The_Grimwitch_Chronicles

This is a chronicle of a young woman who has chronicled her life in notebooks she had made herself and suddenly discovered the availability of Blogs and how she could share a part of her secret self to the virtual community.

1:59 pm

My First Sony Experience is with the Sony Walkman

Posted by Leto of Blood


My initial fixation with music gadgets started in the mid-80's. I was turning into a "tween" - not a child but definitely not a teenager. It was a frustrating time for me because I had been dropped out of the piano class because my fingers have been infested with stubborn eczema (an allergic skin condition that makes my fingertips dry and flaky - often oozing with blood or just too painful to articulate). Worse, my dexterous sister's breezed through the program effortlessly. She's studying how to play the guitar by herself. Since she can sing well (she's a crowd favorite in singing contests) and play her own musical instrument, she's "cool." That time, I want to be cool like her. I want to play music and sing along to the music I play. After all, in our class, nobody in school had the talent my sister's got. I assumed that since I have almost the same gene pool as my sister, I must be musically talented too - but having eczema inhibited that dream from being physically possible.

So I contented myself with listening to the radio and all the cassette tapes that my cousin from Kuwait sends every month. I love listening to New Wave (Duran Duran, Culture Club, Wham, etc.) and Pop (Madonna, Cindy Lauper, Michael Jackson, etc.). I would save money from my allowance and buy blank tapes to record their songs from the radio. I would write down the lyrics in an old notebook and write stories about it. Eventually, I was able to use these recordings whenever we have a school presentation - making me the official disc jockey(?) of our class. I know which song will fit the mood of a particular event/scene/moment. My friends loved me for that uncanny ability. I became "cool." The problem with being "cool" is that I have classmates who would ask me for a particular song for this particular event and they haven't heard of it. I would lend them a recording of the song so that they could play it on their bulky home stereos but it's rarely returned. That's frustrating so I started keeping all the song recordings to myself - which is a little lonely when I can't share it with people who will appreciate it.

On my 11th birthday, my cousin came home from Kuwait and she had a present for me. It was a Sony Walkman! I was ecstatic! At first, I was scared to use it because it looked expensive in its shiny black casing. It had FM/AM function, recording function, a built in speaker and mic. I can record from any FM/AM program or lecture anywhere, anytime. I stocked up on AA batteries and blank tapes. It had a belt clip which was like having music on the move anywhere. I felt liberated. That walkman (I'm sorry I can't remember it's exact model code)experienced it's utmost (ab)use in my last two years in grade school. I record lectures when I cannot write on my notebook because of my eczema. I play the recorded music for our mini-dramas in English and Filipino class. I would bring it to school on intramural, school fairs, field demonstrations to relieve my boredom. My friends and I would hang out in the school grounds during recess listening to a radio program or just raving about the newest pop song. I had replaced the headphones a lot of times, it got scratches on its body, it ate a lot of casette tapes, it got wet in the rain, it fell off my waist a lot of times, etc. but my sturdy walkman lives on.

When I got to high school, I reluctantly parted ways with my walkman. My cousin's brother borrowed it from me when he went to the province to work. I never got it back. He got married, had kids and relocated to another place. I heard that it's still being used as their bedroom radio, its casette function had conked out. Sometimes, I still remember my old sony walkman. It witnessed the carefree innocence of my "tween" transition. Whenever I hear a particular song from the 80's, it takes me back in time when I still had my walkman and witnessing milestones in life unfold. I had since graduated from the casette walkman to the CD walkman in college.

New generation MP3's from Sony are good. In fact, I'm thinking of buying one from their portable music player NWZ-series that has noise canceling properties. It would be nice to get lost in the music again, just like when I had my casette walkman (with maximum volume), without damage to my ears. Aside from that, the series has ample storage - for all the music I would ever need and the power needed to play them over and over again. Instead of buying lots of casette tapes/writable CDs, all I have to do is to drag them from my laptop to the MP3 player. I don't need to stock up on AA batteries either - with a charging time of half an hour, you get 2/3rds of your day filled with nonstop music you like. It also retained the FM tuner and recording function that I initally fell for with the casette walkman. Isn't that so(ny) amazing?

It definitely gave significance in my life just like the Sony’s World’s First Noise Canceling Portable Music Player: NWZ-S730 Series which I will enjoy in the (very near) future.



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5:41 pm

From Windfall To Nest Egg

Posted by Leto of Blood

When I got to work this afternoon, Magdalene, my co-worker, asked me what kind of news would I like to hear before I go on my day-off for the weekend. Of course I chose to hear the bad news first because the good news will definitely cheer me up for the weekend.



So she told me the bad news: there won't be any Christmas Party. I was crestfallen. This was supposed to be my first Christmas Party for the company. I could not understand why the Boss was able to splurge on a first class resort for our company outing yet would not spend a cent for the company christmas. Magdalene would tell me absurd parlor games, fabulous tales about the raffle prizes, the various delicacies that would be laid out on the table - buffet style, or the contents of the christmas basket. She would recall how the employees had to hire a cab to get home because they've got a lot of gifts and cash to bring home to their family. I guess, with the American recession and all the bad sales we've been having recently cost us this important event.



Magdalene must have seen how disappointed I was. She told me the good news next: the 13th month pay will be given on the Immaculate Conception while the year-end bonus will be distributed on the Feast of the Holy Innocents. The former would be my whole salary for a month (which isn't much) while the latter about half my salary (which isn't much either). That cheered me up a bit...but then, since my fringe benefits are really "fringe" of whatever benefit there is to have from the company. After all, it's my hard-earned money. I'm entitled to do whatever I want with it...but somehow, I want to use it smartly.


Where do I start?

1. Save up

I would most definitely do this. Perhaps 25% of the bonus I'll get will go to savings. Uriel and I call it "hidden wealth" because it tends to remain hidden unless a necessity requires it to be dug up and consumed. I'm not a hypocrite, I love spending money in one go...but having a secret stash tickles me to death.


2. Settle debts

Some of this money might go to my credit card bills and all the other debts that I have accumulated for 2008. I will start first with ones that have high interest rates - like my credit cards, then probably the remaining balances from the house utilities, and finally, the small debts that I have from friends and relatives.


3. Invest on

A portion of this money might go to investments. I have read about Mr. Colayco's tabloid articles about investments. I have also researched about what to do with big money, if I ever got the chance. I understand that treasury bills have the lowest risk since the government is liable to them. However, I'm still contemplating on investing on stocks, get an insurance plan or simply put the money on time deposit. Money in stocks are definitely high risk but with high returns. Time deposits are a little like putting money for safekeeping until a certain period of time. Insurance plans a little risky - I don't have regular flow of extra cash so I'm afraid that I might not get my money back.

4. Share it

If there's something left, I might as well share this windfall with others. Having secured my future self with various money-saving schemes, I would like to spend some of my money helping others. Although I would have liked to give some money to charity (like filthy rich people who seek heaven's indulgence,) I don't think I have to go that far. There are many relatives and friends that might need a little help for the holidays. It may not be cash, but most probably just being there.


Spending the remaining half gives me shivers...but in a good way! I am contemplating on spending the remaining half....

1. on my well being

There are a lot of affordable, quality massage parlors at the West Wing where I work. Uriel and I have been looking forward to having a Lymphatic Massage and Ear Candling which both focuses on detoxification.


