Grand Family Reunion: An Ultimate Summer Blast

After a full-packed summer weekend at Mantangale and a victorious Going Global Singles Conference in Cebu came the final blast for the month - our first ever grand family reunion in Bohol. Whew! Looks to me like the land of chocolate hills has become my concluding venue for summer, that is, my official spot for summer vacation finale just like last year’s "Huling Hirit sa Tag-init!"

Held last May 27, 2006 at my great grandparents’ ancestral home in Sandingan Island, Loon, Bohol, the first grand family reunion was a great success. It brought together over 200 family members coming from different places (Manila, Cebu, Davao, Bukidnon, etc) who came to Bohol to witness and take part of that very special family event.

Tracing back the roots of our ancestry brought joy and amusement for us youngsters. From my great grandfather Lolo Menes and my great grandmother Lola Bebang came nine siblings to which my grandfather Lolo Petok belonged. Lolo Petok then got married to Lola Gaudencia, bore children, my mom being the third among the brood of five. Then came the great grandchildren (apo sa tuhod) to which I, my sis and my cousins belong, and the great great grandchildren (apo sa lapa-lapa), the offsprings of my cousins (ako wala pa, hahaha!).

Nine colors represented each of the nine families of the entire Roslinda Clan. The selection of the t-shirt color was pre-drawn, and we (Lolo Petok’s family) got the red one. So there you’ll see the bold print at the back: “Menes-Bebang Roslinda Clan”. (Thanks to Uncle Boy for his painstaking effort of printing the shirts nga pagka daghan jud kaau, whew!).

We started the activity with a thanksgiving mass in the morning, followed by a festive banquet at lunch. The program proper began in the afternoon with the presentation of each family (as in roll call jud sugod sa pinakapunuan hangtod sa pinkatumoy hehe!). The dancing ground was then set, with music mixed from the hits of the 50’s down to the 90’s and to the most recent ones (2K’s millennium era), para makasabay sugod sa pinakatigulang hangtud sa pinakabata, hahaha!. Special production numbers and other surprise numbers from every family had also made the festivity a more enlivening one.

At around 3:00 p.m. all the kids (there were almost a hundred of them) were gathered at my cousin’s compound for their separate party, the Jollibee Treasure Adventure. Thrill and excitement filled the entire arena as the kids enjoyed the games prepared by the Jollibee team. They got even more ecstatic when the three mascots Jollibee, Hetty and Twirly got out from the room, shaked hands with everybody, made beso-beso to every kid, presented their lively dance number, and spent time with them for picture taking. Whew! I can really see my nephews and nieces smiling from ear to ear! They definitely had much fun! (To Auntie Sally right there in Texas, thank you so much for sponsoring that event. You’ve certainly put a smile to each kid in the clan.)

The concluding activity after dinner was the kick-off disco party for all. I seemed like a party pooper that time 'coz there was no shadow of me seen at the the disco spot. I just slept all night long due to heavy stress and fatigue, aarrggh! The following morning, it was time for beach escapade. Just too bad, our group (me, my mom, Uncle Diego and my cousins Daniel and Brian) wasn't able to join the fun 'coz it was time for us to depart Bohol and catch the 3:00 p.m. cruise of the ferry from Jagna to Cagayan de Oro. So we just took a final snapshot before finally leaving my cousin's place. (Thanks to Manang Nora and Mommy Belen for the "first class hotel" accommodation, hehehe!)

My trip to Bohol was indeed memorable. And I'm looking forward to coming back to my great grandparents' hometown year after year.. after year.

More photos at http://pepperonni.multiply.com/photos/album/6

Going Global Elim Singles Conference 2006

The time has finally come! I’m on my way to witness and be part of the Going Global Elim Singles Conference 2006 in Cebu! Me and my co-CDO delegates Mai, Oliver and Ate Vivian together with the Gingoog delegates headed for Cebu on May 18, 2006. Early the following morning, our first stop direct from the ferry was the historic Basilica del Sto. Niño de Cebu to attend the Friday mass, after which we had our breakfast at Jollibee fronting the church. We then headed to Mactan Pension House where we had booked our 2 nights and 3 days stay in Cebu.

