Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Rescue Ops: Hiking Accident

Sandy, I've been watching too much news.

Little Hut

I dreamt that a search op had been called to find someone who had went missing after a hiking adventure. A bunch of us including myself were amassed to execute the search and rescue.

It was after the heavy rain that we set out in our knee-high roots with our torch-lights and raincoats, divided into groups of two each. After we pushed through those tall grass and similarly looking trees, we found the victim barely conscious under the little hut, trembling and visibly shaken but with superficial injuries.

While the paramedics attended to the victim, my companion walked towards the hill and for no apparent reasons asked if there were people stuck in the jungle and needed help.

The answer that came froze us at our spots into silence. I stared at the companion, fear evident in my eyes. It was a ghostly voice and even though none of us mentioned it, we knew what it meant. One thing led to another and a body wrapped in plastic was found buried in the dirt with the ME carefully carrying the corpse out, giving it his utmost respect.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Perishable

This is a short, vague dream.

I dreamt that we browsed the shopping mall and entered this upscale grocery store, where a lot of the products in real life were being sold. Slid through the aisles, snatched some items from the shelves and paid for it.

There was a crowd gathered in front of this kiosk a little further from the store. Seeing that the menu suited my taste, I joined the queue and bought myself buns and a milkshake.

Which almost happened in real life.

I dropped almost 100 bucks on a week’s worth of grocery at Justlife last Monday. Between organic vegetables and products, it was well-spent.

Not only that.

On my way back from the store, I swung by The Loaf to catch 5 buns and 1 chocolate brownie. The only exception is that I didn’t purchase any milkshake.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Food Review: Organic Freshmart Restaurant, Subang Jaya

I didn't take pictures of the restaurant and of the dinner crowd because I was seated at the table closest to the boss. Let's just say I wasn't keen on him spotting me with the camera.

I know my review may not be perfect or up to par with food bloggers, but there's a first to everything. Allow me some more practice lessons and I'm sure I'll be better as the time passes us by.


Basil Fried Beehoon, RM8.90

Had requested the waitress to pass the message to the chef that I wanted the dish to be cooked with less, less oil.

Sure, it was still a little oily but what surprised me was that it was less salty than before.


Mini Hawaiian Pizza (with a thick crust), RM8.90

The only difference to this dish is that it contains less oil than its commercial siblings. The taste and the presentation are still there, with only different varieties of vegetables used - pineapple, green bell peppers (to UK and Asian readers, that would be green capsicum), tomatoes and more.

Address: Organic Freshmart,
17 & 19, SS 18/1B,
47500 Subang Jaya

Business Hours: 10am to 9.30pm

The Rare Weekend

On those Sundays when I don’t attend Mass, I’m usually sprawled on the bed catching up on the previous episodes of my favorite shows on TV.

But today was an exception.



I took a break from the idiot box and baked another batch of the banana cake recipe that I posted yesterday to accompany the mango fruit smoothie.

It's really easy; throw in the diced mango in the blender, pour in the yoghurt and blend it away. If you are however like me, you can use Breville's smoothie mixer instead.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Banana Cake (Umpteenth Attempt)


Wet Ingredients
1 cup milk
4 tali bananas, roughly mashed
1 tsp Bourbon vanilla extract
1 egg
2 tbsp butter, room temperature

Dry Ingredients
120g flour
1 tbsp molasses sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Directions
Grease a square baking dish (I'm using Pyrex, but non-stick should be an okay substitute) with butter or oil.
Preheat the oven to 160C.
Mix all the wet ingredients in one bowl.*
Carefully combine the dry ingredients with the wet.**
Pour the mixture into the greased baking dish.
Whack it into for 40 minutes (10 minutes on the upper rack, 30 minutes on the lower rack) or until an inserted stick comes out clean.



*If you fancy a salty cake, add an additional 1/4 teaspoon of salt. If you fancy a sweet cake, add another tablespoon of sugar.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

10/26/2012

It’s such a pity that I’m no longer that fervent moviegoer who’d scream for joy and beg Papa Carrie whenever a movie of her choice has premiered. Nay, like the rest of the childhood in me, I’ve grown out of that stage; it’s mostly a pick-and-choose method for me nowadays.


I might’ve bought the DVD in secret – well, not exactly since the two friends I was with were pretty much aware of the intention – but I’d still rather purchase the movie ticket and bawl with my movie companion over the emotional scenes – if I can make it. Truth be told, it’s not for the plot that I’m watching it, it’s not even for Ella (from SHE) or Zai Zai (F4). It’s more for the little Xiao Xiao Bing.

The trailer has burnt my eyes more than once. So yeah, it did tug at the heart of the viewer in me.

