In defense of Filipino food

I love food. It does not only nourish but it speaks about culture. A kind of preference. Good food makes you recall your mother's cooking and in some occasions - like having the worst day - comfort food can save the day. With eating comes the memory of the eating. Food is even more fulfilling when you eat it with friends or your family.

So every time I hear or read about some bloggers writing about bad food in other places, I reserve the judgement because taste is linked with one's distinction, country, context. But it does not escape her/him from being a sensible commentator. This blogger is the latest. We can expect a deluge of comments in defense of Filipino food. Others go straight to the issue. Others target the writer. Others are apologetic. They have a point or two. They deserve to be pondered, at the least.

So what is my take about it? Filipino food deserves to be defended. But I defend it from a food and society perspective. The truth about Filipino food is it has been international ever since we trace its history. We got food from the Chinese, Malays, Indian, Spanish, Pacific islanders, American and not to mention our indigenous systems all concocting their influence on what we devour today.

This links to some likelihood that if someone criticizes Filipino food, we share the difficulty to defend it because there is no collective reference that best describes it. We do not have a national food identity that our neighboring countries enjoy like Japan and its sushi, Chinese and their peking duck, and Korea and its kimchi, to name a few.

So, if the challenge is to name which Filipino food best describes our national identity. I rather expect a most delicious debate. Some would suggest adobo. How about lechon? sinigang?balut? Of course, they all deserve in the pedestal and believe me, Filipinos are divided on this issue from the regional ways of cooking to ingredients to even who-is-cooking-type argument. This divisiveness is all the more adding to our crankiness that does not really help in defending our our food, our culture. On a personal note, I do not believe in a single standard for adobo, lechon, or sinigang. But we have yet to overcome this obstacle of making a stand on Filipino food. This stand has been there for centuries, that Filipino food is a global cuisine. We are just denying it.

Noon Cracker

Sunday High Noon. Perfect for some scribbling. But the canvas has been left for hours. This has been the most important writer’s block yet. Two weeks straight and the documents sit there, whispering to me for some care. I start but I have the hard time to retrace where I left off. And then this feeling – this stupid feeling - that I will connect this block to rest of my life. Which in some way it has but in most ways it does not always.

I imagine it as a leaf gripping on its twig. I either pray for a strong wind to blow me away or a warm sun to keep me still. This dilemma, strangely, seems to marvel me, unfailingly. I need to decide which prayer I will offer.

I suddenly found myself googling tips on overcoming writer’s block. They are all practical in most sense. Why, did I expect some magic rituals? Kahit papano naghanap ako, harhar. The best way is to get out of your computer screen for a while. Others suggest physical movements (jog, gym) as long as you have a notebook and pen to capture eureka moments in between. Some say you can write as soon as you wake up, in the first few hours when your mind is at its ‘theta’ stage bordering the dream and reality.

Writing this thesis has never been excruciating. But I need to do it even if no one wants to read it, anyway. The past months have been quite low. I have other ‘priorities’, I believe. And my instincts tell me so. Others remind me to just Choose. Yeah, I choose to do it with the barest minimum. That's why I bear this consequence.

Let us have a tweak of perspective. It can be quite exciting sometimes to feel a writer’s block. To my mind, other than the leaf on a twig. It's like a raging waterfall, or the buzzing of the city streets. And you are there in middle of the universe noise, the persistent longing for the sound of a crack. That crack, sometimes elusive, sometimes hotcakes, is what will carry you through the rhythm. Let's see again.

Makes Me Happy

Focus muna tayo sa mga Masasayang Bagay. What makes me happy lately? Well, some things can be happily fleeting but they can help you get by kumbaga.

1. I don't know I have this preoccupation to Pinterest lately. It is this big catalog na napakavisual niya. Hindi ko naman siya kinakareer at lalong hindi naman ako naprepressure but you can get lots of ideas and sometimes that's just what you need. Surprisingly, I find browsing Pinterest relaxing. And the best time is Sunday morning where I will get all the quotes I like! Oh well, let's see in the next few days. But I realize that's the strength of Pinterest, yung hindi ka niya ino-oblige. Pin ka lang ng pin. Like and Pin ang peg. And when you go back to your pins, it's almost your visualization of the self. Pero ano bang meron sa Pinterest account ko eh puro quotes lang naman. Pero Ok na rin. 

2. Tennis. Grabe. Achieve ang second straight Saturdays na pagpapalo. Except this Saturday for an office overtime. Pero ibang feel ang nararamdaman pag pumapalo ka ng bola. Ibang feel ang feeling when you're sweating it out. At ibang feel rin pag nagpapalpitate ka na. You feel something's wrong. Shit. Then after few minutes of rest. Palo ulit. Habol galore. And then lalamon after with my best gal Gengkukay. Sana man lang mag burn ng fats pero mukhang nababawi lang sa lamon. Char. Pero kebs na rin. Then your body aches. Kebs na rin. The most important thing is you'll be able to sweat it all out and you are improving and self-affirming, like maganda talaga ang serve ko to be fair. Char. 

3.  Little steps toward my paper. Mahirap. Minsan nakakalungkot. Minsan nag da doubt ka talaga. What keeps me going on? I am determined naman eh pero I  really need that space. Just like what that quote above said. Marami akong nakikitang rants sa Facebook about having difficulty finishing their thesis but they just can't. Of course they can, they can't just find the fucking time! And it's like Me. I can't leave my work because I need it, i'll be left out, it's my fucking bread and butter, it's my source of But soonest, I need to decide and not just decide but decide strategically. I am praying for signs but the signs are not appearing. On a lighter, maybe a Page-a-Day can help. That is why little steps do matter a lot. 

