Innocent Steps

Another one of those typical cheesy stuffs. Seems like any overly happy ending movies are cheesy and typical to me. Perhaps I am too sceptical about happily ever after.

I watched this yesterday cause I was exhausted from trying to figure out how to do the accounts for a business combination. I will figure it out today !!!

Anyway back to the movie Innocent Steps. This movie is about a young dancer who falls in love with her instructor. Not going to tell you much cause it will spoil the movie.

My fave part is when she was talking about the fireflies. She said "The fireflies will shine for their love and wait and wait and believe their love will come. They will give up their lives for their love." So tragic and beautiful at the same time. The movie is not anything tragic like the fireflies though.

It is light and good to watch when you have had a long day.

Lazy Bugger.

I was talking to a friend some time ago.
Suddenly she said ‘Hey how come you are still single?’
I just said ‘Haiyo…why not?’ (Actually I wanted to say 'As I like lah...’)
Then she said ‘You really should put more effort to your appearance. Guys are superficial after all. Put on some make up and all that.’

Hmmm…

I have to admit that all I have in my drawer at the moment is a tiny tube of Lancome lip gloss (Xmas present from my brother, perhaps he feels the same way as my friend.), a lip-stick that has been with me since my first year and I just threw away the face powder puff that I bought in my first year, which I can count with my 10 fingers the number of times I used it. Even the lip gloss also I only used it once in a blue moon when I am in the mood or when I have a Bad lip day.

Why I don’t put on make up? I just couldn’t be arsed. Lazy bugger me. Another reason is I have really sensitive skin. I could still remember the traumatic effect after Malaysian Night in 2004 when I performed and had to put thick on stage make up. I felt I look uglier with all that heavy make up. And my sensitive skin just broke out so badly after that. That really put me off from make up.

I still remember last year’s Malaysian night 2005. All I did was to dab some lip gloss. Then my housemate, KH saw me and said ‘How come you didn’t put on any make up?’
I retorted ‘Haiyo, no need lah.’

A friend once commented ‘There are no ugly girls. Just lazy girls.’

Guess he is right, I am just a lazy bugger who couldn’t be arsed to improve my image. But I guess the main thing is I just don’t care what others think anymore. It used to get to me how others perceive me but it doesn’t anymore.

Well, PJ is just a lazy bugger. Full stop.

White Tulips

Bon weekend everybody!!!

What is in a Name?

What is in a name? A Rose called by any name would smell as sweet. - Shakespeare.

When people ask me my name, I need to actually stop for 1 minute to think.

When I was in school at home people call me Ali (read as Ah Lee). Then some people call me Ah Pei, Ali Baba, Pei G, and very few call me the correct Pei Jie (read Peih not P, Jieh not G but the J sound kinda like Jay but gentler but not Jah, am I confusing you guys? ).

When I was baptized my dad asked the priest to baptize me with the name Jessica. I didn’t like it after having such a unique name like Pei Jie for 9 years of my life. Jessica sounds so boring and ordinary. At that time I thought Jessie sounded nicer than Jessica. Not many people call me Jessica except maybe the few people in church that I know and it always takes me 3 minutes to respond because it is just weird being called Jessica.

My mum almost wanted to give me a middle name (for my church Confirmation) Anne after her grandmother and also Jesus’s grandmother, St Anne. But I thought I am already confused enough and I should not add to the confusion. I almost was called Jessica Anne Lee Pei Jie. What a bloody long name! Thank God it didn’t happen. But Anne is a good name. Maybe I will name my daughter Anne

My mum doesn’t like people calling me Pei G which by the way was what most people in school call me. She said G sound like ‘Ji’, meaning Chicken in mandarin. So when I went to college she told me I should teach people to pronounce my name correctly. So I did.

Most of my friends call me Pei Jie, the right way in college. I actually quite like it.

Now at uni. I have so many different names. I gave up trying to tell people the right way to read my name. Even Pei G seems difficult for some. So in the end people start calling me Pee G (Stella, I realized you call my name using French pronunciation cause J is read as G in French. I like it yo.), Paige (which I secretly quite like it.), Jessica (not many but a few from church) and PJ which is the norm.

The only name that I hate people calling me is Peach. How did Pei Jie become Peach??? It is so not my name. As if the other names are my name. Anything but Peach cause it makes my hair stand when someone call me that. Don’t ever, ever call me Peach.

Quickie

Handed in my last piece of assignment for my whole degree. Finished my last group meeting. Now I just have to keep my fingers cross that everything's gonna be alright.

Alright...everything's gonna be alright.. alright... everything's gonna be alright.. (can actually sing it. its actually a funky Rev song.)

