Friends 4-Ever Newsletter

Cereb's Pre-Birthday Day

Last March 24, most of the group went to Bulacan. This includes everyone except for Steph (who was taking her finals) and Sarah (who was on her graduation practice). They were 12 all in all. Six are official members (Cereb, Marru, Aizza, Em-Em, Mariel and Macy). Two are not exactly members but we all know, anyway: Angel and Gary. The others are Cereb’s friends from school.
Actually, and originally, the only invited guests are Cereb’s school friends. They were celebrating Cereb’s birthday (which is a month away). But, the group tagged along when Cereb invited them in that same morning! => They were supposed to left at 10 but instead left at about 10:30 or 11 in the morning.
Anyway, they went to the Gregorio’s fishing pond at Bulacan. They didn’t really fished (only Gary did), they rode a boat instead. But before they rode, they ate first since it’s already lunch time. All I can say is, there’s a lot of food with huge servings of each.
Anyway, the first boat ride consists of Gary, Mariel, Aizza, Em-Em, Macy, Marru, and Angel. Then, nobody knew the boat has limitation capacity. And it’s limitation capacity consists of only 4 passengers! Well, of course, since they are more than four, they sank , big time! Anyway, it was such an experience! It was rather funny, actually, in my point of view. It all started out when they don’t want to separate from the bamboo poles (which serves as their helper to balance). So, after managing to balance without the bamboo, it was still rocking and everyone was panicking. The captain or the driver or who cares, jumped out of the boat (he was the one on the last seat). And since he jumped, the whole group was suddenly out of balance! To make matters worse, Gary (who was on the front) started to stand up, and water began flowing in. So Mariel, Aizza, Em-Em and so on started to stand one by one. They managed to get off the boat safely, but their pants are wet up to their knees (on Angel’s case, since she is rather small and the last one, her pants was wet up to her thighs).

Picture of the time they're still not sinking

Titanic time!

Finally! Kate Winslet is finally saved!
So now, they learned their lesson. When the others rode, it was nice and fine, but not as funny as the first one. All of them rode again, and this time it was successful.
After eating (again, this time it was snack time already) arroz caldo, they went to Latian. There they ate halu-halo and maiz con hielo. They also fished and played in the playground. Well, some of them fished like Gary, Marru, Angel, and Em-Em. Aizza and Macy wanted to fish, but they don’t have fishing poles.

Picture of them at Latian (in one of the swings)
It was about 6 in the evening when they left. Then they visited a dead relative of Cereb and Marru, and stayed there for a while. They even sneaked in lots of sandwiches and ate them at the car, they were too shy to get from the table itself.
After that, they went to a store in Bulacan, Bulacan and brought take-home stuff (or pasalubong). Mr. Gregorio treated them all. Then, finally, they went home. They got there at about 9:30 in the evening.

Stephanie's Birthday

This is one of the many events in the summer that everyone in the group is complete. Everyone in the original barkada, that is. Meaning it includes Cereb, Marru, Sarah, Steph (of course, the bday celebrant!), Aizza, Em-Em, Mariel, and Macy. Also includes Gary, Angel, Jolo and Lawrence. They all met at 10 o’clock in the morning of the 15th of April at the Elumba residence. From there, they will go to Glorietta, and then to Shangri-la.

Picture of them at the car (the ones in the last two rows)

Picture of them at the car (the ones in the first two rows, although Sarah was blocked. Can you see the arm?)
When they arrived at Glorietta, it was lunchtime already. So, they stopped by at Burger King, and ordered. They had it to-go and ate their lunch at the movies. They watch "The Mighty" which I would like to add, is a drama-tic movie. All of them cried (well, almost, anyway), except for the Tan’s and the Lazaro’s (Angel cried, too, by the way).
Afterwards, they went to Timezone, and played there for a while. (It’s an amusement park.) Some of them ordered at Starbucks and they went don’t to find Sarah and Steph’s mom.
When they found her, they went to Shangri-la. It was about 5 or 6 pm already. And when they arrived, they browsed a little. Then they have to meet Mrs. Elumba again. It was about 7:30, and it was dinnertime by then. They went to Hank’s or Henry J. Bean’s. It was actually fun. The bartenders there entertained the group with magic tricks and card tricks. Later, they also danced. They even invited Lawrence and Gary to join. And guess what? The song was in their Grease presentation, so Lawrence could really fit in!

Picture of them by the bar

Their picture behind the bar and with the bartender
Anyway, they had buffalo wings and nachos, and some alcoholic beverages. Well, some, anyway. Some didn’t really liked them, and gave them to either Cereb or Sarah. Later, Mariel is also part of the "drinking" group. They stayed there for a while. The bartenders sang Stephanie "Happy Birthday" and broadcast it on TV on Hank’s. It was about 9 or something in the evening when they left.
And it was about 10 pm when they arrived. It was an exhausting, but no doubt, fun night. And this is just the beginning of their fun week-end...

Cereb's Birthday (for real)

Another one of the group’s gimiks where in the members are complete. (Of course, it’s her birthday, April 19.) Anyway, Sarah, Steph, Aizza, Em-Em, Mariel, and Macy went to Cereb and Marru’s house at 6:00 p.m. Jolo, Gary and (Cereb’s friend) Tina was also there.
Anyway, they were hungry, so they had dinner at T.G.I. Friday’s. It was fun. They ordered and ate. Then the people there sang Cereb "Happy Birthday". They drank to that, too, with white wine (which I could say was not so good). They served in big amounts, so most of them (actually I think all) did not finish their meal, and took them home instead. It was Dawson’s Creek time and they still managed to watch it by turning one of the TV’s to channel 23 (though they cannot hear it, but Sarah can lipread!). Just goes to show you how they love the show!

A picture at Friday's
After that, they went to the next building, where Strumm’s is located. It was about quarter to 9 in the evening. There was a party there and it was closed till 9. So they went to the third floor and hang out there for a while. There were TV’s there, so they got one TV to be tuned to Dawson’s Creek!
When 9 o’clock finally rolled by, they went downstairs. When they got there, there was still the party. So they waited for the band or for the crowd to clear out, so they could sit somewhere in front. Which ever is first to happen.

Now, they're on Strumm's (very busy waiting...)
So they waited... and waited... until it was about 10, and still nothing much is going on. By 10:15 the band, which is Mulatto, started playing. But by 10:30 or 11:00 they have to go home now. Sad to say, they didn’t do much. They wished they could go to a disco instead. The band was pretty boring, but some think it’s ok, though. But they’d still rather go to a real disco, where they could dance. They were really in the mood! But there’s nothing they could do, it’s already 11 and they have to go now. So off they have gone home!

A Picture of them (wala lang para lang maubos na iyong film!)

A Picture of them (another one para lang maubos na iyong film!)
Well, there were a lot of stuff the group did for Cereb! First, was they were the one who told the TGIF people that it’s Cereb’s birthday. Second, they also told the Strumm’s people that it was Cereb’s birthday, and they put it on the screen! Along with the video of the other party celebrant! It was actually embarrassing, and very funny. And for third, they also requested "I Don’t Want to Wait" dedicated to Cereb, the birthday celebrant! Too bad, they didn’t reach that part. They have to go before the band could finally play that song (and hear the dedication).