The Other Company Christmas Party

The second of three company Christmas parties this year. This was the main company christmas party held at the World Trade Center with the theme: 12 Acts of Christmas (which meant there will be 12 presentations). With this, I have my 12 thoughts...

1. The registration process was just brutal. I had to wait in line for 20 minutes just to get stubs and a glow stick. It’s somehow ironic that we're a company that specializes in high tech solutions to situations like these. It’s like a McDonald’s company Christmas party running out of food or San Miguel's running out of beer.
   
2. If the registration line was brutal, the buffet line was just deadly. Jaye and I first lined up at this table only to be told that these were reserved for the “committee”. We switched lines. Sometime near the end of the party, I passed by the same table while getting drinks and saw all the food still “reserved” and colder than satan's heart.
   
3. Come on. We’re not stupid. No one is going to fall for that.
   
   
   
   
   
4. The buffet spread was better than the first party. Buffets should always have breaded fish and tartar sauce. Always.
   
5. My theory for selecting the host: either get an excellent host from the TV/radio circles or get some from the company. The expectations for a host outside the company just increases exponentially. JM Rodriguez is good, not great. Patch was great. I still would go for my own male and female host selections.
   
6. There were too many fire exit reminders. Are they expecting a bomb attack?
   
   oh by the way, this is just creepy
   
   
   
7. There is a lot of talent in this company. Singing, dancing, hosting… you name it.
   
8. Imago’s Aia de Leon rocks. Just please please please please don’t rename your band to “Aia de Leon”.
   
9. The raffle prizes were better than cool! For the 4th straight year I didn’t win (but Jaye won an Italianni’s GC!). The grand prizes were two Macbooks, two Samsung 32” LCD TVs and 4 business class tickets to the US! The major prizes were assorted high priced gadgets.
   
10. Passage is a great band but not in the main highlight kind of way. They make you sing and dance with them but after their number, you sit down and ask “who’s up next?”.
    
11. Imago’s done. Passage’s done. On to the main highlight of the night!!! Who is it?!? It’s none other than DJ GLEN PONCE!!!!!!!!!!
    
    … (cricket sounds)
    
    Who?
    
    Come on now. My name has more hits in Google (try it) than this dude (though only of one is really me). It’s always bad when your featured main highlight of the night is greeted with “who the heck is that?”
    
    Wait, before sending your hate mail, I’m not trying to diss the fella. I heard the first part of his work and I think it’s good (though I don’t know good club music from the bad ones). Read on to number 12…
    
12. They introduced DJ Glen and the crowd didn’t know how to react. If it was Rivermaya, they would have ran to the stage and tackled Rico Blanco. DJ Glen grabs the mic and talks with his black dude accent – like John Cena and Carlos Agassi. After some time, most of the people stood up and… upon hearing that no additional prizes will be raffled off, started leaving. It was only 10pm and people were walking away while muttering either they had to work tomorrow or they had to take a call or something.
    
    Even I would have figured that out. The main highlight should be:
    1) Either a band or a solo artist who’s really really good
    2) Currently famous (no washed up bands please)
    3) Has at least 1 song in the charts
    
    While I assume DJ Glen is famous in the clubbing circles, let’s face it, the crowd is a live band type of crowd. Did anyone go to the company’s “House Party” event (which was a dance competition and club music event)? I think there were more people who went to the Eddie Gil concert.
    
    He’s good… but a bad fit. My selection? I would go for a soothing singer or a loud and wacky band.

Oh, you can send all hate mails to --> arnoldrocks@gmail.com