jibbyscorner

[jibbyscorner]

A Series of Oceans For My Special Someone

I love you forevermore.

When a person leaves, I have always believed that they never fully leave, a part of them will always stay with you, no matter what.

"Never be so kind, you forget to be clever

Never be so clever, you forget to be kind"

In our lives, there would always be a person who you'd consider as special. There would always be someone who would stay in your heart whatever happens, even if their heart itself has passed by. It's amazing how a person's ambiance can linger in a person's mind for a whole lifetime, how their actions were immortalized by our remembering. But then, life is also unfair. The special ones tend to leave. With bags packed and suitcase ready, they always leave their loved ones and go beyond life, I guess to go back where they came from.

In a field of full of colorful flowers, you would always pick the best ones, right? The ones who bloomed so beautifully, as their petals pigmented with vibrant colors opened and brought out a strong fragrant, flowery smell. In a field of flowers, you would never pick the ones who are not blooming yet.

"And if I didn't know better

I'd think you were talking to me now

If I didn't know better

I'd think you were still around"

My grandmother is a lovely person. She's fierce, brave, and most of all, a caring woman. She loves the ocean. Everyday she wears an armor of confidence, forged by her six children and countless grandchildren's overflowing love for her. You can say that she's a strong woman, yes. She's all the upright qualities you can think of. But then she's also the most pure person I've ever known. If her sons, daughters, grandsons, and granddaughter's love for her is overflowing, then her love for all of us is eternal, undying. She makes sure that each and every one of us are to be treated with such love, her passion for taking care of us is burning bright, like a comfortable hearth.

My grandmother's name is Safia Cudia Dandamun. She's from a family in Pampanga. Living a carefree, sweet, young life, Safia was spending her teenage years happily, and then she met my grandfather, Magasuga Sr. Dandamun. He was the love of her life, and sure enough, they merged and created a family of their own. She birthed six offsprings, all encompassing different qualities that they certainly got from her. Generations passed, and those childrens formed a family of their own, too. It made Safia's family bigger, with more hearts to fill with love and more bellies to fill with delicious feasts.

She is known as the woman who loves to throw a party. Even at the times when my family used to live in Quiapo, Manila, I remember always getting excited at the thought of going to my grandmother's house in Matandang Balara, Quezon City, where a celebration full of food and people awaits. My grandmother is the life of the party, and she always have a few tricks up her sleeve.

"Never be so polite, you forget your power

Never wield such power, you forget to be polite"

Being Kapampangan, my grandmother likes each and every party to be extravagant. Hours before the actual party she would run around the house and shout at my cousins and their house maids to decorate the house. She would take out all the fancy dishes and glasses, and she would bring out the most elegant tablecloths. She would always ask her grandchildren to do works. "Put this sofa in here! No, not in that way! The bulky chairs fit well in here—no, you idiot, be careful!" and then she would check in with the cooks and ask how they're doing with the foods. She would always taste them while its still hot and still cooking and then deem it too bitter. That's when she would add salt. When the taste satisfies her taste buds, she would finally go upstairs in her room to try on the dresses she would wear for the night.

Even with all the shouting, the screaming, and the panicking. In the end it would always turn out great. Her bossy style proves that it would always work, and my cousins and their house maids would agree. Their house would look excellent, ready for almost a hundred visitors to come and have fun. In a family as big as mine, there always seems to be a lot of catching up to do. A twice a year party would not suffice, the news must be regularly updated.

"And if I didn't know better

I'd think you were listening to me now

If I didn't know better

I'd think you were still around"

The party would always look fun. Family relatives would be everywhere, ranging from different uncles and aunts from different sides of the family. I remember always hanging out with my first cousins, and we would invite our second and third cousins for a hangout too. Although sometimes a fight between us relatives would emerge, and it can be quite messy. But at the end of the night, there would always be reconciliation. In the adult corner, it's always a mature conversation between all of them. My grandmother Safia would then explore the house to have a small talk will all the visitors, she would ask them how they've been, and if the food is okay or not. She would always get approval, as she should, Safia is an expert at these things. And after that, she would stay in her air conditioned room with her closest relatives, bonding over what's currently up in the gossips, and then just grace her presence onto everyone. She's like a magical human being, for she radiates the feeling of warmth and comfort.

She was actually a Roman Catholic, but when she married my grandfather, who is a Muslim, she decided to convert to Islam. And so then she practices the beliefs of our religion. The day of Eid, just right after the month of Ramadan, is my favorite days of all. Because she would again bring all the family together. Sometimes we would go to a resort or a beach. She would never ever let an Eid pass without a celebration. And since she really loved the sea, our families would always look for one. She always gets what she wants, my grandmother. She's that kind of fearless, like a lioness.

She's always happy with family. She may be savage sometimes, but all of it stems from her love for her family. She finds thousands of ways to bring us all back together. When she's with family, and especially when she can hear the sound of waves crashing by her sides as she relaxes with her children and grandchildren, then so she would be happy. She is contented, blissful. And her emotions would be our emotions, too. She is happy. We are happy.

