Tuesday 5 March 2013

千里送laksa

昨天在FB上看见PP贴了她妈妈的鸳鸯laksa,好像很好吃似的。
于是口痒痒、脸皮厚厚地讨要一小碗。
PP很配合哦,说要叫老公给送到办公室来给我哦!
我其实也没真的放在心上。讨爽的。
反正那laksa怎么看都绝对诱人,讨讨没损失!

今天早上一到办公室,就看见桌上有个保温袋。暗爽!Laksa原来是真的送来的!

打开一看,哎哟哟,还放了个冷袋以保持食物新鲜度!真有够贴心的!不必猜必定是PP的主意。

馋嘴的我等了又等,终于到了午餐时间,赶忙拿去微波炉弄热。搞得整个pantry香喷喷的。口水直流!
鱼肉还多过米粉!

到公司食堂把laksa汤倒出来,哇塞!鱼肉还多过米粉嘞!
说是要和大家分享,但太好吃了,好像就是我一个人独吞。
这可是我第一次吃鸳鸯laksa哦,想不到asam laksa加siam laksa(lemak)这么美味!
谢谢PP的妈妈美味的午餐!谢谢PP这么有心思!谢谢Tan-san这么配合七早八早给我送来。

这!太感人了!!!!
这绝对是我终生难忘的laksa!

p.s. 这个故事教训我们,别没事儿在FB上胡言乱语讨食物,那是会给别人家带来很多麻烦的!真是超级不好意思!

Monday 4 March 2013

I am Not a Slave

I noticed that more and more people started to notice that it is hard to find me through mobile phone during non-working hours. Well, I think if I don't explain myself, more and more people will start to think that I am super sombong liao. Haha! This makes this blog post very important to me, though I am so tempted to go to bed now :)

I think it is about time that I make this declaration: I am not a slave to technology! I always suspected that one day when the A.I. rise to power, I will be the few that get terminated since I always have 十冤九仇with computers.

Please understand that I am not obsessed about technology. I don't think my brian has developed to be able to constantly engaged in 24 hours connection. I don't feel the necessity to have my mobile phone with me for 24 hours. (This is also one of the reasons I do not have a data plan even though it is supposed to be employee benefits). The mobile phone is called a mobile phone for a reason: we only need it when we are mobile :p

When I go to meeting, I don't always bring my phone along because I know I am not going to pick up anyway (courtesy in meetings), unless I am waiting for some urgent calls. I'll have it with me if I'm mobile - walking from one plant to another.

When I'm driving, unless I'm with headsets, else I will not pick it up unless I know there's some urgent calls coming in.

When I'm at home (especially weekends), most probably my mobile phone will be in the dark corner of my backpack that I bring to work, or it will sit quietly at the side table in my bedroom. If I were downstair chit-chatting with my parents or reading news paper or munching tibbits, I will not hear my phone rings and I will not look at it at all until the next morning when it wakes me up (oh, and my phone doesn't have to do this on weekends since I am the follower of 睡到自然醒.

When I'm exercising, I assure you my mobile phone got no chance to follow me. Physical strength is my weakest link :) It is already hard for me to balance, to jump, to run, to shake, to stretch. I assure you that distraction from a phone call is the last thing that I allow to jeopardize my determination in shaping a healthier me.

When I'm in the toilet, don't even expect me to pick up the phone! I am either very focus in doing the business, or too embarrased to talk to you with the uniquely-toilet aurally-pleasing-acoustic.

When I'm in the cinema. Lagi no hope! I deserve 100% cinema experience, and I am not risking myself to be the public enemy #1.

So, if you ever called / texed / Viber / Whatsapp but couldn't get me, don't worry. Most probably I still haven't notice the missed calls or sms or whatsoever. I will, just not yet.

Like what Yoda said, patience you must have.

Pilgrim of an Olympic Fan

Like what I said a year back, I am a huge fan of Olympic games. I love the wonderful opportunity to look at the physical and cultural aspects of our world. I love the true meaning of to train, to commit to an activity, and healthy sense of competition. I love the diversity of our world.

