Saturday, August 08, 2009
Using faith as a support of life is actually not believing in yourself. A faith might make your life easier, because you might think there will be a higher power that will help you to do things. But actually the things that you can do are not written yet and nobody else can do them except you. You can pray to God to help you, but in the end it is still up to you to do it.
No offense to anyone out there.
Peace out,
Vincent
~ 2:39 AM
Sunday, March 29, 2009
I have been trying out my hand at cooking, since i may have to leave my home to strike out a living in the not-so-distant future. Anyway, here's a recipe that i cooked up myself, and in no way taken or plagarised from any sources. I posted it on other websites which i deem too sensitive to reveal here, so if you do see it, it's mine.
Ever went on a picnic and found that carrying a pot of curry a hassle?
Well, why not switch to dry curry instead?
Non-spill, and less space occupied = lighter load!
I used to organise BBQs for my classes, and usually cook a simple dry curry to round up the course. It's a very simple dish to cook, and takes around 25 minutes to prepare the ingredients, and 35 minutes to cook it(give or take).
I have tweaked the recipe a little to serve 4-5 people, i mean come on, you don't usually cook for more than that right?
Utensils Needed
Wok** (if not, a really large pan, large enough for a whole chicken)
Small cooking pot (for blanching)
Flat ladle (for stir-frying)
Chopping Board
Vegetable Knife
Ingredients
1 whole chicken (tell your butcher/supermarket helper to chop/clean it up for you, it's easier than doing it yourself)
3 large potatoes
1 stalk of carrot
1 stalk of lemongrass
100ml of water (half a cup)
100-150ml of coconut milk (use full cream milk for those who cannot take too much cholesterol, also around half a cup)
Condiments
1 whole onion (shallots will do fine too)
3-4 cloves of garlic (i usually use 5-6, but your call, i love garlic)
2-3 tablespoons of oil (any will do, i usually use vegetable oil)
Seasonings
250 grams of Curry powder (curry paste is fine too, get meat flavour)
Curry Leaves (around 2 pinches)
Salt (pinch)
Preparing of ingredients
1. Skin your carrot, and cube it.
2. Peel your potatoes, and cube them.
*Try to first cut the potato into planks for easier cubing*
3. Chop your garlic finely and set them aside.
*Smash the garlic with the flat of your knife for easier removal of 'skin'*
4. Wash, then smash the bulb of the lemongrass. Break the lemongrass as if you are breaking a stick, but leave the ends hanging together.
5. Remove the 'skin', and chop onion(s) finely.
6. If haven't done so, chop chicken into bite-sized portions.
7. Bring a small pot of water to a boil.
8. Blanch the chicken pieces for around 2-3 seconds each, and remove from hot water. Drain off excess water from chicken.
*This is to remove the icky stuff from the raw chicken, like dirt and such*
Cooking
1. Heat wok with oil over high heat.
2. Add onions, garlic, curry leaves and stir fry until fragrant.
*or until golden brown, try not to burn them!*
3. Reduce to medium heat.
4. Add curry powder/paste, and stir-fry for 1 minute.
*WARNING PUNGENT SMELL THAT WILL MAKE YOU TEAR/CHOKE IF YOU'RE TOO CLOSE WARNING*
5. Throw in your pieces of chicken and stir-fry for 3 minutes.
6. Place lemongrass into the wok and add your water.
*Try to add your water around the wok, to ensure equal distribution*
7. Put in your potatoes and carrots.
8. Sprinkle salt and stir-fry for 2 more minutes.
9. Leave the curry to bubble for 18-20 minutes. Keep an eye on it.
*Leave the wok uncovered, you want the water to evaporate*
10. Add coconut milk, and stir fry for last 3 minutes.
11. Turn the heat off, and serve hot, with rice preferably Very Happy
*For those moving it, make sure to get a large enough pot to carry it around with*
~ 6:51 AM
Thursday, January 15, 2009
It's not like me to blog often nowadays and so far i have not broken that habit.
But i know i used to blog quite often, just that i think i have either lost interest in recording down my daily/weekly/monthly exploits or more probably because i have nothing much to blog about.
Either i am working in the day or working out in the afternoon or lazing around at night. My insomnia's keeping me awake pretty much all night til about 3am although i am exhausted by work and exercise. Really, i cannot wait for poly to start for me.
