Saturday, February 13, 2010
YEAH!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Bye bye Mr Cow...welcome the cute little tigers (hope it's not fierce tigress)!!! So adorable right these tigers?? They are ang baos actually...er...but empty ones lah,(sian) hee hee! My mum got it for free after buying something....hmmm...think about it...it's not free. 'Cause she did paid for something...right??! Nothing is free!!
I was helping my mum putting money into the ang baos last night...and i was reluctant to use these cute ang baos, 'cause they are so so so adorable!! In the end, my mum used one of these as my ang bao...LOL!
Here are some CNY-ish stuff. Oh, this is the pineapple tarts that have brought so much satisfaction to my family (our stomachs la) for the last 5 years!!! We always place order from this auntie...my mum's friend. NEVER buy pineapple tarts from Chinatown!! NEVER buy from supermarkets!! It's all crappy imitations!! You can try Bengawan Solo next year...hahaha! Theirs are quite nice! Apart from that, home-made pineapple tarts are still the BEST!! No fight man!!
Here's my younger brother and my mum...the head chef of the house!!! She's the best chef in the whole world!! Okay, the truth is, your mum is always the best chef...for some peculiar reason. Agree?? It's just different!! Right?? yes...i know my brother has very cool hair colour! Heh!
What's steamboat without hot hot hot chilli?? This is a yearly must have!! Especially for the fish!! Heh heh...secretly for masking the fishy smell...LOL! This chilli is really very very power!
Mushrooms!!! Er...actually i only eat the mushroom on the right...Hahaha!
What's steamboat without my favourite vegetables?! I love corn!!! Cabbage is easier to eat 'cause it doesn't have thick and bitter stem!! BLEHhhhh!!
Okay, here's everything ROUND. Otah ball, prawn ball, imitation lobster ball.... in a round bowl...
My favourite cheese tofu and cheese hotdog!! Oh....i think i'm secretly a cheese lover!!
Okay, 'cause my house is SMALL we can't be bothered to eat ona big big table! So we sat around the "biggest table" (the floor) and have our dinner. We have been doing this for the past 4 years!! It's actually quite fun!! We were watching my mum's favourite Taiwan soap opera...'AI' or 'Love'. Oh man...what a L...O...N...G....drama!
According to my mom, putting bak kut into the soup will make the soup really delicious. Try it next time! If you add corn and carrots, it'll be EVEN better!
Yummy!!!
This is our fridge before we started eating dinner.
This is the fridge after dinner. Actually not much difference right? HAHA! But good chance to play 'Spot the Diff' between the 2 photos! So...can you spot the diff?
I think my mum made the right choice by not buying as much food this year. Last year, we had even more left over from our reunion dinner! (which was really a heap)
Even though we didn't eat really expensive stuff, but what's most important to me, is the value of spending time with my family. For some reason, CNY is always a time where families reunite and reconcile. I think i really need to learn to treasure these times.
How about you?
=)
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Was just searching for pictures, and i stumbled upon some really funny signs!! LOL! I had a good laugh!
Isn't this such a coincident?? LOL!
Oh man...i think i'll think twice before i eat....hhahaha!
MacDonalds had a bad day...it looks gross.
Well..they assumed that everyone who goes to the restrooms are really URGENT!!
Huh? I think i won't wanna work here...'cause i'm not "shits"...
This sign is a total waste of money!! It's not helping at all!
Oh wow...i didn't know fishes smoke and crawl out of ponds...LOL!
Oh...how unwilling!!
Scarrrryyy!!! I'll leash my child then!
Haha! Holy sign!
So merciless...heh heh heh!
What??!!
Hmmm....so there's no special offer afterall?? HAHA!
This is what i call..."bo liao"...
Oh man! I'll be angst if i'm a driver stuck in the jam!! LOL!
Er...so....is it real or fake? =)
Oh no....sounds really bizarre!!
Aren't these just ...BANANAS??!!
It's just amazing, and hilarious to see these signs!! I'm just amused. =) HAHA! Sometimes it's good to look at funny things, to bring some laughter into our lives. Laughter is really the best medicine!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Compassion must lead to action!
