22 Eat All You Can At A Minor Place - It's Only RM11

It is, to date, the cheapest Chap Fan (Mixed Rice / Economy) style lunch buffet that I know of - with fried noodles tossed into the mix.  The catch? None, except that you pay extra if you waste and you have to reuse your plate. Sounds fair to me! This would be heaven for big eaters. Hubs went straight for it.

Round 1 - Lala, Chicken, Fried Rice

Me? I chose to go ala carte and ordered Wat Tan Hor (an eggy noodle dish) that Sunday. It was just one of those times that I craved for wet noodles. Oh, well.

Flat Noodles In Egg Gravy

I took a peek into A Minor Place's Facebook page and noticed how kind and generous the owners are. They clearly have a charitable heart. A story published on Star Online tells how the owners, in order to prevent food wastage, distribute what's left uneaten to security guards in the area.

The other thing that warmed me to them is that they do not practise ageism. Retirees are welcome to apply for jobs here. It is something I long to see more of in our society.

I don't know about you but anything that puts the warm-and-fuzzy in me is a great place to eat. My taste buds aren't solely dictated by perfectly cooked steak or macarons baked on point. It includes my feelings, and I'm feeling really good about this place. Hubs and I enjoyed our meal.

A Minor Place

We will be back!

Address:
A Minor Place
Block G-0-11, Plaza Damas,
60 Jalan Sri Hartamas 1,
Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Contact number : 03 - 6211 7418
11.30am to 2.30PM - Buffet Lunch RM11 daily
Non-Halal

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Random thoughts --
Something I wrote for Ivy, a friend whom I love to bits.

Everyone needs a friend who says, "Hold on, this isn't right! Stop!"
That's my buddy for you. It takes guts to have real friends.
It's easy to surround ourselves with "yes" people, the forever-supportive (even when you do wrong) ones
but to grow into the best version of ourselves, we're gonna need an Ivy in our lives.
Someone who reels you in when you go overboard with the bad stuff.
Someone who says it's ok to fall but you gotta get up.

12 A Day Out With A Friend

Our conversations often strayed into office politics. It is not a strange thing in the corporate world. Sometimes it gets ridiculously ugly with management turning a blind eye to the situation. It's a common story angle told through books and television shows and surprisingly, not very different in real life except less comedic.

We walked around the mall trying to look for a comfortable spot to continue our chat and at the same time have brunch.

" No...she didn't. " I gasped.

" And she had the gall to deny it! " continued my friend, "This, with evidence of her wrongdoing! "

That's the gist of our conversation, not in exact words.
 
Reaching the end of the shopping mall, we noticed some activity going on down below in the open. The Body Shop, working jointly with Free Tree Society Kuala Lumpur, was giving out free plants in conjunction with Earth Day.

The Body Shop - Free Plants For All

We popped in to see if there was anything that interested us. I was surprised to see Sabah Snake Grass. A flood of unpleasant memories washed over me. It was the thing my aunt took to help fight the cancer that was spreading in her body.

I remember it clearly. She was feeling weakened. A fellow cancer fighter who was also on snake grass revealed a little late that he had stopped taking it after his body reacted poorly to it. It seemed that there was a side effect and it hindered his recovery process instead of improving it. My aunt was upset that he didn't feel the need to mention it earlier. She had a hunch that it wasn't doing much for her either. That's the thing with miracle claims of cancer fix-its  - no one really wants to tell the truth out of fear that it will extinguish what little hope that still lights the heart. It could have benefited some people, I wouldn't know, but there shouldn't be a feeling that you can't tell people honestly how it fared in your case.

Free Plants

We left empty-handed, deciding that it would be a nuisance to carry a plant around with us seeing I was without my car that day and she was taking public transport.

Passion Fruit Tree

We walked towards my regular lunch spot. I ordered the usual iced lemon tea and a rice curry set to go with it.

I guess office politics will never really go away especially not in large corporations. There's only so many managerial positions available for people to get promoted into and they get so caught up in the rat race that all they can think of is a job title to impress friends and family, and a salary to afford a fancy home in the city or the suburbs. An unbranded phone wouldn't cut it. Neither would a handbag from Petaling Street. It's all a charade to look successful, and the more desperate ones resort to unsavory methods to stay ahead.

