I've Found My Garden

Suspension

2010-11-06T21:34:00.001+08:00

Hi, I'm suspending this blog indefinitely, because tumblr seems much easier to use comparatively. My new address is drinkingcocoa.tumblr.com

Squash

2010-03-09T21:48:00.002+08:00

Form is a funny thing. One day I'll be feeling in form, and am in form. Another, I'll be feeling in form, but lost it in-game. Then I'll be feeling off-form, but manage to perform better than expected. And then there will be a time where everything goes down the drain. Squashed!

Off from game again due to overstrained knee.

Sun Yoon Kee

2010-01-29T01:15:00.011+08:00

Old School

In Campbell Street, Penang, we found an old established coffee shop, Sun Yoon Kee Seafood Restaurant, which still preserves the pre-war designs. The have antique tables and sturdy old wooden chairs which are very comfortable. We went there for lunch and ordered a few dishes which they cook fresh for each order: Sang Kong Tofu, Nestum Fried Chicken, Mixed Vegetables, and Fried Sweet and Sour Pork.

The coffee shop from the outside.

An old sign board on top of a refrigerator.

The interior.

An old bird cage and liquor bottle.

Yea, they still serve drinks in glass bottles ~ Nostalgic

The Sang Kong Tofu. Japanese egg tofu fried with starchy eggy sauce with carrots, sweet peas, pork and button mushrooms. The tofu were soft and smooth, but they don't mushily break apart. Well seasoned and the sauce is a tasty hydrating condiment to be put on rice.

The sweet and sour pork was well fried and there was adequate sauce to cover all of the meat and more. One can taste the sweet and sour parts of the sauce distinctly, but yet they compliment each other well as a whole. There wasn't too much oil used while frying, therefore the taste of the pork is not compromised.

Chicken pieces are coated with Nestum grains and are fried to give a grainy texture that leaves one addicted to this dish. The butter accents the taste of the cereal and somehow assists the cereal to seal its flavor within the chicken. There was a little too much oil in this dish, but I guess I can write it off as a rare error because it still tasted good. Children will be left clamoring for more of the extra Nestum cereal left on the plate.

Broccoli, capsicums, baby corn, mushrooms, cauliflower, pork, fish cakes and a few pieces of chilly make up the mixed vegetables dish. This dish gives a variety of vegetables all in one plate, brushing away the monotonity of just having a single type of greens. Its mild soy sauce based flavor retains the goodness of the different natural tastes. The pork gives its sweetness and the chilly adds a little spice.

Seven of us went for that lunch and it cost us Rm84, inclusive of drinks and rice. Given the generous portions of food, this is a great bargain for some old school Chinese cooking. The friendly service by the elderly Chinese men working there make the whole experience there even more enjoyable.

Breakkie

2010-01-28T11:35:00.002+08:00

Bread

Cold meats from Cold Storage, whole grain breads from bakeries, some butter, some Australian high calcium cheese, some milk, and 2 eggs. A great breakfast. Wholesome and quite cheap. mmmm ~

My sandwiches ~

Saury

2010-01-26T10:45:00.003+08:00

Grill

Finally, got my hands on the sanma, the japanese name for the pacific saury. I had no grill so I did my best to use as little oil as possible to cook it in a pan. Just using salt and pepper to season, as recommended by the japanese, it takes about 10 minutes to cook the fish. The product? The fish were very sweet, but the bones were tiny and numerous. However, the bones were managable. the flesh came out in chunks and the bones easily peeled off the flesh. Having said that, don't lose concentration while eating or a bone will definitely go down the throat. All in all, a fish that I will definitely consider buying once a week or so. RM2.80 to RM3 for 2 fish from Cold Storage. A great price for so sweet a fish.

The two sanmas. mmmm ~

Puasa

2010-01-16T10:16:00.002+08:00

Ah, thirty-eight hours to go! It's been 6+ days since I started fasting from Facebook. Doing it for 7 days :P Proved the critics wrong. I managed to survive without opening the login page at all. So people, it can be done. 38 hours to go before I log in again.

P.S. : If you're wondering, the notes that appear on Facebook under my name are automated entries from my blog. LOL.

Food Trivia

2010-01-15T19:19:00.003+08:00

1/2

Ah.. cut down my rice intake for dinner by half and voila! I'm still full at the end of dinner. Does this mean I've been overeating? Or has my metabolism slowed down? We shall see, after this month, which factor it is. The study includes physical activity in sports :P Need to get into shape again..

Knees..

2010-01-13T07:55:00.000+08:00

Overfrequent squash playing has taken its toll on my weak knees. Aches and instability have forced me out of playing anymore sessions this week. Oh well, how timely for full afternoons and the plan to swim too. Must remember to get knee guards in the near future.

Oily, Crystal Forming Grub

2009-12-08T09:14:00.002+08:00

Lazy...

It's been so long since the last post.. I wonder if it's pure laziness or the blog hype has disappeared. Maybe with more time, I will be able to explore more food and remember to bring the camera along to snap a picture of it! Ah, here's one: deep fried chicken gizzard and tofu. The guy gave me tofu instead of liver, seems that the hokkien words for these two are very similar.. HAHA.. They were saltish, but surprisingly the oil wasn't rancid or anything. This unhealthy pile of batter and oil was addictive, but now I'm thinking about the uric acid circulating in my bloodstream..

Temple Of Fine Arts

2009-05-26T23:32:00.003+08:00

mmmmmmmmmmm~~~~~

Temple of Fine Arts, Penang: Simple place, great vegetarian food, and contribute as much (or as little) as you want for your meal. The mango lassi is a hit with the visitors too. And this place has Sanskrit lessons! Most important of all, it's 5 minutes away from Sri York and 1 minute away from Penang General Hospital. Now, what's not to love about it :P

Float

2009-01-18T00:26:00.003+08:00

Foamed~

This is a cup of Coca Cola® and Tesco's vanilla ice cream. It underwent a chemical reaction and the foam actually tasted nice! And it actually looks interesting too ~ Mmmmm ~

An interesting cup of float.

A Rhapsody

2009-01-16T01:38:00.004+08:00

Long, long..

Finally, finished writing the music for Malaysian Night, the longest in my life! hahaha.. 6 minutes 9 seconds. This score in the pictures are just for the strings. Still have to figure out the percussions and guitar parts. Hah, the process will go on until the day, I suppose. Thank God my players can sight read superbly well. Hope all goes well.

The 12 pages of score.

An aerial view.

My workstation.

My workspace =)

Printed scores. All set.

Atop Anger's Peak

2009-01-08T18:11:00.003+08:00

Forgiveness is tough,
whilst cursing atop Anger's Peak,
Life seems irrational,
My head spins and tumbles into the fire,

Forgiveness is,
a choice of letting go,
still have the memories,
but them on a leash, muzzles over their mouths,

Inferiority is in the eyes of the beholder,
'Cos we are perfect in Him,
That I know,
Patience my forte? I doubt now,

Jealousy clouds my eyes,
Neglected the blossom of my keep,
Forgive me, Gardener,
Forgive me, Blossom,

I wearily take up the can,
and sit at the Gazebo,
Watering the plot where Blossom sits,
Gently stroking the petals,

Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, Faithfulness, and Self Control,
Has Spirit left me?
Come back Spirit,
Tug me back to your Stronghold.

Rebuild my fortress,
Be my fortress,
Control incomings and outgoings,
Protecting Blossom too.

