Fragments of Mind

CNY 2012

2012-02-01T21:26:00.001+08:00

Not long after recuperating from the Christmas and New Year celebrations, Chinese New Year drops by! And that definitely means great company, excellent food and loads of fun! Not that many photos for show (mainly because too occupied with eating ^^) but here are the main ones!

CNY eve family reunion dinner's appetizer prepared by my mom. It consisted of mixed vegetables, shrimp salad, escargot with onions, four season roll and steamed mushrooms.

As many years previously, this abalone soup is prepared by my grandma. Yummy soup that only get to drink once a year ^^

For the first day of CNY, the family is vegetarian and our breakfast will start with a sweet soup (must begin the year with something sweet) and consist of vegetarian dishes and rice. Every year we have almost the exact items. The acar (bottom right photo) is another traditional dish in my family. Everyone will get together to prepare the dish. When I was younger, I was the official pounder (for peanuts, sesame seed etc.). Now I have been promoted to vegetable cutter.

Another tradition in my family is the yee sang which involves a lot more fish than vegetables ^^

Of course what is CNY without firecrackers and lion dance? Was driving around for visits and saw this house with lion dance in the progress!! First time seeing a house performance that involved a pole.

More fascinating is this vegetable that I came across while helping my mom do grocery shopping. Apparently it is a hybrid of broccoli and cauliflower. Regardless, it's pretty!!

*enjoying the last few days of CNY*

The Little Things

2012-01-15T10:05:00.002+08:00

It was a Friday night..... most people would already have packed up from work and all set to enjoy the weekend. But a little party of workaholics (by force not choice obviously) was looking at a long night ahead. In that group was an executive, a designer, a copywriter and an intern. As dinner time came round, the designer and intern went to have dinner while the executive was too stressed to eat and the copywriter was full from his tea time. They asked the executive what to get for her dinner, and she just requested for a simple chicken rice as she knew that regardless of the environment, she will have to eat or she might faint. So they went to get dinner while the rest stayed back to continue with the work.

When the designer and intern came back, the intern asked with glee holding a plastic bag, "can you smell what this is?" The executive shook her head and so he move the bag closer to her nose. Immediately a smile broke across her face as it was her favorite noodle dish! To top it off he said, "and there's no mint ^.<" (she has an allergy to mint). With that, the executive was refreshed for the night. The intern's girlfriend must be in such a blissful relationship ^^

Irony is when later that night, the designer offered the executive mints, She politely declined and the intern chided the designer for offering things that people are allergic to. The intern was with the company for a short 3 weeks while the designer and executive were working in the same department for 9 months.

It is usually the little things that will carry people through life happy.

p/s - the night finally ended at 3am

Cake of 2011

2012-01-02T22:12:00.003+08:00

In a blink of an eye, we had to wish 2011 good bye. It has been an eventful year in many many ways. One difference ~~this~~ oops last year was that I baked a birthday cake for most of my friend's birthday... only a few unfortunate ones happened to be at times when I was too busy to take time off to design and bake the cake. Among the cakes baked were cheese cake, moist chocolate cake, coffee butter cake, and the last cake of the year is a sponge cake decorated with a Manchester United Logo using fondant. It definitely takes the cake (pun intended) as the hardest project this year.

First step was to find out how a MU logo looks like (no I am not a football fan ^^). Next was to turn the coloured logo into black and white outlines (thank goodness I had some simple lessons from a graphic designer). Next was to get it printed. The next step is to get a plastic sheet, clip it to the printed design and cut out the design.

The outcome is as follows. Very important to think which part you are going to cut out first so that it would not be destroyed. Best is also to cut out the smaller parts (such as the letters) and cut from one direction (I did from top to bottom). Be sure to keep all the cut out pieces! It is still needed ^^

Once the template is ready, the real challenge is getting the design on to the cake (of course you have to bake the cake first). For this cake, I choose to use fondant as the decorating medium. Using the templates, each of the pieces are cut out of rolled fondant. It takes loads of patience for this part! After the fondant is ready, I coated the cake with cream to create a smooth surface then place the logo on the top. The sides are piped with green frosting. Using small rosette would be best to create the grassy feel to complete the cake's theme ^^

After 5 hours laboring in the kitchen (not inclusive of template cutting time), voila! The cake is ready ^^

It is far from perfect, but sure looks a lot better than I expected it to be. At least it is obvious that it's the Manchester United logo. The best part? The birthday boy loved it. He was so reluctant to stick the candles in and was hesitant to cut the cake =D Even the one with the most complaints was impressed with the design. At the end of the day, appreciation makes the time, patience and energy put into creating a cake worthwhile.

*thinking of next cake design*

GSC Maxx: MI4 Ghost Protocol

2011-12-16T01:48:00.000+08:00

When I first got invited to the special screening of Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol, I was mildly interested. After all it was on a work night and I have very little resemblance to an owl... more of an early bird ^^ Then I found out that it was at GSC Maxx and without hesitation the invitation was accepted. Who can resist Tom Cruise on that extra big screen? *wink*

The expectation of the GSC Maxx hall was high with talk of the huge screen and it being the largest digital hall with 555 seats (was tempted to count if it was exactly that number....) and additional 4 spaces for wheelchairs (how thoughtful ^^). Usually this is a recipe for disaster as the higher the expectation, the harder the fall. Much to my delight, it managed to meet and exceed all expectations.

Walking into the hall was one of those moments that make you pause to capture the moment. The hall had a high ceiling and the layout kinda reminds me of an amphitheater. My seat was towards the left side of the hall and thankfully a friendly attendant guided me and my friend to the seats through the walk way and hence avoided the very embarrassing cinema moment of going "excuse me, thank you, sorry, excuse me (repeat)" if we made our way to the seat from right side of the hall.

I would admire the hall longer but the screen started playing trailers and such which captivated my attention for the next 2 hours or so. At first it looked strange. Then I realized that it was what can only be described as crystal clear. The colours were vibrant and the image was.... well.... flawless. It did not have those pixels or vertical lines that can happen in certain cinemas.

Recently they upgraded their sound system to Dolby 7.1. Not sure how it compared to the old one, but this one sounds great. It is all about the little environment sounds that makes it more realistic...soft opening of the door, gush of wind and so on. Coupled with the sharp images on screen, it was almost as if you were there with the Impossible team. Many scenes left me hanging on the edge of my seat as they did quite a lot of "hanging around".

For the price of only RM15 per ticket for Digital 2D movies and RM 20 per ticket for Digital 3D movies, the experience is well worth it. Some of the scenes were breathtaking, especially the part where Agent Hunt scales the tallest building in the world. It is realistic enough that I was glad to be seating or I might fall as my knees turn jelly ^^

The movie itself was also awesome. It was full of action and had the right balance of suspense and humour. It had the crowd actually laughing out loud and gasping in shock. At the very last moment it also had a scene which showed another side of Agent Hunt. Can't say much without giving too much away. Best is if you watch it on your own. One hint, as the opening credits are playing, pay attention to it! I found it to be fascinating as the movie progressed =D

Final verdict? Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol in GSC Maxx rocks ^.<

GSC Maxx:
10.08, 10th Floor,
Berjaya Times Square,
No. 1, Jalan Imbi,
55 100, Wilayah Persekutuan,
Kuala Lumpur.

Ticket purchase and reservations can be made through their website or on their phone app.

*humming to MI tune*

Ben's Grocery Store

2011-12-09T22:56:00.000+08:00

One of the gang complained that it has been awhile since everyone went out for a meal. So when the guy from KT came back to town I organised (well I initiated and he did the rest of the organizing ^^) a food outing. After looking at many many possible places to go, we decided to go to Ben's General Grocery Store (yes the guys went "what????" when I suggested the place) in Bangsar Village. It is western sort of restaurant with an actual grocery store attached. The grocery store has quite a number of interesting stuff! Might go back to get some herbs some day.

Moving back to the restaurant. As it was a quite impromptu outing, we did not do any reservations. Since the mall is not one of the more crowded malls, we thought it would have any trouble. Boy were we wrong..... on the bright side, we discovered that they actually have four parking floors :) So after being stuck in a jam IN the parking area, we finally got a spot and went up to the restaurant only to discovered that it was full. The friendly host put us on the waiting list and said will call us when the table is ready, in about 15 minutes. After wandering around aimlessly looking at Christmas decoration and music CD, we went back to the restaurant to see if the table was ready. Since it was not, guys being guys were hungry and grouchy. So they decided to go somewhere else to eat. If that happened, this post would be here today. Just as we wanted to go Nando's for lunch, the host waved at us excitedly. We have a table!

After placing our orders, they came back with a bottle of chilled water and glasses. Apparently it is very common in Australia. I just like the bottle ^^

We ordered one of their specials which is roasted chicken with 2 sides. We took a whole bird. It was nothing to shout about, but not too bad either.

Not sure if it was because they were hungry, they polished the chicken even while complaining that it is too dry and not tasty enough.

This is their B.I.G lasagna. It is basically beef lasagna so I cannot comment on the taste. The others said it was delicious though.

This is their mushroom lasagna which I am definitely going back to eat again. Layers of various mushrooms alternated with cheese and lasagna sheets topped with fragrant pesto sauce and served with salad on the side. The flavours complemented each other to give total satisfaction to a mushroom lover such as yours truly. The mushrooms were cooked just nice, with texture and taste intact. The cheese was not over powering and the pesto just gave it the finishing touch. Yum! (Though I would recommend that it is ordered to share rather than as a single course. Some things are best enjoyed in small portions)

One other highlight of the place is their milkshakes. It is lovely! Plus they have Nutella flavour! A definite must try!

Oh! They also have wood fire pizza that was quite nice. We had the margarita pizza. Unfortunately, it was devoured before I could even whip my camera out. Next time I want to try their mushroom pizza with truffle oil..... sounds delicious.

Service was reasonable. Food was great. Company was awesome. Combination of an excellent outing ^^

*thinking of next visit to Ben's General Grocery Store*

Malaysian Table Setting

2011-12-06T22:20:00.001+08:00

Malaysia is a very interesting place. For one, I believe that a table setting like the one shown above can only be found here. Where else can you get a water goblet filled with orange juice with tea cup, and western utensils with Chinese soup spoon and soy sauce? Let's not forget the ~~turn table~~ lazy susan (thanks to my honey bee for teaching me a new word ^^ )....

Delving deeper just a little, the setting actually shows the amount of tolerance and respect we show to each other. My company is mainly dominated by Chinese, but we do have many colleagues from other races and nations. While the menu was oriental cuisine and should have only need chopsticks, western utensils were used as the basic table setting for this annual dinner so that everyone can fully enjoy the dinner.

Instead of focusing on the race of a person as the source of a conflict, people should look at that person for who he or she is. I do not deny that most stereotyping is actually quite true, but this is because of the upbringing, exposure and experience that a person goes through when growing up. However this trend is changing as children go through the same education system and/or is exposed to global happenings through the internet. Note that the key word here is changing, many still stick to the old ways.

My group of buddies does not consist of only one ethnic. Though our common point is using English as our main language. Perhaps it makes us sort of outcast from the traditional people or seen as traitors for not using our mother's tongue. Can I argue that my mom (and even my dad for that matter) speaks English as their first language, hence it IS my mother's tongue? =D

Rather than defending a certain trait / food / language as a definition of a certain group of people. Perhaps it is best to pick the best of them and move forward. It is like the Nyonya people who took the best of Chinese and Malay cuisine and now is considered one of the best food around. Think of it as evolution. Species that want to survive will always continue to evolve to better suit the environment through the combination of genes. Last I checked, we were all considered homo sapiens.

In addition, great civilizations in the past did knowledge exchange when they traveled for trades. There is this series on Discover Channel, "1421: The Year China Discovered the World" (there is also a book). It is fascinating as they traveled for trade, they picked up and passed down knowledge everywhere they docked. We are not who our ancestors were. A lecturer once said, people praise people that they did not meet for a long time by commenting that they did not change at all. While it is meant that the person did not aged physically, the lecturer asked, is it a good thing to not change at all after years? Not changing means that person is stagnant and never improved. Something for you to think about ^^

~ Oops seem to have drifted a bit far from the original simple topic~ ~ ~ ~ ~ good night people!

Life's Necessities

2011-12-04T19:14:00.001+08:00

Growing up, Disney was a large part of my entertainment. It was really nice to believe that dreams do come true. Of course characters like Belle, Ariel and Mulan are among my favorites as they displayed such strong personality and get to their dream on their own effort. Then there's all their beautiful dresses which will probably inspire my wedding dress ^.< especially Belle's one. Mulan taught me responsibility, Belle to look beneath the surface and Ariel to go after what you want. Though, it just occurred to me that all my three princesses left their home to fulfill their responsibility or chase their dream. Plus they were all very rebellious girls. My parents must be thankful that their influence was not that great =D

While the princesses gathered the most attention from little girls such as me back then, classics such as the Jungle book and the Lion King took a back seat. But recent thoughts about life made me think of the song "The Bare Necessities" from the Jungle Book. As humans, the bare necessities are basically air, food and clean water, clothes, as well as shelter. Sounds simple right? Yet why is it that people are not able to make end meet? With the amount of technology that is available, it is still not possible to provide food and water to the world? Instead, people are obsessed with things that they cannot have but want to claim a certain reputation.

And don't spend your time lookin' around

For something you want that can't be found

When you find out you can live without it

And go along not thinkin' about it

I'll tell you something true

The bare necessities of life will come to you

I am not saying that everyone should stop working and wait for things to drop from the sky. After all, Baloo still had to lift the tree bark to find the ants and he had to pull the tree down to get the bananas. But, if we are not constantly chasing the latest phone or a certain expensive model of car, I think expenses would not be that high. The availability of credit cards leads to impulse buying which usually a lot of people will regret. I read Shopaholic, and found her to be seriously annoying. How many times is she going to repeat the mistake of over spending before she learns?

Instead of listening to what people say you need to be happy, think about what you think makes you happy. It is a common technique for sales people from beauty boutiques and gym personal trainers to tell you that your skin is bad and your BMI is not good (some might tell you outright that you are fat) so that they can convince you to buy their products or packages. Having recently joined a gym, I tried to go on the advised diet plan which failed because it made me miserable. When I am miserable, I crave even more food. So instead of controlling everything I eat, I just make choices (such as choosing low fat options) when possible and eat with moderation. If my mom cooks fried chicken for dinner, I will eat, but just eat one piece ^^ By the way, did you know that certain low fat options have higher calories than the normal one?

