What's Going On? (Life Update) 6/24/16

Holy shit, it's been a long time since my last update on my life. Exactly three months since the last full update! So much has happened since then, I can't even remember all of it. I'll try my best, though.

First off, let's talk about school. Overall, it ended on a pretty good note. I ended up passing all of my finals and finished junior year with all As, which puts me in a nice position for senior year. I also led a research project regarding SAT enrollments at my school for the math department, which was a nice way to apply the stuff I learned in AP Stats, one of my favorite classes and possible future major, this year. Only bad thing was that my graphic calculator stolen during a lab final, which sucks because of its price and the fact that I had a ton of programs I wrote on there. However, my sister did give me hers and a friend gave me a TI-92 he got for free, so that makes up for it.

Next is what I've done my senior-year summer. On the day school ended, I hung out with my ex just around town and at a party. We're great friends, and I still love her, but she's going to move out of state and I just don't know how everything will be once she's gone– especially since she's the one who introduced me to all of these great clubs and people that I've had so much fun in. After that, I ended up taking the ACT and going to Santa Barbara to see my sister's graduation, and spent the rest of the week relaxing. In the weeks following that, I've done some volunteering at the county fair, went to forensics camp/class, and hung out with a few people.

As to my summer science internship situation, it looks like that I've been rejected from every program I've applied to this year– which is more than I can count, or care to remember at this point. The only science-y related things I did get accepted to were a summer extension program for my biotechnology class, an environmental science summer camp, and volunteering in science booths at the fair. I guess I'm not too broken up about it; I'm not wealthy enough to afford those $5000+ summer programs on the other side of the nation, and I don't have the skills or experience to get accepted into the <10% acceptance-rate internships– the majority of which are the programs I applied to.

I have learned quite a few things from these rejections, and from the people I've met so far. First thing is that while I can write a college-level research report, I cannot write an essay about myself, which are the types of essays required for internship and college apps. I've been told that I write too casually, which I'm sure you can tell if you're reading this right now.

The second thing is that even without these internships, I'll be just fine. I'm not as rich or privileged as the people I know who are going to Yale or Stanford for pre-college programs, but I still have more than I thought. Talking to the people at my forensics class taught me that; the things that people at my school scoff at– like community colleges and CSUs– are the Harvards and UC Berkeleys of other schools. Now, while I admit that seeing my friends get accepted into prestigious programs and get the internships I wish I had makes me feel a bit jealous and disappointed of myself, meeting these other students makes me grateful for what I have.

Thirdly, teaching people at the county fair has made me see that everyone is capable of learning and accepting new ideas; they just have different ways of understanding it, and you have to be able to accommodate for that. Even though someone doesn't look or sound intelligent, they can still have a deep appreciation for the work others do and the knowledge they can offer. Oh, and also, it's not too hard to meet people and make friends. All you have to do is just talk and listen.

Finally, from my bus driver to the forensics class, Michael, who I met only a week before he had to transfer routes: just be happy, because every day is a blessing. What he said is a bit cliched, I admit, but he's right. Sure, some days are bad, and that's a given, but there's something new every day and that's the beauty in life– you just have to look for it. His words mainly, by the way.

So, what's in store for the future? Well, tomorrow, I'm going to have my last shift volunteering at a science booth at the county fair, and the day after that, I'll be volunteering with the Uhuru/African socialist movement at SF pride. I don't necessarily agree with their beliefs, but it'll be interesting and a nice experience to prepare for African American Literature and another possible major, African American Studies. Then, I continue with my last week of forensics class, and I'll have to figure out what to do in July. Probably more volunteering, along with that summer camp and other classes.

I also have a bit of summer homework to get through, in order to prepare for AP Chem, Comp Civics, and AP Gov/Macro. I think my plan to get through those and improve my own skills is to read 25 pages of any novel, 25 pages of a required book and/or 1 chapter from a textbook, and write 1 thing, either school-related or just one of these posts each day. I'll try to do a lot of the writing by hand so my handwriting is at least legible. My goal is to finish everything before August, so I can spend the few weeks before school studying for tests. Senior year is going to be a pain in terms of amount of work, but who knows? Hopefully it'll be super fun.

Also, since I haven't updated on this yet, here's my almost-finalized schedule for this year. It's not yet sure because I'll need to wait until Registration, but here it is, after 3 revisions:
AP Chemistry, AP Government/Macroeconomics, AP English Literature, Competition Civics, Photography 1, and African American Literature.