"The autumn chill that wakes me up

You loved the amber skies so much

Long limbs and frozen swims

You'd always go past where our feet could touch

And I complained the whole way there

The car ride back and up the stairs

I should've asked you questions

I should've asked you how to be"

But even with all the fierceness and savage energy that my grandmother got, there are still complications and hardships that she faced. Just after the age of sixty, she started getting serious illnesses. Cancer and breathing problems would threaten her from time to time. And as time goes by, she slowly lost a large part of her hearing. Ever since, her sense of hearing got more muffled, and she's not able to hear all of us that well. When I'm talking to her, I always have to put my mouth onto her ear and then say something.

It also turns out that her husband, my grandfather, has been cheating, and now has two adult children with his mistress. She found out years ago, but let it pass. It's normal in our religion—unfortunately—for that to happen. But of course, the emotions that my grandmother felt had an effect on her. It turns out that her love of her life is also the love of someone else's life. My grandmother's family is now different, but Lola Safia, as brave as she is, faced all of these changes without fear. She still glued the family together.

My grandmother can control all things. She gets what she wants. But even with her good soul, she is still slowly losing touch with life. Her illness got more intense, and it reached the point where she has to get hospitalized. Slowly, we all felt it. Each and every one of us unhurriedly realized that soon we would lose her. Maybe my grandmother felt it too, because when she got out of hospital, she immediately threw a party. A party that would then be her last. As usual, many people came. It was still a really fun night. But there is a slight change in air, and again, we all felt it. It's my grandmother's last hoorah. Safia is soon going back to the hands of God, and she would be leaving us. But the night still continued, her presence requests so.

My grandmother is the burning torch who always keeps our family bright and fiery. But on her situation, it felt like she's a candle, still burning bright, but with limited life. Her grip with us is loosening, and it's not good for us.

She got hospitalized again. Every day is a fear that it would be her last. There is a sense of awareness, that Death might knock on her door at any moment, and then she would be gone. So all her children, the first of her generation, would all crowd around her. They would all gather and pray for her. To calm my grandmother down, her children would do all things to make her forget. It's a hard thing to do, yes, but they had to. And then one day, just before she requested to go to the beach, she finally came to a rest.

"Asked you to write it down for me

Should've kept every grocery store receipt

'Cause every scrap of you would be taken from me"

My grandmother was a lovely person. She was fierce, brave, and most of all, a caring woman. An excellent grandmother, a capable mother, and a great inspiration.

Hundreds of people loved my grandmother. She was too good of a soul, and unfortunately, the good ones are always the ones to leave early.

I was in third grade when it happens. And sometimes I curse at the sky for the lack of time I got with her. I should've remembered every details about her, took notes of the way she smiles. Of the way she bosses everyone around. And how she graces everyone with her eye-catching presence. I should've asked her everything, because she knows all the good things.

Since then I always take a picture of the oceans whenever I see them, every photograph I take is for my grandmother.

"What died didn't stay dead

What died didn't stay dead

You're alive, you're alive in my head"

My grandmother is an angel. If only I have a chance to talk to her, even if in a form of a ghost, I certainly would take any chance, just so I could ask her everything, and just so I could tell her that I love her so much. When Lola Safia passed away, she left fragments of her on her children and grandchildren. And these parts of her is gradually growing onto us. Her strength, her bravery, her confidence, all the warm and caring qualities will be a legacy left by her. Without her, I wouldn't be as fearless and confident as I am now.

She would always be my special someone. And I'm so proud that I am her grandson, and I'm so grateful that she's my grandmother.

What died didn't stay dead, she's alive, so alive in our hearts and souls. And she will always be alive, as long as she's remembered.

The lyrics are from the song "marjorie" by Taylor Swift

Feature Article by Abdullah Jibril Y. Dandamun

Photos by Jibril Dandamun

[jibbyscorner]

In the World of Harsh Reality, Taylor Swift's Mind Turned Everyone's Lives Into Folklore

Detailing Taylor's past albums, we'll take a look on how Taylor Swift evolved and made one of the most diverse discography of all time.

Photo by Taylor Swift

“Only 20 minutes to sleep

But you dream of some epiphany

Just one single glimpse of relief

To make some sense of what you've seen”

— epiphany, by Taylor Swift

As everything shut down, the world was put into a deep sleep. Almost every production was put into a long pause, and it felt like time stood still, the sounds sucked off into an oblivion. There was an eerie silence everywhere, an energy of paranoia lingering since an enemy that we cannot see started emerging among us. Medical personnel became our soldiers, a new generation of heroes sacrificing their lives to save the ones affected by the virus. This is what happened last year, when the pandemic of COVID 19 hit our world. There was darkness, and no one knew when the light would come back.

And in the eternity of silence, there was a moment of shock and surprise. Taylor Alison Swift, a thirty-one year old American singer-songwriter from Nashville brought songs of light in the middle of our darkest quietness. In the first months of our quarantine, Taylor Swift managed to write seventeen minimalistic songs that encapsulates the mood and tone the pandemic has brought forth upon us.

With tracks ranging from the feeling of being left out and taken for granted, infidelity, songs about trying, and melodies narrating a soulmates' love story, to fantasizing about past lovers, reminiscing on a recent summer fling, and the different perspectives of a teenage love triangle, Folklore (stylized as folklore), the eighth studio album by the global icon Taylor Swift, was put out into the world sixteen hours after its surprise announcement. And the general public can agree, Swift brought solace upon us, and what makes it special was that it was the music we never knew we needed the most. An album that stores nostalgia, with themes of experiences etched deep within the well-written words, brought forward to life by the lovely, melodic voice of Taylor Swift, Folklore is an album that you'll only hear once in a lifetime. It was indeed one of the best thing to come out in 2020, where everything were at its worst.

