The Year That Was...

Happy New Year!

Hours from now we will be leaving 2009. It can't be denied that it was the year of unspeakable tragedies, economic struggles, and shocking political issues. But despite of it, we're still able to smile and remained strong like an old oak tree. Kampai!*

Looking back for the past twelve months of my life, though there were some inevitable flaws, it was still a good year for me. I still feel blessed. Thanks BRO! I am really overwhelmed with gratitude.

I also want to thank you, my dear network friends who in one way or another became a part of my life. I am thankful for the friendship and the thoughts you have shared with me. Thanks for giving me good laughs, entertainment and inspiration with your incomparable blog ideas. It somehow lessen my loneliness. Keep writing. Hope we can spend longer time here in blogosphere. Again, thank you so much for walking into my life.

Whew! 2009 was really ephemeral. And what will be the coming year holds? Uhmm I don't know. Only one thing is certain: nothing can be predicted. Let us start our 2010 right. 'Til next year!

Akemashite Omedetto Gozaimasu!

Kampai*- Japanese term for Cheers.

Meron Akong...Kuwento

Halu peeps! Belated Kurisumasu omedetto gozaimasu pala sa lahat. Pasensiya na kung ngayon lang ako nakabati. Alam 'nyo naman laging busy ang bida at walang Christmas Holiday dito. Malamang marami pang tira-tirang pagkain diyan sa bawat fridge 'nyo. Hayz! Kakainggit! Walang katulad talaga ang Pasko diyan sa atin. Masaya. Anyways, ayaw kong mag-emo erase! erase! erase! hehehe...

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Paano ko ba sinelebreyt ang nagdaang Pasko? Unang beses ko kasing magPasko sa bansa ng mga sakang kaya hayaan 'nyo na akong magkuwento tungkol dito. White Christmas ba 'kamo? Hindi din. Sa Osaka kasi wala masyadong snow. Tolerable lang din ang lamig ng panahon na nasa 5 degrees centigrade lang.

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Sa loob ng simbahan. Sangkatutak na orbs weee!

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Hayun, isinama ako ni Momskie (isang kaibigan na nagluluto ng adobo everytime dumadalaw sa unit ko) na magsimba. Perstaym kong magsimba dito actually. Medyo nahirapan nga akong pumasok sa simbahan eh kasi humahapdi ang balat ko na para bang nasusunog hehehe joke! Good boy kaya ito. Pagkatapos ng misa, may ipinakilala si Momskie na isang bagong kaibigan. Maganda. Sopistikada. Matalino. Mayaman. Siya si Ate Bing. Kilala siya sa tawag na ganun. Kilala siya ng mga nakararaming kababayan dito. Minsan ko na din siyang nakausap sa telepono at sadyang mabait talaga siya. 'Nung nagkita ay nagbeso-beso kami. Nailang ako kasi hindi naman sanay ang inyong bida sa mga ganoong churvalu ek-ek style ng pagbati. Pero kailangan munang maging Cro-Magnon ni Jag kaya lumihis muna siya sa pagiging Neanderthal noong mga oras na 'yun hehehe.

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Sa maikling pag-uusap, nalaman ko na siya pala ang nakatatandang kapatid ng isang kumakandidatong senador ngayon sa darating na halalan ng Pilipinas. Ang tinutukoy ko ay si Alexander Lacson . Kialala 'nyo siya? Ako hindi eh. Pero kung interesado kayo sa kanya i-click 'nyo lang ang pangalan niya para makilala 'nyo hehehe.

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Many thanks Ate Bing for the kutsinta!

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Naputol lang ang aming pag-uusap (ni Ate Bing) 'nung tinawag na siya ng kanyang asawang Hapon. Bago siya tuluyang umalis ay binigyan niya ako ng kulay berdeng kutsinta para may mapapak naman daw ako pagsapit ng alas dose. (Hangsaklap talaga, hayz!) Nakisuyo na din siya sa kanyang mga amiga na ihatid kami sa istasyon ng tren para hindi na kami mahirapang maglakad papunta sa nasabing istasyon.

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Looks like a haunted castle, ayt?