But hey enough of complaining man, one should always look on the bright side, if there are none then look at your backside. Since you can't really see your backside, it means that whatever troubling you is a paradox, and paradoxes don't exist, therefore i conclude that trouble = gone. There, geng geng logic. Anw, carpe diem! Means seize the day in latin.
What normally happens to me daily? Lemme see...
-Wakes up at 6am-
-Wash up and depending on time left groom( i pay much more attention to my hair now)-
-Take the @!$#! MRT to Toa Pa Yoh and reach my workplace at 7am-
-Restock on the fruits and veggies(my section) and argue with Mat that tottenham will win liverpool any other day, even if it means having to make Gomes knock out 6 of their players by punching them during corners lol*-
-Watch on as the workplace politics fly here and there. I don't take sides, and it's a wise choice-
-10am is when i get really really busy, as that's when the deliveries start coming faster than sarah palin giving birth to her (over 9000!) children**-
-12am! Time to let off and small talk with the kelly girl hehe-
-Depending on my schedule, i will either eat with Mat and Vinnie, or go straight back to yishun to eat lunch-
-If having no appointments with company e.g. soccer, go straight home change into to-be-washed clothes-
-top up rabbits' water drip and make sure to stop Cookie humping Oreo and Oreo from humping Xiaobai haha.(vicious cycle, luckily xiaobai doesn't hump cookie or i will faint on the spot)-
-Depending on mood, i will do one of 3 things.-
-(1) Get out my bike and ride out as far as i can and be back by 4pm-
-The most common route i take is from yishun to jalan kayu to amk and back to yishun-
-(2) Whip out my lappy and do some work on my codewriting. Basically i will be so frustrated i will switch it off within an hour and a half and go play my psp-
-(3) Bring my personal bag down to the park and continue on my to-be-released-when-i'm-99-years-old book. When inspiration strikes i can write all day long. If not i will let the jogging pump some into me-
-(4) Occasionally i will do all 3, by riding to Sembawang Beach with my lappy in my personal bag, and just relax by the sand, sea, and breeze-
- Now i eat out more often, as my mum is working and dad is like working overseas. Granted, i have a lot more freedom now, but i still cannot shake off this feeling of that tiny little void in me-
-Mum, sis, older sis will be back by 8pm. Mum watches channel 52 and 54, sis plays with rabbit with older sis, i playing psp on the bed with Oreo on my head. When mum goes away i cop the remote and start watching AXN and Sports Channel. Before 'turning in' i glimpse at channel news asia for latest news i didn't see in today's The Newpaper-
-this is when my insomnia kicks in. No matter how i try to sleep i cannot. And did i mention that whenever i force myself to sleep and succeed i have nightmares. So eventually i gave up and just lie on my bed thinking. I think about a lot of things. Heck, i think i spend about 3 hours a day just closing my eyes, not sleeping, but thinking. Normally i will start to fantasize in my little dream world, where i daydream of being a nomad hunter like Monster Hunter, or one of those save the girl scenarios, and even how like in a zombie epidemic what i will go and do, where to hold up and barricade and survive. Yeah, crazy stuff, i know, but it's good to just think you know? But eventually i come back into reality and start to worry about my future. Will i be able to get into poly? Yes, i can but what if i cannot? And if i could will i fit in? Being naive and of more than slightly optimistic nature, i will push all these thoughts away, but they will always linger and eat away at my defenses, my dreamworld.
I reminisce about the old times, how i used to play the clown in primary school, there was this case of an old friend of mine liking the assistant head prefect, and he brought her a drink, which she declined, which i promptly downed and ran away being chased by him while the others roared in approval. Hahahaha but then i started noticing the existence of girls, and my (in my own words) raging hormones (hahahhaha) started acting up. So by the time i entered secondary school, i was, what brendon termed, shy as ****. If a girl started treating me nice i would fall for her in a crush, to that sort of extent. After several mishaps along the way in sec 1 and 2 when i was very confused about my personality, as i behaved very differently in different company. I was like, wearing a mask for every occasion, you know? But those were good times, i admit. I remember when the canteen closed down and everyone hated the temp canteen, i made sandwiches and drinks and brought them to school to sell to my dear old class, 2/6. My mum cooked carrot cake, which was all snapped up within recess. Another incident was when i brought my rubber chicken and duck to school. Brendon hung the chicken at the screen and threw the duck to the construction site. And flushed tweety bird down the toilet bowl where it got stuck and clogged the pipes haha. We were such retarded imbeciles man. But heck, we had lotsa fun, as a class.