MAY 19, 2006 - The first day of the conference began with a smashing race of the "Urban Adventure Challenge", the accompanying event of Going Global ESC. Sixteen teams met before dawn in D' Family Park, Talamban, Cebu, and geared up for the six-hour race. The teams competed in 17 different challenges , which brought them around Cebu and engaged them in mental and physical challenges. At the end of the exciting and exhausting race, Team David crossed the finish line first, at 1:50 PM. They became the prize winners of 40,000 pesos. Team Blessed Are You Poor and Apostello ranked second and third, respectively. By the evening, the delegates all over the country came together at the Maribago Bluewaters Beach Resort for the Kick-off Beach Party. What a great night for all the singles. The food was great, the place was awesome and the Praise & Worship (headed by Kiddo & his band) was totally amazing!

May 20-21, 2006 – The succeeding days of the conference was held at the Crown Regency Suites. What a perfect place for the gathering. It was so peaceful and the entire scenery was totally splendid! The conference itself was multi-venue (from D’ Family Park in Talamban, to Maribago Blue Waters, then here at Crown Regency Suites), and so with our lunch and dinner too! Because of the huge number of participants, we can’t be accommodated in just one meal setting. So we were able to have lunch and dinner at the poolside, at the multi-purpose hall, at the rooftop of Fifties Café and at the badminton court-turned-dining hall, hehehe! Cool! And the place for praise and worship? It’s the Metrosports basketball court-turned-session hall! Hahaha! Great, isn’t it? A complete make-over of the entire sports arena!

One of the highlights of the Going Global House Party was the Dance Fever where individual participants from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao showcased their talents in dancing. With hosts PY Nakar and Jonji, everybody danced to the rhythm of the ASL (As The Spirit Leads) groove! Cool! And the winner? The Davao contender, outshining 11 other participants! Congrats bro!

The talks of the speakers (Bro. Willy Nakar, Moses Catan, Didi Marañon, Lory Lina and PY Nakar) were the ones that inspired us the most. Every single word uttered indeed had a significant impact for us singles. The anointing by Bro. Willy was extremely powerful! I knew then that from the moment I stepped out of the session hall, my life would never be the same again. Empowered by God’s grace, I will take part in the singles mission to go global! Let's keep the fire burning!

More photos at:
http://pepperonni.multiply.com/photos/album/5
http://chrisramasola.blogs.friendster.com/photos/goingglobal/index.html
http://dsarigumba.photosite.com/album1

Full Packed Summer Weekend!

A full packed summer weekend?! Whoaw! That sounds a lot of fun! I should know, I just had a quadruple summer weekend treat recently. Yeh, not double, not triple.. but quadruple.. as in four times the fun gyud, hehehe!.. I’ll tell you why:

Treat #1. Last Saturday (May 13, 2006), we had a company outing at Mantangale Alibuag Dive Resort located in Balingoan, Misamis Oriental. Only 80 kilometers from Cagayan de Oro City and facing Camiguin Island, the resort is a perfect venue for snorkeling, scuba-diving, kayaking, and fishing. One of the main highlights of the the outing (except of course from the “pakals” hehehe!) was the Amazing Challenge. Whew! ‘Twas my first time doing an actual “extra challenge” stuff, with those series of obstacles burning out all my energy. My team did fairly well on the first three obstacles, but we didn’t make it on the last phase, the puzzle maze. Geeeks! Medyo nahagbong kadyot among IQ oi, hehehe!.. So, when the scores in each obstacle were totaled, we ended up on the 3rd notch. Hmnn.. not that bad for an extra challenge of 5 teams, hehe! Congratulations to the White Team who made it on top, two thumbs up to the Blue Team (my team) for the job well done, and kudos to all the challengers who had done their best and exhibited the true spirit of sportsmanship. More snapshots at my summer photo gallery.