As I walk back from the business school, I felt a kinda nostalgia. I still remember getting lost and being late for everything in my first few weeks because I just couldn't find my way around even though Warwick is actually pretty microscopic. I must be pretty dumb to not being able to figure out my timetable and also getting lost on campus. I could remember the first few friends I made. I could still remember going into the Butterworth Hall and falling asleep at the VC's welcome speech. I could still remember the nightmare of going to tesco for the first time and having to buy cooking utensils and groceries and carrying them back with Shu Bei as night fall. I was ill at that time and on the verge of tears cause it was so heavy. Yes that was the weak me then. And I could still hear Shu Bei saying hang on there, we will be back at Arthur Vick soon. I swear it was so heavy that I felt I was carrying myself. ok am exagerating now but you get my point.

This first 2 weeks of term have been really busy. Have been living on bread and peanut butter. Yesterday I actually cooked a proper meal. I made tomato fish. It is so easy, it took me less than half an hour. Voila, my nasi campur (mix rice)... Tomato fish with veg and rice. Nothing extraordinary but I was content and it felt like heaven eating it while watching Korean drama.

Watched a Canadian French film yesterday La Grande Seduction by Jean Francois Puliot. C'est superb!!! Cheeky, and extremely amusing.

Life's slowing down a bit but I need to paced up to be more nerdy. This is the time when I wished I was nerdier but I was born a natural slacker.

Meme

So excited to be tagged by dear Daffy the famous Singaporean Food blogger! Don't play play...
My first mehmeh. Wah!!!!
Aiyo Lazy to link but you can find the links at the side bar.

1. Please list three recipes you have recently bookmarked from foodblogs to try:
I actually have quite a few recipes on Kuali that I want to try but not have time to do it. One of them is apple strudel. I saw it on TV the other day and it didn’t seem very hard to make and I have been here in UK for 3 years and have yet to try apple struddel. I saw the recipe for Roti Canai which I would love to try but don’t think it is achievable. So many so many recipes that I want to try… Oh ya, and fruit cake, I am a sucker for raisins. Kuali is a great site for recipes even though I have yet to try any but just browsing through them makes me happy.

2. A foodblog in your vicinity:
Daffy and Stella!!! These 2 girls are the inspiration to me blogging about foood. This little blog of mine is not so much of a food blog but more of a ‘rojak' ( crazy mixture) blog of things that happen in my life that I deem ‘shareable’.

3. A foodblog (or more) located far from you:
I enjoy reading Malaysian Food blogs very much because they remind me of home. My 2 favourites are Tham Jiak and Babe in the City.

4. A foodblog (or several) you have discovered recently (where did you find it?):
Definitely Vegan Lunch Box. It is the first vegetarian food blog that I found. I am kinda vegetarian except I eat seafood. There is a name for it but I can’t quite remember. Is it sectarian or something? It is inspiring to see the creative stuff that Mama Shmoo make for Shmoo to bring to school. It makes me go like awwwww every time I read it. I found it by chance through some other blog links.

5. Any people or bloggers you want to tag with this Meme?
Don’t really know any foodbloggers but I wanna tag Fel (again!) cause I eat tuna with rice too!!! Hahahaha…Sorry to disappoint you lah Daffy.

Shrunk?

Friend(s) : Hey you seem like you lost weight?
PJ; huh? No lah, I think it is cause you haven’t seen me for long time.

Lots of people have been coming up to me and telling me that I have lost weight. Got quite a few who said 'Well done.’
Erm,'well done' for losing weight? It wasn't intentional. I was planning to diet but I gave up without even starting cause I couldn't be arsed. In fact I have been binging on unhealthiness over the past few weeks. No work was done to deserve a pat on the shoulder for doing well.

Then some would say ‘Is it because you are stress? You look like you have shrunk.’
Erm…I am worried about the coming summer exams, but not too stress about it Yet. But I was really stressed about the presentations which, by the way is over and I actually enjoyed myself doing it. I realized that I actually quite enjoy being up in front and being able to see the class from a different view. Didn’t realized that they are actually quite a few cute guys in my class. It was fun to make eye contact with the audience while presenting. Eye contact is really important to make a good presentation. It gives the person presenting confidence and the audience will feel engaged.

Actually I don’t feel like I have lost weight. It would be good to lose some chubbiness at the right places though. I guess all girls wouldn’t mind losing some weight unless they already are super slim.