* * *

Lo Mai Kai

2009-01-02T03:09:00.004+08:00

sticky rice~

My first attempt at this and made it so huge haha.. I wonder if it can be recorded in the book of records..

first attempt on 17th December.

second attempt recently =P

Run

2008-12-10T22:07:00.004+08:00

and a little more..

Well, just started to run again, but quite an unsuitable time to start: winter. The cold air, 3.42°C, dried up my airways and when I started to rest after that 0.86km round, phlegm built up =P Nevertheless, it was actually quite refreshing. Maybe I'll try to do it again in the afternoons or later than 11am. And have to increase the distance to 1.53km before I return home.

Before the run, I forced myself to start working out again, and did the least one can do: 20 push ups, 20 table pull ups, 20 squats and 20 cores. Haha.. nothing compared to a year ago.. but oh well.. have to start somewhere..

The 0.86km route.

Next time's 1.53km route.

Brie

2008-12-08T05:25:00.003+08:00

Creeeeeeeeamy~

My homemade burger again, but this time, instead of cheddar, it's brie!!!! It's so creamy it's just addictive beyond words :) Throw in huge chunks of it in the sandwich and taste the difference.

Look at the brie chunks in the sandwich, on the omelet. mmm~

Harvey Dent

2008-12-06T08:32:00.003+08:00

Two Face

I had never imagined that I would ever come face to face with a Hollywood star! And tonight's experience was considered free as it was an activity by the Literature and History Society of UCD. Aaron Eckhart! Harvey Dent @ Two Face in The Dark Night! Great performances in Thank You For Smoking and No Reservations. He was down to earth, funny and witty during the meet and was really comfortable with us students. Was also willing to take pictures and give autographs to everyone in the hall. Aaron really looked better in real life, but in the photos, he looked like a wax model in Madame Tussauds! Nevertheless, he looked great for someone in his 40s. Worth the time :)

Aaron's autograph on my ticket.

Aaron in the lecture theater M of the Newman Building, UCD.

Shaking hands with Two Face!

Aaron~

A pose.

Brunch

2008-12-05T16:24:00.004+08:00

Homemade

Ah, this will be my brunch for a few days. Homemade burger with Tesco minced beef and a handful of veggie. Yes, that's an omelet sandwiched in the burger haha.. Hope this will last me through at least half the day before I have to eat again. This is going to be part of my diet program haha.. hope it works and that I can control my eating.

My hebat burger =) mmm~

Salmon

2008-12-04T18:54:00.002+08:00

Nutritious

Try this: Spaghetti tossed with dried basil, some garlic powder (or fried garlic), salt, black pepper, and some sesame oil. Add in boiled prawns (unsalted), some smoked salmon and brie. Healthy and minimal oil ;) enjoy ~

Coffee

2008-11-02T15:59:00.003+08:00

Wonder Drug

Took my first cup at 2130 I think.. didn't really help. Took my second cup at 2300.. took a while for the caffeine to kick in. After nearly falling asleep a couple of times at my desk, finally my HR rose and managed to stay alive until 0300. Contemplated a third cup, but resolved that it may be an OD. So yea, wonder drug. Prozac? bah.. (different class anyway)

The second cup.

Dying..

Dead. Before the caffeine kicked in. See the half cup of coffee.

Flame

2008-11-01T16:33:00.003+08:00

Peaty~

Ah, for the first time in my life, I get to use a fireplace. We got peat blocks, from Bord na Mona, as fuel. But the heat isn't radiating throughout the room as we wanted it. So after we finish using up this pile of soil, we'll try charcoal. However, about 1 meter from the fire, it is hot. Mmmmm.. heat... ~

The fireplace, its glowing ambers and a flame.

Closer look. Mmmmm~

Walkers

2008-10-24T04:32:00.003+08:00

Huge~

Look at that baby; 32 mini-sized packets of potato chips. And that's mine. In this house there are 3 boxes. So, 3x32 = 96!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! mmmmmmmmmm~~~~~~~~~~~~

Feel the envy? =P

Walkers

Jungle

2008-10-20T22:24:00.004+08:00

Hutan

The back road to UCD. It's not shorter in length I think, but it's a peaceful place to walk through haha.. I wonder if it's a good place for a romantic walk.. jungle..

London

2008-09-02T19:12:00.001+08:00

Ah, here are the pics from London =P

~Click here for the album~

Biker

2008-08-25T00:53:00.003+08:00

Cycle, cycle~

Amazing! It takes about 30 minutes to cycle from Dundrum to Dun Laoghaire! What's cool: it's downhill, cool in the morning, not much traffic, and greeted by the sea and saltish air as we approach the coast. What's not so cool: it's uphill back home. But nevertheless, it's satisfying =)

Jong Chern on his bike in front of me.

The drunk guy.

A drunk man came up and talked to me and Jong Chern before going into church. He started off funny and ended with racist remarks. Poor guy though. He ended up dozing off right in the middle of the Kingston's front garden.

Lunch Pack

2008-08-07T00:52:00.003+08:00

Chirozo~

Try this for a filling for a sandwich or throw in some couscous or rice, or eat it on its own. Fried mushrooms with lamb mince with slices of Chorizo sausages. They are fried with butter, some olive oil, very little salt, pepper, tarragon, and deglazed with sake. You could put in some cheese gratings at the end if you want =)

With the sake reducing.

Ready to be served!

Packed!

Liver

2008-08-05T23:54:00.002+08:00

Meatily Iron-y~

This is a rich meal. Spaghetti with liver, Chorizo sausages, mushrooms, and tomatoes sauteed with a little butter, olive oil, dried tarragon, pepper and salt. Sauce for the spaghetti was ketchup heated with butter. Finally, a generous topping of Parmesan gratings.

Cured Loin

2008-08-04T07:15:00.002+08:00

Saltish!!!

That slab of meat is a chunk of ham. Baked with a honey, cinnamon and syrup sauce with smashed cloves sprinkled on the meat. Well, the sauce wasn't thick enough..unless it's left to cool to room temperature. It was interesting, but I think I'll stick to ready sliced thin hams.

Aubergine

2008-07-27T06:47:00.002+08:00

Egg-Plant

Ah, try this, people~ 1 whole aubergine cut into pieces fried with 2 pieces of bacon, an egg, onions, sesame oil, pepper, coriander powder and salt. It's a meal on it's own and healthy enough =) Use olive oil and a non-stick pan to reduce the need for oil hehe.. it's quite filling~

Tiny Bird

2008-07-18T19:46:00.003+08:00

Small~

Thanks to F.X. Buckley, I got my quail :) Not bad for €2.50 a bird, a little expensive, but leaner, cleaner, and a little tastier. Baked this one with pepper, soy sauce, onions, mint leaves, stuffed the inside with bay leaves and a dash of Japanese sake. Wrapped it in aluminum foil to keep the moisture. Mmmmm ~ and love the 3/4 cooked egg too :) Boil for 5 minutes. In Malaysia, 3+ minutes.

Liu Lian

2008-07-17T03:19:00.002+08:00

mmmmmm~

Oriental Emporium: Durians! In the freezer =) Well, I guess it's for keeping it fresh and keeping the subjective smell from intruding into the entire shop. Hmmm... I wonder how frozen durian is like.

Durians =P

Close up of the durians.

Change Of Venue

2008-07-14T21:46:00.004+08:00

Cornerstone

Yesterday, service was held in the basement of the Kingston Hotel due to a mix up in the bookings for the ballroom. So, it was quite an experience being in a cramped up place under the hotel, in a bar area. Ergo: an underground church experience, literally =P

Italy, Summer 2008~

2008-06-28T23:31:00.005+08:00

Photos, finally! Haha.. using photobucket. Will add more on food and missed out pics.

