I started to think.. what is the point of posting blogs? If this is my diary, I am supposed to keep it secret until the day I die, it's a diary for god's sake; if this is just place for you to know how I am doing, why don't you just ask? Ain't that hard I don't think so, do you have the heart or not you should question; if new posts are indicators for you to see if I am alive or dead, you should just bloody hell check on me every so often.
This is getting too superficial.
I am not a good writer, not intending to be one anyways. This is not a column, as far as I am concern, I don't need one. I don't need to satisfy your curiousity. If you truely care, you should listen more, not "read" more.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Urg.....!!
Gosh, I feel like pounding the table! I so so want, I would give anything for ANG KU KUEH, right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OMG the savory ones, with salty tou sa and black sesame skin!! I hate to not be able to satisfy my cravings for food, I feel sorry for my soul...... wah hahaha...
OMG the savory ones, with salty tou sa and black sesame skin!! I hate to not be able to satisfy my cravings for food, I feel sorry for my soul...... wah hahaha...
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Pumpkin Head
I am so glad I went to the breakfast club this morning. I enjoyed it so much. Watching those NKOTB, young souls, fresh high school grads came overseas pursueing their dreams. I feel the potentials among this group, a collection of ambitions so powerful it shaken my heart. Yet, they are so green, just sprouted, so fragile yet hidden with a hint of fearlessness.
They reminded me so much of me at that age. The silly things that I had done and said. The embarrassments, the loneliness, the want-to-bes, the questions like who am I? what I want? (which some of us still ask ourselves today), the rebels and struggles. Ah.... Growing up was painful, very painful.
So I have decided, growing old must be graceful, very graceful. And if I could have someone to grow old with.... that would be very, very nice.
They reminded me so much of me at that age. The silly things that I had done and said. The embarrassments, the loneliness, the want-to-bes, the questions like who am I? what I want? (which some of us still ask ourselves today), the rebels and struggles. Ah.... Growing up was painful, very painful.
So I have decided, growing old must be graceful, very graceful. And if I could have someone to grow old with.... that would be very, very nice.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
He listens
It's been proven again that it's not about what other people say, what they comment, everyone is entitled to their own opinion - sometimes even what to be considered "professional point of views" are not always meant to be the best. I can only say, it's circumstancial. Most important thing is, listen to your heart, sure it takes some guts especially if it's not your expertise and you're filled with uncertainties. Set a pray, then, listen to what you heart tells you.
It worked for me today. A simple thing but it became so beautiful. What was thought and imagined to be a hectic day turned out to be beautiful. All things worked out.
It is this really fine line, how do you know if it is 100%? Well, you don't. Life is about making choices; choices become living experiences, which give meanings to life. I don't make my choices right everytime but when I do, it makes me damn happy. While for the bad choices made, they are pretty hard to swallow eh? I take my time to swallow them as if they are "fodders" which grow endurance.
Oh well, take a little swear (keep it to myself of course). As a matter of fact it feels good to say the "bad" words once in a while (again, I say it to myself, not others). I just know that pretentiousness chokes!
You go for it! Life is too short to hesitate too long.
It worked for me today. A simple thing but it became so beautiful. What was thought and imagined to be a hectic day turned out to be beautiful. All things worked out.
It is this really fine line, how do you know if it is 100%? Well, you don't. Life is about making choices; choices become living experiences, which give meanings to life. I don't make my choices right everytime but when I do, it makes me damn happy. While for the bad choices made, they are pretty hard to swallow eh? I take my time to swallow them as if they are "fodders" which grow endurance.
Oh well, take a little swear (keep it to myself of course). As a matter of fact it feels good to say the "bad" words once in a while (again, I say it to myself, not others). I just know that pretentiousness chokes!
You go for it! Life is too short to hesitate too long.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Good eat!
I am amazed by the amount of food that I go through every week, and the amount spent on meat and greens. Oh yeah, I make sure I look after myself real well - by eating well. Well with fruits and vegs, I go for bargain, not cheap one but specials price with reasonably acceptable quality. As for my meat, I go for decent quality, now price here isn't really the concern. The bulk buy of scotch fillets and porterhouse from Coles are just horrific! Tough as rubber, most of important of all the label doesn't tell you what grade they are. I opt to shop my meat with stand alone butcher stall, well at least I know what I am getting. My view is, with meat, I get what I pay for, especially with seafood.