Right now, nobody seems to know when it will arrive at our shores. Maybe it didn’t do that well in Taiwan. Maybe the local movie franchiser hasn’t bought the licensing rights. All I can say is that those folks in China and Taiwan are really, really lucky to have caught the movie for the Chinese New Year period.

I’ll play it by ear; if the movie and I have no fate, only then will I remove the DVD from its hiding place and whack it into the player, sacrificing one afternoon watching it.

And write a movie review on it.

Sure, the occasional trips to the cinema with friends may be relieving on my part since it allows me to get away from the neighborhood stress but it doesn’t work all the time.

Ms. N’s right; you can choose anyone but your family and neighbors. This kind of stress is new; I’m not adapting to it very well especially when it involves a mixture of kindergartens, noisy children, quirky pets and the many colors of certain neighbors.

*shoots glances here and there*

Methinks the permanent solution would be for me to pack my bags and call it a day, which will be coming soon, that I can tell you. But it brings me a set of petty issues. A part of me wants to leave unnoticed but the other part is reminded of the idiom – out of sight, out of mind – and doesn’t want the past to repeat itself.

I’ll figure that one out when the time comes.



Accepting and burying the past with the key thrown into the straits was tough but it was for the best. I had the feeling that if I had continued wallowing in the past, it’d be a downward spiral to the dark world of depression.

Believe me when I say that my past contained a whole load of messy, complicated matters because it really was that. 

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

One Outlandish Weekend



Smell the refreshing air, inhale the fresh air.



Ban Zai, I'm really surprised to see you. Care to guide me to the restaurant? =D



Make a guess. What do you think it is?



The table waiting for us to amass the countless plates of food - empty and full.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Badminton, we will meet again

After spending the whole afternoon watching the delayed telecast of the semi finals of the BWF Denmark Open 2012 and going nervous for the local team, I can now understand the hype that surrounded everyone over the London Olympic badminton final between Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei. Both are exceptionally great players and their standards are on the same par with each other.

I must say that Lee won 2 straight sets over his opponent with not much difficulty, and I liked the way our male double's team (Koo Kien Kiat-Tan Boon Heong) played against their Danish counterparts, with Tan throwing a little trick here and there.

Credits to Littledown Sports Centre for the image

I love the whole badminton game; the speed, the strategies used to “kill” the opponent and the flexibility of the sport (it can be played indoors and outdoors alike) among other reasons. The Carries aren’t enthusiastic about it, though; one’s more into golf and hockey, kept pulling me towards the driving range with the hopes that I’ll fall in love with game. The other is an avid table tennis player and left the choice to me, not that she plays it nowadays.

Due to some obstacles, I’ve since stopped playing the sport for far too long now and am now having the thought of wanting to pick up the racquet again. With the smash, I can vent my ever-growing frustrations at life on the shuttlecock, not on my opponent.

I know it barely makes sense; it barely does even to me. >.<

Just watch this space out. I will blog about the day that I start playing again and polish my now-rusty skills. =D

Friday, October 19, 2012

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Blow, blow til I be

If the title sounds familiar, it’s part of the chorus from the hymn “Spirit of God”

Chasing someone for something that belongs to you is literally asking God to give you immortality. That’s how I feel, really. Just because there’s a geographical distance between us doesn’t mean that I can be brought around the world in dizziness. Please, I’m fed up of all these BS excuses (pardon my language here) which I suspect is being played out by a hidden shadow.

What, man!

What’s so difficult in admitting that alright, I’ll return what is yours and we’re officially done? Oh hell, yeah, I know I’m being taken advantage of but the annoying part is that I can’t do much without the tangible proof.

There’s so much more to it than meets the eye.

If there is such a proof to prove that I’m wrong, he’s right, then fine, I’ll swallow it with a pinch and treat it as lessons learned, but if I can prove that he’s wrong, I’m right, then can I verbally bash him up? Because I’m so fed up that if I have the right connections, I’ll love for the person to pay for his sins until he returns what is rightfully mine.

As the Chinese saying goes, whatever Man does, God is watching. Did people really think that whatever they have done can be kept hidden forever? It’s simple; the guilty ones in God’s eyes will have to pay for it either in the same manner or in a different manner than what they’ve done to others.

Terrible!

Well then, before I emotionally explode at the computer screen, I will let the God handle this one I’ve always allowed Him to and sit back and watch the story unfold into the next chapters.

Speaking of world distance, it’s been hell of a day for me. Imagine having a whole load of errands to run in one afternoon…. it however didn’t work out according to plan. Some errands had to be left out – because there was time constraint and the department in charge closes early.

Heh!