A quick visit to the dentist will also do. Uriel's been complaining about toothaches lately. It might be the faulty amalgam fillings again. I think I need a fluoride treatment and good old dental prophylaxis. There's been plaque build-up on my canines recently.

If I have extra cash, I'd go for a hair spa and drastic haircut. I love having my hair treated with extensive moisturizing because it definitely does wonders for my hair. After I've had my hair "murdered" by a homosexual parlor assistant, I think I deserve it. Uriel has been yearning for the haircut that fits him.


It's number 1 on my list because I believe that if I look good, I feel good. If I feel good, I am more productive at work and in play.


2. on my betterment


I have learned to teach myself Hangguk (Korean language) after I had dropped out of it when I was in college. It has been useful because even before the "Korean Explosion" in the Philippines, I have taught English phonics (for a price) to quite a number of Korean children who have never read or written western alphabet. It proved particularly useful when I started teaching older Koreans how to speak English. They usually speak out their minds in Korean and I reply in English.


Uriel wants to study business English for the holidays while I want to study Mandarin. After all, there are more Mandarin-speaking businessmen nowadays...you'll never know what opportunity awaits me. Besides, my background in Hangguk will definitely help me master this course - especially in the vocabulary part. Uriel wants to master business English because I've been acting his secretary for so long that I have somehow been speaking for his behalf - making him feel powerless. I was gladdened that he has admitted to this deficiency recently.


3. on a greed gift

I confess...I am a gadget lover. Whatever it is, as long as it makes my life bearable...I'll save up to buy it. This latter part of the year, I have been eyeing two items that would qualify as a "greed gift": a portable music player that has multifunction (camera, music player, dictionary, video cam, calculator, voice recorder and game console) and expandable memory; the other one is a china-made television phone - it has all the features of the music player with calling capabilities. If ever i get to buy one of these - I will be my own personal Santa.

Uriel's been telling me to get the "greed gift" off my list. Christmas, is for giving and not for greed-ing. Of course, I defended my future "greed gift." I told him that since we're too grown-up for Santa, a greed gift is one item that one doesn't really need but desperately wanted. The fact is, a greed gift allows me to indulge in my cravings and will be a tangible reward that I will cherish over and over till Christmas comes again.

4. on improving our bedroom
Uriel and I live in a big house (4 bedrooms, 3 toilets and a 4-car garage). Far too big for us because we work almost two-thirds of our waking hours. The bedroom, aside from the kitchen is the most walked on place in our house. It needs new curtains (probably something sheer and green), good, clean window scrubbing, new water pipes for the bedroom toilet, and new linen.

I chose to improve the bedroom because I have read studies that says that better sleep means better work performance. Besides, I need a clean bedroom otherwise my asthma might strike once more.


5. on my loved ones


Uriel has been on my list far long enough. I guess I will spend some money on my family. Marriage has taken its toll in family relations. I rarely call/go home - unlike Uriel, who comes and goes to his parents every time he feels like going. Since I work most of the time, I rarely talk to them especially when my mind is too preoccupied with work and housekeeping.

I guess I'll buy my parents a gift - probably a blouse for my mum and a set of nice undies for my dad. For my brothers, I'll definitely give them undies too. My sister, Josette, who's been under a lot of stress lately and usually hooked in blogging, maybe something techie rekated. For my nephews, something unbreakable for Louis while I might think of something smarty for Claudius. Magdalene should also get something but I have to fish out a nice bag from the "tiangge" for her.


As Uriel puts it, investment on friends reap rewards in amazing and totally unexpected ways.


6. on travel

My brother-in-law, Jacques, from Australia, is spending Christmas here. However, he's been way too bored moping at home so Uriel has been playing with the thought of going to the mountains anytime after Christmas or before New Year. My husband and I have always reveled at the relaxing ambiance of mountain air and the exhilarating feeling of scaling its heights. The quiet, foggy nights with the roaring bonfire might do us good.

Since I'm in charge of planning, we intend to go to Sagada and Bontoc - home of the rice terraces. We have a collective budget of 30 grand, for 4 days 3 nights (excluding travel which takes about 18 hours to and fro)of pure exploration. These two have never been there, considering that their ancestors comes from the Northern Provinces. That would be one memorable trip.

7. on a collection

Unknown to many, I have a varied collection: I collect grimoires (pronounced /grɪˈmwɑr/). These are textbooks of magic. Books of this kind of genre, typically gives instructions for invoking angels or demons, performing divination and gaining magical powers, have circulated throughout Europe since the Middle Ages.
and usually kept hidden from sight during the Inquisition. They cost a lot but I splurge whenever I can find one because their prices go up - especially when a solitary practitioner or a coven looks them up.

If I have enough time, I might hunt for one during vacation. Do I read them? Yes, I do. I use them when applicable. Enough said.

8. on broadening the mind

I buy books that tickle my imagination. I have helped my brother build up his Harry Potter Collection (from Book 1 to Book 7) all hardbound. Since I read faster than he is, I usuallly read it first (aside from the fact that I financed it). Maybe this season, I'll look for another book to collect - Twilight series, perhaps.

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8:05 pm

Top 10 Pinoy-Friendly Countries

Posted by Leto of Blood

Last Sunday, I watched "Ang Pinaka" at QTV11 here in the Philippines. It's a show that lists every imaginable topic that could interest a typical Pinoy/Pinay. I watched this particular episode because I know for sure that many would definitely be interested. Filipinos are explorers by nature. Besides, many viewers of the show might have been traveling back to the Metro around the time it was aired. So, to do you all a favor, here's the list.

10. Spain

Many Filipinos will see Spain as the country's longest colonizer. They are credited for "discovering" the Philippines in history books. As such, their customs, food and culture are similar to Filipinos. Think of the lechon, mechado, paella and menudo and you'd realize that our taste buds aren't really that different. The dreaded "siesta" for children originated from this country. Think of the extreme reverence Filipinos have shown to their patron saints and fiestas. Spain has temperate climate compared to the rest of Europe. It's not that extreme for the tropical inclined Pinoys. Aside from that, since we grew up with syndicated Spanish words in our dictionary, we have very little adjustment to the language. One might have problem with the grammar but the vocabulary will tide you just fine. A popular moonlighting source of income is teaching Spaniards English, which is the Philippines' second language.

9. New Zealand

It is said that 17, ooo (approximately) Filipinos migrated to this country according to the POEA. It is the literal "green pasteur" that every probinsyano has ever dreamed of. Think of lush green grass covering the countryside (and not the typical local mall) and lots of cattle grazing. This is the country where there are more animals than people. Its government wanted to populate its vast tracts of land with skilled laborers (both professionals and vocationals). The temperaments of the local Maoris are the same as the Filipinos since they have close-knit family relations and of course, the migrant Pinoy will not have any difficulty communicating since he'll be using English. Aside from that, those accustomed to the smogs of Manila will revel in the cleanliness of the air and the safe playgrounds it will provide to your young.

8. Austria

It places 8th in the POEA list because approximately 22,000 Pinoys live here permanently. This part of Europe is the central location for the "Sound of Music" surrounded by its mountains and bordered by rich European countries. This is the place for the artistic Pinoy since it's a melting pot of European culture. However, this is the last place in Europe where one would expect really warm reception from the locals.

