Christmas Launching 2012

Welcome to another edition of our company’s Christmas Launching activities! :) The PETC office was magically transformed last Monday, Dec. 3.

A quick back story first. I have 9 years going on 10 with my company, as I’ve mentioned there are activities and programs that our company supports/have/celebrates that has fast become a tradition that promotes team work and enthusiasm to the otherwise mundane workload and work environment. And of course the highly if not most, anticipated event is the annual Christmas Party(aside from the annual merit of course. ). With the Christmas season, it has been a tradition to include a contest for all departments to take part in. Last year we had the live Christmas Character contest. We’ve already had the Snowman contest, the Christmas Card, Santa Claus and Christmas tree contests among other things. We termed it “Christmas Launching activities”, this usually happens a week before our company Christmas party. This is the time when we showcase the “finished products” along the center aisle. It truly is an exciting event.

This year, the program committee opted for a “Christmas Around the World” theme. A combination of display and live presentation showcasing how each country celebrates Christmas or not. And this year, we joined the Engineering Day (a new bonding event started last year) with the Christmas Launching. Cost effective? Yes! Yes! Yes!

This time of the year, regardless of the workload, there is a certain cheer, there is always something to look forward too. The anticipation how other departments come up with the “goods” so to speak is in itself already an exhilarating experience, at least for me.

So, I really thought nothing can beat  last year’s Christmas Launching. It was my favorite among all Christmas launching events. I was wrong. This year, another bar is set!

The program opened with a doxology, this time the Lead Me Lord is a better rendition for it was sung live by an officemate.

Ceremonial lighting of the Christmas tree, lit by the employee with the badge number 00042. The significance you ask? The newest employee has a badge number of 15511. So yes. This woman we fondly called “Mama” (stress on the second “ma”), is pretty significant, in the grand scheme of things. (My badge number is 9531, I was hired February 2003)

Loyalty and dedication.

A 2-3 minute video teaser/sneak peek on what each country will be presenting were shown. I had the most “laugh out loud” moments with the Testing and Laboratory department skit. They were assigned FRANCE and they were going to celebrate their department Christmas party in Paris. The funniest bit was when they shared the same flight with Tom Cruise! And of course, we pointed out that they were wearing their company uniforms on their way to France! :) The video from the Admin department is also a favorite. They started speaking gibberish Swedish with Cebuano subtitles and abruptly switch to Cebuano.  Theirs was the most coherent in narrative and the cinematography’s superior considering we are not film makers but automotive Engineers.  The ABBA song medley did not hurt the presentation either. Catchy, memorable. Although it was not part of the criteria for judging, the department who put a lot of thought to their ”output” is very evident.  

The 9 departments were assigned the following countries:

1. Admin – SWEDEN

2. Testing and Laboratory – FRANCE

3. Wiring Services and Testing – SPAIN

4. Wiring Engineering Support – MEXICO

5. Cebu Electronics – PHILIPPINES

6. Interior Systems – GERMANY

7. International Material Data System - JAPAN

8. Seating Systems – USA

9. Electrical Component and Support /Electrical Design Support – AUSTRALIA

Passports ready?

Let’s go!

Disclaimer : The displays and the live presentation were based on each department’s interpretation and concept. It may or not may be, a hundred percent correct.

 **

First stop, SWEDEN.

The Admin display:

 

The live presentation : They enthusiastically sung a song with choreography then they gathered around the table with Swedish food. They hugged, exchanged gifts and ended with cheer. Raul (our company Director) was the loudest who cheered! Hahaha!

**

Second stop, the City of Lights and Love, Paris, FRANCE.

The Testing and Laboratory display :

 

  

The live presentation : Lovers under the Eiffel Tower. Friends partying. Countdown to midnight. Wine. Lots of wine, dancing and hugs all around.

**

Still in Europe, our third stop, SPAIN!

The Wiring Services and Testing display :

 

  

The live presentation : Dora, the explorer and the crew. They sung Feliz Navidad and then the “We Did It Song”. They sure had fun “exploring”!

