tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-279089932024-03-08T05:30:05.950+08:00A Quarterlifer's JourneyA heavily sarcastic, mildly psychotic, and humorously realistic account of a Quarterlifer's journey through life.The Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.comBlogger110125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27908993.post-24081054500548418862011-09-15T11:21:00.002+08:002011-09-15T11:21:38.540+08:00My daughter's 1st birthday is coming up in a few days, so the wifey and I are currently in "crunch-time" mode. I never thought that planning for children's parties could very tedious. There's talking to caterers, looking for the perfect host, coming up with a party theme, thinking of the entertainment and a variety of other tasks one no less important than the other. Long gone are the days when The Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27908993.post-65898762067969486312011-09-08T10:33:00.003+08:002011-09-08T11:38:55.990+08:00 Before I saw this film, I've read positively glowing reviews from critics, hailing Zombadings 1: Patayin sa Shokot si Remington "the best Filipino movie of 2011" or "the funniest movie of the year". Being the avid movie goer and a person easily influenced by critics, I dragged the wifey to the theater with promises of belly-aching laughter reminiscent to when we watched Kimmy Dora a couple of The Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27908993.post-82805245628984062632011-09-05T10:40:00.000+08:002011-09-05T10:41:07.688+08:00KAINAN SA DALAMPASIGAN
Finding this off the beaten track restaurant was the first task, as you had to veer off the main road and make your way a few hundred meters to get there. The second task was navigating your way through the dark and under lit path from the parking area that frogs have invaded and now call home. My first thought upon seeing Kainan sa Dalampasigan was, "this could be the The Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27908993.post-10102139401368919642010-01-28T09:09:00.002+08:002010-01-28T09:26:26.418+08:00Yesterday was quite busy day for me. It was a good distraction as it allowed me not to feel sad about what happened a few days ago.I went to my girlfriend's house at Quezon City where I had lunch with her family. I had lechon kawali, sinigang, and multiple servings of rice. I can't remember eating that much in a long while. The rest of the day was then spent hanging out with my girlfriend and herThe Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27908993.post-24997050517389019052010-01-27T07:53:00.002+08:002010-01-27T08:03:34.228+08:00"Today is the first day of the rest of your life"I love that quote from the movie American Beauty. It somehow gives a person the hope that no matter how shitty your life turns out to be, the following day will always hold the promise of a better outcome. Inspiring eh?So I'm going to visit my girlfriend today. Its a much needed and welcome distraction from the past couple of days. We're probably The Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27908993.post-88998091199059928832010-01-26T15:20:00.002+08:002010-01-26T15:31:54.848+08:00I'm feeling a tad bit more optimistic now. I got an hour's sleep in, which got my mood better once I woke up. I'm also getting exercise, which experts say is a good remedy for the blues. And I'm onto my second blog post for the day. Gotta keep moving! Gotta keep moving!What's better is that I'm not thinking too much about my predicament. I'm actually thinking that my current state might actually The Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27908993.post-77016865318323272612010-01-26T12:17:00.002+08:002010-01-26T12:53:27.331+08:00I was the recipient of disappointing news yesterday. I found out that I didn't get the job I was praying and hoping for since I got back from the States. I'm depressed and hurt about it because I thought I already had it in the bag, that it was a sure thing. Only the tables turned on me. Right now, I don't feel like doing much. I know I'll get over it soon, but the wound is still pretty raw. The Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27908993.post-33890257981754410812009-05-12T19:33:00.007+08:002009-05-12T20:36:51.215+08:00Kalinawan Resort I was recently in Davao for vacation, and one of the highlights of my trip was a visit to Kalinawan Resort, one of the newest resorts in Samal Island that offers unique thrills for the adventurous beach bum. This resort is unique in more ways than one, but what sets it apart from your usual, run of the mill resort is that