7. Germany

It was a bit surprising when I learned that there are approximately 42,000 Filipinos permanently living in Germany and that Asians are the third largest number of migrants in this country. What makes Germany tick with Filipinos? Generally, its technical field more advanced. Most of the best car and musical instrument manufacturers are based here. Filipinos will feel secure in their good transport system (nice roads, good traffic), no under the table transaction because everything is orderly and systematic. Engineers of all sorts come here. The major glitch that these professionals would have to overcome? The language.

6. Guam

To be near the Philippines, yet live in America is a dream come true for the 43,000 Pinoys who live in Guam. It's an island near the Marianas where its main economy depends on the influx of tourists. Hospitality graduates (chefs, baristas, waiters, masseuse, chambermaids, etc.) will find heaven as there are lots of hotels to work for. The country's proximity to the homeland makes its climate and landscape similar therefore, less adjustment on the clothes you need to wear. Albeit similar in physical aspects, the country's infrastructure is highly Americanized. Aside from that, Filipinos will not be bothered by the local Chamorros since they exhibit similar temperament.

5. United Kingdom

The country that holds the world's oldest surviving monarchy had a small and aging population until the 2oth century made it to the top 5. Approximately 52,000 Filipinos live there. They are usually composed of medical professionals who get paid well. Although Brits are known for their snobbish and cold demeanor, they are less likely to exhibit discrimination since half of the country's population are migrants. Filipinos would endure frozen food and cold winters in the UK because of it's almighty "Pound." It never dips below Php 60.00 since 1995.

4. Japan

Surprisingly, Japan almost made it to the top 3. With approximately 83,000 strong Filipinos living permanently in this country (therefore producing more "Nikkeijin" or half blood Japanese offsprings). Filipino professionals abound here because of the high demand in technology (think engineering and other related to electronics). Aside from that, migrants are comforted by the fact that there are many job opportunities for the spatially intelligent as well as a strong economy. The country is clean (they try to be as environment friendly as possible using the latest technology) and its people orderly and respectful. Don't be fooled, since there is high incidence of racial discrimination (despite being Asian and all!) because the Japanese take pride in their bloodlines. Having lots of Pinay Japayukis doesn't help. Aside from that, one has to learn the language (primarily writing and reading) and put up with its high cost of living.

3. Australia

Around 18th century, the eastern half of Australia was a penal colony for Britain's prisoners. Around the 70's there was large scale migration for skilled foreigners due to small and aging local population. There are lots of work opportunities available to new migrants (no work is too small or too menial because they get paid by the hour). It is a socialist country (free healthcare, education, etc.) and a melting pot of culture. Although there are some discrimination in some parts (think of rural areas). Approximately 212,000 Filipinos have the advantage as they pose career threats to other foreign migrants since they speak and understand English.

2. Canada

Among all the Queen's dominions, this country has the most liberal migration law. It was due to the fact that they have sudden surge of geriatric population compared to the young, working ones. They are in need of skilled migrants to move their economy. It is a safe, clean, orderly place for growing migrant families. There is an increase Asian population. Approximately 212,000 Filipinos live here permanently which makes it a prime Pinoy-friendly country.

1. USA

It is the proverbial "land of milk and honey." 2.27 million Pinoys can blend in with lifestyle because of their exposure to the American culture experience (Hollywood movies of course!). This country has more benefits for older, retired personnel and one can have 2 jobs at a time. As they say, nothing is impossible here since more jobs available for hard workers. Many of the Filipino migrants usually study then work there eventually.

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2:20 pm

Tales of the Cock

Posted by Leto of Blood

This is my husband and I's first Halloween away from our families. It's just the two of us in our current residence - a bungalow amidst fruit trees and colorful blooms. We planned our date: Early morning, we will eat heavy breakfast consisting of rice, sausages and eggs (as scheduled). Then, after we've done our morning rituals, we'll go to a certain salon in the city where we could have our hair cut. Before lunch, we'll meet up with a friend whom my brother-in-law owes a cash gift.In the afternoon, when the malls start opening, we'll go to a competing mall (the West Wing is soooo boring!)to window shop what we'll buy when we receive our 13th month pay this December. We'll definitely buy ingredients for our nightcap, food for the dead (consists of rice cakes and other native delicacies) and loads of candles. We'll definitely go home early because Succubus the Vile and Succubus of the Steely Moon will wreak havoc in the garage when they don't receive their dinner at 7PM.

Now, let's get on with the night cap we're planning. We're actually thinking of having a private cocktail party. I am something of a bartender since my mum made me drink my first punch before I ever had my first menstruation. You might say that I learned through experience.

Cocktails, as the Wikipedia defines it, is any alcoholic mixture that is kinda sweet and kinda bitter (traditionally!). The sweet part is attributed to sugar, fruit syrups or favored soda. Bitters are from spices (the traditional cocktails have them) or citrus rinds dissolved in glycerine or syrup. Recently, I have tasted cocktails that are more on the creamy side (attributed to milk, coconut cream or honey). Before, gin, whiskey and rum are commonly used for traditional street smart Filipino cocktails. Older people still prefer them. Younger generations, however, prefer vodka (odorless!), tequila (kicks in when least expected!) or brandy (health benefits?).

Although I would like to lecture you on how to create your own cocktail, it would take up too much virtual space. Let me share with you instead how a particular traditional cocktail evolves through time and you might just get what I mean.

Basic street smart Pinoy cocktail is RUM COLA. You just need to mix 250 mL of Rum with 750 mL of Cola. Any brand will do as long as you have abundance of ice. But then, the taste gets a little too familiar. So you now add 4 pcs of squeezed calamansi or Philippine lime. It's now called CUBA LIBRE. After a while, you get tired of the tangy taste of lime so you add something a little sweet but tangy fruit. You add 212 mL of Mango Concentrate and it now becomes MANGO SLING. More fruits means more fiber. More fiber means better digestion: so you now add 500 mL of Pineapple Juice concentrate and 250 mL Orange juice (still mixed with lime!). It now evolves as ZOMBIE. It will take a while for you to realize that this concoction might cause a little stomach cramps when there is scarcity of hoers d' oeuvres (namely: pulutan). You need an ingredient that will lessen the acidity in your stomach while the errand boy buys a new set of "pulutan." You remove the calamansi and the orange in the mixture since they lower the pH of the drink. Instead, you add 168 mL of condensed milk (sweetened concentrated milk). Your masterpiece is now the PINYA COLADA. By this time, you might get tired of the expensive pineapple juice. Remove it from the mix, add 500 mL of water and 2 grams of coffee powder and voila! You have the ISLAND CAFE LATTE!

See? It's just a matter of innovation and budget. What you prepare for your crowd depends on those factors and lots and lots of tube ice. Good luck!

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6:33 pm

Viz Gek

Posted by Leto of Blood

I was about to eat brunch with Uriel when I received a text message telling me that a special someone had passed away. It was my pet fish, Yin.

I named her Yin because I would always catch her staring at me from her fish bowl while I'm tapping away in my laptop. Yang (means Dark half of the circle. He has a mole on his side - probably a parasite), her bowlmate, would often swish the waters violently in an effort, I guess, to wet my laptop or maybe to get her attention. When I got them last Monday, I've been learning a lot about their quirks.

