Hedonistics Anonymous
Monday, March 31, 2008
Fushing feefOkay, this may seem very outdated, but at the moment I'm totally crazy about the Music and Lyrics OST.
I'm in love with Hugh Grant's voice. The British accent is so so so cute! And that man can certainly sing. Oh, and did I mention the sexy British accent?
Recommended easy listening bordering retro-jiwang tracks from the OST:
Hugh Grant - Don't Write Me Off
Hugh Grant - Dance With Me Tonight
Hugh Grant - Meaningless Kiss (This one is a dead ringer for George Michael's Careless Whispers)
Hugh Grant & Drew Barrymore/Haley Bennett - Way Back Into Love
Recommended booty-shaking tracks:
Haley Bennett - Buddha's Delight
Haley Bennett - Entering Bootytown
Download the tracks here.
In other news, my maid is an incurable kleptomaniac. Is there such thing as klepto rehab? I'm tempted to sign my maid up for a lifetime membership.
Last Friday morning, my father returned me RM100 in two separate RM50 notes. I was in rush, so I left the money on my bed. Only when I was halfway to work did I realize that OH FUCK! I DIDN'T PUT THE MONEY IN MY WALLET!!
Friday is the maid's ironing day. The ironing board is in my room. Together with the RM100.
My mother had to send my father and my sister to the airport that morning, so I immediately made a mental note to call her up to remind her to keep my money safe for me. But when I reached the office, I promptly forgot about everything.
When I got home from work, I dashed into the bedroom and lo and behold, the money wasn't on my bed anymore! I nearly turned my room upside in my mad effort to search for the money, but I knew deep inside that the maid took it.
Come Saturday, I confronted her in a very polite and diplomatic manner.
Me: Did you see some money on my bed yesterday?
Maid: *panic-stricken look* MONEY?!? WHAT MONEY? I DIDN'T SEE ANY MONEY IN YOUR ROOM!
Me: Before he went outstation yesterday, my father specifically told me that he left two RM50 notes on my bed. And when I got home, I couldn't find the money. Did you see it?
Maid: I DIDN'T SEE ANY RM50 NOTES! I JUST WENT INTO YOUR ROOM TO IRON THE CLOTHES AND AFTER THAT I WENT HOME IMMEDIATELY! I DIDN'T TAKE YOUR MONEY!
Me: Oh no, I am not accusing you of taking the money. Maybe it was blown away by the wind or something. Anyway, if you're sweeping or vacuuming the floor, please be on the lookout for my money, okay? Thank you.
Yesterday when I got home from work, I instinctively headed to my bedroom and hey, what's that little green paper thing peeking out from under my folded shirt on the ironing board?
WHY, IT'S MY TWO RM50 NOTES!
Now tell me... am I a genius, or am I genius?
I'm in love with Hugh Grant's voice. The British accent is so so so cute! And that man can certainly sing. Oh, and did I mention the sexy British accent?
Recommended easy listening bordering retro-jiwang tracks from the OST:
Hugh Grant - Don't Write Me Off
Hugh Grant - Dance With Me Tonight
Hugh Grant - Meaningless Kiss (This one is a dead ringer for George Michael's Careless Whispers)
Hugh Grant & Drew Barrymore/Haley Bennett - Way Back Into Love
Recommended booty-shaking tracks:
Haley Bennett - Buddha's Delight
Haley Bennett - Entering Bootytown
Download the tracks here.
In other news, my maid is an incurable kleptomaniac. Is there such thing as klepto rehab? I'm tempted to sign my maid up for a lifetime membership.
Last Friday morning, my father returned me RM100 in two separate RM50 notes. I was in rush, so I left the money on my bed. Only when I was halfway to work did I realize that OH FUCK! I DIDN'T PUT THE MONEY IN MY WALLET!!
Friday is the maid's ironing day. The ironing board is in my room. Together with the RM100.
My mother had to send my father and my sister to the airport that morning, so I immediately made a mental note to call her up to remind her to keep my money safe for me. But when I reached the office, I promptly forgot about everything.
When I got home from work, I dashed into the bedroom and lo and behold, the money wasn't on my bed anymore! I nearly turned my room upside in my mad effort to search for the money, but I knew deep inside that the maid took it.
Come Saturday, I confronted her in a very polite and diplomatic manner.
Me: Did you see some money on my bed yesterday?
Maid: *panic-stricken look* MONEY?!? WHAT MONEY? I DIDN'T SEE ANY MONEY IN YOUR ROOM!
Me: Before he went outstation yesterday, my father specifically told me that he left two RM50 notes on my bed. And when I got home, I couldn't find the money. Did you see it?
Maid: I DIDN'T SEE ANY RM50 NOTES! I JUST WENT INTO YOUR ROOM TO IRON THE CLOTHES AND AFTER THAT I WENT HOME IMMEDIATELY! I DIDN'T TAKE YOUR MONEY!
Me: Oh no, I am not accusing you of taking the money. Maybe it was blown away by the wind or something. Anyway, if you're sweeping or vacuuming the floor, please be on the lookout for my money, okay? Thank you.
Yesterday when I got home from work, I instinctively headed to my bedroom and hey, what's that little green paper thing peeking out from under my folded shirt on the ironing board?
WHY, IT'S MY TWO RM50 NOTES!
Now tell me... am I a genius, or am I genius?
Apparently while I was at work, my maid told my parents that she found the money under my shirt and it had been there ALL THE TIME. Yeah right. On Friday the ironing board was totally bare. I temporarily placed the shirt on the board because I was busy looking for the money.
In return, I told my sister that the maid should set up her own detective agency because she has a 99% success rate of "finding" missing things in my house. Among the things that she managed to "find" are my sister's new Quiksilver shirt and my mother's gold necklace and pendant. The only stuff that has yet to be found are my mother's brand new purple Tupperware container set.