"And I don't know how it gets better than this

You take my hand and drag me head first

Fearless “

— Fearless, by Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift is known by the world as the master storyteller of life. Her albums details her experiences as she grows, like diary entries transformed into lyrical songs. It all started with her early teenage encounters chronicled in her debut album Taylor Swift (2006). But she obtained popularity with her sophomore album Fearless (2008), which also won multiple Grammys including Album of the Year, marking Swift, age 20 at the time, as the youngest artist to ever win the highest accolade provided by the awarding academy. [The 11-year record was broken by Billie Eilish in 2020, with her debut album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?] As times goes by, alongside her rise to stardom, Swift continued telling her story, narrating her life through a magical filter with Speak Now (2010). All the songs from this album was written all by her and her pen only, after some rumors erupted, speculating that she doesn't write her own songs. She proved them wrong by writing almost every single thing about her life, including heartbreaks and breakups. It wasn't until her fourth album, Red (2012), when the media started dubbing her as the queen of writing heartbreak songs. This sparked an ongoing battle with misogyny and stereotyping, painting Swift as the girl who could not move on from her ex-boyfriends.

Photo by Taylor Swift

“ It's a new soundtrack I could dance to this beat, beat forevermore

The lights are so bright but they never blind me, me”

— Welcome to New York, by Taylor Swift

Swift reached her peak in her fifth studio album, 1989 (2014), which sparked a great shock around the world. This was the album that highlighted a huge change in her career path, switching from country genre to full-on pop. This album also gave her a Grammy Album of the Year, making Taylor Swift as the first woman in the history of the awarding season to win two AOTD Grammys. The album is spectacular in all of its aspect, influenced by the aesthetics of polaroids and 80s synth pop music. It changed the music industry, with the album being the master influencer of more pop albums to come in the future. Two of the biggest songs from this albums were "Shake It Off" and "Blank Space," a couple of satirical tracks biting back at the media, especially men, as they're constantly invalidating her songs about heartbreak. Swift has managed to be brave and strong, a woman who knows how to fight back, she has done it so many times, and never failed.

Photo by Taylor Swift

“I can feel the flames on my skin

Crimson red paint on my lips

If a man talks shit, then I owe him nothing

I don't regret it one bit, 'cause he had it coming“

— I Did Something Bad, by Taylor Swift

Even when a phone call started leaking, painting Swift as the bad woman who loves to act like a victim, she has managed to still rise above and break records. After a year long feud with Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, and after thousands, if not millions, of hate comments directed at her, Swift made the biggest comeback of the decade by releasing her sixth studio album reputation (2017) [the small "r" done on purpose]. With the album detailing what it felt like to live in constant hate, the collection of songs also narrated how Swift found love in the middle of all hatred. It was when Swift was hated by the whole world, that she met her long-time partner Joe Alwyn, and what makes the album special is that, even in the darkest times, she found warmth and love that is real and golden. And now, with a love accompanying her by her side, Swift became what the media wants to paint her as: a cunning, malevolent, but genius snake.

Photo by Fernie on We Heart It

“Baby, let the games begin“

— Ready For It, by Taylor Swift

After numerous comments of snake icons started by Kim Kardashian, the world started dubbing Swift as the queen of snakes, an evil creature who loves to bite back when you're not looking. And as a genius business woman, Swift made herself as the queen of snakes, wearing dark-themed costumes on her snake-themed reputation stadium tour. With edgy choreography, darker lighting, and twisted vocals, Taylor Swift managed to fill in millions of seats on her stadium tour. After all of her hard work and cancelation by the media, Swift breathtakingly took the record of highest-grossing US tour in history, which generated US $266.1 million and sold over 2 million tickets (2,068,399) in the singer-songwriter's home country. As stated by some articles and video footages, Taylor Swift is indeed the music industry.

Photo by Buzzfeed

“ I once believed love would be burning red

But it's golden

Like daylight “

— Daylight, by Taylor Swift

She went from dark-themed to pastel-themed on her seventh studio album Lover (2019). With theatrical melodies and bubblegum pop, Taylor Swift narrates all sides of love. Swift now has a lover, and it's time to let go—but not forget—of all the hatred and fear that the previous times has given her. She is now finally happy, and she intends to prolong this emotion.

“Fifteen years, Fifteen million tears

Begging 'til my knees bled

I gave it my all, he gave me nothing at all

Then wondered why I left

Now he sits on his throne in his palace of bones

Praying to his greed

He's got my past frozen behind glass

But I've got me”

— it's time to go, by Taylor Swift

Aside from this, her seventh album is also the first album that she truly owned. After some negotiations that occurred behind her back, it was revealed by Swift that her ownership of her first six albums were stolen from her by an old enemy, Scooter Braun, and this greedy act was enabled by Scott Borchetta, the owner of Swift's old management. This meant for Taylor that she legally cannot access control and ownership over her previous albums. As a solution for this, Swift decided to rerecord her first six albums, as a means for Swift to regain control of her masters. In this way, Swift would be able to regain ownership of her songs, songs that she wrote ever since she was a teenager, writing lyrics on her bedroom floor.

