Tuesday, September 27, 2011

CAFTA

Back from a day at Shangrila Hotel. Things didnt turn out so bad after all.. Initially, i felt a little used by them 'cause they didnt provide logistics and all. But i guess when all the work is done, and is actually acknowledged, in addition to being treated to a delicious buffet lunch and dinner on top of one bag full of Hwa Tai biscuits.. it just makes things better. And oh ya, my duty was to walk the VIPs and VVIPs from the stage to their seats. Cool or what eh? :) Currently exhausted with no mood to study or complete my homework.

Managed to snap a picture of the desserts i ate. (From top right, clockwise) Mango pudding with sago, strawberry mouse, mango mousse, and opera cake. I enjoyed the opera cake the most because it had a strong flavour to it - expresso, chocolate and cream. Yum.


Note the layers in the opera cake. Cake, cream, chocolate, topped with a layer of ganache. I wanna make opera cake one day.


Sunday, September 25, 2011

Light in the Darkness

A picture that is long overdue.. a picture of me with Serdang. (He is called Serdang because he was rescued from that area). He is a very sweet boy. Never snapped at me. Maybe just a little hesitant in obeying orders but i have faith in him. Visit Paws Mission to find out more about their activities. I will be bathing Serdang next week. Life isnt easy, is it? Especially when it involves matters of the heart. I just wanna avoid complications for now. At least, i think i know what is the right thing to do now.


Tuesday, September 20, 2011

#justsaying

A couple that has been together for the longest time is only sweet if they are happy being with each other. No point wishing a relationship could have lasted longer if it will only bring more sadness and misery to both parties. Isnt it better just to end it while things are still forgivable? And maybe with time, the two will learn to appreciate what the other had and accept what they were lacking in?

The thing is, sometimes that doesnt happen. Sometimes, people just move on. The bottomline is, we can never tell what the future holds for us.

I wish that I could eventually be with someone i can trust with all my heart, someone whom i have known almost all my life.

But what i have realised today is that a relationship that has lasted for many years does not have to be a happy one. and on the contrary, some of the shortest relationships may even share the most romantic love story of all time. #justsaying


Saturday, September 17, 2011

Dog-training

Just back from a day at the animal shelter. Somehow, dogs are one of the few things that manage to keep me happy and carefree, even at my saddest and moodiest. Perhaps it is something to do with being able to be myself around them. This is the second time I am visiting the place. Have met lots of friendly people that I can feel comfortable around with like TJ, Tua, Elise.. so glad to have met these people. Even though i dont know their full names, nor have their fb acc, it kinda feels good being with them. Well, we do all have one thing in common - love for dogs.

You may be curious about the kind of work I am doing at the shelter. Basically, we are on a mission to train stray dogs so that they are more acceptable to people when people come to the shelter to adopt dogs. We train the basic commands like sit and recall and also to train them to walk along with their fellow humans. I picked this handsome looking brown dog with black streaks. He looks very cool and confident but when I brought him out of the pent, he kinda became not so confident. It's okay.. i guess these things take time. Thankful i didnt end up picking an agressive dog like Tua. I wouldnt know how to handle a dog who might snap at me each time i press his butt to make him sit! hmm... i will be doing this training for the next 5 weeks. Looking forward to the possibilities and outcome from this programme. I like the people here, and not to forget the dogs. And there is a beautiful river next to the shelter that looks like it just came out from a story book. I definitely like this place. :)

P.S Anyone free tomorrow? Do pop by IOI mall from 11am to 6pm. There will be an adoption drive there and you can adopt any of the cute puppies up for adoption! :)

Friday, September 16, 2011

3 Resolutions

I am afraid of many things.. but I shall constantly remind myself that nothing is forever.

Afraid of being hurt? Know that feeling hurt is temporary and eventually the pain of it will fade away. Everything in life is there and happens for a reason. As cliche as this sounds, it has been true for me so far and the more I can accept it, the less I am afraid of.. changes.

It has been such that my semester shall begin at this time. Maybe its time for me to wake up and appreciate the other beautiful things in life as well. I know the people who care for me, would want that from me too.

From now on, I will focus hard on my education. I will do everything that gets me going on in life. If volunteering at the animal shelter every week will make me do that, I will. If studying hard will make me feel accomplished, I will. And if being kind to everyone around me (even if it takes a little more time) makes me feel whole, I will.

Thank you for the memories. I will not disappoint you.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

我今天要考华语。感觉到。。 很静张,应为我最后分钟才打开我的书来读。虽然是这样,我还是不会放气。我已轻用了一天的时间写一半本练习簿的生词!谢谢每个人的鼓励。。 :)

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Baking Stress

"If you wouldn't do your job for free, then quit." Heard of that phrase before?

When I first read that months back, I was kind of amused. But lately this phrase seems to be truer than ever.

Baking is always something I love doing, and never helps to be therapeutic for my frazzled nerves or if I feel sad/stressed/ depressed/(you get it, fill in the blank). I bake for any occasion, sad or happy. And love giving them away to anyone who loves to eat, when my cakes turn out pretty. But baking for customers is a whole different matter.

The baking business is FINALLY roaring it's ugly head at me!

I feel really tired and stressed right now. Maybe it's also because so many things will be happening next week.. new semester beginning, three cake orders in one week (all with different demands), classes, personal stuff, events. Thinking of it already makes me feel drained.

I am only thankful that this is something I put myself up for. Something that I have always enjoyed doing even if no one paid me, as long as people actually do enjoy my cakes. The joy of seeing someone take a second helping.. that's what makes my baking experience worth while.


Sunday, September 4, 2011

Black, White and Grey

People, no matter how old they become will never be able to let go of least one or two fragments of their childhood memory. Be it the time spent with their daddy or mummy, or maybe it's the memory of piecing lego bricks together to build a house or a favourite candy as a kid. For the girlie girl, she will never forget the days she spent combing her Barbie doll hair, imagining that Michelle the Barbie doll is alive for that one brief magical moment.

Who would have imagined that gradually, as these little kids would grow up, they would eventually have to make their own decisions for life? Initially, it would be the choice of whether to pick up after his/her dirty clothes or what to pick off their plate. Then, they will graduate to making more important decisions like deciding which books to bring to school or whether to study for an exam or even in decisions like who they want to be friends with.

As kids, the answers were pretty simple. Everything was black and white. If he likes it a person, that person becomes his friend. If he doesnt, that person is not his friend. So simple.

But somewhere between child and man, the boundaries became blurred. What used to be either black and white now could possibly be grey. You like curry mee but it is fattening. So you avoid it. Grey area. So you just admire curry mee from afar and salivate over it but always never indulging in it because you are afraid of the high cholesterol level. The thing is, the grey area extends to all aspects of adult life, and not limited to just food choices.

And this, my friend, I believe is the root of most people's confusion and dilemmas. They dont know what is the right or wrong thing to do!

What IS the right thing to do?

Because it falls in the grey area, no one will ever know. People may give their side or perspective but really NO ONE can give you the right answer. It really just depends on what you believe in, what you want, the core principle and values you hold on to in life. How far will you go to get it? Do you value A principle over B principle? Stuff like that. This is a very subjective matter. As it is, there are countless number of definitions to what is life, love, hate, diet, even. Everyone believes in different things and hence lead to contradicting views, opposing advice.

Your friends cant tell you what to do, your family cant tell you how to behave, counsellors or advisors can never give the right advice. The only person who knows you best is yourself. And hence, the best advice can only come from the one person who knows you best. In cases like these, my only advice would be to follow your heart.