The year that was...

Finally bidding 2008 adios. Adieu. When I look back on what transpired during the past year, I am amazed at myself on how I’ve made it through the toughest challenges of my life. Most of the time, I was busy spilling my guts out as I rode on emotional rollercoaster rides again and again. And because of painful experiences, some parts are a blur. I only remember bits and pieces of this and that.

All in all, 2008 was “carry lang.” Not very fruitful, in terms of work and rakets. Very much abundant in outlook-altering events.

My 29^th and my very 1^st McDonald’s party. Where only my truest of friends attended. The others can give me their excuses, but I really don’t give a shit.

French 1 class of UP Diliman

I learned French! C’est magnifique! And in the process, I have gained new friends.

French 2 class of UP Diliman

I gave something back to my highschool alma mater. My time and my knowledge.

Radio workshop at Holy Family School, conducted by me and my besty, Len.

I flirted, and since for a time I was single, I was free to flirt carelessly and fearlessly. The most exciting part was when they flirted back.

I went through a wrecking breakup. Which was an eye-opener, so I don’t really regret it or any of the events that followed. True friends came to the rescue. New people came into the picture. Several realizations, of which the biggest is this: My dad is my strongest, fiercest, most loyal ally.

I traveled! Hopped into a plane (and a ferry) many times this year.

Shanghai, China...

Mactan, Cebu...

Bohol...

I have a billboard! No, I am not ON it, but my words are. Conceptualized Aescultura’s newest billboard. Become better than beautiful.

I fell in-love with photography. Completed a photo workshop. Managed to take great shots this year. Rewarded myself with a new camera.

Maximizing your point and shoot photo workshop by Michelle Morelos and Arvin Yason.

Tagaytay. Photography by Anne Asis.

I officially became a businesswoman, with the birth of our very own events company – Events At Play Events + Prod. Inc. Powered by a dynamic team. With three projects accomplished since we started in September. Go Team EAP!

We got back together.

They say all relationships go through one major drama. If you get past it, you’re good. Here we are now. We made it.

I am blessed with so much. So much, indeed!

Not really sorry to see the old year leave. I’m quite excited to usher in 2009. Crossing my fingers, hoping and praying that it will be a better year. Here’s to more joy, love and laughter, friendship and togetherness, bountiful blessings for ’09. I’m turning 30, too! Here’s to an older but better, more learned, stronger and more f*cking gorgeous Anne in ’09!

Happy New Year!

These are a few of my favorite things...

...people, actually. My buddy Jada brought her daughter to work today. And as always, my face lit up as soon as Izbel stepped inside the booth. What we always do when we're together? Put on some make-up and pose for the cam. My boyfriend says we're like Harry Potter and Sirius Black. Quite true. Only more fabulous! :)



On Friday, I'm treating my fave little girl (and her mom, too, of course) to burger, fries and shake at McDonald's. See you, Izbel!

:)

Senti...

Photography by Edward Oliver

This is our 9th Christmas together. We've been through so much. Good times. Bad times. And we always end up in each other's arms.

Loved. Blessed. Thankful.

Become Better than Beautiful!

On my way to work this afternoon, I passed by Quezon Avenue. When I got near McDonald's, I caught glimpse of the new Aescultura billboard. And my heart jumped in excitement. Ako gumawa nun! Yey!

Well, not the graphics of course. But I was the one who wrote the content! "Become Better than Beautiful. Better Prices. Best Doctors. Beyond your expectations."

I instantly called my buddy Jada and told her the good news. She delightedly shared my excitement and enthusiasm. Jada was the one who recommended me to the doctors of Aescultura when they were looking for someone to help them with their billboard. Thanks for your faith in me, mare!

I'll try to take a picture of it and post it here. Meantime, if you happen to pass by McDonald's Quezon Ave., don't forget to look at the Aescultura billboard, with Kristine Hermosa looking like a fairy goddess in green. Ako gumawa nun!

:)

Random Thoughts

The sound of fireworks woke me up at 5:30 am. I covered my head with a pillow, trying to lull myself back to dreamland. But it was no use. I was awake. I wondered what the fireworks were for anyway. Last day of simbang gabi? Diba tomorrow pa yun? I wanted to attend that one. I'm going to ask Honey if he's up for it.