Going back, the world was put on hold by the pandemic, and after long period of silence, Taylor Swift wrote and released Folklore. With well-known producers Jack Antonoff (from his band Bleachers) and Aaron Dessner (from the band The National), Taylor Swift made her quietest music yet, adding more layer to her discography. It was another shift in genre, from country, to pop, and now, to alternative folk. Using instruments such as piano, guitar, and even a hint of harmonica, Folklore will take you on a thought-provoking ride. The melodies of these songs are soothing to the ears, and it would also transport you to a place you never thought you'd ever go, as the album is full of raw emotions expressed in the most quiet way possible. It’s an album that would make you wonder.

“But I knew you'd linger like a tattoo kiss

I knew you'd haunt all of my what-ifs

The smell of smoke would hang around this long

'Cause I knew everything when I was young

I knew I'd curse you for the longest time

Chasin' shadows in the grocery line

I knew you'd miss me once the thrill expired

And you'd be standin' in my front porch light

And I knew you'd come back to me

You'd come back to me

And you'd come back to me

And you'd come back”

— cardigan, by Taylor Swift

Joining Fearless and 1989, Folklore also won Album of the Year in the Grammys, it made Taylor Swift as the first woman in history to ever win three Album of the Year Grammy awards. On top of that, she's also the first artist to win the highest accolade in the recording academy in three different genres: country, pop, and alternative folk. Alongside her big awards, Artist of the Decace in American Music Awards, and Global Icon Award in the Brits, Swift has been proving to us that she's an artist running for a legend status. And with her growing success, it's predicted that she would achieve this feat in the upcoming future.

Photo by Taylor Swift

Unlike Swift's previous albums, Taylor Swift's eighth studio album refrained from revealing more of Taylor's life at the moment. In the times when people needed to hear stories, Swift invented fictional narratives, telling a detailed, masterpieces meant to tell you a beginning, middle, and an end. Taylor's songwriting abilities paints you a picture, her excellent choice of words would make you feel specific emotions. The lyrics has depth in it that only a seasoned songwriter like Swift could do. Her pen game will really take you on adventures, a signature power of Taylor.

Photo by Taylor Swift

People really thought that Folklore will be Taylor's latest album for a while. But we're once again, proven wrong.

“Life was a willow and it bent right to your wind

But I come back stronger than a 90's trend”

— willow, by Taylor Swift

Nearly five months after the release of eighth studio album, Taylor went on social media again to surprise us with her ninth studio album, Evermore (stylized as evermore), the sister album of Folklore. Like the previous album, Evermore narrates seventeen more fictional tales, this one on a different theme. If Folklore is summer and spring, Evermore would encompass autumn and winter. Evermore would provide you the healing of the hurt Folklore provided. It's more mature, in a way, with themes going on from dangerous love, to love rekindling for a moment, more illicit affairs, and even going to infidelities resulting to a real murder. On the last track of Evermore, Swift narrates the feeling of hurting, and how she thought it would last forevermore, and on the last seconds of the song, Swift narrates how she found light at the end of the tunnel, and what she thought about pain lasting for evermore, was indeed wrong. She also wrote about letting go and moving on, a hint of her battle with the thieves Scott and Scooter, who stole her melodies and lullabies.

“And I was catching my breath

Barefoot in the wildest winter

Catching my death

And I couldn't be sure

I had a feeling so peculiar

That this pain would be for

Evermore"

— evermore, by Taylor Swift

Folklore and Evermore both provided the sense of reprieve that people hurting jn this pandemic needed. They're the relief that you would get after being underwater for so long, the first couple of breaths that you would savor, as you reached the edge of troubling waters. In the days of pause and frozen times, Taylor Swift sang to us, and provided us warmth and comfort. Her voice a big hug that we all need to cope up with the recent dark events in our world. We were all lucky to have an artist like Taylor Swift, who proves to be a productive art maker, even in the times of lost hopes and inspirations.

Photo by Taylor Swift

Right now, in the month of June, the world is slowly healing. And now that we got our first rerecording of one of her albums, Fearless (Taylor's Version), it's a fact that no one would ever forget what Taylor did to us with Folklore and Evermore. The two albums would be remembered as the albums that provided the hurting and healing that we all needed at the time. But then again, Taylor Swift never fails to make us all feel something, and with the re-recordings coming up, the world wouldn't be ready for more surprises she has in store.

Taylor Swift would be a legend in the coming years, and only time is holding her back.

Photo by Taylor Swift

Feature Article by Abdullah Jibril Y. Dandamun

[jibbyscorner]

Crunch! Jibby's Guide to Cooking the Crispiest Potato Chips Ever!

featuring ice cubes

School friendships come in all forms. There can be instances when you're all busy because of the overwhelming—and over piling—school works that you need to finish. Navigating through all of this would be like going into a massive labyrinth, with multiple routes and choices all leading somewhere, including a serendipitous destination. But sometimes, it can also lead to an unsatisfying dead end. An impasse, if you might say it in a fancier terms. One with no good moments to see. It's just so... unexciting and anti-climactic, you know? No bother, because all challenges can go through this outcome. No school friendship is perfect, there can be times where you're all just living in a low, lack of energy.

But when you're stuck on a research chapter with tired mind and empty belly, you might want to do something with it before you all try a different path. There may be deadlines, but you can't explore through a maze while you're all still hungry. And there may be a solution for this. All you need is a bunch of potatoes, some cooking oil, a pot (or a pan), more kitchen utensils, and of course, any source of heat. (Most recommended? A stove.)

