A Perfect Snack: Homemade Ensaymadas

I spent the whole day of Friday in the kitchen. Ma and I baked 2 batches of ensaymada as we had orders. We're officially selling ensaymadas and we're including this in our product list. Each one costs Php 45 and it comes with a box. It's soft to the bite and fluffy. The dough has cheese bits and it's generously topped with sugar and finely grated queso de bola. Minimum order of 6 pieces. For orders, please call 2448790 or 95 two to three days in advance.

The packaging of our home made ensaymadas.

Each one is individually wrapped. This picture is making me hungry.

Soon to be available are the ensaymada pops. It's the smaller one on the left. These are bite size pieces that are good for snacking. The regular size is the one on the right.

Ensaymada pops up close.

Icing Flora

Here a thumbnails of the flowers I made last Thursday. It was only during the class that I got acquainted with different kinds of flowers. I'm familiar with daisies and I love them but the rest are quite alien to me. I only had yellow and light peach colored icings so these are what I used.

Pansy

Mum

Daffodil

Primrose

Daisy

Apple Blossom

If you're wondering how the roses in birthday cakes are made, they start out as these "buds". After these are hardened, it is covered with layers and layers of petals. I did show pictures of the roses I made in my previous blog.

Sweet Dreams

Nocturnal creature. This is how I describe myself the past few weeks. I only go to bed around 1 in the morning and it takes sometime for me to slow down and call it a day. Hyper. That's also my current state of mind. It's past midnight and I just have to write this blog as the topic has been floating in my head the past two days. The habit of writing a blog has form part of my daily routine and something is just amiss if I don't have an entry. I wasn't able to blog for a couple of days as I met with a food consultant last Wednesday and yesterday, I was in class the whole day.

Things are falling into places and I'm gaining momentum in terms of how I'm co-managing the pastry business with Ma. For a start, the ensaymadas we tried baking are now available. Fortunately, this week alone, we have received orders and we also got inquiries from prospective clients. Thank you! 0:-) I'll separately write a blog for this product and will show you as well how the packaging looks like and how painstakingly it was prepared and baked to achieve it's soft texture and sweet cheesy taste.

Last Wednesday, I spent the afternoon with Sheilla, a food consultant. (Thanks Wins and Robs for referring her to me!) She has been helping Ma and I to get the business off the ground and she's been giving a lot of valuable inputs. She taught me how to do food costing and we discussed marketing and product concepts. I already found a product that I want to introduce in the market and I haven't seen this kind in the Philippines so far. It's a fresh concept and approach and I'll make sure my vision turns into a reality. I'll be meeting Sheilla again on Monday and we'll be baking cookies and trying different recipes.

I have a sweet dream and I'm pursuing it. Finally, I have a vision of how my future will be. Clearly, I see it. I have seen what I'll be doing for the rest of my life and I'm certain, it will happen. I'll be going back to the corporate world soon (as I already got the call from the HR department :-( ) but I will never lose sight of where I'm heading to. I'd like to save up so I can go back to school. It's not for a MBA as I never really see myself taking post graduate studies. My sights are in taking a baking / pastry course maybe outside of the country. I have heard of these schools and I want to learn more. (I can be a geek.)

While I'm crazy about my dream, I have several reminders for myself to keep me sane:
1. My dream doesn't happen overnight. Well, I wanted to be a genius at what I want to do in a month's time but it just ain't going to happen that way. It'll take years of practice before I can be an expert at this.
2. Have patience my dear. Success is a conspiracy of time and circumstances.
3. Along the way, I will make mistakes and I should never be disheartened. You know how perfectionist I am. I want to get it right the first time.
4. Aim for excellence but not perfection. I want to be the best at what I do but I have to keep in mind that perfection does not exist. Case in point are my icing that sometimes doesn't seem to hold well and I have to remedy it to stiffen. The icing flowers "wilt" when initially they held up perfectly only to fall apart after a day.
5. It pays to let go of unnecessary details. While it's good to be detailed, it is best that I learn to prioritize on what I think is important.
6. Share what you learn. Pay it forward. To reach my destination, people are helping me now to achieve my goal and I should do the same for others.
7. I am not a Superwoman. I cannot do everything in a day. I have to be kind to myself. I might overwork myself (again) thinking that there are more than 24 hours in a day.
8. Most importantly, God is a giving and kind God. Ask and we shall receive. He gives me strength and guidance in how I should run my life. 0:-) Things have been really good since I started praying daily.

Find your passion and never give up on your dreams. It's a different high. Night!

P.S. For tomorrow, I'll be posting pictures of the different flowers I put together for last Thursday's class.

More Piping and Fun Flowers

Today was day 2 of my cake decorating class. The lesson was more complicated and I was able to try more techniques. For a change, I chose the color peach for my icing. I love shades of red, yellow, orange and anything around those hues would definitely be to my liking. My right wrist is still aching from squeezing the piping bag the whole day. I did a lot of twisting and hand control. It was fun nevertheless. As I said, the whole exercise felt like second nature to me so I'm not the least bit complaining.

I'm posting pictures of the techniques I mastered. My favorite is the rose. For a first timer, I did this relatively with ease. As the days pass, all the more I can confirm that I found what I truly love to do.

These are just a few of the roses I did. It all starts with the bud and I work my way outward. The basic rose has a bud, 3 petals for the second layer and 5 petals for the outermost layer.

My peach roses up close. I had to insert these in the styrofoam to let it dry. These are made of sugar icing.

These are different tip techniques. The topmost is string work followed by rosettes then zig zag, loops and more zig zags using different hand pressures.

