2013 in photos

New Year's Day/Exchange gifts | Tejada Banner Residence, Sucat | January 1, 2013

BonoSoc Tagaytay Getaway | Cruz Jestra Residence, Tagaytay | January 12, 2013

LR19 Get-Together | Krocodile Grille/Capriciossa Greenbelt, Makati | January 16, 2013

Jasmine Kate's First Birthday | Fun Ranch Tiendesitas, Ortigas | February 3, 2013

Brianna's Second Birthday | Tejada Ahlen Residence, Pasig | February 5, 2013

Kat's 25st Birthday Celebration | Beers Paradise, Makati | February 16, 2013

Job's Seventh Birthday | Mercedes Village, Pasig | February 24, 2013

Good Friday | Manila Ocean Park, Manila | March 29, 2013

Get-together at Lola Purita's Wake | La Funeraria Paz, Manila Memorial Park, Sucat | April 6, 2013

Welcome Home, Enzo Party | Declaro BF Residence, Paranaque | April 7, 2013

National Geographic Earth Day Run | Fort Bonifacio | April 28, 2013

Father's Break from the Seminary | Tejada Ahlen Residence, Pasig | May 11, 2013

Mother's Day Weekend | Pansol, Laguna | May 11-12, 2013

Mama's 51st Birthday | Richmonde Hotel, Ortigas | May 17, 2013

Tatay's 80th Birthday | Fortezza Party Place, Novaliches | May 18, 2013

Brianna's Second Christian Birthday | Tejada Ahlen Residence, Pasig | May 28, 2013

DLSU-AdMU Benefit Game | Mall of Asia Arena, Manila | June 2, 2013

Enzo's Christening | Our Lady of Peace Parish, Sucat | June 15, 2013

Tatay's 50th Birthday Celebration | Subic Freeport Zone, Olongapo | June 29-30, 2013

Tatay's 50th Birthday Dinner | Claw Daddy, Shangri-La Mall, Mandaluyong | July 2, 2013

Declaro Kids' Recital | 19 East, Paranaque | July 7, 2013

Trip to Ark Avilon Zoo | Ark Avilon Zoo Tiendesitas, Ortigas | August 12, 2013

Oplan Balik-Alindog Kick-off | Declaro BF Residence, Paranaque | September 2, 2013

LR19 Invades the South | NLOS, BF Paranaque | September 6, 2013

Birthday Celebration with LH Friends | Tejada Ahlen Residence, Pasig | September 13, 2013

Birthday Salubong | Tides, Pasig | September 14, 2013

Rich's 25th Birthday Celebration | Santos Tagaytay Residence, Tagaytay | September 28, 2013

JaButch Engagement Party | Orola Better Living Residence, Bicutan | October 11, 2013

Nanay's 79th Birthday | Serrano Capri Residence, Novaliches | October 15, 2013

Ren's 25th Birthday Celebration | Panganiban Casa Residence, Sucat | October 19, 2013

Trick or Treat | Tiendesitas, Ortigas | October 26, 2013

Declaro Kids' Recital | Bowler Bar, Makati | October 26, 2013

Mega Style Series | Prive, Fort Bonifacio | October 29, 2013

Undas 2013 | Fontana Leisure Parks, Clark, Pampanga | November 2-3, 2013

Niko and Janelle Birthday Celebration | Orola Better Living Residence, Bicutan | November 9, 2013

Ghetto Night | Tejada Ahlen Residence, Pasig | November 25, 2013

Jan's 19th Birthday Celebration | Tagaytay City | December 7-8, 2013

Welcome Home, Apple Inuman | Tejada Ahlen Residence, Pasig | December 13, 2013

LH Batch 2001 Christmas Party | Santos Valley 1 Residence, Sucat | December 20, 2013

Nanay's Wake | La Funeraria de Novaliches, Novaliches | December 24-28, 2013

Nanay's Libing | Holy Cross Memorial Park, Novaliches | December 29, 2013

(After posting all these here, I realized that I don't take that much photos anymore. There are a lot of things I've done this year that aren't in this post but I guess that's what Twitter and this blog is for. Happy New Year!)

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.

Good.

If you told me last month that there are actual nice guys who wouldn't take advantage of a poor girl with huge self-esteem issues, I wouldn't have believed you.

Enter actual Mr. Nice Guy-who-I've-known-for-most-of-my-life-but-just-got-to-hung-out-with-these-past-few-months.

Mind. Effin. Blown.

Seriously.

Last weekend's Murtaugh List additions

• Drink without eating dinner
• 2 consecutive tequila shots after finishing a liter of Jack Daniels
• 2 whole packs of cigarette in a day
• Sleeping the whole damn day after a drinking session
• Puking bile without wincing
• Watch the UAAP Finals while nursing a massive hangover
• Sleeping on the gutter while my friends take photos
• Have someone carry me from the gutter to the bed/sofa (but I'm really thankful he did because I can't even bring myself to sit up when he asked me to)
• Remember what the hell happened after those kinds of drunken nights

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.

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.