In return, I told my sister that the maid should set up her own detective agency because she has a 99% success rate of "finding" missing things in my house. Among the things that she managed to "find" are my sister's new Quiksilver shirt and my mother's gold necklace and pendant. The only stuff that has yet to be found are my mother's brand new purple Tupperware container set.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Oh shit . Literally.Miss Bella has a love-hate relationship with her shit.
In her introductory post, I wrote about how she shits in her food bowl all the time, but apparently this isn't quite right.
You see, Bella usually shits while she's eating. And I discovered that after she shits, she'll turn around, pick the shit up with her paws and flick it away as far as she can. Unfortunately, her stubby little paws are not up to discus/javelin/shot putt throwing standards, so her shit usually lends, what, an inch and a half away from her at most?
Unlike PPBoy who has no qualms about shitting anywhere (except in his food bowl), Bella seems slightly ashamed of her shit. She usually hides them in huge amounts under the newspaper that I use to line her cage.
Oh, a money-saving tip for hammie owners - newspapers are a great alternative to pine or cedar shavings which can cause respiratory problems and allergic reactions in hamsters. Initially I had some misgivings over hamsters swallowing printed ink, but after a trial run, I don't think they do. I started off lining the cage bottom with newspapers and putting a layer of Scott paper towels on top. And hamsters LOVE to shred paper, so newspapers are alot more fun for them than wood shavings.
Anyway, back to Bella.
With PPBoy, I would clean up his shit on an almost daily basis. Usually I would use a plastic spoon to scoop up his shit, then I'll toss them into his potty. Only at the end of the week, when it's time to clean the entire cage, I'll clear the entire contents of the potty and fill it up with cat litter. PPBoy seemed okay with the arrangement and would continue to use the potty with or without his shit among the cat litter.
Not so with newest furry fusspot. One day I came home from work to find her potty devoid of shit. The cat litter was left in the potty, but EVERY.SINGLE.LUMP.OF.SHIT was tucked in the gap between the edge of the newspaper lining and the cage floor.
The night before, I scooped up maybe two whole tablespoons worth of shit and tossed them into the potty. Two tablespoons may not sound alot, but imagine having to pick shit the size of lizard droppings from all for corners of the cage, from under the papers, from hard-to reach nooks and crannies... and all the time trying to avoid getting nipped by a tiny but super-territorial orange furball.
Me: Mummy, do you know what Bella did today?!?"
Mum: I know. She's was as busy as a bee all morning. I saw her sitting in her potty for a few hours.
Me: SHE ACTUALLY THREW ALL HER SHIT OUT OF HER POTTY!!!
Mum: Oooooh, she's so clever!
Me: CLEVER?!?! SHE'S NOT EVEN SUPPOSE TO KNOW HOW TO DO THAT!!!
Anyone knows a good hamster psychiatrist?
In her introductory post, I wrote about how she shits in her food bowl all the time, but apparently this isn't quite right.
You see, Bella usually shits while she's eating. And I discovered that after she shits, she'll turn around, pick the shit up with her paws and flick it away as far as she can. Unfortunately, her stubby little paws are not up to discus/javelin/shot putt throwing standards, so her shit usually lends, what, an inch and a half away from her at most?
Unlike PPBoy who has no qualms about shitting anywhere (except in his food bowl), Bella seems slightly ashamed of her shit. She usually hides them in huge amounts under the newspaper that I use to line her cage.
Oh, a money-saving tip for hammie owners - newspapers are a great alternative to pine or cedar shavings which can cause respiratory problems and allergic reactions in hamsters. Initially I had some misgivings over hamsters swallowing printed ink, but after a trial run, I don't think they do. I started off lining the cage bottom with newspapers and putting a layer of Scott paper towels on top. And hamsters LOVE to shred paper, so newspapers are alot more fun for them than wood shavings.
Anyway, back to Bella.
With PPBoy, I would clean up his shit on an almost daily basis. Usually I would use a plastic spoon to scoop up his shit, then I'll toss them into his potty. Only at the end of the week, when it's time to clean the entire cage, I'll clear the entire contents of the potty and fill it up with cat litter. PPBoy seemed okay with the arrangement and would continue to use the potty with or without his shit among the cat litter.
Not so with newest furry fusspot. One day I came home from work to find her potty devoid of shit. The cat litter was left in the potty, but EVERY.SINGLE.LUMP.OF.SHIT was tucked in the gap between the edge of the newspaper lining and the cage floor.
The night before, I scooped up maybe two whole tablespoons worth of shit and tossed them into the potty. Two tablespoons may not sound alot, but imagine having to pick shit the size of lizard droppings from all for corners of the cage, from under the papers, from hard-to reach nooks and crannies... and all the time trying to avoid getting nipped by a tiny but super-territorial orange furball.
Me: Mummy, do you know what Bella did today?!?"
Mum: I know. She's was as busy as a bee all morning. I saw her sitting in her potty for a few hours.
Me: SHE ACTUALLY THREW ALL HER SHIT OUT OF HER POTTY!!!
Mum: Oooooh, she's so clever!
Me: CLEVER?!?! SHE'S NOT EVEN SUPPOSE TO KNOW HOW TO DO THAT!!!
Anyone knows a good hamster psychiatrist?
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
PissedThis morning, I got called into the office together with a few of my other colleagues. Well, actually we got called in one by one, and not together at one go but I'm petty like that when I'm pissed.
I'm pissed.
I'm pissed.
I walked into the office 10 mins late and had the soi-ness to bump into the boss and straightaway I get called up for a mini lecture.
Who wouldn't be pissed.