I used to be really conscious of my weight before I came here, even though my dad always tells me that I am not fat and I look good. I think it is just the culture at home where people often make fun of fat people. And most of the girls at home are so thin. I feel like an elephant when I go clothes shopping at home. One of the best thing over here is the culture where ‘bigger’ girls are so confident and they look good because I think they feel good. And guys here would not make insensitive comments unlike most guys at home who when they see ‘bigger’ girls they would start labeling them ‘tua pui poh.’ (big fat girl.) Perhaps I am generalizing. But I really feel the pressure to be thin at home because of the culture. I was even slightly anaeroxic when I was in my teens.

The ‘thin is good’ mentality is still in me as much as I would like to say that it doesn’t bother me if I put on weight. But over the years I have grown to love myself for the me that I am. It is a kind of growing inner confidence that I know that I am not ugly and that being thinner would not make me any better. I am grateful for what I have been blessed with.

PS - Other than the boringness (of 'trying' to finish essays and preparing for exams plus revision lectures which make you feel that you can't revise because you know nothing Yet.) of life, I signed up to work for the Soweto Gospel Choir Concert. Never mind that it is a day before my first exam paper. Heck it cause it is the only exciting thing to look forward to.

My Role Model

Stress is when you finish a comb of bananas in 1 hour, and you know you are worse than a monkey.

The gang when out to play yesterday after a week of hard work.
We had ice-cream at the 'pond' area.
We had the company of ducks and some scary, noisy geeese...

PJ loves ducks cos they are very pretty and nice to watch.
Daffy loves duck cos she wants to cook and eat them.
Stella loves Peking Duckies.
Everyone loves ducks except Fel who doesn't quite like ducks.

Yes it was glorious sunshine day yesterday as you can see from our squinting eyes.

And yes we are all working our ass off for the exams as you can see from the eyes bag that are slowly forming.

Saw the Morocan aecrobats yesterday and they were amazing. Check out their site: http://www.rfh.org.uk/taoub/videoclip.htm Watching them live took my breath away at times. Everything is actually really simple and repetitive but they had it so cleverly done and it was short (only 50 mins, no interval) which is good when you work at the Arts Center. Some of the choreography wasn't very good but they were still simply amazing in their stunts. Also watched the Proposition, some cowboy stuff that almost put me to sleep and The White Countess; I love watching Ralph Fiennes. There is something about him that is so attractive. The White Countess is average, not the kinda must watch movie but at least it didn't put me to sleep and I love watching Ralph Fiennes. ok am getting repetitive...

I was lying when I said I was working my ass off for the exams. The eye bags are from watching korean movies and also staying up late to prepare for my presentation. Oh ya I had a kick ass presentation on Friday. ok it wasn't kick ass but we didn't do too bad. Got one more tommorow and I am actually quite nervous about it because I am just going to go out to the front pretending to be really confident that I know everything about Japanese Depreciation for Tax Purposes. Just hope I don't fall off the stage.

I Wished I was working my ass off for the exams but am not. Today I shall start over a new leaf. I mean it. I shall head to the library to study after mass. I even made my own bento. Rice with coleslaw and baked beans. It took me less than 15 mins to make it. This is the kinda 'exam' food for PJ. Fast fast and faster. And it is balanced too. Protein, Carbo and Vitamins. Actually baked beans is not healthy cos of high sugar content. But I haven't had it for ages and someone gave me a can so might as well cos it is quick and easy.

Shall sign off with a tribute to my role model Fel-i-s-t-o-u-g-h-e-r!

Aja aja Fighting!!!

PJ-i-s-t-o-u-g-h!!!

See you all at the library...

Newborn Leaves Of Spring

Gone are the lonely winter nights,
As tears of joy mingled with the rain of spring,
Know not what the seasons bring,
Let it be sunshine love and autumn peace.

I Swear

I swear by the moon and the stars in the skiess. I'll be there. For better or worse. Till death do us part. I love you with every beat of my heart. And I swear…

No I don't do mushy, mushy stuffs like that song.

There are time when you just feel like swearing. Like when your flat-mate's girlfriend uses up all your brown sugar at a time when you are stressed out by work and all you want is to have a cuppa tea with sugar. Or when she fucking used up half a bottle of your new olive oil. How can anyone be so fucking rude! Stella, you are right this is just too much, I am so gonna confront her the next time I see her if I remember. The thing with me is I get annoyed and all that but I don't actually get angry to take immediate action. After a good night's sleep or some funny Korean drama ( BTW, am watching Sweet 18 at the moment which absolutely cracks me up.) I would just look back and think she must have had some fucking good reasons. Maybe she is anti-diabetic and needs sugar desperately or she will die. Or maybe she was drunk and fucked up and thought my olive oil was vodka and made some Marguerita with it.....