This is a combination of C technique (as it looks like the letter C) and lattice. I start doing the lines first and once I'm finished, I change the tip of my piping bag and do the C for the borders.

This is the fleur de liz. Formerly a symbol of the royal coat of arms of France, this impressive decoration is now generally synonymous with anything French according to the Wilton website.

Revisiting the Past

My long weekend was spent reliving memories as far as ten years back. Sunday afternoon, I was at the mall with E, my college friend. Notwithstanding the fact that it was raining outside and the weather was a bit cold, we both settled for Razon's halo halo. We chatted for an hour or so discussing her matters of the heart. I should very well understand her as I myself experienced the very same thing she is going through now many many years ago. It was a case of E being a Chinese and E's boyfriend a Filipino. Nothing wrong with that not until you take into consideration the opinions of the family - dad, mom, brothers and sisters. Her heartaches reminded me of my very own circumstances when I was in my late teens to early twenties. To this day, I do not completely comprehend how interracial relationships can be such a daunting task to be openly discussed and accepted in the family and how tradition dictates so much how matters of the heart are to be managed. Admittedly, I think differently and by standards, I'm not as conservative as the others are. Definitely, the question of interracial relationships does not end with my generation and I am hoping that I do not restrict my own children as well when the time comes. Should you ask me if I'll consider marrying someone of a different race / culture, I would. As long as we can happily grow old together without pulling each other's hair, I'm fine with it.

It was also yesterday that I had a late afternoon coffee with my former boss who was in town visiting. The last time I saw him was five months ago and we spent 3 hours catching up at M Cafe. We said our hellos and we were both happy to see each other. Despite the distance, we kept each other posted by email but I waited for this moment to thoroughly discuss the recent events in my life. I discussed in detail the reasons why I changed careers and he listened intently and gave me his two cents worth about the turn of events. My wounds have somehow healed but it did sting while I recounted what were said and done. He said his opinion from a third person's point of view and after we called it a night, I thought about our conversation. On my way home, my mind took me back to my last moments at my previous job and I felt that whatever opinions there are, it doesn't really matter anymore. I know that I never shortchanged anyone and I spoke the truth until the end. What mattered was I spoke my mind and I dared to give my dreams a chance and live my life the way I want it. The experience of sitting across my former boss felt very surreal as the circumstances have changed and so did our relationship. I truly appreciate that we have evolved from a mentor-subordinate relationship to that of being good friends. I used to initially abhor working with him given his work demands but I survived it all and I thanked him that night for training me well.

The last of my visit to the past was this afternoon. Together with my college friend E, I visited my college professor in religion. I previously blogged about him and finally, I was able to see him after ten years. It was a happy reunion and though he suffered a heart attack and stroke a couple of years back, his memory was still clear and he still spoke of his apostolate work and how he wanted to continue helping the less fortunate. He didn't speak as much as he had some difficulty expressing himself but I was delighted to reminisce my college days. His home was very near La Salle and E even asked me while we were crossing Taft Avenue if I did miss crossing that very street. I didn't. In as much as I was glad to go back to the past, I don't miss the past as much. Not a bit of nostalgia. Maybe because I know that I enjoyed everything while it lasted. When it's time to move on, I let go though initially with hesitation. Surprisingly, I noticed that it has been quite fast for me to open new chapters in my life. The past is nice to revisit but it's not where I can live. My long weekend all the more reiterates that all I ever have is today.

This poem / prayer below was forwarded to me and it brings me peace and I truly feel loved. You know how I am lately, I'm one with the world. Have a nice week ahead. Life is meant to be lived forward. :-)

That today you find peace inside you

that you can confide in your highest power because you are exactly where you are supposed to be

but do not forget the infinite possibilities that are born from the faith

that you may use the gifts that you have received and transfer the love that has been given to you

to make you feel satisfied that you are a child of God.

Allow his presence in your bones and give your soul the liberty to sing, dance and be warmed by the sun

that is there for everyone and each one of us.

Hand Work

Colors are my fascination and it very well translates to my interests be it the arts, fashion, beauty and lately, cake decorating. It was my first day of class last Thursday and we were only five students in class. It gave the instructor ample time for each one. Perfect! The whole experience felt like home to me and I know, I have found my passion in life. Envisioning how I see myself in the future was a problem before till I took a few steps back to see the bigger picture otherwise known as my life. I tried my hand in different things to feel how it was like to cook, bake and basically to create things. Cake decorating has been of interest to me lately and I want to do this as a business. As a craft, it thrills me and encourages me to think of more colors and designs.

Lesson #1 was an introduction to making icing and the different tips needed. I also had several hands on exercises on making dots, lattice, string work and basketweave. These are all tip techniques that I have to master. Doing the exercises brought me back to the time when I was in kindergarten learning how to write my ABCs. On a parchment paper, I slid a guide paper at the bottom where I had to follow the strokes shown on the paper and practice the different hand angles and pressure of squeezing the piping bag. For the final project, I chose an intricately designed one layer cake adorned with flowers. Well I plan to make it two-tiered to make it more challenging. This should be my masterpiece at the end of the course.

I'm happy to find what I truly love to do and I wouldn't mind "working" on this as my business. It'll all be fun and it'll never feel as if I have to work a single day in my life.

The top and bottom are the lattice techniques while the middle rows are purely dots. The dots are used for designs when you want it to look like pearls. Don't ask why I chose pink colored icing. I love the color pink!

These are the string works. It can be one, two or three layers. These are usually placed on the sides of cakes.

