Extra Beautiful Weekend

Since last week, I got to playing around in the kitchen again. It's been awhile since I actually explored that part of the house given to the excuses of work and too much play.

So anyhow, I must give credit to both Jess and Junko, my colleagues, who have caused this stir in me, and have gotten my love for cooking ignited.

I started with Edward Scissorhands last Wednesday,

The reason why I called this ES is because all the ingredients were cut up using only scissors. Yes, even the onion!

And then on Saturday, I did some baking with my siblings :)

Yummy? It was really sinful. Mum said that it's good cos it isn't too sweet but more chocolatey. I'm glad!

Earlier in the afternoon today, I was hungry but kinda lazy to cook up something too big, so I played around with noodles. I did Maggie Goreng! :)

I'm still trying to perfect this. Wana follow how the hawker centres do their Maggie Goreng. I refuse to want to eat Maggie outside of my house, but the Indians cooked it so nicely that sometimes I just have to have it. But after I perfect the Maggie Goreng dish, no more hawker junk foods yaw! :)

Having agreed with my colleagues to cook something for tomorrow's lunch, I made some pasta.

I feel irritated because my camera decided to malfunction and refuse to give me a clear shot of the result of what' I've made.

It's a simple pasta made with these raw materials :)

 

Now do you understand why I'm not so happy with the result. My pasta is so monotone, if you looked at the ingredients above, you'd see I was aiming for something more colorful. Boohoo.

Anyway, more to come from my messing around in the kitchen :)

Cheers!

Resolutions

"What's your resolution for the year?", they've asked. I said "None". 

I haven't listed it down in writing, and I have not truly believed I fulfilled last year's. However, as I took stock of my 2012. I realized that I couldn't be more happier for whatever that has happened in 2012.

Everything is beautiful. In His time, at least.

No longer do I fret deep inside because I know, my King bids me well.

Slowly and ever readily, I hold steadfast to my faith in ways I can never imagine I could. I feel that even though a sinner, His love ever prevails and I am led in a sense of belonging, that anytime I falter or fall away from His grace, my conscience screams and it tells me that I cannot continue living in denial that I am unaffected when I commit a sin. This then guides me back to where He is.

It's very easy to fall away, and very difficult to maintain that spiritual advancement when all the time, I am tempted. It's frustrating and I am truly irritated at myself. Then today, as I went to church for a Holy Hour devotion, the words of Fr. Albert penetrated me. 

He was saying that sinners as we are, we cannot avoid falling down due to this. But despite our fallen nature, what's important is how quickly we seek to renew ourselves in the eyes of God, and how much we try not to fall again.

He then said that we need not worry about all things because we are God's children. And so now, I feel that it's a message for me. I appreciate such spiritual intervention in my life, before I end up condemning myself. 

This year 2013, a new year and a new hope. What are yours goals? If you haven't thought about it, think about it now and write it down. To share with you part of the message sent by the Charismatic community Chairman, Jeremy, through our Yahoo Group, I want to feature it here as a reminder that I felt moved by this, and hope to apply this for the rest of the year, too. 

Somehow, these words written is exactly what I have been feeling that I ought to be doing, he nipped it by the bud when he wrote this:

And I pray that all of you can join me in 2013 journey to

1. Go where you've never been.
2. Do what you've never done.
3. Love more than you've ever loved.
4. Be liberated from the things you hold too tightly.
5. Trust the Lord in ways you never have before.
6. And become more than you ever thought possible

Personally, I have goals that since at this post I'm laying down goals I'm adopting, I want to add whatever goals are in the back of my mind. 

I have said to myself to be of a humble heart and fighting spirit to do His will. To be frugal and to live at peace with myself.

Happy 2013 again! Lots of love! ~

Today, After Work...

I decided to go on a date with myself.

I was so dressed up for work, and with that gotten some lovely compliments from my colleagues. I wore a dress I got for Christmas. It's a velvety dress in emerald (the supposed colour of the year) that's slightly above the knees. I paired it up with neon yellow-green pumps.

What I love about this dress is the sheer nylon that completes the top part of the dress. The cutting of it on the chest area is also very flattering and I won't have to worry what I'm showing because the opacity of the sheer nylon is just perfect for my skin. Because of the sheer nylon material, I decided to not have anything too heavy for the neck. So I went with my everyday St. Benedict medal necklace.

Having worn something a little too much for work, I just took it upon myself to take advantage of the getup. So I headed over to town, with one fixed agenda and the rest is to walk down the streets of town from Orchard to Somerset, passing the various shopping malls, and feasting upon fashion and accessories goodies. I made mental notes of the good places to return to.

It's been awhile...

• since I went out on a date with myself to wander aimlessly
• since I went to town to see what's the next exciting thing happening there

I must say...