I have been reprimanded by my 'mother here' many, many times for swearing. Even my brother thinks I am swearing too much. I blame it on myself for being so easily influenced by people here who use the word ‘fuck’ like any other word. Even a cooking program on TV like Gordan Ramsey or Jamie Oliver has full of f words throughout. I should do a research on the frequency of f words they use on TV one day.

Actually swearing is not a new culture. My dad swears all the time especially when he drives. Muar drivers are the scariest craziest bunch. Anyway, like most things, I actually learnt to swear from my dad. This happened like maybe 10 years ago. I was in the car with my dad and some bloody idiot was driving so fast to overtake us (more like trying to kill us). So I uttered some ‘banned’ words in Hokkien that my dad used all the time. He looked at me ‘Why you swearing?’. I shut him up by just saying ‘You do it all the time….’ It was actually quite funny, I think my dad was trying hard not to burst out laughing. But of course that was a one off thingy. I hardly swear at home even when I am really pissed cause girls should be prim and proper and all that nonsense. ok it is not nonsense but you get my point.

The first time I heard really scary swearing was actually in my first year at badminton. After an intense relay, then one of the boys missed a shot. Then someone shouted a very loud ‘FUCK.’ Ok it wasn't that scary but I was a bit shocked because I was new in UK and all that.

I was talking to some friends the other day. He is from Hong Kong and he said that Cantonese swear words can be 100 times ruder than English swear words. Like when they curse your family and all that. He said English swearing is actually quite mild. Which is actually quite true, or maybe they have really rude ones that I do not know.

Apparently swearing does not go well with PJ. Sometimes when she does it her friends think it is cute and burst out laughing. What the....

NIIN

Stress is when you feel like you are pregnant. All you can think of is food in the middle of the night even after a heavy late dinner. This is Not Good. This is Bad cause I am Not pregnant but I sure am stress. Sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....

12.17am (Earlier than expected.)
I finished my blooooody essay (first draft). 'US is the Global Best (in financial reporting).' My conclusion is that US is so not the best. How dare they be so arrogant as to keep claiming they are the best.

Thanks to My Playlist which kept me going.
> Buses and Train, Butterfly Kisses, Love Song For A Saviour, Wake Me Up When September Comes, Here I am To Worship, Ming Zhong Zhu Ding and Qing Fei De Yi.

I am so tired now but after finishing this essay I feel like I can do anything.

Nothing Is Impossible Now. (NIIN)
I can climb ANY mountain.
Bring it on…ANY mountain ANY mountain….

I still can't quite believe I can crap almost 100 pages of crap.

Now I need some cereal and I want to watch a Korean drama.

I Love The Flowers

I Love the flowers...
I Love the daffodils...
I Love the mountains...
I Love the rolling hills...
I Love the fire place when the lights go down..

I'll miss the willows...
I'll miss the Tocil woods...
I'll miss the Lakes and..
I'll miss the Swans and Ducks....
I'll miss you all so much when I move to Birm....

 

 

Mus is Good For You.

Caring Daffy made Satay and chewy Konyaku Jelly. She was so thoughtful to make grilled veggie satays just for PJ. Crazy Stella made Mus. Damn complicated to make Mus! Funny Fel made Cone Sushis. It actually is called hand rolled sushi but I always called them Ice cream cone sushis all my life. Quiet PJ made Cigars. Its just popiah but to make it sound posh. Unique Selling Point is all about branding.

Stella came up with branding the 4 of us. I am Quiet PJ. I guess in this crazy gang, I am probably the quietest. I love to just sit back and listen and learn. Perhaps I have had a talkative childhood, so now it is time to let others have the chance to talk and I listen.

Earlier while cooking Fel and I syok sendiri with our pre-potluck ‘Scampi Time’ feast. We almost finished up 2 packets of Scampi. The other two ladies didn’t want to join our unhealthy pre potluck Scampi feast. So unhealthy but so happy!!!

Diner tonight was absolutely great, as always. Felt like we were eating Satay at a hawker stall. And a damn posh one too that serves sushi and Mus.

The Right To Kiss

Finally got to have diner with Carol, after talking about it for so long. We were so busy talking and eating that I forgot to take food pics. Anyway, I made bee hoon (vermicelli) with the little bit of stuffs I have in the fridge and also rolled some cheesy mashed potatoes (because potatoes is all I have and being the creative person that I am.) with the few spring roll skins I had left from the last time. Carol made sunrise eggs, just the way I like it with the yolks still runny. Plus she brought sainsbury chocolate cake for dessert. It was nice. Carol reminds me of an old friend. It is weird cos I only see her like once a week at church but I feel like I know her from somewhere. It is a very simple and comfy Easter diner.

