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Monday, January 15, 2007
Of Tofu And Mangoes and Seedlings
6:39pmMusic: I Don't Want To Miss A Thing - Aerosmith (loud music I am overhearing from the Training Dept) I had two goals to meet the past weekend. One was about cooking while the other was about picking mangoes. As you know, obviously, I have been staying in the kitchen during weekends. My dishes were Nilagang Manok and Pechay Guisado, all from sassy lawyer, Connie. The former was served on a Saturday lunch. The latter was served for a Saturday and Sunday dinner. And no, Sunday dinner was not a leftover from Saturday night. I went overbored in buying the ingredients that's why my grocery receipt went over a thousand, which normally tallies for about 800 bucks only. I did not religiously follow the recipes. I disregarded some and added some items. The last two dinners made me use tofu for the first time. I am not a fan even in a serving of LTB (Lugaw/Congee, Tokwa/Tofu, Baboy/Boiled pig's meat). But there will always be first times, right? It was also my first to use sesame seed oil in my dish. And boy, am I a proud owner of another kitchen tool: a set of measuring spoons. Inspiring. This one is not part of my weekend plan but I find the need to post it. I already have at least an inch of chili seedlings. I am not sure, though, of its variety. I have mixed at least three types in the bag: bell pepper; long, green chili (the one usually used in sinigang) and the red hot one (the one used as a dunking sauce along with patis and vinegar). I am thinking of where to transplant them. Our backyard usually gets flooded on rainy days. Sundays had always been boring to me. But if I will choose to be at work or lounge at home, I will definitely stay at home and be as bored until work day comes in. I tried to take a nap around 3pm. It was damn hot but I have my ever reliable, semi-functional (It does not rotate, for reason that I want to find out. I took care of it but can;t think of any reason why it suddenly had a severe "stroke." And I am the only one using it.) electric desk fan. I think I feel asleep for about 5 minutes. But that wasn't enough. Much harder was to try to get that "antok" feeling back. Headache on a hot, boring afternoon. So, I went down and ate a couple of biscuits. As I was seated, my two brothers were sleeping on our sofa. The elder was even snoring. How could they? Our window was just right in place to allow sun rays to enter. Plus, they did not have any kind of ventilation. But they were having a good time romancing the cushion. Kainis. Perhaps, it was my semi-wet hair for I was almost fresh from the shower when I laid down on my bed. Anyway, so I thought of something to do. I thought of cooking dinner already but it was too early. I just checked my plants at our yard. Then, thought of a wonderful idea... ... pick some mangoes. Hmmm, it has been more than a year when I last tasted our homegrown fruit. And it was my dad who planted that tree. It was thick with fruits but less than last summer. I looked for the piece of wood that my nephews use to pick the mangoes. I climbed up the tree. It was swaying because of a strong wind. I just stayed on the first stable branch. I tried to go higher but the wind stopped me. I got mild bruises on my right wrist and left leg for hanging on the tree like a monkey. I guess, it was totally different when I was younger. Back then, I do not fear heights even climbing high construction places and public school roofs. No, I am not part of the Akyat-Bahay Gang. We were kids playing hide and seek with a little pusoy dos on the side. Before I can go up to the third level branch of that same tree. And I do not use any kind of wood to get the fruits. I reach them with my hand, twist the branch and break it. We usually do it at noontime. I call my friends by clapping my hands. That was our kind of sign. At least five kids are up on the tree minding their own business but with one aim: to pick as many mangoes as each one can. Before, we did not pay attention if the one mango was still about to grow in size and be ready for consumption. We even didn't care if we can eat all of 'em. All we wanted was the delight of climbing a tree and then going down with a handful. That was the peak of the excitement. Once everyone's done, we peel the skin off the fruit. Some prepare the dunking sauce. And this sauce can either be the ff: patis (fish sauce), patis and salt (How healthy); Bagoong (shrimp paste); salt, msg; salt, msg and chili; patis, salt and chili,; salt and chili; bagoong and chili. And then one will trick the other by rubbing a red, hot chili on one of the shredded peices of mango and then returning that piece inside the bowl where we get our share. I managed to get four mangoes yesterday. Two, I ate with Bagoong Balayan (anchovy sauce) while the other should be on our tableby now, hopefully. So, on weekends, I have at least three productive things to do. Labels: Childhood Bliss, Whatever Weekend
