A tribute to a singer whom I think I liked at some point in my childhood…

I was in between pre-elementary and elementary when I first saw and heard this. We used to borrow this version of Cinderella on laser-disk at Quadtech.

1963-2012

Thanks for the music, Whitney. Rest in peace as the world’s problems won’t bother you anymore.

And Alas, Another Culinary Circus Draws to an End…

I was 16 when I rediscovered the beauty and awesomeness showcased by the Food Network. First, I was wowed by the culinary bravado of clashing chefs in Ryori-no-Tetsujin (“Ironmen of Cooking”, a.k.a. the original “Iron Chef”). Then, when I saw Iron Chef America, I got introduced to the gastronomical wit and kitchen know-how of Alton Brown, who assumed Kenji Fukui’s and Dr. Yukio Hattori’s posts in the American version (as announcer and commentator, respectively). Then, while I got a behind-the-scenes preview of Iron Chef America, I discovered that Alton Brown made a Iron Chef spoof/homage dedicated to pork belly (or bacon), since he also had a show on Food Network called “Good Eats”. I was intrigued.

So, I searched it on Youtube. The first full “Good Eats” episode I saw featured sushi. It was titled “Wake Up, Little Sushi” (a pun-y homage perhaps to the Beatles song). I got hooked. I wanted more, so I looked for more episodes on the Web. Ever since I realized that I became a “Good Eats” fan, I also became a foodie.

Most ordinary cooking shows usually showcase a cook (who is usually the host himself or is accompanied by a co-host). These characters are usually behind a counter-top with a stove and an assembly of ready ingredients while a kitchen (with an oven perhaps) or some other scenery provides a backdrop. What happens in those shows is that they start off with a little chit-chat, proceed to a recipe, introduce the ingredients, show the cooking process, and proceed to a commercial break when the first dish is done. Then, when the commercial break is over, they proceed again to another recipe, and when the cooking is done, they make a taste-test of the dish, say “Mmm… delicious” (or something similar), thank the audience, and all is over. From my observation, it seems like a classroom lecture; linear, tedious, and often alienating. I think it makes the audience distant from those involved in the cooking.

“Good Eats” is not a run-of-the-mill cooking show. Each episode is dedicated to the art, science and fun of food. It is not merely about how to cook a dish. It does not just tackle about making food, but it also tackles on the origins of a particular food from its history to its science. It gives tips on kitchen tools and techniques, and gives a side serving of tidbits from literature, pop culture, and what-not.

The show was hosted, written and produced by Alton Brown. He took inspiration for the show’s conception from late cooking celebrity Julia Child, science show extraordinaire Mr. Wizard and ingenious British surreal comedy troupe Monty Python. With his gastronomic know-how and charismatic wit, Alton Brown had the TV show last for 14 seasons. They even had a variety show special to celebrate its 10th anniversary.

This show stands out from other food shows due to some features unconventional to ordinary cooking shows. Some episodes have zany storylines which are often derived from famous movies or TV shows (like “Jaws”, “Sweeney Todd” and “Mission Impossible”). Some scenes make use of outrageous but outstanding props, including puppets (sockpuppet yeasts and Cookie Monster’s refined brother), models (giant tongues and pigs with detachable parts), eclectic costumes (Southern colonels and medical practitioners), and even cool kitchen toys (like his T-Rex spray bottle, which I dig a lot).

Mr. Brown also takes pride in his MacGyver-esque knack for rigs, both simple (a baking sheet lined with newspaper and a cooling rack) and elaborate (the turkey derrick which is nothing more but a ladder with a pulley on top and a turkey frier under). He adheres a lot to the principle of multitasking. I believe it was he who said, ” There is only one unitasker in the kitchen and that is the fire extinguisher.”

Even characters are essential to maintaining the sumptuously informative and humorous nature of the show. Thing, that ever helpful dismembered appendage, is an allusion to “The Addams Family”. Alton’s fictitious sister, Marsha, provides some appropriately adversarial annoyance. The Feds (a.k.a. “Food Police”) also usually make an appearance as men in black. My favorite character, however, is Kitchen gear specialist W, who happens to be a a caricature of James Bond’s weapons and gadgets specialist, Q. But not all characters are fictitious, as the presence of experts (like food scientist Shirley Corriher, nutritional anthropologist Deborah Duchon and dietitian Carolyn “The Lady of the Refrigerator” O’Neil) and family (Alton’s real mom, grandma, and daughter) shed some science and realism to the show.