**

This next stop is a special stop! My country for the day, MEXICO!

The Wiring Engineering Support display : El Nacimiento

The live presentation : We reenacted the Las Posadas, a nightly procession(for nine days) commemorating the journey of Mary and Joseph on their search for lodging. In our short presentation, Mary and Joseph were accompanied by some pilgrims carrying candles and chanting songs. They travelled from inn to inn and each time they were refused by the innkeepers. Until they reached  the nativity scene we have set up. Here the pilgrims are welcomed. After a traditional prayer, the party begins. The children were each given a chance at breaking the piñata filled with candies.

  **

Next stop, the PHILIPPINES!

The  Cebu Electronics display:

The live presentation : The managers brought with them a “parol” or a star lantern. Their area was lit with small parols. On the foot of their Christmas tree, there were 4 miniature scenes, a church with the Simbang Gabi goers, a typical Noche Buena feast, the iconic Jeepney with a street vendor selling “parols” and the caroling scene.  They danced to some popular Filipino christmas songs. It was pretty grand, the dancers occupied almost all of the center aisle. Aside from our presentation, this is my personal favorite.

**

Back to Europe, GERMANY!

The Interior Systems display:

The live presentation : I wasn’t able to see the actual presentation but I heard the Silent Night song being played. There was a Santa Claus with 2 “nutcracker” guards and beer.

**

On to Asia, JAPAN!

The IMDS display :

The live presentation : They have someone explained that the Christmas traditions in Japan is not rooted to any Christian tradition. They explained that Christmas in Japan, is a time to spread happiness and romance. During the narration, there were people who acted out each tradition. They showcased the christmas cake, fried chicken and daiku (the 9th symphony of Beethoven). The presentation of the Japanese’ Christmas tradition was clear, smooth and concise.

**

Now we’re off to the USA!

The Seating Systems display :

The live presentation : Four very “made-up” boys danced into the tune of the Jingle Bell rock song! They were very pretty! Can’t get hold of a picture of them though.

**

Our last stop, AUSTRALIA!

The ECS/EDS display :

The live presentation : A group/mob/court of cute kangaroos were lost and can’t find their way home. Then Santa Claus came and lead them home. Cute. Beach bums in their makeshift Bondi beach.

****

The winners?

1st place – IMDS department (Japan)

2nd place – ADMIN (Sweden)

3rd place – WES (Mexico)

The criteria was,

Display – 40%

Live Presentation – 30%

Creativity – 30%

 

 **

But the fun did not end there. It is just starting!

Last year we had our first Engineering Day event. A cross between Foundation Days in college and a picnic in the park. This year, we fused it with the Christmas launching. See, we really know how to save.

There were 4 events, 4 teams.

Car Making Contest, Speed Eating Contest, Amazing Race and the search for PETC Christmas Babe 2012.

Team Snowman composed of all Electronics departments : (HW/SWD/SWV/ELM/PQ/PM)

Team Angels composed of all Seats department : (ISD/SSD)

Team Reindeer composed of Admin/IMDS/Laboratory

Team Santa composed of  all Wiring departments : (WES/WST/EDS/ECS)

The second part of the program started off with the Christmas Babes walking down the center aisle.

 

The Christmas Babes will also be the ones to explain their respective team’s car design. They will be judged not just by beauty and charm but by wit and eloquence also.

The winners,

Amazing Race : Team Angels

Speed Eating : Team Angels

Car Making :  3 categories

Longest Distance Travelled : Team Santa

Best Christmas Inspired Design : not sure but I guess it was Team Angels also?

Best Car : Team Angels

PETC Christmas Babe 2012 : Team Santa! Wohooo!!

At the back. Picnic area.

Some of my kids. And another guest at the back!

Some WES friends enjoying the barbeque and the funfilled afternoon.

Ready to explain:

Cheering for our Santa Babe!