posted by Arn  at 7:26 PM
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Friday, January 12, 2007
Round 1 : The Challenge6:01PMMusic: September -EW&F Time to re-assess myself again, professionally. Nope. And I am not talking about my self evaluation form that I am trying to fill up. But this should concern something bigger than that. I have again applied for a little higher position. As last year, I am again not expecting anything. But I am sure surely giving a good competition those those who sent their intent. Oops. A couple are my friends. And the three of us just laugh about our interest. Not that laughing about someone's dreams and career move but the fact that we are trying again. Perhaps, we have this vibe of uncertainty. Well, I do. Not that as strong as my will to help my team. I have always loved, and always will, this group. Those "maybe's" and "what if's" running through my mind again. You might not understand if you're not in the same industry that I'm in. I like how the way I control my schedule choice. For more than I year, I have lived as normal as the rest of the Filipino laborer out there (but not out there as in overseas). You see, it is a big thing to me. To deprive myself with depression. Yes, I get very sad going home when the rest of you are perhaps on their sleep already. I can deal with late nights once or twice a week but maybe not for the rest of my work week. I may not see the things that I used to see in this schedule: late night news, bus ride chasing, street food vendors, morning sun, morning air, rush hour, k-drama, MRT passenger crush, free newspapers, hot lunch (more of late lunch) , etc. These may be pain in the arse but these make me tick. I also think that my mom would be in a sound sleep when I get home. She would be alone until I reach my place at around 2AM (That is if I would be THE one.). But there is a requirement once promoted. Yes, I know that things will change because I will not work as a rep but something else. I know I can do the job and meet the demands of it. I am thinking about the things outside this career move. I may be the best in that position. But will I still be the best outside, say as a friend or brother? I do not want to miss things out. I still have plans about things that I want to do after work. If I will be here 'til midnight, so how can I attend to some of my obligations if the people who are waiting for me are already sleeping? Someday, I will have a business. How can I attend to that business? But let me think again. I will take each day one day at a time. Strategize. After work, I should be totally out from work. When in the office, first priority is work. After shift, I should place work somewhere in the middle of my list to do other things. You think that's healthy enough, right? Okay, yes. I am up for it. Let's see if this will sweep me hard or I am just traumatizing myself with too much thinking. Good luck to me on Tuesday. (Also to my other teammates who'll be up.) Labels: Pro Me
posted by Arn at 6:27 PM
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Tuesday, January 09, 2007
01.08.07 Mon6:43pmLast Saturday was FunFor the past weeks, I was always late in having my grocery list done. I now arrive at the supermarket at past 9am. But it was okay since the holidays are over and there are less people now doing their rounds. But I am not posting anything about time and other shoppers. I finished my list fast. Before the clock hit 11:30am (and before Korean drama, "It Started With a Kiss" started.. Haha! I am guilty.), I was already home unloading my three grocery bags. I have some grocery finds that excites me until now. And there are still some that I wish to get in my next stop. To help me in my cooking indulgence, I got a cooking oil dispenser; a small, steel laddle; a small powder container (since I bought a pack of curry powder that same day); and a peeler with plastoc knife (this my nephews tested after the picked some green mangoes in our backyard). A set of measuring spoons were already in my cart. But I decided to have it next week. I assumed that my money isn't enough. And I am strictly following my grocery list. But the items mentioned above were not even part of last week's list. So, blame me now. A set of measuring cups also call me everytime I passby that section. Soooooon. Anyway, one