In year 2011, I had the "Pilgrim" at Barcelona, where my all time favorite Summer Olympic being hosted.


In year 2012, I finally have a brief visit at the place where it begins.....

The Games of the XXIII Olympia stays forever special in my heart. It was year 1984. I was 8 years old. I knew nothing about Olympics but I decided to wake up very early to watch the opening ceremony together with my uncle, just for fun. And I was hooked to Olympics ever since. Maybe because we can remember better when we were young, or maybe because this is such an unique experience for me, I have vivid memory of the jetpack, of the pianos and choir, and of how the "Olympic Fanfare and Theme" was played (it is until I when I wrote a blog about John Williams that I noticed this was composed by him. No wonder I love this piece so much :p)

So, before I departed LA for San Diego, I purposedly drove all the way (when I said purposedly, I meant it! LA's traffic is horrible and I didn't mind the countless traffic lights along S. Western Ave just to get to this place!) to the LA Memorial Coliseum.The weather was great and I love the fact that the coliseum stands out in the pictures with my favorite California blue sky as background.



Sunday 3 March 2013

Behind The Scene


It is hard not to plan at least a hint of Hollywood in your itinerary when you visit Los Angeles.

Hence, even I'm not a big fan of theme parks, I can't help but allocating one full day of my precious West Coast moment to "Universal Studios". We went there early, when the park just open. Walking from the car park to the theme park through CityWalk is a pleasant experience. We did have great time doing window shopping and per-decide which shops to go after we are done with the theme park.

Before we visited the park, we imagined there will be long queue everywhere and hence we have planned our strategy very well. We have only 3 must-do in the theme park: Transformers: The Ride-3D, Studio Tour, and WaterWorld

We heard the Transformers ride in Singapore is super hot so we decided to run all the way to lower lot once we get into the park, focus on Transformers ride, and tackle the rest one by one.


To our surprise, there's no queue at all. We didn't even have to wait in the line. We walked in to the building and got on the first car we saw, and we had the ride! Well, it was actually an awesome ride. It is amazing how real the 3D technology can become. I salute to all those have contributed their effort in making this so enjoyable!

Even I am not a fan of Transformers, still, how can I not take photos of Optimus Prime? :)


Now we learn that Universal Studio is not half as crowded as Disneyland, we were so relax!! We changed our plan and decided to take a few more rides at the lower lot before we go for studio tour.

Well, in this case, I MUST go to Jurassic Park! Watching Jurassic Park in the cinema 20 years ago (yes! it was almost 20 years ago!!) is one of those memories that stay vividly in my brain. I remembered my uncle and all the cousins went to cinema in Sunshine Square for this show. It was mind-blowing then with all the computer-generated imagery. I remembered how we screamed and laughed, and I remembered how scared we were during the build-up to the appearance of the T-Rex, with the water vibrating in the glass on the car's dashboard. Oh, and that is the first time I learned the word Velociraptor, and I love the idea of having smart-ass creature as vallain in box-office movies :)


During the beginning of the ride, it is quite relaxing and I can still manage to take some nice photos of smiling dinosaur with my handphone. However, the tension built up, and I have to hold the seat so tight and shouting non-stop during the treacherous drop at the end. We ended up all wet! But loving it!











The little girl then insisted to take the mummy ride. I think it was quite boring based on my previous experience. So, while she went for the ride, I took some time to visit the NBC Universal Experience. I really think there are rooms for improvement for this little museum. The props and costumes are very limited, and I think the visitors can hardly feel connected / excited at all.

Embarrassingly, I was more excited with the stand up cutouts of the Apollo 13 crew than visiting the NBC Universal Experience.










Oh, and how can I not trying to hi-5 with Iron Man?