it channels the weekend warrior inside of you by offeringThe Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27908993.post-37925050675542191662009-05-12T17:59:00.002+08:002009-05-12T18:01:52.543+08:00I'm finally back online. After 2 weeks with no DSL, a higher power took notice of my misfortune and misery and decided to give me access to the Internet once again. So, did any of my 4 readers miss me during my brief hiatus?The Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27908993.post-58123567990710121942009-04-27T06:29:00.002+08:002009-04-27T06:35:07.055+08:00I got back from a trip to Batangas last night. Vacation. Today, I'm having an extended vacation, cause you sure well know that you need a "vacation from a vacation" to recuperate and condition yourself that you're back to reality again. I've been cooked rare and I've got the tan to show. In fact, I think I'm still giving off heat from being under the sun too long. I'm looking forward to another The Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27908993.post-50175863767602366422009-04-23T17:10:00.003+08:002009-04-23T17:19:06.594+08:00Christmas is just around the corner.If someone out there really loves me, I hope that person gets to read this entry and decides to give me this as an early Christmas present.I'm currently drooling for the Battlestar Galactica Complete Series DVD. I haven't seen an episode of the show, but the geek in me is telling me that I'm going to like it. I can already feel it in my hands - 25 discs of The Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27908993.post-65703506714468626522009-04-22T17:22:00.002+08:002009-04-22T17:29:55.407+08:00My chef gave me hell today. For almost a week now, I've been assigned as one of the class leaders in the kitchen. One of my responsibilities is to make sure that the mise en place is in place (i'm being redundant - mise en place literally translates to "everything in its place" - hence, the redundancy). When you say mise en place, it involves having everything to do with cooking ready and The Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27908993.post-4393306854281390332009-04-21T18:35:00.002+08:002009-04-21T18:57:33.943+08:00I don't know why I'm reviving this blog again. A light switch came on in my head, and I suddenly remembered, "Hey, I had a blog, didn't I?". So after more than half a year of not posting, I once again find myself spilling my thoughts onto this online page, for everyone (who am I kidding, I'm probably the only one who remembers I had a blog to begin with) to see and scrutinize. This time, I'd The Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27908993.post-72593795126941885012008-09-25T20:28:00.002+08:002008-09-25T20:32:04.331+08:00I've got a practical exam tomorrow morning on Knife Skills. And I've been cutting up carrots, chopping onions, and turning potatoes since Monday. I'm hoping that I do fine tomorrow. I'm not going to rush my cutting, or else I'm bound to lose a finger. Tomorrow's strategy is to work a steady pace, but work accurately. I'm not planning on joining a speed cutting challenge anytime soon, so I don't The Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27908993.post-60071124086550314882008-09-15T20:02:00.003+08:002008-09-15T20:09:01.312+08:00I'm On A HighWoohoo! I got my test scores back today, and I couldn't be happier with my grades.Basic Stocks - 44 /45HACCP - 77 / 80Stocks and Sauces - 60 / 62Kitchen Terminologies - 29 / 30Kitchen Organization - 36 / 36I got an average of 97%! I didn't even get grades like these in college. All those days spent studying don't feel like a chore all of a sudden.The Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27908993.post-21953153278106731822008-09-10T20:41:00.002+08:002008-09-10T20:46:43.192+08:00I had a tough set of exams today. It wasn't hard in the sense that I couldn't answer the questions because I didn't know it - it was tough because it was long and tedious to answer. I felt battered and tired right after taking it. I needed a good pick-me-up, so I decided to watch a movie to lift my spirits. I watched Hellboy 2, and it was one of the most visually entertaining movies I've seen The Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27908993.post-11166268309921456672008-09-08T16:30:00.002+08:002008-09-08T16:41:42.671+08:00I've been trying to make a habit out of cooking at home whenever the weekend rolls by. Weekends are pretty much the only free time I have from the busy week at school, so I try to make the most out of it by practicing my would-be craft. Anyway, I prepared