September shine!

CEBU, Philippines - You have to admit, this month was one of best we had compared to probably the last five years. With that, I mean sans the depressing downpours and more of the sunshine. Though I didn't mind the cool breeze that crept through the nights, sometimes with intermittent showers. This September gave us the chance to enjoy the outdoors and reminded us that the ber-months are finally here!

Ms. Erla Arañas salvoed the month with her birthday celebration on the 1st. Quietly held at her newly-decked beach house, closest family and friends were in for non-stop laughs and booze along with bottomless food servings for an entire day. Whew! I think I'm still full thinking about it. Then, a series of even smaller occasions came days after with dear friends-Sherwin Summer Noval and Bryan Robles marking their own birthdays, as well.

By mid month, while I was busy playing host to foreign visitors, my friends in the BPO industry consulted my creative genius for a theme in their mid-year soiree. "Back to the Decades!" it was. And yes, they all came to their corporate function dressed back-in-time, representing the roaring decades. Who won as best dressed?

The month ended with two more birthday celebrations with close friend Nympha Tac-al who marked her thirty-something years while young lass, Anna Motus, formally introduced herself to society as a lady. On her beach-themed debut party at the Amara banquet hall, an intimate number of guests witnessed Anna's coming of age. Well-wishes of close friends were the highlight of the evening but then it was the debutante's father, Bobby Motus, who capped the evening with a funny and an “almost” tear-jerking speech-toast for his beloved daughter. Cheers, everyone! (FREEMAN)