Streaming. Sec 3. I distinctly remember posting day, as that was the day i found out, to my absolute horror, that i was going to 4/4.
*peers at list*
...
only me and weian...
plus cindy bliss edna michelle etc.
ABISH.
The sight of brendon laughing and rolling around on the floor will be forever seared into my memories when he found out that jia hao was in 4/4 too. They have a rivalry together since NCC sec 1, so i wasn't surprised. Maybe he was just relieved. But jh turned out ok as a friend in the end. I mean, yeah, ok, the glass incident pissed me off and as anyone who knows me should know i dun get pissed off easily, i'm more of a let's be friends even tho you are capulet and i am montague kind of guy. But looking back on hindsight, let's just say that everyone has their flaws and kinks, and who's to say that you won't do the exact same thing? And like what i like to say, it's never too late to forgive and it's never too early to forget, so let's just carry on with life. Life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. Life gives you limes, you make lime juice. Life gives you sh!t... You feed your plants like how i dispose of my rabbit litter.
3/4 was... i dunno, passive at the start i guess? Only a certain few joined the community we created online and even though we posted stuff like the kway chup uncle going crazy saying EAT MY KWAY EAT MY KWAY, which we like posted as if we were smsing lol, eventually it got less active and died a natural death-faded away.
Being the CLASS SPIRIT MUST EXIST SOMEHOW guy i always tried to organize bbqs, outings, chalets etc... I did the same for every class i got into, and i doubt that will change when i get into poly. I did suffer as a result of course, as any other organizer knows it's a pain in the @ss to do all these yet i still find it enjoyable to be able to like just get together and have fun, makes all the hassle and annoyance go away planning ya know(even though the 2009 new year thing was an utter disaster and i was crushed, i must still apologise to the people i made step out of their houses for nothing. For that i am deeply sorry). Anw, we somehow got along, with funny interesting incidents happening along the way (who can ever forget Mrs Sin, heck she calls me Cheng An, might as well call me Cheng Tng and eat me up sia haha), with some rather sad moments for me sob sob lol. But as they say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and even though it wasn't that big or small a deal, these good times and bad times strengthen you for the future. Bad times for you to learn from, and good times for you to fall back on. yeah.
Ahh, NDP 2006. I am proud to serve my country no matter how small my contribution might be. And NDP 2008 too, this time as a cheerleader wahahaha! Don't think just because i'm small sized doesn't mean i'm not strong ok? hahaha.
... To conclude, i would say that those times were memorable, some happy some sad but all unforgettable. And i would like to devote this little section to the people in 4/4 who changed my life just by being in the same class as me then, as most likely i would never be seeing you guys ever again, ya?
To the people of 4/4 07, you guys may not be perfect, you girls may not be flawless, but what would 4/4 be without you all? A person once said:"4/4? What 4/4?"
I replied:" Even if there's no 4/4, i would try my best to make 4/4, and even if i fail in your eyes, i know deep down there was a bond, no matter how small and tiny it was, between each and everyone of us."
If i am making you, the reader, most likely a 4/4, sick by being over dramatic, let me tell you, i won't even be bothered to assure you, that these are from the bottom of my heart. There are a lot of memories that i would like to share but i know some are sad ones for others and having once made the same mistake i swore never to make others sad again. And as i type i realise that not everyone will feel this way, as i feel about 4/4. And that my poly term's up ahead, and that i need to start anew, i need to let certain parts of 4/4 go, certain feelings, certain memories, certain people. That i am sure that as the years go by we get to know more people and forge new bonds, these things will slowly fade, but deep down, in our hearts, we will take refuge in them when the need arises...
Lastly, i would like to thank a few 4/4 people, and as i know i have not been updating my blog very few ppl have come to visit, which is why i am just going to write it down and let all these go before i go abroad.
Firstly, i would like to thank Terence, when i first met you i thought you were crazy, but heck ahaha, you are one fine friend. I can be sure that when my back's to the wall, you will come to help me, and i will surely help you when the need arises.
Secondly, thank you Lee Teck and Kia Woon for just being there to listen as i poured my troubles to you two online, and for that i am grateful.
Thirdly, arigato MC, for being there when i was confronted, for sticking with me even though it was of no connection to you, i really appreciate it.
Fourth, thanks pete, for sharing the burden of booking the chalet and payment and everything. And for coming to my 1st ever choir concert with MC and Adi =]
Fifth, xie xie ni sing ee, for faithfully bring the ball home after soccer.