There's a bunch of appetizing snacks that you can make with a good potato. But what if I tell you that you can cook a really crispy, mouthwatering potato chips with only a bowl of iced water?

Well, you can! And as a parting gift for the last days of my eleventh grade, I am going to teach you on how to make your break time, a great time. Prepare your notes, folks! This is my way of cooking a really delicious, ultimately crispy potato chips. Once you've tried this, you certainly won't regret it!

Of course, you can do this alone. Or if you want, you can definitely try this technique with a team! You can also take turns, especially as this cooking techinique takes time. With great potatoes, comes great amount of minutes... and also cold water and a good knife. This isn't exactly a quick process, you got to put some love in this.

So what is the first step? Well, first, you have to pick the best potatoes. Not exactly the extremely expensive ones, just the right potatoes in the right condition. Take some time on choosing, ask for them, the good potatoes will call on you... if they don't, just choose the ones that are normal, potato-looking potatoes. Personally, I prefer the oval-sized potatoes. I also want them to be a little rough, so I could peel them easily with a spoon.

<< For a quick guide, two medium-sized potatoes would fill a medium-sized bowl. The more potatoes you got, the more satisfied taste buds and bellies you're going to get. >>

And yeah, you've read that right. A spoon! This is a trick that I've learned from my classmates while we're cooking for our TLE subject on ninth grade. Using a peeler or a knife can lead to you losing a layer of good, crispy potatoes. That would be such a waste, doesn't it? Especially since vegetables are so pricey right now! So, you take your spoon (choose the thinnest one), and then you just peel them using the said utensil. This is why I told you to pick the right potatoes, because the right and good ones will peel easily, and you won't lose a layer of potato goodness. Make sure to wash them first before spoon-peeling.

The next step is of course, to cut them. I wouldn't judge you on how you cut them. But when I cook these potatoes, I use a butcher knife (when you're going to use this, please be careful!). Using a butcher knife, I like to cut them in halves vertically. In this way, you're going to end up with two, oval shaped potatoes, with a flat surface on one side. The next step is to cut them as thin as possible. Now, with a butcher knife, you would be able to perform this smoothly, it would take about five minutes to cut six half of potatoes, and you will be good to go!

The next step is to get a bowl, just the ones that would fit your uncooked potato chips, with room for water to fill in. Wash it with clean water. If you observe them, the water would eventually turn into hazy, gray (sometimes light brown, because of the soil in the potatoes), and this is not a bad thing! It's just the starch roaming around your water. Once you see this milky water, you spill them out. And then fill the bowl with water again. Rinse the potatoes with your clean, sanitized hands. And spill the water out again. Do this process as many as you want, and in a few minutes, your potatoes will sink in with clear, transparent water. This meant that the starch is out the surface of your chips and it would make it more crispy when you cook them.

Now, the special part. The best way to make a crispy, and at the same time, flavorful potato chips is to soak them in cold, iced water. Put the cold water onto your potato bowl. Feel them, the more numb your fingers get, the better it is for the potatoes. The cold bath would help your potatoes lose more of its starch, making it look like a real chips when cooked. Wait for a moment to let the potatoes soak and settle in with the cold water.

This is the waiting part. You can wait ten minutes. While you're waiting, let's have a quick talk, shall we?

I actually discovered this technique while doing a group project with my classmates. We were exhausted, drained, and the worst part? We were all hungry. It doesn't help the fact that we were all craving for fries. Good thing about our house is that, our kitchen always has a variety of vegetables, and potatoes were one of them. And so me and our classmates cooked our fries.

It was good! In fact, we really enjoyed it. But I can't seem to not mind the shiny look on our fries. It's too oily, not exactly a turn on for me. And so I had this urge within me that told me to look for a technique that would make my potatoes dry and not too oily-looking. And that's what I did.

After numerous amount of attempts, I finally achieved it. And now I am sharing it with you guys! I've really come a long way with potatoes.

Okay, back to our cold bowl of potatoes. The next thing you're going to do is to open your stove in between medium and low heat. Then you're going to choose your pot, I recommend a medium-sized one, just make sure that it would fit your potatoes perfectly! Just let the pot heat for a moment. One thing I've noticed is that if you put oil on a warm pot, it would make your potatoes stick on the surface. So make sure that your pot is hot and slightly smoking before putting cooking oil.

<< In putting cooking oil, make sure that it would cover all of your potatoes. The more oil, the better. When you're done with oil, let them heat up again for a couple of minutes. >>

Also, while you're waiting, you can now drain your potatoes! It would be cool, pun intended, that you put your cold potatoes on hot cooking oil. Just be careful with the bursting hot oil, you would not want them to touch your skin. Once you've put them on, stir them. Make sure that all of your potato chips are covered in oil. Also make sure that they're all spreaded out evenly! So they can all cook in the same amount of time. Turn the stove to medium heat.

Now this is where you put your insticts in. The best way is to wait a couple of minutes so you can leave time for your potatoes to slowly cook. I say wait for three minutes before checking on them.

I'll start the timer. And while you're waiting, let's get to know each other!

[3:00]

Okay, so how are you doing? Are you feeling good, okay? Or stressed because of school works?