Okay enough melancholy for a Sunday night. Let's start the week with Hakuna Matata!

*feet tapping*

Gym Life

2011-11-23T21:26:00.001+08:00

A friend asked me today, what does it feel like after going to the gym? I answered, it feels like being alive. They started laughing, saying, "so we're dead or half dead now la?". In a way, perhaps we are... or at least those working in the office life.... everyday we wake up, go to a cold office, sit whole day, go home, sleep and repeat. The heart is just at the normal pace.... or even when it does increase, it is more from mental stress which is not good. Since starting work, I have been falling sick a lot more often than I ever had when I was studying. Spent a lot more time in the sun and walking back then ^^

Walking these days are mostly within air conditioned areas or underground. Neither of which gives me the warmth of the sun. Weird for a person in Malaysia to like the sun right? Mostly people complain about how hot it is here. But I am sort of a solar powered person with energy highest when the sun is up (but with not much retention ^^).... this is not to say that people should go out under the sun after 11am.... even I do not do that. But the mornings and evenings are lovely. Afternoons are also great to spend outdoors under the shade of great trees with a playful breeze.

Anyway coming back to the gym, after leaving university, great trees are hard to find. Furthermore, weather has been unpredictable lately, hence making it hard to go for walks or jogs. Even wanting to play sports is hard as many people are too busy with their careers. So with encouragement from family, I joined the gym. I wasted half of the first month as I was too sick to go. But after that, I started the momentum. The first round was 30 minutes on the treadmill and it built from there. Now I am joining body combat classes, extending my mill times and working on the muscle toning machines.

In my first body combat class, I nearly gave up half way because I was dizzy and my face was very pale. But managed to push through and the second class was easier. It is a great feeling to be able to improve physical strength. Or perhaps it is just a feeling of accomplishment that I love. That and feeling the heart beats when exercising. The blood rush is what makes me feel alive during and after a visit to the gym. There are times I go to the gym before work. People ask if that makes me tired. On contrary, I feel most energetic and alert at the office on those days.

Only draw back is that it is addictive..... now crave for physical activities more often...... and it is more difficult to sit still....... then again, we are only young once. Now is not the time to sit down, now is the time to get out and make waves ^^

*leg tapping to fast pace music*

Marie Curie 144th Birthday

2011-11-07T10:58:00.001+08:00

My favorite quote for many years has been "Nothing is to be feared, only understood" by Marie Curie. While I did not know of her accomplishments when I adopted that quote, the words just felt so inspiring. It was only later when I decided to do a little research on her when I found out that she is an amazing person. According to Wikipedia, she is the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, only woman to win in different fields (only one other person has done this) and only person to win in multiple science (Physics and Chemistry).

Being a female back in those days made it much harder to shine and be acknowledged. But despite the odds, she managed to just that. After her husband's death, she was entrusted with his chair at the Sorbonne physics department and became the first female professor in that university. She also went on to contribute to the science field by founding an institute which later housed more Nobel prize winners. Her final recognition was to be buried at the Pantheon, Paris. While she was not the first woman to have her final resting place there, she was the first to have done so on her own merits.

Perhaps the quote was important back in school where we as students always get so scared when it comes to tests and exams. Or when learning something totally new like the first exposure to Add Maths. It was even more terrifying when all the seniors tell you that you will fail without a doubt. Having that quote soothes me, calms the mind to concentrate on understanding the lesson at hand rather than being distracted by the fear of not knowing. Even after leaving the safety of education grounds, the quote is still relevant as we are often scared when faced with the unknown. It is simply a reminder to stay calm, look at the issue objectively, find the solution and solve it. "Knowing is half the battle." ^^

Happy 144th birthday Marie, you are still an inspiration.

p/s - Perhaps the only thing that I still fear is heights especially when there is no sturdy grip/protection. Why? Because I understand that if I fall from that particular height, it would be the end =D

Where to draw the line (Environment)

2011-10-31T22:38:00.003+08:00

Meeting up with my form 6 friends never fail to be mind and thought provoking. This time around, we went to UM's Eco Film Festival. It is basically a festival for films that are related to environmental issues (as you can probably tell from the event's name ^^) and there are also booths and stage activities with the same theme. There were talks, informative booths as well as sale of items such as natural hand made soap.

While I was walking about the booths, this girl was talking about how producing a pair of jeans takes 11 gallons of water to produce *glance down at the pair of jeans I was wearing*. Then there was a banner that show photos of animals and the words "love us, don't eat us". Mel then said that she could never give up meat, pretty much like my sister who does not consider a meal complete without meat. In line with that argument, by looking at our teeth, we are born to be omnivours and not herbivours. But on the other hand, environmental fanatics would tell everyone about how it is cruel to eat meat and how damaging it is to the environment with the amount of methane gas produced from the meat farming industry. So does that make us a lost cause environmentally? Even if we save electricity and water, separate all our trash for recycling, and car pool when possible?

Back to the jeans, jeans are one of the most hardy piece of clothing that I own. My pair of jeans has been with me for years and years. It has also protected me from then surroundings and insulated me from cold. And here she is telling me that we should not be purchasing jeans because it is bad for the environment? Her alternative is organic cotton. While cotton may be lighter and breathable, it is hardly practical for rough use. Imagine if producing asbestos suits for firefighters is bad for the environment, are we going to ban that and make them wear organic cotton suits instead?

It is not that I disagree with being environmental friendly. I do my part of recycling and reducing plastic usage as well as try to get people around me not to consume shark fins. But to what extent should we go to protect the environment? Where do we draw the line? How much is enough?

*ponders*

Birthdays

2011-09-25T15:56:00.001+08:00

What are birthdays about? Some use them as an excuse to just go out to celebrate, some need another reason to get drunk and some just let it pass quietly. A friend once said that your birthday should not be about you, but about your mother who carried you for 9 months and went through labour to deliver you. Which is very true.

In anyways, birthdays is also an occasion to show how well you know the person (especially if you hide your birth date from Facebook) through planning of the event or presents. Sometimes simple presents can mean a lot compared to a costly present that has little thought. Once I received a pair of dolphin earrings that was wrapped in layers and layers until the first view was a pyramid shaped present. Though it has been many years, but that present has remained in my mind for the effort that was put in.

In my past few years of my birthdays, I threw huge parties... so much so that this year that I did not do anything, people actually asked "eh? no party this year?". This year I did a little something different. Went to the Land of Eagles for my birthday. As I went with my usual gang of guys, it did not have the usual excitement of a party or gathering. In fact, it hardly felt different from any other day except a couple of sms-es and a call.... not forgetting the surprise cake at the end of the day.

Then came a belated birthday outing, where we went to Teluk Gong for seafood, One Utama for batting cages (not my thing.... the ball hit me instead of me hitting the ball), shopping and drinks then Italian dinner at Bonasera. When I got home, there was a present waiting from another friend ^^

Seafood Pasta with White Wine

After that went with another couple of friends for Snowflakes followed by McDonalds.

The top bowl is their best seller, Grass Jelly with taro (yam and sweet potato) balls and the bottom bowl is Amber Jelly with Pearls which is mine and nice ^^

Before falling asleep, I realised that I have special days all the time and not necessarily on birthdays. Having the luxury of friends who will bring other friends to try new food and activities, who will tease and joke, make the effort to organize gatherings in a way that you can make it (there was a period of time when it was very hard for me to go for gatherings due to work) and of course be there in times of trouble (such as when I get lost on the roads ^^)

So as a conclusion of the thinking I did since Langkawi....... life is awesome so far ^^

*happy*

Winter Melon = ?

2011-09-22T20:52:00.001+08:00

It has been a rather trying day..... but then this display caught my eye.......

Apparently winter melon is made from rock sugar, longan and lo hon ko......... =D

But it is still not as funny as the Malaysia's Best Fruits blooper........

Langkawi 2011

2011-09-20T21:05:00.000+08:00

It has been a great many years since I was in the land of eagles. As such I cannot remember much about it, only little fragments such as the giant eagle statue and not going up on the cable car. The only clear memory was that I visited the underwater world... and that is only because my aunt bought me a necklace (the pendant is the following photo). Even after growing out of wearing it, I turned the pendant into a key chain so that it is still functional.

This time around, I went there during my birthday weekend with some friends (my birthday was just a coincidence, they would have gone without me any way ^^). Unfortunately for all of us, it was basically raining for most part of our trip... spent a lot of time listening to the rhythm of the falling rain (=p) which of course meant a lot of thinking on my part.

At least we managed to go island hopping which was fun. The waters was a little choppy, making the ride exciting. The guys were joking about how only here even the ocean has portholes as the boat went up the wave and landed on the waters. I loved the eagle feeding part (though not sure if it is environmentally friendly) as they swept down from the sky gracefully, picked up the food from the water and fly back to the sky. Then there was the Pregnant Maiden's Lake which was a little scary to swim in since the bottom cannot be felt and there is hardly sides to hang on to.

Oh! We also went up the cable car (subconsciously been trying to push back this particular memory). It was terrifying @.@ But once on top it was nice to enjoy the cool breeze. Since it has been raining, it was foggy and could not see much, in drier seasons the view is said to be fantastic, especially at sunset.

Birthday Cake

It was truly a different way of spending my birthday which usually means a big party. This time, it was just another day.... except at the end where they distracted me with shopping when in town while they bought and snuck the really pretty cake into the car then the room. Have to hand it to them for the really nice surprise (I am seldom surprised... and even less pleasantly surprised ^^)

*thinks about life so far..... *

Pork Chops

2011-09-18T20:33:00.000+08:00

So over the long weekend, Simi had the inspiration to do some cooking. Among the many things, was pork chop with steamed vegetables and mashed potatoes. The sauce invented was garlic mushroom sauce.... which kinda needs fine tuning ^^" Let's let the photos speak for themselves... watch the potatoes!

Simple scoop of mashed potatoes garnished with dried herbs and paprika

Rosette of mashed potatoes with a sprinkle of dried herbs

Rosette of mashed potatoes that has been lightly baked for colour

*contemplating red wine sauce and caramelized onion sauce..... *

Language and People

2011-09-16T08:00:00.000+08:00

When I was back in school, the English teachers (and my dad) were always pressuring us to stick to the proper English, not to use slang or end sentences with "la"s and "ma"s. We were instead supposed to speak English like we were Brits and it is our mother tongue. But it is not is it? We are Malaysians and we have various mother tongues. Living together long enough, we have come to understand each other's language just as we understand each other... even if it just a little. A friend once asked me if all Chinese ate dogs.... I would have laughed out right, but then seeing his serious face, I gently explained that most Chinese in Malaysia do not eat dogs at all ^^". Then again, there was another friend who asked if I was a gangster just because my school had a notorious history. Also asked with an extremely serious and cautious face.

But that is besides the point. The main point is that several years down the road since school, people are now proudly flaunting Malaysian flavoured English. It has become part of the culture of being a Malaysian. As much as things such as nasi lemak, Nyonya cuisine, general greeting (the first question, regardless of language is always: Have you eaten?) Malaysian drivers and Malaysian timing as part of our culture (though maybe we should rethink the last two items ^.<). Here, a sentence made up of a few language would be perfectly normal and understandable to all Malaysians, and be alien to everyone else.

We are still not completely comfortable with each other, but then again, there are a lot of people that we probably can't stand and it has nothing to do with the way we look. Still we have no problem living, working and playing next to each other. We can walk on the roads without fear of being gunned down (at most we have to worry about is acid being splashed). So it is sufficient... for the moment.

Happy Malaysia Day everyone ^^

the Five People you meet in Heaven

2011-08-31T11:50:00.004+08:00

After having this book by Mitch Albom for the longest time, I finally took the time to read it. It is truly an inspirational piece of work. It starts on the last day (and birthday) of Eddie's life and brings you back to revisit his entire life. In that visit, he meets five people who has changed his life and whose lives has been changed by him. Some are those close to him while others he has never met. In the short time he is with each person, they unveiled the reasoning behind the events of his life to him... and passes on to him five lessons.

It is an easy reading book yet will give you thoughts to think about. In one chapter the readers will be brought to think about the interlink of life and death. Perhaps that is why Eddie dies on his birthday? There was a time where I had a discussion with a friend regarding the poem "no man is an island". It does not as simple as the way the phrase is used to mean that everyone needs someone, but rather everyone is part of everyone else. Much like this book where he meets people who have touch his life yet he has never met in person.

No Man is an Island

No man is an island entire of itself; every man

is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;

if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe

is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as

well as a manor of thy friends or of thine

own were; any man's death diminishes me,

because I am involved in mankind.

And therefore never send to know for whom

the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

~John Donne~

While it is a little depressing when he learns of the wrongs that he did and how he was wronged, it all brings to the purpose of his existence on Earth... and that brings hope and faith that we are important and have a reason for living. After being injured from the war, he was a maintenance man for a amusement park. Not a very sought after job or one that is appreciated like farmers or construction workers. But if you think about it, what are the basic needs of a human? Food and shelter which they will provide. We all know of the tragedies that can happen in an amusement park that is not properly maintained and Eddie's purpose was to keep the children there safe. (Though if you think about it, why do we create dangerous rides?)

*deep in thought*

Coffee Butter Cake

2011-08-28T12:33:00.003+08:00

Considerably quite pretty ^^ A big leap forward from all my previous work. Still need to work on the icing texture though..... while this time it holds the shape better, it is still on the soft side.

Thanks to Wilton for guide on the weaved basket technique.

*Pleased*

Molecular Gastronomy

2011-08-25T08:24:00.000+08:00

I just realised that my little project on Molecular Gastronomy was never posted on this blog.... it was one semester where I was crazy over MG and even tried implementing it in my culinary class. Needless to say, while it got marks for creativity and initiative, it did not have the outcome I wanted as the materials was not available... even after searching each and every lab and facility in the faculty.... still it was a fun project ^^

Enjoy!

*wonders where to get sodium alginate and calcium chloride*

Written in the Stars......

