Muffins epic fail and brownies passed

I have just enough time for a quick post. I am making brownies! Gasp. No, seriously. Brownies. I am cooking. Well, sort of. The type you have to bake in the oven.

They are in the oven right now as I am writing here. No idea how will they turn out as I have never made them before. Got the recipe off Karen Cheng who got it off Jamie Oliver. How bad could it be right?



Last week I made muffins! I am in a baking mood recently. I don't know what brought this on.



I should be on a diet. Bah. Last week's muffins tasted erm off. Ok to be quite frank, it was tasteless and dry. I went around telling my family members that it is tasteless so that when they eat it, they are prepared. Or I am prepared for harsh comments. Hah.


Muffins in the oven. I didn't bother taking a photo of the end product cos it did not taste good. Shame.

Anyway. This time I have a good feeling. It smells good. For now. Ahhh...change of topic.

Edit: brownies tastes good!! Delicious. Definitely pass this time! Yay!



Kevin was here earlier pestering me to cut up the brownies so he could try them. Watching me, all he said was why does it smells chau da (burnt)? It does actually.

But after his first bite, he kept quiet. He waited for me to fill up a plate and announced that he is bringing this back to his place to enjoy slowly. Hah.

This, from my brother, the fucked up motor mouth who cannot stop criticizing people. This meant high praise indeed. :)


Yay passed!

***

I have finally started watching Sex and the City. Thanks Nancy. I did not fall in love with the shoes yet - still at Season 1. But I am finding Samantha hilarious. Sex all the way. About anal sex, quote Samantha: A hole is a hole. Haha..

Ya I know I am so SPK. Only started Sex n the City now. I don't know why I didn't start watching it earlier. Probably cos I don't really like Sarah Jessica Parker. Is she hot seriously? She looks quite old. Not old. But you know, not that attractive. Ahh.

Anyway. The series kinds portray them as sluts. Kind of. Sleeping around etc. But still..I am only on Season 1. And I still like it. Still funny.

I should reserve judgement after watching the entire Season 1 - 5 and both movies.

****

I keep reading and re-reading Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffengger. One of my favorite books by far.

A brief synopsis from the back of the book:

This is the extraordinary love story of Clare and Henry who met when Clare was 6 and Henry was 36, and were married when Clare was 22 and Henry 30. Impossible but true, because Henry suffers from a rare condition where his genetic clock periodically resets and he finds himself pulled suddenly into his past or future. In the face of this force they can neither prevent nor control, Henry and Clare's struggle to lead normal lives is both intensely moving and entirely unforgettable.

I love the book. If you love books, please try this out. Good stuff.

Fire at Seng Goon Garden

I don't think most people know about this incident. I googled it up and found this under Borneo Post. *click to read original article*

But if you are too lazy to read, allow me to explain.

On Nov 20 2010 (about 4am), the residents of Lorong 5 at Jalan Seng Goon awoke to find some of their vehicles on fire. I stay at Lorong 5 btw. There were four cars that caught fire, including one in front of my house (old house), in which Kevin is staying. We are just opposite the road.

One of the car that caught fire - the Myvi in the article belonged to my brother's gf. The article said that it belonged to a guy. Wrong. But that's not the point.

The point is why are there four cars on fire on that same night. Who and why would they do this?

This is her car:



Its a total loss. The car can never be used again. Her car was one of the worst damaged among all. Poor thing.

Dad and other neighbors woke up at about 4am to help put out the fires. Some people were afraid the car would explode and were afraid to go near. But they put out the fire in the end.

Where is Bomba and Police you ask? They arrived after everyone managed to put out the fire. Just in time too.

The fire was so close to the gate already. The auto gate box was half melted already. If the fire had spread into the carpark, it would be terrible. No one would be able to put out the fire by then.

Both Kevin and dad's cars are in the carpark. Again that is not the point. The point is, if the fire has already spread to the car park, then the carpark roof would be burnt too, and so would the neighbors and on and on..

And that would be very dangerous and disastrous.

After that incident, nobody dared to park their cars outside the house anymore. We just didn't feel safe anymore.

And now. Not even a month has passed yet. It has happened again.

Last night or early this morning in fact. Dec 15 2010.

I woke up at about 4am to pee. Going back to bed, I heard men shouting. Loud noises and then glass breaking.

I thought it was burglars. I leapt out of bed and ran to my bedroom window, where the noises were coming from. Behind my house.

OH MY GOD!!

I was so shocked! FIRE!!!

HUGE FLAMES INSIDE THE HOUSE!!! SO NEAR MY BEDROOM WINDOW WHERE I WAS STANDING!

I ran and woke Winnie up. Then the two of us went to wake our parents.

