Therapy

Mood has been a little up and down, blame the work, blame the hormone.

I have some therapy of my own. Retail therapy is too expensive, I try not to go down to this path. Physical activities, cooking, and food seem to be my next best options.

I had a jog after reaching home. I know it was a bit too late to start a jog, but I didn't care, I knew I need it. After some jogs and walks, I came home wanting to eat half boiled egg. It's not the best meal one could have late at night, but that's what I had. Eggs, milk, cookies and chips.

I insisted to cook myself a carbonara dinner tonight even though it's late. Results, I'm still full the minute I'm writing this post.

But effectiveness of the therapy? Pass.

Squirt!

Posted a picture of Squirt on FB with my mobile last weekend, and my colleagues were curious what exactly was it.

Well, some said it looks like alien.

Wrong!

It's a turtle!! The cute little turtle from Finding Nemo! Please meet Squirt, my new toy.

My obsession for sea turtle started after coming back from Sipadan Island, when I've done swimming with turtles everyday during the trip. I swore I want to get a turtle toy, but only specifically Squirt from Finding Nemo.

No kidding, I was crazily looking for one in Singapore, but no luck. During the process, Yee Hau brought the plastic Squirt back from his home to ease my "obsessions". Then, when I was desperate enough, Yee Hau was kind enough to help me to look for it on Disney online store. Still no luck, he offered me to order online, as my gift =)

So, I managed to find one online, ordered, but to my horror, they don't do international shipping!!!!! So, I asked for Hui Nee's help. So kind of her and Ah Beng, they helped me to bring this new friend back :)

Perhaps this view will help you to know this is a turtle.



Cute, right?

Lines

The Last Cup

This was the last cup of coffee from my packet of Sumatera coffee beans from Starbucks.



My coffee cup says:

Coffee should be black as hell
Strong as death
Sweet as love

Seriously, my blood type is caffeine...

亲密日记（二）

Sometimes, you'll just have to learn to let the man handle the kitchen.

Sit back & relax.

That feels good :P

(All the men out there, it's really important to learn cooking!)

亲密日记（一）

男左女右

猫样

除却小时候，恩想当猫，我们真把他当只猫来养之外，我从来都不嗜猫。

可是，这世界是奇妙的。你越是不喜欢的事情，越是会转个弯来找你。不过是迟早的问题。

而我呢，不喜欢猫，偏偏小时候养个猫弟弟。中学时代，朋友们说我像猫，而我也干脆把ICQ的名字取了个meow。近几年，租下的组屋区，都是猫的天地。结果，我就渐渐不讨厌猫。可我还是不喜欢它们。

而我，多年来还是一副猫样。

就是这么奇妙，你越不喜欢，越是害怕的，总会拐一个弯，出现在你身边。

My First Pizza... A Success!

I've been thinking about making a pizza for some time.

So, I couldn't wait anymore and dragged Yee Hau to get pizza ingredients yesterday to prepare for today's pizza day!

So, making a pizza for the first time is kind of stressful for me. I want a thin crust crispy pizza! I visited multiple websites and blogs for references, and called up my mom for more personalized instructions. (Kia Hooi told me she did in fact remember my mom's homemade frozen pizza, back then when we were in secondary school)

After multiple googles, I down selected to one on simplerecipes.com and Jamie Oliver. Do refer to these sites for making a good pizza dough.

My pizza journey started last night, when I was making some pizza notes! Since most of the websites recipes are calling for 2 or more pizzas, I have to recalculate the amount of my pizza.


Ingredients for dough (for two persons):

1. 3/4 cups of warm water
2. 2 1/8 teaspoon of dry yeast
3. 1 3/4 cup of bread flour
4. 1 tbsp of olive oil
5. 1 tsp of salt
6. 1/2 tsp of sugar

Steps:

1. Sieve the flour on a clean working surface
2. Mix the dry yeast, sugar, salt, olive oil into water and leave for a few minutes.
3. Create a well in the flour.
4. Pour the mixture into the well.
5. Use a fork to bring the flour in gradually.
6. When all flour comes together, knead the dough until the dough feels springy.
7. Place the dough into a large bowl and cover it with damp cloth.
8. Wait for 1-2hour, for the dough to double its size.

The Toppings

You can use anything for your toppings. I made a big pizza with portobello mushroom, polish sausages, cherry tomato, cheddar & parmesan cheese and a small pizza with just mozzarella cheese.

1. When the dough is ready, knead the dough (Jamie Oliver called it knocking-out-the-air). And they are ready to use.
2. Preheat the oven to 200 degree Celcius.
   
3. Laid the dough thin flat on the flour dusted pizza pan, and poke them with a fork. (My mom said this helps!)
4. Then, spread tomato puree thinly on the surface (my mom said it's important to keep it thinly spread for not wetting the dough too much) and arrange the toppings you've prepared.
5. Bake the pizza at 200 degree celcius for 15-18 minutes.
6. Dress the pizzas with fresh basil leaves or arrowhead.
7. Serve
   

And TADAA!~~



My first pizza! Yummy!










