Had a fantastic day yesterday, because I was finally able to attend the Wednesday Group (a la That’s Entertainment!) drinking session at Pearl, emphasized in particular because it was Alia’s birthday. I thought I’d be late but I actually wasn’t; I was early so I decided to crash first in Mich’s workroom, since I parked in her building anyway. She was cramming some work (as usual) for her shoot today. Read some comics while waiting for her to finish. I think she was trying to have a conversation with me but I was reading. I did scream “Yeah!” and the occasional polite laugh every once in a while. Loko lang Mich.

I love Mich’s workroom. Before yesterday I’d never been there before nighttime and seeing the view with the late afternoon sun, smog and all, was breathtaking. When it started to rain I was fascinated by this one window because you could open it and poke your head out, looking down 16 floors. And if you look down when it’s raining, it’s like you’ve got the POV of the rain. Cool. So me and Mich started spitting on people and cars because hey, it’s raining anyway (and really strongly, at that) so if you get hit, just stand still a few more seconds and it’ll be washed right out.

Around 4-ish (and after the downpour) we went to Pearl and found Joey, Alia, Chris, and Alexis. If you know Chris, then you know the drinking was already underway, and Alexis was nursing one too. More and more people started coming: Goldie, Quark, Ernan, Carlo, Ozzy, and people I met only then like Kris Sevilla, EJ, and Sarah. Neva and Lia came from work. All in all we fluctuated between 9-13 people (all but two having blogs), and were at that spot for around 7 hours! Whew. But you don’t get tired when the company’s good, and good’s what it was. Everyone was noisy, spilling food and beer, Quark got me the latest SPX anthology while he was in Noo Yawk (wooh!)

while showing off his pictures with Daniel Clowes, Ira from Yo La Tengo, Juliana Hatfield, etc. Bastard.

Off the top of my head, memorable scenes from last night:

- the unfurling/undulating Ozzy Arcilla (still in denial and sporting a spiffy new haircut)
- Mich: “I love therapy! I love rehab!”
- Goldie’s uniform collar having the word DYKE written/sewn on it by Hannah.
- Everyone making fun of, alternately, Mich’s herpes, Chris’s Irish roots, Alexis’s Canadian roots, Ozzy’s sexuality, Joey’s hairless legs, Alexis’s Tagalog accent, Ozzy’s wardrobe, and on and on and on… there’s tons more but most of you reading this blog were there anyway. Now I’m waiting for you guys to post pics so I can steal ‘em.

A lot of funny stories were told and heard, too. Lots of laughs, aching stomach muscles, and second-hand smoke.