Lazy weekend

Finally, the weekend is here, having scurried through an excruciatingly busy week.

Weekends are always welcomed, especially during rainy seasons.

This weekend was spent with a night-over, listening to ghost stories, discussing about tarot cards and laughing our hearts out over beer.

Last night, we even spent a lazy night just building ridiculously insane roller coasters on Roller Coaster Tycoon 2.

Aptly named "The Last Ride", the ride ends with no platform but a sudden drop that lands all the passengers in the middle of the platform with a huge explosion and fire works to celebrate this finale ride.

See what three stressed out people can do?


An overdue picture from my birthday - thank you for everything.


Everything will smoothen out okay? We'll wait for the next weekend to come =)


Cheered up,
Izzy

Confessions of a Chef-aholic

Seeing that it's a Friday and it's a holiday,
(Fridays that do not require work are always welcomed as good fridays)
we decided to make breakfast at home!

Regrettably, as we have had too much prata wraps the past few days,
I had to think real hard to cook something different today.

The picture above is my own concoction of mashed potato and mushroom sauce.
(The sauce was too ugly to post online :/ )
Being my first time preparing mashed potato (i have this vehement hatred of eating potato),
I never knew it was so much work!
I tried to be impromptu, and decided on ways to prepare the mashed potato.

I peeled it with a knife (because I couldn't find a freaking peeler)
and boiled it like forever,
and after which I mashed it.
Sounds easy but because the kitchen was so stuffy,
it was hard work.

Unfortunately, my own concoction of the mushroom sauce didn't work terribly well.
I couldn't find barbecue sauce so I got a bottle of steak sauce (I thought it'd probably be the same),
and I added some other marinate sauce, and with salt and pepper.
It turned out rather watery and sour (!!!).
It was quite a disappointment - but I liked the mashed potato on its own.
Oh well, always a first time for everything.

Scrambled eggs

This is my favourite dish that I like to eat and cook - mainly because I know it'd turn out delicious =) I always like to add a few dashes of oyster sauce and wine and salt. But apparently, the addition of milk makes it sweeter. Which ever tickles your pickles =)

Depending on different tastes, it can be prepared semi cooked or fully cooked. Me thinks it's yummy =)

Toasted bread (Dizzy)

Okay, while this looks innocently simple to make,
I beg to differ.
It's hard chore for a lazy bum like me.
First, the bread has to be cut into heart shapes with a knife,
subsequently added with cheese sausages, honey-baked ham, mayonnaise sauce, and mozarella cheese.
Into the toaster which will turn the bread golden brown.
=)

One thing about cooking these dishes at the same time is that one needs co-ordination and multi-tasking.
I think I can do better, in order to ensure the dishes are warm and delicious at the same time, ready to serve.

Maybe, just maybe, I am just planning my foray into my cooking career when I have my cafe next time =)

I hope you had a fantastic breakfast to kickstart the weekend =)

Scrambled,
Izzy

TGIF!

Once again, my favourite day of the week :)

We brought Kellye, from UK, to Holland V to chill at Harry's and it was a very enjoyable time. Sitting down, sipping down amidst the thin rolls wedged between the fingers, a few small bites of finger food, infectious laughter, nothing too heavy.

=) I haven't been this happy for quite some time.

The wonders Fridays bring to you once you start work.


Bring on the happy spirit,

Izzy

Everything with its own consequence

The first part of my last-minute trip/get-away/rejuvenating measure was pulled off successfully.

I am now in Manchester, backpacking and staying in a youth hostel.

In less than 24 hours, I'll be on a plane back to Singapore again.

That said, it was a real experience travelling to Manchester alone.

Fingers crossed, I need my flight to arrive on time on Monday.

*Crossed extra tightly*

Yet another restless Friday night,
time spent together around a green table,
with fidgety legs and darting eyes,
roaming fingers and with the bated breath of anticipation
all to look for the very one, to complete the set.

Sounds very much like love, to me.

Sometimes, when you are close to winning and you are just anticipating, awaiting one tile,
and you glance at the table and realise that two tiles of the same particular colour and design are strewn there,
do you keep waiting for that tentatively "dead" tile or move on and pick a new tile which you have higher possibilities of waiting for?

Is waiting at an almost sure dead end a sign of tenacity or pure stubbornness?

