Supplies!

The Coke Team yesterday surprised me! They threw an intimate despidida at Red Box and boy was it fun!

It all started pala 2 weeks ago when the girls snuck behind my back and planned all these things. As early as two weeks ago they were already anticipating D Day.

Thursday Dinner at Greenbelt

It was surprising ER and Ria agreed to join and have dinner at Italliani's. I was just wondering why ER and Ria were late when they parked ahead of me and Lot. They said they went somewhere and looked at stuff inside the mall. It was not like them to do that, but I didn't doubt them.

Friday Mock Despedida

Last Friday as I announced that it was going to be my unofficial last day at work, everyone looked beat and tired. And it coincided with the Adobo party, and Stevie's B-day celebration. And I thought, my last day's screwed. Gen Wang promised me a despida I won't forget but instead, it felt like my despidida was the one people forgot. If not for Lot insisting to head on to Rockwell, I would have really went home sad (not naman expecting expecting, but hey, I'd want to spend my last day in the office with my close friends diba?). And so we went, and everybody else followed (except for Myrrh hehe).

It was good enough. I know I couldn't demand a lot from these girls so I know they're busy and all that. So it would sound like a crime to do so. But, seriously, that dinner at Gramms was enough and perfect. Though most of the people were late, they went and that's what mattered.

Then I made a horrid joke to Gen and remarked, "Gen, I am still waiting for that despidida that I won't forget". I knew that she was harassed and all and I just wanted her to smile. When she arrived, she was defensive and about to say something. I knew there was something already, i just didn't want to burst it. ER and Lot averted it.

What gave away that there was something was the fact that when I approached the smokers, they stopped talking. I thought, hmmm, there must be something happening here! And I remembered Trinka's "porn fiasco". She defensively covered her laptop when i glanced at it. SHe was typing something on her email. But she said instead, I am downloading porn! And I said, I want to watch porn! And she said no. And I'm like... "may secret si Trinka????!!!!!" I have to find out.

The last part of that dinner was the "wish" for each and participant of that dinner. Ria got a little irked with what I said. I am not going to recount it anymore but i think that was something I would not forget.

Tuesday Dinner at People's Palace

Because I have been pestering ER to make me libre, she agreed to treat me and Lot to dinner at People's Palace tuesday night. And so that was a red-letter day. I had to be there I said. But I got a little tired during the day. (I spent the morning trying to secure clearances from NBI and QC Police) I wanted to flake out already and ask if that can be re-scheduled. Apparently, Lot daw got us a table. Myrrh also mentioned that she was going to "see me later", casually, as if expecting me to be there. And so I went. As early as 5:30 I was already in Glorietta milling around.

Lot arrived fashionably late (and she did in her lovely gray dress!). BUt she said that ER wasn't ready yet. And so we went to Greenbelt 5, walked... and also mentioned that Trinka, Aya, etc were joining for dinner. I thought, wow, ER must be feeling extremely generous tonight. SHe invited the whole team; or is it going to be KKB na?

And we kept walking. THen around 8PM, we went to church na because Lot hasn't gone in a long time. And I went. Good thing, the gospel song playing at the time was familiar to me. So I went. At one point, parang I wanted to just go home, eat somewhere and sleep. I wanted to go leave na. Then Lot said, ER was there already and waiting for us at Starbs.

When we met up with ER, she said she needs to go to RedBox first and say hi to her balikbayan cousin before we head to People's Palace. SInce I just came upbeat from the church, and not really in the mood to make reklamo, I said ok. We went up (with ER convincingly making kwento about her cousin), and went inside the room. It was a huge room they occupied at oftly dimmed. I didn't want to go in anymore, but LOt gamely went in. I wanted to just stay outside and look at the food. But they went inside.

Suuuurppprise!!!

Then came the big surprise!! Apparently, that was my despedida. Some friends from creatives were there; and most of the Coke team members. It was the biggest surprise of my life (borrowing Coke Zero's biggest surprise statement).

Surprise came after surprise. I was really shocked to see them so organized and me not knowing anything about it. Grabe. Then they showed this AVP done by Shalimar (Shalimar, thank you soooo much for all the effort and hardwork. And expressing my sincerest sympathies and condolences on your loss). Not one, but two!!!! Thank you everyone! Myrrh, Trinka, Yettie and Cha tried their best to really stop me from going back to the main lounge while they were transferring the file. I knew already that there was something because not only did the song stop; but no one complained that the song stopped. And finally, when the girls tried hard to prevent me from going back there. I saw ER too typing sa laptop and that was odd.

And then the false VANITY FAIR cover which I loved too. I couldn't ask for more that night. I felt like a celeb being thrown a party at the buzz. hehehehe. This one I didn't see coming at all!

Apparently, they had two weeks worth of work for this one.

The mock despedida was supposed to happen at Mag:Net at the Fort. It was a stripper pole night. But the cover charge shot up last minute: from 100 to 500! Meaning, it was so clever of my friends to come up with something last minute. But more than that, they really put thought to it. They decided that if they hadn't done something, they know i'd know that there was something else being planned and that would ruin the surprise. And so the mock despedida was born. BRILLIANT!