Lastly, hui ting, i would like to say sorry that i caused a bit of trouble for you back then, and that i will always have a soft spot for you as a friend, maybe we will meet each other when you become your business woman overseas then haha.
Signing out,
yours sincerely,
and faithfully,
ever so comic,
gengan
~ 8:32 AM
Thursday, December 11, 2008
.......
I don't know whether to be angry, amused, or flattered.
Probably all three.
It's never a everyday thing to be called miss, xiao jie and xiao mei on three separate occasions by three different people at three different times of the same day.
And i seriously wonder if all three people in question being female really comforts me.
And to those jokers out there, yes i know what you are thinking.
"At least they never call you auntie BWAHAHAHAHA!!!"
......
*peeks into pants*
.....
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
~ 10:24 PM
Sunday, November 23, 2008
YES! The last day of bookfest 08 is finally over!!!
This should be enough dough to buy myself a psp and some games haha.
My bank account is growing day by day and i cannot help but grin like a monkey.
But seriously, working is really different from studying.
Tan Tock Seng, Night Safari, Popular, Cold Storage, GBC...
Clerk, waiter, promoter, sales assistant, stock taker...
Quite different from studying.
Well, at least no more complex chemical formulas for me haha!
Bought a ICON OUTFIT bag for myself, including 3 PC games too.
$40 in total, i later found out that was the most i have ever spent on myself on my birthdays.
But the games were a steal man, seriously.
GAME 1. ONIMUSHA 3
What can i say. I played this on my (spoiled) PS2 and didn't finish it. So i must finish this whahaha! Awesome story, awesome game play. Cool samurai.
GAME 2. COLD FEAR
Ever heard of DOOM? Here you are put into the shoes of a US Coastguard, investigating a distress call from a Russian tanker in the middle of the Bering sea. But little do you know what took the crew has already changed them...
GAME 3. TITAN QUEST
Now this is something i have never heard of before. Seems like a diablo clone, so my expectations have been raised. Maybe it will be worth my moolah?
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The Day Before
I was watching the man city-arsenal match and was laughing my socks off on how easily arsenal was dismantled by city and Kompany( PUN!). Just when Robinho was about to score his 2nd (disallowed) goal, a brown, wee little wabbit hopped out of my sis's room and straight towards me.
Now, i like pets, i really do, but the sight of that cute little bugger made me choke on my milk. I mean, i'm watching soccer and a brown baby wabbit hops out of nowhere towards me? Man, that's far out.
Memories of our former pet hamsters escaping their rolling balls resurfaced and made me panic. My sister would always let them play in their rolling balls and somehow they would pull of a houdini and scoot off into the darkest corner, leading me to frantically chase after it and hope they don't go out of the house. Man, those moments were heart in mouth moments for me.
So while the sight of such a cute little wabbit hoping out of no where with sparkling eyes full of love towards you will make most go AWWWWWW, it made me go AHHHHHHHH NO DON'T MAKE ME GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN!!!!!
While i was stunned tioed, my sister picked her (yep, it's a char bo) up and carried her back to her den under her bed. Luckily the main door was closed, otherwise i would have freaked out. She later explained to me she bought two baby wabbits, one brown and one white, both girls ( i would later name the brown one Hazel and white one Wabbit).
After getting over the initial shock, i left arsene wenger crapping his pants on the soccer field and went inside to ooh and ahh over Hazel and Wabbit.
Shall provide pics for ppl to see, they are so darn cute, the wabbits.
Wabbit wabbit wabbit wabbit wabbit!
Wabbit wabbit wabbit wabbit wabbit!
I luv wabbits! =]
~ 9:14 AM
Sunday, October 26, 2008
now we have a fighting chance.
welcome, harry, to Spurs.
goodbye, ramos, we appreciated the cup, we know it ain't your fault.
and please forgive us defoe, we shouldn't have sold you and we are happy
that you are having the time of your life.
now we have a fighting chance.
~ 11:22 AM
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Friends tell you their secrets
Friends are meant to share
Friends are meant to cheer you up
What happens if they're not there?
What if you were split
Up from your best friend?
Do you think you'd care
If your friendship ends?
Would you slowly drift apart,
Go in separate ways?
Or would u both grow closer,
Grow closer day by day?
What if your friends started
Saying things behind your back?
Would you stand and face them
Or would your courage lack?
Perhaps it would be safer
To let your friendships mend,
Push these thoughts behind you
And make the questions end.
~ 8:38 PM