Was browsing through NST online's archives. (Yes PJ is in procrastinating mode.) A couple 'kena tangkap' (got caught) for kissing in a park in KL a few weeks back. It is even on BBC. So all you people dating in KL, have to be careful from 'kena tangkap'. Apparently the couple could be fined RM2000 and a year supply of curry rice (in jail).

I think it is ridiculous that a progressive and secular country would impose such rules. What is wrong with kissing as a sign of affection? What is wrong to show it openly? I might be against sex before marriage but of course I am not that conservative as to think that way for kissing. It is a way of expression. It is a sign of Love. Like when your mum kisses you good night before you go to bed. What is wrong with kissing someone you love? The world is such a screwed up place, and isn't it a good thing to spread the Love?

It is so unfair for the couple when there are so many people out there who I am sure have kissed in a park before. Are the authorities going to catch every single one of them? The jail will be full of innocent civilians if like that. Our grandparents, our parents, our uncles, our aunties will probably be all eating curry rice in jail. I am sure some of them must have had the sweet memory of their first kiss in a park somewhere.

Alleluia!!!

Rejoice, rejoice, Christ has risen. Alleluia! Alleluia!!

My first Easter here in UK was actually quite sad. Most of the friends I went to church with, went home. Actually I didn't have that many friends just a few Italian friends. I didn't even know that there was a little church hidden behind Tesco. And I was too 'ham chi' (coward) to go for Easter Vigil at night alone. So I didn't but I did manage to find the church for Easter Sunday morning mass. That was the first time I met Father Jordan. Good ol Father Jordan. He is really old and amazing. Everytime he will ask me the same questions. What's your name? Where are you from? And the same old story of the time when he served at war in Asia. How could I ever tell him that I have answered his questions and that I have heard his war story like a million times. Its de ja vu everytime. But I know I will actually quite miss him when I move to Birmingham this summer.

Last year Easter, I was in Bangor, Wales for WiM (kinda like a choir camp) . I arrived there on Saturday afternoon and saw the Catholic church. But when night fall, I was again too 'ham chi' to go to Easter Vigil. Being my first day at Bangor I didn't want to get 'sesat' (lost) at night and I was too shy to ask if anyone was Catholic and going for mass. The next morning I attended a service at the Pentecostal church where we were staying. The children did a play which was so cute. In the evening I skipped dinner and went looking for the church again. I don't know why tears start to well when I was in there. I guess this is the feeling I often get when I am in a foreign church for the first time.

This year I am no longer 'ham chi' like the past 2 years. Having missed Easter Vigil for 2 years running, I wasn't going to miss it again. Was going to go alone but somehow ended up having Fel and Stella going with me. The readings seem much longer here than the ones at home. But it was really meaningful for me to be able to spend my first Easter Vigil mass here in UK with these 2 friends that I have gotten so fond off.

No. 4

Finally can kope from Fel's blog cause I forgot my camera again.
Table for 3. Simple diner yesterday.
Poor Fel had to cook her own meat. I really like the Red pepper in Miss Felly's sweet and sour pork.

Stella's angel's hair pasta soup and grilled augergine. Love the hairy soup. And despite what Stella says the aubergine is actually not bad.

And I made a simple chinese noodles with eggy vegie sauce. Was too impatient. Should have soaked the noodles longer. Sorry gals, will be more patient next time.

And guess who's back today?
No. 4 is back !!! Welcome back Daffy!!!

And she brought back all the sunshine from Singapore. The sun was glorious today after the past few gloomy rainy days. Someone noted on their blog that there are idiots outside who are trying to tan themselves at 15 degrees. I can't help being amused when I first saw the locals here tanning themselves whenever there is sun. They would lie on the grass and enjoy the sun. I just can't imagine people doing that in Malaysia. People will think you are out of your mind. I actually would like to get tan a little. I feel that I look like a pale ghost when I see myself in the miror.

To thank No.4 for bringing back sunshine love from Singapore. The 4 mafias meet again and do 'what they do best'. Eat and be merry.

I made curry again. This time I added more tomato puree and less curry powder cause Stella found the last curry too spicy. And we had Dhoool Poooris again. Fel made salad ala Chinese. I also syok sendiri and made a custard jelly with soya beans and dates. Didn't add enough sugar. Was tasteless thankfully we had Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie to save the day.

Went to church for Good Friday service just now. The church was half full. A new friend that I met on the way to church ( Yes Stella I did met someone on the way.) remarked that he feels really sad that there are so few young people in the church. It is sadly true but to me what is more important is not about going to mass, it is more about striving to make the most of the gift of life blessed upon us. Nevertheless, it is really inspiring to hear about churches like St Francis Xavier in KL who have active youth mass every Saturday. Hopefully I will have the opportunity to attend one of their masses this summer when I go back.