Yin would play with the aerator's bubble and would not shy away when I pet her head lightly. Yang would try to bite my finger (unsuccessfully, he has no teeth!) when I try to pet his head. Yin wants her food to be soaked and sinking in the water while Yang wants them big and floating. Yin likes to play with bubbles, like she's bursting them or breathing into them. Yang plays with bowl's pebbles, prodding them along with his head.
I enjoy watching them play in their bowl beside my desk, especially when there are no customers in the shop. I used to think that fish exist for human consumption - they have no emotions, no thoughts nor personalities. I guess I was wrong. I think, that despite the size of their brains, fish are aware of their selves and interact to their environment.

I feel sorry that Yin died that early. I read that gold fish can live up to 16 years old. I think I have yet to learn a lot in taking care of fish like Yang and Yin.

When I got to the store, I learned that my colleague flushed Yin in the toilet. I bought 2 more gold fish for Yang. They're Yeng ang Yong. How do I distinguish them? Simple. Yong has a bald spot on his head while Yeng has an angled tail. Quite pretty seeing them stare at me right now.

I think, I'm going to bring them home with me tonight. I don't want them to die here.

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7:50 pm

Gold Fee Shin Shop

Posted by Leto of Blood

Monday is always rush day for me. That Monday was no different. I had barely scrubbed myself down with a damp towel, brushed my teeth, combed my hair and changed into work clothes. It was a hot dry afternoon and I had to fan myself as I walked the green mile to civilization...well, actually...it was more of the village gate where I had to ride a jeep to the nearest bus stop to get me to work.

I was lucky to ride a fast jeep. Unfortunately, I was too preoccupied checking the stuff inside my backpack that I was dropped off a little farther than the bus stop that I had intended to get off in. So there was sweaty me, half walking half trotting to the bus stop when I bumped into this old lady with a young boy. Her hair was ashen gray and wrinkles accented her gaunt face. She looked poor but her threadbare clothes were clean. She almost fell over. I helped her get on her feet and the boy thanked me profusely. As I was about to leave, she held my hand. I was surprised and a little irritated but she held up a plastic bag tied with rubber band. It was filled with two common goldfish, its water bubbling and cloudy with debris.

"Please take this fish," she said. I had gestured no and had successfully pulled my hand away from hers but she ran after me. "Please, Miss. Please take this fish. My grandson and I have to go home to the province but we have no money to take the jeepney ride home." My mind was in disbelief. How could this woman have 2 goldfish and not have money for a provincial trip? The boy told me that it was the only thing they saved when their house burned down. I gave them an Osmena bill and ran after the bus. The boy ran after me and gave me the fish.

It was inconvenient carrying a plastic bag of fish to work but I have no choice. I rode the bus to work with the plastic bag of fish hanging from my backpack. When I got to the shop, my colleague was delighted to see the fish. She improvised our aerator as our fish bowl and bought flakes for their food. I was assigned to clean the bowl every other day and of course, provide for their medications and other paraphernalia for them.

I placed our plant inside the bowl and put some pebbles and rocks for them. Before, the bowl went on top of our counter but since our customers are often distracted with their googly eyes, I had to put them beside my desk where they swim about. Recently, I bought an oxygen pump for them because Yin had been swimming upside down. Yang is his usual naughty self (he tries to bite my finger for chrissakes!). I might buy a decent aquarium for them next time with filters and lights and eventually bring them home with me.

I have yet to notice if these fishes will bring in good business, as foretold by feng shui. I hope they do. And then, there would be lots of shops with gold fish in bowls bringing in good fortune to those who rent at west wing.

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8:02 pm

Pa-Epal

Posted by Leto of Blood

I have recently opened a PayPal account because I won an item at ebay. I have added my bank accounts in its facility but it asked about a "Bank Code." When I tried to ask about their bank code, they gave me wrong answers like the last 3 digits in your ATM card or the first 3 digits in the pass book. They're both wrong because the bank code is supposed to be 9-digits. I did my research and viola! I found the bank codes.

This bank code is needed if you're withdrawing from your online earnings deposited to Paypal and you want to transfer them to your local bank here in the Philippines. Before they can be done, you have to add the local bank in your account. Log in to PayPal> go to My Account > Profile > Add or Edit Bank Account then fill in the Bank Name, Account Number, and Bank Code.

This is the Official List of PayPal Philippines Bank Codes
Bank Name Bank Code
ALLIED BANKING CORP 010320013
ASIA UNITED BANK 011020011
BANGKO SENTRAL NG PILIPINAS 010030015
BANK OF AMERICA 010120019
BANK OF CHINA 011140014
BANK OF TOKYO 010460012
BANCO DE ORO/EQUITABLE PCI BANK 010530667
BANK OF COMMERCE 010440016
BANK OF THE PHIL ISLANDS (BPI) 010040018
CHINA BANKING CORP 010100013
CHINA TRUST COMML BANK 010690015
CITIBANK N.A. 010070017
DEVT BANK OF THE PHILS (DBP) 010590018
DEUTSCHE BANK 010650013
EAST WEST BANK 010620014
EXPORT & INDUSTRY BANK 010860010
FUJI BANK 010640010
HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANK(HSBC)010060014
INTL COMML BANK OF CHINA 010560019
INTL EXCHANGE BANK 010680012
JP MORGAN CHASE BANK 010720011
KOREA EXCHANGE BANK 010710018
INTL NEDERLAND BANK 010660016
LANDBANK OF THE PHILS 010350025
MAYBANK OF THE PHILS 010220016
METROPOLITAN BANK & TRUST CO 010269996
PHIL BANK OF COMMUNICATION 010110016
PHIL TRUST COMPANY 010090039
PHIL NATIONAL BANK (PNB) 010080010
PRUDENTIAL BANK 010150018
PHIL VETERANS BANK 010330016
RIZAL COMML BANKING CORP (RCBC) 010280014
SECURITY BANK & TRUST CO 010140015
STANDARD CHARTERED BANK 010050011
UNITED COCONUT PLANTERS BANK 010299995
UNION BANK OF THE PHILS (UBP) 010419995
UNITED OVERSEAS BANK 010270189

Happy online earning!

Philippine banks with Paypal bank codes: Allied Bank; Asia United Bank; BSP; Banco de Oro (BDO); Equitable PCIBank (same as BDO bank code); Bank of Commerce; Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI); China Bank; China Trust; Citibank; Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP); Deutsche Bank; East-West Bank; Export Bank; Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank (HSBC); Landbank of the Philippines (Land Bank); Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. (Metrobank); Philippine Bank of Communications (PBCom); Philtrust; Philippine National Bank (PNB); Prudential Bank; Veterans Bank; Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC); Security Bank; Standard Chartered; United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB); UnionBank of the Philippines (Unionbank); United Overseas Bank.

P.S. My new predicament: I'm a buyer from EBay, not a seller. How do I transfer funds from my bank to PayPal so that PayPal will pay for my online purchase?

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4:28 pm

The Problem with HMO's

Posted by Leto of Blood

Uriel was rushing to work while I was basking in the afterglow of our early morning delight that Monday morning when my brother Barnabas barged into our room. He complained of cramping back pain which woke him up. Since I have felt that sensation regularly after I have had my kidney lithotripsy, I advised him to pee because it may be due to urine accumulation in his bladder. He peed but then came back again complaining that the pain had radiated to his stomach. I dismissed him by saying that it may best to eat breakfast first because it might've been hunger pangs. He ate a light breakfast of coffee and toast. After some time, he came back to my room and was sweating profusely. He lay beside me and tugged my arm. He was cold and very much in pain. He crouched in a fetal position and with his eyes, pleaded for my help. It scared the hell out of me because my mum's brother died of pancreatic disease, crouched the same way. I shuddered at the thought. My mind was running with possible diagnoses. I suspected pancreatitis.

