Session RED BOX

   Of all the events held in PSG that civilian employees have attended, parties, gatherings, summer outings to name a few, there's this one that I will never forget, the time when we went out on a night gimmick.

     It was early last year, March 19 when me and my fellow civilian employees planned, decided, and eventually fulfilled what all of us have been wanting to do...a videoke session. The idea of wanting to go to a videoke bar was from a former fellow civilian Ms. Marjorie Gavan who was eager to go to some place and enjoy karaoke. It was then collaborated by our Chief Civilian Ma'am Ariel who had been to a videoke session at this place called RED BOX.
     
     I gathered some info from their site to give you a little background about the place. Red Box is a videoke bar, a complete recreation lounge that elevates and redefines the traditional dining, drinking, and of course your karaoke experience in just one setting. Its entertainment concept originated in Hongkong and later on has successfully expanded in Malaysia and finally here in the Philippines some time in December 2003. Red Box aims to provide customers with safe and comfortable yet modern environment perfect for karaoke enjoyment. Each room is uniquely designed with creative and contemporary interiors, made to put you in the mood for singing. But take note, the place offers not just the usual karaoke experience but dining as well, with easy on the budget menus, varied lunch sets, dinner buffets, and  ala carte selection. They also have daily promos that will suit everyones budget. 

     Getting back to my story, before we head off to Red Box that day, we all decided to have dinner first at Kenny Rogers. Well, we needed energy in order to endure the challenge of belting our lungs later on. After a few chat together and after we're all done with our dinner, we head straight to the 4th level of Trinoma and finally entered Red Box. 

     We we're all kinda excited since it was our first ever gimmick together which became a some sort of bonding moment for us civilian employees. At first some of us were a little bit shy to hold the microphone and hesitated to sing, but after Marj set off the first song everyone followed. We sang different songs, danced to different beats, laughed the whole session and found ourselves enjoying the night. Our differences were set aside during that time, and as i quote Marj, for a few hours we were all the same people, just out there having fun; with our inhibition's crippled and our laughter unrestrained.
     
     Red Box has its branches at the 3rd level Greenbelt 3 in Makati, 4th level Eastwood Mall and at the 4th level Trinoma Mall, both located in Quezon City. They are open from lunch time to the wee hours of the morning. For more details and info about Red Box, you could visit their site at www.redbox.com.ph or their Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/redboxkaraoke. 

Boodle Fight

Troops lined in front of the 
long table.

     I'm sure lahat tayo nasubukan nang kumain sa dahon ng saging, nang naka-kamay. But have you ever tried doing it ng nakapila, sa isang mahabang lamesa where food is served and all piled up in one line tulad ng kanin, pansit, adobo, nilagang okra at talong, sardinas, bagoong at kung anu-ano pa ng naka-kamay? sa isang Boodle Fight? For those who have no idea what it is, a boodle fight is a symbol of brotherhood, a tradition for military men where they line up in a long table, food is dumped in a pile on top of banana leaves and then everybody eats as fast as they can using bare hands. It's like everyone has to finish everything up on the table as fast as they can. Having been employed in a military camp for almost eight years now at sa makailang ulit nang nagkaroon ng boodle fight sa PSG, sad to say that I have only experienced it once. But a few days ago, March 1 to be exact,  I have participated a boodle fight for the second time.  

     

Let the boodle fight begin...

     Just right after PSG celebrated it's 25th Founding Anniversary at the Grandstand of Malacañang Park, a boodle fight was then held in front of PSG Training School lead by PSG Group Commander Col. Ramon Mateo Dizon. Long tables were prepared. Served on top of banana leaves were Rice, pancit bihon, adobo, hipon, nilagang talong, bagoong, and of course it won't be complete without the sardines. Jugs of water and bottled soda were on the side. As we lined up in front of the table, me and my co-civilian employees were kind of excited as we patiently wait for it to start. After a few traditional ceremony the countdown begins, and finally after the signal was given we all started to feast on the food. With just  bare hands everyone ate up to their limits. It was no fancy  sumptuous food, just the ordinary Filipino food but it seems like it was the most filling meal for everyone. All of us had a smile on our faces as we dig out the food on the table, tummies were filled with everything that was there on the table and just after a few minutes everything on it were wiped out, well that was the aim in the first place. 

PSG Civilian Employees with Defense Secretary Voltaire T Gazmin.

      Aside from the military officers, enlisted personnel and civilian employees of PSG, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, former PSG officers and civilian employees who served President Cory Aquino's regime have also participated in the said event. For me and for the rest of the my co-civilian employees who don't usually have the chance to join a boodle fight, it was an experience to remember, a fun free day indeed which makes us look forward to another boodle fight.