I filled up my orange trolley fairly quickly and I only met half the requirement of my shopping list. Had to use one of this green bag for rather fragile stuff like breads, tofu etc, and that, was filled up pretty quickly too. Bloody bus journey is a pain especially when it's peak hours. Me and my plumped trolley, a full green bag, and a school bagpack. I must have carried like 15 kgs stuff from Central Market to home. Sure, I miss the convenience of driving a car. But I feel like I am living the way I am supposed to live, as a student, or even as a person. What are we without a personal car today? Probably an easily irritated person, perhaps we would whine like we sing. Yeah well, if we all just endure the inconvenience (which is a managable one), we be fine. The key word here is to endure. I am challenging myself to see how far I can be pushed, my aim is to increase my threshold for irritants (both things and people), something that once I lacked of, which almost ruined me.
Home. Unpacked. Organized.
Happy pan on the stove, splash of olive oil, while the pan's heating, button mushrooms were cleaned and quatered. Garlics, plenty of garlics sliced. Smoky pan, time to lay down the yearling (cattle that's just 1 year old) porterhouse, in it went, sizzled, good grind of sea salt and black pepper, let the meat seared, untouched. Another pan on the stove, went the sliced garlic, good splashed of olive oil, in the mushrooms and sauteed away. Quick check on my porterhouse, nicely colored, beauty, turned so the other side get seared too, right on with another good grind of S&P. Eye sight left the steak, onto the mushrooms, a quick toss, movement nice and smooth, popped the cap of Shaoxing wine, a generous splash into the mushrooms, let deglazed, beautiful beautiful aroma from this humble yellow rice wine, added couple of tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, seanoned well. Steak was taken off the stove and let rested while mushrooms' been transfered into a small pot to be slowly braised. Left them alone while I put on another pan for a side spinach. Turned around to clean and wash my chinese spinach, snapped off the end bits, a quick wash under the tap, the pan heated up in matter of seconds, in the sliced garlic and O.O, broke the bunch of spinach in half with hands, right into the hot wok, sizzled, the residual water on the spinach created steam that helped cooking it. Done! spinach was cooked in the matter of 5 seconds. By now, steak is well rested, mushrooms was softened, sauced nicely reduced.
Everything went on simultaneously, the entire cooking process just took me 15 minutes.
Nothing can beat a dinner like this..no muck around, just the fresh ingredients cooked simple way. I Mmmmm-ed all the way through my meal, absolutely divined! Washed everything down with a nice cold bottle of beer. Ah... all those troubles in the markets.. worth it now.
Good food, really is, the best medicine.
I filled up my orange trolley fairly quickly and I only met half the requirement of my shopping list. Had to use one of this green bag for rather fragile stuff like breads, tofu etc, and that, was filled up pretty quickly too. Bloody bus journey is a pain especially when it's peak hours. Me and my plumped trolley, a full green bag, and a school bagpack. I must have carried like 15 kgs stuff from Central Market to home. Sure, I miss the convenience of driving a car. But I feel like I am living the way I am supposed to live, as a student, or even as a person. What are we without a personal car today? Probably an easily irritated person, perhaps we would whine like we sing. Yeah well, if we all just endure the inconvenience (which is a managable one), we be fine. The key word here is to endure. I am challenging myself to see how far I can be pushed, my aim is to increase my threshold for irritants (both things and people), something that once I lacked of, which almost ruined me.
Home. Unpacked. Organized.
Happy pan on the stove, splash of olive oil, while the pan's heating, button mushrooms were cleaned and quatered. Garlics, plenty of garlics sliced. Smoky pan, time to lay down the yearling (cattle that's just 1 year old) porterhouse, in it went, sizzled, good grind of sea salt and black pepper, let the meat seared, untouched. Another pan on the stove, went the sliced garlic, good splashed of olive oil, in the mushrooms and sauteed away. Quick check on my porterhouse, nicely colored, beauty, turned so the other side get seared too, right on with another good grind of S&P. Eye sight left the steak, onto the mushrooms, a quick toss, movement nice and smooth, popped the cap of Shaoxing wine, a generous splash into the mushrooms, let deglazed, beautiful beautiful aroma from this humble yellow rice wine, added couple of tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, seanoned well. Steak was taken off the stove and let rested while mushrooms' been transfered into a small pot to be slowly braised. Left them alone while I put on another pan for a side spinach. Turned around to clean and wash my chinese spinach, snapped off the end bits, a quick wash under the tap, the pan heated up in matter of seconds, in the sliced garlic and O.O, broke the bunch of spinach in half with hands, right into the hot wok, sizzled, the residual water on the spinach created steam that helped cooking it. Done! spinach was cooked in the matter of 5 seconds. By now, steak is well rested, mushrooms was softened, sauced nicely reduced.