2011-08-24T23:44:00.004+08:00

At lunch today, one guy was going through descriptions of people according to star horoscopes. I have always found that my Virgo stars are quite accurate in describing me, while another friend at the table had nothing in common with her star's normal qualities. Perhaps horoscopes are merely self fulfilling prophecies, we behave as how we believe we should be behaving. After all, with billions and trillions of people in the world, can it really that simple to categorize them into 12 different personalities? And how would the 12 animal zodiac affect? Or maybe it would combine and hence there would be 144 personalities? Come to think of it, there is another 5 elements to each personalities which would bring to a total of 720 personalities? Hmm.... might be possible after all ^^

There was one time I was told that some people's fate or destiny is fixed by the stars while others are not. For example, me being a total Virgo could mean that I am more influenced by the stars that my friend who does not have any characteristic of her star. Is that a good or bad thing? Well, I do like being a Virgo, though it can be very annoying and tiring at times.... but generally I am happy the way I am.... After all, most stars have both strength and weaknesses. It is good to know that in order to optimize your strength and cover your weaknesses.

So is your destiny written in the stars? Or will you take fate into your own hands?

A song with beautiful descriptions and images....

*humming to starry starry night*

Moist Chocolate Cake

2011-08-23T21:21:00.003+08:00

It is an unwritten rule that birthdays are merely excuses for us to go out and enjoy a good meal... at least for my group of friends. Recently birthdays have become an excuse for me to try new cake recipes. While my spaghetti and western dishes are usually welcomed, my baking skills kinda need work.... let's just say that the first few cakes I bake will never appear in this blog ^^

But the more recent cake, courtesy of my friend's mom turned out quite nice. Though as usual there was trouble with the frosting. It is sad that my arsenal is not being used yet.......

~contemplating cake decorating classes~

When in the countryside.....

2011-08-14T19:55:00.003+08:00

Ever wonder what city people do in the countryside? Well what I did was:

Pluck mangoes with a bag on a long stick
Bury dead fish from the pond
Attempt to trim away branches with a blunt parang
Trim away branches with a sharper small knife
Transplant baby mango tree
Attempt to dig out a deeply rooted plant with a hand spade (whose handle is made of a thick branch of some sort that has a knobby end that makes it look like a bone)
Ended up just cutting off the top part of the plant with the same hand spade and hammer.... how it was done I will leave to your imagination....
Eat
Sleep
Watch TV (lots of Merlin, CSI and Master Chef)

The last three seems so boring after the first few yes? ^^

*bone tired*

Stress Ball

2011-08-04T21:00:00.000+08:00

To reduce stress by throwing or hitting it against the table or wall...... or throwing it at people who are not cooperating.......

*imagines*

*laughs*

Ipad @ Sakae Sushi @ Curve

2011-08-02T22:39:00.003+08:00

Disclaimer: Yes I am associated with this brand but will try to be as objective as possible ^^

Back when I was in university, we learnt about how IT is changing the way restaurants work with the POS system, ordering systems and so on. In Sakae, the first generation had Interactive Menu (IM) that is a monitor and mouse where patrons can select their orders. Then came the touch screens. To keep with the latest trend, the outlet at the Curve is the first of the Japanese restaurants to use Ipad as their menu and ordering method!

Imagine smooth flipping of the menu at the tips of your fingers, brilliant photos of appetizing food and fast ordering whenever you are ready and not need to wave a waiter. You would also be able to keep track of what you have ordered, what is being prepared and what has been served. The location of the Ipad on the side of table is also a lot more user friendly as it is closer to hand.

I did take a number of photos of the new toy but none of it did any justice. Hence I will leave it to you to see it for yourselves ^^

*dreaming of Ipad*

Happiness is.......

2011-07-31T09:53:00.005+08:00

“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn't understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.”

Some people would probably brush the story off as one that is childish or one that is only imaginary or even idealistic. Life is more complex and complicated than just being happy. But if you think about it, why do people do what they do? People earn money so that they can buy things that they believe will make them happy. Do they really need the latest phone or expensive cars or largest diamond ring to be happy? We are in the rat race because we are forever in the pursuit of happiness. We are scared that if we slow down to appreciate the scene of life, we would lose to those running forward. Where are we running to? We all end up the same place anyway, regardless of who we are and how much we have.

So on this lovely Sunday morning, take a breath and look for the non materialistic things that make you happy. Be it a happy memory, a hand to hold, a child's smile, the lovely lovely weather ^^ or a person to talk to.

A lovely morning on Kenyir Lake

*absorbing the calm and soothing morning*

It gets better

2011-07-24T12:50:00.004+08:00

There are a lot of self appreciation and motivational songs lately. Perhaps from the increase in depression and suicides due to the pressure of current society. Even those close and dear to me seem to be facing troubles and feeling down. Sometimes, it is hard to just listen to their problems and not being able to help in any way.

Anyways, these two are my favorites for the time being. Hear, listen and feel better!

Charice with Louder (love the video ^^ )

Selena Gomez with Who Says.

"Talk to someone, if that doesn't work, talk to someone else. Life is worth it"

"It gets better"

~Jeremy~

"It is better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness"

~Elenor Roosevelt~

"Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy"

~Guillaume Apollinaire~

*deep in thought*

A Little Reward

2011-07-21T21:58:00.000+08:00

After officially working for a whole month, it is time to get a little present for myself ^^

Presenting my new toy!

Aren't they just lovely?

*sighs happily*

Creamy Salmon Spaghetti

2011-07-19T21:42:00.001+08:00

Chunks of salmon in a creamy sauce topped with crispy salmon skin and fresh dill

*yum yum*

Printing Bloopers

2011-07-15T21:29:00.000+08:00

Went shopping over the weekend and was going through the promotions pamphlet. To my delight, a lot of my usual purchases were on offer... then came across this offer which kind confused me.

3 bottles for RM9.... but limited to only 2 bottles per family per day...... so means?

*confused*

A Blooming Dream

2011-07-11T20:42:00.007+08:00

A few days ago, I dreamed of a garden with a wide array of plants with gorgeous pink flowers in full bloom. While some of you may have seen my pink hibiscus, you will probably not know about my other pink flower plant whose name escapes me at the moment. Today when I reached home and stepped out of my car, a beautiful sight awaited.

My pretty pink double layer flower finally bloomed. Previously it had flower buds, but it always died and dried before blooming..... good things come to those who wait ^^

*happy*

Saving the Best for Last

2011-07-05T21:35:00.003+08:00

Over the weekend was helping my mom clean out the refrigerator. A lot of expired food had to be thrown away.... saddest are the food that was being kept for special occasions such as chocolates that were given as a present..... saving the best for last is great if you do not miss out on when that "last moment" is.

Reminds me of a story about this man who gave his wife a beautiful set of jewelry. She was very happy and wanted to save it for a really special occasion. Years went by, when she died, her husband buried her with the jewelry saying, "I guess this is as special as it gets".

You will never know when the last moment will be. Saving is good, but don't let it keep you from living life.

Cheers.

A healthier lifestyle......

2011-06-28T20:33:00.003+08:00

In attempt at a healthier lifestyle, I ordered this for lunch:

Sicilian chicken salad. To my surprise, the salad can actually be very filling... probably because have to really take time to chew all of it... and it was quite nice, had pine nuts ^^

Then I was treated to this:

So much for my healthier lunch..... but it was still awesome ^^ had a great lunch date and all my favorite people were on shift when I went.

*thinking of what other healthier lunch options*

One of those days.....

2011-06-27T20:30:00.002+08:00

It is one of those days...... tired from long hours traveling for work, skin peeling from sun burn, muscle aching from carrying heavy stuff, leech bites itching like crazy, melancholy from too much critiques, loads of problems thrown at work...... among other things going on......

On the bright side, I am alive and relatively healthy, I just had a great lunch and dinner with excellent company, my sister made me laugh, I have a roof over my head and a soft pillow to rest my head later, my boss let me home early so that I can recuperate from the travelling, if I wanted a hug, I just have to stretch my arms...... among other things going on.....

Positive thinking, a good to counter each negative......

*zen*

Kenyir Lake

2011-06-22T22:03:00.009+08:00

People always talk about going overseas for holidays.... it is a bit sad because many of them do not realise how much they miss within their own lands. Recently went to Kenyir Lake for my graduation trip with my form six friends. Though we went on to do different things in university, we kept in touch and went on this holiday to celebrate the end of one chapter of our lives (for most of us anyway)

Rather than staying in a grounded chalet with swimming pools, spas and full facilities, we opt to stay in a boathouse where electricity is only available between 7pm -7am, water is processed from the lake and the bed is just a mattress on the floor instead. Crazy? That is just what we are ^^ Best part? There was no regrets about the trip ^^

The Jetty

This is the jetty. I love the moment when we get off the car or bus and view the ocean/lake for the first time. Just to stand there, stretch a little and absorb the whole scene in front of you. As you can see from the picture, Kenyir is no small lake.

Lake House

The boathouse has 2 floors with the sleeping quarters on the second floor. Most of the time we hung out on the front deck of the boat. The second floor is very hot and stuffy during the day. But who wants to stay in there when they can enjoy the wind and sights on the deck?? The kitchen and toilets are at the back. Most of the facilities are the basics, just enough to get what needs to be done done.

But the kitchen is surprisingly complete up to a full 3 layer steamer! When we sat down for the first meal, we knew why. Lunch and dinner are meals consisting of 1 fish dish, 1 chicken dish, 1 vegetable dish and 1 tofu or egg dish along with soup, rice and fruits for desserts. Breakfast is more simple with fried rice or noodles, or bread with assorted spreads with sausage and beans. There's also tea-time which is sweet soup such as red or green bean soup. Pretty luxurious for a nature trip. Plus, since the whole houseboat is ours, we get to make requests such as the food not being too spicy.

More awesome than the food is having the food while travelling. If you were staying in a chalet and wanted to visit the different places around the lake, you would probably need to sit in a speed boat to get to the place faster. When you are living on a boat, you get to travel at a leisure speed and enjoy a great many things such as having your meals while watching the scenery change, chatting, napping and even playing games such as twister. Life is a journey that is as much about the travel as the destination.

The Boat Crew

From left: Captain Alward, First Mate Man, Zainal aka Sarjan and Bawi

The friendly crew who takes care of all our needs from meals to travelling to places and ensuring our safety during the whole trip. At first we were surprised that the boat needed so many crew, but turns out everyone of them is indispensable. Feel free to ask them questions about the surroundings as they are quite knowledgeable about the area. If you need help with fishing, they are your men.

Sky Lake

At times, we travel upon deep parts of the lake where the surface would so still that you can enjoy the view of the sky on the lake.

Lake of Shiny Waters

Other times when the waters are not so deep, there would be ripples as the boat moves and you will get to enjoy the sparkly lake. Now I understand how Anne of Green Gables felt when she first viewed Barry's Lake. Just so pretty.

Could not resist the water that was so near, so I dipped my toes into the waters ^^

A panoramic view of the lake. Believe me, it is even more breathtaking when you see it for yourself. The whole place is in good condition. The operators take care of maintaining the cleanliness and beauty of the lake.

Then came the part I look forward to the most during trips... Waterfalls!!! In the package we took we visited two waterfalls! Awesome possums ^^ There are certain spots that are safer for swimming than others. The crew would guide you to those. The one in the photo above is more for the sight of water falling tiers after tiers.

This area was where we stayed awhile. Found areas to sit/stand and just let the water wash away your stress and worries. Do note that the water is cold! Lovely ^^ Better still is the hot sweet soup for tea time that awaits on the houseboat after you are done splashing in the icy waters.

Next to the natural jacuzzi is a relatively calm area where you can swim or just float...

Woke up early to take a refreshing dip in the waterfall waters. Ah.................

Besides waterfalls, the package also took us to two caves, Gua Bewa and Gua Taat. Bewa is a dry cave while Taat is a wet one where the entrance is submerged during high tides so it depends on the tide if you are able to enter. The photo above is one from Bewa. Standing there is wonderful as you get to feel the gush of wind from the entrance of the cave. If you are worried about creepy crawlies, it would be advisable to just stand there and enjoy the wind ^^

The second cave is worth entering. It is a wet cave, so you can still see stalactites and stalagmites forming. Best is the mineral rocks that sparkles (photo above). After spending time in the dark the light from the entrance of the cave is always welcomed (photo below). You will be surprised at how much better you can appreciate the light when you have been in the dark for some time (try switching off all your torch lights and just listen to your own heartbeat).

Besides caves and waterfalls, there are forests at all night stops where you can go for night trekking. For a small fee, the crew can also take you out on a boat ride in hopes of catching sights of elephants or leopards drinking from the lake. A small group of us went for a short hike and saw elephant treks and poop. So the chances of sightings are quite good I suppose. No guarantees.

If night walks are not your thing, there is always fishing....taking the small boat out for fishing is part of the package.... not really my cup of tea though.... speaking of tea, there is free flow of coffee and tea through out the trip!

Take time to view the flowers and other floras......

not forgetting the variety of fauna that can be found.... above is a millipede with hard shell. I love its colours.....

And if all else fails, at night you can still watch Astro. Surprisingly it works even when all phones cannot be used unless you want to throw it at an attacking bear...... not sure if that will help either ^^ But seriously? Come on! You can do that at home ^^

But if you want to have a mild nature trip with lots of time to spend with friends and family, beautiful sights and wonderful waterfalls, this is the way to do it. For more information you can give their site a visit. They have a variety of packages to fit your wants and needs. Will tell you more about the things you will need to pack and other trips tips in the next post ^^

*dreaming of waterfalls*

A bit much?

2011-06-12T10:20:00.002+08:00

Simi has a guy friend who for some reason always flinches around her. Like if he sits next to her playing his phone and she leans over to watch the game, he flinches... very very obviously. Like when an elephant who sees a mouse. Then the other day, when they were walking side by side, she accidentally bumped him and he jumped a couple of centimeters away. So she finally gave up and asked why he does that. His answer was because she is scary. Simi was stunned and then told all his friends what he said. One guy tsk-ed at him while another asked her is she happy or insulted from that comment. She did not know how to answer, while it is a bit insulting to say that she is that scary, it is also funny that a girl can make a grown man flinch that easily. The Flincher then covered up with, "you don't know what the meaning of sarcasm is it?"

*laughing*

OCD at home 1

2011-06-06T20:58:00.003+08:00

Have you ever did a whole day of house cleaning, lie down on the floor too tired to move, stared at the ceiling and noticed that the fan is dirty then got up and cleaned the fan? Happened to me long ago. OCD appears to be able to define a person, like that red head counselor in Glee. But thank goodness I am not to the stage of brushing fruits yet.