We took a taxi to a nearby suburban hospital in the outskirts of Marikina. He was attended to in the emergency room where he was given Ranitidine intravenous and a pain killer (which he suspected to be Meperidine) which alleviated the pain a little. He was to be confined but the only room available was the hospital's suite. Since we had 48 hours leeway to transfer to a cheaper room, we agreed. All sorts of tests were immediately administered - blood counts, skin tests, x-rays and of course, ultrasound imaging. Initial inspection of all the tests showed a swollen gallbladder because of a gallbladder stone dislodged in its opening. He was too stunned to speak because he had to go under the surgeon's knife again. Surgery was scheduled for the next day.

That was the problem because at the beginning of the coming month, his company changed HMO's and that hospital was not accredited by the new HMO. The old HMO advised us to remain in the small hospital and pay for the remaining days not covered by the HMO. My brother's company had assured us that it will be reimbursed in the new HMO. Since we could not confirm that with the new HMO, we don't want to take the risk aftr assessing our funds. Besides, many of our families do not even know that small hospital existed. We decided to transfer to a big hospital more familiar, covered by both old and new HMO but definitely more expensive than the previous. I had to rush everybody in the small hospital into processing the discharge papers fast because we need to get in the big hospital before dark.

We got to the big hospital after numerous taxi transfers. Since the old HMO is effective till midnight, we paid for the room the next day since the new HMO is still incommunicado. When they were finally reached (think about the callous formed on my fingers dialing their friggin' numbers). They issued an LOA (letter of agreement) for my brother. He was given a new set of doctors and of course, same tests given in the small hospital. He was to be transferred to a semi-private room as indicated in the LOA. We were given 48 hours (again!) to transfer or pay the overhead cost of that room. I asked the big hospital's billing if there's any difference on the cost of diagnostic tests, medication and procedure rates per room. And you know what? There IS a BIG difference!

Before Barnabas went under the knife, his white blood cells rose in the recent blood test. There was infection but they don't know where. Upon further interview, they suspected that my brother might have had ear infection again (the bane of his previous surgery). They sent in another specialist and they wanted a CT scan. I refused to have that test done because I wanted the pain removed from my brother's abdomen. After all, that was why we're here for. They gave him antibiotics (loads of them!) for that and had him on surgery the next day.

He had a laparoscopy. It was a real high tech surgical procedure where there are 4 incisions: 1 for the camera, 2 for the prongs and 1 for the gall bladder's exit. The doctor saved his gall stones and took pictures of it. It was real cute: it's as small as green peas but made up of yellowish aggregates. Beau Boi and I gave up eating chicharon on that moment. They put it in a small vial with rubber cover and my brother kept it.

After his catheter and drain was removed, he was good to go. The nurse gave him his last dose of intravenous fluids and it was time for us to settle the bill. I already informed Jubei that we're going to borrow a little cash from her because I was sure that we had exceeded the new HMO's limit.

I was advised to go to the billing section. I got the initial assessment. My sister rejoiced when she found out it was within her credit limit (17K). The big hospital had already discounted it because of the Philhealth and of course, the HMO coverage. Jubei withdrew cash from a nearby ATM machine and I was asked to go to the credit section which was a bit odd.

When I got inside the credit section office, the woman (I assume that was their supervisor) told me that the doctor's fees were not included in the bill and that thy weren't mentioned in the LOA. In summary, we would have to pay for their professional fees in addition to the excess. It was quite alright until I saw how much. It was more than 65K! She added that we would have to settle that before midnight or pay the penalty of 5K plus the room rate for the whole day because the account was already closed.

I was crestfallen. How on earth am I going to wriggle ourselves out of this predicament? I told my sister who was very angry at the new HMO (55%) and of course, the big hospital(25%) and my brother's company (10%). We had only one hope that day: my brother-in-law Armand Oleander, who is Josette's husband. If he agrees to cash out 65K for Barnabas, that would be the end of our problems but how in the world can Barnabas pay it back? We know that Armand will pay for the monthly amortization of his SUV. We had to find another way. Josette and I called people who might lend us money now and eventually Barnabas will pay it back.. but no success.

Armand arrived and had a private conference with Josette. I know that since she's a housewife (meaning, no income), she has no choice but agree to whatever Armand's condition may be. After the conference, I saw Josette smiling and of course, handing the cashier the money. Barnabas was thanking the blushing Armand profusely and a teary-eyed me assured him that I will help Body pay for the said credit.

We went home, where my husband waited with a piping hot dinner. Josette and Armand would have joined us but Claudius, my nephew, kept checking on where they are. While we ate in silence, I could tell that Barnabas was humbled and embarrassed by what had transpired. I could sense Uriel was worried how Barnabas was going to pay the Oleanders back. I couldn't think of anything else but retribution for us. I urged Barnabas to get back at the new HMO when he returns to work after a fortnight.

He didn't reply. With the glint in his eyes, I think he might do more than that.

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3:49 pm

The Frugal Gourmet (Wanna Be)

Posted by Leto of Blood

Getting married is taking a toll in my pocket...well, actually not just my pocket, but my husband's as well. When pay day comes, we allocate fund for the utilities (water/electricity/phone/association bills), savings and credit card bills. Then we set aside our living allowance good for 2 weeks until the next pay day. The rest of our income is spent on what we really indulge in best: FOOD!

My husband enjoys hot, homecooked meals when he arrives from work - no matter how late it may be. Steamed, fluffy rice with any fresh-off-the-pan viand will do. However, after six months of living together, we realized that this ideal meal will cost us our budget if we don't watch out. Since we since we intend to be independent of our parents support, we have devised plans how to keep our food budget in check.

1. We follow a menu for the week

You might think (with raised eyebrows) that only restaurants have menus. Our house has a new one every week of the month. We actually list down food that we want to eat for the whole month. We consider special days (like our monthsery, birthdays or holidays) and how many people will eat the meal for the day. Do we even deviate from the menu? Of course, we do! We have "wild card" meals which depend on which is the most affordable in-season food in the market. But the planned meal stays for that month.

2. We approximate a weekly budget

As much as possible, we approximate the weekly cost so that we could allocate budget for them. Expensive meals (stewed/grilled/baked) are offset with inexpensive ones(sauteed/fried/broiled). As much as possible, we try not to waste expensive cuts by saving them for sautes and grills.

3. We go retail.

Since it's just the two of us most of the time, we buy ingredients in retail (or "tingi"). We compute the actual weight or volume of what our meal's ingredients are and buy them - by the gram or milliliter. Nothing goes to waste since we have a small refrigerator.

4. We try to save on meat.

Milk fish and St Peter's fish are generally cheaper after strong rains so it's the usual mainstay of our freezer in rainy months. Sometimes, we buy sea fish (tuna, salmon, etc.) on dry spells because it's more affordable during those months except on Lent.