And so, cameras have been shooting from the insides of ovens, fridges and pantries for 14 years. Butter has been melted, kosher salt has been pinched, and nutmeg has been grated for 14 years. Nearly a decade and a half has been devoted to the science, culture and fun of food and cooking from steak to dark chocolate, from apples to yogurt, from fish and chips to fillet mignon, from chili con carne to bouillabaise, from ice cream to baklava and even water and salt.

Alas, just as Ryori-no-Tetsujin, the original “Iron Chef”, came to an end back in 1999, so must another awesome culinary circus. At least, I was still fortunate enough to be able to tune in to “Good Eats” from Season 1 until Season 14, its final season.

Thank you, Alton Brown for the knowledge, the fun, and most of all, the food.

Merry Christmas \(m)/

Now this is what I call tidings of rockingly good cheer! Awesome!!!

(Although it would still be a scary notion to have Twisted Sister suddenly appear on Christmas day in Santa’s stead.)

Ah… Friends, both old and new…

From my friends from a relatively earlier time…

This is Marxius a.k.a Mac the Master. Mac used to be a visible part of the Tolentine Star staff until he transferred to an aeronautics school. We’re still buddies though.

Here’s his blog: http://outrunningthoughts.wordpress.com/

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From the people I (relatively) recently befriended…

This is Hannah whom I met during the recent CEGP Lubas here in Bacolod City. Hannix is from UP Tacloban and she is the Associate Editor of its official student publication, UP Vista.

Here’s her blog: http://xoxohannie.tumblr.com/

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From the people I know but rarely make contact with…

These are Ma’am Hannah and Sir Julius. They’re more than just a couple. They’re a tag-team tandem made up of Julius Mariveles (broadcast/print journalist – slash – photojourn. extraordinaire) and Hannah Papasin Mariveles (freelance feature writer – cum – university professor), both  awesome yet modest mentor figures. That’s why they’re just two of the cool peepz I look up to.

Here’s their blog: http://negrossugarbacolodspice.wordpress.com/

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Whether you peepz are old or new,

as long as you’re my buddies and comrades,

there is always a free page for you in my book

and extra space in my heart. 

Good luck, godspeed, God bless!

AKO PO AY SI PACIANONG PISSED-OFF

NOTE: Napag-isipan ko lang ang konseptong ito dahil it came to mind noong kabibili ko ng pinaka-latest na “Kikomachine Komix” Bilang 7 (“Sorrowful, Sorrowful Mysteries”) ni Manix Abrera. Yeah, beybeh!

Kung si Manix Abrera ay may Bertong Badtrip, heto ang mas malala…

Ako po ay si Pacianong Pissed-Off.

Paciano*, dahil yun ay isang palayaw na may kahulugang malapit sa given name sa aking birth certificate.

Pissed-Off, kasi… I’m pissed off.

Pissed-off ako dahil sa mga nangyayari…

Pissed-off ako dahil:
- sa kapalpakan ng gobyerno at iba pang kasapi nitong palpak na lipunan.
- sa mga circumstances na lubhang negatibo ang dating sa pamumuhay ng tao sa lipunang ito.
- sa haggardness na aking natatamo mula sa mga gawain.
- sa kapalpakan at kaeng-engan ng ibang taong nasa proximity ko.
- sa sarili kong mga kapalpakan at kaeng-engan mismo.

Ang pinagkaiba lang namin ni Berto (aside from the fact na fictitious comic book character lang siya) is that nilalabas niya yung kanyang kinikimkim at tinatago ko naman yung akin. In other words, he’s psychotic and I’m neurotic.

Henceforth, when Pax Florius gets pissed-off…

Make way for PACIANONG PISSED-OFF.

* – Etymological basis: “Paciano”. Root word – Sp. “paz” – L. “pax” – Eng. “peace” – buong pangalan ko “Peace Flores”

(UBER-DELAYED) UPDATES

I haven’t posted for quite a while. I’ll just post my updates in bullet-format:

* I have recently watched the two most recent episodes of my favorite TV show about science/cooking/pop culture/history, “Good Eats”. It’s a pity that after 14 successful seasons, it must come to an end just as all good things do.

I’ve learned more from this show than my Chemistry, Biology, Physics, T.L.E. and Social Studies classes. Thank you, Alton Brown!