Then again, in my point of view, it is not really a problem. I see a problem, I solve it. I see dirt, I clean it. Simple. The latest endeavor? I washed down the kitchen, from the sink to the side counter to the stove, storage area under the sink and stove right down to the floor. All because I wanted to do some cooking and noticed the sink was not shiny. From washing one area, the water flowed to the next and demanded to be cleaned.

On top of that, I baked a cake and cooked dinner for my family. The result? My mom came home, took a look at the kitchen and certified me insane. Result number 2? I am like a zombie today.....

*plops onto bed and checks out*

Irony in the Cinema

2011-06-04T09:04:00.002+08:00

I was in the cinema the other day and was watching the advertisements before the movie. So there was one that talks about the diseases faced by Malaysian these days such as diabetes, heart attack, lung cancer and so on. This was followed by advice on living a healthier lifestyle with more exercise eating healthy and avoiding alcohol. The irony was the advertisement after that was for Twisties...... and then baskin robin ice-cream cake and ending with KFC...... contradictory message much?

~shaking head~

Copy Blunder

2011-05-28T08:44:00.003+08:00

When setting up the company e-mail, it is easiest to just copy someone else's signature and change the name and designation. That should be a fool proof way since the company's name, address, contact numbers and fax should all be the same. It would have been so... if there was not the small print of mobile phone towards the bottom of the signature. For almost 3 months, my recipients have been getting the wrong number.... no wonder my phone never rings for business purposes @@ who knows how my calls I missed....

So how did I finally discovered it? A partner was supposed to sms me a contact and I was wondering how she has my number since I do not have a name card and have been a little stingy when it comes to giving out my number. Then she said from my e-mail... *stuns* *rushes to check e-mail signature* oops.....

The best part is that the number belonged to someone who has permanently left the country so the number was probably disconnected, hence there was nobody to take the calls and then tell me that strange people have been calling that number for me....

Lesson of the day: Do not copy and paste blindly.......

*laughing*

Office vs Operations

2011-05-26T20:51:00.002+08:00

My internship is coming to an end soon though my connection with the company is not severed with this ending. During my training, I had to the opportunity to experience both office life and operations life equally. Both has its pros can cons. Obviously the main con of being at the operation level is the unstable timing, long hours and having to work when everyone is off. Though at the same time, it is enjoyable as it is a lot of hands on work. For example, thanks to my training there, I can now saute pasta without using a tong that will break the pasta and I can also flip pancakes, omelette's, crepes etc. with just the pan. Also, I got to meet different people every single day.

Office on the other hand has a more stable timetable though because I chose to be in the marketing department, working over time and on weekends are quite frequent as well. The workflow is also more stable as in there's work to be done the whole day through instead of rushing through lunch and dinner crowd and stand around mindlessly between those times. Those breaks really drive me crazy. Such a waste of time just standing around. And it is not like in the office where you get to sit if there is nothing to be done. Other than that, it's the little things such as having a variety in work clothes and proper meal times that makes the office a better place to work in.

I only have one question... Why even though the office is a much easier life than working at the operations level, I fell sick a lot more frequently when working in the office?

~puzzled~

Technology: Boon or Bane?

2011-05-24T20:00:00.000+08:00

People have been arguing about the benefits and negative effects of technology on our lives, especially the younger ones who are more easily influenced by the media. Like the invention of the internet. It is great that you can read this post within seconds that I wrote and posted it up, yet at the same time, suppose I am not writing something healthy? Then how many people that could be negatively influenced by a single writer (for writers with a lot of people reading anyway ^^)? The argument would be never ending as for as much good as technology will bring, it will also bring the bad.

But today I witness how technology can really help people. We all use phone all the time. Yet it has never crossed my mind how the mute or deaf can communicate with people far away. I was walking by a restaurant, when I saw a guy doing sign language, but there was no one sitting opposite him. Only upon closer inspection, I saw that he was actually had a phone in front of him and he was having a video conversation. Then only did it dawn upon me how important the development of video conferencing was to them.

In the end, it is up to the users to decide if technology is used for good or evil. It is after all just a tool. We can use a knife to kill but we can also use it for surgery that can save lives =)

~thinking of the ipad2~

Archery

2011-05-22T20:08:00.001+08:00

If I had to choose a weapon during the mythical period, it would always been the bow and arrow. Of course having characters like Legolas from LOTR and Robin Hood makes that weapon look so awesome. Plus elves, whom are a fascination to me, love using the bow ^^

During my years of studies in university, I took a course on outdoor archery. It was awesome! Except for the heat, the long waits for turn to shoot since it was quite a large class and the initial hunts for arrows that fly astray ^^ After that, the nearest I got to the bow and arrow is at the indoor archery range at Sunway Pyramid which I went recently.

While it will never come close to the thrill and challenge of shooting outdoor at longer distance, just holding the bow, pulling the string, aiming then releasing the arrow to hit the target is exciting enough. The intense moment is when your muscles are straining to pull the string back and also push the bow forward in a balance steady enough for you to aim. Then, when ready, you let the arrow fly, and it hits the intended target. That is a moment of pure satisfaction. (of course it takes a lot of practice before you get to that satisfaction part ^^)

~Wonders where there are outdoor archery range~

Bubba Gum Shrimp Co.

2011-05-20T20:15:00.001+08:00

Met up with a friend at Sunway Pyramid. Boy has it changed since the last time I was there.... then again, it has been ages since I was there ^^ So as usual the hardest question to answer is "What are we going to eat?" And we went to the directory board. Bubba Gum Shrimp Co. jumped out at me. Always see it at the Curve, and heard that it was not bad, but never tried. Since my friend was agreeable to trying we proceeded to find the restaurant... which we did after asking the information counter, going through the main mall then little alleys.

Initially we ordered the onion rings, scampi pasta and Alabama Mud Pie (which looked really really awesome). But we were too full after the appetizer and main course so we had to cancel the dessert =( Still, the food was not bad.

Tower of onion rings with Chipotle Sauce BBQ Drippin' Sauce. (RM15.90)

"...Of Course We Have Scampi!" (RM31.90)

(That is the name of the dish, no I am not joking)

The onion rings were great. Interesting presentation, rings with crispy coating and tender onions. The Chipotle sauce was nice, but the BBQ sauce was rather ordinary. The scampi pasta was well received by my friend, but I was not so impressed with it. It had capers with lemon and tomatoes on top of the shrimp. Not sure if they added some kind of cheese into the sauce besides Parmesan but the sourish taste (probably from the capers and lemon or the unidentified cheese) was not really appetizing to me. The garlic bread also tasted odd. Serving of scampi was reasonable though.

What was more fun about the place was the decorations!

Sauce bottle rack behind my seat. My friend asked if they can be used.

No, they are glued to the rack ^^

Even the table top is interesting with the ping pong bat drinks menu, fishing bucket for holding tissue and sauce bottles and the metal plate for calling waiters (the blue "Run Forrest Run" sign)

If you need the waiter, just flip the blue plate to reveal this red plate! Probably the sound of the metal plates flipping would also catch their attention besides the bright red sign ^^

The best decorations for us was still the sign boards! If you cannot read the bottom right picture, it says "Instant human, just add coffee".

Generally, food is average, servings are reasonable, service is friendly (they ask how are you, though they don't really expect an answer.... when you answer they just go on with their own thing), ambiance is great, especially for friends whom you have not met in a long long time or first dates. Lots of conversational ice-breakers around (the decorations).

~craving mud pie~

Rebirth

2011-05-18T20:00:00.000+08:00

One of my more successful gardening project was my pink hibiscus tree which I grew from a 5 cm cutting from my friend's tree. It had grow up to a meter tall and had a lot of huge flowers. It was my pride and joy but then it fell sick with some white fungus growing all over the branches and leaves. At first I just trimmed the more heavily affected areas, hoping it would recover on its own. But it just kept getting worse.

So I gave it a drastic trimming, cutting any and all parts with the fungus. It was basically left with the bark and a few miserable branches and leaves. Even as I water it everyday, the leaves kept turning brown and falling... soon it was nothing but a woody skeleton... sad as I was, I could not bear to dig it out of its pot... then slowly I noticed small little leaves growing again... days passed and soon it was pretty green again. Today, there are flowers blooming once again! Granted it was not as big as before, but I am now sure that it will grow to that size ^^

Sometimes, life will seem to be harsh and difficult. We will always be invaded with negativity, unnecessary troubles and worries. Sometimes even when all hope seems to be lost, with a little TLC and time, miracles can happen ^^ After all, when you hit rock bottom, the only way is up. So don't give up. Things will get better!

~Motivated~

Godiva

2011-05-16T22:45:00.000+08:00

When people talk about good quality chocolate, Godiva is usually mentioned. While I like chocolate, my curiosity is never higher than the price of sating that curiosity. Until of course a friend gave a few pieces to try. According to her, the best way to taste the difference between normal chocolates and Godiva chocolates is by trying their basic milk chocolate and dark chocolate pieces.

Must admit their packaging is really pretty ^^

After all the anticipation, to me it was just another brand of chocolates. It did not taste that much different from the usual chocolates... maybe I am just not a chocolate connoisseur ^^ Still, like many other products, there are some brands that we will buy just for the packaging and the brand to impress other people.....

~Thinking of Chocolate Fondue~

Children Sushi

2011-05-15T21:49:00.000+08:00

Part of my job involves working with children and making cute children sushi. It is really fun! Though children has never been my thing, they are a lot less scary now (oh no! biological clock ticking!!). It is really hard to get angry with them.... even when they cannot make the sushi properly or they drop the things on the floor.... with their big teary eyes... you just want to hug them and say "it's ok, let's try again"

But before I move to teaching the children, I was taught to make the following children's sushi:

Racer Sushi (Front)

Racer Sushi (Back)

Soccer Ball

Ladybird Sushi

Such workshops are great for children to learn things outside the classroom. It can also be part of a gathering or birthday celebration to make it more special. There are even workshops for adults as part of corporate team building or family day events (of course they would not be learning this kind of sushi but rather the adult ones such as temaki and gunkan)

~Sleepy~

Lazy Song ^^

2011-05-14T21:35:00.000+08:00

It's Friday! What better way that to start it listening to Bruno Mar's Lazy Song? This song is awesome, even if there is no way it would ever by my theme song as I am seldom doing nothing (except when sick ^^). Still, enjoy the song!

~Lazy-ish~

Sugar Rose

2011-05-11T21:11:00.001+08:00

Sugar pulling had a pull on me since I discovered it in my Experimental Cooking Course back in university. There is just something magical about watching it turn colours as you pull it and how it turns out is all in your hands. Of course with limited equipment and ingredients at that point of time, it led to serious injuries. But I am wiser now ^^

As my cousin is also into culinary arts, he baked a cake for my grandmother's birthday and wanted to decorate it with sugar roses. A week before that, he tried making it and it turned out very nicely. So he was confident and called me over to help him as he wanted to make the roses in two colours.

Unfortunately, it did not turn out as well as the last time. The sugar started crystallizing too quickly and breaking to create sharp blades. With my previous experience, I knew it was time to stop pulling before the sugar shreds our fingers. However, we were still determined to make some roses with whatever available, my results are below:

Guess it is also because the skill that it takes to pull sugar is not easily obtained that it keeps me interested ^^

~Determined~

Cheese Cake

2011-05-09T20:49:00.003+08:00

Weekend came round again, and this week I made cheese cake! Let's let the photos speak for themselves ^^

Pretty yes? And it taste as good as it looks.... only the texture was a bit soft.... will improve on that the next time. The best part about cooking is always the appreciation of people who try the food. One guy asked how much I would be charging for the cake if he wanted to buy one ^^

~Happy~

Cupcake 1

2011-04-30T22:13:00.004+08:00

This is to record my first attempt at baking cupcakes and decorating them...... not too pretty a sight ^^ But it was fun!

Little Whites

Growing Batter

It's Alive!!!

Beautiful Golden Brown Cupcake

Some of the Alphabetical Attempts

Rose & Ribbon

(one of the nicer ones I think)

Overlapping Green

Multiple Flowers

(that looks like mashed potatoes)

Battle field.... or Porcupine ^^

Chocolate Sprinkle

I think I will just practice with the frosting on parchment paper before attempting it on cupcakes again ^^ And get more decoration like the silver sugar balls...

~wonders who to give cupcakes to~

Flowers on Highlands

2011-04-27T21:52:00.005+08:00

After much delay, I finally decided to take some time and upload some of the photos I took when I was in Cameron for a trip... it was a bright sunny (yet cool) morning when everyone else was asleep, I sneaked out to absorb a little peace and tranquility that Cameron is known for. There I found my favourite photography subjects... flowers! And really pretty ones with lots of petals ^^ Just don't ask me what their names are....

A beautiful day

Glowing Glory

A little bug caught on camera. Morning glories are one of my favorite... maybe just because of its name.... mornings are awesome ^^

Burst of Pink

Contrasts in the sky

Orange Spread

Pink Bloom

I love the various sizes of petals on this flower, like it was caught unfurling it's true potential.

Pink Blossom

One of my favorites with its many outlined petals.

Sunshine in Bloom

Luminescent Dream

Another one of my favorite as it has that mystical glow to it... think Avatar (the blue one)

Flowers always makes me happy. Coupled with cool fresh air and peace of mind, it was one of the best walks I had. Upon returning to the apartment, I warmed up with a nice cup of steaming hot tea.... that is the life ^^

~Dreams of next vacation~

P/s - All photos were taken with Sony Ericsson's C903 phone camera. The reason I got the phone.

Change

2011-04-22T07:13:00.004+08:00

I was informed that I have neglected this blog for too long. So I guess it is time for a little update. I am longer attached to the previous internship place due to certain problems and now I am working in an office-based environment. It is such a change! Now I get to enjoy a more "normal" lifestyle with waking up in the mornings, working through the day, going home for dinner and can even go out with friends after dinner. My meals are more regular (this is some how very very important to me), I do not have to waste time standing around 4 hours everyday during non peak hours at the restaurant, my dressing is a lot more comfortable these days ^^. I can go on and on but I am sure that you can get the message that it is a very much more comfortable workplace here. Plus I am kept so busy that I hardly notice the time going by!

But talking about change, people around me has been commenting that I have changed a lot since starting work. I just hope that it is not in a bad way. But change is normal, it means that at least I am learning to adapt to the working environment rather than cling on to the glorious past of academics. Though....... personally, I do not think I have changed that much. Just perhaps I now no longer have to keep the "good student" image so have become a little less restrained in my speech and actions.