We ended the day thanking each other for a lovely time, both walking away into different directions with a shopping bag in hand, mine with a new black collared tee. 

8 Mind Matter : The Thing About Happiness

Is anyone here a fan of the TV show 'Hart Of Dixie'? The story's a little over-the-top, but I love its many hilarious moments and the good feeling it brings about.

I'm not going to elaborate on the show. I'm here to share some of Wade's wisdom which I think makes a lot of sense. Wade is a fictional character, of course.  I wrote this down as I watched the show. I've a habit of doing that - collecting inspiring words from TV shows. 

This one's from Season 2 - If It Makes You Happy.

Wade Kinsella says to Zoe Hart ...

"Sometimes I think you're just the saddest person in the world. Always looking over your shoulder what life should be instead of taking it for what it is.

You're not honest about what makes you happy. 

You know what I'm gonna do tonight? I'm gonna go home, I'm gonna play video games for 2-3 hours. What I'm not gonna do is beat myself up for playing video games instead of saving the world. If I wanna save the world, hell, I'll do it tomorrow.

Cos it's my choice.

Just like it was your choice to stay in Bluebell, it's your choice to be a GP instead of a super sonic space surgeon or whatever, and it was your choice to go to bed with me. And clearly, something about every one of those choices made you happy. The problem is they don't match up with the picture in your head about what your life should be. 

You wanna be happy, Doc? Change your picture, change your life."

Makes sense?

8 The Internet Bookworm

Have you ever wondered if anyone reads your blog for real? I don't mean just popping in for a comment. I almost always do. Maybe it's because I have time on my hands. Maybe I'm an internet bookworm. Who knows.

I used to read into the wee hours of the morning. There was this unexplainable need to finish the book against good judgement. Perhaps the bags under my eyes are not tied to my genes after all. It could be a result of countless late nights dedicated by a drive to know 'what happened next' in the story.

As I grew older, my interest dimmed. I was tired from work, gym and I got caught up with being a zesty 20-something. This is good tired. I come home, zonk out and wake up with thoughts of taking over the world. I had the gojira roar.   

The internet wave hit soon after. The job? Less inspiring. I became bad tired. Lethargic. It was time to buy a house and a car. Reports and numbers were my new social life. I still read. Insurance manuals, staff memos, employment act, if that's what you call reading. Spirited life slipped away. Domino mundaneness followed... 

Fast forward today, I read blogs and news portals. It started out as a way to simply pass time but now, it's how I keep myself updated with what's going on in the world. Even books are going digital. I felt guilty about it for awhile. I asked myself if I was killing book authors out there. Will future likes of Stephen King and Jane Austen be no more? Our music collection began on a vinyl record. Now, it's on youtube, free. Aaah..I dwell on this too much!   

I love blog reading. You get to engage the author. That makes it really interesting. I feel a connection. I even read an entire fantasy series on a blog the other day. The only thing 'not fun' about blog reading is that you never know when the next story is going to be posted. I'm going to 'haha' this with a finger pointing back at me. Silly.

Sometimes, I find gems of advice, like these:

Let me be the first to say that my mom told me that if you don't have something good to say, just don't say it ~ Abbe Odenwalder (This IS How I Cook)

My dad always says, "People who don't save, live hand to mouth." ~ Izdiher

Sometimes, you need a break from your family, and travelling alone can give you time to relax and sort things out ~ Shirley Tay (Luxury Haven)

In one's journey in life, it is important to experience all sorts of things; be it sweet (and lovely), unpleasant (sour), sad (bitter) and spicy (excitement). ~ Trishie (Under Lock And Key)

But who needs those branded bags anyway. Who to judge your value based on the items you carrying or putting around your body? ~ Rose (Rose' World)

These words are born out of real experiences. The internet is a wealth of real life stories, of which many will never be printed into books.

