...yup, this has been my first proper weekend after so long a time.
Starting by having a blast on company's Anniversary Party. I went there mostly out of obligation but it turned out quite fun. Well, that's an understatement, I think, because it was fun.
We had this awards-presenting firstly, which was a bit boring because everybody was just sitting down while there was Dewi Sandra (yahoo... twin sister!) singing a succession of most-rocking hits. What a waste...!
Anyway, from our place, Ivan (9) got the Best Student award, Astri got the Best Teacher award and Firda the receptionist got the Best Staff award. All three of them deserved it. Among us, teachers, nobody works harder than Astri, not to mention the heart she gives out.
Firda... what can I say. She's your typical savvy, quick and cool employee, who can manage just about everything that's handed to her.
Ivan... Well, he used to be my student. I taught him during his Green Fireflies(5) level. Now he's in Red Tiger(3). Back in G5, he had been the best student too. But at the time, competition wasn't as strong as today. Back then, he's got only 3 classmates. He'd proven himself by getting a series of perfect scores even after he got into Red levels. No mean feat, that.
Typically, Firda looked just as cool as usual upstage, Astri was having the most fun and Ivan... well, he was sleepy! What d'you expect? It was past his bedtime by the time they announced the award for Best Students. The MCs asked him questions and he just went, "Mmm... mmm."
It was a bit disappointing to me because I was hoping they'd ask him some "serious" questions and he'd be able to dazzle them with his thickly accented but very good English!
Soon, the time came to rock and ruuuumble...! Guest star, Ari Lasso, wasn't exactly who we were looking forward to, but anything for a chance to let loose for a while.
And it turned out OK., as I said. He's a good musician, after all, and he knows how to work out the audience. It's been sometime since the last time I'd enjoyed live music. We did everything, stupid dance, sing-along and rocker-wannabe stunts, although Astri had to keep shouting the lyrics so I could join the sing-along! It was hilarious.
Earlier, I was walking toward the reception area (to get the most important thing done: getting my free snack box) and this guy jumped out of nowhere and started clicking away with his professional-looking but old camera. I felt like a VIP. To make matter funnier, my boss was walking beside me and we were both wearing shirts of identical shades. I told him jokingly that I didn't know what the gossip tabloids would make out of this.
Inside, I saw Amber, the PMDD (Product and Material Developement Dept) exec whom I like very much despite the fact that she intimidates me a little too. I was more than flattered when she came over to say hello.
My boss took it for granted that of course, she would, given the fact that I did my FCE test exceptionally well (teehee...!). Up until now, I still think that why, of course, I would do well (ha!) but surely, there had been others who'd done equally well, too.
And she's a native speaker, after all. As good as anyone could be in English, surely she wouldn't notice it too much.
But anyway, she came over and, keeping my cool, we chatted a bit and she told me she'd be the one handling my CAE class.
Well, what else can an English teacher asks? I look forward to it though I acted wary when I heard that. She seemed to get the joke, too.
Anyway, forward to Saturday. Having found out that I had no classes this Saturday, I thought my inner clock would automatically adjust itself, as usual. But no, I woke up at 7. Imagine that. A day off and I woke up at 7.
When it was a torture to open my eyes at 9 on weekdays.
Still, I lolled around in bed until noon when I got up and took a bath. And then onward to the comic rental to return some due books. Ling was about to go home and I was glad that I caught her in time. Campus was quite deserted by the time I got there.
Then I went to pick up the higly anticipated Harry Potter 6. Goddamn, is the book good! Once again, there's a death of a favourite character, sigh. But it'd happen anyway, I guess.
And no matter what everybody says, I do believe in Snape *defiant*. I believe he acts on Dumbledore's order, period. (Always have a soft spot for Black Sheeps.)
I slept in on Sunday cause I spent Saturday night finishing the book. Still, I was up at 10. Then I finished The Inn at The Edge of The World. It's a depressing book but well-written, nonetheless.
I thought of writing my long-neglected penpals but so far I've only managed to hit Reply. Man, I hope they'd still want to hear from me.