by Penny Angeles-Tan | Mar 13, 2023 | Book Reviews
Rachel LeFevre is who I visualize as the female lead character, Emily, as I read Fated: Lycan King’s Unwanted Bride by Cool Grey, hence my using her picture here. I stumbled upon this story a while back and just added it to my library and only started reading it today. While the preview was interesting I was initially turned off by the grammar. I finally decided to give it a shot today and while the grammar is not the best, it is forgivable because the story is pretty good.
This is the first time I’ve read a story where the lycan spirit can fully take over the human that the human has no knowledge of anything that happened. It is also the first time I’ve encountered a character whose human and lycan do not both feel the mate bond for their mate.
Alpha Lucian is our male lead character and he is a widower and has no plans of remarrying. However, being the Alpha of the primordial lycans means that his pack needs a Luna … at least according to his parents and the elders. Lucian was deadset against remarrying, especially to the female lycan his parents chose, when he inadvertently meets Emily, a wolfless rogue who trespassed into their land.
At first sight, his lycan, Argus, recognized her as his second-chance mate but Lucian felt nothing. He is still heartbroken from losing his mate to a fatal illness many years ago.
Interesting yet? I’m glad I gave it a shot because it really is! I only wish that Emily would stop crying so much, seriously.
I strongly suspect that the author is Filipino and used a translator then went back and did manual edits because there are some turns of phrase that don’t make sense in English but when translated to Tagalog, suddenly do. There is also that problem with pronouns and inconsistency with gender assignment.
The story is still ongoing! You can read Fated: Lycan King’s Unwanted Bride by Cool Grey on the Goodnovel app. I believe it may be on other reading apps as well, but Goodnovel is where I found it.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Mar 12, 2023 | Bon Appetit
Cooking pasta al dente is something many people find challenging. Even when we follow the cooking instructions in the package of store-bought pasta noodles they don’t always turn out right. I learned a trick that guarantees your pasta will never be undercooked or overcooked and soggy.
Boil water in a pot.
The size of the pot and the amount of water really depends on how much pasta you are cooking. If you are cooking just one serving then a smaller pot and less water would obviously be better. A common question I encounter is how do we know how much water to put in?
How much water do I put in?
If you are cooking pasta like fusilli, penne, bowties, or macaroni here is a trick I learned.
- While the pot is dry, pour in the pasta and shake the pot until it is evenly distributed.
- Take note of how high up the pasta goes and then transfer it to another container.
- Fill the pot with water up to where the pasta reached plus 1 inch.
When cooking pasta like spaghetti, capellini (angel hair), fettuccini, or lasagna, I honestly just eyeball it following the same principle as above. If you are cooking the whole package, following the package instructions also helps.
Can I put the pasta in yet?
Set the pot to boil. Sometimes we get impatient and want to put the pasta in when the water starts to smoke. DON’T DO THAT. Literally, wait for the water to bubble and boil.
Before putting in the pasta add the salt and a little oil to the water. The salt will add flavor to the pasta and the oil will help in preventing the pasta from sticking.
Is there a proper way to put the pasta in?
Keep the heat setting on high.
For long pasta noodles like capellini, spaghetti, and fettuccini, the trick is to hold the pasta in a fist, standing (the pasta noodles, not you) in the middle of the boiling water and then letting go, allowing the pasta noodles to fan out in the pot.
Do not make the Italians angry. DO NOT BREAK THE NOODLES TO FIT THE POT! As the noodles absorb the water, they will all slide into the pot and fit, I promise. Once the noodles have settled in the water mix them slightly so that they get coated in the oil.
If you are cooking fresh noodles you just put them in carefully so as not to tear them. For other types of pasta, you can just pour them in and mix them slightly to evenly distribute them in the pot.
How long do we cook this?
This is where several opinions usually come in but this is what we’ve found works the best. First of all, make sure the heat is set on high. set your timer for TWO (2) MINUTES.
Yes, I said just TWO Minutes. Cook your pasta uncovered on high heat. While waiting for the timer to ping you can start preparing your sauce and toppings.
Once the timer pings turn off the heat, stir your noodles (which at this point will not look cooked yet), and then cover the pot. Set your timer once again depending on the kind of pasta you are cooking from four (4) to eight (8) minutes. Pasta noodles like capellini need less time so I usually let them sit in the hot water for three (3) to four (4) minutes. With thicker pasta like penne, rigate, or fusilli you can max out the time.
Take note that at this point the pasta is cooking in the hot water but no extra heat is added. This is an important step to ensure your noodles are al dente. In the meantime, prepare your sauce and toppings. My go-to is aglio e olio as it is quick and easy. I just add whatever meat I have on hand such as marinated chicken, sausage, or leftover pork chop. You can also prepare your sauce ahead of time if it will take longer than five (5) minutes to prepare.
Once the timer pings again, your pasta is ready to be served! If you are mixing your sauce in directly then just drain the water and put the sauce and pasta together. Make sure the pasta is drained well or your dish will be watery. If you are serving the pasta and the sauce separately then aside from draining the water, you will also want to run the pasta under running water to stop the cooking process. Remember, while there is heat, the pasta will keep cooking!
Today I whipped up come capellini aglio e olio topped with chopped up hotdog and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.
The only thing you have to do now is eat!
* except for the last photo, all the other photos were taken from Unsplash.com.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Mar 12, 2023 | Advocacy
Jollibee Group and Manila LGU officials convened anew for the signing of a new memorandum of agreement that will create employment opportunities for senior citizens and persons with disabilities in Jollibee-owned stores across Manila City.
MANILA, Philippines. The Jollibee Group recently announced the resumption of its inclusive employment program to hire senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWD) in Manila after renewing its partnership with the city government of Manila.
