Vacations as many said are the best cures to a stressful and uneventful lifestyle but that may not be true in my case considering my job scope. The recent vacation has brought much joy and laughter, it gave experiences that I would keep close to my heart. And most importantly, I learned and interacted with the person I love. I am glad, actually relieved that the whole learning process was a good one, it was filled with warmth although once or twice, there were coldness of silence which I have to say was majorly the fault of mine, up to my usual 'princess-sy' temper, you see.
Discovering the better part of someone is always easier, but it is the knowing and acceptance of the other's faults that makes it all worthwhile. Most people says that if they are in love, nothing else matters... but the truth is when you are in love with someone, everything else matters a little more.
I have enjoyed the trip... mentally and spiritually more than physically, tells me something about acting my age I guess *smiles*
I haven't seen my friends in a while, with the long vacation and immediate work commitment, let's just say I haven't been with anybody else other than my boyfriend this month... will definitely make it up next month! *crosses fingers*
As I looked through the photos and words on facebook which I visit once a week, I see pictures of familiar faces, people who were (once) my close friends but seeing their words written for others...new found friends or now their close friends instead of me, I feel a tinge of jealously, a pang of regret and
a tone of unfamiliarity. Where have all the bonds that once ties us so closely disappeared to, were they hiding behind our shadows or did they dissipate with our busy schedules and lack of contact. I blame no one, not even myself... we have a part in every little event that happens in our lives, what it takes is a little effort from you and me...
Isn't that right?
21 December 2010
04 November 2010
31 October 2010
Munich
This was my second trip to Munich, the first was filled with excitement but only to be drenched ironically by days like Thanksgiving and such. Nothing was opened, not the restaurants, not the shops, not the supermarkets, not the cafes, full of nots. This time it would be a pay-back but I took it slow and nice, a day filled with slow walks around town and a date with the famous crispy pork knuckle.
I wasn't planning on joining the rest on their trip to the castles since I had been there before, so I decided a trip to Stratford, a place where the culture lives on, their sense of belonging passed on to the future generations. I will let these pictures tell you my story...
The last picture tells all...
I wasn't planning on joining the rest on their trip to the castles since I had been there before, so I decided a trip to Stratford, a place where the culture lives on, their sense of belonging passed on to the future generations. I will let these pictures tell you my story...
The last picture tells all...
06 October 2010
05 October 2010
There is more to life...
Don't get me wrong, I love life as it is now, nothing can compare to the last few months of my life. It was filled with happiness and laughter beyond what I imagine it to be, in short, my life is perfect. Wait... almost perfect... As I lay down on my bed, scanning through the play list, wondering what my hub station has in store for me, and I thought to myself: Here we go again, a night of shows, snacking in bed, calling my boyfriend and dreading working in two days time. I have been doing nothing else, nothing else for the past six months. It's not like my zest for life is gone, I still love doing what was mentioned above but there was something missing... The sense of fulfillment, I... still have no idea what that meant to me yet but I guess it would be something or a reason that gets me out of bed in the morning and looking forward to a brand new day (not that my family, boyfriend and friends are not reasons for that). In ten months, I would be jobless (might be...), and I would like to be able to open my arms to another job that I know I would enjoy being in but it is definitely easier said than done. What have I done so far to make that come true, nothing... so it's time to stop procrastinating and make some decisions for the future.
To the future... cheers!
To the future... cheers!
22 August 2010
Pigtails
I am not exactly the person with the best temper on earth, a fact that I have come to admit a long time ago. But I do have patience and it does take something or some nagging from someone before I turn around and bite his/her head off.
Well, I didn't exactly do that... simply because I can't and it would put me in a tight spot for the rest of my time with the company. I work for a company where image seems to lord over all other things. The word has been drilled into this cramped brain of mine - image, image, image!
We had to work with a supervisor, someone who does random checks on us, and unfortunately so, I have to be one of those lucky ones. Everything was good, my product knowledge, my work attitude, a good team player... blah blah blah and then *BAM*, he spoke out.
"What's with the two pigtails behind?"
For awhile, I thought he was cracking a lame joke since I just cut my hair short, how can there be any pigtails. Then I realized that when I tuck my hair behind my ears, the edge of my slanted bob tends to look much longer than the rest. I frowned.
"So what are you going to do about it?"
I looked at him, deciding whether I should be annoyed or humored over such small little thing, I was irritated... it wasn't untidy or messy, why can't he leave it be. Humans...
"I will chop it off..."
"Okay, I will keep you monitored over the next 30 days."
Keep me monitored... that moron. Life never seems to get better with people like him. Hallelujah to another year with such morons!
Well, I didn't exactly do that... simply because I can't and it would put me in a tight spot for the rest of my time with the company. I work for a company where image seems to lord over all other things. The word has been drilled into this cramped brain of mine - image, image, image!
We had to work with a supervisor, someone who does random checks on us, and unfortunately so, I have to be one of those lucky ones. Everything was good, my product knowledge, my work attitude, a good team player... blah blah blah and then *BAM*, he spoke out.
"What's with the two pigtails behind?"
For awhile, I thought he was cracking a lame joke since I just cut my hair short, how can there be any pigtails. Then I realized that when I tuck my hair behind my ears, the edge of my slanted bob tends to look much longer than the rest. I frowned.
"So what are you going to do about it?"
I looked at him, deciding whether I should be annoyed or humored over such small little thing, I was irritated... it wasn't untidy or messy, why can't he leave it be. Humans...
"I will chop it off..."
"Okay, I will keep you monitored over the next 30 days."
Keep me monitored... that moron. Life never seems to get better with people like him. Hallelujah to another year with such morons!
06 August 2010
Wine and Dine
I have truly come to understand the phase of wine and dine, that's not merely food and wine but a kind of lifestyle, and it was my trip to Johannesburg that shone light upon such lifestyle. I wouldn't say anything bad about a lifestyle of wine and food but it certainly will and already added a few inches to my waistline.
It has been a good 4 years since I came anywhere close to Africa, and I was quite eager to do so this time, I even made a mental note to visit the safari if the weather was not too cold to do so. But as one knows, when you arrive at a destination, all the past planning seems to be so... unimportant.. the only thing that matters is what lies in front of your eyes. And for me, lazing in the room was a fabulous idea since the morning that I checked in was kinda of chilly. To top it off, there were plenty of restaurants within walking distance, a casino, cinema theater, all within the compound itself, what more can I ask for?
Let me summarize the story of my life for these few days:
Day 1 - Slept through lunch, had dinner at Ocean Basket with 2 others, something similar to Fish & Co. Ordered a platter for 2 that came with linefish, calamari, princess prawns (the prawns comes in king, queen, prince and princess, with king being the largest), mussels and squids. A village salad consisting of healthy vegetables and feta cheese. A small pan of creamy garlic mussels. And I ordered a glass of white wine to top it off. Out of the platter, my favorite was the linefish that crumbles away in your mouth without you chewing it, that's how fresh it is. The salad was a refreshing change to all the grilled and creamy dishes.
Day 2 - Breakfast at the hotel. Walked right into a room filled with tables of delicious food. As always, fruits first, papaya, pineapple and watermelon, not as sweet as I hope it would be, and the grapefruit made its appearance when I swallowed my last mouthful of papaya, shucks... Never mind, will have that later, next was the bread table, it was a gorgeous spread, all kinds of pastries, bread loafs...etc I went straight for the croissant, it wasn't warm but it was crunchy on the outside and so airy and soft within, a perfect pair with the butter, it would have been a perfect croissant if it was warm. Next would be the eggs, ohhh, I am always impressed when a hotel breakfast comes with a chef on the spot to cook your eggs. I ordered a mushroom, tomatoes and cheese omelette, it wasn't bad except that it was a little tad gooey, would have been better if the omelette stayed in the pan a little while more, there were beef, chicken, pork and lamb sausages, without a doubt, I went for the lamb sausages and it was the right choice, chewy and a tinge of spiciness, goes very well with my omelette. I caught myself taking a peek at something that one wouldn't consider for breakfast, lamb chops... But my love for lamb told me that I had to try a piece of the lamb chop glistering in its gravy and boy, am I glad I did, it was juicy and tender, the brown gravy covering the lamb chops just made it so much better, and I had to go for more. I was filled but I managed to down another one of the almost-perfect croissant before I ended my breakfast tour.