Meat extenders are always in our list. We both love to eat meat but if it costs way too much for our budget, we use meat extenders. We use the meat-like tofu (very high in uric acid so eaten in moderation), veggie meat (which we reserve for dishes with thick sauces to hide its light grey color), sweet potato (an extender for casseroles, sautes and meatballs), cold cuts (especially for high fiber dishes) and chicken breast (easier to cook but I'm usually allergic to chicken meat).

5. We make the most out of "food sales"

Whenever we notice a good buy in the food sections of the supermarket or local market, we buy it. We incorporate this ingredient in our menu. We usually stock up on meat in our freezer but consume it in a fortnight. We do not stock fish (albeit it would have been a healthier choice) because it deteriorates easily, even when frozen.

6. If possible, we buy at local markets

Let's face it, although I practically live and breathe in the mall, prices at local markets are way cheaper (at wet markets) than those found in mall supermarkets. Dry goods (like vegetables, spices, flour, condiments, etc) are also way cheaper. Cleaning and grooming substances (detergents, soaps, deodorants, colognes, etc.) are cheaper in the supermarkets. But if you buy them in bulk at the local dry market, it's a little cheaper. Cooking, cleaning and eating implements can be bought here at a fraction of a cost in malls.

7. We buy only what we can eat in a fortnight

After every pay day, my husband and I buy our stocks for two weeks in the supermarket and the local market. We consult our list of our ingredients and our menu for the coming two weeks before we buy which either at the supermarket or the local market. Staples are bought in bulk while the other ingredients are retailed.

8. We love our refrigerator

Every month or so, we defrost our small refrigerator and clean its interiors with antibacterial detergent. We also try to set its thermostat to not higher than 3. Food that are perishable are kept here. The rest - like bread, condiments (except for mayo and oyster sauce)and sachets of juice/noodles/instant oats are stored in the kitchen cabinets.

Storage also affects food quality. Vegetables fresh from the market are removed from their plastic containers and placed in the crisper. We wash them only before cooking them to retain their freshness. Fish are removed of their innards (which I broil with vinegar and some salt for my pets), salted and stored in microwaveable plastic containers in the freezer. Meats are trimmed, washed thoroughly with water and rubbed with salt and pepper. They are then stored in large plastic containers in the freezer.

We try as much as possible to keep only 2 trays of ice during regular days or buy tube ice from the convenience store when there's a party. Since our ref also comes with a water cooler dispenser, we replace its water regularly so that we conserve energy by not opening the refrigerator door just to drink a glass of water.

9. We use the right stuff to cook good food

Pots and pans determine how long the cooking time will be as well as the texture of the food. We use flat pans if we want the food fried evenly, simmered or seared equally. Pans are also good when we cook meat sauce for spaghetti. If we lack coal for grilling, I brush its interior with oil and grill meat with it. Our oiled wok is good for quick sautes and fried rice. This contraption releases heat easily which prevent food from being burned easily. Thick pots are for slow cooking like stews and broiled meats.

We cook in a traditional stove top powered by gas. It tends to lose heat in the process of cooking, thus, longer cooking time. My mum has an induction oven (powered by electricity) which is heat efficient because it directs heat into the pan and hastens cooking time. The problem is, she uses special teflon coated pans for it. I have tried using it but with unsatisfactory results. It hastens cooking time but it overcooks food if you aren't used to the timer and temperature settings.

10. We have mainstays in our menu

Stews ( defined by the Wikipedia as "a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in water or other water-based liquid, typically by simmering, and that are then served without being drained")are a mainstay on weekends or holidays when both of us are home. Cheap cuts of (pork or beef)meat are simmered with vegetables, tubers or fruits in water. We sometimes add tomato sauce (for its lycopene content) or squashed gabi/potato tubers to thicken its texture and enhanced its flavors.

Vegetables are a mainstay in every dish we cook. My husband and I always crave for fiber in fruits and vegetables. Otherwise, we drink cereal milk drinks. When cooking vegetables for stews or any time-consuming meal, we would put them last...just enought to cook them a bit.

Old staples are given a twist by putting in new ingredients to the old recipe. An example of this would be putting Japanese corn in the traditional "Beef Nilaga" for a sweetish taste. Boiled, shredded eggplants are added to cheese sticks for a filling ang healthy snack. Horseradish leaves are added to mongo beans stew for a flavorful nutritious dish.

11. Left over creativity

Left-overs are not a problem since we have the Succubi with us which we feed with rice and whatever's left-over. However, not everybody has pets which can feed on left-overs so how do we deal with left-overs when there are no available Succubi?

a. Left overs are great with anything that has carbs
Chunks of meat from a previous meal can be shredded and made into homemade pizza or a filling sandwich. Fish can be mixed with flour and spices as fish balls or fish nuggets for another meal. Vegetables are a little tricky...since it depends on how they're cooked. Boiled vegetables can be put in as noodle extenders (for ramen or "pancit.") Sauteed vegetables can be put in a tortilla or lumpia wrapper and fried. Beans and tubers are a different matter. They can be filling for bread when mixed with sweetened milk and sugar.

b. Avoid left-overs...REALLY!
One can avoid left-overs by training people in their household if they'll eat which meal at the house. If it's just you, fix yourself a salad or a sandwich. Don't sweat the small stuff!
Learn to adjust to the household's appetite. Count how many ate which and adjust for the next meal. It takes a lot of diligence (I used to cook for my parents and siblings when I was single) but it's worth it. Nothing goes to waste.

c. Proportion is the key
By the time you get to this part, you have probably mastered the art of networking (you've asked everybody who's eating at home for a particular meal) and accounting (you've got a mental list as to who eats this much). When you buy meat in bulk from the market, have it stored in different plastic containers. Use a masking tape to label each bag with the cut and the intended recipe.

That's how we keep our food budget in check. It takes a lot of time to get used to eat but eventually, when you do master it, you'll reap the benefits of being in control of the majority of your budget.

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2:51 pm

MalLabor

Posted by Leto of Blood


Recently, the Department of Labor (of the Republic of the Philippines) conducted an inspection at the mall where I work in. At first, my cohort and I thought somebody must have snitched on our company. After all, it was the first time in all our years of working for capitalists that the department took interest in what the REAL situation is in the workplace. I have never been interviewed by the labor department's emissaries nor my cohort. As we stared at each shop and each employee of that shop getting interviewed on the nuances of their job, memories came flooding in my mind.


My family belongs to the middle class so luckily, we never experienced child labor. We used to have a small store near our rented apartment and we would take turns as vendors - usually after class or during semestral breaks. In fact, my sister and I even slept in the mezzanine to guard that store. We were never given salaries (like regular employees) but we enjoyed drinking cold soda or munching on chips while reading all the magazines or newspapers sold in the store stands. We could talk to friends or bystanders whenever we feel bored. We would watch the big trucks rumbling by at night or pity the cars and buses stuck in traffic. The person who'd tend the store will not be with the family during meal times, but my mum or my dad will reserve the most special/biggest/yummiest portion of the viand for her/him. We enjoyed writing prices of goods bought from the distributor and displaying them in the store shelves. We could do our homework from the store and not be bothered by household chores like washing clothes or doing the dishes. I don't think that's child labor at all.