Everything went on simultaneously, the entire cooking process just took me 15 minutes.
Nothing can beat a dinner like this..no muck around, just the fresh ingredients cooked simple way. I Mmmmm-ed all the way through my meal, absolutely divined! Washed everything down with a nice cold bottle of beer. Ah... all those troubles in the markets.. worth it now.
Good food, really is, the best medicine.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Are you on my list?
Sy Shin says...
..只能说我们都在变
在不同的环境下，我们都有了不同的经历。
这些变化都是我们无法抗拒的
其中真的充满了无奈...
I cannot agree with you more my friend. We shall all be thankful we still
acknowledge each other friends. It's easy to get acquaintants, but friend is hard to come by. Good friends, best friends, forever friends I guess they were all terms that we called each other in our dreamy age.
That's about the only thing that occasionally sadden my feeling now. However it will soon be gotten over in the matter of a beer time.
Who cares now? I do, occasionally. The question is then, who cares that you do? Fucking hell!
..只能说我们都在变
在不同的环境下，我们都有了不同的经历。
这些变化都是我们无法抗拒的
其中真的充满了无奈...
I cannot agree with you more my friend. We shall all be thankful we still
acknowledge each other friends. It's easy to get acquaintants, but friend is hard to come by. Good friends, best friends, forever friends I guess they were all terms that we called each other in our dreamy age.
That's about the only thing that occasionally sadden my feeling now. However it will soon be gotten over in the matter of a beer time.
Who cares now? I do, occasionally. The question is then, who cares that you do? Fucking hell!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Hottest Autumn in 70 years
I officially survived the heat wave. The forecaste temperature looks much more civilized from Wednesday onwards.
I enjoy my light beer with iced glass in the hot days.. I guess that's what kept my alive. Only limited to 1 bottle a day, but pretty sure I can push it a little bit more. Defeat the allergy!
I love my new room. I would love to show you my new cozy room.
My housemate smokes in the toilet everytime he has to "that". It's funny how smoking is an "acquired" taste if I may say. One either hates it to the core or is addicted to it. I have to buy incents to burn in the toilet. He smokes and his wife doesn't bitch about it, I assume she's just tolerating. Now that I find myself compromising on my side as well. I hate the smell of ciggy but I am learning to live peacefully with him and the ciggy residual, although prefer that he would give it up soon. He smokes rollies, and coincidentally he smokes the same brand I used to smoke - Port Royal Red Wine. Damn. Ha. Oh Well. They are very nice couple to get along with I have to say.
I enjoy my light beer with iced glass in the hot days.. I guess that's what kept my alive. Only limited to 1 bottle a day, but pretty sure I can push it a little bit more. Defeat the allergy!
I love my new room. I would love to show you my new cozy room.
My housemate smokes in the toilet everytime he has to "that". It's funny how smoking is an "acquired" taste if I may say. One either hates it to the core or is addicted to it. I have to buy incents to burn in the toilet. He smokes and his wife doesn't bitch about it, I assume she's just tolerating. Now that I find myself compromising on my side as well. I hate the smell of ciggy but I am learning to live peacefully with him and the ciggy residual, although prefer that he would give it up soon. He smokes rollies, and coincidentally he smokes the same brand I used to smoke - Port Royal Red Wine. Damn. Ha. Oh Well. They are very nice couple to get along with I have to say.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Second chance
Got you wondering where I had been for the past 3 weeks. I finally got myself a computer at my place and got it all sorted out and here I am writing my first blog in Adelaide. Boy oh boy has it been a absolutely busy 3 weeks for me. Finally settled down. I managed, managed it well indeed. Tiring but very satisfying.
School is great. Just to be able to attend lectures and discuss interesting topics with peers who embrace the same passions as me is just fantastic. Life is to be lived to the simplest right here. Ditched the idea of having a car and just live it like a new settler, that is everything from scratch.
Almost back to where I was 11 years ago when I first got here, except this time I came with a real purpose - a purpose to live life to the fullest, the way it's supposed to be. Half of what I have in my little room is built from my hands really..just going to IKEA and get all these bedroom needs and putting together these gigantic blocks of lego took my breathe out. Working in the room temperature of 30C, and outside temperature soaring to 40C (2 weeks in a roll the damn heat, no kidding), no air-con really shits me out. And for those who know me (or perhaps not the same me), had you seen how well I took it would have set you to disbelief. I amazed myself again. The fact is I enjoyed every minute of it, despite the heat, the troubles, the amounts of time I have to ask people for their favors. It is all part of living, I got the taste of it real good.