Dinner was the one that I was looking forward to, strongly recommended by the rest, the whole group of us set out to Tribes, a restaurant famous for its steak. We settle down at a smoking-area which I was glad wasn't that smoky and seems to bring out the atmosphere of the restaurant. All of us agreed that steak should be accompanied by a good bottle of red wine, and it was the start of a fabulous dinner. Starters were a must of course, escargots and mussels in creamy cheese sauce, chicken liver braised in a special brown sauce that tasted so good with mini baguette, and good old greek salads filled the table. It was time for our choice of cuts, I was deliberating between the T-bone and rib eye, finally went for a medium rare rib eye with no sauce and Morogo, an african dish - spinach cooked with onions and tomatoes. I believe that if a steak is good, there was no need for any kind of sauce. And I was right, the thin layer of steak juice covering the steak after grilling only serve to perfect the rib eye. The meat was so tender and juicy, every mouthful was an enjoyment. It was one of the best steak I have ever eaten and to add to it, it was value for money, comparing to what I usually pay for a steak, the price charged for the steak was embarrassing. The steak came with some onion rings which was lightly covered with a layer of flour and not batter, it was really crunchy with a tinge of saltiness, just the way onion rings should be. It was a sinful meal but who cares!
Day 3 - Nandos, I have eaten the grilled chicken with their famous peri-peri sauce a numerous times in Australia, but never in the country of Origin. I was looking forward to it, to gauge the difference in standards. Please do not misunderstand me, the one in Australia is good, but the one in South Africa is great. I love the red powder spice that one can shake onto the chips, its not sweet but gives off a combination of spice and salt, at the right level, when coupled with the tasty chicken with mild peri-peri sauce, it was exactly what I wanted.
I wanted to skip dinner since I was still feeling quite full (I bought back a Nandos drumstick as tea) but decided to give the Italian restaurant a try and I was glad that we went in a group which meant we could have a variety of food. Started off with a bottle of red wine, greek and rucola salad, a rocket and parma ham pizza, I love the salads, always good and makes me feel good about eating salad too after all the other sinful meals. I ordered a funghi bianco, mixed exotic mushroom in light cream sauce with linguine. I was worried that it would be too creamy but it turned out to be really light and the musky aroma of the pasta could be detected easily, the only thing that ticks me off is the width of the pasta,I like my linguine flat and broad, not skinny like spaghetti, the one used in my pasta was thin and flat... but that didn't hinder how good the pasta tasted. Tomorrow, I would be heading back after a life of wine and dine for a week, I enjoyed it but I wouldn't give up seeing my love ones for another week of WINE AND DINE! Cheers!
Day 1 - Slept through lunch, had dinner at Ocean Basket with 2 others, something similar to Fish & Co. Ordered a platter for 2 that came with linefish, calamari, princess prawns (the prawns comes in king, queen, prince and princess, with king being the largest), mussels and squids. A village salad consisting of healthy vegetables and feta cheese. A small pan of creamy garlic mussels. And I ordered a glass of white wine to top it off. Out of the platter, my favorite was the linefish that crumbles away in your mouth without you chewing it, that's how fresh it is. The salad was a refreshing change to all the grilled and creamy dishes.
Day 2 - Breakfast at the hotel. Walked right into a room filled with tables of delicious food. As always, fruits first, papaya, pineapple and watermelon, not as sweet as I hope it would be, and the grapefruit made its appearance when I swallowed my last mouthful of papaya, shucks... Never mind, will have that later, next was the bread table, it was a gorgeous spread, all kinds of pastries, bread loafs...etc I went straight for the croissant, it wasn't warm but it was crunchy on the outside and so airy and soft within, a perfect pair with the butter, it would have been a perfect croissant if it was warm. Next would be the eggs, ohhh, I am always impressed when a hotel breakfast comes with a chef on the spot to cook your eggs. I ordered a mushroom, tomatoes and cheese omelette, it wasn't bad except that it was a little tad gooey, would have been better if the omelette stayed in the pan a little while more, there were beef, chicken, pork and lamb sausages, without a doubt, I went for the lamb sausages and it was the right choice, chewy and a tinge of spiciness, goes very well with my omelette. I caught myself taking a peek at something that one wouldn't consider for breakfast, lamb chops... But my love for lamb told me that I had to try a piece of the lamb chop glistering in its gravy and boy, am I glad I did, it was juicy and tender, the brown gravy covering the lamb chops just made it so much better, and I had to go for more. I was filled but I managed to down another one of the almost-perfect croissant before I ended my breakfast tour.
Dinner was the one that I was looking forward to, strongly recommended by the rest, the whole group of us set out to Tribes, a restaurant famous for its steak. We settle down at a smoking-area which I was glad wasn't that smoky and seems to bring out the atmosphere of the restaurant. All of us agreed that steak should be accompanied by a good bottle of red wine, and it was the start of a fabulous dinner. Starters were a must of course, escargots and mussels in creamy cheese sauce, chicken liver braised in a special brown sauce that tasted so good with mini baguette, and good old greek salads filled the table. It was time for our choice of cuts, I was deliberating between the T-bone and rib eye, finally went for a medium rare rib eye with no sauce and Morogo, an african dish - spinach cooked with onions and tomatoes. I believe that if a steak is good, there was no need for any kind of sauce. And I was right, the thin layer of steak juice covering the steak after grilling only serve to perfect the rib eye. The meat was so tender and juicy, every mouthful was an enjoyment. It was one of the best steak I have ever eaten and to add to it, it was value for money, comparing to what I usually pay for a steak, the price charged for the steak was embarrassing. The steak came with some onion rings which was lightly covered with a layer of flour and not batter, it was really crunchy with a tinge of saltiness, just the way onion rings should be. It was a sinful meal but who cares!
Day 3 - Nandos, I have eaten the grilled chicken with their famous peri-peri sauce a numerous times in Australia, but never in the country of Origin. I was looking forward to it, to gauge the difference in standards. Please do not misunderstand me, the one in Australia is good, but the one in South Africa is great. I love the red powder spice that one can shake onto the chips, its not sweet but gives off a combination of spice and salt, at the right level, when coupled with the tasty chicken with mild peri-peri sauce, it was exactly what I wanted.
I wanted to skip dinner since I was still feeling quite full (I bought back a Nandos drumstick as tea) but decided to give the Italian restaurant a try and I was glad that we went in a group which meant we could have a variety of food. Started off with a bottle of red wine, greek and rucola salad, a rocket and parma ham pizza, I love the salads, always good and makes me feel good about eating salad too after all the other sinful meals. I ordered a funghi bianco, mixed exotic mushroom in light cream sauce with linguine. I was worried that it would be too creamy but it turned out to be really light and the musky aroma of the pasta could be detected easily, the only thing that ticks me off is the width of the pasta,I like my linguine flat and broad, not skinny like spaghetti, the one used in my pasta was thin and flat... but that didn't hinder how good the pasta tasted. Tomorrow, I would be heading back after a life of wine and dine for a week, I enjoyed it but I wouldn't give up seeing my love ones for another week of WINE AND DINE! Cheers!
05 August 2010
Still a child at heart
Love playing this game, it's a simple yet addicting game so just enjoy when you need something to clear your mind!
Tower Blaster Full Version
21 July 2010
Spaghetti alle Vongole
*Phew* Finally some time to do some cooking, the most recent trip to Milan has left me disappointed and craving for some decent spaghetti, I have eaten some really good ones in Italy but this time, I was too tired to be shuttling about looking for good food. Reason? I was busy shopping around the branded shops which were having a sale, but glad to say, there was only a tinny hole in my pocket and for that, I think I deserve a good pat on my shoulder!
Oh yes, so I decided that it was time for some pasta right back here on my sunny little island. Deciding on what kind of pasta was the main issue, I wasn't really keen on white creamy based pasta so it was a split vote between the white wine or tomato based. Something tells me that clams were a good idea, without a doubt, I went for the spaghetti with clams in white wine sauce, also known as spaghetti alle vongole. Easy to make if you have all the ingredients on hand. Well, I should have bought a bottle of white wine before I came out of duty free area... it will be on my 'to do' list next time I travel! Let's see what else I need: Spaghetti, parsley, garlic, olive oil, chili flakes, clams and white wine, checked checked checked.
The end product was not bad although my mum prefers it with more chili flakes, I like mine the way it is, the sweetness of the clams seeps into every strand of the spaghetti while leaving your mouth with freshness from the parsley. One word: Yum!