• I had to watch carefully where I exit when I alighted the Orchard MRT
• there have been major changes since my last proper walk there
• the shopping malls have all grown and have turned out looking futuristic
• I was surprised that finally after the past decades, I saw renovations at Lucky Plaza

I made a stop-over at Lucky Plaza and visited the famous Ayam Penyet Restaurant for dinner. I went there with a girlfriend, Naq, three or four years ago. Tonight when I went to try it, I was firstly put off by the start of the service. There was not so much as a mention that I'm suppose to pay first, and only then the food will be sent to me. So I sat there waiting for the food that never came for over 10 minutes. You see I fished out the current book I'm reading by the author Edward Rutherford, so waiting was no issue. But it seems weird that for a fast paced restaurant, the food will take that long.

I went over the the cashier and enquired. Rightly, I waited for nothing. Less than 2 minutes after placing my order, hardly sat back down again, a plate of Ayam Penyet arrived. I guess maybe they prepare a lot of Ayam Penyet dishes at one go.

The $8 Ayam Penyet was not worth it though, I must say.

Anyway, I carried on wandering around. As I was leaving Lucky Plaza, I realized that there were a lot of working girls littering the compounds. I never knew they are that bold now. Is that even allowed in the town premises? I am not judging the women due to their profession, but I'm just disturbed that it seems they are no longer closeted in the red-light district area. After recalling the numerous of pubs I see popped up at Lucky Plaza, I realized what gave rise to the group finding themselves outside Lucky Plaza.

I'm beginning to dread the fact that Lucky Plaza might be the one to inherit the notorious reputation of Orchard Towers. But it has to be stopped! It's in the prime area of town. It's saddening and a slap to the face too because these women are my countrywomen.

To add on, at the other end of the shopping mall there were barbaric transvestites making noise and fools of themselves near the compound. And yes, they're also my countryshemales. I've got nothing against transvestites yeah, but these shemales just ruined the poise demeanour of the transvestites I have seen from the Thai community.

Well, as I moved forward and pushed aside all the mental complaints, I just said to myself to ignore everything and focus inwardly. And I did. I found the stillness I was looking for. I was able to think about the things of the past year, the recent things that occurred, and some things I have just realized yesterday how I suddenly felt that someone's sweet gestures might have grown on me.

But now... that's for another day's post. Continuing...

I decided to head home after a trip in the 1st storey of H&M. I hardly made a full trip but I gave up because I was already tired from the earlier wanderings.

During my wanderings, I chanced upon this old woman who was selling some things, no doubt just to keep herself feed for the coming days, and collect enough to buy more things to sell at a higher cost in town. I have a soft spot for old people, and I was called to do something for this old lady. And I listened, and I found myself a 'Love Wand'! It's really nice :)

I love RED, HEART and LIGHTS.

So this is what I did today after work. Hope you all had an enjoyable time after work today too.
Take the dare too! Go date yourself.

A FLORIDA COURT SETS ATHEIST HOLY DAY

In Florida, an atheist created a case against Easter and Passover Holy days. He hired an attorney to bring a discrimination case against Christians and Jews and observances of their holy days. The argument was that it was unfair that atheists had no such recognized days.

The case was brought before a judge. After listening to the passionate presentation by the lawyer, the judge banged his gavel declaring, "Case dismissed!".

The lawyer immediately stood and objecting to the ruling saying, "Your honor, How can you possibly dismiss this case? The Christians have Christmas, Easter and others. The Jews have Passover, Yom Kippur and Hanukkah, yet my client and all other atheists have no such holidays..."

The judge leaned forward in his chair saying, "But you do. Your client, counselor, is woefully ignorant." 

The lawyer said," Your Honor, we are unaware of any special observance or holiday for atheists."

The judge said, "The calendar says April 1st is April Fool’s Day. Psalm 14:1 states, 'The fool says in his heart, there is no God.' Thus, it is the opinion of this court, that, if your client says there is no God, then he is a fool. Therefore, April 1st is his day. Court is adjourned..."

You gotta love a Judge that knows his scripture!

Advices for Keeps

Life
Stay away from Anger.
It hurts only You and nobody else.
If you are right, then there is no need to get angry,
and if you are wrong then you don't have any right to get angry.

Patience with family is love,
Patience with others is respect,
Patience with self is confidence and
Patience with GOD is faith.

Never think hard about the past, it brings tears.
Don't think more about the future, it brings fear.
Live this moment with a Smile, it brings cheer.

Every test in our life makes us bitter or better,
every problem comes to make us or break us,
The choice is ours whether we become victims or victorious.

Search for a beautiful heart not a beautiful face.
Beautiful things are not always good, but good things are always beautiful.

Do you know why God created gaps between fingers?
So that someone who is special to you comes
and fills those gaps by holding your hand forever.
Never forget this advice!

Happiness keeps You Sweet,
Trials keep You Strong,
Success keeps You Glowing,
and But Only God keeps You Going!

When you don't give up, you cannot fail.