The food, the rat and me!

To good food I come! I have been cooking quite alot lately. I guess it has been one of my favourite past time now. My experience with cooking started years ago when I was a lil' kid as occasionally we had to cook for certain meals when we were alone. Having said that, it is now the time that I really experiment with cooking.

It's rather the hunger for different kinda home food as well as the thought of the foreign cuisines that pushed me to try out cooking, otherwise, I'll be eating same old food here. Even Ratatouille (pronouced as ra-ta-tui, that small lil French rat) is one of my favourite movies now! I really think that movie is brilliantly done. I have been all the time impressed by the French attitude towards food. They appreciate food so much that they will exchange everything in life!, no la..just a joke. They don't simply put any food into their mouth. They demand for good food! Whereas, this is how the people here appreciate their money I guess, haha. Sources taken from "talk to the snail", not bad of a book if you wanna know about the french lil' dirty secrets, hehe. I could still smell fondue by looking at tat poster, mmm...



Last week I had the opportunity to visit one of the most famous coffee factories here. They produce the finest local coffee powder where you won't get it anywhere else. In fact, they are still using the old conventional way of making the coffee powder. It tastes a bit different from the usual coffee but the fragrant is so unbelievably nice! I met with the boss mother who is a very humble lady. She was really nice, you know. She told us how much she worked during those days in order to have such a successful company now. Yes, that is a coffee tree and I was actually trying to show off the coffee fruits, err..I guess that's what they're called before being coffee beans and eventually powder.

Variety of coffee beans...


Coffee machine aka grinder na...

Btw, I am not a fan of coffee drinks. They give me unnecessary palpitations, so to speak, hehe. But I'd always like the smell of the fragrance, mmm... Ok, chocolate is more of my cuppa drink. I wonder when I will be going to choco factory next.

coba ca-bananas

A few more bunches of bananas! I found a bunch of bananas right on my desk a week ago and I went on asking whose bananas were those for? Oh, it was for me. Obviously, coz it was on my table but I had to be polite asking. Ok, a lil drama there.

Then few days later, that fragile auntie came to my office and left a bunch of bananas behind with some 'siew pow's. She then said: you must be hungry by now. There was so little time for me to respond to that nice gesture. I could merely say, huh? thank you ar. Perhaps I was just as stunned as you are right now, hehe. But that was really nice considering that she walked all the way to my office under such hot scorching sun! Way to go!

This morning, I saw 2 bunches of golden skinned bananas lying so fragrantly on my desk again. This definitely looked more delicious! I just couldn't resist and had 4 right away. My staff have been so kind to me thus far. I am beginning to feel abit relaxed. Perhaps, I have already forgotten how busy I was those days. But we are now speaking of quality of life. Why not?

I am back once again!

Yes, after a whole lot series of dancing and drinking this evening, I am gonna break the silence code tonight. Hmmm... I have not much thing in mind now. Well, I worked as usual everyday, then I was invited to dinners for the past few days, catching some DVDs till the wee hours of the day, then woke up looked half-drunken, hehe.

Oh yes, I watched DECEPTION starred by Ewan and Hugh Jackman. Err...not to my expectation. I thought the movie would be great coz I like both the actors, but the script just s****. Ok, nevermind. Then, I watched the OTHER BOLYN GIRLS, or SISTERS. I'd gotta say I like the whole thing except that very ending. Gee.... didn't like that. I watched the movie bout K.Henry based on the historical facts at hallmark channel but I don't see much similiarity or perhaps I have forgotten. But there were so many sides written in the history books, so I really don't know which is really the right thing. Was Anne excuted for infidelity and committing incest as pictured in this movie? Did the brother survive? And was Mary that generous?

But kudos! if only the history lessons in class were shown in this kinda format. I can just remember easily rather than reading the unimaginative textbooks which translate all the people's name so wrongly. It's really confusing when you learn bout ?Iskandar (in fact is Alexander) etc, that when you compare to the bigger sources, you can't really correlate the whole picture because the whole casts differ.