Weeekend is hereeee again!!! PJ's exciting plan this weeekend is to nerd on her assignments, revisions and all that shite!!! How bloody exciting -Not!!!

Deeeep sigh to make myself feel better... Sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....

Holy Thursday

Today is Holy Thursday. Tommorow is Good Friday and Sunday will be Easter Sunday.
This is for a Fel who asked me about it but I was in a rush to go to church. So this is for you Fel.

Holy Thursday is a day in memory of The Last Supper where Jesus had His Last Supper with His disciples before He was brought to be crucified. During the supper He also washed the feets of the disciples. A reminder that we should live our lives to serve and not to be served.
Good Friday marks the day He was crucified. He was put in a tomb. 3 days later, His body disappeared from the tomb. He had risen from the dead and sits at the right hand of our heavenly Father. And therefore Easter Sunday is to celebrate His Resurrection from the dead and life everlasting.

Thats basically a simple story of one man's love so true.

Have a blessed Easter everyone.

Third Time

I am here again blogging for the 3rd time cos my computer crashed at me 2 times when I was going to click the publish button. But I am not going to be bitchy about it considering what happened to me is 'peanuts' compared to what happened to Fel. She is so amazing. I salute her for being able to laugh at misfortunes as such. Hey Fel, I hope you sort out your simulation assignment soon and fark ITS network for all the screw up.

Gonna keep this real short. ( my weak heart can't take another blow of my computer crashing again.) So check out Fel and Stella's blog for more excitingness.

My fave hunny bunnies. Stellabunny and Felosobunny.

PJ and the bunnies were very hungry and had a bunnylicious feast.

Stella brought back loads of yummy dhool pooris ( kinda like 'roti canai' but made from dhall), mango pickle and green chilli paste (thanks heaps to Stella mama) plus Vindaloo (fingerlicking fish dish courtesy of Stella's uncle). Fel made her specialty salmon dish ( which was tender and juicy. nicely done and not overcooked.). PJ made vegie curry, tofu and salad. It is PJ's first attempt to make curry from scratch ( she is normally lazy and would get ready made curry paste.). She was worried that it will not be edible. So she also made a back up dish. The ever reliable 'bean rice' with dried muscles. Stir fry with onions and then cook in rice cooker. The curry tasted like those vegie curry served at temple in Muar during Wesak day. ( Sorry, that only people from Muar will get to imagine this.) This is actually a Welcome Back diner for Stella. Not much of a suprise considering how crap we are at suprises. Its absolutely awesome to have Stella back. She brought back loads of sunshine love.

PJ tasted her first ever Dhool Pooris. Love at first bite! C'est un coup de foudres!

Super Juicy and tender salmon with mushrooms by Not So kitchenidiot Fel.

Bean Rice. PJ added raisins just cause she is crazy about raisins.

And Fel made her first ever Chocolate -Yoghurt Cake. Its healthy cause the icing is made of yoghurt with no sugar. Yummy and absolutely healthy cake.

Pj and the bunnies with The cake ala Van Gogh by the 2 crazy bunnies.

It is absolutely fun with these 2 hunny bunnies. I realised that we have the same frequency and have endless stuffs to talk about and every diner is filled with endless fits of laughters.

Isn't it weird that some people you meet and you click instantly? Thats just how I felt when I first met them. We just clicked. It just happened that way.

Sorry I Love You

Charlene, I don't know whats their name. Maybe you know. Let me know if you know. All Korean actors and actresses look quite the same to me. Apparently it is really common to go for plastic surgery there. My friend who has visited Korea told me that they have a whole street of clinics for Surgery there. If someone were to force me to do surgery. I would choose to do my nose and make it sharper. But of course I never would want to cause I love my face. It reminds me of my mum and dad all the time. Mum's eyes and dad's nose. For that and everything they have given me, I am grateful.

My fave quote from the movie: Love is when you feel warm and grateful to have that someone by your side.

Last but not least to my oldest friend (for 16 years), Sing Cher dearest... Happy Birthday. Dreams come true and God bless you always. Love you heaps.

Combo Diner

Shu's Custard Buns...

Jin's Rendang and Mushrooms...

Fel's Bean Curd Dessert..

Andrew's Tablets and Fries...

Steven's Prawn-Celery Stir Fry...

And I made Popiah @ Spring Rolls ( 2 types : Tuna-Corn-Mayo Rolls and Vegie Rolls).

Feeling very full now from all the good food and good company. Should really try to do some work. But its Saturday Nite again! So heck it, I am goin to watch 'Sorry I Love You.'

