Another Pinoy cast on Glee

Darren Criss is a 23-year old musician and actor from San Francisco, California. He is most known for playing as Harry Potter in the musical, A Very Potter Musical. Originally from San Francisco, California. He's half-Filipino and half-Irish. He attended St. Ignatius College Preparatory and went on to the University of Michigan and graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performance and Acting.

Darren Criss played the character of Blaine in season 2 episode 6 of GLEE.  He had auditioned for Glee a couple of times, including an audition for Finn, before landing the character of Blaine. He has joined the cast of Glee as Blaine, a student at a rival school. Blaine is an "out-and-proud student" and serves as a mentor to Kurt.  It is rumored that his character will be a love interest for Kurt Hummel.  

He's hot, right?! I hope we could get more of Blaine on the next episodes.  Just happy he isn't really gay. :)

Filariasis

I had taken 5 tablets of DEC (Diethylcarbamazine Citrate) and 1 Albendazole, two days ago in Rural Health Unit of Lezo.  MDA (Mass Drug Administration) is ongoing here in the province of Aklan since October because of the high incidence of Filariasis.  I was shocked when I heard the news that it is already been here in Aklan.  According to the Department of Health (DOH), Aklan province registers the highest number of Filariasis cases in Western Visayas.  The DOH discovered filariasis cases in the hinterlands of Libacao and Madalag.  Those who have asthma and are pregnant mothers, however, are not included for the MDA program for Filariasis by the DOH.

FILARIASIS is a communicable disease caused by a thread-like worm known as "Wuchereria Bancrofti". It is transmitted through the bite of an infected female mosquito about two weeks after it has bitten a person with this disease.

Lymphatic Filariasis also known as “Elephantiasis”, is a chronic parasitic infection that puts at risk more than a billion people in 83 countries. In the Philippines over 25 million people are living in endemic areas for this disease. It is caused by thread-like parasitic filarial worms, which lodge in the nodes and vessels of the lymphatic system. These worms live for about 10 years producing millions of immature microfilariae that circulate in the blood.

The disease is transmitted when a mosquito bites an infected person, and takes blood along with the microfilariae. These microfilariae develop into the infective stage inside the mosquitoes for about three weeks and may be transferred into an uninfected individual during subsequent bites. These larvae lodge in the lymph vessels and lymph glands, which develop into adult male and female worms. These worms (male and female worms) copulate and produce millions of microfilariae. They circulate in the bloodstream and the cycle continues when another mosquito vector gets it during blood feeding and the cycle may be repeated.

Person who took the drugs may experience stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness or temporary hair loss.

How to make Tokneneng?

Tokneneng is one of my favorite street food.  You can spot it everywhere here in the Philippines especially on the streets of Manila.  Wherever there are lots of student or lots of people pass by, you will never fail to see a toknene for sale on that street.  I think it became known and popular more than a decade ago and the place of origin is still unknown to me...  I just first spotted this way back in my college years in Quezon City.  My classmate introduced this to me.  Well, i'm glad she had coz' at first of having it, it made me crave for it almost all the time. hahahaha.  As time progresses now, you can find it everywhere inside the malls or even the MRT stations... So, toknene is everywhere in Manila.  Even in the provinces now, Tokneneng is rampant too.  I've seen it sold in a bicycle cart everywhere in  Kalibo, Aklan.  In Ormoc City, Leyte, I've seen some on the streets of their plaza.  

Tokneneng is a baby version of a popular street food, 'kwek-kwek'.  It is a boiled quail egg coated with an orange-tinted batter and then deep fried.  Then it's served with a sauce consisting of vinegar, onions, cucumber and 'siling labuyo' pepper.  

Finished product of my kwek-kwek and tokneneng... 

the sawsawan, mixtures of spiced vinegar, diced pipino and onions...

to make it sweeter, add a bit of sugar... yummy!