And the reason I was late was because this is the last day I get to use my McD breakfast coupon and I got held up at the counter by this fucking indecisive couple who couldn't make up their mind whether they wanted porridge or some bloody burger. And at the other counter, there was this old guy who, after ordering the breakfast meal, wanted to change his order to fried chicken.
HELLO... MCD DOESN'T FREAKIN SERVE FRIED CHICKEN IN THE MORNING OK!
And I knew he was a bloody suaku when I saw him put mounds of chili sauce AND STRAWBERRY JAM on his Sausage McMuffin. Ewwwwwwww so gross.
Next time I want McD, I'm gonna get them to deliver up to my office dammit.I'm pissed.
I'm pissed.
I walked into the office 10 mins late and had the soi-ness to bump into the boss and straightaway I get called up for a mini lecture.
Who wouldn't be pissed.
And the reason I was late was because this is the last day I get to use my McD breakfast coupon and I got held up at the counter by this fucking indecisive couple who couldn't make up their mind whether they wanted porridge or some bloody burger. And at the other counter, there was this old guy who, after ordering the breakfast meal, wanted to change his order to fried chicken.
HELLO... MCD DOESN'T FREAKIN SERVE FRIED CHICKEN IN THE MORNING OK!
And I knew he was a bloody suaku when I saw him put mounds of chili sauce AND STRAWBERRY JAM on his Sausage McMuffin. Ewwwwwwww so gross.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Bella GirlgirlEveryone say hello to the newest member of my family... Miss Bella Girlgirl!
She's my first ever Syrian hamster (and most probably my last). She's only been in my house for two weeks, but her life so far has been nothing short of dramatic.
B and I got her from a pet shop (more like a house) at Tabuan Jaya. There were two separate hamster tanks, one for dwarves and one for Syrians. There was a dwarf hamster there that looked like a mini replica of the late PP Boy but he was a speedy little thing and almost impossible to catch.
So I decided to turn my attention to the Syrians. Initially I opted for a long-haired male but when I saw how shit tended to stick onto fur, I decided to get a short-hair.
The only short-hair available was a female.
So B paid the money and I brought Bella home.
B and I got her from a pet shop (more like a house) at Tabuan Jaya. There were two separate hamster tanks, one for dwarves and one for Syrians. There was a dwarf hamster there that looked like a mini replica of the late PP Boy but he was a speedy little thing and almost impossible to catch.
So I decided to turn my attention to the Syrians. Initially I opted for a long-haired male but when I saw how shit tended to stick onto fur, I decided to get a short-hair.
The only short-hair available was a female.
So B paid the money and I brought Bella home.
The first four days were a total nightmare. Bella was so bad at being a hamster, she was more like a crazed rhesus monkey. She climbed everything in the cage and attempted death-defying leaps with an air of nonchalance. She shat in her food bowl. She chewed her cage bars like OCD victim. She was extremely nervous, aggressive, and territorial, and would nip anything that smelled vaguely human.
She made my beloved PP Boy look like a saint.
On the second day, Bella had diarrhea. I had to wash her cage at least twice every day. I would come home from work and her cage would be plastered with stinky brown goo. Sometimes, she would be covered in her own poo. To make matters worse, she wouldn't let anyone carry her, so I had to scoop her up with a big glass jar and put her in a pail containing a little warm water. Then I would use a toothbrush and attempt to get as much poo off her fur.
To dry her off, I had to transfer her into a dry pail and use a large rag to randomly pat her fur.
I did all these, plus cage cleaning for three whole days.
By then I was more than ready to throw in the towel. I told B that Bella had to go back to the pet shop. I couldn't deal a sick, aggressive hamster anymore.
The day we planned to bring Bella back to the pet shop, her diarrhea miraculously stopped and she became slightly more agreeable. She's still relatively aggressive and territorial, but at least she's not that nervous anymore. She still wouldn't let anyone carry her, but once in awhile, she'll let us stroke her back.
She still climbs like a monkey. Sometimes I call her Monkey Bella. See the picture below? That's how high she usually climbs. And that's also how high she jumps down from.
Amazingly, she toilet-trained herself in the pee department. So far, she has only one watery accident while running the wheel. She pees in the purple potty in the corner of her cage. I just toss in a handful of cat litter made from paper pellets and she got the idea pretty quickly.
I had to use (expensive) Breeder Celect paper pellets which are imported from Australia because Bella had a thing for munching on clay litter.
Unlike PP Boy, Bella hates mealworms. I've got two packets of dried mealworms. Any hamster owners out there want them? Felicity, you want?
Unlike PP Boy, Bella likes raisins. And thin slivers of raw bittergourd.
Like PP Boy, Bella doesn't fancy bananas. And they're both adore kuaci (watermelon seeds) addicts. Come to think of it, I have yet to meet a hamster that doesn't go gaga over kuaci.
Monday, March 24, 2008
I keep telling myself that I'm relatively indifferent to the drama but I know I'm lying trallallallallaaaaaaaSometimes I love my selective short-term memory.
It permits me to forget the tiny, unnecessary bits and concentrate on the more important "hangat lagi sensasi" issues.
However, this doesn't bode well when unpleasant dramas outnumber boring bits.
So, for the past four days, I remember:
My aunty got into a heated argument with my grandmother in the car, and I, being the innocent driver, got dragged into it.
Grandmother: You see how my children treat me!
Me: *whines* But I'm not one of your children...
Grandmother: I KNOW YOU'RE NOT! I JUST WANT YOU TO WITNESS HOW THEY TREAT ME!
Me: Mehhhhhhhhhh... :(
I did two separate sessions of All Souls Day. One was at the Methodist cemetery, the other was at the Cantonese Association (CA) cemetery. My aunty, not accustomed to doing yearly graveyard visitations, went slightly overboard on Sunday. Usually we pay our respects at approximately five graves at CA cemetery, but my aunty chanced upon a few other graves of relatives that have been neglected over the years, and we had to do the Jesus thing of feeding the multitudes. Remember how Jesus fed a crowd of 5000 with only five barley loaves and two fish?
