24/6/08: Spent $165 at Dr Loke's clinic which includes a $50 ultrasound to ascertain that I am not ovulating and a $60 painful jab in the bum to get me to ovulate.
25/6/08: Back pain came back. Spent $35 on painkillers from Dr Wong's Clinic.
Today: Our 8 yr old PC monitor died on us. It has been turning into a sickly blue these days. We knew it's end is near. Rush out to buy a new monitor. It's a Samsung 19 inch. $255. Cheapest samsung model that we can find at Sim Lim Square. Also bought a wireless keyboard and mouse for $47 to replace the cranky ones we had.
We visited the temple to pray and I took the opportunity to ask Guang Yin if I will have any luck winning the 4D or ToTo betting, having spent so much in 3 days, I was hoping to recoup some losses. But the lot says NO. Sigh. Draw another lot to ask if there is any chance for a baby soon. It was generally a mediocre lot. Actually in the entire interpretation, there wasn't even an answer to my question. Ed says my questioning technique was bad, and Guang Yin did not know what I was asking for, therefore no answer. Sigh again.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
A meeting
Attended a 3 hr meeting today. The meeting is for all upper management to come together to prepare a yearly report on the company's previous and present working processes, and look for areas for improvement to work on in the following year. I had to take care of a small portion, 2 out of 4 sub-sub-parts, of 4 sub-parts, of 5 main parts. Very small percentage of the entire report but they needed me to be around in case there is any questions. 2 hrs and 45 mins past discussing portions irrelevant to me, before the meeting came to my portion. It had taken longer as the boss came in half way, and they had to update her. She added her inputs, they discuss again.... Everyone was so eager to end the meeting, nobody questioned what I did or did not do. I did not speak a single word at the meeting.
It was good initially when real problems were identified and rectified. But after a few years, we sort of went out of problems. Now i think we are trying to find problems that do not pose a problem in the first place. In addition, these problems shouldn't be too hard to solve, otherwise we will be shooting ourselves in the foot. Hahaa, no wonder everybody is overworked and low morale.
It was good initially when real problems were identified and rectified. But after a few years, we sort of went out of problems. Now i think we are trying to find problems that do not pose a problem in the first place. In addition, these problems shouldn't be too hard to solve, otherwise we will be shooting ourselves in the foot. Hahaa, no wonder everybody is overworked and low morale.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Fishing
Brother got interested in fishing as a past time. He says he likes the patient wait, the excitment of a catch and all the adrenalin rushing thrills of pulling the fish up.
Organised a trip with 6 other friends to Endau, East coast of Malaysia. They got a reasonable offer from Dad's contact; 900 ringgit, for 24hrs rental of the boat.
Came back with bountiful catch! This is only a portion of what they caught, but it's enough! Previously, at every meal, mom would say "this fish is caught by JT". That went on for 2 weeks. I think I must go learn how to make salted fish.
Organised a trip with 6 other friends to Endau, East coast of Malaysia. They got a reasonable offer from Dad's contact; 900 ringgit, for 24hrs rental of the boat.
Came back with bountiful catch! This is only a portion of what they caught, but it's enough! Previously, at every meal, mom would say "this fish is caught by JT". That went on for 2 weeks. I think I must go learn how to make salted fish.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Hakka Abacus Seed
Found a recipe for making Abacus Seed in the newspaper. I was thrilled as I always wanted to learn how to prepare this dish. After all, I married a Khek, and should fulfil my traditional duties of a wife, ie cook for the husband. Like Real!
First attempt at lunchtime failed although I followed every instruction in the recipe.
AAR: there were too little yam left after I slice off the rotten parts. I added too much water. Actually the instruction "add enough water to cover the yam" was misleading. Compensate the excessive water by adding 50% more tapioca flour. Using wrong type of flour; I added plain flour after I used up all the tapioca flour was the final straw that killed the abacus seeds. I scalded 2 fingers trying to kneed the piping hot dough. It was a disaster. Poor helper had to clean up my mess while I go and ask Eddie what Macdonalds value meal he would like to have for lunch.
