Wednesday, January 14, 2009 A MMIX party By Id Acaylar
MMIX is Roman for 2009. It took me a while to decipher it and appreciate how appropriate it was as a title for the New Year's Eve party at Eden Nature Park and Resort.
The same mix of success ingredients of prior years' celebration was present and made it truly a family affair.
The kiddies' corner with games and party favors proved to be a hit among children including mine. Catholic families felt glad and convenient with the evening mass still celebrated by Father Felix Labor and the hymns sung by the GSIS choir.
The gourmands feasted on the sumptuous buffet dinner replete with lechon and roasted calf. So did I but contenting only with pat, canapés and relleno unmindful of the numerous gastronomic delights served or otherwise I would have suffered the rest of the night.
And as usual there was entertainment galore. Young and old danced to the live music of Kardams and Katribo resting only to be enthralled by the magic tricks of James Infiesto, the hilarious games and raffles with numerous interesting prizes.
It was indeed a fiesta, the Filipino way and all the way to annual countdown. I opted to be a bystander enjoying the sights and sounds of revelry and the crescendo of emotions as a new year unfolded.
Then I realized that no pyrotechnics or instruments could rival the intensity and resonance or even the cacophony of human voices shrilling to the heart's content and rejoicing the dawning of a new year.
Now, I fondly remember the feline paintings on the innocent faces of children, the henna tattoos on the seemingly unblemished skin of the yuppies and the colored extenders that fell gracefully from the hair and whiskers of nonchalant celebrators.
But most vivid in my mind are the three or four tarot cards of Freeda, the fortuneteller that said, temptations wait for me in 2009.
I pondered. When did I ever not get tempted? Life is constantly laced with temptations, most of which sweet. But it is always matched with a decision. After all life is what we make it.
I must admit, I have succumbed. And I did not regret the latest temptation, the MMIX Party at Eden Nature Park and Resort.