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Excited about our little Christmas Project, Honey and I. We've planned this years ago. We're finally doing it now! That's probably why my body was up and about before the sun rose. It wants to head to the grocery early, buy some candies and cookies and some colorful sandwich bags and ribbon, start packing the goodies and become Mrs. Santa for a day.

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Missing my friends.

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I think as you get older, you get busier during the Holiday season. That's what I've noticed. The past few Christmases, I was so busy that I had to do my shopping last minute, like a week before the 25th. Now its even worse. I haven't done any shopping yet! Oh dear...

I was able to buy my new camera already. And my dad already got me the JBL Radial I wanted. (Thanks Daddy! Love ya love ya!) But I haven't gotten anyone anything yet. I think I need to cram that all in today, since I'm skipping work.

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Speaking of work, I'm missing my partner already! Rye!!!!!! Just the thought of us parting ways soon makes my heart break again and again. Now some may think I'm being overly dramatic. The thing is, we've been partners for four years already. So ending the tandem now, with no good reason behind it at all!, is just depressing. Imagine breaking Chico and Del apart. You get what I mean?

Welcome home, sweetheart!

Anne to Alvin: Can I kiss you plenty pag nagkita tayo? Tight embrace while you show me your pictures?

Alvin to Anne: Of course baby ko. I'll lay my head gently over your shoulder and kiss you too.

He was away for three days. Went to Boracay with the family to attend a wedding. We missed each other. Imagine what it'll be like if we were apart for a week. Or longer. Go figure.

:)

I am heartbroken...

...and once again I find myself crying in the car while driving.

It's like going through another breakup. Not our doing. We didn't have a choice. He tells me, "Let's just see." If it doesn't work out, we can get back together again. Maybe. I don't know.

What I do know is that I'm miserable. What's going to happen now? For so long, it has always been me and him. Him and me. A trademark. A package deal. A tag team. A tandem. We jive. We connect. Our voices blend. Our characters match. Our personalities fit. Now it's just going to be me. It's just going to be him. On opposite ends of the day. No more us. No more dynamic duo.

My heart breaks.

The show will go on. But the music will never be the same again.

Wave 891's Beauty and the Beast

December 16 at the Makati Sports Complex.

For this year's TRPI Network Party, the theme was Disney Movies. And so Wave 891 presented a fantastic version of Beauty and the Beast.



The Main Cast:
Eri - Handsome Prince
Jerome - Beast
Monique - Princess Belle
Anne - Peasant Belle
Jimmy Muna - Gaston
Janice - Mrs. Potts
James - Cogsworth
Marlon - Lumiere





And look who both bagged Best in Costume awards!



The Peasant Belle and the Princess Belle. Yey! :)

We were only 1st runner up. But we had a blast performing, and we all bonded together, so that was good enough for us. And Wave 891 had the pinaka-bongga presentation! Hurray for Wave 891! :)

More pics here.

Goin' Techie!

No girlie gifts for me this Christmas. I got my sights set on two awesome gizmos for Yuletide '08. First, what I want my parents to give me. I already made lambing to my dad to buy me this, and he said yes! Yey!



The JBL Radial speakers for my Ipod. I can already imagine this on my headboard. I can see myself, lying in bed, reading a book while listening to some Michael Buble or Starbucks Collection tracks. Nice!

Now, what I'm getting for myself is this...



The Canon SX10 IS. I was thinking of getting an SLR, but I might not be able to fully enjoy it as I do not have enough patience for numeric settings and combinations. So I'll settle for a point and shoot. On Wednesday, Honey and I are heading to Quiapo to get this gadget that I've been wanting to buy for the longest time. Can't wait!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... :)

Congrats Team EAP!

The Underground Extreme elimination night is finally done. Even if we weren't able to gather our targeted number of schools, the event was still a success!

Congratulations to the people who labored, sweated and stressed over this project: the people of Events at Play, Inc.



Alvin, Adie, Len, Anthony and myself.

Our third project, and our biggest one this year. Congrats to us! Let's celebrate! :)

Pics to be posted soon. Ate Vida, send mo na ha! :)

The element of Surprise!