The AVP was fantastic. Oo nga, despite the very busy scheds we've always found time to take photos of ourselves in the fiercest possible pose. And boy do we have a lot! I'll miss that. I'm kinda doubting if my future officemates would love to do that too.

And then the false cover. The girls wearing an all black ensemble (with credits to Yettie for styling and MON BAYANI for the patience, art direction, Final Art and Photography) imitating this three-fold cover of Vanity Fair early this year. It was fantastic. I've never seen these girls looking so dressed up and pret-a-photo. Kudos to the girls who put all the effort to get dressed to the nines.

Nag-shoot pala sila that night na I went sleeping under my table. And I didn't even notice. I thought they were just gone for a meeting or something. YUn pala they were already having their pictorial na. Ohmaygast.

I was soooo clueless. Really. I want to say thank you to everyone who came. I looove the women of COke. At walang sappy messages. Because I mentioned, I am not naman dying yet. I am just physically moving out lang. hehehe.

GEN - my immediate supervisor, my friend, my chinese sister. Thank you for planning this. When you said you're planning a party that I won't forget, you did. Thanks. PS: Alam mo ba na iba ang iniisip ko bordering on nasty actually? hehehe

ER - she's my warden, my seatmate, the one I massage and the one who always, always touches my face without washing her hands. I love ER. She's more than a sister to me. Thanks for pooling the money, and making this happen. I will miss a seatmate like you. No one will "touch" me like the way you would anymore. ANd wow, you never said anything all along. Ni wala man lang akong nakitang anything while you were doing this!!! Galing mo magtago hehe.

I will still bother you with my inanities, kababawan, useless comments and everything and anything. Babantayan kita sa gym. Hala work out na. You can't get rid of me ever. I will be your mega stalker :) and i will be here lang pag may chika at problema.

TRINKA - kahit na busy ka, you took the time. And you actually used porn to keep me sidetracked. I thought i will be able to squeeze the information out of you, pero hindi pala... ;) thanks for being very sweet and generous to me. We should go out more! more dinner and movies. sana i-calendar mo rin ako sa mga lunch outs, dinners and coffees mo. hehehe

AYA - kahit na preggy ka, fight na fight ka pa rin. I love you soo much. And yes, I can't wait to see you "out here" too. And can't wait for Cruz to be born! And one thing more, I will also miss your boobies. hehehe.

MYRRH - I will miss you very much. No one brightens up my mornings like you would (aside from Lot of course) because of your charming disposition and style. I'll remember our moments together and going up to the creatives holding hands pa. Naks. Sana lang wag na mawala ang cellphone mo ulit...

YETTIE - You too. A lot has been said and talked about, pero I really like you as an office mate and as a person. You relieve my stress - alam mo na kung bakit. I like that you're very real and honest. Pareho tayo. walang masama maging Jologs. Im proud to be one. And Im going to miss that. Ikaw ang aking Tyler shop buddy, tagalog movies and yes, i will defend you and help you kahit na wala ako dyan. I'm just a text away Yets. Keep up the good work.

RIA - you're the most dynamic person in the group. Ikaw lang ang hindi ko ma-predict sa office. And that's good. I like you just the way you are. I would have wanted for you to be there sana. Sayang. But I know naman why you weren't. Oh by the way, I know may participation ka rin dito (Itallianis... hehehe) and I know we will still continue to see each other... You and AYa, alam mo na totoong wish ko for you... hehe. text lang naman yan...

SHALI - wala na akong lolokohin... di ko mahahawakan yung braso mo. hehehe. Thanks Shalimar for the hardwork you put sa video. And nag-OT ka pa. Keep up your sunny disposition. And pwede ka na ring bumili ng close toed-high heels pag nag ka sale dito. You will be the first to know. hehehe...

CHA - hehehe. di ko talaga maalala ang pakwan. I enjoyed working with you, and more than that ang mga bastusan and pisilan. Thanks for being a good friend to me. We agreed on a promise, and I will keep my promise true. I will be on the look out. Alam ko namang, you're really the best kahit nung Nestle days pa. In fact, nakakaingit sila mutch ha then to have you as their AD then. Yettie, alagaan mo si Cha!

MEL, LIANNE - Bakit wala kayo??? Did you two...

And of course to my one and only FGF, LOT! I love you Lot more than anything. You and I are alike in ten thousand ways. And can I just say that you're a very good actress (and uhm singer?). I will miss you the most. Wala nang ngunguso sa akin, de deadma minsan, hold my hand, chika and be mean to others. Wala ng magbibigay ng food and chocolate drink. And who will I wait for na after office? But I know fight pa rin tayo. Tayo pa?! You are my ray of light in dark cold days (naks.).

And to Rio, Nikki, Flem, Che, Allan and Gem, Chino and Monix, thanks for coming.

Parang mamatay nako... sa speech nato. Oh well. Bye.

I will see you around. Bibisitahin ko pa kayo ng madalas. Guguluhin ko pa mundo niyo and of course, I will constantly haunt you na ilibre nyo ako (and Ria).