Oh yes, so I decided that it was time for some pasta right back here on my sunny little island. Deciding on what kind of pasta was the main issue, I wasn't really keen on white creamy based pasta so it was a split vote between the white wine or tomato based. Something tells me that clams were a good idea, without a doubt, I went for the spaghetti with clams in white wine sauce, also known as spaghetti alle vongole. Easy to make if you have all the ingredients on hand. Well, I should have bought a bottle of white wine before I came out of duty free area... it will be on my 'to do' list next time I travel! Let's see what else I need: Spaghetti, parsley, garlic, olive oil, chili flakes, clams and white wine, checked checked checked.
The end product was not bad although my mum prefers it with more chili flakes, I like mine the way it is, the sweetness of the clams seeps into every strand of the spaghetti while leaving your mouth with freshness from the parsley. One word: Yum!
13 July 2010
Another Month
I must really try to get back into the habit for of updating my blog, excuses like I am too busy changing my flights, catching more sleep, never being around... etc are all lame excuses! In this new year, hmmm, no longer a new year... I have slowly began to realize that I was wrong, wrong to say that people change, I meant people do change but for some people, their behaviors differ from what they used to be, more like, their priorities have changed which led to the change in behavior or should I say a change to their lifestyles. I am one of them, and this change might be more visible to people around you rather than yourself, even your pet! Well, I am still trying to balance out my lifestyle, between family, friends, boyfriend and of course, my dear pet. And I am embarrassed to say that I am failing quite miserably three out of four. I hope family, friends and pet can bear with me for awhile more while I try my best to alter my schedule and planning. All in all, I still love ya!
07 June 2010
Full Circle
This couple of months have brought the start of never-ending changes to my life. New life, new plans, new decisions, new schedules, new goals, new loves, more laughters , more joys, more smiles, more heartaches, more concerns...etc. But these changes have not change who I am, I am who I am and that fact will never change. What changes is the amount of effort I put into the new different things that came into my life and how my time is being shared among other people and things. But these changes have brought me joy and laughters. My best friend, Ming, told me that I have come to a full circle and I totally agree so, I came back to the same person after the passing of time, going around the world and leaving footprints on different continents. But did she realize that she has come a full circle too? Back to someone whom she has always known, someone who has always been there, maybe it was fate, fate that has been knitting their threads of destiny, leading them back to one another and tying them together once more. My wish lies in the hope of the never-ending circles of our lives, the circle of bonds that will never break... =)
19 May 2010
An Update...
Woah, it has been ages since I updated the blog, sincerely apologize to friends and family who do visit my blog time to time, so this post is an update to my recent creations! I have been having loads of D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S food for the last 2 months and it is impossible to list them out unfortunately, but the last 2 months have been really really great months so please do enjoy the yummy updates. And ...... Congratulations to my friend, Sabrina, for becoming a new mummy, of course, a gorgeous one! I can't wait to see your beautiful son!! =)
Daddy's Birthday meal!
Will be updating more often, that's it for now! Cheers!
30 March 2010
i've made my choice
after weeks of thinking, i have finally made up my choice to finish what i started, it is just another year, i am sure i can make through it and in fact, make good use of it! i have just completed my jodi picoult book and now i am on her next book. i love reading her books, but am embarrassed to admit that there are some words that i came across and not knowing what they meant. so what i usually do is circle words that i need to check up the dictionary and underline words that i am not too sure of the pronunciation, in another words... okay, my english is not that good but it's not that bad either.
there was once i made a joke out of myself by pronouncing the word "satisfied" as "sextisfied", my brother and sis-in-law had a huge laugh about it and i never ever forget how important it is to pronounce a word correctly thus all the underlining and checking up of dictionary... =)
i hate waiting... for anything... especially for calls, people who say they would call but never did, waiting for messages that never comes, the sound of one's hope crushing seems to get louder with each passing hour, no one should have to bear such disappointment...
i gradually learned... that it is not blood that my parents pass down to me, but courage... the courage to smile when it hurts, the courage to climb back up when i fall, the courage to live on when everything seems to go wrong, the courage to love and be loved...
and i have learned that you could know someone forever and not see what lies beneath his/her exterior... people are not meant to be understood after all...
no matter what, life goes on...
there was once i made a joke out of myself by pronouncing the word "satisfied" as "sextisfied", my brother and sis-in-law had a huge laugh about it and i never ever forget how important it is to pronounce a word correctly thus all the underlining and checking up of dictionary... =)
i hate waiting... for anything... especially for calls, people who say they would call but never did, waiting for messages that never comes, the sound of one's hope crushing seems to get louder with each passing hour, no one should have to bear such disappointment...
i gradually learned... that it is not blood that my parents pass down to me, but courage... the courage to smile when it hurts, the courage to climb back up when i fall, the courage to live on when everything seems to go wrong, the courage to love and be loved...
and i have learned that you could know someone forever and not see what lies beneath his/her exterior... people are not meant to be understood after all...
no matter what, life goes on...
22 March 2010
What would you do?
There are times when you start thinking about a matter and the more you think about it, the more the matter matters or the worse the problem becomes and you simply can't get it out of your mind, so you end up propped up in front of the screen, twenty-four hours on the internet, hoping to find some answers online, hoping that they are the ones you are looking for. That was what happened to me, I was worried about my test after much concern from family and friends... and it really made me scared when I thought "what if" came true.
With the tension building up, it was hard to wait another second, so I called in to the clinic even though I was in United States, as if I was surprise, I was given the silent treatment at the start of the call, even when I told the lady on the line that I was overseas... and to make the matter worse, she told me rudely that the blood test was sent to an external lab which will take around a week to send the results back, right, as if i was suppose to know that. I called in as the nurse who took my blood test told me that it would be back in three to four days time. I can understand that not all the staff at the clinic are trained nurse but is it so hard to find some humanity nowadays, is it so hard to place your self in the shoes of someone who had to take a blood test after an abnormal urine test, the agony of not knowing what oneself is suffering from, a terminal illness, a devastating disease which could easily rocked the boat in her/his calm life. Is is so hard to understand the relief of people when they find out that there are nothing wrong with themselves...
As I stayed awake in San Francisco hotel, I couldn't help but made another search on the symptoms of kidney failure or damage, and the more I read through the pages, the more I am able to match up to the symptoms. I know it seems ridiculous but when you are worried and mentally unable to function soundly, everything seems to be a blur. The protein, the back ache, the waking up in the middle of the night, the increase in frequency... that is like a match of three out of five symptoms, seems like I am on the losing end eh?
Lying in bed in defeat, I thought to myself about the clear day I had in San Francisco, I wasn't in a "Let's have fun and enjoy my day here" mood but neither did I want to stay cooped up in the room. What would I do if I didn't have a chance to be here again? Have a bowl of piping hot clam chowder, crispy and hot calamari and some gigantic crabs! That would be a fabulous idea to take things off my mind... okay, I am trying to convince myself that it is a fabulous idea... at least I am trying.
Then I started thinking, if I was to die soon, there are things to be settled, things to be put in place. I need to draw up a will making sure all my hard-earned money doesn't go to the government! Haha. I need to make sure that my parents are well-looked after, of course, my dear shetland sheepdog too. Things to say to all my friends, there will be so much letters and cards, "words" that are kept in a tightly sealed jar, finally getting to know "freedom of speech" *giggles. Well, to think of it, I should have done all these much earlier not only when it is needed, hmmm, I shall place these on my "must-do"list.
Enjoy this song, pals! Especially you, Joann =)
With the tension building up, it was hard to wait another second, so I called in to the clinic even though I was in United States, as if I was surprise, I was given the silent treatment at the start of the call, even when I told the lady on the line that I was overseas... and to make the matter worse, she told me rudely that the blood test was sent to an external lab which will take around a week to send the results back, right, as if i was suppose to know that. I called in as the nurse who took my blood test told me that it would be back in three to four days time. I can understand that not all the staff at the clinic are trained nurse but is it so hard to find some humanity nowadays, is it so hard to place your self in the shoes of someone who had to take a blood test after an abnormal urine test, the agony of not knowing what oneself is suffering from, a terminal illness, a devastating disease which could easily rocked the boat in her/his calm life. Is is so hard to understand the relief of people when they find out that there are nothing wrong with themselves...
As I stayed awake in San Francisco hotel, I couldn't help but made another search on the symptoms of kidney failure or damage, and the more I read through the pages, the more I am able to match up to the symptoms. I know it seems ridiculous but when you are worried and mentally unable to function soundly, everything seems to be a blur. The protein, the back ache, the waking up in the middle of the night, the increase in frequency... that is like a match of three out of five symptoms, seems like I am on the losing end eh?