PETC Gangnam Style :

 With my Manager, Lorna (middle) and Ate Abeth (left). Literally behind the scene, our nativity scene.

 

It was another happy memory to be stored and cherished!

Now I have to go rush and find the perfect shoes to go with my Christmas party outfit tonight. Stay tuned! We are going to have another dance contest like last year!

Thank you to William Atienza, Marcu Deniega, Yaung Tomada and Jeramae Manisan for the pictures!

The Good Life. :)

Linking up with Stasha again at THE GOOD LIFE for Monday Listicles.

Terri at Terri’s Little Corner chose 10 Things That Make Our Lives Easier for this week’s topic.

 

Monday Listicles

Here’s my list:

1.  Water pipes/Running Water. I remember we have to get our water from hand pump deep wells way back.

I so used to be this girl by the well. Photo credit to : http://marcanderson.photoshelter.com/image/I0000xEaAInHlN1o

2.  Bridges. I live in Cebu, Philippines but specifically in a smaller island named Lapu-Lapu City. We are connected to Cebu City via two bridges. Before, we have to ride a barge to get to the city everytime the first bridge is repaired.  The two bridges make life easier now.

Mactan Mandaue Bridge II or the Marcelo Fernan Bridge

3.  Cellphones.

4.  The English Language.  Why? Answer is found  here.

5.  Internet.

6.  Our recently dead broken washing machine.

7.  My two live-in nannies, Ate Cha and Ate Janice.

Ate Cha with Ayana Rhys

8.  Wet wipes.

9.  The Dancing Traffic Enforcer. This one is about an inspiring person named Ramiro Hinojas.

10. The 10 Beautiful Women in My Life.

Sisters.

What’s/Who’s on your list?

The Gio-Faith Wedding Event Slash Mikaela Ruckus

I’ve been inspired to write about a Filipino wedding, after reading Maureen at Tatter Scoops‘s article, Dowries Ceremony, Kupang Style.

So, I got my chance, when last Friday, February 17,  my husband and I took a whole day vacation leave to attend our good friends’, Giovanni and Faith, wedding.  (Wedding number 2 for us this year, though, I felt bad we didn’t stay the whole dinner reception program.)

WARNING : This is yet my longest post as of present.

These two have been together like forever!! I distinctly remembered we have the same “official coupledom year”, ours on September 2003 and theirs, on December 18, 2003.

Gio and Faith tarp

A little back story.

We have been friends with the couple, close to a decade now! Gio and I were college schoolmates. He was an Electrical Engineering student one year ahead of me, whilst I, studied ECE (Electronics and Communications Engineering). I didn’t know him then, only when we worked for the same company (that I now officially worked for 9 years, last Sunday! Feb. 19) and we especially got close when we have the chance to work together in a Mazda program last 2005 in Hiroshima, Japan. He was our big brother, our kick-ass Systems Engineer, our guide, and our cook. We so look forward to weekends then, because it means we get to eat real delicious food courtesy of our dear Giovanni, as opposed to the microwaveable ready-to-eat stuff we buy at a store near Hiroshima post office and train station which for the love of everything pleasant, the name escapes me!

Gio left most. Emmie, me, Erwin. Hiroshima, Japan. January 2005.

Faith, I get to know by association . She is beautiful and surprisingly simple! She is also one of Mikaela’s godmother. Gio and Faith never fails to greet Michael and me every year for 6 years now on our wedding anniversary. They truly are good friends.

 

We were very happy to hear that they finally have a wedding date! Not surprisingly, we were enlisted as secondary sponsors (veil) and Mikaela one of the cute flower girls. Since the Philippines is predominantly a Roman Catholic country, this is going to be a Roman Catholic wedding too, meaning, there is going to be a nuptial mass and the wedding rites is incorporated into the mass. On a side note, most of the Roman Catholic churches have very strict church dress code. Backless, tubes, sleeveless dresses, blouses, clothes are frowned upon on some of the strictest churches, some are a bit lenient, I brought a shawl with me, just in case.

