- A series of posts to lighten the load, to write whatever's going on in my head at the moment. Sweet.
- Spectre was a fun ride... in the first 2 acts. The resolution and ending was a bit over-the-top and messed up for me. Loved Daniel Craig and Daniel Sedoux. Disappointed with the roles given to Christoph Waltz and Ben Whishaw (seriously, nerd-geek route? He was great with Skyfall!). Overall, great music, awesome cinematography. Weird pacing, script and ending. Definitely not "10 times" better than Skyfall.
- Current Anime list: Seraph of the End (Attack on Titan clone), Gangsta (jazz music! mumbling but bad ass protagonist! Gangsters!). Just ended the Evangelion revival series; good stuff. Cleaned up nicely.
-"If you’re passionate about something, it will already feel like such an ingrained part of your life that you will have to be reminded by people that it’s not normal, that other people aren’t like that". Keeping it 100, Mark Manson. Thus, this new series!
- I haven't updated this blog in a while. Coffee posts have stopped due to lack of what's-happenings. BCAA has not gotten back to me regarding the internship. I might have to look for another path in this long, winding journey.
- Manu and Belle (biz partners) were in CBTL Capital Commons yesterday. I was in UCC 3rd Wave Clockwork. Missed them by a block for my love of single origin coffee.
- The UA Curry One is performing exceptionally well. I wonder if it has a Micro G carrier with it? Better check the spec sheets and reviews again. Dust really clings to it like mud on semi-dusty courts. I hope the rubber does not burn out, but now the foam collar's getting nasty.
- Next color, Father to Son? Maybe not. Got to stop the shoe obsession for a little while.
- I've stopped dreaming of good coffee and cocktails. Got to find a way to bring them back.
-Been playing well recently in Basketball. The 5 month down time was really helpful, so I have to give credit to my parents. Learning and watching a thing or two from Steph Curry might have helped to. I can't wait to get back to the ACLC League again. Stiffer competition would boost my performance.
- Doldrums in the business. Best way to get back up is to actually do things. Got to be productive.
- "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." Romans 9:17 #AMDG
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Barista Files #2
It has been quite a lay-off for me, coffee wise. I haven't handled an espresso machine for almost 3 weeks now, and I only had one cafe visit since. I have had to take a step back from coffee/drinks related work given the pre-launch phase for the LTO. Even then, it looks like I would have to double my efforts to further maximize this unique opportunity. Y-Span, after all is a game changer.
I will be starting my Barista 102 classes next week; meanwhile, the LTO will end on the 16th (Wednesday). I'm hoping to get even more orders as I start my coffee classes, with much excitement.
These sessions may prove more difficult that what I went through in 101. I barely passed my make-up practical exams, and I must admit that they gave me too many chances to pass. That last cappuccino part and milk steaming were nerve racking. I'm having a hard time now recalling those last few minutes. But I have to thank God that my instructors allowed me to pass and continue on. Beggars can't be choosers and we have to take whatever we could get.
102 looks to be better than the last class, not only because of the smaller size, but I will apparently have a family member as a classmate. I just found out before the finals that my mom's cousin was taking classes at the school. Pleasantly surprised, I welcome the joy and challenge of learning with her. She apparently plays basketball as well, often playing at Xavier on Fridays. If my knees hold up and my conditioning is at "that" level, then I could play with her group soon.
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Barista Files #1
They say that you could enjoy with ease whatever you decide to do, as long as you do it with passion and love. After many years of loving and wanting what I do, I still find this hard to believe. Whether it be sports or writing, I always find myself at a loss for words, or struggling to get better. The way I'm hard-wired, it may seem.
This does not come as a surprise then with my latest project. It has always been a dream of mine to open a cafe or a bar, and to serve my family and friends my creations. Great conversations have always found their place with a good cup of coffee, a swig of beer, or with a martini glass. There is just something cozy and alluring with a well set up shop that allows you to power through a busy morning or afternoon, or to relax and unwind after a long day's work.
I have always looked up to baristas and bartenders. Their smiles and personalities always shine through and I love to talk to some that I like. Starbucks baristas for example, no matter how rehearsed their spiels are, never fail to momentarily seize people's attention to wake them up from their monotonous grind. The way they prepare coffee and tea mixed with the aromas emanating from the grinders and espresso machines continue to enthrall me to this day. Bartenders are the star of the night at the pubs and bistros I visit to. The backdrop of glasses, bottles and caskets of different wines and spirits give them a commanding yet inviting aura, as if they're inviting guests to watch their show of mixes and lights. The men and women behind the bar for me, day or night, never fail their performances.