The fire was closest to our house. Dad went to the back to drag our hose over the wall to help put out the fire.

I ran to call Bomba and the police. Btw, does anyone have the proper/exact number for Bomba?

It was so frustrating! Winnie said the number was 082 234444.

After the car burning incident, we have saved the number down. We learnt to be more alert during the night. Wake up to investigate if you hear anything! Any sounds at all! Don't ignore it!

Anyway, the number for Bomba cannot be reached. Grrr... In the end I called 999 and tried in vain in my lousy BM to convey that it was URGENT and can you HURRY UP AND GET ME BOMBA!!!

I was scared awake and thus stuttering in my speech. While giving instructions to come to our place, I was praying oh God let them find our house asap! All I could repeat again and again was Boulevard. Belakang Boulevard. The more she asked me, my name etc, the more I repeated: ehh cepat datang. Cepat (Hurry up/ Come quick!)

Ahh anyway they did come after we got the fire under control again!

It was mostly dad's credit btw. Their own hose was used to put out the fire in front of the house where the car was on fire. Dad helped to put out the fire inside the house cos we are nearer. Lucky I woke up for that pee! =.=

This is the house behind. This is the view from my room:



In the middle of the night, the flames I saw were inside the house on the bottom level and in the car. That car in front.

It turns out that there was a motorbike inside the house, which was burnt and which was why the fire spread so quickly.

According to one of the guy in the house, he was awake watching movies, when he heard sounds from downstairs. He said the fire spread very quickly. Within seconds, everything caught fire downstairs.

In the Borneo Post article, it mentioned that egg trays drenched in petrol were used to start the fire. I had a look at the car this morning, and noticed that it looked suspiciously like egg trays too. Bits of cardboard.

Does this mean that they are the same people who started the fires? This is fucking dangerous ok.

Dammit why is this happening?! Again!? Twice in a month. First they target the cars outside the house, and now they try to burn down the cars inside the house! Why!

Are these just random arson acts? I want some explanation from the police. Some type of reassurance at least. Do something! How do you expect us, residents to feel safe at home.

One of the guy from Bomba said (quite nonchalantly) that oh this happened at Arang Road and Satok too. WTF. So this is happening around Kuching, on quite a frequent basis. And that is okay? IT IS NOT!!!

Twice in a month is more than enough excitement I need. Nobody wants a third time. What do you think is going to happen the third time? God no! Choi choi choi! Touch wood!



I don't mean to complain. I am just a scared resident. What can the police do on occasions like this? Patrol the neighborhood more often? Sigh. That's it isn't it. What can they do?

Catch the fucking people asap!!!

Btw, cs gave me the phone number for Bomba. He said he took it from the newspapers. I hope its correct this time: 082 241241. Anyone knows? At least we have 999 anyway when all else fails.

Never thought I would dial 999 for real and hope someone picks up the phone.

We never know how life turns out. Unexpected things happen. There is no way to predict or expect this kind of stuff. Grr.. Dad is going to buy fire extinguishers to keep at home. I really hope we dont need it anymore. But safety first.

I write this post not to complain. But to let us all be more aware and alert of your surroundings, particularly at night. In situations like this, it would really be helpful if neighbors help each other. If you hear any sounds, wake up and investigate. Don't ignore it.

In the car incident, it was our neighbors who woke up first and came banging on our doors. And everyone pulled together to help.

Sigh. I really hope the police catch this group or whoever is doing this asap!

December babies

Its the end of the year. Almost anyway. Everywhere I go, its Christmas Carols all the way. Inside Tun Jugah, inside McD, the Hills, Boulevard, and One Jaya.

Except Kenyalang. That place is so Chinese dominated! There are Christmas decorations and Christmas trees but Chinese New Year songs. Haha.

Anyway. For some reason, I am not feeling the Christmas spirit or whatever yet. Maybe cos I have nothing planned. No trips. No holidays. No parties. Not exactly true too lar. We have an Xmas Eve party planned. But "party" is used very loosely here. There are no plans yet for after dinner hmm..



I am planning to go to Damai again. Just because. Its the end of the year and I want a holiday too. Boo.

After those two, I should be feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. Christmas spirit and all..

Decembers always bring along alot of birthdays for our group of friends. Not to mention a whole lot of weddings (this year).

In 2008.

The combined birthdays of Nana, Veronica, Frankie and ah boon. At Terminal One. We used to go there soo often almost every weekend. If not, it was some other place/pub around Kuching.



2009

Veronica moved to KL. So it was down to the three of them. This was at erm..Mandarin Oriental restaurant? I forgot the name of the restaurant and simply made one up btw. Feel free to correct me hehe.