The only major stress factor is what I am going to do after my internship. For the first time in my life, I will need to make a choice in the direction I want to take. Previously, my road was very clear and no major decision was neccessary (except telling my parents when I was in kindergarten that I refuse to go to a Chinese school). But there is still time, let's stress that when the time comes.

Enough of heavy stuff, there are still many photos that has yet to be uploaded from my trip to Cameron some time ago. Will be sharing them in little bits. The one below was taken specifically to be a desktop background. Flowers always relax me..... further more such pictures will bring back to memory the cool air and light breeze.... ah...... ^^

Cheers! Enjoy your weekend!

OCD at work 2

2011-02-26T09:15:00.003+08:00

OCD at work means order slips being neatly punched onto that thing that is used to stick the paper in.... no idea what that thing is called, but the one on the left of the picture...... and the bell being shiny..... or it could also be due to boredom at work.....

The Working Hours......

2011-02-15T23:36:00.003+08:00

A friend told me that it is okay to emo on my blog once in awhile..... so here goes..... working hours in the F&B industry, especially on operations level sucks...... ever since entering the kitchen, I hardly have time to spend with my family, what more my friends. Even the times that there are night meet ups, by the time I get off work, I am so tired that I barely participate in the conversations.

Nobody is indispensable and sooner or later people will get tired of arranging their schedule to fit a single person. It is also not fair for us to expect them to. If as an intern, the working hours can put such strain on socialability, imagine the damage it can do to relationships if working full time on that level..... because of Valentine's Day, a lot of the staff can only leave after 12am and the last person left at 5am... that person was back at the restaurant at 9am.... no wonder my lecturer warned us that one of the dangers of this industry is the divorce rate.....

So people, be nice to the staff when you are out in restaurants..... especially on busy days, it is not that they do not want to give good service, but there are just too many people to attend to and the kitchen may not be able to cope with the bulk of orders ^^

Thank You

2011-02-08T21:55:00.003+08:00

After waiting impatiently for so long, the last of my results are out... my thesis results. I aced it ^^ So here is a huge thank you going out to everyone who was a part of it. This should probably have gone onto my appreciation page in my thesis, but there was not enough time to think and properly write this.... so here goes....

To Dr. Boo, my supervisor, who offered me a topic that I was truly interested in (and knew on the spot that is the topic I want to do), who was patient with all my questions and constant worries, who put aside hours every week to guide us and ensure that our project was on track and last but not least went through our proposals and drafts in detail....

To my family who helped in any way and every way possible. My dad, my final editor who ensured that everything was grammatically right down to the commas and full stops. My mom, kept me properly nourished and understanding when I need to spend a lot of time in my own room. My sis who makes me laugh even when I was totally stressed. My bro for just being there ^^

To my friends who helped along the way. Shaheelan who edited my project from it's infancy right to final version before printing. Marzuki, Jiin Siong, Michelle, and Foong Sze who helped with data collection. Everyone else who never stopped asking me out though I had to skip a lot of outings ^^

To my coursemates, especially those under same supervisor, who traveled the road, overcame obstacles and reaching the destination together. It would not be as fun without you all ^^

I hope I did not forget anyone ^^ If I did, your help is very much appreciated! With the results out, I have now secured my graduation with first class honours ^^ The goal I set out to achieve on my first day (and told to be almost impossible for the major I chose) is completed. Truth be told there was many times I wondered if it was attainable. Now that question is answered.

The next question would be: What's next?

Only thing to do

2011-02-08T00:39:00.002+08:00

Every day people will be faced with problems, decisions and challenges. Some bigger some smaller. Sometimes we lean to others when it is too heavy to be supported by a single person. Sometimes we voluntarily lend a hand to those we feel need it... to solve such puzzles, usually it takes an objective mind. That is when an unbiased person would be of great help. But when all is said and done, all we can do is advise and it is up to the other person to decide to take it or not, as my mom taught me indirectly many times over... we are not to blame if things go bad regardless of whether that person takes our advice or not... though when we do care about the person, it is easier said than done...

Dreams.....

2011-01-28T23:32:00.002+08:00

Dreams are usually indications of how your life is at the moment, or perhaps in anticipation of things to come... like when I was in primary school, my classrooms somehow are always at the highest floor of the building. So a couple of days before every school reopening I would dream of climbing up the stairwell (which is jutting out of the building) and just as I was reaching the top the whole stairwell would break away from the building and everyone will be scrambling to keep it from falling... running from side to side to balance it.....

These couple of days however, my dreams been rather.... hard to decide.... can be considered out of control, scary of even exciting. It starts with somewhere fun and relaxing like a gorgeous Greek styled spa or an amusement park. The spa was especially nice, the details on the architecture was beautiful. But then I got angry at someone (cannot recall who and for what reason) and went on a drive.... a red sports car.... and was driving and drifting... quite awesome really ^^ but then competition came along and the cars raced up hill and then suddenly the road goes downwards drastically and the car just flies down.... and woke up....

The dream that begin with the amusement park ended with a terrifying roller coaster ride.... again ending with a steep downward rush..... perhaps I am a wee bit stressed ^^

OCD at work....

2010-12-30T13:11:00.002+08:00

..... means the only time that the sugar caddy is according to standards (5 white, 5 brown and 3 Equal) and all is facing the same direction......

Words

2010-12-27T23:26:00.003+08:00

At work, the words I say the most would probably be "welcome", "excuse me", "sorry" and "thank you". These words should be said with meaning but now it has become just words to get things done. Never thought it would come so easily, like just changing masks..... I guess it is true that it is difficult to say those words (especially sorry) to those who matter as compared to those who do not (Dr. Wilson from House). Also people tend to take closer people for granted and not be polite with those words........

Speaking of masks, turns out my mask at work is quite interesting, my colleagues describes me as "cool" meaning even tempered and "happy-go-lucky"........ @.@ this is almost as surprising as my university friends describing me as "cute"......

Actually, more interesting would actually be the words that is in the mind but not said when at work ^^

Merry Christmas

2010-12-23T15:42:00.002+08:00

As busy as I might be with work, I would like to wish everyone a safe, merry and blessed Christmas. Do take time to reflect on the year that has passed and make amends for things that should be amended. Also take stock of all the things you have. The things that will make you richest is not counted in dollars, ringgit, euro etc. but love, friendship, goodwill. Be happy with what you have because there are many that has a lot less. After all, as Albert Einstein said, "Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted"

This is as much a reminder to myself as to everyone else ^^ There are times in life when things are moving so fast and people are rocketing towards their particular goals that they forget to enjoy the view of the journey. Life is a journey that is traveled but once. And the destination is the same. Think about what you would like to remember from your journey before reaching that destination.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Internship

2010-12-14T19:30:00.003+08:00

In a blink of an eye 2 weeks of internship has passed... and today is my only off day the last 14 days. In that short span of time I have seen the brutality of the industry, demanding customers, the pressures of management, the tiredness and physical pain, not to mention the emotion one of smiling no matter how you feel.... but I have also seen the cooperation and teamwork between colleagues, the friendly and appreciative customers, and of course the rewards of a job well done.

If nothing else, I will learn to deal with stress and pressure better. My mind is not allowed to blank out during the rush hours. Also to have an even stronger hold on my emotions. Though I am not sure if this is a good thing. As it is I have been called a stone before (emotionless). And I should lose weight.... not sure if the late dinners or physical labour will win....

In the meantime, do expect me not to post so often ^^

Guess the Item

2010-11-28T15:26:00.000+08:00

I do not know about the rest of you, but I have a particularly strong interest in shiny things and technological gadget. That day my mom bought the item in the following picture... can you guess what it is for....?

Voila! It is a ladle holder ^^

Final Finals

2010-11-20T17:51:00.002+08:00

At 1 pm sharp, I laid my pen down for the last time. I checked my ID number and other information for the last time. I handed up the paper to the lecturer for the very last time..... at least for undergraduate studies.

With that I end my last paper of my final exam for my the final studying semester of my bachelor degree.... perhaps it is bitter sweet to finally finish my studies and leave the place which has been my second home for the past three and a half years. Some people even had tears in their eyes while they bid their friends goodbye with hugs and "keep in touch" wishes....

One day I might look back and reflect on how momentous this time and date is... but for now, it is time to P-A-R-T-Y!!! ^^

Soft Toys and Me

2010-11-10T16:48:00.000+08:00

To most people that know me, I am not really a soft toy person.... which is why the giant teddy bear I received for a recent birthday came as quite a shock.... but then again, I do have a collection of soft toys:

None of which are purchased directly ^^ I had to grabbed them with a claw (below). And the picture above is only about half of all the toys that my family has caught so far. With a little bit of technique and opportunities, it is not really a gamble but a test of skill ^^

The latest additions:

Mr. White Bear

Lady Pink

Blue Bunny

This was a real opportunity. The soft toys were piled up high next to the hole to drop the toy. And this rabbit was sitting right on top of the pile. It only took me two tries to get the rabbit to roll off the pile, down the hole and into my hands ^^

One of the more fun arcade game ^^

Vegetable Alphabet Soup

2010-11-07T16:37:00.003+08:00

One of my favorite recipes..... well it can hardly be called a recipe because it is never the same thing twice. It basically contains any vegetables you like or have lying around in the kitchen. Alphabet pastas are to get the children (and occasionally adults) to eat the dish.... though my sister complained throughout the meal because there is no meat in it ^^

Steps:

Slice, dice, chop the vegetables (this time I used onions, leeks, celery, carrots, tomatoes and potatoes)
Heat up a pot and add olive oil
Saute the onions until fragrant. This is followed by the other vegetables
Turn down the heat and let the vegetables sweat for about 15 minutes
Add water or stock and herbs
Boil for 20-30 minutes
Add alphabet pasta (cooked separately until al dante)
Serve.

Healthy and delicious..... except to carnivores who claim that I tried to poison her with the dish... All the nutrients are captured in the pot too ^^ If not adding pasta, add more potatoes for carbohydrates. And if want it to taste better, add more carrots and tomatoes, and reduce celery if you do not like the taste.

Bon appetite!

Shopping Bag

2010-11-06T09:44:00.004+08:00

First look at using a cloth shopping bag to shop for ingredients at the morning market seems easy enough: take bag, purchase items, chuck into bag...... think again...... today I learnt that:

Always buy the solid items first.... or you might end up with pureed tomatoes instead of whole ones.....
Should have more than one bag if planning to buy a number of items..... the bags are usually big and by the time you fill it up, it will probably weigh a couple of kg and strain your shoulder.....
Continuing from number 2, separate bags would also allow you to separate your ingredients to prevent cross contamination such as between tomatoes that would be eaten raw and potatoes which usually carry lots of dirt and microorganisms.....

On the bright side, now that the shopping is done, there will be yummy minestrone-like soup with alphabet pasta for lunch.... and possibly dinner ^^

Opposite of Love

2010-10-30T20:16:00.003+08:00

People usually think that the opposite of love is hate. I disagree. True opposite of love is indifference. Hate means you still think about the person ever so often and have strong emotions for him or her. Realizing that a person you care about broke a promise to you should be upsetting. But when no emotions come about, you know that that person is no longer that important to you.

Strain Train

2010-10-10T21:09:00.003+08:00

Back in high school, the train was my usual mode of transport. But towards the end of my time there, a friend learnt to drive and I car pooled with her. Ever since then, I have been rather pampered in terms of transportation ^^ Today due to circumstances, I had to take the train..... not the LRT, but the KTM. It was interesting idea at first, to see the women's only carriage for myself. But boy was it a disappointment.

I have always disliked KTM due to it's few trains, constant delays and overcrowding. Today I was reminded of my dislike, though I believe it has improved slightly as there were no real delays, but the time for waiting is still too long and it was rather uncomfortable. The overcrowding however is beyond description. Packed as a can of sardines would be an understatement. To make it worse? The women's carriage had some idiots who do not understand the meaning of "women only all the time"...... one of the ladies was so angry that she told them to get off ^^

When taking the KTM back, it was so packed that we could not get on the train at all and had to wait for the next one. I just hate having to push with people to get on the train. Thankfully, the next one came within 10 minutes. The best part? It was almost empty cause everyone forced themselves on the earlier train ^^ sometimes it pays to be patient.

While the train company is responsible to a certain extent of managing the crowd. It is also amazing how the people behave. Is it that difficult to let the other people out before pushing their way in? How do they expect the train to have space if they block the entrance of people trying to get out?

In any case, taking the KTM to work is not a wise option unless you have a lot of time to spare or working on you own time. Imagine having to wait an hour for the train, then by the time you get there, you will be all hot and bothered. Not exactly the best way to start a work day.....

Anyways, have a great week ahead everyone!

Glorious service

2010-10-10T18:40:00.003+08:00

My thesis would not have been possible without the help of my supervisor, so as a thank you gift, I went in search of coffee beans as she adores coffee..... in the earlier semesters she also mentioned Gloria Jeans as one of her favorite places. I think it is not only the taste of the coffee but also the memories that she has there that she loves....

As I went on my hunt, Coffee Bean and Starbucks had the beans, but then it does not have the flavoured beans or flavoured syrups that she likes.... so I ended up at Gloria Jeans. I actually did not know that all of them sell the whole beans ^^ So anyways, all of them gives a free cup of any choice of beverage with any purchase of one pack of coffee beans. As I was sharing with other coursemates for the present, I selected 2 packs of coffee beans, 1 bottle of caramel syrup and 1 thermos cup that can display message/photos.

Since I was only with my sister at that point of time, I asked if we can choose some other food items besides the drinks (also cause my sister's friend has been promoting the Tuxedo cake to her for the longest time). He asked the other person and said "ok gau tim". How's that for flexibility? (1 service point) So we ordered the tuxedo cake, american chocolate cake, GJ original iced chocolate and mango chiller (basically flavoured ice blended).

After the food arrived and I took a bite from both the cakes, the waiter came over and asked how was the cake. I commented that the american chocolate cake seemed rather hard.... then he said oh because the supplier was different. So he then offered to change the cake to another one and proceed to take my cake and gave me a piece of their cheese cake. It was nice. He also waited until I tried and asked if it was ok ^^ (another service point)

Because there were other customers, I was eating the food before paying. When the counter was empty, I headed over to pay for the items. Because I intend to put all the items into a basket then wrap it up like a hamper, I asked if they have any more baskets like the one they have on the counter (which was holding some cakes or something). The person said "oh you can have this one then" then straight away emptied the basket and asked the other person to wash and dry it for me. I was shocked and asked "are you sure??? What about your items displayed??" He said it's okay and even asked if I wanted them to wrap it for me. I said no need as I wanted to put a personal message into the cup display first. This is not only a service point, this is a total wow point.