This is the basketweave. It's called such because it looks like a basket right? I had to make this really precise and spaced evenly. Cake decorating very well fits my OC personality and my keen attention to details.

Loops and more loops. I love how I twist my right hand to form the loops.
My masterpiece. For now, this is just a photo of what I'll be copying at the end of the course. I chose this design because of the flowers and I love the color pink. I love the small designs on the icing and this will test my attention to details. Also, I think if I do practice this design, I think the concept is sellable. I plan to sell wedding cakes in the future.

A Case of Mistaken Identity

It was a quiet Saturday. Ma, Orie and I were having lunch and we usually talk about different things. We update each other of our ongoings or we share our views on what we think of this and that. Lunch would usually be an hour. I couldn't help but laugh at this conversation between Ma and Orie.

Orie: Buti tumagal din si Mickey Mouse noh?
Ma: Oo, mga fifty years din. (Thinking it was Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse.)
Orie: Ma!!!
Ma: Bakit?
Orie: Iba ang sinasabi ko.
Ma: Ano bang sinasabi mo?
Orie: Ang sinasabi ko, yung Mickey Mouse flower arrangement mo. Yun oh!
me: Hahahaha.

Orie pointed to Ma's flower arrangement at the living room which happened to be across from where we were having lunch. The flowers are actually called Mickey Mouse because of its shape. Here's Mickey Mouse for all of you to see.

Ma's masterpiece proudly being displayed in the living room.

Mickey Mouse up close.

Cerebral Conversation

Job interview questions are more or less the same. They're the usual:

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
3. How do you see yourself five years from now?

Today, I had the opportunity to be interviewed by phone. I received another job opportunity and my headhunter called me for a second round of interview. I wanted to see what was in it for me so I proceeded. (Though I have confirmed that I will be taking the position of the job I mentioned in my previous blog, I have yet to sign the offer sheet so technically, I can still review other options.) The interviewer was based in Malaysia and she was a European. The business development position being offered to me is very challenging and this is something I have never done before but nevertheless, it's worth considering. The one hour interview was very cerebral and it's the toughest interview I had to date. I had to think on my feet and compose myself. Here are snippets of the questions she asked me.

1. If foreign nationals were to invest in the Philippines, what is the most important thing they have to consider?
2. What industries can foreign nationals invest in the Philippines?
3. What do you think of Asian Development Bank?
4. What challenges will we face if we work with them (Asian Development Bank)?
5. How do you go about researches most especially in Asia where there is a lack of data to substantiate studies?
6. What were the difficulties you encountered when you conducted research?
7. How do you address these difficulties in research?
8. If foreign nationals were to find distributors in the Philippines, what are the criteria for evaluation?

She asked me more questions and after we said our thank yous and goodbyes, I felt light headed and hungry. All my nutrients must have gone to my brain. Should I pass the second interview, I'll be called in next week for the last interview with the President of the Asean Region of this council. What really got me excited was the fact that should I be accepted in this job, the position is a diplomat status! Whoa!!! I hope I heard this part correctly.

I shall be praying for this and if it is meant for me, it will happen. For now, I have to call it a day after an excruciating and mind picking interview that left me cerebrally challenged and drained. I'm just thankful that I was given another choice in life. Thank you! O:-)

I have to go to bed now. It's my first day in cake decorating class today. Good night! (or should I say good morning as it's past midnight.)

Raven and Rambo

We are a family of dog lovers. Maybe I'm the least in the brood who's fond of dogs but I somehow understand how it is to be in their company. I have lost count of how many dogs we have at home. If I'm not mistaken, they're eight in all. Six big ones and two puppies. They're all mini dachshunds. They bark, run around and nibble. I would say that mini dachshunds are the sweetest among all the breeds we've had. We've had pekinese and mini pinschers. Pekinese are the hairy oblivious type while the pinschers are sweet but aggressive. Pinschers have similar tempers as dobermans.

At home, our two cute puppies keep us pre-occupied. Raven and Rambo and the little ones who seem to be high on ecstasy every single day. They are three months old and they're supposed to be on sale but Pa somehow has trouble letting them go. It started when Pa bought a dog house. For who? For the two.

Ma: Akala ko ba ibebenta natin yung mga aso?
Pa: Alam mo Zen (my mom's name), si Raven malambing ano?
Ma: So anong sinasabi mo? Di na natin sila ibebenta?
Pa: Kung wala namang kukuha, atin na lang. :D (Suave talaga ng tatay ko at magaling sa timing.)

Raven is the black one and it's a girl while Rambo is a he. Raven was called raven because of her color while Rambo was called as such because of his dapple colored hair that looked like a military fatigue. Raven is the sweet one and she's the type who likes to be pet and waits at the foot of the door whenever anyone comes home. On the other hand, Rambo lives up to his name. He bites at anything and they're mostly my parents' antique furniture. Oh well. Both puppies have endeared themselves to the family and most likely, they are no longer on sale.

Look up Raven.Raven getting really cozy on the bed. Rambo on Pa's arms.

Raven and Rambo waiting by the gate. Rambo knows how to pose for pictures.

Rambo and Raven together. Rambo looks like he's winking. It was pretty much easy to take pictures of them. They love the attention and they know they have to pose for the cameras.

Keeping Myself Stirred Up

Being stagnant is one state I hate to be in. Actively, I've been pursuing my interests and lately, I'm on a creative high. Yesterday was one of those days that I tried something new. I baked ensaymada with Ma. As my close friends very well know, I'm not a baker and you won't even catch me sifting flour or measuring sugar. It's not in my genes or so I thought. After having gone through the whole experience of kneading and buttering, I know, I belong in the kitchen. I guess the very first step in being successful at something is to try and trying is exactly just what I did.