of the personnels assigned to the meat section was a former kindergarten classmate/neighbor. I know that we know each other. We just did not grow up speaking with one another. He, together with his brothers, has been a news in our place, even outside, for their notorious acts. And dang! He kept on coming back and forth the liempo section. I was suppose to get at leat 1/4 k of it. But he was the only one tasked to weigh and seal it. And I do not want to command a person whom I know. So, I changed paln on what to cook for a Sunday lunch. I got chichen gizzard and liver instead. Easy adodo instead of bicol express. Upon reaching home, I rested and watched tv for a moment before I proceeded to work my hands on my Oriental Pork ingredients. It was from the kitchenomics website. But I made a twist, accidentally. Instead of using their sweet style spaghetti sauce, I used 2 pouches of sweet blend tomato sauce from UFC. I wrote it wrongly on my list. I kep on looking for a 250 g del monte sweet style tomato sauce but found none. I found a 200 g sweet blend UFC tomato sauce. I got two, which makes 400g, and just increased the amount of other ingredients so I can consume every drip of the tomato sauce. Oriental Pork was okay. But I did not get rave reviews about it. Plain. I made it a little hot by adding some more curry powder. But I liked it hot. After eating lunch and a short rest, I went digging some soil in our backyard. The squash that I planted in a small pot was fastly growing. So, the need to transfer it to an open soil was encouraged. I made use of my unused gardening tools. As I was digging a plot, my two nephews were up the mango tree picking some fruits. I was just right below them. After they got more than 10 mangoes, they went down to eat 'em. I asked them to try one of my latest purchase - peeeler with plastic knife (with a banner on the side: Even kids can use them.) After they peeled a couple, they helped me make my plot. My two other nephews also gave help. My four year old nephew/goddaughter, Christine, and Gaby. I have a shovel. Jeric had the hand trowel. Akie had the transplanter while Christine and Gaby were grabbing each other hair to use the cultivator. I gave them some snacks afterwards. I asked my sister to make two pitchers of iced tea and to use the leftover lemon on the fridge. I then asked Jeroc to buy two plastics of cubed ice and some bread from the bakery. I was alone digging some more while watching them enjoy the food and the company of each other. Ah, I really feeling it to be their tito (uncle). But yesterday afternoon, those three little kittens got into my nerves. They destroyed my plot. They've uprooted my plants. They managed to intrude the plant to think that we put some branches to protect them. God thing there were still alive but almost wilting. I buried the roots again in soil and watered them immediately while sprinkling some to those pesky, little kittens (Now, my mom plans to kidnap them from Phoebe and leave them 100 m away from our house.). And just this morning, before I took a bath and wash the things I used in cooking, I added extra branches to ensure that they will not do it again. Hopefully, when I water them tonight, they are untouched. GluttonyI took two sets of meal for my lunch today. I started off my morning with a cup of coffee. Then, I made myself an omelette (slices of chicken luncheon meat wrapped with scrambled eggs) that I brought here in the office as my official breakfast (as per my New Year's resolution, I am imposing myself to have a decent breakfast everyday.). With it was half a cup of rice. My lunch was 'pinakbet' (mainly veggies) and a cup of rice. In less than 5 minutes after I consumed them, I went down our food court and got myself a serving of spaghetti and toasted bread. I dozed off after. A complete pig, weren't I? But I am still hungry. But no way am I stuffing my stomach with some more food. I feel like farting. Besides, the first thing that I did after I woke up this morning was to take a poop. I had an upset stomach that gives me a feeling of farting and pooping any moment. So, I am not eating anything until I am home. Kainis. Labels: Seven Deadly Sins, Whatever Weekend
posted by Arn at 5:52 PM
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Monday, January 08, 2007