Here’s an interesting read on Marriage and Wedding Customs in the Philippines. While some observed these customs diligently, some have abbreviated some practices too. 

Now, Filipinos, though not all, but mostly, have this very bad habit of being late. When you say 2pm, the average Filipino will arrive between 2pm & 3pm. So, I was not surprised when we arrived on the church 2:15pm and was informed by the event coordinator that the wedding is actually @ 3:30 when the wedding invites said the wedding is at 3pm. It is very understandable. 

Since, we have a role in the wedding rites, I have to wear a gown. Well, for secondary sponsors, it is not a must really, but if you are one of the principal sponsors it is but polite to wear your best dress and make an effort to look good too. I’ve decided to wear a long gown  and instead of buying one, which would mean shop hunting for the perfect dress, I decided to just rent one. And of course, I, typically have to rent a long gown that is way longer than my highest/tallest shoe heels. So lesson number one : When renting a long gown, you have to estimate as closely as possible your heels height, that is, if you wouldn’t want to be lifting your dress all the time.

We also weren’t able to get Mikaela’s dress beforehand so it was decided to just change her clothes on the church. She was really excited and psyched to be wearing a flowing nice dress when she saw my gown. She can’t wait to see and wear her own dress for the wedding. So when we arrived, Gio the nervous groom is already at the church and gave us or rather his trusted assistant, Mikaela’s dress.

Coral pink and lavender pink dresses.

My daughter fell in love with her dress. She insisted I put some lipstick on her. I put on some pressed powder and a light blush on her too. Yeah, I also didn’t have time for a salon hair and make up session. I made do with my pressed powder, blush on and would you believe I have to borrow my yaya/live-in nanny’s lipstick because I lost mine for lack of usage? I know, I’m hopeless.

Her cool Papa did a quick practice walk with her on the center aisle while I whispered some quick instructions. After that, she wanted to go out and play outside wearing the dress! Of course I don’t like to walk around, on my, way past ankle length gown. But Mikaela have a different agenda. She was pulling my hands to play outside. I just had a little polite conversation with some of my friends when somebody said “Baby, NO!” And what did I saw? My Mikaela carrying a big rock! What to do with this kid?

Mikaela grins. She probably saw the rock she was about to lift this time.

 

Her Angry Bird Face.

 

Pretty back.

 

Typically, Filipino men wear Barong Tagalog  as formal wedding attire. This is a picture of my husband (right most) and some of our friends on one wedding (not Gio and Faith’s).

Men in Barong Tagalogs.

3:30 arrived. After some last minute briefing with our daughter, my husband & I walked down the aisle.

Us. Photo by C. Guerra.

Fortunately, our dear daughter walked the whole way, which was a vast improvement compared to the first stint she had as flower girl. We were also unexperienced parents. We should have thought of having one of us stay at the front or the altar to wait for her. Instead my husband and I just watched her from the church door, she started walking sedately, but in the middle of the aisle she did a 180 degree turn around which was very comical. And since it was our first time too, I didn’t thought of video taping it. She was 2 and a half years old.

First Flower Girl Stint.

And you’d thought I would have the presence of mind this time, about the documenting thing now. I did video taped her using my phone camera, but  instead of taking the video horizontally to have the correct orientation during playback, I belatedly realized that I did it vertically. Perfect! Crap.

Mikaela. Photo by C. Guerra.

And then the beautiful bride finally appeared. She was a vision in white. I rarely get emotional during weddings but this time my vision clouded with unshed tears. It was when halfway down the aisle the bride teared up about the same time I realized that she missed her mother who died recently. At the same time I was willing her to not cry hard for the eyeliner, wait is it the mascara that runs? She is beautiful in her very elegant gown. She had the right curves in the right places and she filled her dress very elegantly.

Finally.