MVO

I am inspired to blog about this after reading like a few blogs of strangers and also dearest Grace's blog about who pays on a date. I remember a conversation with a friend few years back.
DR: So did he treat you for meals?
PJ: Huh? Nope. We go Dutch.
DR: What? Not even once?
PJ: Nope. He said he is poor. But I guess he really is not into me.
DR: Forget about him, I think he is useless.
PJ: Huh??

Maybe what my friend said was a bit harsh. But I guess a guy should pay or at least offer to pay if it is a date. Feels very ungentlemanly if they don’t do that. This is just MVO (My Views Only). I realized that if a guy were to offer to pay, it feels kind of rude to insist and say ‘no’. So I will say ‘ok but next time let me buy you coffee or ice cream.’ I don’t expect a guy to pay for everything.

Some guys will go on about all the crap about gender equity. Why should guys pay for dates? Why not girls pay? This is the time when they get defensive and come up with all the equity crap. It is ok to think that way but for your info, this 'kiam siap' (stingy) and calculative behaviour really turn girls off. It is not that girls are materialistic or anything like that but it just feels nice to be pampered. Be a gentleman. Be a man and cut the equity crap. Men and Women can never be equal because God didn't make us to be equal. He made us to be different but loves us equally.

For me, if a guy were to ask me out, I would of course be flattered if he offers to pay, shows he is into me in a way but if he doesn't I guess going Dutch is ok. But I probably would think twice before going out on a date with him again because I am just like any other girl, I am put off by such guys. Call me traditional or whatever but I think I am just like every other girl. Guess I am normal after all.

Another Day Out

...this time is to London!

It was an absolutely annoying day at the Malaysian High Commission (MHC). Even though, it was quite amusing watching the ultimate Malaysian drama there... and the award of Most Cranky Receptionist Ever goes to the receptionist of MHC. Spent 4 freaking hours there waiting and to be told that we could not get our passport renew, I felt so annoyed by the cranky receptionist who actually let us wait stupidly for 4 hours.

I guess the trip was not wasted as we headed off to the Chinese Experience Restaurant for 1/2 price Chinese 'dim sum'. We ordered the usuals and a few new items to try. Of course the food is not fantastic. I thought the radish cake was too oily, the sauce for 'cheong fan' was awful and everything else is ordinary except for the Taro Balls and the Custard Buns. But paying half price for it is a bargain and the service is pretty good.

I tried Taro Balls for the first time and it is my fave today.

My second love is this custard bun thingy (Yellow balls on the far right of the pic) which does not taste like a bun, more like a custard glutinous flour ball. I love it.

We only had an hour after lunch as we wasted all day at the High Com, so we just walk around Chinatown and I met Mr Durian the King of fruits for the first time ever in UK. It is selling for 5.25 pounds which is like 35 ringgit a kg. Who in their right mind will buy it for that price??

To erase our annoyance at the High Com, we decided that ice cream will cure it all. So after a super jumbo lunch at Chinese Experience, we went to Bar Ciao and ordered a Huge bowl of ice cream with ferero roche and a Huge piece of Tiramisu. We didn't think they would give such Huge portions. It was such a sinful sight to behold.

Then it was 'work out' time rushing like mad through the crowded London Undergrounds to catch our bus. What a day.... still feeling annoyed but it was still a good day out with Kar Wai and Michelle. Thanks heaps for sharing the annoyingness, the food, the conversations, the food and the food....

Apologies to all you London people for not calling. I didn't know how long it will take me at High Com. Will catch up with you all next time I promise.

Conviction

I still remember when I was in my last year at secondary school the girl sitting in front of me, SY asked me 'Hey what do you think of sex before marriage?’
I just look at her and said ‘I guess it is normal and it is ok.’
And I got on with my work. She went ballistic and said ‘What!!!’
I could still remember her face and she started nagging me. I told her I guess it is ok to do it with someone you truly love. That was me then.

When I was in college, I don't know if it is because I had more Christian friends or because I started to believe in God or for God knows what reason. I sat in church on Sunday morning and it suddenly dawned on me how wrong sex before marriage is. But I still wasn't totally convinced but nevertheless I made a promise that if I ever met someone that I truly love I would tell him that he has to marry me if he wants to have sex with me. Most guys are probably put off by that. That was me then.

Recently, my friend shared her thoughts about this matter which absolutely convinced me that sex before marriage is wrong. She said having sex Before marriage is making a statement that it is ok to have sex Outside marriage.

For now I am convinced unless someone comes along and can convince me otherwise with a good reason. But of course to do or not to do is a personal choice.I do not in any way condemn people who practise sex before marriage. I don't think sex is a bad thing. It probably is something really amazing if experienced it with the right person and the right mindset.