It might be a while before my next tea review since I'm a bit poor; all of my money is going to BART and the buses, I'm out of work for now, and I've had a few large expenses recently, so I think I'll be saving for a while. I might have some tea I haven't reviewed yet, but I'll check into that. If not, I'll probably be posting some other filler posts, like recipes or analyses of stuff or creative writing. Thanks for reading.

An Attempt at Fermenting Tea/Making Puerh

It's been a month since my last post, and since I can't seem to get the motivation to work today (a combination of being tired, a headache, and a long day), writing seemed like a good idea. 

Anyway, in short, here's what I did; I know it's probably a long shot compared to real puerh tea processing, but I thought it was interesting. I got the idea after leaving tea leaves out for a few days because I had a short drinking session.

First, I put a tea base– Nepal First Flush Oolong from What-Cha– into a gaiwan and added cold water. I let it sit for near an hour, so the leaves soaked up the water, and then drained it.

Next, I placed the gaiwan containing the leaves by a drafty window, where they would get sunlight and air to dry off. For the first day, I turned the leaves every few hours, and then for the second day, I left it alone for the most part.

I ended up leaving the gaiwan by the windowsill 3-4 days, until the leaves were completely dried. After, I simply left the gaiwan with the dried tea leaves in my room for a week. Something interesting to note was that the leaves became more darker/brown; while some were still greenish-white, many more were brownish (and when brewing, all of them were brown compared to the original's dark green & brown color). 

So, now, here I am– drinking the tea at half-past 9 PM. To brew, I did a tea wash first with boiling water (because I'm scared of dangerous window bacteria!), and then did each brew after for 10-30 seconds. 

Surprisingly, the results were pretty tasty. Compared to the original tea base, the flavor of this tea was much more mellow. Like any other puerh (shengs, mainly), the first brews were a bit metallic with a roasty, coffee-like flavor; it wasn't fishy or composty, however. It had a bit of fruitiness like the tea base, but it was less sour/biting. The color, too, was a darker, orange-yellow compared to the bright yellow of the original. As for the aroma, it definitely had that fermented smell you can find in puerhs, with a fruity, vinegar scent. 

It got even better as time went on, losing that metallic flavor for a sweeter, melon-like taste with a little bit of chocolate. However, it did have a slightly bitter aftertaste. I also got that feeling in my throat– a bit dry, like you have something stuck– that you also have with some other fermented teas.

Overall, it was a pretty interesting experience. I'd like to test it out with other teas since I've only really tried it with this Nepal oolong, and also see how it tastes when aged for a long period of time. Try it out sometime!

The Paradox of American History and Why It's Important

Just a note: this has nothing to do with tea, but I thought it would be good writing practice and a way to put my thoughts into words, which is admittedly a skill I need to really work on. Again, like most of my writing, this hasn't been proofread so don't hold it against me.

First, let me preface this with the fact that this whole passage is from the perspective of a high schooler, and at this point in my life, I don't really have the experiences to back it up. However, these ideas come from my own interest in the history of the United States and experience being a first generation American.

This year, I took AP United States History: a class with a varied reputation, from being extremely easy to almost impossible. Keep in mind, I go to an upper-middle class, suburban high school, so for most, the grade– the venerable A– is the main thing that matters. For my grade, or the Class of 2017, this seems to be the prevalent way of thinking, creating an environment of competition based solely on test scores and performance.

Personally, I believe that this mentality isn't necessarily conducive to success. Sure, it might get the grade and the 5 on the AP exam, but it can come at a cost; because of the class and a few bad test scores, I've seen some of the smartest students I know begin to doubt their ability and lose interest in the subject. This isn't restricted to only APUSH, but I'm using it as an example because this is where I've seen it the most due to the difficulty.

I know that it might not be my place to criticize other people's mentalities since I'm not them nor am I doing badly in the class. However, I believe that my own success in the class comes from a passion for the subject and a strong belief that failure is okay and working harder is the best solution to problems. That's why I wrote a 100 page study guide for my class and have spent a ridiculous amount of time studying for the class.