Basically, we had to make our offerings for five people enough for seven. Not quite a miracle, but it felt almost the same. So great-grandmother and great-grandfather had one less blouse and shirt to wear, and alot less money to spend this year.
Liverpool lost to Man U. Referee Steve Bennett is an disgraceful asshole. He even awarded a yellow card to Rio Ferdinand for nothing, so you can't accuse me of being a bias Liverpool supporter, although I know that SOMEONE would definitely be going "yeaaaaaa right..." when he reads this.
Excuse me honey, I might have Ronaldo as my captain for my Fantasy Premier League team, but that doesn't make me a Man U supporter, dammit.
At the moment, I am incredibly cranky and my attention span is slightly longer than a goldfish's. Not exactly remarkable, considering a goldfish has a 3-second memory. I blame it on an acute lack of sleep. Grr.
It permits me to forget the tiny, unnecessary bits and concentrate on the more important "hangat lagi sensasi" issues.
However, this doesn't bode well when unpleasant dramas outnumber boring bits.
So, for the past four days, I remember:
My aunty got into a heated argument with my grandmother in the car, and I, being the innocent driver, got dragged into it.
Grandmother: You see how my children treat me!
Me: *whines* But I'm not one of your children...
Grandmother: I KNOW YOU'RE NOT! I JUST WANT YOU TO WITNESS HOW THEY TREAT ME!
Me: Mehhhhhhhhhh... :(
I did two separate sessions of All Souls Day. One was at the Methodist cemetery, the other was at the Cantonese Association (CA) cemetery. My aunty, not accustomed to doing yearly graveyard visitations, went slightly overboard on Sunday. Usually we pay our respects at approximately five graves at CA cemetery, but my aunty chanced upon a few other graves of relatives that have been neglected over the years, and we had to do the Jesus thing of feeding the multitudes. Remember how Jesus fed a crowd of 5000 with only five barley loaves and two fish?
Basically, we had to make our offerings for five people enough for seven. Not quite a miracle, but it felt almost the same. So great-grandmother and great-grandfather had one less blouse and shirt to wear, and alot less money to spend this year.
Liverpool lost to Man U. Referee Steve Bennett is an disgraceful asshole. He even awarded a yellow card to Rio Ferdinand for nothing, so you can't accuse me of being a bias Liverpool supporter, although I know that SOMEONE would definitely be going "yeaaaaaa right..." when he reads this.
Excuse me honey, I might have Ronaldo as my captain for my Fantasy Premier League team, but that doesn't make me a Man U supporter, dammit.
At the moment, I am incredibly cranky and my attention span is slightly longer than a goldfish's. Not exactly remarkable, considering a goldfish has a 3-second memory. I blame it on an acute lack of sleep. Grr.
Monday, March 17, 2008
2 sachets of sugarfree Indocafe white + 1 sachet McD creamerYou know how when you can't shit or you're constipated, people tell you to "eat more papayas or bananas, and drink more water bla bla bla..."
I just drink coffee.
Coffee with creamer.
I make myself a cup of coffee at 9:15am and by 10:30am I'm in the toilet.
Bliss.
I just drink coffee.
Coffee with creamer.
I make myself a cup of coffee at 9:15am and by 10:30am I'm in the toilet.
Bliss.
Bet you didn't want to know that hahahahahahahaha.
Friday, March 14, 2008
SalesbitchLast weekend, my mother and I went to Beauty Credit at Boulevard. Beauty Credit sells lots of made-in-Korea cosmetics and beauty products which are relatively affordable and IMHO, suitable for Asian skin.
The salesgirl in charge was some petite kawaii-looking chick with heavily mascara-ed eyelashes and flawless white skin.
My mother showed me this make-up base which does wonders for the skin. I forgot the name but I must admit it's really good. One application and your face becomes really smooth and radiant. Anyway, I bought one bottle for myself, while my mother was debating whether to get one too.
Suddenly the cibai salesgirl piped up, "Ma'am, just buy one-lah. Don't worry, your daughter got money, will pay for you."
I tell you, I was so freaking pissed after that. Actually, I was on the verge of buying one bottle for my mother, but when the salesgirl opened her mouth, I felt cornered. I felt so cheated. I don't know if the salesgirl was taught to manipulate customers that way, but it's a really rotten tactic.
If I ended up buying the make-up base for my mother, I would be further affirming that this stupid sales tactic works.
However, if I ended up not buying the make-up base for my mother, I'll look like a really stingy daughter.
Either way, it's a lose-lose situation for me.
Fucking hell. Damn tulan ok.
In the end, I just walked out of the shop with one bottle of make-up base. It's a pity I paid for mine already, or else I absolutely wouldn't buy anything from the shop.
The salesgirl in charge was some petite kawaii-looking chick with heavily mascara-ed eyelashes and flawless white skin.
My mother showed me this make-up base which does wonders for the skin. I forgot the name but I must admit it's really good. One application and your face becomes really smooth and radiant. Anyway, I bought one bottle for myself, while my mother was debating whether to get one too.
Suddenly the cibai salesgirl piped up, "Ma'am, just buy one-lah. Don't worry, your daughter got money, will pay for you."
I tell you, I was so freaking pissed after that. Actually, I was on the verge of buying one bottle for my mother, but when the salesgirl opened her mouth, I felt cornered. I felt so cheated. I don't know if the salesgirl was taught to manipulate customers that way, but it's a really rotten tactic.
If I ended up buying the make-up base for my mother, I would be further affirming that this stupid sales tactic works.
However, if I ended up not buying the make-up base for my mother, I'll look like a really stingy daughter.