My favorite experience of the park is of course the Studio Tour. Though this is my second visit, I still enjoy go behind the scene, exploring Hollywood's most famous backlot of movie studio, I still love how everyone shouts when The Jaws appear, I still cannot believe how a small Spanish town can have a flash flood in minutes, and I am still very excited to see THE DeLorean from Back to the Future! This time, the Studio Tour experience is even cooler with the King-Kong 360 3D. Peter Jackson made this so believable that my heart actually pounded everytime the T-Rex came near us.
Entrance to the coolest ride - King Kong 360 3D
 
Another pleasant surprise is The WaterWorld. Even when I was the fan of Kevin Costner, I never love the movie. But the stunts and actions that they planned in this show is great and fun! The fact that an actual small aeroplane flew in is fascinating :)
Concluded the visit



Due to there were basically very few visitors on the day we visited Universal Studio, we actually finished all the rides and shows that we wanted-to and those we never-planned-to, much earlier than we expected. We then spent our time shopping for souvenirs at the CityWalk and the little girl had her first ever Taco Bell as dinner.














As if we didn't have enough dose of Hollywood, we continued our journey at Hollywood Walk of Fame and The Grauman's Chinese Theater, a must-do for tourist around the world. I was not thrilled since there were no actual stars at sight, but I still love taking photos with the Star Wars folks :)


Sunday 24 February 2013

感动中国

我近年来很少看电视了,我不懂得处理自己对可悲世界的复杂情绪。中国的节目我更是敬而远之,那种煽情,总是轻易令我手足无措。今天不小心陪爸妈看了「感动中国」,在一旁假假玩着Bejewled Blitz,一旁眼泪鼻涕却在黑暗中流个不停。泱泱大国对表扬孝、善、爱显得刻意,却必需。在这人性贪婪自私迷失方向的道德衰败的世界,美好的人性应该被表扬。总会有一些真善美被唤醒,总有人的信念被巩固。
我总是被幸运之神眷顾。当我对人性存疑,就被安排看了「感动中国」,有一种释然,对人性,对人类,对明天...

Wednesday 20 February 2013

何苦为难自己

人类应该是全宇宙最贪婪的生物吧?我们脾胃所能消化的明明不多,偏偏过年过节我们总是食欲大过天,即使不暴饮暴食,也总是多饮多食,再不就乱饮乱食,反正我们吃进去的能量远远超过我们所需要的能量。单单是能量也就罢了,我们还热爱人工化学食物,味精染料防腐剂。真是罪过。
当佳节终于结束,身体功能较佳的开始自然排毒。上吐的比较少见,下泻的却是平常,更盛的是风邪上孔下孔奏交响。身体功能较差的或许没有什么显见症状,垃圾毒素却顿积在体内,不知道几时爆发。
最犯贱的是,毫无节制满足食欲后,回到现实还得拼老命减肥。也不知道那股拼劲当初为什么不用在抵制食欲上。还称自己万物之灵呢,有够可悲的。

各位,请别对号入座,我只是发发牢骚,怨一怨自己的薄弱意志而已。愿大家继续今朝有酒今朝醉,接下去还有几天才到元宵呢!


Tuesday 12 February 2013

Sunday 3 February 2013

Rock Scissors Paper Lizards Spock

I seriously think we should upgrade from Rock Scissors Paper to a more civilized method when come to deciding who to do the chores or who to decide what shows to watch for CNY countdown:

Get it? No? Sheldon says it's very simple:
Scissors cuts paper, paper covers rock, rock crushes Lizard, Lizard poisons Spock, Spock smashes scissors, scissors decapitates Lizard, Lizard eats paper, paper disproves Spock, Spock vaporizes rock, and as it always has, rock crushes scissors.


Confession of an Addict

I guess I won't get a lot of objections if I casually mention that I'm a person with strong mind. I am determined. I believe that real freedom lies in discipline. If I promise myself to wake up at 5am for exercise, I'll do it everyday, without miss (that's why I do not simply make promises, especially to myself :p )

Unfortunately, there are moments when I'm weak, and when I'm weak, I am the type of person that easily get addicted. If I'm the scientific observation subject of an extra-terrestrial, they will notice this strange behaviour: their subject have a routine, but sometimes, out of sudden, the repetitive pattern is interrupted by some strange boring activities where their subject will spend hoursssssssssssss on.