* It’s another (and second to the last, I hope) Second Semester for me in my college education. Hopefully, after three more semesters, I can be qualified to teach. Of course, Alton Brown is one of my pedagogical role models.

* I just went back from Iloilo yesterday afternoon after attending the COPRE (College Press Conference and Awards) 2011 – Region VI together with the other selected members of Tolentine Star. Nong Luigi and I joined the English Editorial Writing Category… and won 1st and 2nd place respectively. It’s apparently my first time to win a campus journalism award. Mazel tov to our publication as well for winning Best Feature Page (3rd Place), Best Magazine Design and Best Magazine (both 2nd Place), and some other awards I forgot. Woohoo!

Good times indeed.

* WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE COPRE: Perhaps due to the tension and stress of the writing contest, I stumbled TWICE at the conference hall. A lot of people saw this but I am thankful that it only happened at the back. I suppose “break a leg” does mean something good. Ah, life has its occasional stumbles of glory indeed.

* The College of Education debate team (in which I was one of the researchers) won in our intercollegiate debate last Wednesday against the Engineering. Kudos to the high school as well, for staving off the College of Business and Accountancy.

* I recently saw CGMA on the news. Her health’s been in a kind of (a little bit) risky state. She tried to fly off to some foreign country to avail of “medical attention” overseas with the consent of the Supreme Court… and got blocked by the Department of Justice.

“Are you sure you’re only going overseas for the medical attention, Ate Glo?

Or are you just trying to elude yourself from prosecution? Hmm…”

* I might not be in the same political spectrum as this guy but I’m beginning to love the social commentary of Palanca awardee, host/journalist, activist and Radioactive Sago Project vocalist Lourd De Veyra in his aptly named “Word of the Lourd” segment in TV5. His social commentary and poetic style is a recent influence in my writing and campus journalism.

His “Wala naman tayong magagawa” may be disagreeable

but I find him fun, educational, and socially critical to watch.

* I also look up to Ambeth Ocampo of “Looking Back” fame in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. I’ve read his “Bonifacio’s Bolo” before and my sister recently bought me his books “Looking Back”, “Dirty Dancing – Looking Back 2″ and “Death by Garrote – Looking Back 3″. I so love his take on [Philippine] history using a novel, conversational and fun perspective unlike those of history books back in elementary and high school.

Ambeth Ocampo, the Alton Brown/Beakman/Bill Nye

on Philippine History. Cool!

Well, those are all the updates I can come up with for now. Good luck, godspeed, God bless!

NOTE TO SELF

It’s been quite a while since I wrote.

Look at what I’ve become for the past few months. This is not merely a teenage phase for the past few months have been my Dark Ages. I’m in a state of retrogression. I’ve become stressed, depressed, anxious, decrepit and debauched. This is not just because I haven’t written for quite a while. I had negativity. I could’ve done better than just let negativity stagnate my mind and erode away my morale. Because of negativity, I made erroneous decisions and had wrong priorities. My judgment was clouded, my optimism was choked and my resolve was stifled.

And so, I think I’ve fallen from the grace of some people. I have no doubt that the way they look upon me may have changed because of my retrogression. I’ve isolated myself from good people. I put myself in invisible walls by living in my own world and living life according to my self-whims. I had despair, pessimism, perversity, doubt, irresponsibility, deceit, idleness, hatred, egotism, envy, intemperance and conceit. I have put my life in a state of chaos.

My situation may seem pitiful. However, I cannot pity myself and I should not have other people pity myself because I never deserved pity in the first place. It was my fault why my life got wrong in the past few months. However, I still have my principles (or whatever remains of them). I know that I cannot keep myself submerged in my darkness. Amidst these inner demons that torment me, perhaps there still remains some angelic solace, some hope that I can change my mess of a life.

I am human. I have my flaws. But, I know how to make up for my flaws. All I need is some push. That push should come from myself since I should not solely entrust my life to others.

I’ve fallen low and deep, so I must get back up. I shall free myself from this negativity. I shall not isolate myself from others anymore. I’ll learn to prioritize. I’ll be more responsible, proactive and diligent in my studies. I’ll do what I can to reestablish my integrity. I’ll revive my dead optimism and severely injured conscience. I must stand up again no matter how painful my stumble was.

The past few months put metaphorical scars on me but I will face my consequences with conviction. Whatever can be corrected, I shall repair myself. I’ll cling on to my principles. I’ll consider my experience as a baptism of fire. I learned a lot. And I hope that others can learn as well from what I went through.