Either way, it's a lose-lose situation for me.
Fucking hell. Damn tulan ok.
In the end, I just walked out of the shop with one bottle of make-up base. It's a pity I paid for mine already, or else I absolutely wouldn't buy anything from the shop.
After a little googling, here's the make-up base I was referring to. The green one is for fair skin, while the purple one is for tanned/darker tone skin. Also, each make-up base is further divided into moist or mat. Moist is for dry skin, while mat is for oily/combination skin. People with normal skin can use either mat or moist. I really like this make-up base because the results are immediate and it's non-greasy. I cannot stand greasy products.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Gordon Ramsay's broccoli soupYesterday I attempted Gordon Ramsay's broccoli soup because the recipe looks pretty simple.
INGREDIENTS:
Pot of water
Salt (to taste)
Black pepper (to taste)
2 heads of broccoli
Olive oil for garnish (optional)
2 oz goat's cheese or cheddar cheese (optional)
This recipe makes 4 servings.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Cut the florets off the heads of the broccoli and add into a pot of rapidly-boiling, salted water (roughly 2 tablespoons of salt for 5 quarts of water). Cover and boil for 3.5 to 4 minutes until just tender.
Drain in a colander, but keep the water (broccoli stock). While the broccoli florets are still hot, put them into a blender. Fill the blender about halfway with the broccoli stock. Blend until a smooth, puree-like consistency is achieved. Add more stock if necessary to achieve desired consistency. Taste, and add more salt if necessary.
If desired, add cheese to the bottom of the bowl before pouring soup in. Drizzle with a little olive oil on top before serving.
INGREDIENTS:
Pot of water
Salt (to taste)
Black pepper (to taste)
2 heads of broccoli
Olive oil for garnish (optional)
2 oz goat's cheese or cheddar cheese (optional)
This recipe makes 4 servings.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Cut the florets off the heads of the broccoli and add into a pot of rapidly-boiling, salted water (roughly 2 tablespoons of salt for 5 quarts of water). Cover and boil for 3.5 to 4 minutes until just tender.
Drain in a colander, but keep the water (broccoli stock). While the broccoli florets are still hot, put them into a blender. Fill the blender about halfway with the broccoli stock. Blend until a smooth, puree-like consistency is achieved. Add more stock if necessary to achieve desired consistency. Taste, and add more salt if necessary.
If desired, add cheese to the bottom of the bowl before pouring soup in. Drizzle with a little olive oil on top before serving.
Here's the video of Chef Ramsay preparing the soup:
Sad to say, I couldn't achieve the puree-like consistency of the soup. My blender is an old Moulinex model that only has one speed, and I don't think it's fast enough. Also, I didn't know the importance of blending the broccoli while it's still hot until I watched the video just now. Apparently, if you let the cooked broccoli cool down before blending, the resulting soup will be lumpy and grainy. Mine wasn't lumpy, but it was very grainy. The taste was pretty good, but the graininess was slightly unnerving. Thank goodness my family will eat just about anything. Haha.
Womansie, you might want to attempt the recipe if you have a blender, but I tell you, there'll be shitloads of stuff to wash.
Womansie, you might want to attempt the recipe if you have a blender, but I tell you, there'll be shitloads of stuff to wash.
Petty Patty
I've got a headache - the dull, intermittent kind you get due to lack of sleep. A glass of iced coffee during lunch helped to relieve the headache a little, but I'm still so sleepy... *yawn*
I shall be petty today, because I feel like it.
1. It's only been four days after the elections and Penangites are getting pretty nice perks from the new state government. Tolls abolished and summonses waived. I'm going green with envy.
2. The couple who lives in the house behind mine is outstation again and their dog has been chained up for two or three consecutive days. The last time they went outstation, the dog was chained up for more than a week. My mother has been championing the dog's rights recently. She even confronted the couple's friend who was in charge of feeding the dog and gave her a lecture on canine cruelty.
3. We named the dog Bobby. Or rather, I named the dog Bobby because that's how we call dogs. My mother went one step further to ahbeng-ize the dog's name. Now she calls him Ah Bob. Do note that we have no idea what his real name is.
4. Ah Bob is not our dog but he's got a treat box in our refrigerator filled with meaty bones. Oh, and any bread you find in the house is definitely not for human consumption. That's Ah Bob's bread.
5. My driveway and garage is covered with muddy tyre tracks because the Dept of Works is changing the big underground pipes, so they have to rip up the driveway concrete. After replacing the pipes, they just cover the trench with gravel. Such a shitty temporary (I hope!) solution. I've got four different cars driving in and out of the driveway everyday, and now the gravel is sinking in some parts. Oi, Mr Yong! You win election already, now you don't want to resurface my driveway issit?
6. I had no freaking idea how a parliamentary debate is conducted until yesterday. Bloody hell, it's like a mass riot - all the MPs are worse than hooligans! My favourite video (here) is the ex-Jerai MP Badruddin Amiruldin's racist statement "Malaysia ini negara Islam, you tak suka, you keluar dari Malaysia!" ("Malaysia is an Islamic state, you don't like it, you get out of Malaysia!")
Immediately after, you can clearly hear another speaker saying "Ehh samseng, duduk!" ("Hey hooligan, sit down!)
7. I also like the video (here) of Nazri Abdul Aziz calling the opposition "Racist! Bloody Racist!". It's hilarious because it proves that some of the MPs are just so inarticulate that they just parrot themselves over and over again.
8. I'm out of books to read at home, dammit. :(
9. Sometimes I think I understand precisely why Hitler wanted to get rid of the Jews. Like in Malaysia, races were segregated last time. The Malays were the farmers/fisherman, the Indians were rubber tappers, and the Chinese were businesspeople. Now you've got Ali the farmer and Ahmad the Cabinet Minister. Ah Chong the kolo mee seller and Ah Lim the Chief Minister. Muthu the mamak stall owner and Samy the ousted Works Minister.