 

The mass started and then the wedding rites were observed. Of course I still have to look out for my dear sometimes too independent daughter at the other side of pews. I was expecting she’d sit by me and was not really surprised when she gave me a stubborn shake of her head when I signed and signaled her to come and sit beside me. She is an unpredictable walking sitting time bomb. For the first 15 minutes she did just fine, she sat still for the first 5-10 mins or so. Then it began. She started with pulling some of the flowers on her flower ball then proceeded to pluck the petals. With a new friend in Meagan, they were standing up and walking about but thankfully just in the confines of their pew.  Notice the flower petals on the floor? All Mikaela output.

Mikaela trashing her flower ball.

 

When the men on the right side were given foldable flexible fans, Mikaela zeroed in on her father, got up and proceeded to get the fan and used it like a frisbee. I was frantically trying to catch her attention. I am mortified! The guests behind them were hit twice. I know exactly what they are thinking “What a rude kid! Where are her stupid parents?”. *Sigh*

After 3 frisbee throw attempts and a scolding I suppose, by the yaya/nanny of the other flower girl (who didn’t returned the flexible fan) to her which is a good thing, she resorted to flower petal plucking.

Half way thru the rites, she asked for milk! The problem is, I only brought the milk, no water, I was thinking/anticipating she’d ask for milk when we will be at the reception venue already. I tried telling her and bribing her to wait for the mass to finish, it is almost done. She lasted 25 minutes about the same time the mass finished. Then the pictorials commenced, dear husband have to find a store to buy bottled water for Mikaela’s milk and he made it in time for the secondary sponsors’ turn on the photo ops with the newly weds. Mikaela thought it was really cool that her dress makes for a slide inducing thing and used her knees instead of her perfectly capable legs to walk after her turn with the pictorials. *Sigh*

Oh and when it was our turn to put on the veil on the bride and groom, Mikaela also went to the altar and peeked on Gio and Faith  afterwhich I have to sort of drag her after. Same with the taking off the veil, she also went up to the altar again and looked at the couple. Another, *Sigh*

Mr. and Mrs.

 

After the photo shoots, off to the reception venue, a 9th floor penthouse where you can see the port area and on the other side, the mountains of Cebu. 

Friends and the port view.

 

I was worried that Mikaela’s “slight claustrophia” may manifest again, thank God she got over her fear for enclosed spaces. This is Ethel and Frank’s boy Raman, he is a sweet-tempered smart 4-year-old. He wanted to borrow my smart phone and play angry birds. While my Mikaela made it her mission to clean every square inch of the room with her dress, because she likes how she slides on the floor tiles while lying down, sitting and crawling on the floor. She also made it a point to test the ends of my patience with her running about, then sliding and crawling under the tables. So help me God. Too bad I wasn’t able to take pictures of her antics, phone was used by this very handsome boy sans shoes. Here are some of the pictures.

Aian Raman. Filipino-American.

  

 

 

  

  

  

 

Wedding Cake

The program officially started by the grand entrance of the entourage and the couple dance their way to the dais. After which the blessing of the food and the per table pictorials with the couple at the stage, before the guests proceeds to the buffet tables. A really good idea since some guests don’t really wait for the whole program to be finished before going home.

 

Dancing Newlyweds

 

Food Line

 

The Parages' minus Ayana Rhys. Photo by C. Guerra.

 

Dinner was served soon enough and Mikaela haven’t stopped running and “cleaning” the floor. She and Meagan (the bride’s niece) had the greatest time while I, am very much trying to track her every move which is giving me a headache and I decided to just let her be and crossing my fingers. While eating, they have a live band who serenaded the guests, they were really good, it must be the saxophone, it added a fresh fullness to the otherwise typical live band sound. Their first set was a collection of really cool pop and classic love song mix, pleasing to the ears. A slideshow of the “before” pics of the groom and bride were shown on the projector and some of the church pictures. After which the couple mingled with the guests.

 

With the newlyweds. Photo by C. Guerra.

 

Gio's officemates before.

 

Then there’s the slicing of the cake and the toasting of wine, but instead of wine, they each have a bottle of San Miguel beer. Pretty cool!