Lying in bed in defeat, I thought to myself about the clear day I had in San Francisco, I wasn't in a "Let's have fun and enjoy my day here" mood but neither did I want to stay cooped up in the room. What would I do if I didn't have a chance to be here again? Have a bowl of piping hot clam chowder, crispy and hot calamari and some gigantic crabs! That would be a fabulous idea to take things off my mind... okay, I am trying to convince myself that it is a fabulous idea... at least I am trying.
Then I started thinking, if I was to die soon, there are things to be settled, things to be put in place. I need to draw up a will making sure all my hard-earned money doesn't go to the government! Haha. I need to make sure that my parents are well-looked after, of course, my dear shetland sheepdog too. Things to say to all my friends, there will be so much letters and cards, "words" that are kept in a tightly sealed jar, finally getting to know "freedom of speech" *giggles. Well, to think of it, I should have done all these much earlier not only when it is needed, hmmm, I shall place these on my "must-do"list.
Enjoy this song, pals! Especially you, Joann =)
17 March 2010
a bad week, a good week, that's my life...
last week was bad, i missed my flight, i got caught in the rain, my laptop crashed and there goes all my important files and most of all, all my precious photos that i painstakingly took in each corner of the earth... *sigh* i though nothing could go worse and i was wrong again, i went to the clinic and for some reason, i was asked to take a urine test (yew.. i know...) there were protein and white cells in it, so it seems like i have a problem and the most serious case - kidney failure.
i was shocked but that's the worst case and i haven't had a real test yet, so it's yet to be known and i can only go for the test after my menses. i was worried but now, i am just moving on but my parents are so not moving on... i wanted to bring my mum on the japan trip but this test thingy is bogging her down so i decided that i shall go for the test tomorrow although it's not going to be that accurate but at least, it put our minds on ease. mine too, to be frank.
i had a great week too, hanging our with friends, doing some baking, re-installing my 'new' laptop, bringing my dog for walks... hopefully, i can bring him to the parks soon where he can run freely but not having a car is really a big problem, all the effort in trying to flag a cab down or calling the cab companies trying to persuade them to pick up my dog and i is so frustrating...
and i am at a crossroad, i was offered a 'provisional' post at the job i applied which mean they want me, they want me not.. hahah
well, all these makes our life interesting, don't they?
i was shocked but that's the worst case and i haven't had a real test yet, so it's yet to be known and i can only go for the test after my menses. i was worried but now, i am just moving on but my parents are so not moving on... i wanted to bring my mum on the japan trip but this test thingy is bogging her down so i decided that i shall go for the test tomorrow although it's not going to be that accurate but at least, it put our minds on ease. mine too, to be frank.
i had a great week too, hanging our with friends, doing some baking, re-installing my 'new' laptop, bringing my dog for walks... hopefully, i can bring him to the parks soon where he can run freely but not having a car is really a big problem, all the effort in trying to flag a cab down or calling the cab companies trying to persuade them to pick up my dog and i is so frustrating...
and i am at a crossroad, i was offered a 'provisional' post at the job i applied which mean they want me, they want me not.. hahah
well, all these makes our life interesting, don't they?
09 March 2010
Dear John
Find that familiar? Well, it is how we usually start our letters, especially to someone we care or love. And today, I find myself endeared to the movie I have just watched - Dear John.
It is a simple love story about a soldier who falls in love with a college student whom he got to know by rescuing her bag that had fallen into the ocean. He is a man who does not reveal much about himself, but love changes all. She is a woman who is unafraid to love, to reach out to autistic people. In two weeks, they found love but only to be torn apart by their own commitments, John had to return to the army and Savannah, back to college. Their love is continued by the numerous letters written to one another, through the letters, Savannah learns more about John and his autistic father and the reason why John's father fell in love with collecting coins.
John have to decide between re-enlisting for the army or staying behind with Savannah after the September 11 attacks. Torn between his sense of duty and love of his life, he makes the decision of re-enlisting after Savannah encourages him to do what he thinks is right. As the days passed by, John lives only to read Savannah's letters, gaining strength and hope from them. But loneliness pushed Savannah towards Tim, a man with an autistic child, Alan, whom Savannah had known for a long time. She finally writes a 'Dear John Letter', John receives the letter not knowing who the third party was. Feeling disheartened and frustrated, he burned all the letters from Savannah which were once his source of hope and life. During a mission, John was shot twice and the last person he thought of was his father which he had never been able to connect with. But upon reading the letter that he wrote to his father at his deathbed, they were able to understand and reach out to one another one last time.
John finally finds out who Savannah married, and instead of hating them. He donated the money he got out of selling his father's coin collection to them anonymously, enabling Tim who had cancer to spend his last months with Savannah and his son.
The movie had a simple plot but the chemistry between the two main characters are amazing, it brings you into their world, feeling their joy when they fell in love, the heartache of parting, their happiness of seeing one another again at the very end and feelings behind "I will see you soon...". It is one great love story...
It is a simple love story about a soldier who falls in love with a college student whom he got to know by rescuing her bag that had fallen into the ocean. He is a man who does not reveal much about himself, but love changes all. She is a woman who is unafraid to love, to reach out to autistic people. In two weeks, they found love but only to be torn apart by their own commitments, John had to return to the army and Savannah, back to college. Their love is continued by the numerous letters written to one another, through the letters, Savannah learns more about John and his autistic father and the reason why John's father fell in love with collecting coins.
John have to decide between re-enlisting for the army or staying behind with Savannah after the September 11 attacks. Torn between his sense of duty and love of his life, he makes the decision of re-enlisting after Savannah encourages him to do what he thinks is right. As the days passed by, John lives only to read Savannah's letters, gaining strength and hope from them. But loneliness pushed Savannah towards Tim, a man with an autistic child, Alan, whom Savannah had known for a long time. She finally writes a 'Dear John Letter', John receives the letter not knowing who the third party was. Feeling disheartened and frustrated, he burned all the letters from Savannah which were once his source of hope and life. During a mission, John was shot twice and the last person he thought of was his father which he had never been able to connect with. But upon reading the letter that he wrote to his father at his deathbed, they were able to understand and reach out to one another one last time.
John finally finds out who Savannah married, and instead of hating them. He donated the money he got out of selling his father's coin collection to them anonymously, enabling Tim who had cancer to spend his last months with Savannah and his son.
The movie had a simple plot but the chemistry between the two main characters are amazing, it brings you into their world, feeling their joy when they fell in love, the heartache of parting, their happiness of seeing one another again at the very end and feelings behind "I will see you soon...". It is one great love story...
05 March 2010
03 March 2010
rudeness comes in many forms
Today has been a great day... no... today was a great day till i met this friend of mine, she went to THE same church as I did when I was in junior college, just for a few months and now, we are colleagues, we rarely saw one another at work but today, as I was walking out of a shopping center in Los Angeles with another colleague, I thought I saw someone I knew, so I gave a second glance. You know when you see someone you know, you give a nod or a smile, simply a gesture to acknowledge one another, as I was about to do that, she stared at me, cold as stone, so I was surprised when she called out to me.
No hi, no how are you, no how have you been. 'Do you know J is back for good?' she asked. I just nod my head and said yeah, then this caucasian guy friend of hers just butt in. 'She's tall,' he murmured while giving me a 'I hate you' look. 'Hi,' I said and rolled my eyes. In my head, I was murmuring back: 'Yes, I am tall and you are short... very short and you have bad breath too.' All right, that is mean but why should I bother giving someone a little respect when he doesn't bother to do so to anyone else. My friend look at him and shrugged her shoulders as if I was the one in the wrong for being who I am.
As I walked away, she took a long glance at me, sweeping her eyes from my head... to toes, as if she would find flowers growing out of my head, knives protruding out of my body or maybe a mermaid's tail instead of my feet. 'Did you see how she looked at you just now?' my friend gasped in surprise, not believing at the kind of rudeness I have just endured. I sighed and told her that there was no point getting angry over such people. Just because she was in some furry and fudgy coat, out with some short and pudgy caucasian guy, she think she is at the top of the world and looking down at the rest of us. I personally think her rudeness was worse than any words that could have been said and for that, she doesn't deserve her name - Lily.