And then you wonder, how some individuals from each race can breach the stereotype and achieve so much. I mean, the gap between a farmer and a Cabinet Minister is miles apart. Is it a genetic thing or what? Is it possible to breed only top performing humans to create a race of superhumans?
10. B, WHY YOU COMMENT IN THONG'S BLOG BUT NEVER COMMENT IN MY BLOG? YOU WANT ME TO BLOG ABOUT T.H.I.N.K ISSIT?
I shall be petty today, because I feel like it.
1. It's only been four days after the elections and Penangites are getting pretty nice perks from the new state government. Tolls abolished and summonses waived. I'm going green with envy.
2. The couple who lives in the house behind mine is outstation again and their dog has been chained up for two or three consecutive days. The last time they went outstation, the dog was chained up for more than a week. My mother has been championing the dog's rights recently. She even confronted the couple's friend who was in charge of feeding the dog and gave her a lecture on canine cruelty.
3. We named the dog Bobby. Or rather, I named the dog Bobby because that's how we call dogs. My mother went one step further to ahbeng-ize the dog's name. Now she calls him Ah Bob. Do note that we have no idea what his real name is.
4. Ah Bob is not our dog but he's got a treat box in our refrigerator filled with meaty bones. Oh, and any bread you find in the house is definitely not for human consumption. That's Ah Bob's bread.
5. My driveway and garage is covered with muddy tyre tracks because the Dept of Works is changing the big underground pipes, so they have to rip up the driveway concrete. After replacing the pipes, they just cover the trench with gravel. Such a shitty temporary (I hope!) solution. I've got four different cars driving in and out of the driveway everyday, and now the gravel is sinking in some parts. Oi, Mr Yong! You win election already, now you don't want to resurface my driveway issit?
6. I had no freaking idea how a parliamentary debate is conducted until yesterday. Bloody hell, it's like a mass riot - all the MPs are worse than hooligans! My favourite video (here) is the ex-Jerai MP Badruddin Amiruldin's racist statement "Malaysia ini negara Islam, you tak suka, you keluar dari Malaysia!" ("Malaysia is an Islamic state, you don't like it, you get out of Malaysia!")
Immediately after, you can clearly hear another speaker saying "Ehh samseng, duduk!" ("Hey hooligan, sit down!)
7. I also like the video (here) of Nazri Abdul Aziz calling the opposition "Racist! Bloody Racist!". It's hilarious because it proves that some of the MPs are just so inarticulate that they just parrot themselves over and over again.
8. I'm out of books to read at home, dammit. :(
9. Sometimes I think I understand precisely why Hitler wanted to get rid of the Jews. Like in Malaysia, races were segregated last time. The Malays were the farmers/fisherman, the Indians were rubber tappers, and the Chinese were businesspeople. Now you've got Ali the farmer and Ahmad the Cabinet Minister. Ah Chong the kolo mee seller and Ah Lim the Chief Minister. Muthu the mamak stall owner and Samy the ousted Works Minister.
And then you wonder, how some individuals from each race can breach the stereotype and achieve so much. I mean, the gap between a farmer and a Cabinet Minister is miles apart. Is it a genetic thing or what? Is it possible to breed only top performing humans to create a race of superhumans?
10. B, WHY YOU COMMENT IN THONG'S BLOG BUT NEVER COMMENT IN MY BLOG? YOU WANT ME TO BLOG ABOUT T.H.I.N.K ISSIT?
Monday, March 10, 2008
I'm proud to be a MalaysianThere are a few very important milestones in a person's life.
When I was a kid, I couldn't wait to be 12 so that I could apply for an identity card (IC). I used to envy my classmates whose birthdays were earlier than mine because they were to first to be able to flash their blue laminated cards in class, complete with dorky black-and-white photos.
Then I couldn't wait to be 17 to get my driver's license. I got my license slightly later than a few of my classmates, but it wasn't such a bad thing because those classmates of mine who could drive usually drove nice cars like Jaguar, Camry, and Vitara (in 1997 this was considered a really cool car). And those who could drive had to chauffeur the rest of the class out for lunch. No self-respecting Form 5 student during my year ate canteen food.
18 was a good age because I could get into clubs legally, drink legally, and buy cigarettes legally. 18 was a bad age because it was the start of a grueling 4-year college education. Partying went up, discipline went down. Chatting on mIRC was so freaking cool back then. Everyone had a cyber-something: boyfriend, girlfriend, brother, sister. Oh, and almost everyone had cybersex. Don't lie. I KNOW you did.
I got myself registered to become a voter on my 21st birthday. Ever since I was a kid, I've watched my parents going to vote and I could sense it was a very important event because my father wouldn't let me accompany him into the polling booth. Always I had to wait outside, or in the car. It was like some huge mystery, what people did in polling stations, and I couldn't wait to find out.
I know that most of my friends are not interested in politics, and don't bother to get themselves registered. It perplexes me, their "what for vote? if vote also like that, what" attitude. My father has always, always stressed on our duty to exercise our voting rights as citizens of the country. Winning or losing is another matter. If you don't vote, then you don't have any right to complain about the government because you didn't even bother to make an effort to change. Don't complain about corruption. Don't complain about the sorry state of your roads. Don't complain about how inefficient employees in government departments are. They are that way because of your complacency.
My mother's friend who's Chinese happens to be voting in some predominantly Malay constituency. She knows very well that her area is a stronghold for the ruling party, but when asked why she still bothers to vote, she whispered, "Lose also never mind, must still vote. The ruling party will win, but we do what we can to lower the majority."