My Margherita Pizza, failed in looks but still delicious. I think I baked this for a little too long.


Well, all in all, I have to say I'm really proud of myself (ah-hem). My first pizza attempt was successful. The man was happy and satisfied with the thin crust crispy pizza! And I rewarded myself with a (few) glass of red wine after meal. Still drinking at this moment while I'm writing this :)

Happy happy!

Froze one in fridge for the man's dinner tomorrow when I'll be out for Butterfly Lover Violin Concerto concert with friends.

Improved Version of Oven Baked Chicken

Well, I did exactly the same steps as my previous oven baked chicken on Wednesday, except, after coating the chicken drumstick with salt, pepper and rosemary, I wrapped the chicken drumstick with bacon. (Reduce the amount of salt because bacon is normally salty)

This was even better!

Self Potrait on Mac with Nikon

A complicated relationship between my gadgets

默默

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一些默默的事情
只会在它消失以后
才有人发现
默默
默默
以前存在过

Oven Baked Chicken with Mixed Vegetables

My itchy hands couldn't resist to cook myself a meal again.

I think oven is one of the most important creation! The preparation time was so short (~15mins), I could have a cup of tea and watched "Two and a Half Men" while waiting for the dinner to cook. Unfortunately for chicken, it takes a little while longer to cook (~45mins).

The mixed vegetables were laid around the chicken drumstick to suck all the yummylicious juice from chicken. Put them into the oven about 15mins after the chicken was baked. And don't forget to flip the chicken around to ensure it's cooked evenly.

Ingredients (You can have more, I am just having lesser for dinner):
1 chicken drumstick
1 potato
1 carrot
1 tomato

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degree Celcius while preparing the ingredients.
   
2. Coat the chicken drumstick evenly with olive oil, garlic salt, ground pepper and rosemary. Put this aside while preparing the vegetables.
3. Wash and dice the vegetables.
   
4. Toss the potato and carrot with olive oil, garlic salt, ground pepper and mixed herbs. Put them aside. Tomato could be left just as it is.
5. Bake the chicken drumstick. Set timer to 15mins.
6. Place the mixed vegetables around the chicken drumstick after 15mins and continue to bake.
7. Flip the chicken drumstick every now and then for another 30mins (Get a glass of wine and enjoy yourself before dinner *wink*)
   
8. Serve :)
   

A meal for lazy people :)

属于妈妈的

每次回家，都是一味地吃。好像前世没得吃，今世来讨饭的样子。在我的字典里，美食就是属于妈妈的。

今次回家，妈妈煮了我很久没吃的nasi lemak，乐得我！！




还有洋姨丈说的这道“家传秘方”的炸肉圆。姨丈爱煞这肉圆，常常告诉外婆妈妈阿姨们，这道菜不可外传。呵呵！



人家说慈母多败儿不是没有道理。妈妈一手好厨艺，我只会把所有食材扔进锅里。随随便便吃一顿不会毒死人的一餐即可。哈哈哈。

能回家吃饭真幸福。每次从新加坡回家，我就想到很久以前电视上的一个香米的广告：“返屋企食饭！”

我对风筝的回忆

我对风筝的回忆，就是大表哥，还有二姑在Kampong Telok的家。

我的童年在怡保，Ipoh Garden的大马路旁。户外活动一直很受限制，大部分的活动都在后巷。就连骑摩托车的小贩，都是在后巷的。家庭主妇谈天说地，也在后巷。所以，我六岁以前的回忆，都围绕在那热热闹闹的后巷。除了，当我们探访二姑。

Kampong Telok那间屋子，就是我童年回忆唯一的乡下回忆。我在那里学会抓各式各样的昆虫、捉蜘蛛来打架、玩表哥自制的枪、玩mamasak真的切起“菜”来，还有放风筝。

以前的风筝哪有象现在一样花花绿绿的。以前表哥弄风筝，都是就地取材，简简单单弄个传统的风筝便是。这样，就很心满意足了。

我也记不起我是怎么把风筝飞上天。大概，我从来没有真正成功过。都是表哥堂哥放上去了，把线交给我保管就是。至于我保管的当儿，风筝有没有断了飞了，我就记不起来了。

对于Kite Festival，我已经想去两年了。好像都碰上下雨天，就没去成。而今年，一去去了两天（报仇？）。一天是拍拖拍照去，另一天是带美国来的的同事去走走看看。去看看小孩子们放风筝的奇模怪样，去回忆回忆我的童年。


































你呢？你对风筝有些什么回忆？

Where is my Peter Pan?

表演者

表演者的背后
为什么一定是悲伤
为什么一定是有苦自己知
难道
他不可以真心喜欢他的工作
真心将快乐散播吗？

我的风筝飞不起来⋯⋯

小孩子的喜怒哀乐