How to make it:

You'll need this ingredients:

Ingredients:

20 pieces, boiled quail eggs

3 tbsp cornstarch

1 cup water

1/4 cup annatto seeds (atsuete)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

cooking oil

Step by step on how to make it:

1. Put the cornstarch in a container and dredge the boiled quail eggs. Set aside.

2. Combine all-purpose flour, salt, and pepper then mix thoroughly.

3. Dilute the annatto seeds in water until the reddish color comes out. Combine the liquid with the flour-salt-pepper mixture and mix thoroughly.

4. Put the boiled quail eggs in the mixing bowl and coat with the batter.

5. Heat the pan and pour the cooking oil.

6. When the oil is hot enough, deep-fry the eggs until the coating is crispy. Use a serving spoon to scoop the eggs from the mixing bowl.

7. Remove the fried eggs from the pan and place int first in a serving plate with a table tissue napkin on the bottom ( to absorb the oil).

8.  Serve with your preferred sauce and enjoy eating it.

 I want to share my sauce but i'll just post it later. ;)

Fruit Cocktail Float (Refrigerator Cake)

I'm a dessert lover so, you'll gonna expect me to post some of my fave desserts that are easy to make.  So, here, I would like to share my very own recipe of  Fruit Cocktail Float, another variety of our known "Refrigerator Cake".  

My Fruit Cocktail Float ;)

You'll gonna need:

200g (1pack)          Graham Crackers (Crushed)
850g (1can)            Fruit Cocktail, drained ( I prefer Del Monte)
250ml (2packs)      All-Purpose Creame, refrigerated
168ml (1can)          Sweetened Condensed Milk

How to make it, step-by-step:
1.  Place the "Crushed Graham Crackers" on the bottom of your preferred pan (better if it's clear and transparent ) as your 1st layer.

2.  Mix cream and milk (milk quantity depends on your taste).  Spread it all on top of the graham.  Be sure all portions are covered.

3.  Place the Fruit Cocktail over the cream.  Make it evenly place on each portions.

4.  Then go back to step no. 1.  Just repeat the steps stated above for the next layers. You can make more layers depend on the size of your pan....

5.  Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.  Slice and serve... 

Just enjoy doing it and have fun eating. ;)

*** I made 3 layers out from this ingredients.  My pan size is 6' by 4' (estimated).  

NARS (Nurses' Assigned in Rural Service) Project

Just wanna share here my journal entry for my NARS-DOLE training for the first 3 months in Municipal Health Center of Lezo, Aklan... My Prologue and Summary... Enjoy reading! :)

FYI...  NARS Project is a 6 months program.  Well, for my remaining 3 months, I was sent to Dr. Romualdez S.  Tumbokon Memorial Hospital (DRSTMH) as my clinical experience.  I'll post my journal for it on some other time. :)

PROLOGUE

                                

Traffic what really made me bored while I was driving along the highway of EDSA Cubao.  Then, I decided to change the station of my radio into AM frequency.  I listened to the flashed report of DZMM that was about the NARS or Nurse’s Assigned in Rural Service Project of Dept. of Labor and Employment. 

As what the reporter said, with the pump priming strategies to mitigate the impact of the global financial crisis, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo launched the Nurses Assigned in Rural Service (NARS) Project on the 9^th of February, 2009 during the Multi-Sectoral Summit on "Joining Hands against the Global Crisis" in Malacanang Palace, Manila.  As what the qualifications were:  With valid nurse’s license issued by the PRC; Not over 35 years old; Resident of the identified municipalities; And no nursing-related practice for the past 3 years. 

On that moment, I thought of giving it a chance since I am qualified for the project and I wanted to gain experience as a rural nurse.  So, on that night, I applied online by visiting their site www.nars.dole.gov.ph I filled-up the designated blanks and I chose my hometown LEZO, which is a small town in the province of Aklan.

March 27, I received an electronic mail from DOLE, congratulating me for being one of the successful applicants.  I was elated on that time as I read the e-mail.  I can’t believe that I am one of them…  So, I told my parents that I will be going home in our hometown coz’ I was chosen as one of the nurses assigned for the NARS Project to serve my hometown as a rural health nurse. 