I have a permanent addiction to books. I have to read at least a few pages of anything before I go to sleep. It started all the way back to age around 4 or 5, at my mum's cousin's house. After getting tired playing outside, I started to explore the interior. I found a huge cupboard with various types of books and I'm attracted to the mysterious colourful mess. Ah Nee Jie Jie gave me a《儿童乐园》, and I'm hooked on books ever since. I will not pick up a fiction if I knew I got no time for it. However, sometimes I'm easily seduced and usually it means I'll stay up until 2am or 3am, until my body functions totally give up. I hate the fact that I'll get super tired the next day but I just can't help myself. And what I hated most if the sense of "emptiness" after I finished a great novel. I guess that is what drug addicts feel after they come back to consciousness.

I'm easily addicted to games. From Game & Watch, to Atari, to those 8 bits computer games, to PS to online games. I remember how I spent my school holiday destroying enemy's fighter jets and helicopters to protect a convoy of tractor trailers, or shooting peppers and walk around the maze to make hamburger, or forcing En En to play bubble bobble with me when he actually wished to polish up his driving skill in Crash Bandicoot. As exchange, I also spent equally long hours on Crash Bandicoot too. During my days in campus, sometimes I spent hours on a same boring game (like Solitaire or Hearts), trying to beat my own high score. Ever since I graduated from university, I have vowed not to play computer games anymore. So i always try very hard to keep myself away from the evil virtual universe. When someone that know me extremely well (like En En) tell me how great a game is, i know that is the game that i have to avoid forever. However, unfortunately, sometimes accidents do happen. I remember how I accidentally sit in front of En En's PC and played Sim City. I was so amazed by the cities I built, I spent a few months, utilizing hours after work to develop them and it was so tiring yet satisfying. I said no to game after that, but still accidentally started to play Bejewled Blitz. "It's only 1 minute per game, how harmful can it be?" That's my excuse for trying that game. Before I noticed, I start to play hours after hours. Now even I have stopped this bad habit, I still play it daily, as if something missing in my life if I don't touch it for once. So, for friends that trying to introduce new games to me through Facebook, sorry that I have to reject you. Having addicted on one at this moment is bad enough for me now.

I am a sitcom addict too. During the pre-Astro era and pre-internet download era, though i love tons of sitcoms but i never aware that I'm actually an addict. (To spend only less than 1.5 hours per day really cannot consider as an addict isn't it?) Decades ago, we have only TV1 and TV2. The sitcoms that I like only on air for 30 minutes per week (but I spent 7:30~8pm in front the TV set, in between 7pm Mandarin news and 8pm prime time news, every weekdays without miss). I love "I Love Lucy"(yes, I'm that old, thanks to TV2), "Family Ties", "Small Wonder", "Growing Pain", "Full House", "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air", "Boy Meets World", "Malcolm in the Middle" etc. this seem like normal, healthy, brainless yet harmless entertainment to me, until I noticed that I can be a couch potato for eternal when Astro air the Friends marathon. When all my siblings (including my cousins) telling me how good "How I Met Your Mother" and "The Big Bang Theory" are, I knew it too well that I have to stay as far away as possible from theses shows. I was quite successful until an unfortunate event happened during my flight back from US. I slept so well that when I woke up we were less than 3 hours away from Hong Kong. Too short for me to watch the movies so I told myself "What harm can it makes if I watch a few episodes of The Big Bang Theory?". Sigh..... It was so hilarious that I can't help myself from falling in love with it. I couldn't resist to finished En's downloaded 5 seasons of TBBT in less than one month. And now I'm in the dilemma of whether to start downloading Season 6 or to wait for En. For the record, I am so not going to start watching any episode of How I Met Your Mother! Please don't even try to persuade me!

I really want to spend my valuable time to learn new things, to grow, to be, to live a balance life......So,dear friends, please help me to keep me away from all these addiction :)

Wednesday 30 January 2013

Together

I haven't post anything for almost a month, and I would like to start my 2013 with a song: 


Why choose this song for my first blog post of 2013? Because I want to show you how much I love all my siblings: 

My REAL siblings

My Other Siblings