:
(oh I really love ber months!)
- Chad's wedding
- Del's outreach program
- Halloween party with my HS friends, as the tradition goes :)
 

SUIT UP! (but no, it's not a high school dance)

A high school friend and I planned to meet up at my place this saturday to prep up (to bond, to have fun!) for our friend's wedding. Funny how we both thought of it as a high school thing — when you meet up with your "girlfriends" before a "huge" event, just so you could all dress up together, giggle, kill time by trying all makeup colors, and all those girly stuff. you know what I mean??? But just at the peak of our excitement, we realized, "Oh, wait a minute, this isn't a prom. it's a wedding. A WEDDING."

Gee. another omg-im-getting-old moment! Not that I think I'm too old already but, I just miss being young. hehehe.

Congratulations Rain and Mae!
 

Another christmas dinner, same old faces, plus plus...

Last night, I had the traditional christmas dinner with my high school friends at Red Kimono, Westgate (better late than never!). We didn't make reservations so we had to eat on two separate long tables (what?! haha!). kudos to the guys still, as there was a dinner, something I never organized for them, ever. not because I never wanted to, but because the boys are unusually more dominant and active, for over 10 years! hahaha!

This time though, the guys organized an exchange gift, and a christmas outing in Laguna after dinner, which I had to skip coz of a family get together the following day (aww. sorry. at least I had the dinner!).


me with HS friends,
plus partners, minus those abroad.
(thanks dax for this pic!)

As in the past few christmas dinners, there had to be a color rule, to wear either green or red this time. As expected, more people came in red! cute isn't it? cute that everyone obeys (except for queza. bad! tsk! haha), and cute that it's the guys who always come up with this rule.

And as always, our number grew again this year (I think). It's been like that, we're getting old, thus getting partners! haha! We used to fit in two 6-seater cafeteria tables, every lunch. I can't imagine how many tables we need after another decade!