No longer am I limited to knowledge passed down by what my ancestors have experienced either. I may have learned the basics of cooking from mom, but I learned tricks and techniques from the internet. I have quite a collection of printed recipe books. I sheepishly admit that this is most likely a burgeoning hobby like stamp collecting.

So, am I becoming an internet bookworm? I guess. My pet peeve about it - I can pick up a book and read it for two hours straight without disturbance. Try doing that on a pc without someone saying, "Get off the computer already!". Oh, the unfairness. Crossing my arms and pursing my lips on this one.

I end this post with a small quote...which I may or may not elaborate on later. Now I'm just being cheeky.

0 I want everything and everyone silenced!

The world is not meant to be silenced by selfish man.

It was meant to carry the cries of a baby, whoops of laughter, the meows of a cat or bark of a puppy. It was meant to carry the pop-pop-snap of firecrackers during festive season, the chimes of church bells on Sunday mornings, the crackling of prawn crackers expanding in the hot oil of the wok.

It was meant to carry the serene sounds of a running stream, the chirps of birds, the shrill of the wind and booming thunder!

It was meant to carry a mother's commanding voice, "Tidy your room, young lady!", that oof! in pillow fights and who can forget the neighbour who's doing home renovations - the bang! bang! bang! that goes on.

It was meant to carry music! ..

And whilst you know what I'm getting at, let me add this. A glass is meant to carry water but be careful how much and how hot you pour into it because you don't want to make a mess and you don't want to break it.

....The Earth was not meant to carry the sounds of war or screams of torture.

The sound of waves softly hitting the shore

0 Surely there are better ways ...

Wuaaa...surely there are better ways to welcome us!

I'm kidding, of course. We were in Penang last month. It was a beautiful drive until we almost hit a protruding flag that had fallen sideways.

"Where did that come from!" I exclaimed twice as we missed the second one just nearly.

There were more and more flags as we headed towards Gurney Drive. It wasn't very pretty. I love flags but I think whoever was assigned to do the job had little regard for the tidiness of the town...this, being my bone of contention.

Quick now..tie it to the handrail. Doesn't matter if it falls.

That's right, just poke into the ground everywhere.

Slot it in those bamboos trees too.

ONE brilliant idea.

0 Inspired to 'rock' my garden

Revamping the garden ~ a necessary ...joy.

And all because I stumbled across two lovely decorative rocks while shopping the other day. Engraved on it were words of wisdom that affirms some of my spiritual beliefs.

"Bloom where God plants you". Anywhere. Whether you're a homemaker, an office employee, in school or a bus driver, be the best you can be in your field, do good and take pride in your work.

God said to do good wherever we are. He never said one role was better or more important than the other. 

"On Christ the solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand". In God I trust, for He will never forsake me nor crumble under pressure like all men do.

Interpretations for myself.

0 Electing For Good

That's where my vote is going this election - to the good man. It will be nothing to do with which political camp I support because I am no blind follower.

I will not abide by a wrong nor defend it in a show of steadfast loyalty. I'm afraid I have yet to reach this level of insane illogicality and the cruelness that comes with it. This cruelness that is so unabashedly displayed these days for the online world to see. It baffles me. The name-calling - DAPigs, Najis?

When have the hearts of Malaysians turned black with hatred and where have our manners gone in all this? Do we generally lack the EQ to handle situations unfavourable to our interests or beliefs? If we were once known worldwide for our down-to-earth and friendly demeanor, I am certain that we have fallen down the rank this day.

I cannot understand why anyone would agree to burning bibles or come out with hair-brained ideas that my tresses can only be cut by stylists of my gender. I fail to see how,  "If you vote for me, I give you this and that" is not construed as bribery. I cannot even fathom how it is very "nice" to arrogantly suggest that fellow Malaysians leave the country because they raised 'sensitive' questions. I don't get that warm fuzzy feeling knowing we have hum sup laos (perverts) as leaders. 

Can there be no beginning to intelligent debate amidst all this bickering? Are we heading towards a kind of extremism where we are slowly being coerced into becoming opinionless yes men?  