Among the errands was the trip to Ikea. Don’t look at me, the explanation will be given shortly.



But anyway, a trip is a trip. No point arguing about it.

Tagged along and grabbed a couple of items for the house as well. Well, 2 extra pillows to be exact. It’s not that the ones I’ve have are giving way; it’s just that it’s better in the event a guest suddenly decides to arrive for the night with only a moment’s notice.

I scowled when I noticed that the supply of the red cheese grater was discontinued, have already grown accustomed to that one as it doesn’t injure the fingers. Too bad – but not when it’s part of the kitchen utensils that I unintentionally left at the old place! Who in the world is going to remunerate me for those items?

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Venturing Trips

I can't for the life of me remember the first part of the dream because the dog had woken me up early in the morning.

I dreamt that in the second part of the dream, we had posed for a lot of pictures in front of e@Curve. A text  message arrived in my inbox, notified me that one of the pictures had been used as the photographer's blog header. The sender had also mentioned that I had been tagged in all the pictures and even asked me to swing by the blog article to have a read.

Weird or not, you tell me. 

Monday, October 15, 2012

小虎隊 - 紅蜻蜓 [HQ]



"We have all grown all up and we are pursuing most of our dreams."

Ah, the good old days! =D

Monday, October 8, 2012

酒后的心声 - 江蕙

If I have a bottle of cherry red wine or Merlot in the cabinet, I will pop it open and drink a glass or two while listening to this soothing but emotional song.



凯西,我知道你应为她心一直流血
虽然你没说,我知道你多多少少恨她
你一定问自己,她为什么要这样做呢?
她为什么没有想到你的情怀?

在感情世界,是这样的。
一定会有人伤心,哭。
没办法避免。

这能好好面对它。。。

Sunday, October 7, 2012

10/7/12

I dreamt that someone whose face was hidden from view was behind the steering; I was in the passenger seat. I noticed that there was a Church with a road frontage (think of Mid Valley) but the normal, glass windows had been used to replace the usual stained glass.

It was packed to the brim with the guitarist singing on stage with two vocalists. The guitarist was a male, the vocalists female.



In the second part of the same dream, we were cyclists carefully maneuvering those road bends and curves, finally arrived at the café at the foot of the hill where other cyclists and walkers were. (I’m however no cyclist in real life; don’t fancy bringing my bicycle to the hills either.)

A name however stood out. Fiona.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

The Damage That Never Could Be Undone...

Previous: Retribution.

Stella folded her arms, silently watched as Marie disappeared through the crowd, her face written with obvious annoyance and disappointment. To her, it was simple. Since Marie had made the first move in burning their friendship, there was no point in talking more than necessary with her.
    The painful reality of life.
    “Casey, where on earth did you presume that we are dating?” she broke the silence. “For all I know, we are just the best of friends.”
    “I’m sorry, Stella.” Casey patted her shoulder. “It’s just a spontaneous idea that came to me. I hope you’re not offended”
    “I’m not offended. But will it make matters worse between you and her?”
    “I’m not sure. What matters is that she fell for the lie.”
    The only answer he received was a mere nod.

Back in the privacy of her own pad, Marie went to the balcony and leaned against the steel railing. She couldn’t bring herself to the conclusion that Casey and Stella had grown in love with each other. She had known her former fiancé for a whole decade as friends before the wedding engagement; there was no way in the world that he would throw himself into a rebound relationship with Stella.
    It just didn’t make any sense.
    She reached out for her S3. She wanted to text him, asked him if it was all true. Those words that he uttered when they ran into each other outside the café earlier; about him not wanting to see her; about her moving on with Stella and loving her more even more than her, the now former fiancée. But she stopped midway. Would he even be willing to communicate with her after what she had served him?
    Even if he did, will there ever be forgiveness between them?
    But the most important was, would they ever be able to return to the happy past?
    She sighed, sat on the hanging rattan egg chair instead. It was her fault anyway. She should have realized that Casey himself was a double-edged sword. When played with the right card, he was nice, the nicest person in town but if betrayed, he was the meanest.
    And felt that she should never have fielded off Stella’s messages or avoided her even after things had turned sour between her and him. She should have known that Stella was someone who cared not about the personal business of others and that she was an innocent bystander, she just happened to be a mutual friend, in the middle of it all.
    But now, Stella had pulled the carpet from under her.
    She took a deep breath, fully knowing that it was beyond the point of no return. Her relationship with Case, they could never be friends again. Her friendship with Stella, gone with the wind and it felt like they were the most familiar strangers.
    "Where did I go wrong?"
    Whatever decisions and sacrifices that she had made, she decided, she had to live with the consequences if it meant that her emotions were affected.
    There was no way around it. Never.