Akie And Gaby01.05.07 Fri7:13pmMusic: Money - Cindy Lauper Ngalan yan ng mga pamangkin ko. Magkapatid sila. Si kuya ay walong taong gulang, magsisiyam nitong buwan. Si bunso nama'y magdadalawa na sa Abril. Dati silang nakatira sa matandang bahay na tinirhan naming lahat na magkakapatid. Ngayo'y nakalipat na sila sa sarili nilang bahay sa tabi ng matandang bahay. Pasado alas sais kaninang umaga nang bumukas ang pinto sa likod-bahay. Si Gaby, akay ng kanyang nanay, ang aking ate, ang pumasok at mag-iinit ng tubig bitbit ang whistling kettle. Hindi pa plantsado ang bahay nila kaya hati pa din kami sa lutuan. Ako'y naghihilamos na noon sa banyo. Kakabangon ko lang beinte minutos pagkatapos mag-alarm ang aking telepono. Hindi ko na talaga nasusunod ang itinakdang oras ng paggising ko sa aking sarili. Karaniwa'y bumabangon agad ako pero nitong huli ay pinapatay ko lang ang alarm at bumabalik ulit sa pagtulog. Oo, ang may sala ay ang panahon. Laging malamig sa umaga at madilim pa ang langit mga bandang alas singko singkwenta. Kahit tumuntong pa ang kamay ng orasan sa pang alas sais ay makulimlim pa din ang paligid na animo'y uulan. Pagsilip sa akin ni Gaby sa banyo ay tumakbo na ito pabalik sa aking ate, sa kanyang ina. Sindan ko siya at inakay papuntang sala. Nakasuot siya ng tsinelas na higit 500 pursyente ang laki sa kanyang paa. Hinubad nya ito at umakmang papasok sa kwarto ng aking ina. Nang bubuksan na nya ang screen door ay sabay naman ang labas ng aking ina kaya't siya'y tinamaan ngunit di naman nasaktan. Matibay din ang batang ito. Niyakap at hinalikan siya ng aking nanay habang siya naman ay pilit na kinukuha ang hinubad na tsinelas na sobra sa laki. Habang nilalaro siya ng aking nanay ay nakita nyang nakahilera ang dalawa nyang tsinelas sa lagayan namin ng sapatos. Tuwing pagdating kasi namin ay nilalagay namin ang aming huhubaring sapatos o tsinelas na pang-alis sa may gilid ng hagdan. Sa gayon, nasanay na din si Gaby na ihilera dun ang kanya. Pero sinuot pa din nya ang malaking tsinelas na ayaw talaga nyang hubarin. Pumasok ako sa kwarto ng aking nanay at kumuha ng Hello pipers na peanut butter flavor para iabot kay Gaby. Kinuha naman niya ito pero inilapag din sa tukador ng libro. Nagpaalam na ang aking ina na papunta sa bahay ng kanyang kapatid, ang aking tiyo. Habang si Gaby ay sumunod naman sa may pintuan. Hinabol ko ito at inalalayang bumaba sabay abot ulit ng wafer. Iniwan ko na siya at ako'y nagtimpla na ng aking kape. Ugali ko na na magpaikut-ikot sa bahay habang umiinom nito. Hindi ako sanay na nakaupong nagkakape sa bahay. Di kalakihan ang aming bahay pero nababagot ako kung higop-halo-higop lang ng kape ang gagawin ko tuwing umaga. Pasilip-silip din ako sa labas ng pinto o ihahanda ko na ang gamit sa paliligo habang lumalamig ang mainit kong kape. Gusto kong napapaso ng mainit na kape. Sa unang buhos pa lang ng mainit na tubig at paghalo nito ay tinitikman ko na kung tama ang tapang ng gawa ko. Gusto ko ng itim at mapait. Konting asukal at walang halong creamer o gatas. Lalo nang gusto ko din na ako ang mag gawa hindi iba maski pa isang sikat na coffee fix. Pagsilip ko sa pinto ay nakita ko si Gaby na tila may kinakausap. Akala ko'y nadapa dahil tanggal ang isa nyang tsinelas. Tinanong ko siya kung ano ang ginagawa nya ngunit ang sumagot ay ang aking kuya, tiyo ni Gaby, na nag-aayos ng kanyang bisikleta. Binabato raw ang isang pusa. Lumapit ako para makita. Kuting ang kanyang binabato at anak ito ni Phoebe. Kung inyong matandaan ay naisulat ko na ang tungkol sa pusang ito dito. Nakasuot ang pusa sa isang ukang bahagi ng taas ng aming bahay. Binato rin ni Gaby ng wafer ang kuting. Pero ito'y di para saktan siya kundi para laruin. Tuwang-tuwa palagi si Gaby pag nakikita ang mag-anak na Phoebe na ito. Nang aayusin ko na ang suot nyang tsinelas ay pinuntahan na siya ng kanyang kuya, si Akie, isa sa aking siyam na pamangkin, para dalhin sa loob ng kanilang bahay. Itinuro ko na ang wafer na ibinato rin ng kanyang kapatid. Pumasok na sila sa kanila at pumasok na din ako samin. Inubos ang kape at naligo. Naghanda na sa pagpasok. Sa tingin ko'y medyo naaga na ko ng paglabas ng bahay upang maghintay ng bus. Dati'y nakakalabas ako ng mga bandang alas siyete ngunit kinalauna'y pasado alas siyete y medya na ko nakakaalis. At nito ngang bandang huli ay halos alas otso na ko nakakaalis. Pero ganun pa din naman. Mahigit isang oras pa din ang itinatambay ko sa opisina bago magsimula ang aking shift. Pagtawid ko sa kalsada papuntang abangan ng bus ay napansin ko si Akie na may hinihintay, nakaunipormeng pamasok. May klase ngunit tila tanghali na para sa oras nya sa eskwela. Naisip ko na baka naiwanan siya ng kanyang service (school bus pero di naman bus kundi van). Marami nang naglisawan sa kalye nun - tricycle drivers, magtataho, mga papasok sa trabaho, mga nakabiskleta. Pero tila malungkot siya at nangangamba. Naisip ko na ganun din ako nun. Oras na ng klase ngunit ako'y kasalukuyang babad sa init ng araw at naghihintay ng sundo. Kung walang sundo, naghihintay ng