I think what we are all forgetting is that every Malaysian has a right to support whom they please and they should be given access to credible news and information so that they are able to make sound decisions on their own. There will always be bad apples in every political party. I believe that it is the duty of the rakyat to ensure that the rotten ones do not get elected in. This responsibility does not solely fall onto the shoulders of party leaders. We play a key role too.

At the end of the day, it is only when our parliament is filled with capable and honest individuals that our country will truly prosper. And it will not matter which party they come from because they don't represent any in parliament. They represent only us, the rakyat.

Whether one is a Barisan supporter, PKR die-hard or an independent party believer is of little concern. The important thing is we should all stand together against ill practices no matter which party the perpetrator stands for.

To sum it up, I have never understood the logic of voting for an individual in support of the larger party. In fact, I cannot imagine crossing my ballot for any unsavoury character ..

I am eager to cast my vote in this coming election but it will go to the better man.
.

0 What's In A Name..

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
      By any other name would smell as sweet.." ~ Shakespeare

That sums it up perfectly. A flower blooms amongst my green leafy plants but I do not know its name. I've googled, I've asked people outside the world of my computer. The answer eludes me like does that soft feather that floats lightly in the wind.

I ask myself, "Does it matter then?"

I appreciate its beauty nonetheless. Perhaps it will be wise to spend more time valuing the joy it brings than run around searching for its identity!

0 Holding ..or Hoarding Power

Aaaah..dramatic use of words when trying to push a sale through.

Holding Power, nothing but a showy announcement of wealth. Property agents love spouting these words to intimidate potential buyers into resigning to the fact that prices ARE going to be this expensive.

I don't allow pride to overcome sense.  So these words, to me, are a crude way of getting the message across. If you have holding power, then by all means keep the property and walk away. The last thing I want to know is if anyone has "hoarding power".

What does it mean to me really, the ordinary layperson outside the realm of property business. It is only a seller who can pay for maintenance, loan interest and utility bills for years until he gets a buyer to sign at a price he wants. They risk lower gains after putting in so much to upkeep the place, but optimistic greed tells them there will be that jackpot buyer coming along soon. It doesn't look like a good move investment-wise but I could be wrong.

So, are sellers with holding power really just people hoard what they can't sell. They hoard out of pride.

But then again, perhaps the property isn't on loan and the seller is earning good rental money...I'll keep an open mind.

Otherwise, it only tells me that the seller can ill afford to sell it lower because he wouldn't be able to settle the debt he has with the bank, but who is big enough to admit that...

I was keen on purchasing a unit in Villa Damansara once. It was a two-storey corner unit with an unkempt garden and windows dressed in old curtains which tore at the slightest pull. The upstairs was dingy and it was obvious that it had seen better days when it was in the company of fresh air. The ceiling was stained with brown spots evident that water had sipped through.

The asking price was an eye-rolling RM750k. For that amount, we could consider buying a new property elsewhere. But since the seller had "hoarding power", we did not initiate negotiations. He had been hoarding this property for almost a year. 

We went home satisfied with letting it go.

Two days later, the agent called offering a discount of RM100k. I was hardly excited but she rattled on like it was the best deal anyone could get.

My feelings bordered on irritation by the end of the conversation because I could have ended up paying RM100k more if I was the fool who believed that the worth of the home is in the location and the design.

No, the worth of a home, to me, has always been about the people we live with and the beautiful memories we build together. It can be a cheap apartment somewhere but it would be priceless for the wonderful moments that colour its history. I'm looking for a place to make a home, not for a house to shelter my ego.

2 Snooping the Neighbourhood in Torrential Rain

21 August 2012, 2.30PM - 4.00PM. The rain has been punishing these past days. Hubs and I were having lunch in Kota Damansara when it poured, swift and hard with gusts of wind that serves only to remind me of Mary Poppins floating in with her umbrella.

Raindrops keep falling on my head ♪♫

"Wanna check out Desa Parkcity's roundabout in this weather? " , I ask from a past experience and a curiosity if things were the same.

Minutes later, we were in our car, drenched but still adamant about going to check out our dream neighbourhood in stormy conditions. We also explored the roads surrounding the area. This includes Bandar Manjalara and some of Kepong.

