Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Art by Marco, graphics by Leo.

The SWS-TAF friendship games

The Asia Foundation (TAF) has been mother station's longest institutional partner, going way back in 1980's when TAF gave SWS its first grant.

In my career in social research, my most memorable and fulfilling projects had been with them.

After so many years working with TAF, it was good to see them -- for the first time -- in their sports attire, talk about something else aside from projects, and engage them in a friendly competition last Saturday at the Timberland Nature and Sports Club in San Mateo, Rizal.

TAF did well in the 3-on-3 basketball, free-throw and 3-point shootout, volleyball, and three-to-five-legged race, while SWS excelled in cheering competition, billiards, "going to market", tug-of-war, wall climbing, and pool relay.

By evening, we all shared that love for wine, beer, and videoke (and Glee! Haha!).

Cheers, TAF!

(Excerpts from my personal blog. Photo credits to Mae L.)

Merry christmas!

Postcard design by Marco Mercado

Not ready

The news has been out months ago: there will be no Christmas party this year.

No programme. No parlor games. No contests.

And most of all, no costumes.

Just merienda cena/dinner, drinks, and perhaps a little socials.

I was emotionally prepared for that. Marco can enjoy the title of supreme cosplay/costume guru without fear of any challenger this year.

Until Papa O called me for a meeting yesterday.

Agenda?

Mas-Mas Committee.

I guess there are those who are not ready just yet to let this year pass by without the traditional fanfare.

But will others be ready for it?

Will Techie make the cut, and prove that last year's second place was no fluke?

Abangan.

Always a reason

I'd love to think that there's always a reason when things don't go as planned. It may not always be better than what's intended, but a good reason nonetheless.

When the much-awaited Puerto Gallera Techies trip failed to launch a few weeks ago despite careful planning, I was ready to believe there's a good reason why we're missing the chance to enjoy a relaxing weekend at the beach before the heart-attack pace of the year begins.

Thanks to the fun-loving souls who refused to let that Friday night pass by without something to make up for the lost Galera getaway, we ended up in Pork Barrel along Kalayaan Avenue.

The place may not have the sun, sand, and sea we long for, but it has good-looking service crew, nice drinking ambiance, and, as far as I know, the cheapest beer in that part of Sikatuna Village.

And for that few moments of transparency, I say the sun, sand, and sea can wait.

I'm sure we'll get that dream getaway, soon. Cheers!

Last look at 2008

Excerpts from my post at my personal blogsite...

The days leading to Christmas were, as usual, toxic at the workplace.

It has always felt like we have to earn our vacation, and considering the length of the holiday break ahead and the deadlines that await us, it’s going to take a lot of work to earn this one.

But I was able to keep my flight schedule intact this time, thanks to everyone’s hard work (I believe we share the same plans of spending a worry-free vacation), and Joan, who booked our flights early on in September.

My sincerest thanks to the two new members of Techies who made our lives easier beginning second half of the year: Anne, for doing most -- if not all -- of the hard work in the project that is legendary for driving any Techie to the brink; and Liz, for taking some of the tech-related stuffs off my hands.

And thanks to Mae and Liz for the last two media releases of 2008 -- it felt good seeing the stories at the frontpage of newspapers that manage to reach our rural hometown.

Looking back at a not-so-good news...

The segment of the year-end report by a TV network featuring my discussion on one of the regular political survey findings of SWS was taken out by producer. About a week before the airing, she wrote me an email informing me about the omission, and apologizing for the inconvenience.

After three postponements in the taping (and the extra days I have to wear smart casuals haha), that 30-minute interview will never see the light of day. *sigh*

I'm just glad I haven't told my mother about the interview. She's got the most active "text life" I've ever seen for someone of her age -- she could spread the word to hundreds and hundreds of teachers and friends across the region in no time. *shudder*

Anyway, at least the public didn’t have to see my haggard face on TV. No amount of studio make-up could conceal the fatigue in my horrible mug back then.

I wasn’t the only one running short on spirit and temper – the pressure of deadlines was eating away at our reserves (pitpitan ng bayag, ‘ika nga), slowly dashing out my hopes of the Techies redeeming its glory at the Christmas Party Presentation Contest. Finding the time and the right mood (yes, mood!) for us to rehearse for the contest was almost impossible.

It’s been years since the Techies won the coveted title of being Champions in the Christmas Party Presentation Contest, with 2007 seeing our worst defeat by far: we ended in seventh place, out of seven competing groups.

Oh, the humiliation!

But my prayers were answered when somehow the Techies pulled off a decent number on the night of December 18, and ended up in second place, besting six other groups.

We’re not the champions, but it was more than I wished for. THANK YOU.

Thanks to this year’s Mas-Mas Committee – Anne, Ched, Liz, Micko, and Pierre – for putting together the party. Here’s wishing you all a fruitful and fulfilling time with the station.

Thanks to our surprise judges, Ate Ana and Diana. The outcome of the contest reminded me of what the competition was like when I joined the station waaay back: more than just dazzle, a presentation has to have substance.

And thanks to everyone for such a wonderful year, and for the equally great way to end it! The Best Costume award may have eluded me again, but at least I know better now than to choose a sidekick/bestfriend character to cosplay. Sanosuke Sagara is a fascinating character and definitely one of my favorites, but cosplaying someone who is barely known among the typical NGO crowd (trust me, I surveyed) was just not worth the trouble.

Next time, I'll stick to someone classic, maybe someone like Son Goku.

Cheers!

...SWS Techies Love SWS

We Love SWS (The Techie Song)

We love the numbers, we love the percent sign.

We love statistics, and always asking “why”?

We love opinions, and their diversity.

Boom-deyada Boom-deyada Boom-deyada Boom-deyada (2x)

We love the sampling, and all replacements.

We love to write the news, even on a weekend.

We love to work late, postponing all our dates

Boom-deyada Boom-deyada Boom-deyada Boom-deyada (2x)

We love our Saturdays, working in the office.

We love to go fast, checking all the visuals.

We love the bowling sheet and all its craziness

Boom-deyada Boom-deyada Boom-deyada Boom-deyada (2x)

 We love tough projects that make us sweat and stink

We love rough clients that take us to the brink

We love the whole world of research and survey work

Boom-deyada Boom-deyada Boom-deyada Boom-deyada (2x)

 We love to run fast, from here to MM’s room

We love adventure, beating all those deadlines blue

We love FGDs, here, there and everywhere

Boom-deyada Boom-deyada Boom-deyada Boom-deyada (2x)

 We love respondents who get the questions right

We love the DP and their accuracy

We love the data hiding in the library

Boom-deyada Boom-deyada Boom-deyada Boom-deyada (2x)

 We love the Admin and all their money

We love the field group and all their bravery

We love the Admin boys and their rush delivery

Boom-deyada Boom-deyada Boom-deyada Boom-deyada (2x)

 We love Gerardo but we call him Super Jay

We love Tita Da and her pep talks in our heads

We love MM and his urgent requests

Boom-deyada Boom-deyada Boom-deyada Boom-deyada (2x)

 We love the tough jobs

We love the color blue (isda)

We love survey work

We owe it all to you

Survey world is awesome

That we’re discovering

We love the survey world its a brilliant world

Boom-deyada Boom-deyada Boom-deyada Boom-deyada (2x)