For me to finish this semester, I needed to finish three hundred (300) hours of duty in a restaurant and seven hundred (700) hours in a five star hotel. Well this is the first phase; I have spent 300 hours of my life at this simple, lovely, and elegant restaurant – The Old Spaghetti House. Most people here in Manila term it as TOSH, which I only realized at the end of my work. Ha ha ha!

It’s not a requirement from school to blog or to even take photographs of what we do in hour training, but of my addiction to photography – this is what transpired. All images here are what an ordinary restaurant server sees for a day of duty. May it be lean or peak season of restaurant hours, this is it.

I spent some tears here. KAPOW. Dramatic

I spent some cheerful moments here. BOOM. Happy time

I spent hours here of correction in daily duty. WOOSH. Time to relearn.

I feel great of being a better person, server, business man, and a photographer in my stay in the old spaghetti house. The simple teachings and realizations my managers thought me in love, life, and business gave me a bump to press my chess out and be the guy! J

Enough with me, and may you see how I “see” my day in a typical duty

To photography enthusiast viewing the blog, I have used a Nikon D300 and Sigma 30mm 1.4 in all the photographs here. Captured RAW and process in VSCO I in Lightroom 3.

Bon apetite!

On the way to work =]

He’s my duty mate during this day of my shift

Break time! =]

Mid afternoon, lean hours – this is what we do =j

After a heavy day, we’d give in 10 PHP to buy “pancit cantons” for dinner. The local product noodles here in the Philippines. We follow a strict budget!

Time to eat!

]]> http://gaycouplestartup.wordpress.com/2012/06/20/a-successful-first-run/ Thu, 21 Jun 2012 02:01:56 +0000 gaycouplestartup http://gaycouplestartup.wordpress.com/2012/06/20/a-successful-first-run/

This lady thanked me as she walked past Shady and I on our usual trail. I told her I’m just trying to do my small part for the community, while holding this bag full of crap from the area. I won’t forget what she said to me next, she said “it’s usually the little things that make a difference”. She also told me she’d be doing the same thing next time she goes for a run. So that’s that for my first try on Operation: cleanup. I’d say it was a success.

It’s officially Elsa’s birthday today. We’ve been celebrating for days now that it feels like the celebrations have been going on for weeks. Oh well, that’s a good thing right? Anyway, I guess we’re expecting some guests so I cooked Pansit Canton and Pork Adobo. I also baked a simple cake for her, nothing fancy. There’s also rice and bread. I think I won’t be able to stick to my diet tonight. The food looks good though.

I’m going to start eating now. I’m starving. See you guys around.

If you can’t have it in their restaurant. The nice thing is that they deliver!!

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Ang kaibahan ng dalawa? May translation yung isa – chow mein! At may tatak ng export quality. Sa likod naman ay mga address ng opisina dito sa Amerika. Di ko  lang alam kung dito gawa o pinadala galing sa Pinas. Pero kahit ano pa man yan, natutuwa ako’t isa ito sa mga bagay na talagang na-miss ko.

Kaya eto… magluluto muna ko ng pansit canton! tsalap!

Nagluto ako ng pansit canton, nilagyan ko ng tocino at cheese… oo weird ang cheese para sa pagkaing ito pero dahil addict ako sa kahit na anong may cheese eh binudburan ko ito sa ibabaw, hindi ko alam kung saan nanggaling ang hilig ko sa keso, siguro dahil year of the rat ako pinanganak, or dati akong taga gawa ng cheese sa Holland noong past life ko. Ang tocino naman ay maswerteng nabunot ko lang sa chest freezer namin na may lamang kung anu-anong pagkain na stock ng tatay ko. Kaya pag may bumagsak na kometa, nagkaroon ng tsunami, pumutok ang Mt. Banahaw, nagkaron ng people power, magkaroon ng biglaang fiesta, maganap ang panibagong missle crisis, or bumagyo, siguradong hindi kami magugutom. Pampakain din siguro namin pag nagkaroon ng alien invasion, para sa halip na kami ang kainin ay papatayin namin sila sa kolesterol.

Ang resulta:

Tocino Canton with Cheese!

Mukhang weird tingnan pero ok naman ang lasa, halos lahat naman ng pagkain pwedeng ihalo sa canton, minsan pati “laing” naihalo ko na… kung ano ang nangyari sa tiyan ko? ako lang at ang kubeta ang nakakaalam…

Maraming masarap na alaala ang pansit canton, hindi ito nawawala sa grocery list ko noong college. Pag wala na kasing oras para magluto ay canton ang mainam na sagot sa kumakalam na sikmura. Parang lifeline ito ng mga tumitira sa maynila para mag-aral, dahil kasi nasa boarding house ako noon eh bihira ako makatikim ng lutong bahay. Doon na rin ako natutong magluto, pero mas masarap pa rin ang luto ng magulang ko kasi may halong pagmamahal.

May panahon din na nakakasuka na ang canton, yung tipong naamoy ko pa lang na may nagluluto sa boarding house namin ay lumalabas na ako at nagpapahangin. Kaya hindi ako palagi kumakain nito, pag may cravings lang… masama din kasi ang dulot nito sa katawan pag sobra.

Masarap din yung canton, tapos habang mainit pa ay lalagyan mo ng hilaw na egg yolk. Naadik din ako sa ganun pero dahil sensitibo ang balat ko, hindi ako pwedeng palagi may itlog.

Busog na ako ngayon… isang malaking baso naman ng iced tea ang kaharap ko at yosi…