[2:45]

Well, if you ask me, I guess I'm doing fine. I'm trying really hard not to get myself stressed. It's really bad if I get stressed because it would affect my performance! Wouldn't want to have that effect on your essay, right? I guess the best remedy for this is to just find your comfort zone. For me, it's doing essays while playing Netflix on the background. It helps me feel relaxed and at my comfort zone, I just love watcing movies and TV shows so much!

[2:05]

What's your hobbies, do you like reading, watching, baking, cooking, or maybe even gaming? Are you into sports?

[1:35]

If you could go somewhere, anywhere in the world... assuming if we're not in pandemic, where would you go?

[1:00]

For me, I would certainly go to a bookstore. I've missed going there so much. I miss the smell of books!

[0:40]

Have you tried experimenting with potatoes? They're a really versatile food, huh? You can do everything with them, and that's what makes potatoes really special!

[0:20]

For me, I've actually tried doing other things! I've tried doing Mojos, of course, fries, and even mashed potatoes! One time I've tried them with my friends, and while they're not looking, I put some sopas soup on the mashed and mixed them. It turned out really good, I promise you have to try them at some point. It's amazing!

[-0:07]

Oops! We almost forgot about the potatoes we're cooking. My bad! Okay so, once the three minutes is up, you have to check them out. Usually, they don't get crispified at three minutes. Sometimes in my experience, it takes ten minutes to cook them really well. We're looking for a golden look on the potatoes. And you'll feel them with your spatula once they started getting crispy under the boiling oil. You have to take time, always check on them! Because once they turn crispy, it would be also a really quick time before they turn black and burn.

Once it's crispy, prepare a sheet of tissue towel and strainer. Put the tissue on the strainer and place your cooked crispy potato chips over there! You can leave them over there for a few minutes. The tissues would absorb the oils and it would make your potato chips dry and golden-skinned. Once dry, put them on a bowl and sprinkle some salt! Or, if you want, you can put some cheese powder or any condiments on them. That's the beauty of potatoes, it dances on your taste buds regardless of its flavor!

And that, my friends, is how you cook a crispy, mouthwatering, delicious, perfect potato chips. You can pass them on to your friends, to your friends of friends, or even to your acquaintances! I really do think it would be nice if this snack I've experimented on for years would pass on and satisfy other potato lovers. And to all of you hardworkers out there, this snack would be a great delight for you! May the break of these potato chips on your teeth encompass a satisfying break time for all of you.

So if you're out there, doing research, or going on any hard path the labyrinth of a life may give you, always remember that you deserve a break, you truly do. The great beyond is just out there, it's waiting. And if you feel like getting a snack break, how about you try my potato chips, eh? I'm sure it would make a worthwhile snack!

Feature Article by Abdullah Jibril Y. Dandamun

Photos by Jibril Dandamun

[jibbyscorner]

Jibby Travels: Taking the Sunrise Bus, Going Anywhere

𝙒𝙚'𝙧𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙬𝙚𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚, 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙮! 𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙞𝙧𝙮! 𝙆𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙧, 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙤'𝙨 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩!

— Killer Quest! From the musical: The Lightning Thief, The Percy Jackson Musical

"𝘖𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯

𝘎𝘰𝘪𝘯' 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯

𝘚𝘦𝘦𝘪𝘯' 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯... "

— On the Road Again, Willie Nelson

4:00 𝘼𝙈, 𝙄𝙉 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙆𝙄𝙏𝘾𝙃𝙀𝙉

𝗪aking up early in the morning will always be considered as a huge bummer for a night owl person like me, but today is not that day. As I'm rummaging through my kitchen, quietly preparing a coffee for a burst of energy, and casually looking through the kitchen window, I know that I'm going to have a great day, because this day is a moment reserved only for adventures. I've already packed my things such as extra clothes and pocket money. I've already prepared my snacks. And, of course, made sure I have fully recharged my phone. The air is cold and crisp, and while I for one like this weather, I can't help but long for the warm, kind of humid atmosphere me and my classmates are going to feel once we're in our set of destinations. I found myself smiling, really excited because today is the day I'm going on a field trip with my beloved classmates. And I can't wait to witness the beautiful animals and magnificent surroundings we are all fated to encounter in this educational tour. It's going to be a sweaty, but fun day!

5:00 𝘼𝙈, 𝙄𝙉 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘽𝙐𝙎

Around 5 AM me and my brother have managed to arrive in school, just in time for the busses to leave the campus. Thank God! We still made it in time! I went to my batch's bus and hurriedly looked for my assigned seat. I have to be honest, walking down the aisle with the stares of my bus mates pierced through my soul. I was the last one to arrive and it felt really embarrassing. Just a tip, ladies and gents: make sure to arrive early at your meeting spot when traveling with friends!

After that, it was a moment of laughter and storytellings. As I got to my seat, I immediately got in touch with my seat mate. The bus moved in a moderate pace and off we go! We're about to go to our first destination, which is Jest Camp, found on Subic Bay, Freeport Zone. And since it's a long trip, some of my classmates decided to sleep. Road trips are a favorite of mine, and I just stayed awake, listened to calming music, and stared at the bus window. It was, once again, a moment of quietness, and I watched as the sun slowly rises. The golden sun followed us, wherever we went. From dark blue the sky gradually turned bright orange, and at last, morning has officially come. Watching the change happen felt truly calming! It's been a while since I've witness the sun rise.

Around 7:30 AM my classmates finally woke up. We made some stop overs so we can buy snacks at convenience stores or pee on gas station restrooms, and after that our adventure continued. Sightseeing is really fun if you have some friends to talk to, and that is what we did while looking through the magnificent view of fields and mountains.