The main roads were generally flood-ridden, even those leading us out of Kota Damansara. I felt as though we were driving through an obstacle course. Every corner was filled with pools of water, some deeper than comfortable.

The more dangerous ones were the sloped roads with rushing water and traffic lights. No one broke the traffic light rules even though the road was flooded. If anyone thought Malaysians were rogue drivers, they would have changed their minds after seeing this phenomena.

Stranded at the roundabout outside Desa Parkcity

Smaller cars owners chose to wait by the roadside against angry honks by those who owned larger vehicles. I root for the sensible. Some drivers braved the waters, only to be stranded.

We are a long way from a proper drainage system and a clear head for the little people.

I just wonder if we should start planning for an underwater city instead.
My statement isn't meant to be taken seriously of course, but it would certainly put an end to flooding woes.

More photos:

The roundabout at the main entrance, Jalan Residen Utama, Desa Parkcity

The second entrance into Desa Parkcity from Persiaran Residen 3, facing Bandar Manjalara 62B

More roads flooded along the way

Jalan 3/36, near SRJK (C) Kepong 3

0 I am for unity, not uniformity ..

Birds of a feather flock together. It is my least favourite quote, a grim reminder of racism and extremism, even if it's never used in this context. People of the same kind flock together. Those who differ...well, you know.  These are thoughts of an idle mind. It would be folly for anyone to read on.

If 1Malaysia had to be defined by a murder of crows, there would be no need for the tourism board to advertise us to the world as a multicultural society. A whole race of of sameness, much like the crows. That seems to be what cries of 1Malaysia mean today.

Unity, not uniformity, is my understanding of the slogan but there are instances when it is challenged by news of rough action against those who are 'different' from the rest of common us, the defiling of sacred places, the mocking of religious practices other than our own and, the harsh call for those who question to renounce their citizenship and return to their "homeland?".

They say these are actions of the minority, but how is it then that they seem to be making headway in getting approval for some of their ridiculousness. Our leaders, the ones holding the rein, remain silent and submissive.

I guess there will be no real peace until we all sing the same tune.. from our words to our opinions, our dress and our actions. Only then, can we "flock together".

Variety, it seems, is no longer the spice of life, at least not where I'm standing.

..The light shineth not upon upon these crows who believe they are higher and holier than the rest... That's it! I'm reading too much into this photo.

0 The Long Journey Begins..

Frustration, nothing but a bane to positive chi. It's been 14 days. A cure? So near, yet so far. What stage are we - seek and you shall find.

We are still seeking. We pray for a find and hope it will be soon. She weakens by the day from a soft diet. I watch her pale, boney hand reach out to give me a high five, a sign between us that "We can pull through this together".

While we scour the hospitals for a miracle, she has dedicated her days towards alternative treatment. A week goes by, the PET scan shows only what was and still is. This is a test, I know it. Mayhaps a bit more time.

We place our faith still in Sabah Snake Grass for the moment. Will this be our miracle cure? I pray it is.

Sabah Snake Grass

In the blender with slices of apple and iced water

Are we ready?

There she goes..!

A herbal cure, a hope

2 The "Title" Chase

There are times when I actually believe I'll bump into my neighbours one day, having to greet them with, "Good morning Tan Sri, Dato' Sri, Datuk Seri, Datuk, how are all of you today? Is Puan Sri, Datin Sri, Datin at home?"

"OhHh, our wives are busy with the kids, you know, my son the Datuk and my daughter, the Datin...hehehe," drawls one of them.

An oversupply we would have been proud of, if not for a few(?) bad apples. It would have meant that we have a large number of outstanding individuals contributing to society and to the progress of the nation.

While we lament over the loss of prestige in these titles and wonder whether it was accorded through merit, we blind ourselves of an issue close to our hearts and it is alarming how we're responding to it.

Aaah, it is so easy to speak about the Datuks and what-not in disdain without looking at our own backyard. 