From the groom’s side, his Ma and her sister (Gio’s Pa already passed away), gave their messages. From the bride’s side, her Pa and her sister Felsa (Faith’s Ma as I’ve mentioned above passed away too).

Then the smallest and the biggest gift were selected for opening. We weren’t able to see the bouquet and the garter toss and the rest of the activities because dear husband have another event at our house! In fact, his guests are already at our house when we arrived.

I just have to include their give-away gifts, a simple fork lovingly “modified” by the groom, the bride and the sister of the groom to make for a card/picture holder! Not expensive, yet useable and not common.

There! Congratulations and Best Wishes dear Gio and Faith! We are so happy for you two.

 

Innovative Giveaway

 

Card/Picture Holder

 

My earthquake experience

I don’t know how to begin to describe my earthquake experience today. I still have adrenaline coursing through my veins like now, 1 and a half hour after.

 Earthquake Hits Cebu

We just had lunch and I  just sat down, when the IT Help Desk guys/gals passed by. My first thought was, what the hell are they doing stamping their feet like they are attending a marching parade?

Okay, minus the “hell” which I didn’t really thought, I was about to stand up and check when the ground tremors got stronger.

PTWC Weather Gov

It started mild and then the shaking started getting stronger, Ate Abeth (my seatmate) and I just stared at each other, not saying anything, we both looked at Erwin Buot. (We don’t know, for some reason, we just both look at this funny guy, our in-house stand-up comedian). Then a sound like that of a very angry nasty hail storm erupted. It was the thing that scared me the most.  By this time we hid under our desks.  My mind went blank, frozen by the scary hitting and clanging sound. It was the metal braces above us shaking. I heard someone near me uttered a prayer. Then silence, I reached for my desk phone and about to call home when somebody, my best guess, it was Kuya Bong,  from the ERC (Emergency Response Committee) shouted “GET OUT!”. We went out. No mass hysteria but it was a scary experience for me and for most of the parents who were thinking of their children.

We were outside the building for 30 minutes or so, then, somebody announced that it is safe to go back inside.

We are still on alert  now for some aftershocks.

And yes I did call home on my mobile phone,  to check on the two girls while jogging to get outside, they are alright. Thank you GLOBE telecom for the reliable service. I tried calling my sister’s SUN number but couldn’t get through, tried her GLOBE number and she answered on the third ring.

Thank God nobody was hurt.

I wouldn’t like to delve so much about the incident, maybe later, but right now, I am (pardon the pun), shaken.

 

Okay I have to include a picture of my officemates who are regular blog readers. It was their idea that I take a picture of them to include here on my blog.

Pardon the smiles. Sometimes the best way to cope in a stressful scary situation is a small dose of humor.

 

A retake. So to have a picture of the office building included.

How about you?  How did you cope with a stressful/scary possible life threatening situation? What was your experience like?

Computer Coin Machine!

In a third world country, people get quite ingenious in earning money or making businesses work. Bridget, Nami, this is what I’m talking about. (I miss Grace.)

I don’t know if this is truly a Filipino or Pinoy innovation but this is the latest IN thing here in my part of the world. Or maybe not.  I think this has been around for a while now, but during our vacation, I get to actually use one.

It is a computer in a box! Or computer coin machines, or “hulog piso” computer (hulog literally means drop and piso is one Philippine peso coin).

Like in arcades where you have to put tokens to run or use the machines, for this, you put 1 peso or 5 peso coin denominations. One peso will give you 5 minutes or 6 minutes depending on the owners setup, and five peso will give you 20 minutes or 30.

Others have purposely made USB ports inaccessible to prevent viruses. Reasonable but not really for a blogger, like me.

The slot.

The camera.

Comfy standing up!

My fave pink computer in a box unit.

Cycle Write Blog

Coins? Secured!

Entrance to the pseudo internet cafe.

The Fire Horse

The timer.

Twinisms