Next: Reminiscence.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

10/4/12

I dreamt that there was a discussion among us about the new residential project, a seaside condo, that had to be within the gazetted land set by the local town mayor. She mentioned that although it would be profitable for the developer and the landlords/vendors, it was impossible to build it as the land was too small to comfortably contain four blocks of condominium units and visitor parking bays, what more to even plan it on paper. 


Her friend, Jonathan, had called, asked her to meet him at a historical cinema called Glendowie (come to think of it, I don't think there's such a name downtown) in Jln Sultan Ismail, KL. Since I had nothing to do that night, she allowed me to tag along to that place. We almost lost our way walking through those roads and those buildings. I wasn't too sure why he refused to look me in the eye or acknowledge my presence.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

The Carpenters- Top Of The World(HD/HQ)



Oh, great! I am constantly reminded of that scene whenever this song is being played - anywhere. Those who have watched "Dark Shadows" from beginning to end will know which scene I'm talking about. >=)

Retribution

Note: this is a scheduled post.

Previous: Broken Dreams and Wishes.

A huge part of Casey's emotional burdens was melted away after the conversation with Stella, him knowing well what needed to be done and relieved that he had sought her advice. Outside the cafe, he suddenly threw her a hug and thanked her for all that she had done for him.
    "I'm not sure what would've had happened to me if you weren't there."
    "Eek, Casey. You make it sound like we're dating." Stella winced, broke his leg. "Aren't friends supposed to lend a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on in times of help?"
    "I knew you'd have said that." He smiled. "I'm glad to have known you as a friend."
    She patted him on his shoulder. "Likewise."
    The smile on his face disappeared as fast as it had appeared when he happened to look over Stella's shoulder and caught the sight of someone familiar.
    Marie.
    She hadn't changed much except that she had shortened and dyed her hair chestnut red. A sign that she had blended well with the life there.
    The memories of their former life came flooding back; the sweet memories they created together, the times they spent together, the sweet engagement and the wedding that never could happen now. He felt his lungs being constricted at the thought of it, but heard Stella's voice at the back of his mind, telling him that he has to face his former fiancée one way or the other and it was only a matter of time.

Without saying anything, he took Stella by her hand - his fingers intertwined with hers - and walked up towards Marie. Although he was badly bruised by the outcome of their relationship and didn't want to invest in a new relationship with someone just yet, the desire for her to have a taste of her own medicine proved to be too strong for him to resist.
    His sudden move had surprised Stella and for a moment, she wanted to yank her hand free but decided to play along with whatever plan that he had in mind if it meant annoying Marie. She felt that she was not in the losing end; their friendship had already been strained by Marie herself.
    "Hello there, Marie," Casey said, sarcasm evident in his words. "I thought you've permanently moved to Seattle?"
    "Oh, no, no, I'm still holding my local passport."
    Stella could feel her hand being soiled by Casey's nervousness.
    "I should've informed you of my arrival, but I guess there wasn't enough time. There was just too much to deal with."
    "Don't. I'm glad you didn't inform us. If you had informed us, we'd have made plans to avoid you."

    Marie's eyes suddenly shot a glance at their hands.
    It gave Casey and Stella the pleasure of watching her eyes dilating with a mixture of horror and surprise. He knew that their spontaneous actions would lead his former fiancée to suspect that he had moved on with Stella, which she did.
    "You... you've moved on? What about the promise we've made to each other?"
    "What promise?" He released Stella's hand. "You defaulted on your promise, Marie, which allowed me every reason and right with whoever I fall in love with."
    "Stella, you knew that I was with Casey. Why did you jump at the opportunity when I was away?"
    Stella forced an embarrassed smile. "Sorry about it, but life and love take us to unexplored feelings and places." She sensed that he was laughing inside at Marie's annoyance and anger, continued. "Plus I thought you were done with Casey."
    A sarcastic explanation that zapped into her mind in that moment. 
    "If you had so loved me, you would not have done what you did," Casey added. "Why are you mad at us for getting together?"
    Marie looked at him, speechless and unsure of what to say. He was right, she admitted. It was her fault that she had taken off with some other lad and she had no right in being mad that her former fiancé had chosen to move on instead of playing the reconciliation card.
    "I'm sorry."
    "A word of sorry can't bring us all back to the past, Marie." He suddenly pulled Stella closer to him. "I'm much more happier with her."
    Stella added more fire into the oil. "We're even thinking of settling down with each other."
    An annoyed Marie could no longer take the taunts that Stella offered her and turned her back, departed the scene in controlled anger.

Previous: Broken Dreams and Wishes.

Next: The Damage That Never Could Be Undone.
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