~CLICK HERE FOR THE ALBUM =) ~

Crop Production

2008-06-27T22:22:00.005+08:00

Farming

Ah, here's how my little veggie patch looks like :P

Digging the drains and made 2 beds =P

Side view.

Drain close-up.

Almost done.

Top view, after sowing.

Hope my babies will grow! =P

Offline

2008-05-31T22:03:00.002+08:00

Dear people, I'll be offline from today until the 16th of June. Moving house and internet is cut off until Thurs, but will be in Italy. So, see you! Byes!

Mess

2008-05-29T00:55:00.004+08:00

Pack!

What a slow process of packing. So much garbage around the house, it's just amazing what one can collect over a year. And I've thrown out a garbage bag load of things earlier this year. Sigh.. well, can't wait to move to our new house! And get everything reorganised, since it's almost like starting fresh again, without the garbage. Hopefully this time, there won't be another phase of garbage collection. Hmm.. so many "garbage" words used in this paragraph too.. argh..

Value Meal

2008-05-27T15:47:00.002+08:00

Just enough

What can you do with €4.85? Have a good filling meal at McD, eurosaver menu =) 2 Hamburgers, 1, Curly Fries, and a medium chocolate milkshake. Mmmmmm~~ it's more filling than having a value meal proper and all you get is a gas drink and some scrawny yellow fries. Combined, my meal here is more bulky. More for less.

In The Gazebo

2008-04-28T03:54:00.003+08:00

The Gardener brought me to a gazebo,
He sat me down and smiled,
All around me was glistening stardust,
I stared in awe and wonder,
What's that?
The fragrance I had smelled before,
It was like floating in a galaxy,
in a dream,
The Gardener held out His hand,
And the stardust began to swirl,
in the center of the gazebo,
They concentrated in mid air,
A bright ball of light,
emitting the fragrance,
The Gardener smiled and blew softly at the light,
I gasped,
It was the flower which He burnt,
when we were walking in the garden,
He took it and held it to me,
"It is yours. You let me take it, and that, my child, is faith and honour.
Keep it, cherish it, for I can see that you will love it,
forever."
He closed His eyes, and the bloom flew into my heart,
I looked at my chest and saw it living and glowing.
He said,
"Follow me, and I will show you how to tend to your blossom."
He smiled,
He took my hand and we started walking again,
this time, with the flower in my heart.

jien

Numbers

2008-04-15T22:57:00.004+08:00

Count-count?

Yikes..it's been a long time since I saw a finance-type document. I'm supposed to be learning how to drain a hill, build drains, digging for drains, and irrigation. But behold, my class assignment for my crop production class is counting Gross Margine/ha, Breakeven Grain Prices, and a write up of profitability of the wheat production for the year. HAHAHA... interesting =) Medical student in an agriculture class learning about irrigation and having accounting thrown at him~

Screenshot of Excel assignment sheet.

Knives

2008-04-15T07:31:00.004+08:00

Trusty and Hardy

Here, my two kitchen companions. Trusty worn Tesco knife and Henckels =) I love that Tesco knife because the angle of the handle suits my hand very well, and the blade is tough. However, the handle has deteriorated and it has nicks now, needs to be sharpened now and then. Nevertheless, good for cutting up chicken, through small bones. Ah, Henckels is like a razor. How thin do you want your onions? =) hahaha.. enough said. Hope it lasts 10 years without blunting.

Top: Tesco knife, Bottom: Henckels

Dog

2008-04-12T17:27:00.001+08:00

It's Bobby =) and Bear =)

Thank You~~

2008-04-11T07:35:00.005+08:00

10th April 2008

Thank you guys for making my day! =) really appreciate all of you =) surprised me in G109, Newman Building ~

Evangeline, Cindy and Chong Ling made this cake :) Hebat!

Bean bag! Thanks guys! From Sam, Charles, Ryan, Alwyn, Terh Ren, Cindy, Chong Ling, Hui Yee, Sophie.

Bear has a new friend =) haven't named him yet =P From Cindy and Charles.

Some of the guys =) from left: Ken, Alwyn, me, Terh Ren, Cindy, Mag, Vikki~

Hail

2008-04-10T01:58:00.003+08:00

Ice rain

Ice falling in April? Weirdness.

In The Garden

2008-04-07T16:35:00.007+08:00

In the garden, I walked
holding hands with the Garderner,
He showed me flowers which had amazing hues,
blooming everywhere we passed,
I saw an interesting flower,
shades of intriguing colours,
I plucked it and turned to the Garderner,
He smiled,
then I heard cawing,
A crow swooped down swiftly,
and snatched the flower from my hand,
Teary-eyed, I looked at the Garderner,
He smiled,
He took my hand and we started walking again,
the warmth of His hand comforted me,
Then I saw another bloom,
with patterns beyond intricate,
I plucked it and turned to the Garderner,
He smiled,
then I heard cawing,
A crow swooped down swiftly,
and snatched the flower from my hand,
Teary-eyed, I looked at the Garderner,
He smiled,
He took my hand and we started walking again,
the warmth of His hand comforted me,
After a while, we came to a bush,
I looked at the Garderner and asked,
"Where are the flowers?"
He replied,
"Smell. Follow the fragrance and you will find it."
I closed my eyes and stayed still.
I began to smell the fragrance.
I followed it, falling in love with it every slow step I took,
I still couldn't see it,
When the fragrance was strong, I looked,
There it was, the flower,
I stood amazed,
It wasn't like any other flower I have seen so far,
in the walk through the garden.
It was beyond comprehension,
I plucked it and turned to the Garderner,
He smiled,
This time, there was no cawing,
I held the bloom close to me,
enjoying every moment with it,
its fragrance and its beauty,
The Gardener came up after a while,
He said,
"Would you burn this for me? It has greater fragrance that way."
I looked at him with tears streaming down my face,
I said,
"Why are all the flowers taken away from me?
Why can't I keep one, especially this one that I love so much?"
He replied,
"Do you trust me? Are you ready to let it go for my sake,
that I have tended this garden from the beginning?"
I wept,
and held the flower to Him,
He took it and in his hands,
the flower was consumed by a blueish green flame,
He was right,
A greater fragrance filled the atmosphere,
The ashes rose to the sky,
It glistened like star dust,
The Gardener hugged me, and said,
"You have been obedient to Me, and you have respected my decisions.
Walk with me, I have much more to show you.
For all you know, that flower might bloom again,
or there will be many more of its kind out there,
in this garden of Mine.
I will show you which will be yours to keep,
Trust me. I'm the Gardener."
I wiped my tears, looked up and smiled weakly,
He smiled,
He took my hand and we started walking again,
the warmth of His hand comforted me.

jien

*******

Chickens

2008-04-07T06:42:00.005+08:00

Stuffed

Have a look at our freezer. Those are the meats for a weeks dinners. =D Cool ya? haha... 1.8kg birds stuffing the freezer.

Poultry~

Dear Brother

2008-04-05T22:27:00.004+08:00

For my brother. Make this your prayer.

"Give ear to my words, O Lord,
Consider my groaning.
Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God,
For to you I pray.
In the morning, O Lord,
You will hear my voice;
In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch."
Psalm 5

"Hear my cry, O God;
Give heed to my prayer.
From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For You have been a refuge for me,
A tower of strength against the enemy.
Let me swell in Your tent forever;
Let me take refuge in the shelter of your wings.
Selah.
For You have heard my vows, O God;
You have given me the inheritance of those who dear Your name.
So I will sing to Your name forever,
That I may pay my vows day by day."
Psalm 61

"Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things."