The reason why I love giving gifts to people is I find so much happiness in seeing their surprised faces once they've opened the present, or even before opening, if your gift caught them unaware. The element of surprise.

Which made me think, now that we're talking about it. When was the last time I got a surprise? Aeons ago, I believe. Most of the time I'm the one giving out the gifts and surprises, to others and to myself. Probably because I was raised to be a bit more independent than the usual, even if I live with my folks. I buy my own clothes and shoes. I buy my own stuff. I bought my own cellphone, Ipod, laptop. I bought my own car. Heck, I even threw my own surprise birthday party this year, and surprised everyone who thought it was a surprise! And although this gives you a strong sense of freedom and fulfillment, sometimes you wish you could be the one at the receiving end, too. It would be nice to be the one holding the gift from time to time, with that look of happiness, excitement and surprise on my face. All this Holiday frenzy reminds me that I'm gonna wear my Santa Hat again and spread the elements of cheer and surprise with my sack of goodies. I'm not complaining. Just wishing that another Santa would come down my chimney, too.

Hmm.. I think I'm gonna buy me something special this Christmas. Sshh.. It's a surprise! Don't tell!

:)

Everyone should have a NOTEBOOK!

It is absolutely impossible for anyone to remember everything that needs to be done without writing it down. You need a NOTEBOOK. My dad told me this years ago when I was working as a College Registrar in our family-owned business. And you know what, it works! So trust me, even if you think you can manage without writing things down, YOU CAN'T.

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Stressed to the maximum level! With all the preparations for Underground Extreme, plus the darn Network Party presentation, I am drained to the last drop. Add to that the irritation and disappointment when things you want done are either not accomplished or not done right. Grrr!!!! I can't wait for the year to end. Please, please....SAVE ME!!!!

Props to women who are strong enough to go...

I don't think I want this anymore,
As she drops the ring to the floor.
She says to herself, "You've left before,
This time you will stay gone, that's for sure."

Normally this would be
The time that she
Would let him talk her out of leaving,
But this time, without crying,
As she got into her car, she said,

"No 'Happily Never After'
That just ain't for me.
Because finally,
I know I deserve better,
after all I'll never let another teardrop fall."

As she drove away she starts to smile,
Realized she hadn't for a while.
No destination, she drove for miles
Wondering why she stayed in such denial.

She inhales a breath she'd never breathed before,
Don't want no drama no more.

- Happily Never After, Nicole Scherzinger

I got the sniffles! :(

Sick and kawawa. Why do I always get sick pag malapit na mag-Underground? I was supposed to host the first Underground event with my partner Rye two years ago. Then I got sick about two days before the event, and I never made it. Now, with Underground Extreme just three days away, I'm sick...again!?!

Darn.

No! I shall not be absent this time. Burning fever or not, I will be there on December 10! (with a haughting, stubborn expression on my face.)

Punta kayo ha. It's EAP's big event. Giggle...snifff...giggle. :)

I won't take no crap from you, life!

People deal with life's crap differently. Some eat. Some don't eat. Some drink. Some drink too much. Some go out. Some hide in their shells. Others shop! And shopping is definitely a wonderful therapy.

And so on a crappy Thursday, I SPEND! After my dubbing, I went to my favorite sanctuary, with its bright interiors and its classic Christmas music - The Podium. I treated myself to a good lunch of mushroom salad and minestrone at Sugarnot, two new maxi dresses, one chic sundress, and two new tubes of lip gloss. I love it!

So when life isn't so nice, I compensate by loving me a little more. Next time, SHOES!

:)

I passed French 2!

Yey! Yey! Yey!

Our techer Cinddi texted me the other night with the good news. All fourteen of us passed the exams! (Just fourteen because Daddy Elpi wasn't able to take the test, and he doesn't need to anyway because his French is darn good already. Hehehe)

So come January, the Department of European Languages of UP Diliman can expect another mass enrollment for French 3. C'est incroyable! Can't wait!

:)

At nagsama-sama ang magaganda!

Diba naman?