The whole baking process took almost a day but it was really fun most especially when I got to taste my very first ensaymada. The rising of the dough was perfect and for someone who doesn't know anything about "coiling" doughs or whatever they call it, I think my technique was just fine. Ma generously topped the ensaymada with creamed butter, sugar and grated queso de bola. The ensaymada best goes with either brewed coffee or hot chocolate. Mmm, yummy!

My next baking project would be cheese rolls and I'm excited about it. I once read that for one to be passionate about life, keep stirring yourself up. You'll never really know what life has to offer you till you give it a try. Apart from baking, I'm giving scrapbooking a try as well. I just came from a local supplier and I bought things that I needed to start a scrapbook that I plan to gift someone with. I chanced upon this supplier online (http://www.memoryboxph.com/) and as it turns out, their office is here in Binondo. I found several exciting albums, special acid free papers, stickers and tools and I'm all ready for my new creative project. Basically, everything that I needed for the scrapbook was acid free so the photos would be kept in good condition for a long time. It's my first time to take on something like this but definitely, it'll be loads of fun. Memoryboxph also has stores in Rustans so check them out.

Going back to my ensaymada, here's your share of what I baked yesterday. Happy eating!

Slowing Down

Sitting in my inbox is a forwarded email from my friend Shar about Slow Down Culture. It talked about how corporations are slowing down to be more productive and how globalization is doing more harm than good. It ringed true that people nowadays are always up and about hurriedly doing things. If you do take a closer look at what they want to achieve, their goals and objectives turn out to be pretty vague. They are totally clueless or management is not even in agreement. They don't know why they are running crazy, harassed, stressed and near burnout. It seems as if we are in a race against time.

I used to live my life on a faster lane when I started working. Younger and full of energy, my day was jam packed with things that needed to be accomplished pronto and each minute was worth a gold mine. Looking back, I don't know how I survived such a crazy work routine and kept up with the deadlines. It was nerve wracking and it did take a toll on my health and I never knew it did until after many years.

Back in December 2006, I took an executive check up and the doctors found something in my body and instantly, I knew, it was because of the many years before that I was taking in the stress. I think it was more of chronic stress. It's the kind of stress that builds up over time and I've been exposed to it for a long period of time and my body is fooled to think that my growing level of stress is tolerable and acceptable. Chronic stress is stress that lasts a long time or occurs frequently. I did have my wake up call in 2004 when I was hospitalized for 11 days and the doctors couldn't figure out what was causing the numbness in half of my body. Thinking I had a stroke, they ran a series of tests to determine what was causing the tingling sensation on the other half of my body. There were mornings I'd wake up on the hospital bed when one of my hands was too weak to even clasp and my knees was shaky to walk long distances. Those weak spells have long since been gone. Thank goodness!

That experience freaked me out and to this day, the doctors are still guessing what really caused it. It would be another 3 years before I really took my health seriously. It was only early this year that I started to be more health conscious. My fitness regimen is far from perfect but I make it a point to drink 8 glasses of water a day to make sure that I'm fully hydrated. I also don't eat rice during the evening and if I were given a choice to order iced tea or soda, I'd choose water over it. Dessert is still part of my everyday meal but this time I'd have more fruits and I try to control my intake of sweets.

Slowing down is a choice and I'm making this decision to enjoy my life more. All I ever have is today and there are far more important things in life than work. When my friend Robs visited Manila last April, she had dinner with me and Mael, my former boss and really good friend. Both of them were having a laugh trip at how slow I was during meals (I talk faster than I eat) and how I can be oblivious when I need to be in a hurry whether it's catching a train or going to the airport. Mael has the habit of always asking me before if I have finished his monthly reports and I'd always reply "Relax, relax, breathe, breathe" with a grin. Meeting deadlines is not a problem for me and I guess there are just more uptight people than I am. Peace Mael and Robs! :-D

I have resolved to do these changes in my life as part of my slowing down:
1. I enjoy the food that I eat whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner. I am one with my food.
2. I spend more time with my family and friends.
3. When I meet people along the corridors or wherever I see them, I take time to say hello or ask how they are.
4. I avoid negative people or those who don't genuinely wish me well. They won't do me any good as stressors in my life. I can't please everyone anyway.
5. I only do what I can finish in a day. I have come to terms with the fact that I'm not Supergirl. I used to think I was and I have long folded my cape.
6. I take time to pray and read the Bible everyday. I make sure I have a quiet time daily.

As a close to this blog, I'm pasting verbatim below certain paragraphs from Shar's email to me. Have a wonderful week ahead!

This no-rush attitude doesn't represent doing less or having lower productivity. It means working and doing things with greater quality, productivity, perfection, with attention to detail and less stress. It means reestablishing family values, friends, free and leisure time. Taking the "now", present and concrete, versus the "global", undefined and anonymous. It means taking humans' essential values, the simplicity of living.

It stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighter and more productive where humans enjoy doing what they know best how to do.

Many of us live our lives running behind time, but we only reach it when we die of a heart attack or in a car accident rushing to be on time. Others are so anxious of living the future that they forget to live the present, which is the only time that truly exists. We all have equal time throughout the world. No one has more or less. The difference lies in how each one of us does with our time. We need to live each moment. As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans".

