idiots

today, we went to the 2nd grand VALMONTE clan reunion held at my distant uncle's place @ Capitol Homes in QC. the first time, can't remember where was held 11 years ago, where I, mom, dad, karen, john and ching attended. it was fun, everyone talked to each other, my dad introduced us to almost everyone and we went home around 1am with lotsa xmas stuff and giveaways that we had to rent a jeepney to take us home. we got home 3am, talking about how happy we were.

 us and the Paranes 11 years ago

today wasnt so fun.

only mom and I went to the "thing", and we were late. dad isn't here anymore. the place was fucking huge. and so was the front yard where they held it. the house was like a mini-palace and the front of the gate was parked to death by cars which gave me the feeling that mom and I was the only one who got there via cab. we didn't know anyone else there, except for the parane's and tito boy. the parane's sang again, as usual and as always. people just talked to whom they knew, no one approached us. we were at the table at the very back, we ate then we watched the others play games as the the boring hosts called names randomly from the registration sheet.
then we watched some more. observing dress color-coded guests at their tables talked to each other, others knew everyone. i could see youngsters of our generation, laughing with each other on one table, maybe they already knew each other closely, maybe, first cousins or whatever.a lot of good lookin people too, men, women and child.. speaking in english, like 80% of them. Kids, running around with other kids. games were "pinoy henyo", "charades",... no different from a boring day in call center training. and the venue was no different from any kind of "you are invited, go there and eat and sit at your table til you finish, then leave" thing.
before we left, (after 3 hours of observing and smoking cigarettes) they gave us soy sauce and vinegar and 2 weird things wrapped like an xmas gift, which we dont know what it is for. one looks like an oversized mousepad made of wood and the other one looks like an oversized bra, (not joking) really beats the hell outta me.
they called us a cab and my uncle's wife shook my hand and said thank you for coming, the usual shit. yeah, yeah... i hated her in a way, one look at her and i can smell a corporate boss of some sort, and it just makes me wanna puke all over her fancy high-class being.
then we took off in a cab.
in fairness, uncle boy was cool, very nice guy, transparent and non-plasticky. I like him.

at home, a few minutes ago, i accidentally logged into karen's facebook account. got lost and was led to the group page for the Valmonte clan, the group page where they announced the reunion, posted pictures of members of the clan overseas. one post said "the reunion was a success"!!! "thanks to everyone....blah, blah.." i was thinking, and i wanted to reply but didnt anyway, that, If you were our great grand parents, would you say it was a success if your sons and daughters did not talk to each other? everyone who was there, represents one of our great grandparent's son. and sad to say, that it just looked like pulling out people from other places and bringing them at the venue to eat. i never met anyone there whom I havent met before, outta the almost more than a hundred guests there I think. bottomline, it fuckin sucked, a complete waste of time and money.

call me bitter for being the only one who got there via cab, when 99% of all Valmontes are filthy rich but, I least I know I'm the only one who wasn't an idiot.