Right before we reached our destination, we were greeted by the vast expanse of sea. On our side of the bus we can see through the whole encompassing, breathaking view of blue, with waves surfacing on the shore every now and then. It was a beautiful sight, we haven't even arrived at the place but I'm already captivated by the creation of God. You can see birds flying overhead, and I just know that when the windows were open, even with the small polution affecting the area, I would still be able to smell the citrus and salty scent of the ocean breeze. But alas, that is not our destination, and so our bus continued to move forward.

At last, after countless gossiping and vibing with my classmates, we have finally arrived at the Jest camp. It was 9 AM when we arrived, and the sun is slowly rising through over our heads, showering us with mild heat. Preparing our things that we would bring to the venue (which consisted of a hat, umbrella, our wallets, and a bottle of water, all contained in our small bags), we left the bus. On the way there we found some other students from different schools too, and as a polite students of Shining Hope Academy, we smiled at them and waved, building a warm gesture between the both of our group.

8:00 𝘼𝙈, 𝙄𝙉 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙅𝙀𝙎𝙏 𝘾𝘼𝙈𝙋

The entrance already looks exciting. At the gates you would see two pillars supporting two long logs. And in it lies the name of the destination: Jest Camp, lettered in yellow font, with their logo placed in the middle. The air feels fresher here, the fresh trees and grass smell lingering under our noses. The structure is a huge wood house designed with very campy colors and ornaments. The look of the lobby already looks promising, like it's hinting an exciting show inside the venue. There's animal stuffed toys lined on the shelves of their desks, all waiting to be bought as a souvenir by its visitors. On the left side was a bulletin board filled with pictures of its previous explorers, they seem to be smiling, carefully holding different kinds of animals.

Waiting outside built a sense of anticipation. And then finally, we were invited inside to see a show of creatures with the ability of flight.

---

9:00 𝘼𝙈, 𝙄𝙉 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙎𝙃𝙊𝙒 𝙊𝙁 𝘾𝙊𝙐𝙉𝙏𝙇𝙀𝙎𝙎 𝘽𝙄𝙍𝘿𝙎

Magaul Bird Park, the name of our first destination. Basically, it's a show of different kinds of birds. We were all seated in a amphitheater-looking venue, with rows and rows of seats, all leading downward where a flat stage is found with circus-like designs and a curved water pond just on the far left side of the platform. Well, since this is a show of birds, I will not tell you the specific kinds of winged creature who performed in the show. It will ruin the fun! The moment of surprise is their best element, and you better go there without an idea in mind, it will be more exciting that way, I promise.

This I can say though, it was surely an interesting performance. The birds looked like they're having fun, and they're really trained well. It was like watching an animated movie, but this time, they're very much real! It reminded me a lot of the movie Rio, and it was truly a moment in my life to be able to watch an eagle soaring overhead. Plus, we were able to see lots of cute little ducks! They emerged from the curved pool of water, and they look absolutely adorable. I had to resist the urge to go down there and steal one of them. Thankfully, I managed... barely.

At the end we were also taught on how to make kitchen utensils out of a bamboo stick. It was very educational and will surely help you especially if you want to go camping. And we were also introduced to an interesting looking branch of wood. Apparently, it contains a supply of drinkable water! It was then distributed to a handful amount of students so they can try the said wood water. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to taste it, but one of my classmates told us that it tastes like nature.

That was the end of the show. And after that, we had lunch. It was indeed a great way to start our field trip!

---

11:30 𝘼𝙈, 𝙄𝙉 𝘼 𝙏𝙊𝙐𝙍 𝙊𝙁 𝘽𝙄𝙍𝘿𝙎 𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝘿𝙄𝙁𝙁𝙀𝙍𝙀𝙉𝙏 𝘼𝙉𝙄𝙈𝘼𝙇𝙎

After lunch, we were guided into a tunnel full of birds. A beautiful sound greeted us, their chirping seemingly sounding like the start of a magical song. There were different kinds of them to be found inside the tunnel, there were ducks, a bunch of varieties of small-looking birds (all in different shades of color), and even peacocks! Each of them showcased their colorful feather, their quick flying skills, melodic tweeting... and even their egg. Literally. At the end of the tunnel, we found a freshly laid ostrich egg. One of my friend posed for a picture, looking like he was the one who just laid the egg. The sight made me laugh while we continued on the tour.

The next stop is a room full of different insects. They're not alive, thankfully. I would've been so scared! They were encased in these glass frames, with descriptions found alongside them. There were a bunch of colorful butterflies, with their patterns varying in colors and shapes. There were countless beetles, and other more insects that I can't name. It was definitely a different vibe from our last stop, which is the birds.

We walked through a lot of pathways, and the surrounding has a relaxing vibe in it. There were a lot of trees, and a collection of different eye-catching structures, like the fun-looking bridge, and a tree full of bird cages. This is where you can take your own pictures, and yes, we took a lot of them. Besides, what are photographs, if not captured memories? We took pictures wherever we can, because we know that someday soon we would look at these pictures and see the beautiful sights our eyes had laid upon.

After the tour, our destination in Jest Camp has finally concluded. We went back to our bus to go to the nexr destination, which is Zoobic Safari.