a couple of things over the weekend. Last Saturday, I made a Pesto sauce and a Pesto Butter. I didn't know that pine nuts were expensive, untilThe Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27908993.post-65810943207289593742008-09-05T20:59:00.002+08:002008-09-05T21:03:09.060+08:00A week of kitchen work is finally over! Its been both fun and exhausting. As I type this entry, I can barely keep my eyes open from fatigue. The hours working in the hot kitchen, where aching knees and feet are commonplace are over for now. What's to look forward to in the coming week? A 4-day weekend, an exam on cooking methods and a recipe quiz, and 2 days of lecture that will run from 2 - 8 PMThe Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27908993.post-51236000914434570692008-09-03T20:04:00.002+08:002008-09-03T20:08:35.133+08:00Being a chef is physically demanding. Its the third straight cooking day, and I feel physically tapped out. I've felt pain in my legs, knees, and back for the first time. I'm probably going to run on fumes for the rest of the week and suck it all up. In the future, I think I have to condition my body to be able to withstand the physical exertion that working in the kitchen demandsThe Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27908993.post-11969054907294442512008-09-02T16:41:00.002+08:002008-09-02T16:50:10.897+08:00Today was a good day as the kitchen session was not as hectic as the day before. We were cooking ahead of schedule, so Chef Uli gave us a couple of long breaks that allowed us to catch our breath and rest our feet. Today's recipes consisted of Cream of Tomato Soup, Buttered Vegetables, Buttered Parsley Potatoes, and Pork Ragout (Stew). I was assigned to prepare the Potatoes ala minute, which The Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27908993.post-87106364148876599662008-09-01T16:17:00.002+08:002008-09-01T16:25:23.855+08:00Today was my first day back in the kitchen after the week-long break preparing for and taking the exam. I was a bit slow in adjusting to the frenetic pace of the kitchen today. I tried my best to keep up though. Anyway, it was officially the first kitchen day where we prepared the meals for students and the staff to eat. They also say that its one of the most important weeks in class because theyThe Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27908993.post-88032961901292403542008-08-29T06:32:00.003+08:002008-08-29T06:42:07.117+08:00Today's the 2nd day of exams. Yesterday's tests were a breeze, actually. The whole class finished in under an hour - and we were given 4 hours to do the test. My hunch was right - the exam can't be that hard. And here I was, preparing for the worst and the hardest. Sometimes, more that actually studying hard, its more important to be confident that you can ace the exam. I saw really bad nerves inThe Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27908993.post-37162194451232307442008-08-27T16:11:00.002+08:002008-08-27T16:21:12.492+08:00My 5-day "week-end" officially ends tomorrow as I return to school to take the first month exam. I've been stressing over that test since it was announced 2 weeks ago, but now I've learned to accept the fact that whatever happens tomorrow is out of my hands. I've done my part to study, but I know that my mind can only take so much information. Now, I'm trying to be mellow about this test and The Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27908993.post-71414456335413340772008-08-26T09:58:00.002+08:002008-08-26T10:04:01.348+08:00I cooked up a storm yesterday...well, not really. However, at the current level I'm at, cooking more than 2 dishes at the same time would qualify as a storm. My relatives came over for a visit and they wanted to try some of the dishes I've learned in school so far. It was nothing fancy really, as I prepared no-brainer dishes that even the most amateur of cooks couldn't mess up: Creamed Potatoes, The Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27908993.post-52405318098808450362008-08-21T16:29:00.002+08:002008-08-21T16:34:17.106+08:00Today, I had a taste of how the culinary profession is like. We had our first cooking session and I had to stand all throughout the duration of the class, which ran from 7 AM - 12 NN. It didn't end there though, as we still had to do our debriefing and mise-en-place for tomorrow which wrapped at 3 PM. I guess God really did listen to my prayers to take me out of my boring desk job, and decided toThe Northernerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13946234470386722795noreply@blogger.com0