Doesn't this kid look really young? =) His name is Davin, from Cambodia. I've been sponsoring him since he was 10 years old (back in 2007). He stays in the province of Takeo, located at the south of Phnom Penh (the capital). Davin told me, that he aspires to be a doctor one day! WOO! Like me, Davin grows up in a single parent home.
This is Davin when he was 10 years old.
When he was 11 years old...
And now he's 12 years old! And he grew taller!!
One day i was reading a magazine (can't remember which mag...think it's Reader's Digest), and i came across an advert that says "Sponsor a Child", by World Vision. Somehow, i kept thinking about it the next few days. It only takes $45 a month to sponsor a child. This child will then have shelter, food, proper education, and other basic needs met, as a result of your sponsorship.
At first, i was hesitating whether to do it. But as i thought about it, i figured out that $45 is not a huge amount, if we're talking about providing for a child's needs for a month. If i can buy a bag that cost $50, why can't i give $45 to a child in need? If i can spend $40 on clothes, why can't i give $45 to invest in a child's future?
With that simple reasoning, i concluded that compassion must lead to action. If not, it's no point feeling sorry for all these needy people. So i decided to sponsor a child.
I was given the choice to sponsor a child from various countries (e.g. Cambodia, Laos, India, Mongolia, Africa, etc). But i didn't choose...as i felt that whoever it may be, i'll just sponsor, 'cause every child deserve equal treatment. =)
The $45 that i gave monthly will not be entirely given to the child directly. Instead, the money will go to the community which my sponsored child is living in. From there, the money will go to various needs that the community have. So in another words, all the money received from child sponsors (whose sponsored child live in that community), will be pooled together. But some of the funds will directly benefit my sponsored child (e.g money for doctor, education, etc).
You see, World Vision's purpose for going to that community, is to help the community to set up a self-sustaining system. They actually teach farmers proper farming, so that they can produce more crops to sell for a living. They also help the community to dig wells, build toilets, set up animal farms, set up medical facilities, ensure the children receive proper education.
But the SPECIAL thing about sponsoring a child, is that you can further connect with him/her through letters, and photographs. You can also send small gifts to him/her. That means, the child will know you personally. If you have sufficient funds, you can also visit him at his country! =) Isn't it cool??? =)
This is one of the letters that Davin wrote to me. I've been sending stickers, colour pencils, cute erasers over to him! I think all these gifts meant a lot to him, 'cause he doesn't have the luxury of buying nice stationaries.
A letter he wrote to me last year. His original letter is in Cambodian language (Khmer) at the top of the letter. And someone will translate his letter to English. Usually he will draw a picture. Can you see the car he drew? =)
This was a letter with his hand out-lined. =) Cool right?
He tried to draw a flower for me! =)
I think the most satisfying thing, is to know that the child you sponsor is actually benefiting from your giving. It's so encouraging to receive letters from him!
If you are working, or you have the ability, why not sponsor a child? =) You will not be the first, neither will you be the last. There are also famous celebrities who are sponsoring children too.
=)
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Are You Who You Wanna Be?
I'm currently reading a book call 'Tuesdays with Morrie' by Mitch Albom, which i think many of you heard of this book before. You may have even read it before i did!
The story is based on the author's true encounter with his dying professor - Morrie Schwartz. In the last few months of his prof's life, Mitch Albom visited him every Tuesday. Each Tuesday, they will talk about a topic that they've previously agreed on.
I was reading the chapter on their conversation about something many people wouldn't want to discuss - Death.
Morrie said these things, which really made me think:
"Everyone knows they're going to die, but nobody believes it. If we did, we would do things differently."
What he meant was, if we accept the fact that we can leave this earth any time, we will live our life differently. We would have made every day count, because we really do not know when will be our last. He said, "In this way, you can actually be more involved in your life while you're living."
And he went on to say...
"The truth is, once you learn how to die, you learn how to live."
"Most of us all walk around as if we're sleepwalking. We really don't experience the world fully, because we're half-asleep, doing things we automatically think we have to do."