No hi, no how are you, no how have you been. 'Do you know J is back for good?' she asked. I just nod my head and said yeah, then this caucasian guy friend of hers just butt in. 'She's tall,' he murmured while giving me a 'I hate you' look. 'Hi,' I said and rolled my eyes. In my head, I was murmuring back: 'Yes, I am tall and you are short... very short and you have bad breath too.' All right, that is mean but why should I bother giving someone a little respect when he doesn't bother to do so to anyone else. My friend look at him and shrugged her shoulders as if I was the one in the wrong for being who I am.
As I walked away, she took a long glance at me, sweeping her eyes from my head... to toes, as if she would find flowers growing out of my head, knives protruding out of my body or maybe a mermaid's tail instead of my feet. 'Did you see how she looked at you just now?' my friend gasped in surprise, not believing at the kind of rudeness I have just endured. I sighed and told her that there was no point getting angry over such people. Just because she was in some furry and fudgy coat, out with some short and pudgy caucasian guy, she think she is at the top of the world and looking down at the rest of us. I personally think her rudeness was worse than any words that could have been said and for that, she doesn't deserve her name - Lily.
kids are not meant to be used... but to be loved...
currently watching the maury show, it is a show which involves real lives, real situations, real babies, real drama... lotsa of drama. these real people are usually fighting over the fact of who fathered the child, thus the maury show 'helps' these families to find out the truth, and of course, one get to see all the fighting, arguing, bitching...etc on live tv. it is sad to see children being disregarded in such ways...
don't these people know that children are not meant to be objects, objects used to keep boyfriends from breaking up with them, husbands from straying... children are meant to be loved, meant to be brought into this world to bring joy and happiness into their parents' and siblings' lives. it is so sad to see girls trying to get pregnant in order to have their boyfriends to marry them or to see men denying their actions and their responsibilities. i do have friends that does such things, but who am i to judge them, people are propelled by emotions and sometimes it is hard to be logical i guess. but for whatever reasons, babies and children should never be used...
back to the show, i kind of like the host of the show, he did give some great advice and prove to be a fair judge with both sides and i was impressed when he told a man who had fathered a few kids with a few different women that he should 'put a cap on' since every child that comes takes away a part of his love for the rest, i was cheering for the host inside my head when he said that!
so... back to the show...!
don't these people know that children are not meant to be objects, objects used to keep boyfriends from breaking up with them, husbands from straying... children are meant to be loved, meant to be brought into this world to bring joy and happiness into their parents' and siblings' lives. it is so sad to see girls trying to get pregnant in order to have their boyfriends to marry them or to see men denying their actions and their responsibilities. i do have friends that does such things, but who am i to judge them, people are propelled by emotions and sometimes it is hard to be logical i guess. but for whatever reasons, babies and children should never be used...
back to the show, i kind of like the host of the show, he did give some great advice and prove to be a fair judge with both sides and i was impressed when he told a man who had fathered a few kids with a few different women that he should 'put a cap on' since every child that comes takes away a part of his love for the rest, i was cheering for the host inside my head when he said that!
so... back to the show...!
26 February 2010
comfort food of the day - spaghetti alla carbonara
what is comfort food? what kind of food is considered comfort food? well, the content of comfort food changes with each and every person. have you ever felt depressed or disappointed, and nothing seems to make you feel better... unknowingly, you find yourself tuck in bed with a pint of your favorite ice cream and each mouthful melts away the pain, that is one kind of comfort food. in general, comfort food are food that makes you feel good, food that lightens you up, food that makes you happier and such.
personally, my range of comfort food is beyond numbers! and for the day, spaghetti carbonara hits every single spot, i was feeling lazy... all i wanted to do was savor a big plate of creamy spaghetti and the carbonara that i managed to whip up was simple yet so good... =)
another one of my comfort food - potatoes! this dish is just simply numerous layers of thinly-sliced potatoes with dashes of sea salt and black pepper, finishing with a touch of cheddar cheese.
a simple but yet... so... so good snack, dried beef or prosciutto with mozzarella cheese on a slice of baguette, finish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil... trust me, it is good!
personally, my range of comfort food is beyond numbers! and for the day, spaghetti carbonara hits every single spot, i was feeling lazy... all i wanted to do was savor a big plate of creamy spaghetti and the carbonara that i managed to whip up was simple yet so good... =)
the crispy bacon bits complemented the creamy yolk sauce perfectly, every strand of spaghetti was coated with the rich sauce leaving no room for mistake, each mouthful burst with flavor which leaves me longing for the next... this recipe is definitely in my 'keep' list!
nigella's spaghetti alla carbonara (serves 1-2)
250g spaghetti
150g pancetta (i used normal bacon)
1 teaspoons olive oil
25g grated parmesan
2 eggs
2 tablespoons double cream
dash of black pepper
freshly grated nutmeg (if available)
1. Boil spaghetti in a pot of water with salt till al dente. Make sure to keep some of the pasta water before draining, just in case you need to thin the sauce or such.
2. Pan-fry bacon in olive oil till crispy. If preferred, white wine or vermouth can be added for flavor. (I removed most of the oil after the bacon turned crispy as the oil tends to make the pasta too salty.
3. In a bowl, mix the eggs, parmesan, cream and pepper. Toss the drained pasta with the bacon bits and remove the pan from the heat. Make sure the pan is not too hot, add the egg and cheese mixture, swiftly toss and mix. Add a little of the pasta water to lubricate if necessary, grate nutmeg over pasta for the extra oomph!
another one of my comfort food - potatoes! this dish is just simply numerous layers of thinly-sliced potatoes with dashes of sea salt and black pepper, finishing with a touch of cheddar cheese.
and all time favorite - tiramisu. it is a dessert that takes away all my worries and brings happiness back!
a failed attempt at making pudding but nevertheless, i will keep trying since i love the taste of of it and of course, it falls into my category of comfort food too *chuckles*
22 February 2010
london Os
i... i thought i would be typing away like a professional secretary when i managed to hook up the internet as i had loads of things that i was thinking of blogging down... but that was twelve hours ago and my mind is practically empty now after staring at my change board for the past three hours trying to look for swaps that could give me the weekends that i needed without damaging my pocket too much and i hope my efforts do pay off!
oh... i do remember feeling good this morning, it was great to be in london and i was kind of happy to be going around on my own, i missed being here but i miss home too. what's wrong with me, i used to love being abroad, used to love my freedom, but something has changed... i still love traveling and that is a fact that will never change, but i want different things in life now and what i wanted a couple of years ago seems to be so unimportant now... ahhh...
oh... and one of my colleague wants to introduce me to his god-brother because i perfectly fit his requirements. Re-qui-re-ments... nice... it feels like i am some employee going for an interview.
oh... and while i was on the tube, i was surrounded by a group of non-english-speaking people, they were talking and talking, getting louder and louder each minute, when you don't understand a language, everything sounds gibberish, babberish and zibberish. it was like siting in a nest with thousands of birds chirping in your ears! all right, i was slightly irritated and terribly glad that i had to get off the next stop. =)
oh... i bought a lovely dress, thinking i should wear it to my best friend's wedding, hahhaa, but her wedding is not till next year! and as usual, the careless me forgot to check the receipt and i was charged twenty-five pounds more... pounds not dollars... so i have to wake up earlier tomorrow morning to get that settled... thanks to myself.
and that comes to an end of my ohs, time to crawl back in bed and hopefully, a smooth ride to lalaland...
oh... i do remember feeling good this morning, it was great to be in london and i was kind of happy to be going around on my own, i missed being here but i miss home too. what's wrong with me, i used to love being abroad, used to love my freedom, but something has changed... i still love traveling and that is a fact that will never change, but i want different things in life now and what i wanted a couple of years ago seems to be so unimportant now... ahhh...
oh... and one of my colleague wants to introduce me to his god-brother because i perfectly fit his requirements. Re-qui-re-ments... nice... it feels like i am some employee going for an interview.
oh... and while i was on the tube, i was surrounded by a group of non-english-speaking people, they were talking and talking, getting louder and louder each minute, when you don't understand a language, everything sounds gibberish, babberish and zibberish. it was like siting in a nest with thousands of birds chirping in your ears! all right, i was slightly irritated and terribly glad that i had to get off the next stop. =)
oh... i bought a lovely dress, thinking i should wear it to my best friend's wedding, hahhaa, but her wedding is not till next year! and as usual, the careless me forgot to check the receipt and i was charged twenty-five pounds more... pounds not dollars... so i have to wake up earlier tomorrow morning to get that settled... thanks to myself.
and that comes to an end of my ohs, time to crawl back in bed and hopefully, a smooth ride to lalaland...