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Habang lulan kami ng magarang sasakyan, ay nag-kodak kodak ako sa bawat lugar na aming nadadaanan. At ako'y napamangha sa nakuhang larawan...napamura ako sa sarili. Syet! Ang ganda! Perfect picture for halloween. The lights brought drama to the subject. Sinamahan pa ng silhouette ng lagas na puno ng Sakura. Perpek! Sa Cathedral na ito nagpapakasal ang mga mayayamang Hapon. Nakalimutan ko ang pangalan pero matatagpuan ito sa Fukai, Osaka.

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I spent my Christmas with these gorgeous women. Right-left: Momskie, Manay Gina, and Shirley baby. Buti na lang magkapitbahay lang kami hehehe...

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Pagdating sa istasyon ay nagyayang kumain ang inyong bida kasi sa mga oras na iyon ay hindi pa siya kumakain. Napagdiskitahan naming kumain sa tindahan ng Mr. Donuts. Ngasab. Higop-kape. Usap-usap. Tawanan. Pagkatapos 'nun ay dumiretso kami sa bahay nina Momskie. Kumain uli. Naghanda si Momskie ng pansit at ang paborito kong pritong danggit. May oranges din. At ang desert namin ay yung berdeng kutsinta na bigay ni Ate Bing hehehe...Hindi ko alam pero patay-gutom ako ng mga panahong iyon kasi nakaubos ako ng 3 plato hahaha!

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Ganoon lang ang ginawa ko nung Pasko. Simple. Tahimik. At ako'y nagpapasalamat kasi kahit papaano ay may mga kaibigan pa rin akong karamay sa pagdiwang ng malamig na Pasko dito. Kayo ba anong kuwentong Pasko 'nyo? jijiji...

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Binati na KITA pero babatiin uli KITA dito. Belated Haberdei Bro!

Sharing Fruitcake

Ilang araw na lang magpapasko na talaga. Dito sa Japan walang holiday sa mismong araw ng Pasko kasi iba naman ang kanilang paniniwala. May holiday dito pero sa December 23 naman ito bilang paggunita sa kapanganakan ng kanilang emperador. Speaking of Emperador, ito'y alak na sikat na sikat sa aming tahanan gawa ng paborito ito ng tatay ko. Hindi ito nawawala tuwing may okasyon sa bahay. Mabilis akong malasing nito kasi hindi naman ako hard drinker kaya mas gusto ko pa talaga ang beer hehehe. Malamang ngayong Pasko present na naman ang Emperador sa bahay. At absent ako sa session nila hayz!

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Anyways, dahil Pasko na naman, i-share ko na lang sa inyo ang medyo nakalalasing din na Fruitcake ng Eraserheads. Ito ang madalas kong pinapatugtog sa bahay 'nun tuwing Pasko. Gusto ko kasi ang musika ng E-heads kahit hanggang ngayon. Sana magustuhan 'nyo din ito. MALIGAYANG PASKO po sa lahat. Buhayin natin ang totoong diwa ng Pasko sa ating mga puso...

Year-end Party

Yeah, we had our early year-end party last week. It was held at Plum de Yume hotel. The place was awesome. Never been into a kind of place that instills a sense of nature. Now I know why it is one of our sacho's* favorite hotels here in Japan.

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The hotel is settled comfortably on the hills of Mie perfecture which is two hours away drive from Osaka. Whenever there is one, it is a perfect place for people to escape from the hustle and bustle life of the city. And I was fortunate enough of having the chance to experience the so-called lap of luxury for free weeee!!! hehehe...

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I will never forget my one-of-a-kind onsen ryokan* experience (Japanese hot spring public bath). I guess you guys have heard of this thing like bathing naked together with the other naked people while enjoying the water. I think that was it and never will try again hahaha....

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Hotel Lounge...

Before the party was officially started, our company president first talked about the past, the present and the plans for the company's future pero konti lang ang naintindihan ko nakalimutan atang may isa silang empleyadong dayuhan hehehe.

It's chow time! Sushi* was served while nabe* was heated up.

Nabe*, popular food in Japan during winter time. I love its oriental taste and it keeps my body warm. Parang may aphrodisiac ata yung pagkain hehehe...

......From left to right: The Company's VP, EO secretary, the President and me.


To sum it up, I really enjoyed the party. I did not have the chance to saunter along the place coz ' we arrived 6 pm in the hotel and left around 7 am the next day. Zannen desu ne*.

