Why Oh White

Summer is just around the corner, not to mention the events that come along with it. Now imagine yourself in a beach party and someone swims wearing pajamas; totally uncool and inappropriate. The invite specifically says “beach party” and yet some people still come unprepared.

This scene is no different than those that come to our Church here in Taguig. Maria Reyna ng mga Apostol Parish is uniquely autonomous in a way that it seeks to encourage its parishioners to wear white (dominated) attire during service. Though it is not a crime not to wear white, it certainly makes the unfortunate wearer a flashing target to lurking assassins. I still recall myself getting uneventfully shot when I was still new here in the community. Luckily, there are few others like me. Haha!

Good thing I discovered I still have some old white clothes! So for the past 2 years, I alternately use my three white-ish shirts during service! It’s brilliant! (I just hope no one gets to the conclusion of seeing the purity of ones soul in the whiteness of his or her clothing) I know, it’s not as white as snow but I would rather wear these than risk being excommunicated! Just kidding!  

Sadly after 2 years now, some people still stand out from the crowd. I am not sure if they are new comers or could be affected by Alzheimer's disease like me (I mean, the previous me). Perhaps, they are just unfortunate enough not to own a white shirt or just playing lazy to look for it in their closet. (sigh..)

Wearing white goes beyond parish rules. For me it’s a symbol of being one - of being part of a community, a sense of belongingness and unity. I learned to like this practice eventually. It has taught me how to be simple. Also, I no longer waste time choosing what to wear every Sunday. On some occasions though, those wearing colorful and lavish clothing still do distract me. Wearing white may have its benefits. Maybe part of it is to easily spot someone new in the congregation. But to those who have a choice yet still do not wear white, I just pray they find it in them how to be humbled and find beauty in simplicity. I know there is no written rule in the Catholic Church to strictly wear white, but for the spirit of oneness in our little community, I don't think it’s too much to ask.

Today is superbly special! I will be wearing my new white shirt! Yes, it's my first time to buy a shirt for this occasion. It’s not much. Really! Also, I still don't have plans in giving up my old "tanned" shirts though. They still look very decent! I highly appreciate their “unweathered” service thus extending their use for another two years. :-) (Who knows, maybe I might use one going to the beach this summer). 

Cheers!

Jimble

Rosemary Cookies

I got this recipe from a magazine "Celebrations by Sharon Baking Favorites" 3 years ago. Yes, this is a baking book of the megastar Ms. Sharon Cuneta-Pangilinan published by ABS-CBN publishing Incorporated. 

(Alright, enough of the advertisements...)

I have recreated this recipe many times already, enough for me to come up with my own version (with a lovely twist).This recipe uses Rosemary leaves that give off aromatic fragrance. But oh no! mama don't like it the first time I baked it. It smelled like medicine according to her. Since I really love the aroma, I tried hard to convince her, but failed.

Later, I realised that with both needed to compromise. So I reduced the quantity of  the rosemary leaves from 50 grams to 20 grams. 

Aw nuts! I almost forgot that I needed nuts for this recipe! Miss Sharon’s version uses walnuts. Finding walnuts in our hometown in Ozamis is like asking Big Foot to give me high five! Impossible!  So I substituted it with almonds instead.

Now, put on your apron and let's start bak'n:

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Ingredients:

• 2 bars butter (225 g/bar)
• 6 cups all purpose flour
• 4 pieces eggs
• 3 cups white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 20 grams rosemary chopped (Original recipe uses 50 grams)
• 200 grams almonds chopped (Original recipe uses 200g Walnuts)
• 300 grams cinnamon powder

Method:

1. Preheat oven at 140 Celsius.
2. Mix butter until soft.
3. Add sugar (white and brown) then mix again.
4. Add vanilla and eggs then mix for 1 minute.
5. Add chopped rosemary, chopped nuts and cinnamon power. Mix.
6. Add the baking powder and flour. Mix until well blended.
7. Round it manually then place over baking trays.
8. Flatten the rounded dough using your hands.
9. Bake for 22 minutes.