That, I don't know. For many do get lucky and wait for what they want. But what about those that don't?

And for those who have fantastic tiles, is it wrong for them to try and win a higher set? Or is it simple greed that blinds them and ties them to an endless chase for a higher set, when they can simple win earlier albeit with a smaller set?

So what is life really about? Is it about perserverance? Or is it about being able to see the big picture and knowing on hindsight that the very one tile you were waiting for was hidden at the last stack of tiles, which you will never get?

My friend, if you are reading this, I hope you understand what I mean. I don't wish to see you get hurt again.

x x x x x x x x

On another note (typing this reminds me of my professional hazards...), it was really nice meeting up and playing 3 rounds of mahjong until the wee hours at 4am... we started at 9pm...
By the end of the 2nd round, I was half dead, and my brain went on auto mode...

But it was nice, cos in the end, both of us accumulated an earning of $120... and while this is like not a huge amount, it is an accumulative effort to do damage control... because the bets are high and sometimes, losing is inevitable.... so it's about knowing when to cut your losses....

Sometimes, I think working makes me think too much for my own good..

Sad-a-day (Saturday)

It's a bright and lazy Saturday afternoon,
and I'm the only one typing away in my office
while most people are sleeping, shopping or chatting away.

While this is my first Saturday spent working in office and I doubt it will be the last,
I pretty much enjoy being left alone with the huge office to myself and
doing my work slowly and independently.
It's quite a different feeling, and even my work doesn't look so scary anymore.

At the end of a day,
it's a matter of perspective. =)
Saturdays with work don't have to be 'Sad-a-days'...

Most importantly, it is to love what you are doing,
because it takes the difficulties out of your work.

Back to work, until I take a breather later.

Running

This morning, I dragged my lazy butt out of my bed and forced myself to wake up with the big beautiful sun shining, casting light into my room.

Because I decided to go running on a lovely Sunday morning.

My mum was pretty surprised cos she knows I only start running when it's a new phase of my life. But I'm sure she's glad I'm doing something positive and waking up early. I think my body has gotten used to waking up at unearthly hours on weekends.

And I woke up in cold sweat last night at 4.55am as I had a nightmare that sent me sitting up and looking around the room.

While I wasn't like running 3 or 4 km, I was making small baby footsteps!

of course, this time,
I ran towards the sun, because I always want to run towards the sunlight. =)

Had a fantastic time catching up with my friends during the weekend, catching up on old times and sipping coffee and updating each other on our lives.
And of course, memories of how simple uni life was then... orientation camps... celebrating each others' birthdays and random chalets...guitar and jazz dance classes on weekdays and weekends, coffee sessions at fong seng, munchy monkey pasta and ice cream...
what beautiful memories...

and at the end of the day, its being able to chat with these friends despite not catching up for so long that makes the friendships precious... =)
thank you all my dearest friends =) to each and everyone of you...

A Good Weekend

Finally a breather from the hectic hell week.

It's with these crazy weekdays that I start to appreciate the short weekends I have.

It's the littlest things in life that makes me smile.

My friends introduced me to this place in Changi,

called the Fisherman's Village, which sadly is not the same as before.

However, I enjoyed every minute of it because it was beautiful.

Underneath the starry skies,

I could have my dinner,

enjoy the sea breeze and take in the break-taking night scenery

sip a little of my ice cold beer

share some of our thoughts

feel the warmth of the wavering candle light

laugh away the troubling thoughts of work

smell the salty air

touch the sandy beach with my toes

let go a little.

I love the beach at night because it calms me down,

it lets me forget about my problems,

taking me far away...

It gives me time to stop and take a breather.

Been on numerous car rides, with the stereo just blasting away.

I think music has a great soothing effect on me,

the tunes lull me into relaxing,

the lyrics spin my mind,

and having a smooth car ride just makes the day so much better.

A good weekend that has helped me destressed even though I feel a little ill.

Been working overtime for almost everyday,

and I also brought work home.

This is the epitome of how work never ends.

Nice and lazy Sundays, to cuddle under the blankets,

to refuse to wake up, to switch off the alarms without guilt,

to take a slow leisure walk, to slowly enjoy life...

My favourite quote still remains:

Taking a rest allows us to walk further.

Now, its Sunday and after going for dinner later,

it's back to hitting the work again.

At least, I feel much more well-rested for the next week. =)