Sacho*- Company president.

Onsen Ryokan*- hot spring. Japanese are onsen addicts hehehe...

Nabe* (pronounced as NA-beh)- is the Japanese word for a pot or pan. But it also means a one-pot dish where several ingredients are cooked together in a broth.
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Zannen desu ne*- Japanese act or sound of sighing.

Be-Happy Day!

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Peepz! Sisingit lang muna ako saglit ha. Mabilis lang 'to pramis!hehehe. Babatiin ko lang ng Happy Birthday si "CutE" ngayong araw na ito. Gustuhin ko mang pumunta sa birthday niya ay hindi puwede kasi ang layo ng place niya sa place ko dito (balita ko pa naman magpapa-ice cream siya kahit taglamig na dito hehehe) atsaka mahal ang pamasahe kaya dito ko na lang idadaan ang pagbati para kahit papaano special ang dating o ha! o ha! May ganito pa akong nalalaman jijiji...Masaya din ako para sa kanya kasi this week uuwi na siya ng Pilipinas (at ako ay nainggit na naman hayz!). Isa siya sa mga malalapit na ka-batch ko noong kami'y nag-aaral pa sa Yokohama city. Just missed those days...

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Paano "CutE", kitakits na lang pag uwi ko ng Pilipinas. Keep in touch! *Wink* Otanjoubi Omedetto Gozaimasu! Odaiji ni!

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...at ipagpaumanhin 'nyo po sana lalo na kay pareng Lord CM ang late na post na ito patungkol sa kanyang kampanya para sa "Isang Minutong Smile" . Ngayong araw gaganapin ang nasabing event. Sana ay makahabol pa ito. Medyo naging abala lang kasi tayo sa trabaho kaya bihira lang makadalaw sa blogosperyo. Gayunpaman, hindi ko pa rin nakakalimutang mag...

SMILE!

The Magic Word

While at work...

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Lolo : Kyou no ban wa nani shimasuka? ( What are you going to do tonight?)

Jag : Eto...naze Tobi san? (Ummm...Why asked Mr. Tobi?)

Lolo : Watu` ju rayk tuh itu` foah dinah?

Jag : You mean what do I want to eat for dinner?
Lolo : Y-yess!

I know that it`ll be another treat again haha...but I still humbly answered him like...

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Jag: Umm...I still don`t know what to cook for tonight. (pa-blind effect kuno hehe)

Lolo: No no no...ma-my treat...W-we will eat outside tonight. A-I`m inviting you. Ma-my treat.

Ting!!! And the magic word "treat" came out haha...And it`s like I've heard the dulcet notes again hehehe...

It was friday night when we went out for dinner. That time, we decided to dine in a Yakiniku* restaurant which is just 15 minutes away from my apartment. Lolo, by the way is our chief engineer. The whole week for him was stressful, the reason why he wanted to relax and nominicate* with us after work.

It was around 7 pm when we reached the place. As we entered, a warm Irasshai* greeted our ears from one of the staffs. Only few people were eating at that moment. It was our first time to eat in a kind of restaurant that only serve stuffs from cow. And I really mean stuffs from cow hehehe...

I assumed it's a welcome greetings...

The dining table...

Japan's finest draft beer was served. I so love the taste.


Heating up...

Raw and fresh...

Cow's tongue...

And fresh vegies too...

I don't know how they call it but certainly it's from cow's neck...


And charaaaaan! The spicy grilled cow's ball...


That's what Yakiniku is all about.

What can I say? Uhm...I just can't eat those stuffs without the beer hahaha...Some tasted like an eraser. Wonder why I know the taste of an eraser? 'Coz I used to eat eraser when I was a kid especially the scented ones hahaha. But seriously, I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Siyempre libre hehe. The service was good and they have a warm and relaxing atmosphere. The prices aren't that bad too, affordable for an average person who perhaps dines out once a month.

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Domo Arigatou Gozaimashita Tobi san!

*Yakiniku - pertaining to meat roasted over an open fire. "Niku" Japanese term for flesh or meat. "Yaki" means roasting.

* Nominicate or nominication- This term is famous for busy Japanese people who wish to dine out and drink together with their colleagues. Taken from the combined words "Nomu" which means to drink and communication.

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*Irasshai- Japanese welcome greetings.