I support RH

Despite the state's independence, most of its decisions are still poisoned with the church's opinions. Seldom can the two be separated. For this reason, I was so jubilant when the congress bypassed the church and insisted on promulgating the reproductive health bill. However, when I swept by the church this morning, I nearly threw up in disgust and disappointment when I learned that the issue is currently being reawakened. A huge banner screaming, "The archdiocese of Davao is against the Reproductive Health (RH) bill," was tied at the gates. I really cannot run along their old-fashioned line of thinking.

"Go and multiply," God said. However, He said this when the only humans on earth were Adam and Eve. If God will reappear in this century, I do not think he will deliver the same message--not when most of the regions are famished. Using artificial birth control techniques is the most practical way to address the exponentially growing population in the country. It's difficult to simply utilize the calendar method. Mating is what couples are meant to do. It's hard to dictate couples when to do it or when not to do it. It's as if they're telling a writer to write only at full moon.

I just hope the law-making body will not be dissuaded to revert their decision. Population boom is the last thing we need to endure this seemingly perpetual economic crisis.

Farm grass

Thin grass
weak grass
grass too wimp to withstand hurricane
its hollow stick bows
bends to kiss mud
by the bulldozed road
a beggar in the farm
with its sons trapped under the saya
of washed women
who slip inside his boots
like thorns to prick soles
of rabid man,
man of no descent
man who plows the paddy at day
where he strangles grass
sickles grass
his sons shaded under the saya
of washed women
where little sand drips.

Freckled again

The heat was intense; I knew I had to reapply. I unzipped my bag and searched for my sunscreen. I could not find it, unfortunately. The whole day, hence, I walked unprotected. I felt my skin aged ten days. I worried about acquiring more freckles and facial sun scars. I wished Kuya Rich would come back to Davao so I would not have to take water samples in his behalf. I'm not happy in the field. I'm so miserable in the field. I wanted to fly back to my lab, conduct preliminary experiments, sniff the airconditioned breeze... I wanted to; I couldn't. So I slouched back in the banana trunk, burried my burnt face on my palms, recollected, pondered...Dear God, I wish you made me a Man so I need not worry about ugliness. A woman can love without her eyes.

Chocolate Cake

The chocolate icing was superb! However, for some reasons, the cake I baked yesterday did not rise. I can think of four possible causes:
(1) the baking powder has expired
(2) I forgot to sift the solids
(3) Instead of buying cocoa powder, I bought chocolate syrup
(4) mixing was not unidirectional.

I intend to become a virtuoso in this field! Soon, when I have ample time, I will bake chocolate cake again! By then, I will be able to publish a lengthy post containing tips and suggestions. Happy happy 21st birthday to me! :D :D

By the way, when I got back home after Friday night's Boom Boom, my dad did not get mad (for the first time ever). Is this a sign? Are they treating me like a grown-up now? I can vividly recall one night out last year. After a family affair one night and when I was about to gracefully glide away from the car to meet my friends, I told mom, dad, ate and Gus, "You guys, do not worry! I'm a big girl now!" My overprotective and austere younger brother who acts like my senior malevolently reacted, "Ha! Yeah right. Big girl! You're only----- (Bad word. He mentioned my height!)----." The "big girl" got drunk for the 1st time that night...and she kept crying. @__@

Oh well. That will not happen again! I'm a big girl now, really. Soon, I will be a full-fledged woman! Happy happy happy birthday to me!

Chocolate cake
Ingredients:

Sift:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup chocolate (Hershey's chocolate preferably)
2 tablespoons baking soda
2 tablespoons baking powder

Add:
1 bar butter (anchor)
2 1/2 cup white sugar
4 whole eggs
2 cups cold fresh milk














Chocolate cake icing:
1 can evaporated milk
1/2 cup chocolate
1/8 butter
5 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup white sugar

Leche Flan

Yesterday, I celebrated my 21st birthday with my grandma, my dog, my two siblings and Rose, our helper. Apparently, my parents were out again. I would have wanted a sumptuous and gluttonous dinner; but because they weren't there to cook for me, buy me dinner or take me out, I decided to bake and cook for my own birthday!

Here's one of the dishes I made. This is Van's favorite! When I was in high school, I also "attempted" to make one for Phoebe's birthday. I really really love Leche Flan! Among all desserts, this is my "best friend."
Ingredients:
Eggs (4 whole eggs or 6 yolks)
Condensed Milk (1 can)
Water (1 cup)
Sugar (6 tablespoons)

• You can use whole eggs or pure egg yolks. If you want a softer Flan, use whole eggs; if you want a creamier Flan, use egg yolks. If you choose to make the latter, use a yolk separator. Furthermore, do not throw away the "egg white," you can lather it in your face to provide a soothing and natural face lift. You can also use it to make puto, white icing, etc. Also, if you want a creamier Flan, you can reduce the amount of water you put.