20 February 2010
Words that were never said
Have you ever left a conversation or a phone call or even after texting a SMS that you should have said something, feeling that tiny tinge regret of not expressing your opinion or letting someone know something at that moment in time. It happens to me all the time! And I always felt the urge after to turn back, call or text again to finish what I wanted to say, but for some reason, I never let that happen. That feeling is just so 'aaaaarrr', it is as if the words or feelings got stuck somewhere in your system and when they finally make it to the tip of your tongue, it was too late, the conversation or call has ended or the SMS has been sent. So that leave them crawling back, wandering around your throat, not knowing what to do since they simply refused to just vanish into the thin air.
I was texting a friend yesterday while enjoying the movie - You've Got Mail. I... cannot explain my love for old movies just like this one, they are simply magical, watching these movies bring back so much memories! For example, the way of connecting to the internet ten years ago, the dialing of the line with the 'beeeeeeep' sound whenever Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks logged onto the internet brings smile to my face, remembering that was how I did it so many years ago! Oh yes... that friend, so I was texting and I wanted to share, or maybe just to let him know that I was watching You've Got Mail, it was just a though of wanting to let him know more and such but in the end, all I managed to text was: '=) all righty, I will try my best!' I know... it's pathetic, the thought of sharing the never got across in any way. Maybe I was cowardly, or maybe it would seem 'too much' to share so I back off. With so much words that were never said, I am always feeling tinges of regret here and there, so I am wishing one day, these regrets would see the world... that would be nice =)
"Don't you think daisies are the friendliest flower?" ~ Kathleen Kelly (You've Got Mail)
I do... =)
19 February 2010
你是否是他。。。或者是她？
你可曾感覺自己表現出最糟的一面
就像潘朵拉的盒子
裝滿了秘蜜，討厭的東西
傲慢，惡意，自已為是
全都跳了出來
有人激怒你
你沒有一笑置之
反而出言攻击
你好，我是討厭鬼。
我被激怒時，舌頭就像打了結
腦袋一片。。。空白
然後整夜翻來覆去，思索自己該說什么
說什么呢？
想不出來
什么都想不起來，即使現在
過了好幾天，還是想不出來
你好，我是膽小鬼 。
就像潘朵拉的盒子
裝滿了秘蜜，討厭的東西
傲慢，惡意，自已為是
全都跳了出來
有人激怒你
你沒有一笑置之
反而出言攻击
你好，我是討厭鬼。
我被激怒時，舌頭就像打了結
腦袋一片。。。空白
然後整夜翻來覆去，思索自己該說什么
說什么呢？
想不出來
什么都想不起來，即使現在
過了好幾天，還是想不出來
你好，我是膽小鬼 。
18 February 2010
Crying... has its uses too...
Have you ever come across people saying that crying is not going to help in anyway or make things better? Well, I beg to differ. From my personal experiences, I find crying does help in some ways and do make things better. I am not saying crying is the best way to solve things or it would be good to cry in every kind of tough situations.
I have to admit that there were many times that I felt much better after each big cry, it was as if every tear drop that came out carried with it a tiny bit of my sadness or anger. And with each tear, the sadness seems to fade and the anger gradually dissipated. I am sure many girls or women cried because it seems to be the only way to address the sadness, disappointment, anger or sometimes even happiness since words cannot describe how they felt at that moment in time.
Maybe that is the reason why woman tend to live longer than the men, they express their feelings by crying instead of bottling up everything like the men who might find crying - a womens' thing.
From my point of view, crying does not represent that one is weak... rather a person who is strong or confident enough to express himself/herself emotionally, I like people who are able to express themselves in such ways compared to mind games... don't you?
I have to admit that there were many times that I felt much better after each big cry, it was as if every tear drop that came out carried with it a tiny bit of my sadness or anger. And with each tear, the sadness seems to fade and the anger gradually dissipated. I am sure many girls or women cried because it seems to be the only way to address the sadness, disappointment, anger or sometimes even happiness since words cannot describe how they felt at that moment in time.
Maybe that is the reason why woman tend to live longer than the men, they express their feelings by crying instead of bottling up everything like the men who might find crying - a womens' thing.
From my point of view, crying does not represent that one is weak... rather a person who is strong or confident enough to express himself/herself emotionally, I like people who are able to express themselves in such ways compared to mind games... don't you?
12 February 2010
the cravings never ends...
i may be sick, down with flu and fever, but the flu medicine works like a wonder, not how it cures me but how it makes me drowsy, one tablet and i am sleeping like a baby... *yawns*
oh, wondering happily away from my true intentions for the post again... sick but my cravings never dies! my usual clicks on the remote control always bring me to the Man V Food where this guy travels all throughout the states and feature all the best food he can find in the city or town. Food Safari, another channel where the host travels to different parts of Australia and learn about the different cultures and famous dishes other foreigners residing in Australia have to offer. All these shows always leaves me salivating and worse, cravings that can never be fulfilled.
tonight, as i watched Man V Food, the Red Mill juicy bacon deluxe burger and crispy onion rings stole my heart, as my mind flew to seattle and never came back. i made up my mind to visit washington if a new york trip ever comes up! what came up next tore me apart, seafood! my love for seafood beats anything, the alaskan sea feast featured in the Crab Pot Restaurant blew me away, another major reason to get myself to seattle! there is no way i can get back to sleep, but i hope my dreams will be filled with all the glorious food i have just seen... *giggles*
09 February 2010
The Gloomy Old Man
I am so sick of trying to be encouraging and nice to the old man in my family, he is always dumping cold water in my face whenever I try to organize some trips or plan for some family events. Asking them if they are keen to visit Australia at the end of the year, I had two extreme reactions, my mum was delighted but the silly old man was throwing ice cubes at me, telling me how many people died in Australia recently because they rented a car to go around. Gosh, it was as if I was trying to drag him to hell and to think that I offered to stay at home to look after my dog, Tiger, if they decided to go! And what response did I get from the old man...
"What for go so far, just go Bangkok near and good, old already, also don't when will die..."
I was pissed, no matter how I tried to duck the ice cubes that he was throwing at me, I couldn't avoid the pail of cold water that was dumped on me, so I replied.
"Whenever everyone is in a good mood, trying to plan something, all you do is to discourage every one. Yes, you are right, you might die soon, every one has to die someday, maybe I will die tomorrow, you never know!"
What can I do, I have tried so many ways to make things better, but I am a human after all, there are days that I am tired too, there are days that I feel discourage too, one day, I will stop making an effort, making an effort to plan trips for the family, making an effort to ask friends out when they keep postponing the dates, I gotta a feeling that one day may come soon....
"What for go so far, just go Bangkok near and good, old already, also don't when will die..."
I was pissed, no matter how I tried to duck the ice cubes that he was throwing at me, I couldn't avoid the pail of cold water that was dumped on me, so I replied.
"Whenever everyone is in a good mood, trying to plan something, all you do is to discourage every one. Yes, you are right, you might die soon, every one has to die someday, maybe I will die tomorrow, you never know!"
What can I do, I have tried so many ways to make things better, but I am a human after all, there are days that I am tired too, there are days that I feel discourage too, one day, I will stop making an effort, making an effort to plan trips for the family, making an effort to ask friends out when they keep postponing the dates, I gotta a feeling that one day may come soon....
08 February 2010
Can life ever be on hold?
Have you ever had nights where sleep just seems to be impossible? And tried a thousand and one way to induce the sleeping mechanism, for example, trying to empty any brain cell that has any thoughts in it, spraying all kinds of lavender mist all over the room and pillows, drinking a glass of warm milk or some baileys with milk (that's my way... =p), taking another shower, going for a run, whatever that helps... Unfortunately so, I am having one such night and the feeling of not being able to fall asleep is dreadful... to the extent of horrible!
But I have an idea why I am losing sleep, reason one - I took a few naps since morning till evening, reason two - there are too many things on my mind, my brain cells are fully occupied with many thoughts, ideas, plans...etc, reason three - I feel dirty, all right, I know what's on your mind! I shower daily, at least thrice a day, but for some reason, if I feel that my hair is slightly oily or dirty in any way, I won't be able to fall asleep! It is a weird way of thinking I know but that's the way I am, I have to be perfectly clean before I can fall asleep soundly or comfortably. You wouldn't believe it if I told you that I would drag myself to wash up even when I was so high on alcohol or once... drunk, in that state of mind, it took quite an effort to do that, trust me.
