Lovely Frenz X'mas Party 2007

10th October 2007, Wednesday

This year's X'mas eve falls on a Monday... Sure a great way to beat the Monday blues but I wonder will I be on leave by then as a long streak of leave since Hari Raya Haji the Thursday before till after the New Year looks tempting, just need to check on my remaining leave status after the impending Japan trip...

Meanwhile the likes of my missus, Ferris or even people from La Tendo most probably have to contemplate with work commitments before getting psyched up for the party at EK's place, a carbon copy venue of last year's proceedings...
However with the list of games we had came out with over dinner on Saturday should keep the adrenaline pumping or enough to keep everyone awake till the wee hours of the morning of yuletide

Using napkins for meal and a soluble marker, Chan wrote down 12 "1"s & "2"s for those present to make the random pick of luck to see the team they are allocated to...
Last year "Shining Skulls (My team)" was partially repeated with the likes of Yanhui, Karen & Miyano joining myself for Team 1 or Red Team (as I like to call it)...However this team will be led by the vivacious Vincent as Miyano found her dream comes true to team up with her hubby.
The last member of the sextet was none other than Ferris who seems to be beaming with luck and should be a valuable member...

The White Team of course will be led by the Tay brothers of Reedy & EK together with Mr Chan as a strong back-up, together the trio possess immense potential in games.
The line up was completed with Bryan who might have a good showing this year and "the spouses"... Ferris' bride-to-be, Annalisa and my missus

Overall I felt the teams are well matched and for once 3 couples were split in different teams and for the likes of us married couples, the probability of getting at least the prize should be 100%...heehee
This year we have agreed to use Kinokuniya vouchers as the kitty to spur us on for the clash as like last year...

There was an emphasis on team-work to accumulate as many points as possible while last year it was very much for personal glory despite the first game of charade...
There was no game of pure luck like the last time, so every single points will be a reward of toil and effort contributed by each member...

Last year's charade was very well-received, and this year we decided to choose it's cousin "Win. Lose or Draw" or Pictionary from which we will have to make use of our artistic talent and imagination to allow the fellow member to nail the correct answers...
The former is fun on itself but this one sure will blow the roof off especially with what absurd caricatures everyone will try to come out with under the intense pressure...
While in charade, famous people or fictitious characters are hard to act out, in WLoD it should work out just nice...
Beside the above-mentioned category, movie titles are still a hot favorite from last year but idioms might not get a rousing reception this time round.. perhaps song titles...
A sanction was imposed for the questions to be well-recognised by at least 90% of the participants, so no more ridiculously difficult questions from Miyano this year...even she is in my team

The other games are "Wii Sports" & "Mario Kart DS" are chosen to the fact that we are blessed with the respective game consoles and surely save us plenty of time and effort for other games which may be half as enjoyable (last year the whole mood was smothered after the charade as other games failed to sustain it)
However the ground is not level here as the Lim couple surely has an edge for Wii Sports since they owed the Wii while EK has been way too good in the Mario Kart arena (among us)
Personally I feel I will hold the tail-end of the Kart race, fortunately like F1 racing points will be rewarded for all placings...so if EK grab the podium placing for No. 1 as long as the other 3 of my team mates settled for 2nd to 4th placing, even I am last we should accumulate a higher overall scores...

All in all, things are rosy and can be rosier (ooh yeah..reminds me of Luna Sea)... Fantastic games galore, good (vegetarian) food to whet our appetites, guaranteed good company from the gang, gift exchanges...what more can you ask for...
Just hope that everyone has enough energy to endure through the long silent (more like boisterous) night...

Now I just need to figure out what's the ideal gift for my secret present-receiver...surely he wouldn't want the same "gadget" he/she got last year...oops am I giving too much away?

Japanese word of the day: (Draw) Hope I didn't focus too much to perfect my pictures during the game...