Ecclesiastes 11:5

God bless you. Be strong and trust Him. Remember Philippians 4:6-7:

"Be anxious for nothing, but everything in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

*******

I'm Like A Bird

2008-04-03T22:10:00.003+08:00

Fly, fly, fly~

Dangerouscat's depiction of me:

Sweet Prayer

2008-04-02T21:05:00.004+08:00

Little Lark's Song

This is her prayer when I felt dry:

Guard my heart O’ Lord
As so that I do not lose sight of You
That my senses may not be blinded by the world
Empty rituals that bind my praise.

Allow my spiritual act of worship rise to You, my King
A pleasing aroma that wafts sweetly
A powerful weapon that pierces all darkness
A gentle song that lights up Your face.

As I pick up my lyre and lift my voice
Let it be from my soul that cries out
Blind my eyes but unveil my heart O’ Lord
That I will see naught but You.

Let my deeds be of You, for You and from You
My service pure and true
Let not pride and arrogance be near me
As I joyfully sing to You.

For my Lord, You see the hearts of men
As they lay bare before Your throne
You delight in the praise of the righteous
But abhors the lies of the hypocrites.

So draw me into Your inner courts my Lord
Part Thy veils for me, I plead
That I may enjoy Your lovely presence
And forget all that is of me.

(For Jien, in times of worship)
Posted by dangerous cat at 4:12 PM

Thank you, little lark =)

Fish!

2008-04-01T20:44:00.002+08:00

Pomfret

Recently, we found that buying white pomfrets aren't that expensive after all. It's about €2+ for a frozen fish. It looks small, but it's a pomfret! What could get better than this~ well, fresh fish would, but that's too far fetched. And yea, that's our steamer from Tefal =) Boils the steaming water faster than any kettle.

White pomfrets

Tefal steamer =)

Leaves

2008-04-01T00:02:00.005+08:00

Babies

As I mentioned in my last post, here's Annie and Marrilyn =) They smell gorgeous..taste even better~ Worth my €5 =) my babies.. mmmmmm.. Try frying bay leaves with Sharwood noodles =P

Annie (l) and Marrilyn (r)

"Then God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you.." Genesis 1:29

mmmmm~

Healthy

2008-03-31T02:02:00.004+08:00

Experiment which was mmmm~~

Suddenly had the urge to try to cook and serve properly for once during my Easter break. So, here's what I whipped up: Couscous with prawns and parmesan, and seabass with truffle flavoured olive oil and pine nuts. Love my basil and bay leaves which I got from Tesco. Potted. And Cindy named them Annie (basil) and Marrilyn (bay leaves). My babies. Muaks~

Couscous!

Seabass with pine nuts!

Back!

2008-03-29T19:36:00.004+08:00

Epiphone

It's been a long time since the last post =P busy busy busy.. and of course laziness. Never mind, behold! Revival of the Garden =P

Ah, at last, managed to borrow John's guitar again, his black Epiphone acoustic. Right now, had the sudden urge to pick up picking and playing lead, so here I am practising scales. Difficult but satisfying =) Hope this little spark will not die out soon. Let's see, what am I dreaming of? Fender? Far fetched. Anyway, as Fender said, Stop Dreaming, Start Playing!

My adopted baby =)

Epiphone!

Hoo-ah!

2007-10-22T04:59:00.000+08:00

War!!

The coolest pic I've ever been in! We went to war and made it back alive haha.. Yea, paintballed at Crossfire, Co. Wicklow =) Superb fun crawling, hiding, shooting and being shot at~

Headache

2007-09-12T14:45:00.000+08:00

Grrr...

On Old Olympus Towering Tops, A Finn And German Viewed A Horse.

CN1 to CN12!!!!! Cranial nerves causing a headache.

Condolences

2007-09-06T14:34:00.001+08:00

Byes..

Image from www.artistdirect.com

Rest In Peace, Luciano Pavarotti.

Tick Tock

2007-09-02T01:28:00.000+08:00

Wa..

45 hours to go before flying off to Dublin again and begin the second year there. Nothing else to write about. Good luck to us all!

Eating Spree!!

2007-08-23T20:56:00.000+08:00

Buuurrpp...

What a delightful food tour of Kuantan and Kemaman! Thanks, -huiyee-! I think I need to go on a diet now haha..

First stop, Sri Kampung.

Patin fish in tempoyak! Pahang's famous dish, Pahang is famous for it's abundant patin.

At Tanjung Lumpur. Found this popular lekor stall.

Freshly rolled and fried lekor!

Market in Dungun where sata and nasi dagang is found in abundance.

Sata! A stripped down version of otak-otak, with more coconut milk and cooked on a stick.

Nasi Dagang with Ikan Tongkol! Terengganu's signature dish.

Meng Key fish restaurant in Kuantan.

Extremely fresh steamed catfish.

Satay Zul! Best satay in Kuantan!

The satays!

Kemaman stuffed crab shop.

Sweet, fresh crab meat!

Hai Tien Restaurant in Kuantan.

Curried prawn in coconut and Mongolian pork ribs! Addictive prawns!

Tanjung Lumpur's Ikan Bakar.

In foreground are prawns, and background is sting ray barbequed with petai!

Hai Peng Kopitiam in Kuantan.

Smooth , fragrant coffee and lovely buns with kaya and butter!

After satisfying my stomach's cry for the foods, we retired to Teluk Chempedak where clear waters and white sands await us. Aaaaaahh.... (jealous of you Kuantanians!) hehe.. =)

Persona

2007-08-17T16:40:00.000+08:00

New?

At last, the new Proton Persona is revealed. From first impression, it's not bad at all. Super spacious boot, neat engine compartment, five doors, electric wing mirrors and good cabin space. However, the lamps are weirdly the same as the Gen-2. In fact, are they the lamps of the Gen-2? I actually got confused when I walked round the car to have an overall inspection. That little dip in the front lamps and the signature 3 circles in the rear are the exact characteristics of the Gen-2. Hmmm.. did the makers of the Persona recycle the lamps? Does this mean that the Persona is just an upgraded version of the Gen-2? Hmmmm...

Bagpiping

2007-08-15T00:02:00.000+08:00

Lalala...

Ah, a demo by the armed forces in 1 Utama =) Promotion for TATTOO.

Baby Talk

2007-08-12T00:09:00.000+08:00

Goo goo gaa gaa

I just went for a talk on how added DHA in baby's formula milk have not much effect in later life and how an increase in palmitate acid in the baby's diet will impair calcium absorption. After the talk, I met with an O&G guy who posed a simple but interesting question: People around the world take the trouble to learn languages of numerous countries and some of them are extremely hard to learn, but why no one has taken the effort to learn the baby's language which is universally recognized all over the world? If we can learn how to speak the language again, the whole world would be united with one common language. No more language barriers. No more useless fighting due to miscommunication. According to him, we complicate the young by teaching them the many languages that we use today.

Hmmmm... back to goo goo gaa gaa anyone? =)

Rabbit

2007-08-08T22:25:00.000+08:00

mmmmm...arnab...

See the single satay on the right? That's rabbit =) Putting all images of cute rabbits aside, and yes, I like them too, the meat is surprisingly tender and has more flavor than the chicken satay. It's about RM1.50 a stick, a price to pay for healthy meat.

A satay stall in Taman Tun.