sasakyang tricycle na ibibiyahe ako ng higit 10 minuto na ang bayad pa minsa'y doble kung ako lang ang sakay. Si Akie ay tila inip. Tila gusto nang umuwi at sabihin sa nanay nyang nag tagal ng hinihintay nya at huli na siya sa klase kaya di na lang siya papasok. Ganyan madalas ang hirit nya sa kanyang ina pag tinanghali sila ng gising. Karaniwan kasi sinusundo siya ng service mga bandang alas sais kinse ng umaga. Pero ang simula yata ng klase'y alas siyete y medya. First trip kasi siya kaya't ganun kaaga. O kung andun man ang nanay nya'y nagmamaktol na yun sa inip. Ngunit siya lang mag-isa. Panganay siya at gayundin ako. Marahil pareho kami. Dapat alam nya ,at alam ko din nung panahong ganun ako, na kayanin mag-isa ang pagsubok. O di kaya ang paggawa ng desisyon. Na sa bawat biyahe ay maaaring matangay kami sa unang pasada o maiwan para maghintay ng susunod. Yun ay kung may susunod pa. Kung wala ay sarili na naming diskarte. Si Akie at si Gaby. Isang walo at magdadalawang taong gulang. Nagawang makipaglaro sa kuting at magtiis sa sundo. Parehas ko noon.
posted by Arn at 6:24 PM
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Monday, January 01, 2007
And then it was 2006
6: 43pmMusic: Boom Tarat Tarat - Willie Revillame Year of the Pig. But the roads were clean as I travelled going to the office. Really. Perhaps, less people played with fire crackers. Good thing that there were street parties in the most happening areas country-wide. I wasn't able to jump, though, when the clocked ticked 12, signaling the start of the first day of 2007. After the solemn celebration of Christmas day, here comes a new year with all the merriment and festivities. I, myself, had something in mind for this year. Though I haven't made an official list of my new year's resolution(s), I have two things that I should strictly follow - 1.) Keep my patience; and 2.) Eat my breakfast everyday. Before I headed back home last Friday, I bought myself a red, smiling stress ball. This should keep me company especially in dealing with customers that will test my patience. I should give it a name. Ah, Buknoy, like Machine Man's fighting baseball. Yesterday, I cooked two dishes. For dinner, I made batchoy special. Honestly, I did not enjoy it for it tasted bland. But my 2 year old niece loved it. So, I am guessing that it was good. It was only me and my choosy taste buds. Next was my teammate's original, tuna spaghetti. I made it with the help of my sister. It was good. Less spicy compared to the original recipe but good. Still, I prefer the spicier one. But I have to consider those who would like to taste it so being it less spicy was alright. And this time, the pasta was al dente. I just had two cuts on my left palm, though, which I got from opening a can of tuna. I watched the inspiring yearend of Channel 2 entitled, "Ako And Simula." They did mention one of the quotes which is, "Be the change you want to see," by Mahatma Gandhi. I also endulged myself in the televised festivities of other places across the country. I went to bed at a little over 12mn. I really wanted to be awake when I close chapter 2006 and open the next. I want to be awake should the world end. Silly. Haha! This morning, the streets were clear and almost clean. MRT is not on vacation compared to last year. The stage along Paseo de Roxas here in Makati was being brought down when I passed by. Perhaps, the party ended a couple of hours after midnight but the organizing team was good in cleaning the mess. It looked like that no party transpired last night. Here in the office, I enjoyed two glazed Krispy Kreme doughnuts. My first taste of it. I also had some inipit and turones de casoy, which I brought. I had free lunch that was fried chicken in gravy. I had coffee crumble ice cream. I still have a bottle of C2 in front of me. I am now waiting for my shift to end. I am tired. I lack sleep. Some of my family awakened me around 4am. These are the ones who celebrated with alcohol. I wasn't able to take a nap here. I was less 'expressive' and less excited last night. I don't know why. I was quiet cooking and eating. Btw, I also drowned myself in different kinds of chocolates at home. Before I end this post, I think I have some achievements from last year that I am proud of. I became a peer trainer here. I cut my hair. I was awarded and rewarded for having no lates, absences and undertime. I was able to learn a new hobby: cooking. I'll add some when I'm in the mood to recall things. I hope this pig will be okay with a rooster. (Let's zero out the predictions and fashion blah blahs, okay.) Happy new year!
posted by Arn at 7:13 PM
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