China-woman Madness

I SURVIVED!

Chinatown 2am, Chinese New Year's Eve.

Siao ah.

Though i must say that walking with 3 bunches of tall-stemed flowers was horrifying. Especially when you're walking with 900 other people at a time and trying hard not to stab their 1800 eyeballs with the flowers! Those who wear glasses, good on you!

Which is worse, hurting the flowers which i bought after squeezing through an impossible crowd or blinding someone i didn't know.

Tough choice.

Help me God.

Horror Show

This reminded me of something out of a horror movie.

Thought this looked scary for some reason.

Untill i examined the interior.

It was a shocker. A horror show in itself.

My car was overdue for a good clean out. ( abi will probably be nodding her head vigorously right now i'm sure)

Everywhere i drove today, every HDB carpark, every petrol kiosk car wash, people were washing their cars, or people were washing other people's cars.

It was madness.

The car wash queues went all the way out to the main road. Is there some superstition about washing ones' car on the eve of Chinese New Year or is it purely for vanity reasons.

I don't really know. But it was contagious.

The minute i got home, i started scrubbing. Reflecting on why i decided to conform to this gang-bang-wash-your-car syndrome, i figured it was just a good deadline i decided to give myself.

Procrastinating is second nature and unless you set your mind into doing something, in this case mine, you'll prolly end up living in a horrow movie yourself.

So 3 hours later, my car was washed.

Outside-in. Emptied of unecessary stuff so the back seats can actually return to its normal functions, which is to allow more passengers to ride in.

Abi, you proud?

Just so you know, found out about an hour ago that washing car has got nothing to do with luck. Its a proven fact.

Earlier today, my car number came out Starters in the 4D results. ( found out from a friend)

And i hadn't even washed it yet. See....

Oh well.

Uncle Revisited

uncle from a different angle

(see blog entry titled "No punn intended")

(;

Once again, Happy Chinese New Year to all!

**********************************

I've come up with this theory that you are not just what you eat, but you are what you sell too.

I'm not trying to be rude in any way but i've noticed this strange trend since i was as little as 5 years old when i would follow my grandmother to the market. I was young and so i thought it was some kind of pre-requisite. Found out later it was not. (my world made alot more sense after that)

* the fish monger looked a little like a fish, he had big droopy eyes (wish i had a camera then)*

* the egg seller had a head shaped like an egg, bald too! (still wish i had a camera)*

* the butcher would be very 'meaty', raw looking if you know what i mean.. (a lot of skin and flesh hanging out of his white swan brand singlet, a cigerette hanging out of the side of his lips, hanging precariously but never seems to fall out even when he's talking. *

* and the dried fish and food products uncle was skinny and frail.*

* the uncle selling fish-balls looked a little like...( i shall not be rude)*

A few days ago, almost twenty years later, i went to Chinatown and found this uncle selling pomelos.

....same thing....

It still happens!

Don't get me wrong, he's really nice.

Then it got me thinking again.

Couples tend to look like each other after many years of being together too.

I have heard of a "me and my pet look-alike" competition.

A "couple look-alike" competition too.

Now how about a competition for people like the uncle. What category is that gonna fall into?!

When i figure that part out, i'll tell you.

In the mean time, sounds like a new theme for photos.

(occupational hazard creeps in)

I bake because i can.

No Martha Stewart receipe here.

Just regular Ee-Ma (my mother's elder sister) that lives down the Street.

Everyone has an aunt like that.

They are the ones that bake all your cousins' birthday cakes. The ones that you would naturally gravitate towards during a party cause you know she has some chocolates or pastry stuck in her handbag.

So presenting, one of the things i've learnt from her:

Cream Puffs

here is the super receipe which apparently was noted by my mom on the 2nd of December 1992, at aunt anna's home.

Ingredients:

* 1 lb. flour

* 1 pint water

* 8-9 eggs

* 1 piece butter (9 oz)

>> Put butter and water in a saucepan, heat and bring to the boil.

>> Sieve flour, pour into saucepan and mix well, it should turn into a consistant looking dough.

>> Break eggs and beat in a mixer

>> Add beaten egg to the flour mixture dough (musn't be too soft or too dry)

>>Scoop flour mixture with spoon onto greased tray.

>>Bake for about 1/2 hr. at very high temperature (250 degress celcius).

After all that... you would think it's over. Unfortunately not.

Next step is the Custard Filling.

Custard Cream Filling

4 tablespoons of custard powder.

1 tin of evaporated milk together with water to make 3 pints.

Mix 1 part with the custard powder (mix well) and the rest to be boiled.

Add about 10 tablespoons of sugar.

When you're done with all that preparation, and the puffs come out nice and fat, make a small slit in them. Fill them with the custard cream filling and you're ready to rock.

End

I learnt one important thing from all this.

Based on logic, i used to think that when something is a little too dry; add water.

In the case of baking.

If your cake or pastry looks too dry, add egg NOT water.

And after all that effort, i'm full.

No Punn Intended.

(:

Happy New Year everyone!

Too much, too many..

Are we spoilt for choice?

I realised after a phone conversation that we are not spoilt for choice... but instead, greedy.

Subconsciously, we want to be able to do or have everything. In the Ideal world (in our minds that is).

I present you, the evidence:

S: shall we go to Charlie's Corner?

M: ummmm...

S: what about Fisherman's village?

M: i dunno.. both sound kinda fun.

S: quick decide.

M: ummm.... ok. Ok. Let's go to Fisherman's Corner.

S: WHAT? where's that

M: ooops i mean Fisherman's Village...

The Realisation......

It's a Bug's Life!

Upon arrival i noticed this: Upon further inspection, i realised this: sorry ):

Perks of the Job!