Piggy

2007-08-07T22:33:00.000+08:00

yum yum...

Ah, I don't get to see a few roasted pigs laid out on the street that often =) This was in Petaling Street, near a "siew yoke" stall at about 7.30am. Hungry...

The Simpsons Movie OST

2007-08-05T22:15:00.000+08:00

Hans Zimmer Rocks!

Yay! Tower Records in 1 Utama is having a sale! 20% off ALL items. Took this opportunity to get a rare item, music from The Simpsons! Even though it's not an Alf Clausen composition, Han Zimmer manages to capture the authentic craziness of the show that Clausen has written over the years for the series, but in his own sounds. Paul Webster and Bob Harris wrote Spider Pig, the song Homer sang. And better yet, the main theme that is on the CD is the orchestral version by Danny Elfman! THE original sound I was looking for. Du..du du dudu.. du du du dududu du.... =)

Farny

2007-07-31T22:28:00.000+08:00

...?

How did this funny and dangerous accident happen? Happened in front of Leisure Mall, Cheras. Funny in the sense that the truck drove straight up the divider, and dangerous that it may have toppled on another vehicle. Mind boggling..

Tipped..

CIMB Squash Finals

2007-07-29T22:51:00.000+08:00

Nicol! Nicol!

As I walked around The Curve on Saturday, I noticed a strange looking box in the middle of the oval. Little did I know that the squash finals was being held there! I booked my standing place on the first floor 1 hr before the games, but there were also people already standing around. The paid seats were RM30..felt a little regret not paying a bit for a rare occasion so nearby. Even more disappointing was that I didn't think of standing behind the pressmen facing the players! Wasted.. could have gotten nice portrait pictures of the players then. But anyway, I could see the action from a bird's eye point of view and not blocked by the crowd =) Unexpectedly I managed to see Nicol David in person, our very own women's squash world number 1! And of course Azlan Iskandar, our world number 14 for men's. Both of them finished the day by becoming the champs of the tournament =) Hats off to them! But still... Nicol!!! Nicol!!! ^^

Azlan in dark attire.

Azlan drinking.

Men's match.

Nicol in dark attire.

A thrilling match.

Nicol sitting with an official.

Insane Fun!

2007-07-28T23:43:00.000+08:00

Yellow, bug-eyed insanity.

The craziest family on earth is on the big screen! The Simpsons movie is not for those who are looking for great stories like LOTR and Star Wars. It's for those who appreciate the classic insult to intelligence by Homer and the characters from Springfield. One of the things which I enjoyed the most was, I got to see the show in surround sound, finally! Not only that, I was surprised that Hans Zimmer scored the film rather than Alf Clausen, but Zimmer captured the mood perfectly, just as he did for Pirates' At World's End. I was just a bit disappointed that the original theme score wasn't performed as I really wanted to hear it in hi-def, but nevertheless the whole soundtrack was beautiful =) Stay until the end of the credits for full enjoyment!

As for my snack, I paid a little visit to Uncle Lim's. Sampled the tea and Hainanese bread with kaya and butter. The tea appeared to be diluted at first, but after 2 sips, the taste started to sink in. The light milk and sugar enhanced the tea, rather than just sweeten and smoothen it. It had this perfect borderline of smooth, sweet and raw. The bread had a subtle smoky smell and taste. It was toasted but you still could feel the fluffiness of it. The combination of the kaya and butter gave a special distinct separation of the saltiness of the butter and the sweetness of the kaya, but it came together, wholesome, like a painting..mmmmmm...Hainanese bread... =)

At Uncle Lim's, The Curve.

Kopitiam

2007-07-26T22:36:00.001+08:00

Mmmm...kopi...bread...

Another day of Hainanese foods =) mmmmm... just can't get enough of it! But this time, it's not the bun. It's something like brown bread with the irresistible kaya and butter...*drool*...all for RM3.60, €0.78. Looks like I am going to cover all the kopitiams around hehe...

Ka Fei Dian in Section 14, PJ

Sigh.. mmmmm..

2007-07-25T23:36:00.000+08:00

Hazard

When are we going to learn basic traffic rules? When a pedestrian sets his foot on a zebra crossing, vehicles are supposed to stop. I tried to cross one this morning. The cars accelerated. !!!@#$%^&* ....TAK GUNA....USELESS....

Horrible vehicles at the zebra crossing at Plaza Rakyat, Imbi area.

Luckily, I had something to calm me down. Chu chap meen!!! (mixed pork parts noodles) =) mmmmm....and hainanese bun with kaya and butter ^_^ Unfortunately, I didn't get the picture of the bun, ate it up before I thought about it hahaha...

Chu chap meen!

Romeo and Juliet

2007-07-22T22:04:00.000+08:00

Love of 1596

Romeo
If I profane with my unworthiest hand,
This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this,
My lips two blushing Pilgrims ready stand,
To smoothe the rough touch with a gentle kiss.

Juliet
Good Pilgrim you do wrong your hand too much
Which mannerly devotion shown in this,
For saints have hands, that Pilgrims' hands do touch,
And palm to palm is holy Palmers' kiss.

Romeo
Have not saints lips and holy Palmers too?

Juliet
Ay Pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.

Romeo
O then dear Saint, let lips do what hands do,
They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.

Juliet
Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake.

Romeo
Then move not while my prayer's effect I take,
Thus from my lips, by thine my sin is purg'd.

Juliet
Then have my lips the sin that they have took.

Romeo
Sin from my lips, O trespass sweetly urg'd:
Give me my sin again.

Juliet
You kiss by th' book.

* * *

Juliet
Ay me.

Romeo
She speaks. Oh speak again bright Angel.

Juliet
O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?

* * *

Juliet
Good night, good night, as sweet repose and rest,
Come to they heart, as that within my breast.

Romeo
O wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?

Juliet
What satisfaction canst thou have to-night?

Romeo
Th' exchange of they Love's faithful vow for mine.

Juliet
I gave thee mine before thou didst request it:
And yet I would it to give again.
Romeo.
Good night, good night.

Romeo
Parting is such sweet sorrow,
That I shall say good night, till it be morrow.

Juliet
Sleep dwell upon thine eyes, peace in thy breast.

Romeo
Would I were sleep and peace, so sweet to rest.

* * *

Juliet, Juliet, wherefore art thou?

1562, Aurthur Brooke, 1596, William Shakespeare

Starbucks Coffee Company

2007-07-21T18:12:00.000+08:00

A coffee giant

What makes it tick? I stared at the famous logo at an outlet in The Curve and ran to find out more.

My rare luxury at The Curve.

In 1971, a small store opened in The Pike Place Market store in Seattle. It was called Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spice. The then director of retail operations and marketing, Howard Schultz, questioned himself: What would happen if you took the quality coffee bean tradition of Starbucks and merged it with the charm and romance of the European coffeehouse? He convinced the owners to try the concept and the Starbucks we know today was born. Then another big dream popped up, it was to open a store in Portland, Oregon. Today, there are more than 12,000 stores worldwide. The way the world view coffee has changed. In the past days, the general public will scoff at the idea of having people getting an much more expensive cup of coffee and sitting around the shop sipping the drink. It was labeled as the Yuppy Fad, for people with lots of money and nowhere else to go to spend it. Today, everyone wants to be able to do so.

This company is built based on 5 simple principles that will carry it foward for a long time to come.