But in the Philippines, you can observe that rampantly. These are children who are too poor to be fed by their own parents yet too proud to beg. In the city, they sell jasmine garlands or newspapers, clean jeepneys in the terminals, act as barkers or even conductors for jeepneys on provincial trips. In the country side, these children help during harvest time (especially of rice, sugar cane, corn, etc.) and they'd be given the scraps for salary. They would do odd jobs like selling water, sell vegetables for other vendors, wash clothes or even tend farm animals so that the would have enough money to spend bare essentials (which goes for th family rice, dry fish for viand) for the next day. If there is any left, they would go to their allowance in school.

Sadly, these children have never enjoyed playing. They regard play as something of a vanity that they can rarely indulge. They have to work hard for their families to eat and live another day. They're often late or if not, absent in school because either they're too tired to study or that they need to work long hours to afford things that their families need for the next day. They have no choice but to sacrifice their self for their loved ones.

Eventually, these children mature sooner than their bodies. They rarely develop into well-rounded adults because they have experienced hardships and criticism at an age when they should have been building their confidence. They'll become cynical and insecure. Most of them rarely finish school. They get by with whatever work they could find, paid poorly because of their ignorance, abused by the society and pass on the cycle to their offspring. Then, the cycle of poverty and child labor goes on.

 He went to our store at last. He showed us his ID and asked a lot of questions. He queried about our pay and the benefits that we receive from our employer. Although hesitant to answer his questions, we cannot lie because he asked for our pay slips and made a lot of notes in his report.
He noted that I was paid very poorly...underpaid, he said, but overqualified. He sadly shook his head as he continued scribbling more notes. He never asked me why I accepted the job in this shop. He wanted the assurance that I am okay working with the company who pays me little but expects too much. He said he would take care of that situation and that he will deal with our managers accordingly next week.

Ever since I graduated from college and passed the licensure examinations, I have never experienced paychecks that go way beyond the basic pay mandated by the law. I remember my first pay check for the month amounted to Php 4,200.00. But that time, I was working 48 hours a week and the basic pay per day was Php 250.00. Isn't that a perfect example of flagrant abuse of greenhorns?! However, I accepted the job because it was a race against time and a matter of pride - I was the one who got employed first in our batch in a prestigous cosmetics company. The clientele was elite: local politicians, ambassadors, actors and actresses and all the who's who of Makati. I compounded dermatological formulas for them (as prescribed by the resident dermatologist), got free cosmetics (that were really way too expensive to come out from my pockets), was given free treatments to clear up my skin, and of course, got to know everything from the grapevine before it could ever get out in the news. That was the life...a single Makati working girl!


After a month or so, I was not given the well deserved raise that was promised to me at the interview. The manager told me that it was verbal...not in black and white so it was quite preposterous of me to expect that from them. She told me that there are people who, just for the sake of working (for years)in their elitist company, were paid below my rate. I was stunned. She had the gall to point that out to me. I told her that I musn't be underpaid because I am a professional. She laughed it off. I quit the next day.I consoled myself after that incident but my pride was badly injured. That was the first time I had been rejected. But that did not stop me from being disillusioned by the promise of a nice fat paycheck. I went on from job to job (being a medical sales agent to college lecturer to hospital pharmacist)until I got into teaching in a private school for girls.

That was the first time I ever saw 5-digits in my paycheck that does not include the centavos. I thought, "WOW! This will definitelty make my momma proud!" I was able to live the lifestyle I was used to when I was still in Makati but this time, everything came out of my OWN pockets. It was very empowering. My family greatly benefited from it because I could pay for some utilities (like the house phone and the househelp's salary). I could even go on weekend trips with my younger siblings to shop, to play or just dine out. I was on a budget but including my luxuries.Work, however, was very draining. I look forward to meeting my students, young as they are. I teach them new things about science that they can really use outside the classroom. But I dreaded coming to the faculty room with loads of paperwork, witnessing how co-teachers stab each other in the back, being sarcastically talked to by my superiors, walking home late at night through the dark streets to get a ride home, having less time with Beau Boi, etc. I regretted as each dreadful month ended as much as I happily expected my paycheck.

Much to my family's dismay, I quit the post after 2 school years. As I slowly walked away from that school, dragging accumulated teaching aids along the way, I realized something. I value my psychological well-being, my family time and of course, Beau Boi too much than my big fat paycheck. After that, I worked for an English school for Koreans in the afternoons and taught at the nursing college in the morning. The rest, is history.

He came back the following week as promised. Our bosses in Makati have been too disturbed by the fact that the DOLE is now looking into the rights of their employees that he sent our company's accountant and of course, the administrative manager. He was cordially informing them about my rights as an employee and the other benefits that I should be receiving. They promised they would change the payroll starting next month. The inspector smiled satisfactorily and told me that I would be getting a better pay check for my family. He, the manager, the auditor and I signed the papers and after a piping hot cappucino and a crisp croissant..he was off. I believe the inspector went back to DOLE happy that he was able to put out a laborer's misery by having the managers acknowledge their deficiency in giving the correct pay. He probably wouldn't give us, mall employees, much thought after that day. He was assured by the affixed signatures of the managers that they will protect the rights of their employees in terms of corporate remuneration.

Up to this time, I have yet to see on my payslip, the increase that was written on that piece of paper he brought to DOLE. I bet other employees in this mall feel the same. My manager had a mole inside the labor department which she paid off with bribe (a state-of-the-art air conditioning unit). The inspector will never come back again.

P.S. Still, while I have yet to feel the economic crunch, I'll stay here. I love being a mall rat!

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5:59 pm

Melamine = Kidney Stones

Posted by Leto of Blood


In Asia nowadays, people are scared of taking in dairy products or anything that has milk in it, especially if it's from China. News are flashed on the television informing us about the pull-out of Chinese-imported products that contain milk or that it causes kidney stones in children but they never tell us, their viewers, what the hell "melamine" is about. Questions kept sprouting in my class which I try to answer as patiently as I could, though they are totally unrelated to my lecture for the day: How does melamine get in the milk? What is melamine's real use? How does it cause kidney stones? Does it affect adult kidneys too?

Literature in the textbooks and journals are not really that helpful because they are not for laymen. People with very little understanding of scientific terms will have kidney stones before they could ever decipher what the article was all about...so I'll try and explain it as simple as possible.

Before it was identified as a "bad guy" in the news, let me tell you what it was before all the media attention. Melamine is classified as a very heat resistant resin. If you have those microwaveable plastic bowls, these have been coated with melamine to prevent melting of the plastic when microwave particles pass through it to heat food. In fact, they are sometimes found in flame retardants! Melamine is also used to coat counter tops and white boards - see their glossy surface? That is melamine. Sometimes, it's found in glue (the ones that say that do not produce noxious fumes) and of course, burn proof fabrics like aprons and pot holders. Its derivatives from arsenic is used to treat African trypanosomiasis - therefore, an important chemotherapeutic agent.

Its usefulness was exploited in the late 1950's when it was patented as a non-protein nitrogen source for cattle but was turned down after several studies because it was difficult to digest and that urea and cottonseed would be better alternatives. You may ask, why do these cows need a nitrogen source? They need nitrogen to build protein. Their diet which is mainly grass, contain chlorophyll, a little nitrogen and many fiber. To become economically beneficial, they need to have more muscle. More muscle means more meat. The heavier they will be, the more money they will fetch for their owners.

