Merry Christmas

It is officially the 24th of December.

As I write this blog, I can only imagine the hustle and bustle of the going ons in Manila. Gifts already wrapped and ready to be placed under the big tree in Magallanes (where my uncle resides and where everybody gathers for Christmas eve). Children running around. Food getting prepared. Everybody donning on their best slippers on (my father side of the family rarely dress up for occasions, the more comfortable you can be, the better!). I can see clearly how Achi Pean tries to gather everybody, to have them seated and get their food. I can see Achi Girlie trying to catch up with the kids when they try to get the presents and open them way to early. I can also see Pao-pao in his small chair having his dinner, or Philippe running up and down the stairs and Ally trying to catch up. While the older ones are seated by the dinning room or the living room talking business or people from work (their own version of gossip). Speaking of gossips, yes families gossip. Mine included. Even if its only Di-ko who's the last remaining sister in the Philippines, the brother do gossip.

On the other side of the globe, here in cold wet New York. It's the quiet before the storm. Jen will just have gotten back from work. Everybody else has fallen fast asleep. And me, here, reading through blog entries and writing one. New York will pretty be much the same. By noon tomorrow, Jen will be busy in the kitchen with Horacio cooking. I'd be trying to help out by setting up the table and doing last minute groceries. Friends and relatives will be dropping by late in the afternoon for Christmas eve dinner. Gifts will be exchanged. And for some, midnight mass to attend. All the hustle without kids running around and a big Christmas tree. My apartment is just too small to handle a tree plus people coming over for dinner.

Two cities apart by hours. Two cities celebrating what Christmas is all about, FAMILY.

Merry Christmas to all.

Happy --th Birthday!

Johanna Liza Ong. Girlie. Achie Girlie. Chie. Joh. All these names refer to one person who has gracefully lived up to the expectations of everybody while maintaining her own persona. She has been a care giver, mother (to her siblings and friends), provider, friend, confidant, events planner, MBA student, and a best friend.

On this day, Achi celebrates her --th birthday. As they say, birthdays are like boogers. The more you have, the harder you breath. I wish you have many more.. birthdays that is.

leaving 809...

as i am writing this, i am seated at the corner of an empty unit 809. yes, i have packed all my stuff (heaps, bundles, boxes and stacks of them!!) and transferred to a different condo unit. well, everything except the phone and fax since i have to wait for a port to be made available at the new unit before globe can do the line transfer. that's why i am here, bearing the heat, sweating...just to get connected to the cyber world. gotta check emails, fax change of billing and address letters to utility companies and of course, make a blog update (for mom!!).

for the past seven years (including the two years in unit 1202), i have called this place my sanctuary, my home. this place has a lot of memories - friendships, heartaches, joy, pain, laughter, tears, welcoming new things, letting go, sleepless nights, stressful event preparations, mba overnights, celebrations - you name it, this place was the witness to all of those happenings. if only the walls can talk... :)

now, i have a new place...it still needs a lot of fixing up, boxes to be unpacked, clothes to be hanged, bags to be organized...but it is beginning to look and feel like home to me. dad has seen the place and is part of the 'working committee' as he still needs to install the heater, split the cable tv wire and replace some leaking faucets. jackie helped me move stuff* the other day, and already found a place where she can buy and eat siomai. and yes, i can't wait for my brother and sister to get here next year so that the new place can officially welcome them. if only mom can find time to come for a visit...

in a few days, i think i'll be ready to have friends come over and visit me in the new place. i hope they'll feel the warmth as much as they felt at home in 809. here's to more memories!

* she carried three shower curtain poles and one empty glass...hehehehe