Having said that, I have been getting disctinctions for history papers in major examinations, and I still wonder why, hehe. Don't get me wrong, I like history but the approach was making it less interesting. I guess some do agree with me eh?

Ok, I am getting all these rashes again, thanks to the alcohol. No, I don't drink much. Just on certain occasions. No, I don't dance all the time. Just on certain occasions. What else.. No mood to talk bout politics coz I am finding solace here rather than thinking of the chaotic world outside filled with much ego and greedy for power. Something is going on and I believe things will be more complicated.

Ok-la. Sounds like enough to break the silence. No pictures today guys.... just dun have the time to download yet. Many thanks if there were others out there anticipating this modest blog's entry.

Night night!

I crave for our Freedom...

Sept 13: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/9/13/nation/2022191&sec=nation

I crave,

For the unheard peace,

.

I crave,

For the unblinded vision,

.

I crave,

For the undeafened hearing,

.

I crave,

For the unsuffocated breath,

.

I crave,

For the unspoken words,

.

I crave,

For our FREEDOM!..

My tears flow,

with this small glow,

I count my fingers,

and all the suffers,

we have to endure,

in our heart so near.

.

Take away my ears,

Take away my eyes,

So I never can hear,

never see as I sigh.

.

Take away my speech,

take away my breath,

so I may not teach,

and suffocate to death.

What the nation has gone into?

This blog may cease temporarily in support of peace and freedom.


P.S: the author was once the chief editor of a magazine. May professionalism prevail...

I wanna come Home!

So, finally I have decided. I went to the office and saw my new boss, handed over my leave application with a simple reason, I wanna go back home! Hooray, I am coming home next month! Yes, I am... Yahoo... err.. Hello, hello.. I am coming home k. Is anyone listening? Hmm... ok.

Haha. It was much easier than I thought.

I was thinking of curry fish 2 days ago, and I was so glad that I went lunch to a nearby restaurant yesterday, I saw that very curry fish that I had thought of and on top of that, these ladyfingers! I mean, I was thinking of cooking them but hey, I don't need to wait! I probably will cook them this weekend. I just can't stop thinking of curry nowadays coz I seldom have it here.

Ok, this silly billy always roams around my house. And guess what, this morning, he just sat right there, in front of me. Hallo, didn't you see the house owner was around? If you have some sense, you wouldn't want to sit right there coz you would probably be kicked out instantly. Sigh, I know I know, he doesn't have any sense. But hey, he looks like that silly kelly at my old working place. Silly kelly was a greedy fellow. She only came to visit me during my lunch and dinner time coz she wanted my fish bone. She knew I like fish, so she would come and meow meow around me.

I had my chocolate tonight, and it was raining outside. There was a sudden short blackout but it recovers. I guess I am addicted to chocolate. I crave for chocolate everyday. Maybe.

Until then.... I am coming home, guys!

Zzzz...

Tired. Simple and precise. That's how I am feeling right now. Extremely busy today. Raining outside. Not gonna write too long. Will leave some space to write another time.

Night night.

It's a brand new Day!

Well, the day went well. Uneventful, no, it was kinda eventful though. I spent half a day travelling through one of the most remote villages you could ever find. I have to admit that I have problems travelling on land. I catch motion sickness very easily.

So, there we went. We started our journey as early as 9am after moving around my new office and being introduced to the staff. So, we have this 4-wheel jeepy, not new but not bad. Our first station took us about an hour to arrive? I am not sure but the journey was kinda long. We went through hills, and again hills and river, bumpy roads like we were riding horses, geduk geduk geduk, you know what I mean? Then finally, I saw this clean water river. This is where I would really like to dip myself in. I could imagine spending the whole hot sunny afternoon in the water. Speaking of that, thanks to the weather lately, drizzling in the afternoon, spoiling my weekend's plan of going to the pool. Arghh..

Ok, back on track. We arrived at our very 1st station. Very well kept place. I was amazed coz there was internet facilities even at such a remote area! But I didn't see anyone using it. It is free!! Come on boys, surf the net!