The Cheapest Alternative

Cake decorating has been the buzz word at home the past few weeks. One of my blogs a few days back detailed how I was in search for classmates. The search is over. Over lunch today, the ladies of the house (Ma, Orie and I) were discussing over lunch about our plans in professionalizing the family pastry business and how it'll be very expensive on our end to hire cake decorators every time we had a project. To solve this problem, I decided to enrol myself in a cake decorating course. Orie has been wanting to run her own business as well and doesn't want to perennially be a corporate slave so she decided to enrol as well to brush up on her skills. She was able to enrol in Heny Sison's class back in high school and never really got to practice it. Ma volunteered to "sponsor" Orie's classes with the agreement that she'll be practising every week. Ok she agreed and I hope she does her part or else she'll never hear the end of it from me.

I was pretty crazy about the cake decorating course in Living Well as it was Wilton certified but they've been taking awhile to fill in the classes and there's no certainty if courses 2 and 3 will be pushing through. Orie suggested that I check Heny Sison's classes. So I went online and checked her website and she had 2 courses coming up at a cheaper price. It was Php 4,000 for a 2 day course that runs from 9 AM to 4 PM. That's 12 hours of cake decorating per course and it's cheaper. Wow! I was thinking of how much I'd be able to save compared to Wilton's 2 day class that only gives me only 10 hours to work on every module. Not to mention, it was Php 8,500 per course in Wilton. My arithmetic skills are working here as you can see. Heny's course was the better deal. So I decided to reserve in Heny's culinary school when I came across Sylvia Reynoso Gala's website. Guess what? They are offering an eight-day Master Course in Cake Decorating for only Php 12,500!!! Here's what I read:

Master Course in Cake Decorating
Instructor: Leni Reynoso Araullo
Date: August 21, 2008 Time: 9:00-5:00 pm Price: Php 12500.00

MASTER COURSE IN CAKE DECORATING FOR BEGINNERS (8 LESSONS)

DATES: AUGUST 21, 26, 28, SEPTEMBER 2,4,9,11,16
TIME: 9:00 AM TO 5:00 PM
PhP12, 500.00; Inclusive of Lunch, Snack & Ingredients (except decorating materials like piping bags, tips, etc. available for sale at the Culinary Studio or bring your own).

Fluffy butter cream icing techniques in coloring borders, shell rope, star leaf, zigzag "E" motion fleur de liz, make garlands and swags, basket weaving lattice design, 12 different designs for top & sides of cake, direct piping of cake or rose bouquet, sweet pea carnation.

Learn 4 kinds of icing including Royal to make sugar flowers on nails, toothpick & floral wire. Learn sugar molding. How to prepare debutant/wedding cakes; tiered stacked, etc. Each student will design and decorate a wedding cake (styro) to bring home. Please bring tray/box every lesson.

This is the cheapest course I've found so far and it pretty much covers what I want to learn. Yipee!!! Over the years, Ma enrolled herself in Sylvia's school for both culinary and baking courses and it was worth it. I've been praying hard for all courses to push through and as it turns out, I even found something better. Thank you! o:-) (That's supposed to be an angel smiley.)

For those of you who want to attend the classes, you can check Sylvia's website at http://www.sylviareynosogala.com/ or call 671-4472 or 671-4489. The culinary arts studio is located in Shaw Blvd. past the city hall of Pasig. I can't wait to wear a new hat - a baker's hat at that.

Text Mates

Before you accuse me of "eavesdropping" or intrusion of privacy, I am certain, you have been caught in situations where you have overheard other people's conversations. In my case, it was a case of being able to read people's texts to each other. I was on my way to Ortigas last night and I took a FX. Usually I would stay in the middle but since there were already three people occupying it, I didn't want to squeeze myself in and be sitting uncomfortably for an hour or more. So I took the seat at the back. That was so much better.

While on the road, I noticed that the guy in the middle row was tinkering with his phone every 5 minutes. He seems fidgety checking his incoming messages. I suppose he was waiting for someone to send him a text. Turns out, he was the one drafting his message for someone. That someone I don't know who he or she was. He was holding up his phone and I couldn't help but see what he was drafting. It read:

Kuyang Sawi: Sorry na. Patawarin mo na ako. Ako ang pinaka masayang tao pag pinatawad mo ako.
me (in my thoughts): Hmm, anong kalokohan ginawa nitong si Kuya?

Then he saved the message and fiddled with his phone after a couple of minutes. Then he revised it.

Kuyang Sawi: Sorry na. Patawarin mo na ako. Kahit ano gagawin ko. Ako ang pinakamasayang tao pag pinatawad mo ako.
me (in my thoughts): Sino kaya ang inagrabyado nito? At ano naman kaya ang brilliant idea ni Kuya na gagawin nya para mapatawad na sya?

I was beginning to wonder what exactly might have happened when he started to edit his message again.

Kuyang Sawi: Sorry na. Patawarin mo na ako. Kahit ano gagawin ko. Ako ang pinakamasayang tao pag pinatawad mo ako. Sorry sa kalokohan ko at sa mga pinagsasabi ko. SORRY :(

You know what, I never really got to see if he sent the message so I can't really blog how the story ended. Poor me and everyone reading my blog. I'm sure that you wanted to know how it went. Now that I was over and done with fidgety guy alias Kuyang Sawi, the lady one seat away from him started to text too. We are a nation of texting people remember? Anyhow, she got her phone and held it high enough for the people at the back to read whatever she was typing.

her: Kung puede lang araw araw tayo magkasama.
me (in my thoughts): Aww. In love din si ate gaya ni Kuyang Sawi.