2010

Frankie is busy with work, mostly overseas nowadays. So it is down to two:



Its funny how our lives have evolved all these years. Just the relationships part alone would fill many books. heh. But everyone have their own privacy. So I can only talk about cs here.

In 2008, we were just starting to get together. He brings me out to dinner and then clubbing with all of them. Introduced me as his "friend". I am the friend that he brings out all the time, and it was obvious to everyone (including my family) that cs treats me like no normal friend.

My family knows him well and mum has seen him almost passed out drunk on our living room floor at about 2am. She laughed about it and asked how is he going to get home?

We got together officially in 2009. Everyone around us thought: finally.

Cheh. No surprise one. Why is nobody surprised?! Haha.

Oh sorry jump back to topic. We have one more December baby in our group. Alvin and Wee lee's daughter!


Angie or Jia Jia.

Sorry digress a bit again. I feel like listening to that song from Anastasia - Once Upon a December. Am a sucker for Disney cartoons =.=

Dancing bears
Painted wings
Things I almost remember,
And a song someone sings
once upon a december

Someone holds me safe and warm,
horses prance through a silver storm,
Figures dancing gracefully,
across my memory,

(singing aaaaa with the melody)

Someone holds me safe and warm,
horses prance through a silver storm,
Figures dancing gracefully,
across my memory,

Far away, long ago
things I yern to remember
and a song someone sings
Once upon a December

And a song someone sings
Once upon a December

*Whoops. Did a Wiki check and realized Anastasia is not a Disney production. It was released by 20th Century Fox. Says Wikipedia.

When I like the song, I must know the lyrics. I want to know what they are singing. I want to know the meaning. And sometimes, the song is good, but the lyrics is shit. Sometimes it spoils the song for me, and sometimes I really don't care.



As a student, I used to write out the song lyrics myself. English. Mandarin. And I actually progressed to Japanese songs. Yea man lihai right. Or crazy. Whatever.

Watching me listen again and again to First Love by Utada Hikaru, Shirley was convinced I was crazy as I attempted to write out the lyrics. Haha. Oh well.

*****

Damai photos to tempt myself and cs:



I want to gooo..



Oh mannn. Yep its working all right. When to go..hmmm. Sometime this month definitely.

Actually just looking at these photos make me feel better already. No bonus? Never mind! Well not exactly never mind $%^&* Everyone had all sorts of plans already. But oh well. Better late than never eh?!



Damai, here I come...

Sundays

Its another Sunday! After lunch, Kevin and I did some chores around the house while Winnie escaped upstairs to study.

On a typical Sunday, I would be here sitting in front of the computer blogging. Cos got nothing else to do. Unless its time for my monthly facial. Sunday's are also time to do stuff we don't normally have time to do. Such as clean the new house, go shopping like some old married couple for furniture, and then now, wedding stuff.

But today he is busy and I am home. So, here are some (boring) photos of my life:


This was probably last weekend where we had time to go shopping. And have dessert.

At Jalan Song. Dessert Paradise. It was ok..Not really my thing.

My type of dessert paradise is called Secret Recipe..



This was good though. The honeydew ice cream. Yum. And bits of honeydew melon. Some pearls. Watermelon with bits of seeds inside. So mahuan to eat. But the overall combination was good on a hot day in Kuching. Very cool and refreshing.



Some honeydew ice cream with sago. Nice. Yea, abit honeydew galore cos cs loves honeydew.

Me? I don't mind. If he likes it, I like it lar. He finishes up my food anyway.



Green Gallery is so kiasu. Filled with Christmas trees and decorations.

Also filled with people. Makes shopping a bit difficult without accidentally knocking over some stuff. Was so tempted to buy a christmas tree and haul it home too. Ahh..next year la.


The tree should be moulting by the time you put it at home..haha.

I sound like I am complaining don't I? Sorry I don't mean it. I just don't know what to write as captions.



We went to Chef at Home at Hui Sing. And fell in love with this dessert below:


Yummm..

Full of chocolatey goodness. Warm from the oven and oozing chocolate. Yumm..eat it with ice cream. MMmmmmm...

I feel like google-ing a recipe for this. I don't know the name but chocolate lava cake sounds close enough. MMmm..

Btw is google-ing correct? Cos googling sounds wrong. Whatever.


As you can see from the photo, both my arms are red and swollen. Like some nasty rash or allergy eh.

But noooo...I got this from a Wii session. Ya I know man. I am such a disgrace to myself. I so need to work out more often .

This was the result of one session of wrestling. I won!! Haha I beat cs' ass. So worth it.

He won in tennis though. The way he plays tennis is so like badminton. Since I refuse to play with him, and also cos of my arms' condition, he had to play with the er..machine.

Believe it or not, my arms are still aching today. It it time to join a yoga class. Work out more often..