• Beat the eggs and pour the milk. A hand beater/mixer (see picture1 below) is a must-have in baking.

• However, I prefer using an electrical mixer (see picture2 below). If you really want to "get serious" in baking, buy this device. I don't think it's expensive.

• After mixing, pour it in a molder with caramelized sugar and steam for 20 minutes. If you don't have a steamer, you can use the rice cooker! The Flan is cooked when: (1) of course, when it has hardened and (2) if you prick it with a toothpick, the egg/milk mixture will not stick. Invert the molder and Tada! You have your Flan.

Dear Blog,

Every time I come home, my Super Girl cape instantly untangles. Mask splits open, falls...cracks. I don't think Mom and Dad will recognize me whenever I'm drape in that costume . Who will except a baby, who does nothing but sleep, eat and please everyone, to be commanding laborers, advising students, thinking logically, etc. I've been handling three projects since the other research assistant flew to Manila to attend a training. Since then, I started bagging this heavy weight on my shoulders. I handle three projects. Sometimes four. Sometimes five. My primary concern is the Nepenthes project; secondary to it is the Soil Conservation Project. I also handle the Artificial Soil project. But there are times when my professor would ask me to do something for Nipa Project and Bt Eggplant. Good God, why am I the only research assistant inside the research room? The other research assistants working for other professors only manage a single project. I have three! Three. Can you imagine? Three! I can barely breathe. I'm so tired. Jaded. Exhausted. Drained.

I would have been happier if I'm only handling one project, my primary concern: The Nepenthes Project. I adore the cozy, claustrophilic and isolated laboratory. In that cold nook, I never tire. I play with my cultures from nine in the morning until my stomach grumbles and begs me to eat. I can really tell that I belong in the lab. Not in the hospital. Never in the field. The two other projects however, demand that I sweat under the sun and summon all the melanocytes in my skin to shield me from UVA/UVB. I do not belong in the field, I know. I know. I will probably never flourish in the agricultural field--not when I worry about skin mutations and the subsequent effect in human aging. Hello world! I have to face the fact that I dwell in an agricultural country and that if I desire to pursue research, whether or not it pleases me, I will be compelled to cruise in that ocean again. I want to be a researcher--but not an agricultural researcher!

I don't want to go to med school either because I cannot imagine my life revolving around dying people. Nevertheless, I can always opt to pursue research which is in line with the human body but does not demand that I stay in a place as forlorn as the hospital. But I will have to endure four years before I can pursue PhD in biomedical research. I will have to wait for a long long time. And worse, I'm not even sure if it's worth waiting for. :-(

Heck, no. I'm sure it's worth all the wait. I must keep this in mind!

So then dear dear blog, I finally have a picture of what I'll be doing in the future. In my previous letter to you, I enumerated several "things to do" before my birthday. I can mark one now. Unfortunately, I realized that I'm still not fit to get a driver's license. I started a commotion in an intersection today. I'm glad the police officers did not arrive to pick me up. You see, in an intersection early this afternoon, I tried making a U-turn. Waaah. Oh yeah. I'm the only crazy human who does that. Hell, what was I thinking?

Dear Blog,

I'll be turning 21 three days from now. I'm so excited, I can barely wait! I bought myself a present yesterday and I got so obsessed I had difficulty sleeping last night. I kept wondering how I will look like with my new badminton racket! :D I hope Mon and I can pull this habit off despite our hectic schedules.

I'll be partying with my bio friends this Friday. I met Jane early this morning; I was so euphoric to hear she's coming! So then, I'll be expecting Mon, Emo, Mai, Louise, France, Jane, Lei... who else will be coming? Who else will be coming? They'll probably be diluting Misery through goblets of alcohol again. And I guess I'll end up nursing their wounded hearts because mine is too whole to bleed. I desire to give them love on my birthday...prebirthday celebration, I mean. I still have to plan the events on the 7th. Bestfriend can't come. Mom's in Manila. Look's like I'll be spending the entire day with my dog. @___@

Anyway, I'm supposed to talk about Fairy Tail. I just fell in love with this series a couple of minutes ago. But because I'm more in love with myself than this show, I ended up talking about my birthday. Yikes. I'll scribble my insights some other time then.

Good night universe!