How many of us are guilty of demanding for recognition although we haved performed only 'so-so' because we're "seniors and we deserve it" and through excuses like "we need that Manager title so that our customers will respect us"? How many business owners have promoted an employee to a managerial post just to fill a gap or because he was next in line?

And how many of us have titles that baffle like "Nail Technician" instead of manicurist? Has technicality lost it's depth in meaning and are Janitors really "Cleaning Technicians" or "Assistant VPs in the Janitorial Department"? 

The "title frenzy" is most evident in the office but no one cares to admit it because it would mean losing the opportunity to be someone "important". Monetary recognition signifies achievement in the workplace but a great job title brings a sense of self-importance. We want to be known as "important people", not outstanding ordinary citizens.

We are quick to cry for things to be accorded based on 'merit'. With Account Managers who lead files, accounts clerks who are Assistant Vice Presidents in the Finance Department (handling the VP's private bank account, I suppose), telemarketers who are Sales Executives, marketing assistants who are Business Development Consultants and so forth, I'm afraid many of us are just not ready to face the truth about ourselves.

Corporations have only themselves to blame for gasps of horror when sub par employees who are unable to live up to their title go out and try to impress the world.

Signing off,
Keyboard Maintenance Manager (I do keep it clean)

2 We CAN-DO with less

We were all raised on a good cup of Milo. It was a morning ritual for the family.

I've often thought of it as the must-have health drink, so that I'll grow up big and strong. That was what moms told us kids back in those days. Children of all levels of society in my hometown drank milo. No one I knew did not have milo at home. If we had our way, it have would been accorded the National drink title, not Teh Tarik.

But today, with rising costs and all...Gomen say, "Change lifestylelar, spend less" hmmph!..not in these exact words..

In line with this "change lifestyle"  motto, I've taken up the task of trimming our grocery costs in earnest. It was therefore with a heavy heart that I finally left Milo out from our regular shopping list. A family tradition spanning three generations, finally broken.

Is it just me or does anyone else feel that it's pretty costly these days?

Finding a breakfast replacement was a soul searching journey. It was, after all, the start of our day and there's nothing worse than meeting the rising sun with a "Aiyarr, must I drink this horrid tasting thing every morning..blekk".

Everything was compared to the "rich chocolatey taste of Milo". I was beginning to wonder if this'll ever work.

"You're addicted," I delcared in the face of a weakening resolve. My fingers trembled as I reached out towards a packet of Milo after weeks of abstention. I stood at the grocery aisle for sometime deliberating and arguing with myself. I am my own mortal enemy.

"No! Don't do this, save money!"

"What's the harm? It's a health drink. Just this once.." I think I winked at myself there.

"Be strong!" the positive in me replied. 

"I can start slow, can't I? Milo this week, other brand the next. I need calcium!"

Before I lost my marbles, I took a step back, cleared my thoughts and gave myself a dressing down. The good people out there argue with  themselves over whether abortion is right, whether death sentences should be upheld, whether they can afford THAT house and here I stand arguing over the merits of drinking milo...

As soon as I reached out for the 2Kg chocolate malt pack next to Milo, which costs a whopping RM10 less, I gave myself a pat on the back.

First Choice Chocolate Malt was the answer to my breakfast drink predicament and a little 'shake' gave it the oomph I needed to stay on course.

It's been three months since my last Milo drink and as far as savings go, it's as they say "sikit-sikit, lama-lama jadi bukit" (little by little, over time, it will accumulate into a hill) not a molehill, I hope

Do I miss Milo? Not at all, because this tastes as g-r-e-a-t ..well, not at first, not until I added this extra step ♫♪ shake, shake, shake ♫♪  shake, shake, shake ♫♪

A yummy frothy hot chocolate malt drink

Aahh.. (licks froth from lips)

Ditanggung Halal and 'shake' sedap
(Purchased from Cold Storage)

This is how I make my cup of frothy goodness.

Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons of chocolate malt
- 2 teaspoons of milk powder
- Hot water (enough to fill a cup)

Todo:
Add all ingredients together in a cup. Stir well. Pour this into a water bottle or flask (with cover). Give it a good shake. Serve into cup of choice (I use the same cup).