4. Wine. Yung idea lang ng may iniinom ka to cap off your day. Yung idea lang habang nag aaral ka, nagbabasa ka with wine. I believe sapat na rin yun. Hindi naman lagok factor. Konting Paandar lang. Malay ko ba kung ano ano ang red wine. Alam ko lang grapes siya and the more it ferments, the more chances of winning (the higher the price), char. Pero kung nanaisin ko naman magpaka competent in that category, we can get there. Pero as for now, masarap siya and it's a good and healthy substitute for coffee, feeling ko. 

5. Tuloy Tuloy na Chikahan. Ewan ko ba. Parang bumabaliktad ang mga schedules ko lately. Fully booked ako ng weekends since January. Buti na lang nakakasingit ako ng Me time pag weekdays. Ang definition ko ng Me Time ngayon is that Time I arrive in our apartment from office until my youngest sister arrives. Solo ko ang apartment and I love the energy of silence. I have been accustomed to this silence din kumbaga. As for chikahan with my friendships, walang humpay. Sige lang, push lang ng push. Dinner, Lait. Kape. Chika. Dinner. Lait. Kape. Chika. That's all there is to Stay. 

Try has a new deadline

Promise Me. 

You will prevail because you hold on to the Truth. The Truth will set you free. What is truth. Truth is Love. Truth is Hope. Truth is Patient. 

Choose. It is the hardest obstacle that you will always overcome from time to time, one choice to another. May you choose and persevere. May you choose in the brightest of morning, in the clearest of water. 

Prepare. Life is full of suprises. Happy, Sad, either or. Prepare with a good disposition. Prepare but not to be burdened. Enjoy the art of preparation. Do not Overprepare. Do not prepare for preparation's sake. 

Do not be sad when you are out of options even it is your heart's desire. Do not settle for less. Be happy to unsettle but do not hurt people. Try and if not after some tries, take some rest. Acceptance will be due in the right time. Prepare To Try. If it's meant for you, it will be meant for you. If it is not, how will you know if you do not try. 

Risk. It comes with the price. Spread your risk. Enjoy the risk. Risk only a portion. Guard your risk. Be Happy. Sacrifice whatever the outcome. Risk is a product of reflection. Risk is anticipation. Risk not afraid.

 

The Galloping Year

It will be the Galloping year of the Emerald Wooden Horse. The Chinese New Year has started. And not too late to review and revise my 2014 New Year's Resolutions. I have made some and I am keeping it by heart. But in between, there are equally important things that I need to do and these may well affect the process of fulfilling my accomplishments. Believe me, they do. 

So, late last night - Chinese New Year's Eve - to my mind, I added some resolutions into my current list. These may seem trivial to some.

1. Sleep. It has been a luxury for me these days to get a full eight-hour sleep. I know I will have lots of sleep when I'm dead! But I need to sleep at least 7-8 hours. Simply because it pays to have a good sleep. I believe it enhances your mood the next day and ultimately, your day's outlook like the way you will manage stress, your ability to be flexible, the probability to accomplish the day's work. I always believe those cranky people around have some of the greatest sleep deprivation. You can't make bawi sleep to be fair. I mean if you have a good sleep, you are most likely to end the next day fulfilled and feeling fine. I will sleep at least a minimum of 7-8 hours at least on most weekdays. 

2. Moisturize. Need I say more. I feel complete when I put moisturizer on my face at least as a morning regimen. A great substitute for a face powder. I realized this must be one of my developed habits. Celeteque is hiyang and it is my all-time favorite. I may also have to try (experiment) some  moisturizers in the market. I feel I am missing out some. Along with it comes the updating of my kikay kit. I notice my kit is not kikay enough but I hate too many stuff in it. So, I need to appreciate the balance and of course, the star of the kit is my moisturizer.

3. I miss my Creative Spirit. I need to wake up my Muse. I have had the great potential to be a creative artist (sabay tumbling). Seriously, I just miss being in the creative side of things. It pays to have an outlet. It pays to have a space. It pays to Create and Share your creations! Maybe a tryout in a pottery workshop or a visit to Angono, the Arts Capital of the Philippines, which happens to be just 10 pesos away from here on a public jeepney. Watching theater plays is a staple. Or going to museums or any travel destinations. Or updating my playlist. There is going to be a lot on these for this year and I will write something about these adventures. 

4. Fitness alternatives. This has been the hardest one to start. I am not a fan of gym but I love aerobics (this is so 80s) and dancing.  I love to jog but I do not need to travel to the next city just to jog. My neighborhood is not even conducive. A little voice has been constantly saying, 'try, try, try.' Enough said. I may just have to observe my diet and increase my 'walking' time as one of the many alternatives. Or playing tennis! I love the idea of feeling your sweat trickling down on your eyebrows and your pores are secreting toxins. I love the idea of a hot bath after a workout. I love the quality of sleep after a workout. 'Try, try, try'

5. I need to Write More. Funny but this process has been extraordinarily bittersweet for me. First, the habits of practice must be improved. And the exercise must be recognized in some form. And I must get published. I must be in the Writing Circle once more, however this means. I must be an opportunist. The patience is immense. The persistence I must enjoy. I need to improve this craft and the only way is to write and read more. I should write in crystal clear form.  I should provoke and challenge assumptions. I should write publishable materials. I like the feeling of being lost in the writing and editing process. I miss the bliss. I had too many during college and early professional years. That Self searching for words and materials in a dim forest. And if you build a castle, all the birds a chirping and all the people shall come.