Makes  approx. 4 dozens

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True, I compromised to please mama but it doesn't mean that I no longer love the outcome of the cookies. Promise! I still do! The fact that I managed to bake my own cookies is more important and rewarding. I believe that when you bake, you need to be forgiving at times. Also, baking is about being selfless not selfish. I am now more fulfilled knowing that someone appreciates the cookies that I bake - my mama.

(I was informed recently that my cousin's lil daughter, Charice, loves my cookies too. Naks!)

P.S. Just imagine if I will be recreating this recipe again and mama still does not like it! I guess by that time, I would need to call Big Foot to help me eat 4 dozen cookies! :-)    

As always, Enjoy Life. Enjoy Selfless Baking!

Jimble

Bittersweet...

November 2014 

After 8 years of working in a R&D Company in Cebu, I finally decided to resign. It was not an easy move. Cebu was my second home that time. I've met great people at work and in life. Still, some important life choices must be made. I resigned last February 2013. After which, I decided to move to Manila to find a new job. Now, I'm here in my small room quietly tucked in a corner here in Taguig. It was a rough start, but thankfully I have friends here who helped me get into my feet. I will always be grateful to Malin and Kieth for wearingly spent two days helping me find a place to stay. And so, I somehow started building a new life here. I meet new friends, mostly my teammates at work. Somehow my lifestyle changed. Back in Cebu, we used to spend our past time at a coffee shop. There we read the newspaper and made fun of the daily horoscope while drinking our favourite coffee. Right now, Manila became my new cup of tea. Literally! Tea! Milk tea! I fell in love right way - from Chattime, Gongcha and SerineTea. I jokingly recall my friends laughing at me on how I call SerineTea as SerendipiTea (like the movie). Well, later did I know that it really does exist! Although I haven’t tried their tea yet but it brings back old, but good memories.

I have options now - Coffee or Tea.

Time flies so fasts. After a year and five months working in Manila, my worst nightmare happened! I lost my job last November 2014. It’s been three months now and I’m still unemployed. I probably submitted hundreds of applications and been into a lot of interviews but to no avail. Oftentimes, I failed. I felt my skills didn’ t fit to their expectations.Now, I feel like I have been imprisoned in my own square room for years. Really! Gone are the days that I need to force myself to wake up just to be at work by 10a.m. Gone are the days that I need to face the heavy traffic and snake my way to queue the tightly packed long lines at MRT. Now, I have the freewill to sleep and wake up anytime I like.

But lately, I started to hate it.

I’m worried. Not to mention my daily expense, monthly room rental and other bills. 

How about that? Very annoying! Monetarily stressful indeed!

Despite all of this, November is sweet. Bittersweet.

And it made me realise a lot of things:

First, my perspective changed. I thought my eleven years ++ experience is my greatest asset to land a new job. Yes, experience helps but it is not enough. The demands and expectations of the workforce is very different nowadays. I realised that my skills are no longer competitive (or I could just be searching at the wrong market). In the interviews I had, I realised that I somehow lacked some skills. I believe, now is the best time to improve on my self by developing on the things I lacked.

Second, I got a break from the hustle and bustle of the metro. After I lost my job, I decided to go home to Ozamis. There, I have the best time with my family. No more time pressure. I was able to do the things I like. I bake. I cook my mama’s favourite dish – letchon kawali. Now, I can spend my everyday meals with them. Every moment spent with them is priceless. Even watching T.V. with them is a memory I'll always treasure. Therefore, in this aspect, being unemployed is a gift, a great blessing even. 

More importantly, I've learned to appreciate life even more. How can I appreciate the beauty of a day if I didn't experience the dark and cold times of night? Believe me! Being unemployed is not easy yet it somehow made me wiser and braver. And yes, I may be unemployed but I believe that my 11 years of working have been remarkable. I became a good provider to my family. 

Right now, I do hope I was able to share with you a part of my wisdom. Yes, being unemployed gave me the time to write blogs and somehow gain enlightenment. But I know there are other ways to get wiser. I wouldn't wish for you to be unemployed to gain these lessons. I'm not sure you'd want it. But regardless if this was due to boredom or otherwise, the lessons that life taught me while being unemployed is priceless. 

P.S. I have no plans to be part of the statistics as unemployed for much longer. Hopefully in time, I will be given the privilege to work again.

Very soon. (Fingers Crossed)

Jimble