Now, what does this have to do with history? Well, here's what I think: America was founded in part based on the ideas of rugged individualism and social mobility. The existence of free land, especially in the West, and the ability for all to exchange their current position in society for a better one has been at the basis of American motivations in expansion, competition, and more– as seen in Manifest Destiny, Social Darwinism, and all in all the American Dream.

As a result, Americans have an optimism and work ethic usually not found in other nations as a whole. Since the 1780's to now, there has been a belief that life sucks now, but that's okay– it will get better later if I just work a bit harder. Such optimism has been shared by all Americans; it motivated African Americans to move north in the Great Migration, farmers west during the Dust Bowl, and immigrants to the east since the 1840s. It's also why my parents moved here from Philippines, in order to obtain the economic opportunities not found abroad.

However, there's an issue: time has shown that the American Dream doesn't actually exist; especially after the Frontier closed in 1890, it's become obvious that the idea that you, too, can become rich by working hard is only true for a small minority– that minority being wealthy, male Caucasians. For the Chinese, getting rich from the Gold Rush or obtaining a job in America was no longer a reality after anti-Chinese riots in the 1880s and the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act. For African Americans, freedom meant nothing when the institution of Jim Crow and racism prevented integration and equality. For women, it took close to 80 years to gain the vote– and even then, they were only given suffrage based on the sexist ideal of separate spheres. Time, and time again, the American Dream only proves true for a minority composed of the majority.

Despite this, there is still a thriving belief in the American Dream, especially by the minorities that America has discriminated against for so long. The optimism is based on a false hope, and many even realize that it's false. But that doesn't stop them; they try anyways, in an attempt to prove the system wrong. They fight for a lost cause which time has proved is truly lost. They try to break the cycle of history, and for the smallest group of people, it works, which motivates the rest to continue the fight.

I'm sure many know that it's true, and that continuing to fight is counterintuitive. Nevertheless, here's the thing: the smallest effort can make all the difference. I know that as a minority, the system isn't designed so that I succeed. It's designed to stop me.

But I don't let it stop me. Nor has it stopped others. It all falls back on the idea that if we work just a little bit harder, it can get better. Change occurs as the result of many individuals working together to achieve just a tiny difference, and success occurs when an individual realizes that he or she can make that difference through a belief in their own ability.

That's why I like American history so much. It's founded on a contradictory hope. I know that I'll probably end like the masses of Americans forced into subservience by an oppressive society. But maybe, just maybe, if I work hard enough, I can break free and prevent history from repeating. I'm not the only one.

Recipe: Strawberry Iced Tea Syrup

It's been a while since my last post! The reason why is because of finals last week, and AP exams this week. I'll post more when I get a chance, but it looks like I'll be busy for just a bit longer. Anyway, this recipe is one I adapted from Foodwishes– it's a strawberry-tea syrup you can use in drinks, since Summer is on its way. I tried it yesterday, and it actually tastes pretty good as a soda or juice.

Ingredients:

Ripe strawberries, 3 lb

Honey, 1/2 cup – you want a light tasting honey for this; I've made it with stronger tasting honey and it overpowers the strawberry flavor a little bit

Water, 3 cups

Tea, 5 grams – your call what kind of tea (I'd suggest green or black); experiment with the ratio of water to tea and brewing parameters to get the best flavor

Instructions:

1. Rinse your strawberries with cold water.

2. Hull and chop the strawberries into 1/4ths (depending on the size, you might want smaller pieces).

3. Heat the water, and brew the tea. Remove the leaves by straining and let cool.

4. Once the liquid is cooled, add the strawberries. Bring the water to a boil.

5. Stir once, and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

6. Strain out the strawberry pulp (you can do this by pouring the liquid into a strainer with a new pot underneath). 

7. Add the honey to the liquid. There are two ways to do this: either pour the honey straight into the pot (might need to microwave it to make it easier) or add some liquid to the honey, stir it together, and pour it into the main pot.

8. Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and heat for 5 minutes.

9. Take it off of the heat and let sit for 15-30 minutes (or until cold).

10. Pour the liquid into a container/bottle (optional: strain again to get rid of any other material).

11. Serve by mixing together with water and ice in a 1:3 ratio. To make fizzy, just add sparkling water or club soda. 

Recipe: Royal Milk Tea

If you don't know what Royal Milk Tea is, it's pretty much the Japanese version of milk tea. Most recipes call for a mix of two types of black teas– usually from Ceylon, Assam, or Sri Lanka– with quite a bit of sugar and milk. It's like chai without the spices. Experiment to your liking!