1. Make It Your Own
What so special about coffee drinking? Especially this coffee. The minds pioneered the idea of turning drinking into a fashion with its own identity and style. Naming the products and styling them was a draw and it worked. The names of the products may not play a very big role now, but it certainly helped Starbucks build up from the beginning. But what is the real the main draw? It's people. Starbucks places courtesy and friendliness and the caring attitude above all. Customers feel welcomed and special everytime they walk into the store. They know that they will be treated well at all times and they love that. People are now looking for a place to feel good in and enjoy, and Starbucks works hard to achieve the 'third place' mentality in its customers. 'Third place' being the third place people go to other than home and work. The fact that there are 12,000 stores worldwide proves that Starbucks has already achieved that.

2. Everything Matters
Starbucks takes great detail in every little thing that makes up the store from the quality of the coffee beans, the way coffee is brewed, the duration of a drink's preparation, the design of the cups and cup holders, the setting and ambiance of the store, and even the napkins. Once, a barista was not paying attention to the timer for the milk steamer and went overtime. A customer actually noticed and alerted the store. Starbucks maintains that the slightest detail which is not up to par has the biggest possibility of losing a customer. Starbucks isn't afraid to pay a premium for the best coffee beans within their grasp. It is even more devastating if they compromise a little on the quality of the beans rather than paying a bit more. Their employees matter a whole lot to the Starbucks administration. They actually do not even call them employees, they are called partners. Starbucks makes sure that its partners are well treated and taken care of by giving them a whole lot of benefits such as "stock option grants through Bean Stock, Starbucks company-wide stock option plan, as well as health, medical, dental and vision benefits."

"In addition, all Starbucks partners have a chance to experience and learn more about our coffees and teas through their “partner markout.” Each week every partner receives, free of charge, one pound of coffee, one box of Tazo® tea, or one of several other coffee or tea products."

3. Surprise and Delight
Starbucks partners are trained to be the people around to assist at the oddest of times. There was a time when a customer asked for a mocha. It so happened that that particular outlet ran out of white chocolate. The barista asked if he could make another drink. That alternative drink turned out to be on the house as an apology that they could not comply to the customer's initial request. The customer said that the issue of the unavailable was very trivial, but the surprise free drink was stuck in her mind to this day. Another story is a lady locked her keys in her car that was parked just outside a Starbucks outlet. A barista saw the lady becoming very frustrated and went out with a cup of tea and a cordless phone. He calmed the lady down, asked her if she was alright and gave her the drink and the phone. You guessed it, she was not charged for anything. Little things like this to make the customer happy is worth it as it has guaranteed Starbucks loyal customers in return when news of these kind gestures circulates by word of mouth.

4. Embrace Resistance
Every food and beverage shop will tell you that they had had multiple failures of a few products that they introduced. Starbucks is not an exception. Many years ago they tried to introduce a chocolate drink that was something like really drinking chocolates. They gave out samples and it was not well received. That did not end their ambition to sell chocolate drinks. They came up with two new products and they were selling away after getting customer feedbacks. Starbucks also embraces a policy of giving positive and constructive refusals to suggestions by their partners. Instead of telling you a no straight in your face, the administration will try to suggest a different view of things or will keep suggestions in view. They would also call for meetings often and involve the partners. This encourages the strengthening of team spirit and the partners are never afraid to voice out their opinions, making Starbucks a great place to work in.

5. Leave Your Mark
Starbucks actively engages in the giving back to the people, their corporate social responsibility (CSR). It takes care of its relationship with the farmers of the coffee plantations seriously by employing economic transparency, thus ensuring the farmers' success in their plantations. Starbucks also takes note of the local needs and try to create economic benefits for the local area. Some local stores are concerned that a foreign business will force them out of the game and this has led to a number of oppositions against the opening of many Starbucks outlets. Even though Starbucks had to let go of these opportunities, they also had earned the trust and respect of other local communities. One such effort took place when Starbucks was refused in a small town. The administration approached a local artist and asked if he would like to exhibit his work in Starbucks. He agreed and soon enough, the locals accepted that Starbucks is a friendly business partner and it cares about the local art and economy as well. Another example is, in Manchester, England, Starbucks "purchased several items for their local stores from Benchmark Furniture Design, a local maker of wood furnishings with a social mission. Some of their stores in the U.S. are also adapted with a local flair. For instance, instead of building a new store in Chicago’s Beverly neighborhood, Starbucks refurbished an existing limestone building and preserved many of the original features, including a distinctive fireplace mantel which they designed to be a focal point of their new store."

Now we know why Starbucks is what it is today. It does much more than obsess with coffee. Any entrepreneur who wants to start a business should take some time to study Starbucks Coffee Company. It helps.

On a personal note, I used to not like the coffee at Starbucks because it did not have the punch I was looking for. But now, as I sipped a cup at The Curve, it tasted excellent. I wonder if they actually read my mind and improved on the taste. Hmmm...mmmm =)

The Starbucks Experience: 5 Principles for Turning Ordinary Into Extraordinary, Joseph A. Michelli, McGraw-Hill, 2006
www.starbucks.com

RCS

2007-07-19T20:57:00.000+08:00

Crescent moon

Ah, I found my MRCS badge which is mounted on the beret while sorting through my cupboard. Though I had a short history with that society, I realised that I had learnt more than I expected from it than other uniformed bodies. I'll always remember the days where we practised our bandaging, and passing a fire safety course and the nursing exam with my senior =) useful stuff, they are.

Artifact? Note the oxidised nickel =)

Malakat, S'ban, PD

2007-07-16T22:13:00.000+08:00

A day's trip

Me, dad and cousin went for a little visit to Melaka, Seremban and Port Dickson =) Finally got to see the sea after a year! Cousin's in most of the shots because it's his first time there.

Beef noodle shop in Seremban market.

The noodles! mmmmm...

Clock tower at the Stadhyus.

Christ Church.

Stadhuys.

Name Plaque.

Replica of Portuguese galleon.

The new look of Dataran Pahlawan.

A Famosa.

St. Pauls Church.

An archaeological site being dug up near the Tourist Information building.

Chicken rice balls for lunch!

Chendol =)

Fiddler crabs on the banks of Melaka River.

Mudskippers on the banks.

Avillion Resort. Stopped by.

Chalets.

Rabbits in the compound.

Fowl.

Beach!!

I wuz there =)

Sea water...aaah.

White beach in PD!

Chalets on stilts.

Another view.

More chalets.

Scenic =)

Kampung Sinai Baru

2007-07-14T22:09:00.000+08:00

Rurally rural

I followed a medical mission team today to a village, Sinai Baru, in Raub, Pahang. At 800m above sea-level, it was a refreshing environment. However, the way up the mountain was a real off-road terrain and a first true experience for me (I think) =) Every turn and corner was jolting and skids and getting thrown like a rag doll around the cabin of the 4WD was the norm for almost 45 minutes. We were greeted by the sight of wooden and bamboo structures when we entered the village. We then set up the clinic in their community hall, which is also just another house-like structure but more opened. 3 doctors screened the people, a pharmacist dispensed and the rest help out around or prepared lunch. I took the body weights for some people, and managed to successfully read the blood pressure for 2! Haha.. Communication was a challenge due to the lack of vocabulary on both sides. My BM deteriorated quite badly and I had to translate everything in my mind before saying something. It was a good event to try to practice communication with patients. But I spent more time observing than actually talking. Next time, I'd have to talk more to practice =) The usual ailments were presented; cough, fever, hypertension, phlegm and undernourishment. For a lunch snack, we had hotdogs and cincau.