The partnership is consistent with Jollibee Group’s commitment to providing equal employment opportunities to different sectors while promoting and practicing inclusivity and diversity in the workplace.
Jollibee Group will hire 28 senior citizens and 17 PWDs as customer relations staff across the Manila branches of Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, and Burger King through the city’s Public Employment Service Office (PESO). Manila PESO will screen and determine qualified candidates before endorsing them to the company. Applicants must also secure a medical clearance from the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center, the accredited hospital for this program.
“We started this program in 2019 with the Manila LGU. Working on this program in the past few years has allowed us to see how our elderly and differently-abled individuals have appreciated the opportunity to find gainful employment. The Jollibee Group continues to support this initiative of the Manila LGU, and we have been very fortunate to have a partner that shares the same desire and passion as the company in looking after the interest of our elderly and PWDs,” said Ruth Angeles, Jollibee Group Vice President and Head for Human Resources-Philippines and Global Organization, Leadership & Culture.
“We look forward to forging more partnerships with other LGUs so we can improve more lives and find reliable staff who can join us in our mission to share the joy of eating with everyone,” Angeles added.
The signing of the new memorandum of agreement held last January 31 was attended by Manila City Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan, Vice Mayor Yul Servo Nieto, and Secretary to the Mayor Atty. Marlon Lacson, as well as officials from Jollibee Group represented by Public Affairs AVP Atty. Raul Academia and Philippine Region Human Resources Director Anna Prado.
Interested applicants can get more information on this employment program from the Manila Department of Social Welfare and the Office of Senior Citizen’s Affairs.
Back in 2019, Jollibee Group was the first restaurant company in the Philippines to partner with the Manila LGU in providing jobs to over a hundred qualified senior citizens and PWDs in the combined 39 branches of Jollibee, Chowking, Mang Inasal, and Greenwich in Manila. Besides Manila, Jollibee Group also partnered with the LGUs of Antipolo and Pasay in 2019 to implement the same inclusive employment program.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Mar 11, 2023 | Book Reviews
We encountered John for the first time in Alpha Logan when Logan calls him to give some instructions. He appears several times after which made me quite curious about this very formal Beta. Beta’s Surprise Mate by Bryant now focuses on him as he finds his mate in the most unlikely of situations. When running an errand for Logan and Aurelia, John inadvertently finds his mate when he visits the florist who will be handling all the floral decorations for their wedding.
First of all, she is human … which is unusual enough as it is. Werewolf-human matings are uncommon but possible. Second, she is a (former) hunter, which makes her a danger to the pack, whether or not she’s retired. Third, she has a fierce guardian cat, an Egyptian Mau called Shu. But John believes in the mate bond and trusts the Moon Goddess but even he had to take a step back and wonder why he was given a human mate. Despite his desire to stay away, his wolf would not let him do so.
Things to note … John is over 30 and a virgin by choice. Unlike many of his peers, he chose to save himself for his mate. Despite this, though, he certainly had the skills to please his mate. Sarael quit being a hunter a long time ago when she realized that her sister was doing things that she just couldn’t stomach.
Beta’s Surprise Mate by Bryant is HOT! Don’t be deceived by John’s inexperience … he has the equipment and knows how to use it. I even found myself jealous of Sarael and wished he was my mate instead, hyuk! Their lives get complicated by rogues and hunters who suddenly show up in their lives, especially when one of the hunters is Sarael’s evil sister.
I don’t want to reveal too much but trust me when I say you will WANT to read this book. You can find Beta’s Surprise Mate with the bonus Valentine chapters at the end on Goodnovel. If you want to read the paperback, you can find it on Amazon. I’m hoping it comes out on Amazon Kindle as well.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Mar 11, 2023 | Awards and Competitions
When schools closed and the pandemic pushed education to remote learning, we knew that students would pay a heavy price. True enough, 2021 research showed that 86% of students believed that they learned less under remote learning. 66% of those who attend classes virtually and 74% under hybrid learning were also no better mainly because of one reason: lack of innovative and technology-driven solutions to support these set-ups.
This troubling reality didn’t cause learners to falter, because Globe believes that it brought out the best of us, and we can see these inspiring stories every day.
As part of its commitment to uplift education through technology, Globe launches the Heroes of Learning Awards, a search to honor modern-day heroes who shined bright or became a light for others amid obstacles. The awards will spotlight their inspiring journeys and support them further by equipping them with the relevant e-learning tools they need.
Let our inspiring students, teachers, and parents shine bright! Nominate them at the Globe Heroes of Learning Awards now.
Students, educators, and parents are eligible to join, to be judged according to the following criteria: students must exemplify academic excellence, courage, and innovation. Parents must epitomize courage and innovation as well, while educators must demonstrate excellence in teaching, courage, and innovation.
More than just a trophy, chosen Heroes of Learning will be hailed as Globe for Education ambassadors and will take home Php 50,000 in GCash credits, Samsung Galaxy AO3 Blue 64GB loaded with P5,000 worth of Globe Prepaid credits, a 12-month subscription to GFiber Unli Plan, Globe MyFi LTE, and on top of that, KodeGo full course scholarship worth Php 80,000, free 8-session tutorials with Edventure, and two e-passes to Ayala Museum.
Nominations and entries will be accepted on or before April 30, 2023. Announcement of winners will be via a private Zoom event on May 18, 2023.
Submit your entries or nominations now. Visit www.glbe.co/heroesoflearning for more details. Per DTI Fair Trade Permit No. FTEB-161107 Series of 2023.
Keep the heat setting on high.
We encountered John for the first time in 
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