Sprinkle a bit of chocolate malt on top (if you like it chef-like).

0 A Fool And His Money Are Soon Parted

There's no green-eyed monster here, only a free-gift monster you could not admire. She's gullible,  she stocks up on kitchen collectibles because experience tells her that "they're never going to reproduce this design again!" and is green enough to believe that offers mentioned on sales ads are real bargains.

If the marketing guys are looking for someone who'll fawn over their lame (not) sales gimmick, I'm that person, the semi-old lady who's easily attracted to free stuff, be it of use or not. It's free-lah, what more you want me to say..

My kitchen cabinet's full and I don't pat myself on the back for this one. I've yet to feel the urge to part with my collectibles or junk (I detest labels) as some may call it. I sincerely believe it could be passed down as valuable inheritance. Someone's bound to appreciate me for it, no? 

On a recent grocery trip, I unwittingly collected three gift items, without realising the folly of my actions. If it's any consolation, I've a keen eye for supermarket freebies.

Now, I've a plastic cup I can do without and I've paid more than I should have. I've stayed away from Oreo cookies for ages simply because it's the more expensive brand. Call it a protest, if you must. The fun cup promo broke my resolve - I detest it.

"It's a fun cup, Oreo inspired! I'm never gonna find another cup as cute as this..." I tell myself, like I don't already have tonnes of plastic cups at home.

Another plastic cup

Aww, shame on me, this isn't even my favourite toothpaste. It must've been those security scanners all these big supermarkets have at the entrance. Its put me in a trance, "Freebies are bargains..Freebies are bargains". 

Another bowl to the collection
(Doesn't even mention what its made of or if its microwaveable)

A free mug from KFC that contains 24k Gold. It did cross my mind that this could be worth a fortune, that's why the purchase was made I suppose. Mmm.. my heir will appreciate this for sure. This is mug number 30-something.

Sucker

Can I pawn it..?

Woe to Mother Earth indeed. I'm contributing to the unncessary mount of garbage on our lands. The more freebies I collect, the more companies nobly produce cheapware for me and like-minded individuals to collect. I say nobly because they think they're doing us a favour.

This is a mid year resolution - I hereby resolve to be a responsible shopper from here onwards and to go for real bargains only (Things that benefit wallet-wise and use-wise).

0 Panda Fish Cakes (Fish balls aren't 'in' anymore)

I could not suppress my inner child. So RM4.99 was spent on a packet of frozen Panda shaped fish cakes, bought solely based on their cuteness. Sweet girly pink, it was hard to ignore. I am weak that way.

Made from high protein white fish meat

There it goes, cute lil things

The perfect accompaniment for Maggi Mee ^.^

It tastes like what any processed fish cake would taste like. 

They are sold in other shapes too like stars, rabbits and turtles. I guess I'm going to be a regular customer for awhile. It makes food all the more appetising to the eye.

Purchased from Cold Storage, distributed by HSH Frozen Foods . 

0 15% flat tax and car benefits for returning Malaysians ..say what?

Other than bring the rot, extra candy does not help.

Returning experts who are in the same tax bracket as some of us 'non-talented' locals, will get to enjoy the full benefits of being a Malaysian at a lower price, how audacious!

It's a social divide we can do without. After all, we're already stuck with these labels - the upper class, the middle class and the lower class. Adding 'lower-taxed upper class' into the order does not help improve ties between people.

I was under the impression that we had a large number of talents residing in Malaysia from the string of straight As students we seem to produce yearly. It's almost laughable that we're short of geniuses who can be nurtured into persons capable of transforming the economy.

Perhaps it's time we take a good look at our backyard and wonder where our local grads have gone after graduating from our prestigious local universities. This issue on the lack of experts would not be plaguing the country now, if we had trained our young-uns well. We have just admitted to the world that our schools, smart or not, do not manufacture the smarts.

Our efforts to woo talents in are insincere to the present generation who wish to grasp the complexities of science, maths, business concepts and so forth. They are stuck with an education system which only rewards those who are able to regurgitate memorised scripts.

