Sepanx.

(I know I hate that term but it accurately captures how I feel right now. What're you gonna do about it?)

I've been with my South friends again last weekend for the 3rd weekend in a row and all I can think about is how it'd be so much easier for everyone if I lived there. It's just such a hassle for everyone!

• One of my friends always picks me up somewhere: Ayala, Bicutan exit, Santana Grove, wherever!
• One of my friends has always been the designated driver to take me home safely, no matter what time it is, whether or not he has alcohol in his body and whether or not he's had any sleep prior to taking me home at 5 in the freakin' morning, after having spent the entire 24 hours running errands and drinking.
• Two of my friends accompany the designated driver, making sure he won't fall asleep while driving (they pass by C5 which is so dangerous at night, doesn't matter if the driver is drunk or not).

I always tell them that it's easier to just let me commute my way home than have them all go through the hassle of taking me home within 24 hours but they tell me they want me to be safe. It's the sweetest thing anyone could ever tell me but at the same time, I can't help but feel guilty. It's just so much to go through for a friend.

I feel really good whenever I'm with them, though. They spoil me rotten. Feels nice to be treated that way for a change.

Great friends are great.

Here's a list of how my grade school friends spoiled me rotten over the weekend.

• They were supposed to pick me up from Pasig then head to Tagaytay last Saturday. They're all from Paranaque.
• When I convinced them that I'd just meet up with them in Bicutan, one of them picked me up from the bus station, armed with an extra umbrella, because I forgot to bring mine.
• Same friend allowed me to smoke in his car because I told him I wanted to. Windows were closed because the rain was so strong. He is not a smoker.
• I called shotgun and no one disagreed with me, even that one friend who has polio and preferred sitting up front.
• They let me play hiphop music in the car the entire trip to Tagaytay. They all listen to party/dance music exclusively.
• They let me choose which of their hoodies I wanted to use.
• My friend who owns the house in Tagaytay asked us which bottle we wanted to open first. I said Jack. He gave us Jack.
• He also allowed me to play hiphop music in their house, even with all the adults there.
• One of our friends was supposed to head back home at 12mn because he had a basketball game the next day. He's a varsity player. He stayed because I asked him to.
• I told them it'd be great to have coffee - tea, in my case - first before we headed back to Manila the next day because I didn't want to go home yet. We went to that new Starbucks place there.
• They let me sit up front again.
• They brought me home to Pasig. We all didn't sleep the night before and they were all so sleepy...well, except the driver, though, because he took a nap early Sunday morning.

Very funny, Universe.

So, the Universe decided to throw something in this already weird mix of emotions I am having just in time for the last day of September. This surprise is good, too. Not as good as this one but good enough to make me more confused than I already am.

Not that I'm complaining, Universe, but these types of things really mess up my head, I probably will have to set-up a new blog for it...but I'm not gonna because I don't think whatever's going on in here is going to progress in any way.

Good thing about this, though, is that I didn't think of him the entire weekend.

17 solid years.

After I published that emo post with Jennifer Anniston, a friend from Sucat called me and asked if they could come over for a couple rounds of drinks and midnight snacks, claiming that if I can't go out to celebrate with them, they bring the celebration to me and I said yes right away. How could you say no to a very thoughtful gesture? I didn't realize, though, how many and HOW DRUNK they were until they were all in C5, asking for directions like mad men.

I didn't mind cooking gyoza at 1 o'clock in the morning. I didn't mind having everyone there, talking and laughing at the top of their lungs, with the family fast asleep. I didn't mind taking 5 straight shots right off the bat. I didn't mind drunkenly cleaning up after everyone has left (it rained when they arrived and can you just imagine how muddy our place has been). I didn't mind anything at all. 17 years of friendship with these people did that to me. I know they'd do the same for me, too.

Last Friday, my grade school friends and I "celebrated" our 10th year anniversary.

Yes, it has been 10 years since we all graduated from grade school and we decided to have a little get together since 2 of our friends flew in from overseas in time for our 10th year. Okay, one of them arrived last year for his OJT.

We decided to meet up in Boni High Street because we all wanted to see what Mercato was all about. Waited at Bo's 'til we're complete. When the last one of us arrived, we hung out a bit to gossip about Piolo Pascual (one of us is related to Piolo) and blame me for not inviting ANYONE from the group to Brianna's binyag.

The gang all caffeine-d up and ready for Mercato.

We then walked all the way to Mercato. Not an option I would've chosen but I don't have a car so...

At the first stoplight we came across.

At another stoplight where the ones who took the photo made the green light.

It wasn't that much a long walk to Mercato or maybe I was just enjoying the walk, I didn't notice how long it was. Mercato was not at all what I expected. It was hot and steamy and tight and not in a good way. The food was good, though. I just wish they added more seats to accommodate everyone. Good thing we found seats.

Yummy food!

Kaycee had to go home after Mercato because she wasn't feeling well. We, on the other hand, went to Kebab! Kebab! for some drinks.

Niko's planking fail.

While waiting for our table in Kebab! Kebab!

Alpo and Apple the balikbayan/bakasyonista.

Apple and Ren

Me with the Vicencios.

Angel and a bored Niko.

I really missed hanging out with these guys. We also missed a lot of people last Friday but this ain't the last. There's one more before August ends because the balikbayans are going back where they came from. Looking forward.

Note: Yes, I drank a couple of bottles because I read somewhere it's okay for breastfeeding moms to drink once in a while, just not to the point of intoxication and breastfeeding doesn't come right after the last bottle. It will be okay to breastfeed after a couple of hours, depending on the amount of alcohol consumed and the mom has sobered up fully.

Photos grabbed from Alfreanne Panganiban and Purple Pascual's Facebook pages.