All I can say is that in terms of service, Gloria Jeans rocks ^^

p/s - I am not sure if it is because I was very happy with the people and service, but the iced chocolate I had tastes much better than those from other coffee bars...... same goes to the mango chiller.......

Thesis Presentation

2010-10-09T09:40:00.003+08:00

With much joy I have officially presented my thesis for evaluation..... throughout my years in university, I have never put so much effort into preparing for a presentation..... slides where made and edited repeatedly, speech practice even in my sleep.......

But the most important part is that it is done and it was done well ^^ I asked the examiner if we would be able to see our results. He said he will have to pass the results slips to the head examiner. After another few presentations, he asked if i have presented, I said yes so he asked for my name. Then he checked and let me see his comments. It said "excellent presentation, confident speaker". And the scores on that page were all full marks. More than that, he asked me what was my future plans, he mentioned something about postgraduate program and working for his company in Australia. Oh the joy of being appreciated ^^ The funny thing was that about being confident, I was so nervous, my hands were too shaky to hold the speech cards that I prepared.....

Now that it is done, it's time to enjoy the weekend. Happy weekend everyone ^^

Read. Write. Share.

2010-09-25T21:56:00.003+08:00

Bookxcess, found in AmCorp Mall is a great place to get books for really cheap prices. Today I dropped by to get some new reading materials and ended up with more than I purchased. I bought one book and had to wait quite a bit for the receipt. Turns out they have a new program called "receipt stories" where they print out stories by the general public on the receipts. (if you are interested to publish yours, click here) The one I received was titled "Perfection". As I am often labelled as a perfectionist, the story was rather interesting. It goes like this:

"Human's perspective of perfection is outrageously overrated. Security is an understatement. Every person's idea of perfection is carved specifically to something that they are not and expect to be portrayed by someone else. Our being is under no condition to be contented, thus, perfection is overly unachievable.

Things we want never stay stagnant and are as volatile as the movement of the wind. Human inadequacy to remain unchangeable is the sole provider to this imperfect world we live in. Our idea of complete happiness changes too often to remain perfect. "

~Philip Lee~

I particularly like the last line of the passage. Often people as why we change change our minds about what we want in life. But as we progress in life, we are exposed to more experiences that will change our mindset and priorities. Hence it is fine to change, it shows that we progress and we are human. To be human is to err and to be imperfect, then learn and improve...then make more different mistakes. Don't be the best, be better ^^

On a separate note, I wonder if this program is good for business considering the time it takes to print the complete receipt...

University Life 1

2010-09-22T23:00:00.003+08:00

In another 5 weeks or so, my final studying semester would end. Though I have another semester to go, that would be my practical training and does not count as university life. Now that this chapter is coming to a close, it seems to be an automatic response to reflect on the life I had in the university. It is also to remember this part of life as it is now, and not forget it in the future. In this part, I will reminisce about the education itself.

I was rather shocked with the courses necessary to graduate from this program at first. Though a bachelor of science, there were more business, management and cooking courses than science ones. Though as time passed by, I realized that this program seems tailored to the path that I am expected to walk, that is to open a restaurant. That is when I wonder if it was a coincidence yet at the same time it also made me rethink about this path.... a restaurant is not as easy to operate as people may think.... though looking at my aces for all business, accounting and management courses, perhaps I am meant to be in the business field.

The program covers everything that a person will need to manage a restaurant, it also covers all aspects from the front of the house to the back of the house... it encompasses the practical business and management side, the creative side of cooking, scientific background and knowing the food down to the atoms, as well as the interaction side of languages...

Through class I have learnt to work under lecturers that are varied in nature... worked with course mates that are from all walks of life.... and lead projects that are big and small. It is not only the class lessons that are important, it is the other things that is learnt along the way that are just as critical to making me the way I am today. Working with people is one of them along with leadership and public speaking skills. Learning to give what is wanted besides what is requested is also an important skill... or as one of the lecturer said "to read my mind"...

Actual academic knowledge is aplenty if you really stop to think about it. Though most courses only skim the surface of each specific knowledge... yet at the end of the day, the program gives a complete overview of the food industry. The question is, would a jack of all trades and master of none be a great manager?

Common (non)sense

2010-08-21T15:44:00.003+08:00

The world of academics is such that they need proof or verification for everything that is written. Basically means referencing your work well and giving credit to those who have said it before. It is all good and well if I read those work then use it. But sometimes, somethings are just plain common sense yet have to go find people who support them in good rating journals (not all journals are reliable I was told) in order to write them in my reports. What about things that we were taught in class that is not from a book? Go search for someone who validate that fact? But in that case, we are merely searching for people who support our ideas, nothing about those who oppose. Where's the objectiveness in that?

For the purpose academic fine. But then there are some people that take it too far. Even in everyday life, there are comments such as "please find a journal that can prove that to me". I do not need a journal to know that it is good habit or more efficient/effective to be punctual for things. Perhaps, in teaching the students how to think, they end up not thinking at all. It is like the mind is water frozen in the shape of the mould it is poured in.... instead of being the free flowing liquid that it is supposed to be (under normal conditions anyway ^^).....

A thousand arms......

2010-08-13T20:56:00.002+08:00

Multitasking.... the ability to complete multiple task at the same time. It is supposed to be a good skill to have, and teenagers are notorious for it. Some say that female are better at it than the males..... while I have been said to be good at it, the previous semester made me realized that it is not so.... having head too many projects, I was most of the time confused amiss the chaos... I kept mixing up my group members and also things that needed to be done. So end up I decided to focus on one project at a time.

Then this semester the same problem cropped up, the brain overloading from too much information from too many directions. I was starting to wonder if I am getting old (brain cannot process as much as fast), then during one of my talks with my academic advisor, she was telling me that multitasking is not as great as it sounds. She personally also prefers to focus and finish one task at a time....

Thinking further, the computer that appears to be multitasking (you can run various programs at the same time), is actually running only one program at one time (unless it's a duo core, which then runs two at a time) at very fast speed so it is not noticeable.... so to be efficient, do one task and do it fast!!

Cheers!

FYP

2010-07-30T12:41:00.003+08:00

It was a very ordinary day, feeling more alert compared to the past few days (brain groggy up with flu), took a leisure drive to university, parked in my usual spot, walked into the faculty and saw my junior. The conversation changed the rest of the day and it went like this:

Junior: Hey val!!
Me: *squint eyes* (adjusting to light difference) Oh hi!! How have you been?
Junior: Terrible.....
Me: Haha same lo, first time I fell sick so early in the semester. So many things to do!!
Junior: oh yeah, you are doing your FYP now right?
Me: Yup yup
Junior: So how is it going? Found your partner yet?
Me: *blur* why need partner?
Junior: FYP..... find your partner.....
Me: *still blur* but we don't necessarily need partners for FYP....
Junior: FYP.... Find.... Your.... Partner.... *stresses*
Me: *thinks* *thinks harder* *faints*

LOL and that is how I started my weekend with a lame joke and laughter too..... Happy Weekend people!

p/s - conversation is not transcribed accurately, just enough to pass the message ^^
pp/s - in case you do not know, FYP in university means final year project.....

Contradiction

2010-07-26T10:03:00.006+08:00

Back when I was taking organizational behaviour course, we were taught that people cannot work in a company that contradicts with their beliefs as this will lead to inner conflict. The person would suffer depression and all that, and in the end choose to leave the company.

People also usually associate contradiction as one is true and the other is false. Yet Blaise Pascal said that 'contradiction is not a sign of falsity, nor the lack of contradiction a sign of truth'.... probably meant that if there is no contradiction just means that the person is better at lying? Though, occasionally I contradict myself.... I ask people to eat vegetables and eat healthy food, but love my lamb and french toast.... also detest quite a number of vegetables ^^ do as I say, not as I do?

But I digress, the reason I started this post is over the weekend, I was talking to a guy who was working with a bank. He approached my mom about taking a personal loan. After that, he was teaching us how to increase the chances of getting the loan approved and how to advance the business. Then he started talking about religious teachings and how to be happy. According to him, to live a happy life, we must not have debts so then we are free.... this coming from a guy who was trying to get us to sign up for a personal loan...... hmmmmmmmm...... ^^

So in the end, perhaps William Blake was right when he said "do what you will, this world's a fiction and is made up of contradiction", after all, "good morning is a contradiction of terms" (Jim Davis)

Still, I wish all of you a good Monday morning (haha the ultimate contradictory term) and have a good week ahead!

Are You Stressed?

2010-07-23T22:12:00.002+08:00

Second week of semester has ended..... being the last studying semester, I have piles of journals to read, assignments to settle, people to meet and the list just goes on..... but will try to write once in awhile ^^

Today we had a lecturer from the US to give a talk about conducting academic research. It was interesting and all, but the most memorable part (for me at least) is when he asked if technology is helping humans with convenience, or making them more stressed? He says there are four signs of stress:

If you send an e-mail, two hours later you say "how come he/she did not reply yet!!??", you are stressed (in the past, it takes at least a few days if not weeks and months).
If you are out, you visit the washroom, wash your hands and cannot wait for the hand dryer to completely dry your hands, you are stressed (this one I do not really see the connection, cloth would be fastest no?).
If you cook your meals using a microwave which takes about 2-3 minutes and you open to check if it is cooked before the machine beeps, you are stressed (conventional cooking takes at least half an hour?).
Last but not least (this probably applies to a lot of us...), if you start your computer and complain that it takes so long for the computer to start up... you are stressed!!

Funny thing is, none of the above applies to me and all applies to my mother. Anyone who has met the both of us will know that I am a lot more stressed then my mom.... or well, if you have only met me, that I am quite a stressed person at most times.

Still, are YOU stressed? ^^

Cheers!

Human Basic Needs

2010-07-03T16:59:00.003+08:00

"look for the bare necessities, the simple bare necessities...." sang Baloo in the Jungle Book about how life should be simple and the things that are absolutely necessary can be found all around. So what are the bare necessities for human? The common answer would be food, clothings and shelter. Then that day my sister asked, true, but they never specified how much did they? How much is enough? I guess for a lot of girls there can never be enough clothes!! And there are some who 'live to eat rather than eat to live' How about gated communities? Is it necessary? But with all the crime occurring, perhaps it is.....

Let's take food as an example (I can't seem to get away from food..... people also complain that all my analogies are based on food ^^). It is not an easy task to say how much is enough. People may say as long as there is food, you should be thankful and you will survive. But then, it is general knowledge that a variety of food is necessary for good health. Good health here means for a human to be fully functional. A diet with too much fish, especially those high in mercury will cause adverse health effect. So is wanting more variety of food really a want or a need?

So..... how much is enough? Or is it human nature that things are never enough?

Just a short post this time ^^ Look out for the next one on Skytrex Adventure once I collected all the photos!

Justice, Fairness and Equality

2010-06-25T22:06:00.005+08:00

Recently been doing some reflection of school times... one of the thing that crossed my mind (it is strange but please bear with me) was the moral lessons. Specifically the topic of justice (keadilan) which has two sub-topics being fairness (adil) and equality (saksama). The text book defined fairness as getting what is deserved while equality is getting the same as the others. (please note these are definition based on what I understood after months of memorizing the definitions ^^)

So anyway, the question is how can justice be made up of two components that are contradictory? It is almost impossible to be fair and equal most of the time. In group work, it is fair for hardworking group members to get better evaluation results, but to be equal would be to give all members of the group the same results would it not? Or in another situation, a group of people go out to eat then the bill is split up equally but then a girl friend of mine once commented, but the guys eat so much more.... so how is it fair?

Or there was this thing I heard from a friend who said that in some countries, value of traffic summons is based on the person's profession. For example, a businessman would receive higher summons than a student for the same offence. The reason is that the businessman would have higher income hence need higher summons to have the same punishing effect as the student with lower income (assuming not a rich kid). So, it is fair for the businessman to be charged higher than the student, but it is not equal.... unless the argument is that the effect is equal? (yes I do argue with myself and get all confused at the end ^^)

Then I went on to think about gender equality. Honestly I think men and women are different and there will never be true equality. How can it be equal if men never experience childbirth? ^^ Employers may be reluctant to take on female employees or to train them as they are more likely to leave or be less committed after getting married and having children. At the same time, men are more likely to be more committed to their work to better provide for their family. Please note the "more likely". It is not always that way and hence gender discrimination comes in, when women who work as hard or harder than their counterparts yet get lower pays or are restricted from promotion. So to employers it maybe fair to have reservations about female employees but then again it is not equal....

So how to balance fairness and equality in justice? Perhaps the way democracy is the balance point between communism and capitalism....

A Persuasive Speech

2010-06-03T23:32:00.005+08:00

Here is one of my projects last semester for my public speaking course.... it was a persuasive speech. As much as I tried to think of a different topic, I still ended up with this one (seriously I thought about talking about a different topic!!). Still, it was a good choice too if the grade is any indication ^^. Here it goes:

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Today I would like to talk to you about protecting a magnificent creation of nature. This creature can grow up to 20 meters long and weigh up to 20 tons. That is most likely heavier than all of us put together. It can move up to an amazing speed of 69 kilometres an hour. This wonder of a life form never needs to sleep, but rather alternate between periods of activity and rest. I bet many of us wish we have this ability, since it is the last week of the semester. Ever worry about your teeth? Well this creature can replace lost teeth within 24 hours and it may go through thousands of teeth throughout its lifetime. While most people fear this creature as a man killer, statistic shows that the chances of a person being struck by lightning are higher. Figured out which animal I am talking about yet? Well ladies and gentlemen; today I would like to convince you to protect the sharks.

Firstly I would like to dispel some myths that people seem to believe about the sharks. Due to the movie Jaws, people have a fear of this creature as a man eater. According to Donald Smith, a journalist for National Geographic however, sharks usually break off from a shark attack. This indicates that humans are not the target, and the cause of a shark attack is more likely because of provocation, over excitement of the feeding process or just a case of mistaken identity. Rest assure, humans are not part of their normal diet. They prefer sea mammals such as seals that have a much higher fat content. It would seem that our bony structure is too hard for them to bite.