When the results of the parliamentary elections for Sarawak came out, I was thrilled that Bandar Kuching incumbent, Chong Chien Jen of the Chinese-based Democratic Action Party (DAP) managed to retain his seat, polling 22,901 votes to beat Barisan Nasional-Sarawak United Peoples' Party (BN-SUPP) newcomer Alan Sim Yaw Yen by a majority of 9,952 votes. Alan Sim only managed to garner 12,949 votes. Unfortunately, this is the only feather in the opposition's cap for Sarawak, because out of the 31 seats contested, the ruling party, BN, managed to sweep 30 seats.
In West Malaysia, things were shockingly different. The BN managed to form the new government but was denied two-thirds majority for the first time in history. To add insult to the injury, they lost four key states (Penang, Kedah, Perak and Selangor) to the loose opposition alliance between DAP, People's Justice Party (PKR) and Pan Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) in a tsunami-like wave. BN also failed to wrest back Kelantan from PAS.
I'm grateful that all this happened in my lifetime - proof that democracy is still alive and people are not afraid to make themselves heard. It's during times like these that I'm most proud to be a Malaysian. We should learn from those lucky 5 states, that people of all races - Malaysians - can work together hand in hand to achieve what BN thought was impossible. Yes, David can beat Goliath. And he can do it over and over again.
When I was a kid, I couldn't wait to be 12 so that I could apply for an identity card (IC). I used to envy my classmates whose birthdays were earlier than mine because they were to first to be able to flash their blue laminated cards in class, complete with dorky black-and-white photos.
Then I couldn't wait to be 17 to get my driver's license. I got my license slightly later than a few of my classmates, but it wasn't such a bad thing because those classmates of mine who could drive usually drove nice cars like Jaguar, Camry, and Vitara (in 1997 this was considered a really cool car). And those who could drive had to chauffeur the rest of the class out for lunch. No self-respecting Form 5 student during my year ate canteen food.
18 was a good age because I could get into clubs legally, drink legally, and buy cigarettes legally. 18 was a bad age because it was the start of a grueling 4-year college education. Partying went up, discipline went down. Chatting on mIRC was so freaking cool back then. Everyone had a cyber-something: boyfriend, girlfriend, brother, sister. Oh, and almost everyone had cybersex. Don't lie. I KNOW you did.
I got myself registered to become a voter on my 21st birthday. Ever since I was a kid, I've watched my parents going to vote and I could sense it was a very important event because my father wouldn't let me accompany him into the polling booth. Always I had to wait outside, or in the car. It was like some huge mystery, what people did in polling stations, and I couldn't wait to find out.
I know that most of my friends are not interested in politics, and don't bother to get themselves registered. It perplexes me, their "what for vote? if vote also like that, what" attitude. My father has always, always stressed on our duty to exercise our voting rights as citizens of the country. Winning or losing is another matter. If you don't vote, then you don't have any right to complain about the government because you didn't even bother to make an effort to change. Don't complain about corruption. Don't complain about the sorry state of your roads. Don't complain about how inefficient employees in government departments are. They are that way because of your complacency.
My mother's friend who's Chinese happens to be voting in some predominantly Malay constituency. She knows very well that her area is a stronghold for the ruling party, but when asked why she still bothers to vote, she whispered, "Lose also never mind, must still vote. The ruling party will win, but we do what we can to lower the majority."
When the results of the parliamentary elections for Sarawak came out, I was thrilled that Bandar Kuching incumbent, Chong Chien Jen of the Chinese-based Democratic Action Party (DAP) managed to retain his seat, polling 22,901 votes to beat Barisan Nasional-Sarawak United Peoples' Party (BN-SUPP) newcomer Alan Sim Yaw Yen by a majority of 9,952 votes. Alan Sim only managed to garner 12,949 votes. Unfortunately, this is the only feather in the opposition's cap for Sarawak, because out of the 31 seats contested, the ruling party, BN, managed to sweep 30 seats.
In West Malaysia, things were shockingly different. The BN managed to form the new government but was denied two-thirds majority for the first time in history. To add insult to the injury, they lost four key states (Penang, Kedah, Perak and Selangor) to the loose opposition alliance between DAP, People's Justice Party (PKR) and Pan Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) in a tsunami-like wave. BN also failed to wrest back Kelantan from PAS.
I'm grateful that all this happened in my lifetime - proof that democracy is still alive and people are not afraid to make themselves heard. It's during times like these that I'm most proud to be a Malaysian. We should learn from those lucky 5 states, that people of all races - Malaysians - can work together hand in hand to achieve what BN thought was impossible. Yes, David can beat Goliath. And he can do it over and over again.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Vote BN? 別開玩笑Parliamentary elections are tomorrow.
Thanks to my church's youth group, I managed to wrangle an invite for my sister and I to a dialogue with Alan Sim Yaw Yen, the BN-SUPP candidate for Bandar Kuching (P.195), about two weeks ago.
Thanks to my church's youth group, I managed to wrangle an invite for my sister and I to a dialogue with Alan Sim Yaw Yen, the BN-SUPP candidate for Bandar Kuching (P.195), about two weeks ago.
I've never supported the ruling party, but since Mr Sim is a first-timer and head of the SUPP Youth, I thought, well, maybe this round this might be different. Like people always say, the future lies in the hands of the youths, right? I was looking for fresh, new ideas and not those stale "only BN can bring development to the country" views.
Firstly, I brought up the land lease issue. The last time I brought up this issue was before the State Elections 2006 (here) and it is a matter that is very close to my heart. SUPP has always been rather vague about the issue. Yes, they did help some people renew their land leases but that's not the point. The point is WHY ARE WE STILL SUBJECTED TO LAND LEASE?