12:30 𝙋𝙈, 𝙄𝙉 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙏𝙄𝙂𝙀𝙍 𝘼𝘿𝙑𝙀𝙉𝙏𝙐𝙍𝙀

The next stop turned out as my most favorite destination. We're headed to Zoobic Safari, found on the same area, in Freeport Zone, Subic Bay. and we're about to go on a covered bus to see some tigers in action! And so that is what we did. Before that, while in the bus, we did our best to change our clothes, it was indeed a hot sunny day, and we were all sweaty. One thing you really need to pack in this trip is a pair of extra clothes, a cap, and even sunblock! You would not like to have a nasty sunburn.

First sight we saw on our next venue is a series of stores. Thousands of different kinds of souvenirs were offered to us in exchange of a considerable amount of cash. But because I'm me, and because it's hot, the store that caught my attention... and my cash, was the milkshake store. I know, it's not a great remembrance, but what can I do? It's indeed hot, and I'm getting really sweaty! Besides, I have to admit, some of the stuff there were really overpriced, it's just not worth it for me.

After the store, we waited for our turn in the tiger experience. We were asked for an extra amount of 20 pesos each so that we can feed the tigers some meat. To be honest, it was quite a bummer, since we thought it was all covered in the expenses we paid before we registered for the field trip. But ah well, moving on!

The extra fee was forgotten when we got to experience the tour. We saw lots of them! Some were walking around the fields, waiting. The meat were provided by the expert tour guides for safety, some were just laying around, and seems to have no care for the world, some were even on a pond, quietly half-submerged under water, maybe because of the heat. When they see the meat being offered to them, they hurriedly went to our bus and ate them with their huge mouth. Their spiky teeth and claws burrowed deep within their gums. It was so awesome. Seeing it in action was something you don't see every day. We screamed when we got sight of them near us, and it was an another level of fun experience. Like I've said, this is my favorite part of our field trip.

After that, it was another tour of animals. Some of my classmates went to an 8D Cinema. But others including me continued on with the tour. Under the burning heat of the afternoon, we walked through different kinds of animals. The air smelled of wilderness, like dirt and trees with hints of animal furs. We saw lions, zebras, horses, turtles, snakes, and goats. Walking through the zoo was interesting, because you get to see many different species of animals. Although I can't help but notice the state of the lions, I still remember their sad figures. They were caged and they look like they want to go out and live on their natural habitat. I have to admit I want to go to the door and free them, but alas, I cannot. We continued on and walked through another section showcasing crocodiles.

The crocodiles look scary, you can also pay some foods to feed on them. I didn't buy one because I was too scared. Some are fast-moving, while some are unmoving at all, frozen like a statue. Speaking of frozen creatures, we also went through a cave of taxidermed animals. It all looks interesting, but at the same time, creepy-looking. They look really alive. The smell of the cave gives a musty scent, like dust and other particles I can't quite name. You might want to have a mask when entering! Maybe it's the effect given by the taxidermy.

After that, it was the end of the trip. We went back to our bus and finally, another roadtrip. This time, it's time to go home.

3:30 𝙋𝙈 𝙩𝙤 7 𝙋𝙈, 𝙄𝙉 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘽𝙐𝙎, 𝙂𝙊𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙃𝙊𝙈𝙀

The moment we got onto the bus, we started munching. It was a long tour, and we got really hungry. After that, some of my classmates slept again, tired because of a long day full of walking and exploring. Even though I only had four hours of sleep that day, I didn't sleep. I wanted to enjoy another sightseeing. And I still have lots of snacks to devour.

An hour later, my classmates woke up. We once again laughed together and sang cheesy songs at the top of our lungs. It was our last field trip, so we had to savor it! After three hours of roadtrip, we finally got to our school. And then... with a great feeling in my heart, we went home.

THOUGHTS

Overall, it was a fun trip! The events that happened that day became memorable for me, especially since I got to experience them with friends. One thing I can say about the venues was that I expected more activities. It was just a long period of walking and walking and walking...

The tiger experience was the best part of the trip. It really made me feel like I'm in another world. Seeing an awesome-looking tiger is indeed unforgettable, it's one of the few things I would want to experience again.

In the end, I still had a big smile on my face when I went home. It was just a memory that I know I would remember every once in a while. For me, what makes the travel worthwhile is when you have good company to travel with. So when going on a trip, be sure to bring some friends along with you! It would be nice to explore the world with someone, especially people who are special to you. Want to go on this trip we just had? Well, then plan it now with your friends! I'm sure you would also have a lot of fun in this one.

Estimated cost of the trip: 2,500 PHP per individual

[jibbyscorner]

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱,

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗵, 𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱?

"𝘔𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦. 𝘎𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴. 𝘖𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴. 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵."

— Victoria Schwab, This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity, #1)

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

Everything can have a story. For every second that pass by, stories are woven into memories and thoughts. Wait a few minutes, then you can form a short story. Invest a few hours, then you get a full novel. There's opportunities lingering everywhere, and when you have the power to turn memories into words, transform moments and time into a full narrative, then you would be able to perform a magical act only a writer could do. Think about it, stories are just experiences immortalized by our pens and laptops. So please, don't you dare hesitate to write something. There will be someone out there willing to listen.

Welcome, welcome! I will be here telling you different kinds of true stories! I hope you enjoy, I hope you devour these words, and I hope you get to experience a good time! This is the Writer in the Dark, saying hello.

.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.

Hello!