Civil Servants from the Underworld

My experience in working in various organizations has exposed me different type of workers. It always amazes when I think of the kinds of faces that people show whenever they show up for work. A lot of people claim that working in the private sector is much harder as against working the government. The reason is that private companies are much stricter with punctuality, absences, company policies, nepotism and benefit grants, among others. For me, I'd rather face those strict policies that wake up each morning and go to work with civil servants who report directly to the devil himself.

Yes, I have worked with civil servants from hell!

Here, let me give you a short profiler on these people:

1. Vampires- These are employees who suck out the blood out of its co-employees. Consequently, while sucking blood from their victims, they raise the victims' blood pressures with their irritating habit of rumor-mongering, tarnishing people's reputations, and spreading lies. Their poisonous venom lasts even after the sun is up! (Side note: They are not as beautiful and gorgeous as the Cullens either)

2. Voldemort wannabes- Equally evil as Voldermort, their only dream is to conquer the whole department, bureau, agency or office and make other people bow before their feet. Never mind if they use other people to pursue their evil schemes. Their only desire is power, and for them, the words 'friend, family or love' do not exist in the dictionary.

3. The Death Eaters- Yes, they have their own Voldemorts, who they worship till the end (of power). These are employees who are born with evil minds, who believe that tagging along with someone powerful (no matter how evil that person may be) would ensure their high scores in the regular performance rating reports. They are only loyal to those who they believe they could turn to for some (or a lot of) pulling of strings and other personal benefit and of course, a semblance of power.

4. Friends of Chuckie, the evil doll (and his bride) - You think they are cute, but wait till you look them straight into their eyes and you will see evil emanating from within. Don't be fooled by their cuddly appearance and their sweet dolly talks because once you turn your back to them, they'll stab you repeatedly at the back with anything they get their evil hands on.

5. The Dementors - They suck out all the happiness and peace in the office. For whatever reason, they are the epitome of doom. They cannot be touched, cannot be approached because their mission in life is to spread depression and doom within the walls of the office.

6. Poltergeists - These are invisible beings with the power to move objects. You don't see them in the office but you feel their presence all the time, leaving traces of destruction in the workplace. They have the power to control gullible workers if they want to and they can move objects (example: they can fill out daily time reports even without having to report to the office and they are able to get their salaries from the vaults of the office without need of personally stepping inside the office premises.

Oh, there's lots more and I think I cannot write any more down since I might have nightmares tonight.

Just a friendly reminder, when there's something strange in the neighborhood... who you gonna call? Ombudsman?Naaaahhhh!

Call your family and friends and vent out those frustrations. Otherwise, you might lose your marbles and just accept these creatures as normal.

Food Trip!

I LOVE FOOD...

... But I'm a picky eater. How's that?!

Despite my being a picky eater, I'm still a couple of pounds overweight (Now, don't react, it's my article! I can be slim if I wanted to since I'm writing this. Hehehe.)

Where was I? Food. I love food that I have slowly learned my way in the kitchen, literally from scratch. Before, I tried cooking pakbet (veggies sauteed in shrimp paste) without sauteeing the garlic in oil. I sauteed it directly on the pan and I wondered why it was burning!!! Before, I couldn't bear to touch fresh fish or meat because they were so icky. During my "unenlightened days", I try not to directly handle fresh meat. If necessary, I used touch, wash, clean, cut or chop those bloody things with only two, or at most, three fingers in each hand.

I used to jump, look for a shield or panic when the bubbling oil starts to pop from the pan. And I used to think that waiting for rice to be cooked is a real waste of time.

Good thing I followed the light and saw the kitchent! I realized that cooking is not only fun, it is therapeutic and if done with love, the joy and warmth emanates from the food you are serving.

What I do is that I search for recipes (from cook books, newspapers, internet, ask people who have been cooking for decades, or wherever) and tinker with them. Sometimes, the first try is a hit, then at the second attempt, the taste is a lot different from the first time, or the texture is not the same, so I for a third attempt and so on. Every cooking experience is a learning process; that's what I have realized.

Here are a few of my experiments:

1. PUTO

Ingredients: flour, egg whites, baking powder, salt, sugar, butter, salted eggs

(Thank you, Google, for the recipe)

Calories: Unknown

2.FISH FILLET IN BEER BATTER AND FRIES

Ingredients for the fish: fish fillet, salt, pepper, flour, egg, baking powder, beer

For the fries: potatoes, salt and pepper, cayenne pepper, oregano, marjoram

(Special thanks to Videojug for the recipe)

Calories: A bit high because of the batter and because it is deep fried.

The use of canola oil lessens the guilt a bit.

3. SPAGHETTI IN BACON AND MUSHROOM WHITE SAUCE

Ingredients: Spaghetti noodles, bacon, mushroom, butter, garlic, cream of mushroom, all purpose cream, thyme, rosemary, oregano, marjoram, salt, pepper, fresh rosemary (cream cheese optional)

Yum yum!!

(Thanks, Margaux, for giving your recipe for this. I tinkered with the ingredients.)

Calories: DON'T ASK!!!

4. SHRIMP KEBABS

Ingredients: Shrimps (marinated in kalamansi, olive oil, butter, garlic, dill, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper), onions, green and red bell peppers.

Calories: I ate them all before I could count the calories.

(My own invention...)

To be continued on a future blog...