As I mentioned earlier, the chances of a person being struck by lighting is higher. In the United States where the most shark attacks occurs, the average of shark-attack fatality is less than one person every two years in comparison to lightning strikes which kills more than 41 people each year in the coastal states alone. If you still think that sharks are a big threat, think about this, between twenty to a hundred million sharks are killed each year due to human activities. Which life form is more destructive do you think?

Some sharks are killed by accident due to the entanglement in the fishing net. But others are specifically hunted. They are hunted as a sport by some people as an ego boosting recreational activity. Some are hunted for its liver oil for cosmetics or medicinal value. But the largest driver for hunting sharks is the market for shark fins to make an oriental delicacy called shark fin soup. Despite being of little nutrition or flavour, the addition of the fins will increase the sale value of the soup greatly.

Moving on, I would like to discuss some reasons we should conserve this magnificent creature. The first is for the balance of the ecosystem. Sharks are the dominant predator of the ocean and as such will influence the entire ocean food chain. In Tasmania where the sharks were over fished, the population of octopuses increased and this collapse the fishery industry of spiny lobsters which are the prey of those octopuses. As you all know, lobsters are also a valuable source of income as it can fetch a high price. Anyway, as the numbers of sharks deplete, only time will tell us what more damage it can do to the ecosystem.

Ladies and gentlemen, the shark is more like mammals than fish in terms of their reproduction system. They only reach sexual maturity between 12 and 20 years old. And even then, their reproduction rate is low, with some species only producing an average of two pups annually. There are no guarantees that these pups will live to see adulthood either. Hence as an endangered animal facing extinction, they will take many years to recover in numbers. Or they may never recover at all.

Finally I would like to appeal to your humanity in saving this being. When I was younger, I enjoyed shark fins soup very much. I will honestly admit that. However, that was before I found out how these sharks were brutally mutilated and left to die in agony. Pictures speak a thousand words so please watch this video.

As you can see, the shark fins were cut off while it is still alive. It is then kicked back into the ocean. Just when it thought it was safe, turns out it could not swim because of the lack of fins and thus will die from suffocation. Imagine a small cut on you finger and dip it into salted water. Now multiply that searing pain a million times while holding your breath and perhaps you will come a bit closer to the pain and torment of the shark.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a choice. We can sit back and watch as a living being that has been here for 400 million years wipe out within a couple more years. We can sit back and watch as sharks are brutally murdered for our bowl of soup. We can sit back and watch as the ecosystem is destroyed. Or we can stand together and make a difference in saving the sharks. Ang Lee has said it, Jackie Chan has said it, even our very own Datuk Michelle Yeoh has said it before and today I will repeat their campaign to you. When the buying stops, the killing will too.

Thank you.

The speech was at 8am.... perhaps a bit gruesome for such an early speech, but hey they got the message ^^ To all of you, please refrain from from eating shark fins... they do not contain any nutrition, and may even contain mercury which is bad for health. Some people love shark fins soup (I admit, I use to love it too), but then the soup can be enjoyed without the fins.... not like the fins add flavour anyway.... I will post up a recipe for Ocean Treasure Soup later on ^^

Malaysia's "Best"

2010-05-27T21:45:00.004+08:00

I went shopping today.... then came across this:

Malaysia's Best is a sort of branding for Malaysian produce, by the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based-Industry, to indicated quality and safety. This means no excessive pesticides or fertilizer than can turn into contamination and such. It was part of my food law class last semester. So curious, I went to take a closer look. The fruits were all very nicely packed and has the "Malaysia's Best" logo.... upon closer look..... oops....

We seem to have 'longan' the size of a pamelo....

And our 'papaya' is round and green... like watermelon...

Pineapples without points.....

Soursop in star shapes......

I thought waterlily was a flower........

I was not sure to laugh or cry at the mistakes...... when I saw the first one, okay, maybe it was an honest mistake... but mislabeling ALL the fruits?? The responsibility probably lies with the store, not the farmers.... but still.... hysterical....

Another interesting sight in the store.....

There were at least a dozen.... last time there were only 1 or 2.... but seemed to have multiplied.... and having the time of their life in the vegetable and frozen chillers.....

Never thought simple grocery shopping would have provided that much entertainment.....

Emotional Culinary Class

2010-05-05T13:58:00.010+08:00

With the assignments and exams over, finally have time to blog! Throughout the semester, the most emotional course I have taken ever is Experimental Food.... anger, sadness, frustration, happiness, satisfaction, the list goes on and on.... but at the end of the day, my team made it to second place..... suddenly all the tears, emotional turbulence and physical injuries seem to be worth it ^^

The Menu which I was told to make the day before the finals.... turned out quite nicely with help from my mom and Kreaxions tools ^^

My center piece. This semester been experimenting with the art of pulling sugar. I have learnt that without proper equipments, it is a very dangerous art.... plus this piece was not pulled properly as the sugar harden before I could finish. But the injuries and burns aside, it is such a beautiful craft. As the sugar is pulled, the colour turns from dark brown to gold fo palm sugar and white pearl for white sugar.... makes me think of Rumpelstiltskin ^^

Overall arrangement of our dishes

Our display dishes

Drink: Virgin Banana Boat

Feel the ocean breeze with refreshing pineapple and banana juice topped with creamy coconut milk

Soup: Sweet Health

A soup to enjoy the goodness of carrots, tomatoes, celery, onions, and leeks with the fragrance of ginger torch flower and lemongrass

Salad: Pecalyonnaise

Pecal salad with mayonnaise for the international tastebud. Served on crispy pappadum crackers

Meat Entrée: Spiced Ginger Chicken with Spaghetti

Steamed ginger chicken spiced with cloves, coriander, cumin and cardamom seeds. Served with sautéed spaghetti and vegetables

Seafood Entrée: Grilled Fish Paste with Herbed Rice

Scrumptious grilled Spanish mackerel fish paste served with rice packed with the nutrition of 11 herbs

Vegetarian Entree: Stuffed Vegetarian Rice Crepes

A tangy dish of rice crepes filled to the brim with braised potatoes and dhal. Served with curry sauce

Dessert: Sorrel of Love

Heart shaped fruit agar-agar that makes up a Hibiscus flower served with palm sugar sorbet

(I have no idea why the picture keeps appearing upside down.....)

Some of our earlier experiments ^^

The original plating for meat entrée.... the final product was much nicer ^^

This was an interesting dish. The little caviar balls are actually agar-agar with various flavours such as tom yam, rendang and mango. The purpose was to let people try the flavours without the messiness of liquid sauce. It was inspired by the molecular gastronomy technique called spherification which is much better as it contains little liquid in the caviar balls that explodes in the mouth when it is eaten... unfortunately I hunted through all the laboratories in the faculty and still could not find the chemicals necessary.

This was how the seafood entrée was supposed to look like. Unfortunately I did not have time to help my group mate plate the dish

Durian Pudding with Palm Sugar Sorbet with cendol and grass jelly. See that shiny line? That's pulled sugar ^^

My first sugar pulling attempt.... was not very successful as the colour did not turn at all....

My team in Berita Harian, 22nd April 2010... my name was spelled wrongly =.="

Carpe Diem!

Mood caused situation or vice versa?

2010-01-07T21:07:00.005+08:00

The past few days I was in a horrible mood. (Sorry to anyone I might have offended during the duration of time).

Today I was in a much better mood.....

Yesterday I reversed my car out from the porch.... a group of people nicely walking in the middle of the road, blocking my way... fine.... after I got past them, a guy with a cane walking slowly across the street.... forgivable.... then! when I turned the corner a young lady was taking her own sweet time crossing the street.... all before I even hit the main road =_="

Today, every traffic light was green.... I was looking for a parking space, at a place where everyone was double parking and parking is usually impossible. Then just in front of the restaurant I wanted to go a car reversed out for me to park, did not even need to go a second round ^.^

Life is strange is it not?

2010

2010-01-01T18:27:00.004+08:00

2010...... a new decade..... suddenly thought of the changes that occurred. Back in primary school, friends always hand out chinese new year cards..... then in secondary school, phones were all the rage and so were sms wishes..... and now, in university, friends even save on phone charges and wish on facebook instead ^.^

2010...... a year to achieve 10 goals that I have set..... I put it as a goal rather than a resolution because resolution is more of a change in way of life..... I like my way of life.... just pushing myself further

Yesterday I watched 'Pursuit of Happiness'. A rather sad story. Talking about one of the rights in the Declaration of Independence which is the the title of the movie. Will Smith as the main character was wondering why was there the 'pursuit' in front of happiness but the other rights were simply 'life' and 'liberty'. Is it that we are only allowed to pursue but never to actually attain happiness?

Personally, happiness is more of a state of mind. It occurs when we are satisfied with our current conditions of life. People pursue happiness when they want something, and if they do not get it, then they are not happy. Sometimes in that pursuit, they forget the things they already have and should be grateful for..... in the movie it is relevant since the main character seems to hit rock bottom. But most of us will never (hopefully) be in that condition, so count your blessings.

There was also a small story in that movie. It goes something like this:

One day there was a man drowning in the river. A boat came by and offered its help. The man said 'No thanks. God will save me'. So the boat went off. A few moments later, another boat came along and offered its help. The man said the same thing to the second boat. So in the end, the man drown. In his after-life, he asked, 'Why did God not save me?' God answered 'I gave you two boats did I not??'

God help those who help themselves. Do not expect Him to appear just to pull you out of trouble. Help can come in many ways and sometimes not obviously hence the phrase 'a blessing in disguise'.

Thomas A. Edison once said 'Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work'. Very wise words..... so buck up people! A new year! New opportunities! Be happy, be healthy, and be wealthy!

Happy New Year! ^.^

New Year's Resolutions......

2009-12-29T11:18:00.004+08:00

With only 3 days to the new year, everyone is talking about new year's resolutions.... I myself wonder if I should make them.... I completed 2 out of 3 of mine last year.... actually I would say it is a 2.5 but then resolutions are usually yes or no type of ticking... so then what do I put for this year's resolution?

From about.com, I found a list of top 10 New Year's Resolutions:
1. Spend more time with family and friends
2. Fit in fitness
3. Tame the bulge
4. Quit smoking
5. Enjoy life more
6. Quit drinking
7. Get out of debt
8. Learn something new
9. Help others
10. Get organised

From that list, I do not have problems with 1 (do more than enough of that...), 4, 5 (I just enjoy life a little different from normal people... ), 6, 7, 8 (a student always learn something new....) 10 (my room is so organised I am bored because I have nothing else to organise, even my clothes are arranged according to colours...)

So that leaves....fitness, slimming down, and helping others..... the latter is also being done since I am doing the turtle program and a literacy program under my society.... so that leaves fitness n losing weight.

Who wants to start a year long exercise routine with me? Choices choices.... jogging, swimming, badminton, tennis, pole/belly dancing (heard is absolutely great for the abs ^.^), squash, and the list just rolls on.......

Not an End but a Beginning?

2009-12-18T22:39:00.003+08:00

As the year of 2009 comes to a close and 2010 approaches, it is time again to reflect on the year that has been, review the resolutions made and to make new ones. Out of my 3 main resolutions made last year, I managed to accomplish 2... the third one was a long shot anyways.... but then I did put a lot of effort into it and reaped slight rewards so no loss there ^.^

I watched Christmas Carol today.... got spooked a few times.... it is a good movie (I really do not understand how you [you know who you are] can fall asleep during the movie), true to the actual story says a friend of mine. Love the flying scenes... Anyways, though the story has be told and retold, I am most fascinated with the three spirits and how one affects the other....

The past will shape us, our personality, character, the core of how we think, feel and react to the world. What we want (or do not want) in the future will determine what we do in the present. A lecturer of mine told us, there are 2 forces of motivation. One is pushing away from what we dislike is one that is pulling us towards what we like. For example, Scrooge is motivated to push away from being poor rather than being pulled to the riches though it would seem the same at first...

To have that motivation for living, one must first know what he or she wants in life... each entitled their own priority, non more important than the other as long as it is important to the person. The question that I would like an answer now is.... Do I know what I want? Or are resolutions just to fill up the empty spaces? Like studying because there is nothing better to do. Merely to give a reason for existence?

Do you know what you want?

Seafood Marinara

2009-12-07T19:50:00.003+08:00

I love seafood.... that is a fact.... eating seafood outside is expensive.... that is another fact.... so buy the ingredients and cook!

Quite a simple dish (yeah I know, everything seems simple ^.^)... you just need garlic, tomatoes, onions, seafood (whatever you like.... mussels, crab, shrimp, cuttlefish, lobster.... go crazy), mushroom (optional, personally love mushrooms so add them to practically everything), some herbs (dry will do but fresh of course will be better)....

Simply blend the garlic, tomatoes and onions and saute to make the tomato base, then add the seafood and herbs. Cook the pasta separately to al dante. Place the pasta on a plate, pour sauce over it and voila!

For herbs, there is difference between fresh and dry ones (besides the obvious physical state). Dry ones have concentrated flavour, so do not put too much. Fresh ones have less concentrate flavour but the flavour is more complete (non lost during the drying process), hence more favorable. Also, fresh ones are more sensitive to heat. Hence, add dry herbs in the earlier part of the cooking but only add fresh herbs just before serving.

Bon appetit!

Appreciation

2009-12-02T19:32:00.003+08:00

It is nice to be appreciated..... like in my recent job, the employers are supposed to provide 2 meals a day... but they also bought us breakfast (additional) and when there were those who do not want to eat rice, they also bought them waffles instead... overall I feel that we were treated very nicely, hence after the closing I stayed back to help them shift the stock to the storage area (no small feat I can honestly tell you)

Anyways, some people do not realise the importance of appreciation. Personally I am very motivated by possible appreciation. Monetary may get me to do a job, but the other will get me to do an excellent job ^.^. Though a praise or a pat on the back is a form of appreciation, at times it does not convey enough heart. It is also not how much money is spent on it but how much heart and effort is put in....

Such as my organising of group activities. It is ever so often that when people wants to have a gathering/outing, they will just come to me and expect me to run the whole thing. Occasionally there are some who gives back such as organising birthday outing for me or topping up my phone credit. But all in all, the most annoying is when certain groups only contact me when they want me to organise something for them......

woohoo! going for first yum cha session since starting hols (weeks ago.... sad I know ^.^)

Irony....