Treat #2. After the whole day summer outing, I hurried to my beloved hometown Malaybalay. What’s the rush, eh? Well, I wouldn’t let that weekend pass by without seeing somebody special in my life. Oh.. yeah! It’s Mother's Day! Nothing could make my day any sweeter than spending time with my dear mom. The next morning, I busied myself strolling over the entire city (yeh, strolling.. as in baklay to the max jud under the heat of the sun, whew!), just looking for a perfect Mother’s Day cake for Mom. My original plan was supposed to be somewhat different then. I wanted to treat Mom on a special dinner. Mother-daughter bonding 'ika nga.. But my mom preferred to have the celebration at home. Well then, where could the perfect place to celebrate Mother's Day but at our very home! Perfection suggestion from a perfect mother! To my mom and all the mothers out there, Happy Mother's Day!

Treat #3. On Sunday (May 14, 2006), aside from the Mother’s Day celebration, it was the christening of my inaanak Louise Micaela, Malou's first born. Such a very lovely baby! I couldn’t wait for her to grow up so that I could grab her out for a bonding session. Whatta hyper ninang! Hahaha! My friends then asked, "Kanus-a man mi makakita sa imo with your little angel? Kay mag ninang pud mi!".. Oh, well... "the groom-to-be hasn't come yet" was my simple answer, hahaha! Kudos to my “kumares” Aimee & Ruffa!

Treat #4. May 14? Well, it’s the bisperas of our town fiesta! That’s the fourth treat! We didn’t celebrate fiesta at home then (‘coz we have a separate fiesta in Upper C.M. Recto which belongs to Barangay Sumpong already… owwsss.. palusot, haha!). Well, it was still a treat though ‘coz I was able to witness some of the city’s festivities, and was part of the feast of our patron saint San Isidro Labrador (Ora et Labora). Happy Fiesta to all!

Catch That Badminton Fever!

Got a sneak preview of Paolo Bediones’ “Smash! Badminton for Everyone” video. Pretty much interesting! If you've just caught the badminton fever that has phenomenally swept the nation, then this special video should get you all ecstatic by the time you lay your hands on a racket. With Paolo are the country's top badminton coaches Kennevic and Kennie Asuncion who will take you through the fundamentals as well as intermediate-level techniques. Make those drops. Smash those serves. Slash through the nets. Put that zing into your game. It's the quintessential badminton clinic that will send you slicing and dicing your opponents on court. Whoaaw! Isn’t that exciting?

Most people have heard or seen badminton in one form or another and consequently think they know badminton. I myself thought it’s just an easy game though. I used to call myself a “street fighter” then ‘coz I played badminton in the lawn or in nearby streets along the neighborhood, haha! I took it as an outdoor sport, when it’s supposed to be an indoor one. I’ve just started playing it in the real court last year with the influence of Judith and her friend Normy who is a badminton expert herself. I got hooked to it, until I found myself joining our company’s badminton tournament (and ended up as a happy loser in the finals, yeeyy yo!). Invading the court had a significant bearing on my part, being able to go through the fundamental techniques of the sport I haven’t learned when I was still a “street fighter” hehe! But everything was still incomplete though. As a beginner, I still need a lot of polishing -- footwork exercises, multi-shuttle defense, single tactics, etc. So timely then, it’s summer… I’m off from school (my part-time professor job, that is) and our company’s shuttlecock smashers had set up a summer badminton clinic just last week. Having previewed Paolo Bediones’ badminton clinic on CD, I’ve never been that eager undergoing a badminton clinic myself. With coach Permo as our instructor, whose trained players had gone a long way to the national badminton tournaments, we’re so positive we could emerge as better players in a few months time.

The badminton clinic is still on going. We have training sessions for the advanced group (Anton, Bong, Earl, Joel & Marlon) scheduled every Monday and Wednesday, and the beginners group (Aileen, Hazel, Judith, Karen, Peggy & yours truly) every Tuesday and Thursday. Friday is a joint schedule for both groups. This is pretty much exciting! Being indulged in the world’s fastest racket sport (a shuttle can leave the racket at a speed of almost 200 mph, and a badminton player can cover more than one mile in just one match!), nothing could be more satisfying than getting the fantastic health benefits of a great cardiovascular workout! Way to go, badminton aficionados!!