Dinner at the new Central along Pioneer. I swear mas mura talaga doon sa old Central. 7 pesos lang yung rice doon. Now, 15 pesos na sa bagong Central. Pero in fairness, matagal na yun. Madami na nga namang nangyari since the last time we ate at the old place. Sabi nga ni Jeje, naging president na si Obama. Nagkaroon na ng rice crisis. Nagkahiwalay na si Ding Dong at Karylle. Hehehe. Marami pang iba na nagkahiwalay at nagkabalikan. Yun naman!



Whatever life throws at us, the most important things are:

1. Magkakasama pa rin ang magkakaibigan
2. Magaganda pa rin tayo
3. Magtawanan na lang forever!



Galak na galak! :)

Tara, inuman ulit!

Updates...

Gas prices have gone down by 5 pesos this week, can you imagine that! Now the price per liter of Shell V Power is just P37.85! Hurrah! For my 500 pesos, I now get about 13.++ liters, compared to the 10.++ last week. What a blessing! And just in time for Christmas, too.

Now I know a lot of people are still not happy about this, thinking the gas companies could do better in bringing the rates down. Bahala sila. You won't hear me complaining. Basta ako, I'M GLAD AND THANKFUL. :)

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I'm buying me a new camera this month. A Canon SX10 IS. Can't wait! I've been wanting to do some practice shots for the longest time. Nakakahiya kasi minsan with my simple digicam. Soon as I get my new gadget, I'm gonna shoot like there's no tomorrow. Hehehe. Hey, practice makes perfect, right?

My beau Alvin and I are a duo of novice photographers. We haven't added much to our site since our Bohol trip. Hopefully, we can share more photographs soon. Sana dumating na yung camera mo, Babe. :)

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Now that I'm done with my French 2 course, I feel like I should start learning something new again. French 3 doesn't start until January. I was thinking of enrolling in a Web Designing course, or Graphic Design. I've always wanted to learn Photoshop, and I don't just mean knowing how to edit photos. I want to be able to create nice ads or artwork. I want to do something creative and productive. Any suggestions?

Wave 891 TVC Shoot

November 23, White Avenue in Tomas Morato.

We sacrificed one Sunday to finally shoot our TVC. After 48 years! Hehehe...







Best effort to look genuinely HipHop/R&B. But the one thing we did so effortlessly that day was laugh, drink, bond and have a BLAST!



The Wave 891 TVC will be launched next month. Watch out for it! More pics here.

Usapan ng magkasintahan...

I was going to buy me a kitten I haven't seen yet, and excitedly planned to call it Sirius Black, after my fave Harry Potter character. But when I saw the picture, he didn't look like a Sirius Black at all. I was crestfallen.

Anne to Alvin: (wailing) Honey, this kitten doesn't look like Sirius Black at all!
Alvin to Anne: (amused) Honey, Sirius Black is not a cat.

Onganaman.

:)

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Then he calls me Baby Gurr... like before.

And I melt away.

Told you so!

How many times should you tell your partner you love her?

The answer?

Before someone else does.

I thought I'd told you...

Oh Edward...

...I am unconditionally and irrevocably in-love with you.

Experiencing Bohol!

Our Bohol trip finally pushed through, and despite a harrowing start (we missed our plane, rerouted to Cebu and took the ferry), we had a wonderful vacation.



Hon and I stayed at Bohol Beach Club. We hired a car and tour guide (courtesy of Mr. Gerry Lugod) and marveled at the lovely sights of the island. I finally saw a tarsier up close! (I only saw pictures of these furry creatures in History and Sibika books.)



And I got to see the famous Chocolate Hills!



We experienced almost everything there is to be seen, tried and tasted in Bohol. The floating restaurants along Loboc River, the old churches and museums, the Blood Compact Site, the famous Bohol Bee Farm with its organic palate pleasures, the sea with its powder-fine sand and starfish treasures! Saya!


The Baclayon Church, one of the oldest stone churches in the Philippines.


Inside Baclayon Church.


The man-made forests.


Bohol Bee Farm holds organic wonders aplenty!


Cultural entertainment along the Loboc River.


The Blood Compact Site.

If, like me and my beau, you wish to escape from the stresses of the city, find some peace and quiet, and the perfect shots for the photographer in you, then Bohol is one of the most perfect destinations.



Balik sa Bohol, balik!

More pics here!