After visiting the village, we headed back to the small village at the foot of the hill. There, we had kon lo meen loh kalee chap with wild boar meat at only RM2.30 for a size that is considered big in KL! MMMMMMMmmmmmm.... =) After that, we went to the halfway house where most of the children of Sinai Baru live. We opened the clinic again to screen the children. At this house, they rear rabbits for meat! Not bad, rabbit meat has one of the lowest fat content and the rabbits breed extremely fast. They won't run out of meat, I think.

All in all, a priceless day. Anymore of these? I'm coming!

The home for the children at Kampung Sang Lee.

Singing with the children.

Children participating in song.

2 baby wild boars kept at the home.

On the way up the mountain to Kampung Sinai Baru.

Off-road trail.

Kampung Sinai Baru

A view of the village.

Reception at full bar in the middle of the jungle?

2 doctors sorting through the drugs.

Pharmacist sorting through drugs too.

The orang asli who came to the clinic.

Consultation.

Mother and child.

Small talk.

A view of the village.

Another view.

Making hotdogs for snack.

Another view.

Tok Batin.

Child behind a pillar.

Coffee shop in Kampung Sang Lee.

The coffee shop which sells noodles with wild boar meat .

The curry noodles with wild boar meat! mmmm...

2 orang asli girls. Back at the home to screen the children.

Screening.

2 orang asli boys.

Dressing a wound.

Lining up to get medicine.

Fit?

2007-07-13T22:51:00.000+08:00

Back

Finally, I'm back to my basic form in the very beginning. 30 push-ups and 30 sit-ups, 3km jog and my fingers can go 3cm beyond my toes, stretched. I know it's nothing compared to what you guys can do haha... =p but imagine, I was almost unable to reach this count a month ago. And my fingers were reaching -4cm from my toes!!! Talk about being unfit. I'm the perfect specimen for that. Hope I'll be able to increase my stamina even more now!!! Good luck to me =)

Studio

2007-07-11T22:00:00.000+08:00

Makeshift

Welcome to my studio, the very place I worked in to put the music together for the trailer I was working on =) Haha.. was this what you expected to see?

Trailer's done! Waiting for clearance from my boss to put it up on my site. Well, I'm pretty pleased that I managed to do this, because it is really my first time full-fledged attempt at scoring. Now, I've learned the many techniques that will hopefully improve my performance next time. See the speaker on the floor? It is from my dad's old Hitachi radio, supposedly about 20 years old =) Haha.. I had to monitor the sounds in mono, and it's the left side. Luckily for the existence of my trusty iPod earphones. Need a serious upgrade! =) Ambition to achieve: Use Reason.

Testing 123

2007-07-10T00:36:00.001+08:00

^^

Test, test.. Posting via e-mail =) but I was wondering, why would I e-mail my post when I'm online and I am able to access my blog account and post? Hmmm... is it for e-mailing through a cell phone or Blackberry? =)

By Grace

2007-07-09T17:54:00.000+08:00

@_~

I'm still shaking from the rush of adrenaline. I passed my first year of medic school! Only by His grace, did I manage to. It was a bare pass and was dangerously close to sending me to the autumn repeat examinations. Thank you, God! I promise to be more diligent and hardworking. Never again will I subject my exams to luck. Second year will be a year of change. Wait and see. Wait and see.

Cue-ing

2007-07-08T22:42:00.000+08:00

Sync-ing Slowly

Aiks, first full-fledge synchronisation test! I guess that impromptu playing works best now =) Still haven't studied the technique of building of a click track for irregular tempos found in the video clip. So, I have to rely on my not-very-accurate brain and instincts and production is slower than I expected haha.. It's Sunday! Another excuse for moving slowly (mo yi si, boss!). However, cues should be done by today =) Hope to start and finish recording tomorrow!

Cue planning

My Studio

2007-07-07T22:50:00.000+08:00

**Dreaming**

I see these in my dreams... =)

Keystation Pro 88

Oxygen 49

ProjectMix I/O

Trigger Finger

Studiophile BX8a

Pro Tools M-Powered 7

**still dreaming**... zzzzzzzz.....*smile*

Dry

2007-07-05T20:56:00.000+08:00

Desert

What an unproductive day. After sitting for 2 hours in front of my keyboard, all that I could come up with is a sequence of a guitar part that didn't even fit the scene I was supposed to score. My brain suddenly shut down as I stared blankly at my computer screen and the script. Hmm.. is it the hot weather? Or is it the haze?

That's right, the haze is back. Seems that Sumatera is on it's burning routine again. What is with that island? We have complained many many times about their burning activities, Indonesian government pledged to stop the burning and we even wanted to help put out the fires for them. They just can't stop. Is it because they think that the problem only affects them? Sigh.. smoke doesn't know how to read maps. They will go anywhere they like, and the winds have brought them to our lovely Malaysia.

Ah.. just hope I can continue writing tomorrow.

Scribble..

2007-07-04T17:53:00.000+08:00

Notes?

Yikes.. I have learned that it is better to notate to a certain extent. I had never been a fan of reading notes, what more writing notes. But as it turned out, I can't remember my sketches well, even if it was done a few hours before. Is there another way to notate without using notes? Maybe I should invent my own language? I'm still getting a hang of recording without the luxury of many controls like limiters, nice reverb machines, MIDI pans, and superb samples from Reason. And my timing is somehow screwed up today haha.. Hope my boss likes the latest track.

Whatever happens, ultimately, the art has to be mastered. We control the machines, not the other way round. Go Yamaha... yea! =)

Track 4 recording/mixing session

@_@

2007-07-03T17:46:00.000+08:00

Rant..

Arrr... what could be worse than a writer's block when in the midst of sketching out tunes! Everything seems to sound the same, the keyboard began to sound out of tune, my ears hurt, my head throbs, and recorded scores are irritating me. Maybe I haven't got the hang of scoring just yet. Well, it's worth the experience and hopefully I would improve =) At least I managed to churn out 2 tracks in 5 hours hehe...

M-audio, I need your gear now!! Need the tech boost!! Heeeeelllllppppp!!!!

Ape

2007-07-01T21:45:00.000+08:00

oo oo a a aak..

These creatures have an amazing likeness to humans. They pick up cups and eat out of them, just like we eat popcorn out of the boxes. They collect cups and drink out of them, just like we drink teh tarik. One of them sees a person dropping bread, he calls and the whole pack swarms the area, just like we swarm the buffet table. How different are we? Hmm.. let's see..less fur, a missing tail, bipedalism, and we rarely climb trees daily. Wait, is that all..?!?!?!

I'd rather be a plant. Self-sufficient and no worries about transport. We just stay rooted to your ground and live life. Some will appreciate your looks, but will this cause vanity to take over? We will attract many organisms which help sustain our family line. See how smart plants are? We have others do our difficult work unquestioningly.

So, what are you? Hmm...

Sale!

2007-07-01T00:04:00.000+08:00

-$

Nice, when there is a sale, there are some truly good offers =) This is my favourite shirt of the season! A Dri-Fit at half price! Now, is it going to be a motivation for my running regiment? Haha.. it is! Every time I feel lazy, a sign goes on telling me to put that shirt to good use. Don't waste money. So, here I am running running running.. cycling cycling cycling..

Scoring

2007-06-30T16:38:00.000+08:00

Lalala...

Ah, now embarking on the first scoring job =) hope I can finish the project within this week. All I have is my humble Yamaha keyboard, and am using it's on-board sounds haha.. Hopefully, I can upgrade to a MIDI+live sound studio so that I will have a reason to use Reason (seriously need more $$$!!!).