It's for these reasons that I am on my way to be a part of this special group. I cannot express how much joy and how grateful I am that my parents allowed me to go to Barista school at BCAA. With the savings I have, I embarked on my journey to be a top flight barista. Yet, one week of training later, it has been a bitter-sweet experience so far.
The procedure and science of good coffee is easy enough to learn. Learning about the history and knowledge of coffee beans and coffee processing was never a problem for me, as I am really into the stuff. The technical process and timing of making good coffee meanwhile, are an entirely different story.
You see, the process of making a cup of coffee is called the 'barista dance'. Its when a customer has requested a beverage, and the barista starts whipping up the drink of choice, whether it be an espresso, americano, or cappuccino. Having a high level of technical skill, while also being very knowledgeable of the science of coffee are signs of a good barista. At first, I thought I had the entire process down to every single move, and that I could execute everything with speed and precision. The pride of making the perfect shot of espresso and creating that perfect foamy texture for the milk washed over my mental canvas.
But it was in the practice runs and in the final technical and sensory exams where everything started to unravel. I'm not being dramatic or anything, but I had to step down from my ivory tower and head back to terra firma. The facts were staring at me like a filled up chalkboard. For one, I did not have enough time to practice. I was too caught up and wasted a lot of time in experimenting and creating a signature beverage. Aside from making cups of espresso and cappuccino as part of our evaluation, we had to come up with a creative and original concoction to show off our creativity and innovation for coffee. Aside from that I had some problems in the tamping of my coffee beans and in the steaming of my milk for cappuccinos. I thought I had the process down and I could just practice it with repetition and muscle memory. True enough, the lack of practice time and lack of focus led to me having lower than expected scores. I even had key deductions because I went over my time.
If there was one thing that I have learned in my "defeat", is to remember to owe up to your own failures. As I saw the majority of my classmates receive their certificates of graduation and their BCAA aprons, I felt elated and depressed for them at the same time. I thought that because I had my passion and love for coffee with me that I could power through the course and get the best marks in the finals. I though that I could come up with perfect espresso and cappuccino drinks for the judges, impress them with both my efficiency and careful stress for detail. I thought I could enthrall my classmates and the audience with how I constructed my signature beverage, and that it would be unique, refreshing, and most of all, the best damn coffee drink you will ever have. I thought that I could have it all, be a star, and move on to better things.
Here I am, slightly out of sync with myself and still a bit depressed from yesterday. I sit here thinking what could become of me retaking the practical exams again on Friday morning. I have no way of practicing before then, and I still have some things to finish on the business side of my plans. Talk about having to wait for the end. But in my reflections, and with the help of positive media, I start to see a light in this dark room.
I am reminded of a special anime series I have recently finished. Titled Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, or Your Lie In April, it tells a story of a young pianist prodigy broken by the sudden passing of his pianist/mentor mother (along with the emotional baggage that comes with said passing) meeting a destructive yet cheerful violinist girl. The violinist girl challenges and leads on our young hero to re-discover his love and joy for playing music on the piano. She constantly says to him, "For whom are you playing for? We are musicians, and we have to perform with all our heart!"
Save of the ending which I will not tell, I find myself now in the shoes of the boy, looking, feeling and trying to love someone who I could perform for. After all, I am a performer, and I have to give it my all with all my heart.
This does not come as a surprise then with my latest project. It has always been a dream of mine to open a cafe or a bar, and to serve my family and friends my creations. Great conversations have always found their place with a good cup of coffee, a swig of beer, or with a martini glass. There is just something cozy and alluring with a well set up shop that allows you to power through a busy morning or afternoon, or to relax and unwind after a long day's work.
I have always looked up to baristas and bartenders. Their smiles and personalities always shine through and I love to talk to some that I like. Starbucks baristas for example, no matter how rehearsed their spiels are, never fail to momentarily seize people's attention to wake them up from their monotonous grind. The way they prepare coffee and tea mixed with the aromas emanating from the grinders and espresso machines continue to enthrall me to this day. Bartenders are the star of the night at the pubs and bistros I visit to. The backdrop of glasses, bottles and caskets of different wines and spirits give them a commanding yet inviting aura, as if they're inviting guests to watch their show of mixes and lights. The men and women behind the bar for me, day or night, never fail their performances.