But what's keeping me awake are thoughts and plans, thoughts that can't seem to settle down and plans that are not being carried out. I have been putting my life on hold, for what you may ask, for the fact that I haven't made u my mind about what I should do with this life of mine. I thought of teaching but peers and friends seem to laugh at that idea, simply because they cannot picture me as a teacher! Well, who cares, I am never one to be dissuaded by how people look or think of me. Do I love baking so much that I would make it into a career? Is it even practical? That thought actually brought me to do some research about the pastry schools in Paris, the path to becoming a Patissiere... maybe it is a dream after all.
Teaching... many would not know but I am actually quite good with kids, I wouldn't say I have a special talent or connection with kids but I am able to hit it off with most kids quite quickly if I want to... =) I remembered how my little cousins love to pile up on me and sit on me whenever I am around, but that is no longer playing, it was simply bullying the only older kid that was around... hah. I am confident that I would make a great teacher if I put my heart to it, but I am scared that I would make the wrong choices between primary, secondary or tertiary students... and of course, the acceptance by moe to become one. I know that the decision has to be made soon or my life would forever be on hold... and I hate it when I am not doing anything but just thinking and planning, I wanna be busy doing something, studying, volunteering, learning, dating, diving, hiking, traveling... doing things that will give me a reason of existence...
05 February 2010
Mountains of New Year Cookies and a... Chocolate Bread-Cake...
Chinese New Year is approaching, it's the season where all families stock up all kinds of goodies to welcome the new year and for all to enjoy. For me, the excitement of having Chinese New Year has gradually decreased over the years... Why so? Well, when you are younger, the thought of receiving red packets and gorging on never-ending supply of sweets and chocolates would really seem like a dream come true and to add to that, no school! But as I grew up, the excitement seems to fade away with each approaching year, though I still enjoy not having to attend school of course.
But this year, for some reasons... I am looking forward to the Lunar New Year, maybe it was because I wasn't here to celebrate it with my family last year so I sort of miss having reunion dinner with the rest, all the laughters and noise of having all the relatives over at my place, and not to forget... listening to those irritating Chinese New Year songs... =)
This year, I took time off to make some cookies for Chinese New Year. A must have - Pineapple tarts! Healthier choices - 1) Cranberries and Oatmeal Cookies, 2) Pecans and Chocolate Chips Cookies. They turn out quite well except for the pecan cookies, it was a little flat but awfully crispy so that made up for its appearances I guess.
Well, I have to say most of the cookies turn out quite well and are quite delicious! Hopefully, I won't be snacking on them too often or there would nothing else left for the rest.
I tried to make another chocolate bread but change the proportions of the flour and water, thanks to my itchy fingers, the chocolate bread or maybe it should be called a cake... no... it is a hybrid of both... chewy, spongy yet soft at the same time. It was still quite enjoyable, maybe it was due to the loads of bittersweet chocolate chips that I invested in the bread-cake. Haha.
02 February 2010
The Ultra Combi of Air-Heads and Blind Followers
To be frank, I have always thought that to call someone stupid or address someone as an air-head is simply rude and uncalled for. But over lunch today, while talking to two new colleagues of mine, I can't help pinning the air-head tags on them. Why? Let me bring you through our conversations and you will why I had the urge to do that.
Colleague J is a twenty-nine year old girl who still behaves like a sixteen year-old teenager. You would be surprised to learn that she has a masters in statistics from an overseas university. She was telling the rest of us that she would do any other job to get out of the current one, so I asked what she was planning to do and she said she was looking for a position in risk management which led me to asked if she had any experience in the bank and that was when she told us that she had a masters in statistics. Out of nowhere, she suddenly mentioned that while she was schooling in Sydney, she tried to kill herself when broke up with her boyfriend of five years. All right, five years is a long time, I guess I could understand why she was upset, but suicide seems a little overboard. And the only reason why she wanted to stay in Sydney was due to her boyfriend, she studied masters for him too so after the break-up, she felt there was nothing worth staying on for in Sydney although she previously had a job at Westpac which she quitted for her boyfriend's sake but didn't mention the the reason why she had to do that. And she switched the conversation back to her present life saying her husband wants her to quit the job and told her to look for a position in risk management so she did... She applied to MOE for a teaching position too... because her husband told her to do so... so she is doing this and doing that, all because her husband wants her to do so. Where is her own mind? Doesn't she have a brain that belongs to herself and listens to what she wants rather than what her husband wants. How can she live a life for someone else? Having someone to depend on doesn't mean you can't make your own decisions, heeding the advice of someone you care about or love should strengthen your own decision and help you see the choices in different lights. That is what sharing a life together means. And moreover, she mentioned that she still think and miss her ex-boyfriend from Sydney... what can I say?
Colleague C is a twenty-five year old somebody who doesn't seems to have experience in anything. Her hair is always in a mess and the way she converse makes one think that she grew up in a society where education is hard to come by. But she grew up here! Here... is where primary education is a must for all children, if you throw a stone on any of the streets, it would most probably hit someone who have studied for at least 10-15 years of his/her life. At first, she was asking how she could give away her off days to work more, so I told her that there was a board or forum where everyone could exchange either their off days or work days. And she replied saying she didn't know how it works since she has never tried it before even though she has been working in our company for at least one and a half years, so I told her that she could either post her request on the board or go through the board looking at other people's post and see if any of them fits her requirement. Then she proceeded to ask how would she know how much to give and take, what she meant by give and take is actually a 'underground black market' where people makes exchanges with 'benefits = $'. The rest of the colleagues tried to explain that it was tough to give an estimate since everyone values their off days on different levels but after all the explanations, all we could see was a blank look on her face. Before all these had taken place, she had already asked a few questions that surprised us as those questions involved basic knowledge that all of us should know in our line of work. It is like an apprentice asking a professional baker why yeast has to be used in bread-making, or a broker asking a trader what LIBOR stands for. In the end, we didn't managed to find out if she understood what we were trying to explain, as the food was served and I have to say, boy... was I glad that we didn't had to continue the conversation!
Colleague J is a twenty-nine year old girl who still behaves like a sixteen year-old teenager. You would be surprised to learn that she has a masters in statistics from an overseas university. She was telling the rest of us that she would do any other job to get out of the current one, so I asked what she was planning to do and she said she was looking for a position in risk management which led me to asked if she had any experience in the bank and that was when she told us that she had a masters in statistics. Out of nowhere, she suddenly mentioned that while she was schooling in Sydney, she tried to kill herself when broke up with her boyfriend of five years. All right, five years is a long time, I guess I could understand why she was upset, but suicide seems a little overboard. And the only reason why she wanted to stay in Sydney was due to her boyfriend, she studied masters for him too so after the break-up, she felt there was nothing worth staying on for in Sydney although she previously had a job at Westpac which she quitted for her boyfriend's sake but didn't mention the the reason why she had to do that. And she switched the conversation back to her present life saying her husband wants her to quit the job and told her to look for a position in risk management so she did... She applied to MOE for a teaching position too... because her husband told her to do so... so she is doing this and doing that, all because her husband wants her to do so. Where is her own mind? Doesn't she have a brain that belongs to herself and listens to what she wants rather than what her husband wants. How can she live a life for someone else? Having someone to depend on doesn't mean you can't make your own decisions, heeding the advice of someone you care about or love should strengthen your own decision and help you see the choices in different lights. That is what sharing a life together means. And moreover, she mentioned that she still think and miss her ex-boyfriend from Sydney... what can I say?
Colleague C is a twenty-five year old somebody who doesn't seems to have experience in anything. Her hair is always in a mess and the way she converse makes one think that she grew up in a society where education is hard to come by. But she grew up here! Here... is where primary education is a must for all children, if you throw a stone on any of the streets, it would most probably hit someone who have studied for at least 10-15 years of his/her life. At first, she was asking how she could give away her off days to work more, so I told her that there was a board or forum where everyone could exchange either their off days or work days. And she replied saying she didn't know how it works since she has never tried it before even though she has been working in our company for at least one and a half years, so I told her that she could either post her request on the board or go through the board looking at other people's post and see if any of them fits her requirement. Then she proceeded to ask how would she know how much to give and take, what she meant by give and take is actually a 'underground black market' where people makes exchanges with 'benefits = $'. The rest of the colleagues tried to explain that it was tough to give an estimate since everyone values their off days on different levels but after all the explanations, all we could see was a blank look on her face. Before all these had taken place, she had already asked a few questions that surprised us as those questions involved basic knowledge that all of us should know in our line of work. It is like an apprentice asking a professional baker why yeast has to be used in bread-making, or a broker asking a trader what LIBOR stands for. In the end, we didn't managed to find out if she understood what we were trying to explain, as the food was served and I have to say, boy... was I glad that we didn't had to continue the conversation!