After sending this text, she sent another text. It appears it was sent to another person named Jeng.

her: Hon, dito na me Shang, pa Megamall na k.

me (in my thoughts): Jeng?! Babae kaya si Jeng? Siguro tibo tong babaeng to. Eh sino yung ka text nya nung una? Huh? Bakit ganun?

Then Jeng replied.

Jeng: Ikot ka muna. Andito pa ako opis. Mag pag uusapan kami ng boss ko. Inom muna kami.
me (in my thoughts): Ano kayang pag uusapan ni Jeng chaka nung boss nya? Alam kaya ni Jeng na may ibang ka text etong si mystery lady ng fx?

I never really got to answer my questions (again) for the simple reason that I have reached my destination before Kuyang Sawi and Mystery Lady did. I thank them though for providing me entertainment throughout my one and a half hour ride. I'm sure I'm not alone on this planet who have witnessed conversations / stories of strangers talking, texting or even quarrelling in public. Let's admit it - we're not only a nation of texting addicts but we're also a bunch of curious people.

The Philippines and the New 7 Wonders of Nature

The Philippine Daily Inquirer ran an article yesterday about several nature spots in the Philippines that were nominated as the New 7 Wonders of Nature. Entries from several countries were also included but we need to secure the top 7 spots in the race. (Masyado ata akong competitive ano?)

The four nominees are as follows:
1. Chocolate Hills in Bohol, 9th place
2. Mayon Volcano, 18th place
3. Tubbataha Reef, 8th place
4. Puerto Princesa Subterranean National Park, 10th place

What I did was to log on http://www.new7wonders.com/ and I filled in my email address. I casted 7 votes and each spot can only be voted once. Well of course I voted for all 4. I also voted for China's Huangshan Mountain. I had the opportunity to climb this mountain in the year 2000. I was healthier and leaner at that time and I was able to climb one of the peaks at 2,000 feet above sea level. Needless to say, I was panting and gasping for air but the view was spectacular. How I survived the trek, I don't know. It must be pure determination. Going back to what I was saying, please do vote for our very own nature spots here in the Philippines. Voting is until December 31, 2008 only. After which the panel will list the 21 finalists, from which another round of online voting would determine the final seven.

This popularity contest can boost local tourism and it's one way of promoting destinations in our country. I really enjoy going around the Philippines and our home is a wonderful place to be in despite the politics, traffic and so many other things. Which country doesn't have problems right? Cast your votes now and this is what Filipinos do when our help is needed - we vote!

Baker Wannabe

Ma is a fantastic baker. Her home based business is selling pastries and she has been doing this for several years now. She enjoys it and I know that when our home smells of freshly baked cookies and loaves 24/7, I know it's December and the orders are pouring in. Baking never really interested me. I love sweets but to make them from scratch, I don't think I'm the right person to do it. Things have changed lately. Cooking daily has been part of my routine and yesterday, I tried my hand in baking. Nothing complicated. I baked my very own silvanas with Ma's help. The whole process took 4 hours from measuring to mixing to baking to cooling and assembling everything. Surprisingly, I enjoyed it. Initially, I wanted to try baking sans rival but Ma said it was complicated for a beginner like me. The day after I told her I wanted to try baking, she thought of silvanas as this is one of my favorites and it's easier to do. I took pictures of what I baked and it looks like silvanas and most importantly, it tastes like silvanas.

Often times, we fit ourselves into different molds that we see fit based on who we think we are. It's so easy to slide ourselves into different personas and it can be a trap. Others might see something in us that we don't see and what might be accidental in nature can turn out to be wonderful. Nowadays, I believe that certain interests and acceptance to things come in stages. In time, it really kicks in. Case in point are my silvanas. I see this exercise beyond what I mix, create, taste and enjoy but really, this experience talks about how I see myself now and the different possibilities of who I can be. After all, I can wear many hats and I can choose which hat I want to put on.

These are the meringues. Meringues are made out of egg whites and sugar. After baking, it had to be cooled for around 20 minutes before I can put on the butter icing. The crunchy and chewy part that you eat in silvanas is the meringue. What I did was to put on butter icing at the bottom of each meringue so it can hold two pieces together.

This is the butter icing. I had to whip it and when the texture is light and fluffy, it's ready to be taken out of the mixer. Otherwise, if it's overbeaten, the icing will not hold and it will easily melt away.

These are the cake crumbs. Ma and I had to bake the mixture. Afterwards, we put the cake inside the food processor to make it into crumbs. After the meringue was coated with icing, I coated it with cake crumbs.

Voila! One of the 62 silvanas balls I made. Silvanas are supposed to be flat but mine turned out to be round. We didn't follow the recipe to the letter. Anyway, no matter what size or shape, it's still silvanas. After assembling everything, I had to store these in the freezer. It's best eaten when it's frozen. Yummy!

More silvanas. I fit 62 balls in one tray.

Wanted: Classmates

This morning, I received a call from Wilton that the beginner's course of the cake decorating program I enrolled in is pushing through. Yipee!!! Well, thing is, courses 2 and 3 are in need of more students. If you are interested or you know anyone who is, please forward this blog. I'd appreciate if all the courses push through. It needs 10 students at least per course. Students can choose which course they want to take. I've been wanting to take up all 3 courses and I'd like to make it happen. I'm retyping the text from the flyer I kept for the Wilton Certificate Courses.

It all begins with the Wilton Method of Cake Decorating Courses 1, 2 and 3. Students learn great cake decorating skills in just a few days!