I know I have a treadmill at home but I am so lazy. I have not stepped on it this whole week. Might start tonight. I have not been swimming for 2 weeks. Oh man. Don't ask me how much I weigh. I am afraid to step on the scale. Sorry I am so shallow.

OK bye.

Yesterday...all my troubles seem so far away..

Btw, the title seems so emo and sadist but I assure you I am not. Its just a song. A song I happened to be singing along to. That's all. Most days I am happy as a lark. Smiling at everyone. :)

*******

I so want to blog. To write something. To update. Anything. But when I sit down on my laptop and open up my favorite websites. Of course Facebook is the first. Not necessarily favorite but its a need. No one wants to be socially retarded. Kepo on what friends are up to, the latest gossip and news.

Next its Yahoo mail. To check whoever tagged me in Facebook! Hahaha. No lar. And to check whoever left comments on my blog and whatnot.

Third would be my blog. This should not rank third. It should be first but even I am so sien to look at my blog lar what more others. Its boring. I need more life in me.

Next would be a list of favorite blogs and websites such as FML. Its hilarious. Reading other people's FML makes your life instantly better. Sorry that sounds wrong but it does. Especially the sex ones. Hahah. hilarious.

Then I would google whatever crap I happen to be thinking about. Once I open Wikipedia, I can read on and on and on. There are links to this and that.

For example, I started on Cecilia Cheung - cos she is damn hot. For a mum of two. Btw, did you know she has a half British mother? No wonder so hot!


Cecilia Cheung

This leads to Sonija Kwok. Did you know she is also of mixed British parentage? FML. All the hotties are of mixed parentage.


Sonija Kwok

Err yea moving on.

*****

Updates on my life:

- I bought a wedding magazine (finally) and it was um...quite unhelpful to say the least. Sure, there were gorgeous, ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS wedding gowns that are out of my reach. And budget may I add.

- I am not feeling so hot - a bit feverish. The stupid weather.

- Christmas is in the air! Shirley called me to inform me that it is snowing!!! Bitch.



Make me miss London only. One of our mutual friends is going to London end of the year for holidays. Sooooo jealous!!!! T___T


I miss youu..


Christmas tree.

Guess what I found Nifer? Haha taken at the temple in Oxford Circus! Nifer was the one who convinced me to go to the temple when I was so far away from home..



Winnie and I on webcam and msn years ago..



And cs!! On msn and webcam with me many many years ago...I was still in London and he was in Kuching, working already..



He took a photo of me on webcam!! I wonder do you still have the photo bee? :)





One more. Aren't you glad I took these photos then? :D

Nifer cooked Penang laksa for us one fine day (after much nagging from Shirley and I). I miss those days of living together..



After class, going to have sushi with classmates..Buffet for £14 if I remember correctly. 20 plates of sushi max. No matter how hungry we are, no one (not even the guys) reached 15 plates. 20 plates may sound like too little, but it is quite a lot..



Nope. We are not in Switzerland. This is Leicester Square. And yes it was really 5:51am. It was so bright cos its June. Summer. Sunrise at 4sth and sunset at 10 sth. I kinda miss it. In Kuching, we can't tell the seasons go by. Its winter. Its Christmas. It should be dark all the time. And freezing. I want to experience that again.


And I am still wearing that shirt to work. =.= I so need new clothes.

Anyway, this was after clubbing at Heaven and half dead going for McD waiting for the tube to reopen so we can go back home! Crazy people. Only students can afford to live like this now...

Oh and before I go. Four seasons duck is so overrated!! How is it the best duck in the fucking world? Their reputation is so undeserved. Sure its good. Tender. Tasty. Oily. Rolling in fat.


Four Seasons Duck is also slightly burnt at times as evidenced. This was the Chinatown branch.


This was the Bayswater branch.

I am just saying. Hong Kong noodle house duck can rival this also what. I think ang mo's seriously need to taste more duck outside of Four Seasons. Sigh what the fuck am I talking about. Its not just ang mo's raving about Four Seasons.

When I read blogs, or talk to people who come back from England, they all rave about Four Seasons?! Why! Just because you are surrounded by all that Mcd, Burger King, Pret A Manger, and lousy Chinatown food, does not mean that Four Seasons Duck is super awesome.



Sorry I am just saying. Different people have different taste.

Disclaimer: This does not mean Four Seasons duck is no good ok. It IS good. But why so fehmes?! Weird. We don't see HK Noodle house, or that shop opposite Tun Jugah like that?! Hmm sorry lar. I know I am being slightly unreasonable.

Lazy to disclaimer some more.

Gotta go. Cs is pestering me to sleep. He is unreasonable. Heh heh. It is only 1030pm.