2009-11-20T23:13:00.002+08:00

Irony is me working at a world chinese book fair.... especially those who known before university... Surprisingly I am doing pretty well.... one of the lady did not know that I am not fluent in Mandarin.... until I started asking her what she meant for certain words... after that she even gave me translations for some of the words I am most likely to use for promoting my items ^.^

Dragging self to bed.....

Holidays.....

2009-11-19T08:59:00.004+08:00

Another round of exams over..... another semester finished.... a step closer to graduation..... but most importantly.... another month of HOLIDAYS!!!

So what to do during the holidays? While talking to some of my course mates, I realise how strange I am.... people are all talking about going on vacations (local or overseas) or meeting up with people or spending quality time with family or the other half....

My list on the other had includes painting gate and outside wall (any volunteers to help? pretty please? lol), rearranging the house (finally getting my own room!), repotting plants, organising gatherings and maybe a day trip, learning more guitar songs, working (which I had to forgo a trip... sigh...), working on my cross-stitch.... just to name a few... phew ^.^

I guess it is to each their own =D

p/s - I never could understand how some people can get bored during the holidays..... there so much see so much to experience so much to do!!!

Good vs. Evil

2009-11-11T11:48:00.004+08:00

When watching movies, especially those Chinese drama about life in the Forbidden City back when the monarch was still in place, I like to ask who is the good and who is the evil.... then I realise there is actually no distinct line... all the concubines will do anything to move up the social ladder.... those who do not will just get stepped over.... it just depends on which receiving end you are at....

Take for example one of the last scenes in the Hannah Montana movie. The manager brings the daughters of the reporter to convince him not to expose Hannah. Taking children out of school with out the knowledge of the parent is kidnapping no? And by using his daughters who adore Hannah to convince him to give up his job is emotional blackmail. Then she offers free concert tickets to him and the daughters if he does as she wants. That would count as bribery right? Some might say that it is not because she has nothing to gain.... but in the end she is actually saving her own job because if Hannah is exposed, then she is likely to be out of a job... so does the end justify the means?

Just using this as an example for a general thought......

So good or evil is just a matter of perspective?

Saving Turtle Project

2009-11-07T09:39:00.003+08:00

My most recent project..... Saving the Turtles!
In short: Sell soft toy turtle, get profit, give profit to society, society save real turtles.... so do your part and buy the soft toys from me ^.^

Loyal turtle will follow you everywhere...
Begging you to take him home...

Awwwwwwww.......

Ohana means family....

Price:

Baby, Key-chain (3.5 inches) = RM 4 only (market price: RM 5.90)

Adult, Soft toy (9 inches) = RM 15 only (market price: RM 16.90)

If you buy 2 adults, a baby will tag along with no extra cost! (Free la tu)

Save your turtles today!!!

First Last Minute Assignment

2009-10-24T23:55:00.003+08:00

I never agreed with last minute work.... whether studies, assignments, the works... but because of a member of my group, I was forced to do last minute work on a huge project.... it was crazy... the other members was furious with him.... I was too.... after it was completed. During the rush hour, I had no time to feel or think.... just draw and complete the work.... First time actually skipping class to complete it and handing it in just after the class ended....

The worst part? He claims to be helping us train for the rush jobs that we are required to do when working.... Projects are given early so that we have time to do it properly.... If it can be done overnight (though it seems like we managed to do just that) the lecturer won't give us 2 months to complete it.....

But there is a funny side to this.... when the guy went to print the project, I helped the girls complete the menu then we went to class to see our results from the previous test. Then the lecturer was saying 'last call for assignments!' I went 'wait wait!! our project is on the way!'. He went 'huh?? on the way??' My group member when 'ya ya forgot to burn the cd, so on still on the way'. My mind was going 'like that also can?' LOL.....

Late night do not agree with me... neither does the excitement.... slept 13 hours the night of handing up the project ^.^ Though in the eyes of my friends, I have finally graduated as a proper student because of the last minute work.....

Feels like sleeping again.....

Liar, liar, pants on fire....

2009-10-21T21:52:00.005+08:00

Lies come in many forms.... big lies, small lies, white lies, and so on.... some lie to gain things, some lie to make people feel better, some lie just to get away with it..... at some point of life, everyone is sure to lie.... but have you wondered, do people lie to themselves as well?

Back in Form 1, I was terrible at history.... then one day the teacher asked everyone to stand up and can sit when answered a question.... naturally I was stumped and the guy next to me whispered the answer to me.... I was embarrassed and told myself I will like history and will score at it.... I believed I scored A almost every paper after that....... ^.^

Also, when I was younger, I was not so outspoken.... rather quiet actually... but that did not gained me many friends... so I told myself that I can be a social butterfly... joined more societies, took up more responsibilities (got to be better known in school), and well social life increased.... but recently found that it's is not the quantity but quality of the social life that matters.... and almost moving back to being quiet again.... I guess lies never last forever.... it took a number of years but personality is almost impossible to change... but I am not the same person I was back then....

Have you lied to yourself lately?

Shopping and I

2009-10-17T21:29:00.003+08:00

I used to say I hate shopping.... I still do... for clothes anyway... because it is always hard to find clothes that suits me.... and for bags and shoes, well.... sometimes I go shopping with a specific design in mind and it cannot be found... (maybe should start designing my own accessories)...

BUT!!! Turn me lose in a hardware shop or craft shop you will probably need a truck to get me out.... Today I went to AmCorp Mall... first time there.... it was fascinating!!! They have flea markets every weekend with random stuff... plus their stores hold very interesting things.

Specialty dolls (they have some dolls that should be in my collection, but too expensive....), giant miniature working airplane, and there is also a bookshop that sells new books for low prices (its books that were printed in excess). Spent 3 hours looking through all the stalls and shops ^.^

So anyway... bought a revolving earring organiser! weeeeeeeeee! haha rather obsessed with things being organised....

No more shopping, no more outings..... broke ;(

A 'Free' Day.....

2009-10-16T23:05:00.003+08:00

Today is the last day for my test 2s. After the test was supposed to be a time for rest. But this is what happened:

woke up

studied

got ready and went to uni

listen to presentations

sat for exams

went out for lunch with friend's birthday

found out my ticket is with another girl that left already

another friend drove me to find that girl

got my ticket

got back to the mall

then went to another mall to check on my turtles (soft-toys) but they have not arrived

bought drinks back for mom,

reached home

went into cleaning frenzy

help mom send dinner deliveries

showered

had dinner

watched movie

blogged

went to war (warzone tower defence on FB)....

so much for a free day ^.^

Movie Maker Made Easy

2009-10-12T08:42:00.003+08:00

A movie clip is a sure way to hype up you presentations and boost your points. After making dozens of movie clips using Windows Movie Maker, I found that the following steps in that order makes it life a lot easier.

Put in pictures/videos/titles in order that you want them to appear. This means everything that will appear in the storyboard view. Then cut and edit them until satisfied.
Add effects for videos. Effects such as double speed will change the lenght of time of the video hence should be done first
Add transitions for each video and modify how fast or slow you want the transitions to be
Add music. Here you should also check for original sounds from the movie clips and mute them if neccessary. Also you can edit the length of pictures/titles/transitions to match the music. Don't forget to add the fade in and fade out option so that the music will not be too abrupt.
Add subtitles. These should be added last because even though you change the video length, the subtitles will not move with it. I found this out when I made some changes to the start of the movie and all subtitles after that ran from where it was suppose to be showed.... annoying....
Add final touches. This would include the volume which can be changed by right-clicking the music/video sound bar. It would also be a good idea to watch the whole video once to check for mistakes. Better yet, find someone to look through because after watching it so many times, we might not be able to spot the errors
Save the video to computer.

Tips:

SAVE, SAVE, SAVE!!!! No matter how sophisticated the computer is, windows movie maker tends to hang, especially after 7 minutes of video.... so SAVE!!!
Have in your mind how you want the movie to turn out.... it would save a lot of time in editing....
YouTube has a lot of things that you can add to make your video more realistic such as countdowns.... to make it more interesting, you can cut and paste that countdown as many times as the counts and add slides in between to personalise them and get people thinking about your coming presentation (Sample below)

Happy the video for term project is completed (took about 7 hours to make the 9minutes, 9 seconds movie clip ^.^)

p/s - drop a line if you have any questions

Desperate Times Calls for Desperate Measures....

2009-10-08T21:59:00.004+08:00

Front page of The Star: PMR Student with a burning desire..... he set the designated exam hall on fire.... but the exam went on in another hall that was supposed to be for students with suspected H1N1.

Kinda brings back memories of back in school.... days before the exam everyone would be nervous enough to talk all sorts of nonsense like torching the hall.... or burning books to ashes, mix it with water and drink it...... there was even one time we were plotting to break and enter the exam paper storeroom......

Just never thought anyone was crazy (or brainless) enough to try any of it....

A Birthday Cook-in

2009-10-08T09:19:00.005+08:00

I always find that cooking for a person makes a good gift... it shows sincerity.... and in some case effort ^.^ So after hunting ingredients from the storage, I whisked up an Empress Banquet with

Menu

Mussels au Gratin

Pan Seared Scallops

Fresh Mushroom Soup

Grilled Black Pepper Mushroom Chicken

Baked Herbed Fish

Butter Potatoes and Vegetables

Fresh Fruit Juices

Durian (which we never ate that night because too full)

Mussels au Gratin

Kinda over did it a little coz underestimated the time my mom would take to get home ^.^

Baked Herbed Fish

Some steamed vegetables to tone down the heavy meal.... I love how shiny the sauce turned out ^.^

The Full Spread

Now let me tell you something..... the name of the dishes all make it sound very fancy.... but in actual fact, it is quite easy to make most of these dishes....

Mussel au Gratin? Just buy some mussels, sprinkle Parmesan (or mozzarella if you like the pulling cheese effect) on top then bake it at high temperature of about 200 C. Bake until the cheese melts and turn slightly brown. Also you can sprinkle some salt for taste and powdered paprika for colour.

Baked Herbed Fish is simply fish in aluminium foil, with olive oil or butter, some salt and pepper and dried herbs. To get a lovely brown surface instead of the pale white look, sear the fish on a pan before baking it.

The black pepper mushroom sauce was the funniest for this meal.... it started as the balance of olive oil and liquid after frying the chicken... then I added some fresh mushrooms.... then as I was stirring the mushroom soup, I just scooped a little over to the sauce.... then added some salt, black pepper.... thickened it and voila!!! Black pepper mushroom sauce ^.^ and it turned out so nice and shiny, the way it should be....

The only hard part of this meal was deboning the chicken.... I painstakingly deboned it, pan grilled it chicken chop style. But because we had a food and movie dinner, I cut the chicken into strips to make it easier to eat.... what a waste.... next time just use chicken breast meat ^.^ much simpler....

Thinking of next recipe to try.... then again since when I follow recipes...

The Difference a Few Line Makes....

2009-10-02T17:42:00.004+08:00

What you say makes a difference... what you do not say will also make a difference..... but no, today I will not go into that... first see the difference between the pictures....

Before

After

Before

After

It always amazed me how much difference the lines in cross-stitch pieces make for the whole picture.... like the little things in life that makes the whole life worth living.....

Anyways, cross-stitch has been a long hobby of mine.... this particular piece is a favorite ^.^ but it is not unique... I did two of these... one because my aunt commisioned me and another because I wanted it for my own... but then I decided to give it to a friend for a house warming event.... should I make another for my own? Or move on to another?

Cross-stitch makes a nice gift... and it is not too hard to do as you would just have to follow the boxes on paper and cloth. Only difficulty is patience to change tread, especially when the picture requires a lot of different colour and to pull the tread with correct strenght. Not enough strenght would lead to loose and untidy stitches while too much would stretch the holes so the picture would not be nice and even anymore... of course there are trickier stitches such as knot-stitches, which I have yet to master ^.^

Current project is a garden fairy... but never seem to have time to work on it... my mom says... have hobbies so that you make time to yourself, not wait until you have time only to take up a hobby. Until after finals then.....

Hopes all her stitches are appreciated....

Malacca Revisited....

2009-09-25T20:59:00.011+08:00

It has been a long day.... a day trip to Malacca (with lots of hyper children...). In terms of places visited it was quite similar to my previous trip... but a difference in time of shots.... plus it was a beautiful day with blue skies and fluffy white clouds.... (hence my slight sun burn...) I also got to finish some unfinished business and absolutely heavenly pineapple tarts mmmmm..... =D

The last time I was standing on this spot, the Eye was not there....

Let the Spirits be Free

St. Paul's Church... there was a very informative (on the history of Malacca) artist...

should go get some drawings from him...

pictures that you cannot get on camera because it was before the fort was destroyed...

Unfinished Business 1

This time got to visit the museum... but it was not that interesting,

just the ship itself was nice for some shots....

Colours of the Wind

(no idea what caused it...)

Reaching the Sky

My favorite shot for this round

Chicken Rice Ball for lunch.... looks like fishball... not that nice, really don't understand the craze over it... rather eat candol!

Eye Contrast
I like the bright white against the shades of blue....

I went up on the Eye on Malaysia, Melaka... against my mental pleads not to do so...

my carriage creaks on the way down ;(

Unfinished Business 2

On my last trip, I bought this key-chain... and lost it in Malacca itself... to my surprise, I managed to find the same design again =D

Putting on aloe vera gel and heading off to bed...

Pink Peach Piece

2009-09-23T23:56:00.007+08:00

Holidays means family time... family time usually means traditional food.... especially seasonal/occasional ones =D

This time we made dumplings and pink peach kuih (I can't think of a direct translation to english for this...)

My grandma making teo chew dumpling that has sweet and savory layers

(I wanted to learn but she had limited leaves.... so she gently told me to try next time with plain rice first.... no matter how good my chef thinks I am in the kitchen, my grandma thinks I am handicapped....)

Some of the fillings (clockwise from top-left: vegetarian, savory meat, sweet)

Pink Peach Kuih....

First we add hot water to the flour

Next is to kneed it until it becomes a dough and add a few drops of red colouring

(use a wooden spoon.... it's too hot to handle)

Then small balls of dough are formed...

... and stretched.... (I failed this part....)

... put in the fillings (either pre-cooked rice or crushed yellow beans)

Close up the dough around the fillings....

... and stuff it into the mould!

Even-out the kuih....

.... and knock it out!!!

They are then placed into baskets and steamed.... before eating we usually pan fry it for awhile and it is eaten with sweet black sauce... mmmmmm......

This is how many hands involved in the process... all while chatting and catching up ^.^

Dreaming of pink kuihs.........