Got myself a creamy orange colored shopping trolley, the essential mean of transporting my weekly green groceries from the Central Market to my place. By bus, by foot, just strolling down the market's aisles in the look out for the specials, would not miss any free tastings that's offered by the delis. I smell, hear and see lifes right here.
A second chance from God, I just know it hence I treasure it. Bitter or sweet is all to be accepted with full gratitudes. It's a reminder that I carry with me everyday, it's my vitamins that help me sustain the positive energy that gets the mind and body going. If I ask you my friend, what would you do if you are given a second chance to make things up for yourself, what would you have done? Wouldn't you have given it all? If you were not out of your mind, you would.
Life starts @ 30 for me. How far have you gone with yours? And I will ask you sincerely, what can I do for you to get you there, where you know deep down you belong. Let me know what I can offer for you, anything I could.
Let us celebrate life together.
School is great. Just to be able to attend lectures and discuss interesting topics with peers who embrace the same passions as me is just fantastic. Life is to be lived to the simplest right here. Ditched the idea of having a car and just live it like a new settler, that is everything from scratch.
Almost back to where I was 11 years ago when I first got here, except this time I came with a real purpose - a purpose to live life to the fullest, the way it's supposed to be. Half of what I have in my little room is built from my hands really..just going to IKEA and get all these bedroom needs and putting together these gigantic blocks of lego took my breathe out. Working in the room temperature of 30C, and outside temperature soaring to 40C (2 weeks in a roll the damn heat, no kidding), no air-con really shits me out. And for those who know me (or perhaps not the same me), had you seen how well I took it would have set you to disbelief. I amazed myself again. The fact is I enjoyed every minute of it, despite the heat, the troubles, the amounts of time I have to ask people for their favors. It is all part of living, I got the taste of it real good.
Got myself a creamy orange colored shopping trolley, the essential mean of transporting my weekly green groceries from the Central Market to my place. By bus, by foot, just strolling down the market's aisles in the look out for the specials, would not miss any free tastings that's offered by the delis. I smell, hear and see lifes right here.
A second chance from God, I just know it hence I treasure it. Bitter or sweet is all to be accepted with full gratitudes. It's a reminder that I carry with me everyday, it's my vitamins that help me sustain the positive energy that gets the mind and body going. If I ask you my friend, what would you do if you are given a second chance to make things up for yourself, what would you have done? Wouldn't you have given it all? If you were not out of your mind, you would.
Life starts @ 30 for me. How far have you gone with yours? And I will ask you sincerely, what can I do for you to get you there, where you know deep down you belong. Let me know what I can offer for you, anything I could.
Let us celebrate life together.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Very Rojak Sentiments
Ah... I am so home! It feels good to wake up where I am familiar with, the bed, the pillow, the blanket, the smell of the surrounding, the smell of summer in Melbourne! My nose is very sensitive to the smell of the air in each season. Well, took a deep sniff, I smelled very subtle eucalyptus in the evening breeze on my way to gym last night. I thought to myself, that's it, I must be home.
Here I am again after a month and half away from home. Back to my routine, which is not so bad afterall, I realized. Like usual, I woke up in the kibitzing noises of my tribe. Vaguely hearing the morning TV news in the stage of half awaken. Oh yea.. It's nice to make that 1st cup of coffee in the comfort of those baggy PJ, taking a stroll at the backyard enjoying that gentle morning sun.. just doing whatever I feel like and it's so cool, it's the taste of home sweet home.
Nothing.. just taking it easy.. do the reading that I am supposed to do.. oh those books..
I have been trying to summarize my holidays, realizing that it's hard to put into words, it's a very rojak emotions both proverbially and literally. I have learnt so much about things in life, or rather I managed to change some of my old perspectives about life through the trip. Most importantly I discovered something even surprising at which I was totally amazed by myself is that I have grown to be more tolerant about non-senses! haha.. and this will be the threshold to becoming a more diplomatic person, I hope.
Things have definitely become clearer in visions. So long the dream of living a nomadic life which I once thought would be so cool... After all these years of travelling and moving and relocating, it's nice to have a place called home. Well, it's not the matter of where it is physically, the assuring part is that you know you own one.
