early returns

i've been putting off posting the last couple of days because, well, i'm slowly becoming a christmas humbug. however, the fingers typing this post are now nicely manicured owing to the fact that the christmas revelry has sort of begun for me already. since law school ended tuesday, my blockmates and i capped off the year with a kiddie party at mcdonald's that same night. the following evening was the educ christmas party, then thursday was my office friends' party, and friday was the birthday party of three of my favorite students.

staying in on a saturday night with a microphone and no one to listen to me sing init sa magdamag and bituing walang ningning was actually fun after all the late nights i've been indulging on since tuesday.

moving on ...

christmas parties = christmas gifts and this year's small pile is turning out to be one of the best piles yet. i know i'm being such a kid for not waiting until christmas eve but i'm filipino and for us, christmas starts in septemBER, right?

for one, my ultra-amazing ultra-fabulous ultra-talented ultra-everything comm2 teacher from way way back sent me an autographed copy of his book, jolography. i was so excited that i actually read this and poetry to my brother on the drive home to cabanatuan.

another amazing gift was a check made out to my name so that my brother and i can purchase a not-so-expensive-but-still-quite-pricey digital camera. i had managed to cajole my favorite aunt (who happens to be my ninang too!) to buy me and my brother one, saying that the camera will be our christamas/birthday gifts already. so what if the parking later is horrible and traffic will virtually be on a standstill. i WILL go to the mall, i WILL look at digital cameras till my feet hurt, and i WILL buy one. ha ha.

third on my list is an epass. now, i know that might seem quite corny and all but for anyone who lives in the south and has waited for more than a couple of minutes while inching his way up sucat or the C5 exit will know why an epass is an absolutely amazing gift.

i still have one or two gifts left unopened. and i'm keeping my fingers crossed that since it's not christmas yet, i'll have a few more come my way.

sometimes, when you pray hard enough and wish long enough, santa does hear you.

rosa, humbug no more.

p.s. gosh, i am so materialistic for equating christmas with gifts, but if you really think about it, a favorite teacher sending you a copy of his book, an aunt fulfilling your dreams of digital camera glory, and a good friend giving you an epass actually shows that (1) there are people who care enough to find out what you really want for christmas and (2) they care enough to get it for you. right?