The Week(NEVER)ends

Thursday:

HP Global Delivery Philippines Center held its quarterly Coffee Talk at the Makati Sports Club last May 24. I got to see my friends who are also working at HP like CL, Marien, Mhyko, Tupe, and others. Also, as a new hire at HP, I am required to join my fellow newbies in a dance presentation/competition where we showcased our hidden talents (or the lack of those).

After the said conference, our team in HP, Logistics and Warehouse Solutions (or Physical Distribution and Advanced Business Applications Programming) had a dinner at Dads/Saisaki/Kamayan in Glorietta. Again, as a new-hire, I experienced being on the hot seat as the "old" ones barged us with questions regarding our personal lives. Haha.

Friday:

One whole day of programming examination in SAP-ABAP.

Saturday:

I went to the office on a Saturday morning to have another practice for the dance the new hires will have to present on the SAP-ADSI Offsite at the Grande Island Resort in Subic, Zambales on the first two days of June. At 3:00pm, I readied myself to yet another weekend happening with my college friends.

Glenn arrived from Canada more than a week ago; to welcome his presence, May and Liz organized a Tagaytay Highlands getaway for the whole Barkadahan. Because of tight budget and busy schedules of most of the 01's, only eight of us showed up. Arpee, Glenn, Marien, and May met at the EEE Building and then went on the road to fetch me at Ortigas and Norman at Ayala (Jim was with Norman but he chose not to join us because of a last minute text message from one of his siblings). Danes and Liz came together to Tagaytay Rotonda where we met them a few minutes past midnight.

We bowled and attempted to swim at the Tagaytay Sports Club, dined and enjoyed (did we?) the live band at Cafe Lupe, had a road trip around the Cavite with Glenn's Land Cruiser's roof open, and then played and chatted and ate and slept all night long at Glenn's pad at Belle View.

Sunday:

As Arpee, Glenn, May, and Marien headed to attend a mass and have an early breakfast, I, Danes, Liz, and Norman indulged into the luxury of staying at Glenn's very comfy place. Preparing for a trip home, we decided to stop over the Hillside Tower where we munched a couple of french fries platters and took several pictures with the picturesque scenery behind us. We passed by Sta. Rosa for a late lunch and then headed straight home at around 4:00pm.

My two cute pamangkins (a niece - Teriz, and a nephew - Wacky) welcomed me home with tight hugs and kisses. They are having a vacation at our house until Teriz's schooling starts in June.

Monday:

Another work week starts... and will never end either.

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To see the Tagaytay images, visit Glenn's MULTIPLY account.

One Vote = My Voice

Exercising the right to vote is our only way to speak out our grievances against or admiration towards the current Philippine government. Yesterday, about 45 million Filipinos were given this chance to practice suffrage; according to the Commission on Elections, about 70-85% went out and casted their ballots.

As for me, I voted for 7 GO, 3 TU and 2 Independent senatoriables. I also elected Kabataan in the party-list polls. I hope you have done the same way, I mean, choosing the candidates your mind suggests and your heart dictates.

This is our right, enjoy it while it still lasts...

Moolah

I got my first pay from HP yesterday. Unfortunately, it's diminishing in a very fast rate, like an exponential decay...

chocobutternut! :D

That was Elma's text to me last night at exactly 11:40pm. She promised that if ever she would make sagot Argel, I will be the first one to know through a text message of Argel's favorite donut variant.

So I guess that's it, every 8th of each month, we can now greet them "Happy Nth Months-arry". Let's all pray for their new found love. Sana manlibre sila. Haha.

LGN

I was admitted to HP's Gold's Gym fitness program. The benefit came in perfect timing as the HP SAP-ADSI umbrella group (one of the two HP teams in San Miguel Propeties Center Ortigas) goes to Grande Island Resort in Subic, Zambales on June 1 and 2. I must look good naked (Ige's terminology) before that summer event.

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I watched Spider-Man 3 last night with my fellow new hires at Shangri-La Mall's Cineplex. Like its two prequels, the film is high-budgeted (advertised as the most expensive motion picture of all time) and overflowing with special effects. For me, it is the best of the three Spider-Man movies or even the best superhero movie ever. I admit that I am a huge fan of Spidey and his love story with MJ, that's why I was carried away by the dramas featured in the movie.

The third installment's storyline was the best of the three, not to mention the inclusion of three villains, tag-team fight scenes and unexpected twists. The conclusion was a combination of tragedy and happy-ending and my favorite director, Sam Raimi, lets us imagine our own final scene for the two protagonists.

I guess, it's all I can say so as not to spoil my readers who have not yet seen the movie.

*Do you recall the wrestling ring announcer in Spider-Man 1 and the obnoxious theatre usher in Spider-Man 2? He once again appeared in Spider-Man 3 as the Frenchman waiter/receptionist of Restaurant Constellation. He is none other than Bruce Campbell a.k.a. Ashley Williams of Sam Raimi's Evil Dead trilogy. He also appeared as Liam Neeson's alter-ego in Sam Raimi's Darkman. Haha. I am really a fan of Sam Raimi.

*Stan Lee, one of the two creators of Spider-Man, also had a cameo as the pedestrian who talked to Peter Parker in front of one of New York's theatres.

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On May 7, I, with 888 other ECE board passers, will be officially inducted to the Board of Electronics and Communications Engineers of the Philippines. The oath taking will be held at the Fiesta Pavilion of The Manila Hotel - that is why, the admission tickets are sold at a whopping PhP900 each.

From then on, call me Engineer Eustaquio, ECE # 39710...

...Signing On!!!