Rambling Thoughts

One of my good friends from work resigned last week and we threw her a good-bye party after work today. We were a big group (about 25 or so people) when we headed across the street to TGI Fridays for Happy Hour after work. It was nice to just hang out, talk, laugh, relax and have a couple of drinks. It reminded me of after-work events I had from back home and after-class events back in Berkeley.

Back home we used to go to this place called Il Ponticello (which was my absolute favorite place) after work. It was small restaurant/bar located in the heart of the Makati business district. Since it was on the 2^nd floor of an office building and not visible or advertised from the street, not a lot of people knew where it was. I loved its dimly lit, cozy atmosphere. It was the kind of place you dressed up for but not in a pretentious kind of way. It wasn’t really the place to go to be “seen” but rather a great place to unwind with drinks and really good food. I loved their menu and there were many Friday nights we’d go over there for cocktails, dinner, and dessert. I wonder if that place is still open …

As I was talking to some of my colleagues I kept thinking to myself that it’s so strange how different people are when they are at work and when they are hanging out at a bar. You see such different sides of their personality that sometimes they don’t even seem like the same people. It’s nice to see a more “human” side to the people you work with every day. I think everyone felt the same way because we talked about doing this again sometime. I’d like that and I think it’d be good for us to get together after work, especially since our company culture is so distant and so “strictly business”.

I’m sorry to see my friend leave but I know she’s moving on to bigger and better things. I wish her well. It’s always kind of sad to say good-bye. We keep telling ourselves that it’s not “good-bye” – that we’ll only be a phone call, email, text message away. But then life happens and it gets harder and harder to stay in touch. I guess that’s life. I don’t mean to sound negative but rather realistic when I say relationships need work.

I’ve re-read what I just wrote and realized that there really isn’t a point to this post. I guess I’m just rambling and thinking out loud …