Ingredients:
Black tea, 7.5 g - I'm using a 3:2 mix of Sri Lankan black tea to Azores black tea.
Sugar, 70g - White sugar here, I'd imagine you can also use honey or brown sugar (but in the case of honey, it would be harder to control sweetness
Milk, 750 ml - Any type is OK
Water, 250 ml - Go for a 1:3 ratio with the milk; it's milk tea, so you want more milk than water

Instructions:
1. Boil your water in a large saucepan and brew the tea for about 5 minutes.
2. Add your milk to the tea until it boils. Stir constantly.
3. Like with chai, let the mixture boil up and take it off the heat. Once the bubbles fall back down, place it back on the heat. You want to do this about 3-5 times (look at the color of the tea to decide strength) while stirring.
4. In a heatproof container, pour in the tea (you might want to let it cool down first) and strain off the leaves.
5. Add your sugar and stir it in to dissolve.
6. Chill and serve cold.

Review: Milk Tea - Ito En

Tea Info
Type: Sweetened, Canned, Black Milk Tea
Producer: Ito En
Origin/Base: Hawaii
Brewing Parameters: N/A
Appearance: N/A
Rating: B | 86/100
# of Brews: N/A

Tasting Notes and Thoughts
Oh hey, first time reviewing tea in a can. I've actually had this before, and I think it's one of the better ones. Interestingly, it's a "Hawaii Exclusive" and I've only been able to find it in the Mitsuwa Marketplace in San Jose (the place where I get all of my Lupicia tea). I think I actually based a milk tea recipe I made on the flavor of this, but I don't know where I actually put it– in fact, I'll try experimenting again and post it on here today since I have nothing else to do.

Anyway, I don't really think there is much to say about this. It's not too sweet, with the earthy flavors of the black tea first and a creamy flavor afterwards. It's slightly fruity, too, probably because of the tea base. Compared to other canned milk teas I've had, this doesn't taste too watery or deathly sweet. Oh, and in all of the cans I've drank (which I admit is quite a bit), the milk isn't curdled or anything, which is nice. Overall, best milk tea in a can I've had so far.

Other Notes
First weekday of spring break! Started off with getting a diagnosis of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, which is always fun. Apparently I'll have to start taking painkillers for a week or two.

Other than that, today I'll just be making a recipe for Royal Milk Tea, reading/finishing A Confederacy of Dunces, and studying for AP classes (also maybe the SAT Bio/Math/USH tests and the ACT). I don't really have much to do over spring break.

Recipe: London Fog French Toast

First day of spring break! Not really feeling up to reviewing a tea today, so here's what I made for breakfast. Pretty easy recipe overall, and it can easily be adjusted if it's too sweet or not sweet enough, cooked too much or not enough, and so on.

Ingredients:

Earl Grey Black Tea, 1 teabag or 3g of loose leaf - I used Trader Joe's brand tea bags

Honey, 1.5 tablespoons - Local wildflower honey here

Milk, 0.5 cups - Doesn't really matter what type, I used 2%

Bread, 5-6 pieces - Same as the milk, white or whole grain, doesn't matter

Salt, 1 pinch - Sea salt

Vanilla Extract, 0.5 teaspoons
Eggs, 2

Butter, 1 stick - Can be replaced with oil

Makes 5 pieces of french toast; recipe is adapted from Alton Brown's french toast

Instructions:

1. Microwave/heat your milk to boiling before it boils over. Add your tea and let it brew for 5 minutes.

2. Remove the tea by straining or throwing away the tea bag. Add the vanilla extract and honey.

3. Whisk in 2 eggs, one at a time. 

4. Pour the mixture into a bowl or a container that will allow you to cover the bread.

5. Take a slice of bread, and cover both sides by dipping it in the mixture. Let it sit on each side for about 30 seconds so it absorbs the liquid. Place on a wire rack and let sit for about 10-15 minutes. Repeat for all of the slices.

6. Once the bread has rested for a while, heat a pan. Cover the surface of the pan in butter so the bread won't stick.

7. Brown both sides of each slice of bread. Return to the wire rack.

8. Preheat oven to 375°F. 

9. Place the wire rack/bread into the oven for 5-10 minutes.

10. Serve warm, adding syrup/fruit/cream to taste.