Melamine manufacturers were not disheartened. They incorporated melamine in food products (like those that contain milk!) to increase their advertised protein content without really spending much on a natural protein source. Its very convenient for food products to claim protein contents since the tests used aren't specific for what kind of protein is being claimed in the nutrition label. Now, the plot thickens...how in the world do these food manufacturers add an insoluble substance like melamine in milk? They mix it with formaldehyde...which will also lengthen the storage period of their product.

Let's not get scared yet. Melamine is not really toxic...in low doses. In fact, it's lethal dose is less than 3grams per kilogram (based on rats). So if you're 60 kilograms, it would take 180 grams of melamine to kill you...and that's quite a lot. Besides, melamine alone will not kill you. Its combination with cyanuric acid will.

(Cough!) WHAT IS CYANURIC ACID?!

Cyanuric acid is an ingredient of some bleaches, disinfectants and herbicides. Sometimes, this is found in drinking water especially in heavily herbicide-bombed areas. There was a study conducted that cyanuric acid is also as toxic as melamine when alone. However, when combined with melamine, they cause major damage like the fatal kidney/bladder stones in children. These may lead to bladder cancer or worse, reproductive problems.

Let me clarify that today's melamine scare affected children because they're the ones that usually feed on milk. Although it is not stated in the literature that I've read, adult kidneys are prone to melamine cyanurate (the compound formed from cyanuric acid and melamine) because these developed kidneys are more prone to abuse like alcohol ingestion and of course accessibility to high protein diets (think Atkins's diet, steaks and protein shakes). Children have lower body mass so acute melamine toxicity is easier observed in them. Maybe it'll take me 5 more packs of soft chewy chinese White Rabbit candies before I experience this.

How does melamine get into Chinese milk? I have three (3) possible theories:
1. It's ingested by the cows themselves. Maybe there are unscrupulous herders that add melamine to cattle feed in hopes of increasing the nitrogen content in their diets. Cats die of renal failure by ingesting melamine..what more of cows, which are bigger than they are? Before they die, their milk may have been transported halfway across the world.
2. It may have been added in the milk to increase its protein content. They might have dissolved a little melamine in formaldehyde, then added it to the milk before being analyzed. It's like hitting 2 birds with 1 stone. Longer storage and higher protein means more profits.
3. It might have been in the container. Melamine has been used in fire-proofing or for making smoother surfaces, it is possible.

I hope our BFAD recalls all the milk products from our supermarkets, especially if they're from China. How do we protect ourselves while these melamine issue isn't resolved? Simple. Beware of anything dairy that is from China - that includes their chocolates, candies, cakes, cookies, biscuits, milk and anything that could possibly contain milk. Next, ask yourself if the protein content in a particular product has logical amount of protein. For example, if none of the ingredients in your bag chips naturally contains protein and the nutrition labels says it has protein...don't buy it! Lastly, eat fresh food that is locally grown. Like buying fresh carabao milk from your local farmers or from people who are into organic farming. It'll do the local economy some good and it will definitely keep your kidneys safe.

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3:31 pm

12. Thank Goodness!

Posted by Leto of Blood

I have been panicking for a month. Why? Read on.

My husband lent me his laptop and since I got wi-fi access in my shop, I was delirious with techie happiness. I can access my emails whenever I like and watch online movies and tv shows abroad without ever going anywhere! I could chat with my friends from abroad and of course, updated in their social lives. It was bliss...and then..I remembered my blog.

My goodness!

That's when I started to panic. I realized that I've lost my online diary! I had never expected that I would lose my account that fast. Thought came running to my mind:Was it deleted? Did someone know my password that they changed it so that I could not make another entry? I have made lots of entries here and that would have been quite a loss for me.

I tried making another account using my Gmail but I miss this account. I really do. Blogspot new accounts have to be logged on using Gmail nowadays. It's a little disheartening to see the message that my email is not recognized.

I have used the help portion found in this site lots of times but I never seem to get it right. I managed to reset my email address' password and here I am! Blogging as ever before.

As Captain Barbossa (Pirates of the CARIBBEAN:At World's End)said, "For sure, you have to be lost to find a place that can't be found, elseways everyone would know where it was."

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5:51 pm

An Illicit Affair

Posted by Leto of Blood



My Uriel has been nagging me for the longest time to resume working for the profession we've sweated blood and tears in college to practice: Pharmacy. After we've passed the boards, we have tied the knot with it.

Like a wife that needs to be monetarily benefited, I pay the PTR every year - just in case I felt like practicing again...and renew the license regularly very 3(or was it 2?) years so I could be updated at the PRC (Professional Regulatory Commission). He's irritated that I kept borrowing (not that often!?) money from him for that...which he thinks illogical and a waste of money.My mind agrees with him completely. Why not? The government earns money off me more than I earn from my "profession".

Ever since I got my license, I've been paid for pharmaceutical positions a little over than the basic pay for ordinary employee...which is an injustice, considering that rank and file employees do not undergo rigid evaluation after they graduate (like taking the board exams, for instance!). Pharmacists have to worry themselves about documents for the Bureau and other government agencies (which involve a lot of PR and diplomacy to get things done without That fact disillusioned me from the practice of pharmacy.



Like a mistress waiting for an opportunity for the tempted to succumb to her charms, I fell for the practice of Education. I was in between jobs when I was invited by one of the popular health science colleges in manila to be their lecturer for a semester. They've been short of professors lately and since they think I'm qualified for that, they've been bugging me since. So I gave in.

I taught senior and junior students of pharmacy all the pharmaceutical sciences I've learned from the practice and of course what I learned when I was in college. I never realized what power I hold in molding the minds of my future colleagues - they were awed by the fact that they've been taught by a board exam topnotcher (which I never flaunted, or thought of as anything special.) I was easily popular with the students because I have made it my personal mission to teach only what can be useful in actual practice.

Like all relationships, my mistress gradually showed her true colors as the one-semester contracted ended and was renewed to a full teaching contract (one whole school year). I began to feel the professional jealousy of my co-professors who are much older and definitely more experienced than I am. There were smattering of intrigues and subtle bribes offered by my students. I was getting noticed adversely by the conservative administration for my radical teaching styles. I got tired of handling many students (imagine, 1 class will have an average of 80 students!). I was overworked beyond compare...It took one big fight with my beau boi before I finally realized I needed to strike a balance somewhere.

I quit my teaching job there and drifted from one teaching job to another. I taught middle school, Koreans, Japanese, Chinese, high school students, post-college students...It was exhilarating how I managed to get into my student's psyche and teach them what they ought to know. But still, I'm getting rustier and rustier in Pharmaceutical Science.

Despite of all the teaching I did, I neglected the profession that I swore to practice till I die. It took me a failing grade in the APEC to realize that...much to my disappointment. It humbled me to a point that I had to be a pharmacist again. So...I struck an idea: MOONLIGHTING.

I looked for a job as a pharmacist for a food supplement shoppe in a nearby mall in the afternoons and taught in the morning at a nursing college. It enabled me to enjoy the best of both worlds. I work part time for 20 hours a week in the college while I have 50 hours a week in the shoppe. Although my husband and I split the household bills, I earned enough for my (and his) luxuries and debts.

It's a fun experience, although some of my friends caution me that it's exhausting (which is true...imagine rushing from one place of work to another) and that it might limit my chances of bearing and caring for children-to-be. Uriel and I take it in stride...we're not much of a hurry for anything.

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