On cooking and washing dishes…

As it was done every year, my parents went to my Dad’s hometown in Batangas to spend the fiesta there with our relatives. Since this is my last Christmas break as a college student, I decided to stay at home and not go with them so I could rest and organize get-togethers with my Elem and HS friends–something that I’ve taken the responsibility of doing since sembreak last October.

This meant four days of living alone in our house for me. Being the caring mother that my Mom is (and her knowing that I can’t survive since I can barely cook and all that), she planned and prepared everything out for me: cooked some meals that can be stored in the fridge for a day or two and be reheated whenever I decide to, bought easy to cook food, and gave me more than enough money so I can always opt to eat out.

I really didn’t have any problems being home alone, thanks to my Mom. Anyway, though I did have everything done for me, on the third day of living alone, I decided to try doing so without consuming whatever food my mother had prepared for me. So, come lunch time that day, I bought some hotdogs, a pack of easy-to-cook soup, eggs, cooking oil, and what not. I tried cooking a “full meal”, of hotdogs as the main dish, chicken and corn soup on the side, rice and iced tea.

The meal, from the preparation to the consumption itself, went fine. Well, I could’ve done better in frying the hotdogs but the soup and rice were perfect. On hindsight, I can really say that the experiment was a success.

Well, except for one thing: the dishes to wash after. It’s not that I don’t know how to or that I dislike washing dishes. It’s about the amount of dirty dishes I have produced un cooking hotdogs, soup and rice only.

This sure is a lot just for those three.

Yeah, I might’ve been successful in my latest try, after such a long time, at cooking, but the dishes and cleaning part… no where was I near to success. Hahaha. I guess I just have to try harder and better next time–which would probably be just a couple of months from now (I’m graduating from college and am planning to live alone and away from the comforts of Mom’s cooking or of the nearby cafeteria, that’s why).

Oh well. ‘Til my next try at cooking and minimizing dirty dishes!

On Christmas parties…

After a whole week of procrastination and a few days of cramming 3 papers–which are two things I usually do and should stop doing–academics for the year 2008 ended yesterday. Yay! And what better way to officially close it and anticipate the coming Christmas holiday than partying with Block WWW and friends.

Last night’s was great. In fact, I’ve so many reasons to believe that it’s actually best with the block so far. I enjoyed it from start to end–from X-Math, to Simbang gabi, to Pao’s and until the DOTA the next day. There was just so much fun things to do the whole time: Ate so much–Nowen’s lechon and Baliwag’s chicken; played rockband/world tour; magic sing concert with Mic, Kat, Janeen, Pizza and the others; GranMa and Bacardi 151º shots; Rayrand running amok after a couple of shots; sleeping wherever; boy’s Magic sing session again in the morning; and then Webtown.

Super saya talaga! There has got to be an encore soon.

On hobbies and on beginner’s luck…

A few days ago while a friend and I were talking, I suddenly got the idea of finding a new hobby. No specific reason. Maybe just to have the chance to do something new, something else––other than dorm, school, DOTA, rockband, Internet, etc.

One of the first ideas that came to me was fishing. Ever since I was a child, I wanted to try it. I still remember that one time, a neighbor/playmate of mine gave me this improvised fishing thing (made up of a hook and a string rolled into a donut-like plastic container) that the kids in our neighborhood at the time use to “fish” in the waterways near our barangay plaza. Unfortunately though, my Dad, the killjoy that he was, upon finding out about my fishing thing, took it and locked it up in his tool box and told me that it was unsafe, thus he was not allowing me, to play with hooks. And the good child that I was, I just sulked away my disappointment and kept my enthusiasm for fishing out of my mind.

Anyway, back to my point. So, I told my friend about that possible hobby. The first thing he said was, “but fishing is for the patient,” then, as I expected he’ll say, “so, it’s not for you.” Shoot! I tried defending myself but in the end, my friend was able to give counter arguments to break down my defenses. Okay, I thought to myself, maybe I’m not that patient but that doesn’t mean I can’t take up something that requires it. I mean, perhaps there’s way or something.

So, days passed and I kind of forgot about that conversation already. Until we visited an Antipolo farm last Monday.

The farm was great (though it’s really far from our dorm and we got lost going there). There was so much to do there. They have tight ropes, balancing logs, a hanging bridge, bamboo rafts and so on. However, what really interested me was the fishing part. You see, they have this Tilapia pond wherein any visitor can just use their fishing rods and try catching whatever.

After eating the sumptuous lunch they prepared for us, I went straight to the pond to try my luck–and perhaps fulfill my childhood dream of a hobby. From then on, most of us spent the whole afternoon there, trying to fish while talking about whatever and all. At the end of the day, the whole group, armed with around seven rods, was able to catch a total of four Tilapias. Proudly, I caught three out of the four we got. Talk about beginner’s luck. After being hooked on my thumb (because of my own stupidity) and a couple of hours waiting, catching those Tilapias were so fulfilling. In a way, I was able to continue the fishing hobby and disprove my friend for saying that it was not for me. Hahaha!

Okay. So I know that catching fish in a not so big fish pond is really nothing compared to the real thing. However, who would not be proud of being responsible to the biggest part of the whole catch! Thus, despite this being so triviall, I don’t really care. At least in my own point of view, that fishing exprience was a total success to me.

I sure hope I can do it again sometime in the future. Not just once or twice. But so much more. Like a real hobby maybe.

On blogging and not blogging…

On my corner, right after watching Pacquiao beat up De La Hoya on YouTube
10:30ish PM

I’ve told myself before that I’d blog here as much as I can, to be able to preserve memories, to share whatever to whoever, to practice writing again, and many others. However, as usual, I have been failing to find the time––or the diligence, since I think virtue rather than chance is the issue here––to write on this blog.

What’s wrong with me? Well, I’ve been able to blog about the start of classes and the positive changes I’ve encountered so far in terms of academics and discipline. However, I have missed writing on an awful lot more, starting from my sembreak’s adventures, to my birthday, to my last ortho check up, and all the random happenings, thoughts and realizations in between. What a waste. If only I was more persistent and consistent.

Hmm. Now, I wonder if personal pressure and punishment can help. I’m actually thinking of making a deal with myself. I’m thinking of making blogging a must per week and having a consequence should I fail to do so.

Sige, I’ll do this! EXCITING!

The only question now is what must be the possible consequence. No DOTA a week perhaps? Or no internet or movie or whatever for a period of time? Or required saving up instead of spending on miscellaneous things?

I guess I’ll figure this out on a later time. What’s important for now is, this is decided: required blog per week! or else, whatever consequence.

I hope this works out.

Now I feel weird blogging/talking to myself. Nice!

P.S. Immaculate Conception day tomorrow. Yay, Mama Mary! You’re the best!

P.P.S. Since it is the Virgin Mary’s day tomorrow and since the Ateneo is Marian, no classes! More so, ARSA’s going to some far in Antipolo tomorrow. I am so looking forward to it. I just hope tomorrow’s as fun as I’m imagining it to be. Yey!

P.P.P.S. The second long weekend is almost over, and I have yet to start on my Multimedia class Photoshop project and my two Film class papers. Classic me. Good luck! Hahaha.