I found Eric, public relations officer with the Singapore Football Association smiling from ear to ear with a tiger beer bottle in his hand during the press conference, for a soccer match happening tomorrow. Catching him red handed i yelled "Hoi! you're drinking on the job!" Eric just smiles sheepishly at me and says: "Tiger Beer is our client whaat!. Must support mah!" All i could reply was: "True.." ***long pause*** "True." Man, this is one hell-of-an example of the perks of the job.

So everyone, meet our media man who does such a wonderful job to make our jobs easier:

Eric Ong. (He knows his priorities (; ... he really does. Thanks Eric!)

It's not Asparagoos, it's Asparagus!

(Do Not adjust your screens.)

I kid you not.

This is the colour of what is known to many as Cream of Asparagus.

He BUFF'D me...

He Flaps a piece of cloth in front of my face. My first reaction: M: ( I laughed at him.. ) You paid that much?!?! It's just a piece of cloth... I can sew one together for you.. S: No it's not. Its A BUFF!!! And this is seamless! It's woven, that's why it's so comfortable. M: OH really ah. _________Silence___________ 2 Weeks Later...

M: Ee! how come you bought yourself a red one with flower motifs? So girly. (actually eyeing it cause the patterns dam nice - never mind that its just a piece of cloth.) S: Girly meh? I like cannot ah... M: I dunno. ... (disappointment sets in) its just not very you. (fake smile) S: AIYAAAA.... i bought this for you lah.

M: AIYAAAA.. YOU BUFF'D ME ALL THIS WHILE.

THANK YOU... i love buffs.. i think everybody needs one. in fact i think it should be sponsors to TV programmes like Survivor or used as a challenge in the Reality designer series Project Runway!>> Make a dress out of this piece of cloth today. OOps i beg your pardon. I meant, from this Buff.

Picture This:

I once read this brilliant phrase:

" Never under-estimate the importance of doing nothing." - Pooh

Last night, I learnt another:

"Never under-estimate the ability of little-people." - me

Scrolling through pictures taken by my 5-year old friend, Ethan Tan (see picture above), i was pretty much amazed at what seemed to be better than expected.

*Knee-high pictures of mei-mei, his cousin, executed in a style of which we professional photographers call "Panning".

*Self-portrait, showing just part of the face. Very avant gard! (good. Keep em coming! never reveal too much of yourself. Maintain some form of mystery. Girls love that!)

*Captured a moment where Aunty Maye-E was working with the SLR camera. Good, only because he kept the face out. Very considerate to our readers (we don't want them throwing up now boy.) Good Photographers are Sensitive to their subjects and surroundings!

I guess a cliche is a cliche cause it always happens.

So maybe i did fall into that catogory of people who judged a book by its cover.. yet we are all suckers for good packaging.

I admit, i felt a little worried when i saw you sneezing into my contax...

BUT ITS OK!!...

....really... you didn't know that digital components and snot don't go well together.

But you're such a darling with a low angle ability and truthful eye that i will never be able to translate into my pictures again without twisting or breaking something on me. I forgive you.

And am proud of you. But about my Canon EOS 1D, its still heavier than you right now.

So maybe when you're 13 years old ok?

Nice pictures Ethan!

You inspire me. With your lack of technical knowledge and instead, your abundance of Feelings.

Guess you know what your next birthday prezzie's gonna be! (;

Milking it for what it's Worth

On some Sundays, people go shopping. Some spend time with their Loved ones, and some just wonder around aimlessly For the Tan brothers, spending some time at home this gloomy afternoon was satisfying enough. Especially when they decided to install a new cabinet and blinds for the house. Every family member had a little bit to do. (dad gives instructions, brothers do the work around the house, mom does the cleaning up.... so singaporean right!) A contribution is a contribution, no matter how small. So for the next 7 hours or so...

Another time spent. Seeing this site made me feel a little guilty for not doing anything.. might have been the weather.

"Its Chinese New Year! Everyone must do their part to help tidy the house. I don't care what it is, you can find something." quote some "how to be a good granny" handbook from some ancient time.

SHOULDN'T HAVE GONE THERE.

Found an inflatable Cow that needed to be deflated. (so that more space can be created for our dear men to work), only problem was that the cow was life-sized. When determined, a person will do almost anything to get something else done. Whether it makes you look rediculous, at that point, it really doesn't hit you. Hence the weird positions..

I'm sorry kids. But no matter how scary this scene may be, i assure you no animal was hurt in the process. I still love Cow and Chicken. I really Do.

I see the Cow. That makes the other the...

MOCHI + BOYS = this

Japanese Sticky Rice Cake Mochi (sticky rice cake) is an important food in Japanese culture, and usually it's eaten during winter. For example, people decorate their houses with special mochi called kagamimochi and eat zoni (rice cake soup) during New Year's holidays. I love how people are left to interprete things whatever way they want. You go figure this one. (:

Why we can never take part in the Winter Olympics.

because it doesn't

Sn 000000OOOOWwwwww w

in Singapore

original as the idea might sound, snowboarding in club street, can be painful-- but he has the balls

(still i hope) i hope you guys have insurance. in a bid to loosen up,

we (sunny singapore) now hold events that were not normally allowed in the past.

and........ well, we seem to be taking things to the extreme.

TO B. OR NOT TO B.

yes i'm sure this is the question some of us have to tackle. it's a little harder when you know you have a tendency to procrastinate. starting a blog would mean that you make a sort-of committment to yourself. entries.... at least once a week.. ok maybe 2. (see, the bargaining already starts!!) so to those of you who update your blogs, re-style them, personalise them. I salute you. You are my heroes. here goes nothing...