On March 31, I arrived in Kalibo airport.  I am happy because atlas, I am back in our hometown to do my job as a community nurse and as to promote health to the people in our hometown.

  SUMMARY

          Never did I expect to be deployed in the small town of Lezo, which is located in the province of Aklan.  Lezo is one of the 1,000 poorest municipalities in the Philippines, which is my hometown.  It was never been in my plans to work in our hometown because I am a city girl.  I used to live my life in a city wherein every modern things and life is there.  But, at this point, I’ve been desperate to get an experience for my profession especially there’s a glut in inexperienced nurses and the proliferation of "volunteer nurses" working in hospitals without being paid, but instead, they themselves pay the hospitals to obtain Certificate of work experience.  So, when I heard about the NARS Project, I didn’t hesitate to apply. 

          It was April 3 of this year, when we had our orientation for the NARS Project of DOLE, DOH and PRC in ASU Banga, Aklan.  I’ve met there all of the successful applicants.  On the orientation proper, Dr. Myrtle Pelayo of DOH, discussed to us the NARS guiding framework, rationale, and general concepts and strategies.  While the other DOLE and DOH representatives and heads were there to discuss the other concerns and matters on the NARS Project.  Before our orientation ended, we were divided into two groups, the half one will be assigned in the RHU and the other half will be in the hospital.  I’ve met there some of the NARS Project trainees and been acquainted with them.  Exactly at 5 o’clock in the afternoon, our orientation ended.

          The first day of my duty to the RHU of Lezo was on April 8 of 2009.  I arrived 15 minutes before 8 o’clock in the morning.  The RSI, Ms. Sarah Jane Aguirre, greeted me and told me to go to the office of the Municipal Health Officer, Dr. Athena C. Magdamit.  I’ve also met there my partner, Mr. Keran C. Palma.  Dra. Magdamit, oriented us to the clinical settings of the Municipal Health Center.  She also introduced us to her health staffs.  I am a bit nervous on my 1^st day but I am happy because they welcomed us warmly.

          For the month of April, we had Garantisadong Pambata, wherein we went to every Barangay Health Station of every Barangays of Lezo to render our service and duty for them.  On April 27, was the launching of Hataw’ 2009 wherein it was participated by all of the health personnel, municipal employees and people of Lezo. 

On the month of May, on the 11^th, we had our Blood Letting and Screening Activity with the cooperation of the Philippine National Red Cross.  I was in-charged on the registration and getting the vital signs of the participants.  We also had our Medical CIVAC that was held in the Basketball Court of Barangay Mina, I was in-charged in the distribution of medicines. 

By June, we had the medical and dental mission for the anniversary of the typhoon Frank that was held in the ABL Sports Complex in Kalibo.  We rendered AH1N1, Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever and Malaria Dissemination and Information to elementary schools of Lezo.

On the last day of our duty, June 30^th of 2009, we had our little “salu-salo” as a farewell party for the Municipal Health Staffs of Lezo.  Working with them was unforgettable because they  treated me well and they unselfishly imparted their knowledge and skills to us.

As what I had experienced on my 3 months of duty in the RHU wasn’t that easy.  At first, I thought it would be simple and boring but instead it was full of excitement and more challenging responsibilities.  But as time passed by, I appreciated what we were doing.  I learned more how to appreciate the little things life can offer.  As a public health nurse, I learned to be more patient and to render my respect for the indigent people. 

Working in my hometown was a rewarding opportunity for me.  I had the chance to serve them and to know my roots where my mother grew up.  It was an amazing and wonderful experience!

I am thankful that Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo launched this project for the inexperienced nurses of the Philippines.  I am glad that I had this opportunity to experience and indulged the training as a nurse in the rural service.  This experience as NARS trainee was very valuable and definitely built the foundation for my skills as a nurse. It also helped to build my confidence and had prepared me for the next round for my profession as a registered nurse.