This entry is kinda random. Just want to share some thoughts that cross my mind when I was watching dramas. Currently watching 'Sorry I Love You'. I was a bit put off by the cheesy title but I love it so much even though I am only at Ep 2. Better than Full House which I just finished. The last episode is my favourite. If you guys think that I am slacking. I am proud to report that I spend 3 hours in the library studying today. I know it is no big deal considering I know people who camp there to study. But for slacker me, it is hell of an achievement to stay in there for so long. I went there to borrow a book and thought might as well try studying there. I tried so hard not to fall asleep. It is so quiet even though it was almost Full House. Everyone is working hard. PJ must stop slacking!

Day Out

... at Birmingham.
Met up with my landlady and her lil girl. She is 18 months and so adorable. She actually liked me and wanted me to carry her. Babies normally don't like me and wouldn't want me to carry them but she liked me, she liked me!!! Her mum told me she don't normally like strangers but she like me,she like me!!!

The landlady told me that I have an American accent. I was like 'huh'. She probably never heard a Malaysian accent before. I told her I probably grew up with a wee bit too much of American TV.

The flat which is near the Chinatown.

I was told by my lady friend that the area is 'dodjay' (dodgy with a Brummie accent) but I spoke to 2 other friends (both male) they all seem to think that area is fine. The flat is quite small (smaller than the one I stayed in last summer and more expensive but is near the office, means I don't have to take the bus and be stuck in traffic). There are loads of pubs around that area which mean there will be drunk people around but of course that also mean there will be people around! I don't think it is unsafe or 'dodjay'. They even have a 24 hour concierge. Nowhere is safe anyway. And there is a 24 hours tesco just round the corner. I decided to take it cause I really like the landlady and her baby. Plus am too lazy to go looking for other places. So one thing settled. Now need to renew passport, apply for permanent National Insurance to pay taxes and all that. Also need to get a part time job so I can pay the deposit and all that. Oh man, growing up super duper sucks.

After saying goodbye to the baby which I even volunteered to babysit ( I must be out of my mind!), I met up with my old school mate, Ah Chua. Showed her round Bullring. I can't believe I actually managed to not buy anything with the sale there. I am so proud of myself.

Je te present ma chere amie, Ah Chua..

We had lunch at Selfridges Noodle Bar. I ordered Penang Laksa but I was cheated. I got a Curry Laksa which is Not Penang Laksa!! A nice looking English lady was holding the menu and asked me what number on the menu I was eating. I told her No.9 Penang Laksa. So tempted to tell her that it is actually not Penang Laksa but she wouldn't understand anyway. The curry was too coconuty and did not felt 'curry' enough. Ah Chua had udon. Even though the food wasn't fantastic ( and very misleading!), the service was pretty good. And I enjoyed myself sitting on the high stools eating something 'almost' Malaysian and catch up with an old friend, reminiscing about the good old days.

Totally exhausted from a day out in Birmingham. Gonna jump into bed and finish off Full House. Oh ya, another exciting thing is I just handed in my application form to be a volunteer steward at the Hippodrome, which is like 1 min from my 'dodjay' apartment!

Choux

I worked at the cinema for North Country (http://northcountrymovie.warnerbros.com/) . All I felt after the movie was fucking 'gam tong'(touched). I practically cried my eyes out. I couldn't control myself at all. The tears just didn't stop even though my brain kept repeating 'Stop crying PJ !' It was inspired by a true story, perhaps thats why I felt so much for the movie. I didn't cry because I felt sad but I cried because I felt 'gam tong' (touched). The point when my tears started flowing was when Josie's dad stood up for her. That was it and I just couldn't stop my tears from that moment till almost the end. What a movie... and Charlize Theron was absolutely awesome as Josie. The only bad thing is my eyes are still puffy.

Lunch courtesy of Ef/Joanne's cheese powder thingy. I mixed it with soya milk and had it with my last few strands of spaggeti and loads of cauliflower. I have not had cheese for ages and had almost forgotten how good it is.

My first attempt at making 'choux' or 'profiteros' or my dad would call them puffs. Can't believe I did it. I was half expecting to fail and was prepared to bin them but they turned out ok. Unbelieavable! Je te present...Le Premier Choux PJ...

The custard didn't turn out very well. The choux was pretty good. I decided to be healthy and eat it with yoghurt instead of chocolate sauce plus loads of fruits. I am not a fan of strawberries but they were on sale at Tesco. So I bought it to eat with grapes and yoghurt.

Going to Birm tommorow to see house and also meet up with an old friend from Muar.

PJ is very very excited.