Hua Pak! The Second Gathering

My whole family was on holiday last August 19, Quezon City Day, when my father drove me to Makati, not for work, but to catch a ride to Island Cove in Cavite. In Island Cove, the Technology Solutions Group of HP celebrated its two years in the company with a Chinese theme entitled Hua Pak! The Second Gathering.

The offsite was much more fun than I expected. The food was great (yeah, chubbs = pig)! I was a part of the Pink Team, aptly named Hua Pink!, which was good for me because the pink ribbon matched my favorite pink Penshoppe pants (chubbs = kikay). I met lots of people from the company and affirmed that HP really is an eclectic bunch. I had a fun time cheering my team on and participating in the games.

The show in the evening was like a Cursor App flashback for me. All the newhires were gave a presentation that matched the theme. I was in the second group with Arlene and Ryan and all the Cursor-UP CS peeps -- Mike S., Sars, Gino, Cha, KD, Mshel, Tina, Jan, and GM (I'm dressed in white behind Tops in picture). It was fun watching Jan and Mike dancing to Instant Ayos and Totoy Bibo. But it was kind of embarrassing dancing to Kung Fu Fighting, the Basketball Pump Up Song and The Lion Sleeps Tonight, as I've never been a dancer. Hehe.. I guess Chesca's wacky steps, lots and lots of energy, and more of kapal ng mukha sealed it for us.

The night progressed with a presentation of the Lead Team which brought the house down and a good-bye tribute to Mr. Paul Martin (wearing toga with lead team in picture), who's leaving to work in HP Singapore. Paul was my boss's boss's boss. Now, I guess he's my boss's boss's boss's boss. I didn't have a chance to work with him here at HP, but I know that he's been here in the Philippines for quite a while. It's true what they say that Paul is amiable and very friendly. I got a chance to be his student in CS 173, Project Management, when I was a senior in UP. He was one of the people who evaluated our work on EBB (Electronic Baby Book: Your Baby's First Book!). He gave very good feedback and taught us how to improve our work. That's why though I don't know him that well, I'm sad that he's leaving. The applause and the tribute on Friday night only affirmed how grateful the people are with his work on the site. I know he's touched so many lives, mine included.

It was a fun weekend for me The Cursor People in HP even had a photo op (SEXXXY!) and I arrived just in time for the UP-NU game that we won! And Abby's back! Can't be any happier (according to Chris: "Para kang si Kris Aquino na inlove kay James Yap)! The weekend wrapped up with us cousins having dinner at Pancake House Congressional and coffee at Figaro (my treat ).

Lastly, my new laptop arrived last Monday! Yey! And I named it...

Abraham.