Course 1 - Fantastic Cakes
Learn how easy it is to decorate shaped cakes, make beautiful star and shell borders, floral accents, leaves and master the famed Wilton Rose. Introduces figure piping, making colorful 3-D clowns and pattern transfers.
Day 1 August 22 (Friday) 1 PM to 6 PM
Day 2 August 23 (Saturday) 10 AM to 3 PM
Course Fee Php 8,500

Course 2 - Flowers and Borders
Learn decorative touches - rosette, rope borders, rosebud and the color flow technique. Plus lifelike flowers - apple blossoms, daisies, daffodils, mums, pansies, violets, primroses. The course highlights a spectacular floral basketweave cake.
Day 1 August 24 (Sunday) 10 AM to 3 PM
Day 2 August 25 (Monday) 11 AM to 3 PM
Course Fee Php 8,500

Course 3 - Fondant and Tiered Cakes
Acquire advanced skills. Learn how to use the lily nail to make the grandest of icing flowers - easter lily, poinsettia, petunia and morning glory, impressive accents like embroidery, stringwork and ruffles plus techniques in rolled fondant and tiered cake assembly.
Day 1 August 23 (Saturday) 4 PM to 9 PM
Day 2 August 24 (Sunday) 4 PM to 9 PM
Day 3 August 25 (Monday) 4 PM to 7 PM
Course Fee Php 9,500

Course includes student kit with essential decorating tools and Wilton certificate. Classes will be held at Living Well Workshop. 3/F The Podium, 18 ADB Avenue Ortigas Center Mandaluyong. Ms. Booboo Maramba will be teaching the class and she's a Wilton certified instructor. For inquiries, contact the 24-hour Customer Service Hotline at 812-3022 or email them at workshop@livingwellonline.net or wilton@homeandoffice.ph.

Tomorrow, I'll be blogging about the silvanas I made today. My blog will include pictures and hopefully the recipe. Yes, I'm finally baking and I love it!

Full Circle

I'm ecstatic, excited and celebrating! I confirmed this evening that I got the job that I wanted. Yipee!!! When I met the President a few weeks ago, I knew I got the job but I waited for this moment just to make sure. (Sigurista talaga ako.) Yesterday, while I was working out on the elliptical, I got a call from an unknown number. Instinctively, I knew it was from the company I was applying for. The assistant informed me that I had a 6:30 PM interview with the lady boss. This should be the final interview. Of course I'm going! It was a homecoming of sorts. I used to report to this same lady boss many many years ago. I never knew that after all these years; I'll be working for her again but this time for another company. The group of companies have professionalized over the years. I've prayed hard for this job and finally, I got it.

An offer came from this company as early as April but I felt the position wasn't right for me so I turned it down. There were several discussions but nothing was concrete at that time until July when I was interviewed by the head of this division. Everything felt right. The office vibe was calm, professional and I felt it was organized. The challenge was there. I knew I'd be on my toes happily learning something new with this job. My interview with the boss lasted one and a half hours. It wasn't like an interview. It felt more like an exchange of ideas about how this service I'll be handling should be marketed. I knew I found the job. I just felt it. From day one of my job hunt, I was advised by my very good friend Shar to use my gut in finding that job for me and me alone and I did. I've turned down a few offers that didn't feel right and I was worried thinking that the job I have foregone might be it. I kept telling myself to focus and follow my gut. If something felt off, definitely something wasn't right. Maybe it was the job, the boss or even the timing.

I'm expecting another call from the HR Department anytime soon. Everything fell into place. The series of interviews from the Division Head to the President to the Chairwoman took more than a month but my patience paid off. I never knew that I had an opportunity with this company till an offer came for me to reinvent myself. My work will be very different from what I used to do. There's going to be a lot of learning and new people to meet. Pa was right. If I had a choice between swimming in a pond or ocean, the ocean would be a great place to learn new things. I'm thankful for everything I had and will have. Had it not been for my previous work experience, I would not have gotten my foot in to where I'll be heading to next. It's a different specialization and I know it is where I am meant to be.

Cheers to a new adventure!

Calling Out

Been thinking of what to write about today. The idea haven't come to me till I was on my way home from the gym this evening. I thought of putting down my thoughts in writing considering that my mind is still awake from the intense 1 hour cycling class. Prior to that, I was on the elliptical machine for a good 20 minutes. It felt good to be active doing cardio workouts today.

Lately, I've been experiencing several incidents other people might call as coincidences. I'd rather call them my way of calling out. Some call it the law of attraction. There were 3 people I haven't been in touch with for quite some time and on separate occasions, I thought of how they were and what they might have been busy with.

One of them was the publisher of a regional travel magazine. I met her sometime August of last year in London and I had the privilege of having dinner with her parents as well. It was last week that I was browsing through the Philippine Daily Inquirer and I came across an article about her. Hmm, strange. What a coincidence. Maybe it was pure luck. Anyway, so I continued to read and learned that she was several months pregnant at 42. Oh that's great! It's her first baby. You have to see her in person to adore her. She's got class and has a jet setting lifestyle. I love her sense of fashion and being in the know of the latest ongoings and yet, she is down to earth. This incident was just the first in the series of 3.

The second calling out was a long time friend who I haven't met for a couple of years. He is the son of a Filipino Olympian swimmer (many decades ago) and I used to train in their swimming school when I was in 5th grade and several years after when I was in college. I lost his number and I was thinking how he was doing. I was watching TV last night and saw his wife on TV. She was featured in a show dedicated for moms and she showed pictures and videos of her 2 sons and his husband, who happens to be my friend. It was a pleasant surprise. This series of calling out is getting to be creepy.