Good luck to me!!

Death is Beautiful

2007-06-29T23:29:00.000+08:00

Yes, it has been 6 months since my last post hehe.. Exams had caused this extremely long hiatus. And no, this blog is not dead yet.

The elder of my church passed early this morning. Is death always associated with grief and sadness? In our eyes, we have lost someone close and will never see them again. But this person has done countless righteous things, living a purposeful life. Loving his family and loving the church, leaving a legacy for all of us and a vision for us to pursue. Now he is back home with the Lord and is relieved of all suffering.

Death is a beautiful thing when life was purposeful.

(from hyms)
When my life work is ended,
and I cross the swelling tide,
When the bright and glorious morning
I shall see;
I shall know my Redeemer when
I reach the other side,
And His smile will be the first
to welcome me.

It is well with my soul.

Howth!

2007-01-03T18:09:00.000+08:00

A wonderful day in Howth.

The Howth DART station.

In Howth Harbour =)

The Harbour.

Howth village.

A memorial for those lost at sea.

The Olympic Council of Ireland.

A church on the way to Howth Summit.

Going up the hill.

Bailey Lighthouse in the south.

The road to Bailey =)

The cliff to the left of Bailey.

A cliff.

Me =)

Going down the cliff to the beach!

The beach in sight!

Reached!

Howth Castle. A private property.

The National Transport Museum nearby the castle. It was closed ='(

An old bus.

An armoured car.

Inside the armoured car.

Back to the castle on the way back =)

St. Mary's church nearby.

The pier at Howth fishing village.

A view from the pier.

Ireland's Eye.

A lighthouse.

Another lighthouse at the end of the pier.

The door to the stairs of the lighthouse.

Job

2006-12-18T19:22:00.000+08:00

Job 1:21
"Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised."

Job 2:10b
"Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"

I never got past the last line as I wept.

Light Change

2006-12-18T04:49:00.000+08:00

Ah..how's that for lighting in my comfort zone? =) Warm and peaceful.

Time's up!!

2006-11-27T19:48:00.000+08:00

Ah, jienhan.com is down. Why? Hehe...I haven't renewed my rental, but don't fret! It'll be up and running soon. Ah, the long break between this post and the last is because of a terrible writer's block. Ah, maybe it's the exams, maybe it's the studying. Ah, still having writer's block. Hang on, when I clear my brain of anatomy, physiology, embryology, biochemistry and anthropology, I should have things to scribble. Meanwhile, let me get back into my den and assimilate the books into my head..

Wonderful!!!

2006-11-13T15:27:00.000+08:00

I never thought I would be getting a wifi signal in my room!!! Not only that, it's a g network!!!! I must come back to Merville next year!!! At last I don't have to squat in my cold living room anymore to go online...aaah.

Declare

2006-11-08T16:22:00.000+08:00

I'm trading my sorrows
I'm trading my shame
I'm laying it down for the joy of the Lord

I'm trading my sickness
I'm trading my pain
I'm laying it down for the joy of the Lord

Chorus:
And we say yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord
Yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord
Yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord Amen

I'm pressed but not crushed, persecuted not abandoned
Struck down but not destroyed
I'm blessed beyond the curse for his promise will endure
And his joy's gonna be my strength

Though the sorrow may last for the night
His joy comes with the morning

And we say yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord
Yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord
Yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord Amen

-Darrell Evans

Finally below 0°C!

2006-11-02T16:01:00.000+08:00

Frost Bites
At last, the first signs of the cold of autumn and winter: frost!! Woke up and saw the grass covered with a film of white. Instictively looked up for snow but slapped myself on the head..it's not even winter yet! Sigh... Last night, Met services said it reached -4°C. Is it nice to have the winters? Actually not! The water is cold, the bed is cold, slippers are cold, the window is cold, the cellphone is cold, and even the clothes I'm wearing are cold at places. And the bulkiness of layers of clothing that we need to wear in winter. Maybe I'm too tropical.

Ah, now to clear the ice building up in the fridge...

A night out =)

2006-10-30T15:37:00.000+08:00

Pic: at Ken's apartment, Ryan, me, Chai Zhen, Anju, Ken, Sam, Alwyn.

After PMCSA Sports Day, (UCD boleh!!!! hehe), a bunch of us hung out for dinner and had a nice time at Chai Zhen and Anjanna's after that. One thing, it's warmer in the city than in Belfield!

p.s. : Chai Zhen, trust us, it IS warm! hahaha..

DST ends!

2006-10-30T07:52:00.000+08:00

Aaah =) gained an hour, hahaha... it's now 8 hours difference from Malaysia. Daylight saving ended today and autumn is finally here! It felt good turning back time, the power of time manipulation muahahaha.. But how depressing, it turns dark at 1730 and during winter at 1600+.. sob..

Farmed!

2006-10-08T16:27:00.000+08:00

Yay! A farm trip, the journey lasted 1.5-2 hrs. Pretty long. Took the N3 and the M50, northbound. We passed Navan, and Kells, and the farm is just beyond Kells in County Meath. 68km as the crow flies.

Departure =)

Sam and I.

Sam and Alwyn.

Toll charges!!! Buses: €3.10!!!

Toll

An old bridge on the way to Navan.

Arrival =)

The farm's name.

Walking in.

Making Irish soda bread. My partner Chris from Austria.

Kneading with a spoon. Too sticky to do it with hands, haha.

The unbaked bread.

About to bake =) We had it for lunch.

Trying to ride the pig.

Catch (or caught) the rooster. Not easy!

Baaaaaaaaaaa

Mooooo

Sheep running across the plains.

Nettles!!!

More cows.

3 very enthusiastic people.

The truck which we rode.

A very good sheep dog.

The bread for lunch.

A fireplace =) Smokey..cough cough..

In the truck. Sitting on hay.

Arrr.... shutter speed not fast enough.

A man made mound.

Tom, digging for turf (peat used for fuel) in a bog. Almost like Malaysia's peat. Also, deep in the peat, it's as cold as a fridge. Last time, they actually stored butter in the bog.

Catching turf.

Tom showing some lichen =)

Neigh

Whistling

2006-09-30T21:01:00.000+08:00

The little tune that you hear on my webpage was played by me with my lovely Feadóg =) Grade me on effort, not skill! Hehe.

Bowl!

2006-09-30T16:34:00.000+08:00

Strike! Spare! Chicken egg!!!

We had a blast last night at Stillorgan's Leisureplex while bowling =) There were pros and newbies among us, and my scores happen to fall in the noob category! HAHAHAHA... I looked to the lane beside me and there were numerous strikes and spares..argh! Here are some pics from the game ^_^

Some of us..

Some more of us =)

After knocking down 9 pins.

The first fan I've seen since arriving here!!! w00t!!

Feadóg, The Original Tin Whistle

2006-09-29T22:08:00.000+08:00

My first tin whistle!! €5.95 for an amazing instrument is really an excellent deal. Now trying to get used to the octave climb by overblowing and also trying the ornaments. A little challenging but satisfying. Bodhran, ukulele, fiddle... here I come!! Ok, hopefully in 5 years when I have enough money hehe =)

No TV? Dun scared!

2006-09-27T06:03:00.000+08:00

So, listen to the radio

Thank goodness for internet radio. We actually have to pay for a TV license to legally watch TV, never mind buying a TV. What do I listen to? Country and bluegrass!! Cheers to the South!

This evening, the International Students Reception at O'Reilly's hall.

Malaysians and Singaporeans!! Muhibah!