it may just be me, but when i give someone a present, i like knowing exactly how that person feels about my present. after all, given the pains i usually go through in getting someone just the perfect present, i think i deserve seeing the person's reaction, from the moment i hand him the present to the time he actually finds out what's inside.

given that you never got to see how excited i was opening your present, let me give you a blow-by-blow account:

it came in a huge kick-ass christmas gift bag...



and while it wasn't filled to the brim with gifts, there were a number of things waiting for me inside the bag...



i first opened the box which contained this lovely blue thermal cup. it now has a place on my night table for those moments when i get a wee bit thirsty while reading a book or watching tv...

next thing i unwrapped was this lovely calendar. lovely, lovely, lovely. my desk may be your standard issue government desk but i am willing to bet that i am the only executive assistant v-ct in the entire court of appeals who can boast of having a different shoe each day of the year...



then there were these pens. i know i said i'm going to use them but ... well, the packaging was so lovely that am going to keep them in there for the meantime.



then there was this book. i've always wanted one, but couldn't afford it (being a shopaholic myself, disposable income goes to henry sy instead of socorro ramos). i know you just threw this in cause i asked for it, but, it's really, really special to me now.



there's also this, which makes me want to renew my passport and leave the country this weekend for some serious shopping in bangkok...



and last but not the least, you got me this,which while may hamper whatever chances i've got winning the ms. court of appeals tilt, will definitely make me quite happy.



thank you big time. happiness just doesn't quite capture what i'm feeling right now.