We've many here still, who are comtemplating to migrate or send their children away. Should we not plug the hole first? Otherwise, it's akin to constantly filling water into a leaking bucket and you wonder why the bucket's not full even after you've put in so much.

There's talk of some leaving due to living conditions, like how lifestyle has become more 'restrictive' and neighbourhoods 'unsafe'.

If the anyone's serious about economic transformation, then it only makes sense that we do something 'real' about improving the education system and living conditions of society.

It's illogical to 'go all out' to import talents, while ignoring the needs of Malaysians who live and breathe here. It would be pertinent to look at how long we intend to carry on this exercise of short term yield. Years? Do we not wish to ensure that the future generation, who choose to study locally, are educated into sharp thinking individuals?

At the end of the day, if we're not going to resolve this in earnest, then we'll continue losing talents and continue wooing in the same ones who left. It would give rise to Malaysian grads leaving and working elsewhere, then applying to come back on the pretext of being a "Returning Malaysian Expert'.

With a population of over 27 million, it's a dead shame if most of us are only good on paper.

0 Road patch work hobbyists

Allow me to present their work of art. 

I commend them for their dedication to get word out to the public. They've displayed their work almost everywhere in the Klang Valley, except the National Art Gallery. I'm surprised they haven't yet applied for a permit to exhibit there as a final testimony of their prowess.

Awesome square patch on the Federal Highway

An uneven rectangle patch from the 'shape series'



Cobra inspired



Pacman lines

A symbol of the straight and narrow path

A silver (grey) lining

Dorothy's Brick Road in ruins

2 Chicken Sausages in Vanilla Cream Soda

The urge to gobble up gourmet sausages like those seen on glossy cookbooks beckoned me. A sudden interest caused by a picture perfect sausage laden in dark wine sauce which I saw in my recipe book earlier. I was left salivating over the page.

It wasn't in me to follow any recipe through to the dot. Preferring to use my imagination, I tend to fill my shopping basket with whatever I fancy and found conveniently on my rounds in the supermarket. My poor eyes aren't used to reading tiny labels and I've a hard time trying to figure out what's suitable for what, so to hell with that.

In this instance, I didn't even use wine although it was a big part of the sauce. It's a bit ambitious buying a big bottle to satisfy a one-off craving, don't you think? Root beer should do the job. It IS cheaper. Purple cabbages make this a more nutritious meal, I think. Both combined should produce a dark shade of colour..just like the picture!

There are times I'm done in with insecure thoughts of failing but it doesn't last long, nor does it really deter me because I have this illogical notion that all food's an acquired taste. One man's meat, another's poison? No meal is really awful, it's just not to your liking.

What of this cooking adventure then? It was awesome to the tongue and that's a big bonus.

"Ling, this is delicious. It doesn't taste like root beer at all.", I beamed with pride at the compliment I received.

Still, a nagging feeling that something wasn't quite right gnawed at me. I walked to the kitchen and took another look at the can of drink I had purchased to make the sauce.

"Huh,vanilla cream soda?  Could've sworn I took root beer.", I bemused.

Sparkling Vanilla Cream Soda..oh, well

The finished product

Purple cabbage, baby carrots, quartered onions

Yummy....rich sweetish flavour

Again, no precise measurements, because.

Ingredients:
- A dollop of Butter
- A can of  Sparkling Vanilla Cream Soda
- Sausages (6)
- Onions (Quartered)
- Purple cabbage (Thinly sliced)
- Baby carrots (Poke with fork)
- Marmite
- Dark soy sauce
- Salt and pepper
- Thick cream 

To do:
Fry onions in butter, followed by sausages. Once brown, add carrots, vanilla cream soda (half a can or more - your call), a teaspoon or two of Marmite and a wee bit of dark soy just to darken the sauce a little.

Then, add a pinch of salt and pepper for no good reason and leave everything to cook for twenty minutes or so until the flavours are all soaked in. That's why I poked the carrots, so the juice can seep in.

Lastly, mix in the thinly sliced purple cabbage and some cream to give the sauce some body. Give it a good stir fry and we're done!