Here I am again after a month and half away from home. Back to my routine, which is not so bad afterall, I realized. Like usual, I woke up in the kibitzing noises of my tribe. Vaguely hearing the morning TV news in the stage of half awaken. Oh yea.. It's nice to make that 1st cup of coffee in the comfort of those baggy PJ, taking a stroll at the backyard enjoying that gentle morning sun.. just doing whatever I feel like and it's so cool, it's the taste of home sweet home.
Nothing.. just taking it easy.. do the reading that I am supposed to do.. oh those books..
I have been trying to summarize my holidays, realizing that it's hard to put into words, it's a very rojak emotions both proverbially and literally. I have learnt so much about things in life, or rather I managed to change some of my old perspectives about life through the trip. Most importantly I discovered something even surprising at which I was totally amazed by myself is that I have grown to be more tolerant about non-senses! haha.. and this will be the threshold to becoming a more diplomatic person, I hope.
Things have definitely become clearer in visions. So long the dream of living a nomadic life which I once thought would be so cool... After all these years of travelling and moving and relocating, it's nice to have a place called home. Well, it's not the matter of where it is physically, the assuring part is that you know you own one.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Taiwan Trip
This is the last night I will spend in Taipei Backpacker. Taking off to SG tomorrow evening and will be heading home the day after that. I have been away from home for about 1 and 1/2 months now and I am seriously missing my home.
I have accomplished my "mission", it's made a gastronomic trip the 2 weeks that I spent touring almost the entire island of Taiwan, being Taipei Province, YiLan, HuaLian, GaoShiong, Tainan, PingDong. I have the best food and best time in my life although I secretly wished that I could have had better travel partners.
There're a few episodes that really had gotten on my nerves, but they all been managed well.
I am a little worn off now, having travelling for this long. Really start to look forward to going home and back to my normal routine again. I am all charged up for it.
I will have about 1 month to get ready for my relocation (another trip uh huh). I cannot wait to go back to school.
I have accomplished my "mission", it's made a gastronomic trip the 2 weeks that I spent touring almost the entire island of Taiwan, being Taipei Province, YiLan, HuaLian, GaoShiong, Tainan, PingDong. I have the best food and best time in my life although I secretly wished that I could have had better travel partners.
There're a few episodes that really had gotten on my nerves, but they all been managed well.
I am a little worn off now, having travelling for this long. Really start to look forward to going home and back to my normal routine again. I am all charged up for it.
I will have about 1 month to get ready for my relocation (another trip uh huh). I cannot wait to go back to school.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Transiting
Spent almost 3 weeks in Sarawak. Done a fair bit in my home town. Managed to catch up with old friends some I haven't seen for 15 years. Fantastic feelings! I planned on a little gastronomic trip this time. Managed to find most of the food that I have been yearning to eat - Bik Sou, Rambutan, kong pia, jung niu pian, kam pua, locally roasted and brewed Kopi/Kopi C, half-moon crepes, pink guava, rojak, cuttlefish ong cai, malay kueh, pong pian, a 500 ringgit Golden Happy banquet, duck yolk gluten rice dumpling, muah ji, Sarawak native olives (Black and Red), Sarawak Lycee, No 1 Sarawak pineapple, Chi Chao C, Mee Lian Khok, most delicious chicken soup made from kampung free range chicken, BBQ pig head skin, rose apple, liu lian, 3 colored milk teaa, bah kuk teh, did I miss any?
Arrived in Singapore around 8pm. Had dinner at my aunt's at Woodlands. Took a taxi to Roxy Square to meet up with these 2 friends. Went back to "backpacker" in Marine Terrace to pack because tomorrow afternoon taking off to taiwan - another gastronomic adventure!!
A little worn out from Sarawak trip, thank god I have a place to spend the night in SG. Feeling a little rushed, a little disoriented.
Will spend 2 weeks in Taiwan before heading back home. SG is a great place - for transiting.
Arrived in Singapore around 8pm. Had dinner at my aunt's at Woodlands. Took a taxi to Roxy Square to meet up with these 2 friends. Went back to "backpacker" in Marine Terrace to pack because tomorrow afternoon taking off to taiwan - another gastronomic adventure!!
A little worn out from Sarawak trip, thank god I have a place to spend the night in SG. Feeling a little rushed, a little disoriented.
Will spend 2 weeks in Taiwan before heading back home. SG is a great place - for transiting.
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