Later afternoon, Aunt PS dropped by to visit QY. I complained and whined miserably about my failed abacus seed and burned fingers. She laughed and scoffed why I didn't i call and ask her for the recipe. We had one of these cooking session at her friend's place 2 decades ago to learn this dish, I didn't expect her to still remember the recipe. Besides, there weren't any proper recipe then cos it's all based on the ar-ga-ra-tion of an old lady (her friend's mother). She would have just tell me to add enough water to cover the yam too.
But instructions over the phone is different for having her in person at my place. My aunt is fantastic in the kitchen and I pestered her to show me how to prepare it since all the ingredients from afternoon still unused. We went out and found another yam. It is not easy to find a wet market still open on a Sunday evening.
So, for the benefit of those attempting to cook abacus seed...
Ingredients
1 kg yam, cut into small pieces to facilitate steaming, stir fry with 5 cloves of garlic for 3 mins. Add water to cover all the yam. Cover wok and steam until all the water evaporates, approx 20-25mins. Mash up the yam, mix with 130g of tapioca flour. Add more flour till dough does not stick onto fingers.
Make the abacus seeds from dough and cook in boiling water. Add some oil to boiling water to prevent the seeds from sticking together. Scoop out of water when the seeds float.
Adjust these ingredients' portions according to taste and preferences.
minced pork (500g)
black fungus (10 dried pieces)
Chinese shitake mushroom (10 medium size pieces)
Dried shrimp, chopped up coarsely
chopped garlic
green vegetable e.g. xiao bai cai (optional)
Fry garlic, shrimps, mushroom and black fungus till fagrant. Add pepper, salt, light soya sauce, a little fish sauce and a little dark soya sauce for colour. Add abacus seed, mix properly. Add vegetable last.
It was fun and so enjoyable making it second time round. QY came to help with making the seeds.
First attempt at lunchtime failed although I followed every instruction in the recipe.
AAR: there were too little yam left after I slice off the rotten parts. I added too much water. Actually the instruction "add enough water to cover the yam" was misleading. Compensate the excessive water by adding 50% more tapioca flour. Using wrong type of flour; I added plain flour after I used up all the tapioca flour was the final straw that killed the abacus seeds. I scalded 2 fingers trying to kneed the piping hot dough. It was a disaster. Poor helper had to clean up my mess while I go and ask Eddie what Macdonalds value meal he would like to have for lunch.
Later afternoon, Aunt PS dropped by to visit QY. I complained and whined miserably about my failed abacus seed and burned fingers. She laughed and scoffed why I didn't i call and ask her for the recipe. We had one of these cooking session at her friend's place 2 decades ago to learn this dish, I didn't expect her to still remember the recipe. Besides, there weren't any proper recipe then cos it's all based on the ar-ga-ra-tion of an old lady (her friend's mother). She would have just tell me to add enough water to cover the yam too.
But instructions over the phone is different for having her in person at my place. My aunt is fantastic in the kitchen and I pestered her to show me how to prepare it since all the ingredients from afternoon still unused. We went out and found another yam. It is not easy to find a wet market still open on a Sunday evening.
So, for the benefit of those attempting to cook abacus seed...
Ingredients
1 kg yam, cut into small pieces to facilitate steaming, stir fry with 5 cloves of garlic for 3 mins. Add water to cover all the yam. Cover wok and steam until all the water evaporates, approx 20-25mins. Mash up the yam, mix with 130g of tapioca flour. Add more flour till dough does not stick onto fingers.
Make the abacus seeds from dough and cook in boiling water. Add some oil to boiling water to prevent the seeds from sticking together. Scoop out of water when the seeds float.
Adjust these ingredients' portions according to taste and preferences.
minced pork (500g)
black fungus (10 dried pieces)
Chinese shitake mushroom (10 medium size pieces)
Dried shrimp, chopped up coarsely
chopped garlic
green vegetable e.g. xiao bai cai (optional)
Fry garlic, shrimps, mushroom and black fungus till fagrant. Add pepper, salt, light soya sauce, a little fish sauce and a little dark soya sauce for colour. Add abacus seed, mix properly. Add vegetable last.
It was fun and so enjoyable making it second time round. QY came to help with making the seeds.
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