Then on our way out, I saw this lil piggy boar (ok, piggy is boar and boar is piggy). She just ran out from no where and went under the shade. Argg... I just had no time to capture her pic. Nevermind. Then we headed to our 2nd station, very basic but more spacious. Nice surroundings but not well maintained. Then we went to the 3rd, 4th, 5th, yawnn...... oh yeah, till the 6th. The view was awesome and I noted that whenever we passed by someone, they would always lift up their arms and greet you. Way to go!

Ok, the afternoon was really relaxing. But my motion sickness still last till this moment. I went back to the old working place, chat abit and then...ciao.

It is a more organized working environment, I guess. I like the fact that the appointments are very well organized. I like the fact that, I have my own space. I like the fact that, I am playing a role in the society. I like the fact that, I am meeting alot and alot more people. I like the fact that I have a more clean and tidy office.

Having said that, it is still early to make a conclusion. Oh yes, I also like the fact that I have my own clean towel everytime I wash my hands! Ok, it doesn't look good on pic but it's really clean, trust me..

One of our well maintained stations.

Ah, here a decent phone!

This is the big satellite where you receive your internet and phone connections

And not forgetting, this huge manual book for me to look at in order to operate the so called 'new sophisticated and expensive machine'. Sleepy already.

Punch Out Again...

Tammy was just 7 years old. She was walking home from school when a van suddenly came out from the junction and hit her. She fell. She fell really hard that she hurt her left thigh and bled. She was then sent to the emergency ward. She had a broken thigh bone and she was in severe pain. She was calling out her mama, ma.. ma... and she passed out.

I still could remember the moment when her mother came in looking very much frantic. My heart sank. The moment she came opened the door like a blind lady searching for her stick. 'Where is she, where is she?' She was looking no where and asking no one. Suddenly, she heard her baby calling, mama, mama....

She went straight to her, she didn't dare to touch her. 'You are bleeding, you are bleeding my baby. Mama is here.' She didn't dare to hurt her any further, or even to touch her, she didn't know what to do. Then, her soft shaky voice could hardly be comprehend. Tears pouring down but she held back as she saw her baby was getting even more frightened when her mama cried.

My heart just sank. Sari told me, you will never understand until you have a child. Indeed, she was so wrong. No man should need to have a child to understand this feeling. I am human, like other human feels the pain when we see people in pain, and very obviously in this case.

I was in the office this afternoon when this man who yelled at the door, came back once again for the visit. I just could recognize him instantly. I whispered to my staff Manny, is he that guy? She wasn't sure but I was so convinced. I saw the report he flashed out yesterday. It was him! He sat there helplessly, haha, realizing that I had recognized him. Instead of a lecture, I made peace with him first. He felt so bad for what he did yesterday and apologized for the misunderstanding.

It felt so funny yet so comfortable when I tried to make him understand that being angry was not the solution. So, I guess, he left with a big relief on his chest as life is so much better if we make peace to each other. Manny laughed but I am glad she saw it.

So, the day has come for a 'punch out'. I wrapped the day by seeing my colleagues and chatting with them. Time surely flies. People always apologize when someone is leaving. Perhaps that's the norm of the people here. We all do mistakes but an apology is always a polite way for asking forgiveness. And forgiveness is the biggest reward one can receive. I enjoyed my time here. Enjoyed the people who has made my stay so significant, and letting me into their everyday lives as if we are all part of each other.

It's time to say..... good night.

Steam up the stress!

Burp!...opss, excusez moi. Just got back from another round of STEAMBOAT! This time there were 2 boats being steamed, haha.... and the food was once again so much. I am feeling lightheaded now as most of the oxygen has gone into my GI system to digest the food rather than concentrating in my brain.

Er.... this afternoon was a tough one as well. My work load was so much that the impatient man came into the room and started yelling at my staff. I was like HELLO...! Didn't you see me sitting just right there. Look at me when you speak k. So, as the stress hormone went up to my head, I just couldn't take it no more. I interrupted and asked if he knew the process, and that this wasn't his first time. Not satisfied, he was yelling into the air, again not in my face. I got so fed up, and in my mind was telling, whatever.