23 January 2010
my sister
let me proudly introduce my sister to ya all, please kindly shift your attention to the picture below:
see the cute girrrl with glasses above? that is my sis =)
i gotta know her since we were in primary school, i guess that was the only good thing that happened when i was being transferred from st. margaret's primary to pei chun primary... i remembered feeling unhappy and lost having to be taken away from the school i love, friendships and bonds were lost after the transfer, i would have told my mum that it was a big mistake that she made as i believed i would have done much better if i had stayed on... well, it's history and having to know joann made up for all the rest.
we sort of met up with each other after losing contact for more than 10 years, was it more than 10, joann? well, i am glad we did, i missed the times that we spent together when we still living right next to each other, just in different blocks.
i love hanging out with her, she is so down-to-earth, happy, kind and awfully fun to be with. you can't understand the pure joy and simplicity of being her friend unless you are lucky to be one! everything was in a mess last year but the one right thing i did was finding my way back to this sis of mine and to me, that is worth celebrating since it is hard to find a true friend who reciprocate in the same way at my age... most people that i meet now are all 'hi-bye' friends, so for a great sister like Joann - i keep her close to my heart... =)
22 January 2010
面包万岁！
puzzled by the use of chinese in my blog. well, there is a good reason behind that, haven't been speaking or writing in chinese for a long time, so it's a bit rusty now... so updating my blog in chinese is one of the best way to practice the language again.
well, i have been baking bread and nothing taste like home-made ones, fresh out of the oven... the warm aroma fills the whole house. nothing beats the taste of the warm bread in your mouth...
here are the ones i baked today and i have to say proudly that they are... delicious!
well, i have been baking bread and nothing taste like home-made ones, fresh out of the oven... the warm aroma fills the whole house. nothing beats the taste of the warm bread in your mouth...
here are the ones i baked today and i have to say proudly that they are... delicious!
decisions... decisions... decisions
sometimes not making a decision... is actually making a decision. and i realize that by procrastinating, not applying for courses to upgrade myself, not actively look for a new job, i have unconsciously made a decision to stay in the job that i am in now. i didn't realize that until i heard that sentence today, i was wasting time, and my perfect excuse for that is that i am seriously thinking if the other job or course is really what i ant to do.
this is it... i have to settle down and really think about it, about what i want in life, what makes me happy and how i want to live my life. i know bombarding my head with all kinds of plans and decisions is not going to help but i am sure it is better than lying on the bed or lazing on the couch reading for the whole day. of course, reading is good but not when you have more important things to do and to decide on.
i see myself with a family and children, baking breads and cooking for my family but i have no idea how to get there. from the me now, single and in a job that brings me away for more than 20 days a month sometimes. this job has given me financial stability, freedom of time and it is practically stress free! so what am i unhappy about?
i dislike the way the management works, having off days during the weekdays are useless unless there are people who can accompany you and spend time with you, the most important factor thing of all - the job is too routine, not challenging and mind stimulating, i am gaining and learning nothing, having no satisfaction in life at the present moment.
i need to change... and i need to make some decisions!!!
this is it... i have to settle down and really think about it, about what i want in life, what makes me happy and how i want to live my life. i know bombarding my head with all kinds of plans and decisions is not going to help but i am sure it is better than lying on the bed or lazing on the couch reading for the whole day. of course, reading is good but not when you have more important things to do and to decide on.
i see myself with a family and children, baking breads and cooking for my family but i have no idea how to get there. from the me now, single and in a job that brings me away for more than 20 days a month sometimes. this job has given me financial stability, freedom of time and it is practically stress free! so what am i unhappy about?
i dislike the way the management works, having off days during the weekdays are useless unless there are people who can accompany you and spend time with you, the most important factor thing of all - the job is too routine, not challenging and mind stimulating, i am gaining and learning nothing, having no satisfaction in life at the present moment.
i need to change... and i need to make some decisions!!!
21 January 2010
愛情的聲音，你聽見了嗎？
这个故事描写着一个身体健全的男生如何让一个听障女生听到他心里想说的话。。。
天阔送到游泳池的便当都是给听障队员的游泳队，他看见秧秧用手语和小朋对话，所以主动上前用手攀谈。这才知道秧秧是小朋的妹妹，天阔看着秧秧冲冲忙忙的离开，脸带着笑容，不禁对她产生了好感。
看到在体育场外面跌伤的秧秧，天阔毫不犹豫，骑着摩托车把她送到医院去。虽然骑着快速的摩托车，但是和天阔还不熟的秧秧不敢靠着他的背。离开前，天阔跟秧秧要了MSN帐号。
为了制造见面的机会，天阔便到体育场外买便当，每次都特别留一个给秧秧，也因此知道秧秧经济拮据，常常没钱吃饭。从那天起， 天阔便亲自下手制作爱心便当，相比之下，爱心便当的食料不但多而且更加丰富，不但如此，也不跟秧秧收取分。感动的秧秧把爱心便当的内容详细画下，并且标上不同的价钱，坚持待日后手头宽裕再一并偿还。
透过送便当的过程，天阔渐渐了解秧秧和小朋是如何在没有父母亲的环境下成长，秧秧对小朋的关怀备至和手足之情深深地打动了天阔的心。快乐的时光却不长久，他们因沟通上的误发生无声口角。与此同时，小朋因烟气而失去了参加听障奥运的资格，自责的秧秧决定远离天阔，不再和他连络。
抵挡不住对秧秧的思念，天阔用尽办法连络秧秧。但有心避开天阔的秧秧怎么会让他找到呢？ 天阔为了逗秧秧开心，扮成一棵树，但却碰了一鼻子灰。刚被小朋气走的秧秧，用手语对天阔说了伤人的话：
“你有想过我们可能会水土不服吗？”
“不是每个人都懂得怎么爱护树木和水鸟的。”
“说不定有人就希望我消失，而你。。。绝种。”
同一晚，喝醉的小朋把心里所不能承受的压力都告诉了秧秧，她难过的不是她得不到金牌而是不能为秧秧得到金牌，辜负了秧秧。秧秧这才知道自己因为太爱惜姐姐而放弃了太多，换来的却是无形的压力。
秧秧知道自己对天阔有感觉，但害怕踏入一个聋人和一个听人的恋情。在游泳池思索的她，突然听到一位男声的声音，听到他和他自己的对话：
“秧秧，我想请你到我们家吃饭，好不好？”
“为怎么呢？”
“我想把你介绍给我爸爸妈妈认识。“
”为怎么呢？“
”因为我喜欢你，我想当你男朋友。“
”可是我听不到，他们不会接受我。“
”他们会看见的，而且你说过，看不见就会不安。”
“我向你保证，我会让你。。。和他们。。。看见我对你的爱。”
这番对白是天阔原本想对秧秧说的心里话，但望着刚转过头的秧秧，他用手语问：
“我请你到我家吃饭好不好？”
秧秧用手语问回：
“为怎么？”
天阔： “因为我想要介绍你给我父母认识。”
秧秧：“为怎么？”
天阔：“因为我想介绍你到我们便当店打工。”
秧秧：“可是我听不见，你父母会答应吗？”
天阔：“他们。。。会看见的。看见我对你的。。。看见你的认真与努力！”
就这样，他们两儿骑着摩托车。但这一次，秧秧安心的抱着天阔。乐翻天的天阔故意放慢速度，希望那一秒的幸福永远别结束。天阔的父母为了和秧秧沟通，拿了事先预备好的笔记本，一篇一篇翻转和读着。最后一篇是问：
“所以你愿意嫁给他吗？”
吃惊的天阔把笔记本抢了过来，脸红的他拼命向父母解释秧秧还不是他的女朋友。。。
“我愿意。”
惊讶的一家人把目光转向秧秧。
“我愿意。”
原来秧秧会说话，也听得见。一直以来，彼此都用手语沟通，从来没想过对方也可能说话。。。是一场美丽的误会。。。
愛情和夢想都是很奇妙的事情
不用聽，不用說，不用翻議
就能感受到它
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