According to the National House Buyers Association:
Firstly, I brought up the land lease issue. The last time I brought up this issue was before the State Elections 2006 (here) and it is a matter that is very close to my heart. SUPP has always been rather vague about the issue. Yes, they did help some people renew their land leases but that's not the point. The point is WHY ARE WE STILL SUBJECTED TO LAND LEASE?
According to the National House Buyers Association:
The land laws of Malaysia are governed by the National Land Code, 1965 (Act 56 of 1965). Section 40 of the National Land Code, 1965 states that all state land belongs to the state authority.
When state land is disposed off by the state authority to an individual in perpetuity for an indefinite period, this land is now granted as freehold title.
When the state land is disposed of by the state authority to an individual for a term of years, by virtual of law, not exceeding 99 years, this land is now granted as leasehold title.
Upon expiry of the period of the lease, the land should be reverted to the state authority. The owner will then have to either apply for a renewal of the lease before its expiry or apply for a fresh alienation if the lease has expired. These will involve the payment of a hefty premium which would be close to buying the land all over again with perhaps some discount
When state land is disposed off by the state authority to an individual in perpetuity for an indefinite period, this land is now granted as freehold title.
When the state land is disposed of by the state authority to an individual for a term of years, by virtual of law, not exceeding 99 years, this land is now granted as leasehold title.
Upon expiry of the period of the lease, the land should be reverted to the state authority. The owner will then have to either apply for a renewal of the lease before its expiry or apply for a fresh alienation if the lease has expired. These will involve the payment of a hefty premium which would be close to buying the land all over again with perhaps some discount
Note the words "hefty premium". Sounds rather painful, aye?
The land lease issue goes way back to the colonial days, when our country was ruled by the British. At that time, all land belonged to Crown and if you needed land, you had to lease it from the Brits. Now that we have achieved Independence, the country belongs to us Malaysians. So why the heck are we still "leasing" land from the government? Shouldn't we be able to fully own what we pay for?
Anyway, Mr Sim told me that he's looking into extending the normal leasehold period of 60 years to 99 years. Like wtf?! I'm telling you the abolish the whole leasehold nonsense, not asking you to extend it.
Then he told me that this whole land lease issue is a communal issue that has been going on for a very long time and WE SHOULDN'T WASTE MORE TIME AND ENERGY ON IT. And in a very lawyer/SUPP fashion, he said, "You know what, I think Kuching needs to concentrate on tourism to attract more visitors to the state!"
And then he went on and on naming the various foods that we have in Kuching: Laksa, kolo mee, kueh chap, belacan beehoon...
Then when I asked Mr Sim whether he is concerned about the declining standard of English among local graduates, he said that he was worried, but not too worried because the standard of Chinese education in Malaysia is one of the best in Southeast Asia.
Then he started going on and on about how he was elected to be the Malaysian representative in some Chinese-speaking conference somewhere is Southeast Asia, and how people from China are impressed with the fluency of which we speak Mandarin.
Then he started going on and on about how he was elected to be the Malaysian representative in some Chinese-speaking conference somewhere is Southeast Asia, and how people from China are impressed with the fluency of which we speak Mandarin.
Tell me, how is his answer related to my original question?
Then I asked Mr Sim about the government's hopeless efforts to promote reading among the youth. I said, "Mr Sim, books are so expensive. People in the US pay US$7.99 for one book. People in the UK pay £3.95 for one book. But once the book hit Malaysian shelves, we have to pay more than RM30 for it. Dollar to dollar conversion, it's not fair to us. Books are so expensive. How to encourage Malaysians to read? Shouldn't the government consider some form of subsidy for imported books?"
Nodding, Mr Sim replied, "Yes, you have a point. That's why I'm think that mobile libraries is... you know, a good idea..."
Nodding, Mr Sim replied, "Yes, you have a point. That's why I'm think that mobile libraries is... you know, a good idea..."
*vomit blood*
Tell me, how to vote for this guy?
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
You MUST read this bookI read ALOT.
I must admit that I've spent a small fortune in books, but I've never regretted my decision because reading makes me happy. Sometimes I think I'm addicted to the printed word. Like I need a book fix whenever I'm feeling down.
So when MPH had their latest sale, I was one happy bunny. I was on the lookout for Philip Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy. I already have The Golden Compass, and I was dying to get my hands on The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass.
And then I spotted this book.
I've heard all the hype surrounding The Spiderwick Chronicles. Heck, they've even got a movie out already.
The cover and artwork bears some resemblance to Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. Very nice. I like.
And so I bought the entire box set which wasn't cheap, but my love for books goes far and beyond the value of money. I started reading Spiderwick that very night.
I can safely say that The Spiderwick Chronicles is one of the best fantasy novels I've ever read. The story line is fantastic and the book is very easy to read. No huge words and, oooh.. the accompanying artwork! What a lovely touch. It's so easy to fall in love with Spiderwick because of its honest yet whimsical nature.
I seriously recommend this book to everyone. Yes, it is THAT good. Or, at least get Book 1 of the set: The Field Guide. It's not easy to find a book that captures your heart and mind and makes you remember why reading is so much fun in the first place, but here it is: The Spiderwick Chronicles.
The cover and artwork bears some resemblance to Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. Very nice. I like.
And so I bought the entire box set which wasn't cheap, but my love for books goes far and beyond the value of money. I started reading Spiderwick that very night.
I can safely say that The Spiderwick Chronicles is one of the best fantasy novels I've ever read. The story line is fantastic and the book is very easy to read. No huge words and, oooh.. the accompanying artwork! What a lovely touch. It's so easy to fall in love with Spiderwick because of its honest yet whimsical nature.
I seriously recommend this book to everyone. Yes, it is THAT good. Or, at least get Book 1 of the set: The Field Guide. It's not easy to find a book that captures your heart and mind and makes you remember why reading is so much fun in the first place, but here it is: The Spiderwick Chronicles.