Then, the next man came in and sat down quietly. After a series of lectures, he was speechless. The funny thing was that, he blamed the other impatient guy when he was the one who started the riot outside. Sometimes, they just don't understand that I have only a pair of hands and you know what, don't blame us but the system. We don't fail the system but the system fails us, let's put it that way.

Ok, I am gonna watch 'wall e' tonight if that's not too late. I just wanna enjoy my night. Tomorrow will be my final day at this working place. The new place had called me up this morning and asked if I could start working on Monday. Hello, gimme a break k. I need sometime for orientation or at least get use to things. Whatever it may be, I am gonna cross my fingers so that I will enjoy my new working environment.

Yawn...

Me and my Hot Chocolate!

Now it's only me and my hot chocolatey! I have to admit that I am not a coffee-guy. I am more of mr.chocolatey, haha. This is the hour to relax and enjoy the rest of the night.

I came home last night feeling soooo tired after a pingpong game and later went for dinner on top of the hill. Hey, that chicken chop was so much better than I expected! Oh, boy, these people surely knew how to gossip as my eye bags were almost touching the dinner table already. Then when I arrived home, I went straight to bed after shower. Knocked out!

After a series of jogging and pingpong game, my left calf began to cramp a lil bit tonight. Again I really enjoyed walking home in peace and quiet except that I had to stop in between and walked as if my leg had some seizure or what.

Argg... I was so busy at work today! 101 things to be done and I have done like 99 of them but it's like extra 101 somemore, you know what I mean, NEVER-ENDING!

Oppsss... my hot chocolate is getting cool already. I wonder why can't it stay hot for another 15 mins or so, mmm (*shaking heads*). Ok, I better gulp everything before it turns icy cool, haha...

Btw, this new song from the neighbouring country is one of my friend's Ivy fav. I am putting it up for a while as I thought my other friend whom started to like this kinda language song would like that a lot, hor.., lynn. Try concentrate on the lyrics, k!

It wasn't me but the beer!

It's another new month! We are so much nearer to the year-end. Aiyo, time really flies like an airplane. And I guess it's time for me to fly home, yohooo...

Ok, I am not sure if I am gonna make it that soon but if I have got something cheap, I'll probably be back very soon. Argg... I am still stuck with my old job. I can wait but but.... but... I need to apply leave from my new boss, so I really need to get to my new job very fast.

Oh, it's raining outside so heavily. It's so sudden coz 10 mins ago I was at a fren's family place for dinner. Well, I gotta say, everytime I went there, the food has never failed to be more than enough. It's like a food galore. From main course to steamboat. Oh yea, I had a lil' beer coz I don't need to work 24 hours tomorrow, hooray! I took some pictures but I thought the food before was better.

And see, this lil creature actually crept out of my friend, aNiG's plate. He said it came out from the curry wor... Then, people asked him to change his plate coz this creature probably didn't wear any shoes, so its legs must be dirty, haha... what a joke, ahem.

Ok, you gotta excuse my english coz I am abit drunk now, haha. No, maybe just a lil' high, no pls come down, not that high...

Alright, it's time to rest abit, pheww... surely hot tonight.

Oh yea, before I go, let me just tell you how fantastic was the movie THE WAR. Two thumbs up for the story line and lil' elijah wood is really very good in this movie. I really wonder if he was nominated for something on his performance. He looks way too different than he is now! I have never heard of him before that movie, err... lord of the ring, or something, haha. If you are not an emotional-movie-lover type, don't watch! This movie probably make you cry, no, you won't cry but you just don't want to waste your time seeing people suffering coz you probably have way too better life and never even bother put yourself or imagine one day you'll be upset coz ur mr/ms.perfect. Oppss... that's not what I mean, it's the alcohol who says that.

Ok, time to check out, and keep browsing in every now and then for more updates k!