The last incident happened today. I haven't been in touch with my college professor for the past 10 years. I somehow lost him number and the other day, I thought of how he was and I wondered (I've been wondering a lot lately if you haven't noticed) if he was still teaching in La Salle. He was a good professor in religion and he used to be a seminarian who ended up getting married. He must be the same age as Pa and I like the way he connects with his students. He's known to be the religion teacher who writes his house number on the board on the first day of class. If you need someone to talk with, call him. It's like Dial-A-Friend but in this case, it's Dial-Your-Professor. He leads by example and when I was his student, we made sure that we did several corporal works of mercy like visiting those in prisons / hospitals and feeding the hungry. Well, I was in cycling class this evening when I received a SMS from Ma that my college professor just called me up asking how I was. Wow! I think I'm getting better at calling out without me knowing it. Finally, I was able to get my his number and I plan to call him tomorrow. We have a lot of catching up to do.

I don't exactly know how I call out people, things or even situations into my life. Lately, it has been pretty much like this for me. I guess it helps that I always look forward to the good things in life. I'm always optimistic and when a negative thought plays in my head, I rationalize it and nip it in the bud. I'm still figuring out how these incidents exactly happen but I'll leave it at that for now.

What a Lasallian was Doing on Atenean Grounds

Early this week, I was in Ateneo for an interview. I'm a Lasallian and the Taft based university was my home for 4 years when I took a double degree more than a decade ago. I wasn't in Ateneo for MBA but I joined a program called Retreat for Daily Life (RDL). It's a 14-week program that allows me to encounter God in everyday life. RDL is managed by the Center for Ignatian Spirituality. There are some text here that I'm quoting from the brochure I took from the reception area.

For persons who cannot take time off to devote thirty days to do a retreat, RDL is the best option as retreatants do not leave their homes and places of work. They keep their regular schedules but commit themselves to a daily prayer period and meet regularly with their retreat guide.

I met the Executive Director, Fr. Celerino Reyes, S.J. and he saw that I was fit for the program. Yesterday, I received a confirmation that I got accepted. Yehey! I'd like to invite all of you to join this spiritual journey. I feel that at this point in my life, I am ready to take on more meaningful activities.

Who many apply to the Retreat in Daily Life?
Applicants who are:
1. able to make a firm commitment to the retreat
2. able to allocate time for formal prayer of 30 minutes to 1 hour each day
3. willing to pray the suggested prayer materials of the retreat
4. willing to reflect on and journal their prayer experiences and to share the fruits of their prayer with their retreat guide
5. willing to be guided by a competent lay retreat guide

Applying is very simple. I filled up a reservation form and sent this to the center via email. I was called on for an interview so the director could assess if I was fit for the program. Program cost is only Php 4,000. Program cost covers retreat materials, stipends for retreat guides, as well as expenses for the prayer workshop and recollections.

They have other programs depending on which stage of your spiritual journey you are in. For more information, please contact the Center for Ignatian Spirituality at 426-4250 / 51 or visit their website at www.cisphil.org.

My spiritual journey has been very fulfilling and indeed it is true - it gives me a calm I cannot explain. I've always felt a void in my life and when I took the plunge out of the corporate world, wonderful things have been happening since I took my first step to know God more. Happy weekend everyone!

Di Kong Lan Nang Weh! - A Mano Po Sequel

Almost always, I'd hear Pa ranting wanting me to speak the Chinese language. Be it during breakfast, dinner, inside the car, in my room, in his room. In short, Pa's ears are bionic. My Fookien is bad. It's not as good as my Mandarin. Pa speaks good Fookien but not Mandarin. This is where the trouble begins.

The text in italics are the translation for the Chinese text.

me: Pa, alam mo nung isang araw ...
Pa: Meh! Di kong lan nang weh! (Meh, speak Chinese!)

It's such an effort on my part to speak Fookien. I end up resorting to keeping my mouth shut than uttering a single Chinese word. Well of course Pa wanted to hear what I wanted to say so the saga continued.

Pa: Meh, di le kong sia mi? (Meh, what are you saying?)

I look at Pa and instead of saying a word, I chose to move my head from side to side silently communicating that I had nothing to say. That was the easiest way out. Smart kid. (I'm a gana kid, gana grow.) The other day, I wanted to apply for a non-professional driver's license. What I have is a student's permit and since a month has lapsed, I can already apply for one. Pa has connections in the LTO and I didn't want to take the written test and do a test drive.

me: Pa, gusto kong mag apply ng professional driver's license.
Pa: Ano?! Professional driver's license? Kung ako nga di ako makakuha nun, ikaw pa!
me: Ay ay mali. Non-pro pala.
Pa: Naku Meh, masyadong complicated yan. Kailangan mo pa magdala ng car.
me: Pa, may connection ka naman. Sige na suhulan na lang natin. (I hope I'm not breeding corruption in the Philippines.)
Pa: Meh, I'll think about it ok? I'll let you know.
me: Eh Pa, ang dali dali lang mag apply.
Pa: Meh, di kong lan nang weh! (Meh, speak Chinese!)
me: Pa, sabi ko gusto ko mag apply ng driver's license.
Pa: Meh! Di kong lan nang weh! (Meh, speak Chinese!)
me: Pa, gua be (I want to) apply driver's license. Bwahahahaha. (That's what smart kids do. They speak half of the sentence in Chinese and the rest in English. No sweat.)
Pa: Meh, di si siao tsa bo. (Meh, isa kang sira ulong babae.)

Pa left the house and was shaking his head. I think reality hit him that he had a daughter who could hardly speak Chinese and is also driving him crazy.