It's for these reasons that I am on my way to be a part of this special group. I cannot express how much joy and how grateful I am that my parents allowed me to go to Barista school at BCAA. With the savings I have, I embarked on my journey to be a top flight barista. Yet, one week of training later, it has been a bitter-sweet experience so far.
 |
| Some of the drinks made by our instructor, Mr. Mike Canlas on the first day! |
The procedure and science of good coffee is easy enough to learn. Learning about the history and knowledge of coffee beans and coffee processing was never a problem for me, as I am really into the stuff. The technical process and timing of making good coffee meanwhile, are an entirely different story.
You see, the process of making a cup of coffee is called the 'barista dance'. Its when a customer has requested a beverage, and the barista starts whipping up the drink of choice, whether it be an espresso, americano, or cappuccino. Having a high level of technical skill, while also being very knowledgeable of the science of coffee are signs of a good barista. At first, I thought I had the entire process down to every single move, and that I could execute everything with speed and precision. The pride of making the perfect shot of espresso and creating that perfect foamy texture for the milk washed over my mental canvas.
But it was in the practice runs and in the final technical and sensory exams where everything started to unravel. I'm not being dramatic or anything, but I had to step down from my ivory tower and head back to terra firma. The facts were staring at me like a filled up chalkboard. For one, I did not have enough time to practice. I was too caught up and wasted a lot of time in experimenting and creating a signature beverage. Aside from making cups of espresso and cappuccino as part of our evaluation, we had to come up with a creative and original concoction to show off our creativity and innovation for coffee. Aside from that I had some problems in the tamping of my coffee beans and in the steaming of my milk for cappuccinos. I thought I had the process down and I could just practice it with repetition and muscle memory. True enough, the lack of practice time and lack of focus led to me having lower than expected scores. I even had key deductions because I went over my time.
If there was one thing that I have learned in my "defeat", is to remember to owe up to your own failures. As I saw the majority of my classmates receive their certificates of graduation and their BCAA aprons, I felt elated and depressed for them at the same time. I thought that because I had my passion and love for coffee with me that I could power through the course and get the best marks in the finals. I though that I could come up with perfect espresso and cappuccino drinks for the judges, impress them with both my efficiency and careful stress for detail. I thought I could enthrall my classmates and the audience with how I constructed my signature beverage, and that it would be unique, refreshing, and most of all, the best damn coffee drink you will ever have. I thought that I could have it all, be a star, and move on to better things.
Here I am, slightly out of sync with myself and still a bit depressed from yesterday. I sit here thinking what could become of me retaking the practical exams again on Friday morning. I have no way of practicing before then, and I still have some things to finish on the business side of my plans. Talk about having to wait for the end. But in my reflections, and with the help of positive media, I start to see a light in this dark room.
I am reminded of a special anime series I have recently finished. Titled Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, or Your Lie In April, it tells a story of a young pianist prodigy broken by the sudden passing of his pianist/mentor mother (along with the emotional baggage that comes with said passing) meeting a destructive yet cheerful violinist girl. The violinist girl challenges and leads on our young hero to re-discover his love and joy for playing music on the piano. She constantly says to him, "For whom are you playing for? We are musicians, and we have to perform with all our heart!"
Save of the ending which I will not tell, I find myself now in the shoes of the boy, looking, feeling and trying to love someone who I could perform for. After all, I am a performer, and I have to give it my all with all my heart.
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Back [in Black]
Well, this is refreshing.
With the passage of time, I have noticed a decline in my writing skills, or my ability to express my ideas through written means. Its a sad feeling for me, really. Blogging and writing content online has always been a joy and a passion for me in life. It was never just a chance for me to relieve boredom or express myself; it was always an opportunity to decompress and to show what ability I have developed.
But now, I'm just struggling on how to start this simple blog post.
I'm hoping and praying that with "restarting" this personal blog space, that I may get myself back in the groove of writing. I miss the ebb and flow of ideas that come from both heart and mind, forming themselves on screen. I miss the sleepless nights of pining over academic papers and print journals. I miss the abhorrently long research materials needed for papers, to condense thick, meaty ideas into tangible yet original thoughts on paper. This is all nostalgia from past struggles and past victories. I do not see myself writing another research paper for the time being, yet the academic within me on occasion wants to scratch that itch.
"So I look into the gaping abyss, hoping for a written miracle." Great writers always have the time to write, no matter the circumstances. Some writers may agree that you always need to fit some time in one's busy schedule to write something of quality. My sports blogging days, albeit short, have given me pause to look into this as well.
Oh no matter, I could always figure out a way. I tell myself this all the time.
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