How true. I think facing death really changes the way we look at things. Things that we're doing now may not be the most important things in life. Work, money, fame, material possessions, etc.
I think it's a good time, since it's still the start of 2010, to really think about what we are doing with our lives. Where did all our time went into? =)
In our super fast pace society, it is very easy for us to focus too much on things that people are chasing after. What others are desperately chasing after may not be the most important things after all. Some times, we just got to learn to slow down in our lives, and start to appreciate the people and things around us; we need to learn to appreciate the ups and downs of life.
So...are you living life the way you think you should, or are you just following trends and what is popular in our culture today? Think about it. Maybe it's time to rethink...time to reset the priorities in your life?
Like what Switchfoot sang...."This is your life, are you who you wanna be?".
=)
Thursday, February 4, 2010
I stumbled upon this song, sang by Bob Moffatt and Clint Moffatt. They are twins la...DUH. Ok, maybe a bit blur in the video. They used to be in this band call The Moffatts, which was really famous between 1998 to 2001. They were made up of 4 brothers from Canada...and they were only 14 years old when they released their 1st albumin 1998. Their 1st album, Chapter One, sold more than two million copies worldwide and almost went double platinum in their native Canada.
But sadly, in 2001 they went separate ways. I really miss them...they are really so talented. (and quite cute looking) If you are about the same age as me, you'll know their famous songs like, 'Miss You Like Crazy', 'I'll Be There For You', 'Until You Love Me'.
Here's a song the twin brothers sang, 'If I Never Told You'. They call themselves the Two Bullet Parade. (interesting name) I believe it's a song they composed themselves. Enjoy! =)
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Friends Are Friends Forever
This post is for a special group of people - W319 friends, and all those who use to be in the same cell group as me. =) AND of course to my current friends in the same cell group with me.
I remember this song, 'Friends are Friends Forever' by Michael W. Smith. I used to sing this song almost every time, when i was in secondary school. You see, 'cause i came from a Catholic school. So we'll often sing hyms, and sometimes 'nice nice' songs.
This is one of my favourite song. On every last day of school, and on the day we graduated or promote to next level, we never fail to sing this song.
Dear friends, sometimes we may not be together all the time, in one another's life. But like what the song says, "And friends are friends forever, if the Lord is the Lord of them". As long as we are in the Lord, our friendship is forever. =)
This song is dedicated to all of you..."a lifetime is not too long, to live as friends". =)
Friday, January 29, 2010
I'm a believer!!!
Err....i mean i am a BELIEVER OF DREAMS!! I believe that dreams can come to past!
Some people despise dreams because they tried chasing after theirs, and they failed. Or maybe they've tried pursuing it many times, but didn't turn out too well either. They said the grapes are sour just because they can't taste them; they say success is just a pie in the sky, because they failed to reach it.
That's what the movie 'Tooth Fairy' is all about. Dwayne Johnson (aka The Rock) plays a hockey player, named Derek Thompson. He broke his shoulder many years ago during a game, and now he is just a "sideshow attraction" known as the 'Tooth Fairy'. And because he failed, deep inside him, he don't believe that dreams are real anymore. To him, there's no such things as dreams. Unknowingly, he actually has a habit of speaking negative words to children, and shatter their dreams through his words.
One night, Derek received a summon from the head fairy under his pillow. He was then transported to the realm of fairies, and there he was tasked to serve as a real tooth fairy for 2 weeks. This was a form of punishment for shattering the dreams of children with his words.
As the story goes, Derek learnt over many incidents that dreams can really come true. A dream can only come through if we are willing to take the first step to try. And very often, what we need is someone who believes in us, and tell us we can do it. What we say can stir up the courage that lies deep down in each dreamer's heart. The power of believing has profound impact.
Never allow failure to stop you from believing in your dream. Neither should we allow negative things that people say stop us from going after our dreams. Like what was said in the movie, when we give up on our dreams, the person that we let down the most, is ourselves.
Talking about dreams just reminded me of Martin Luther King. Jr - a prominent leader in the African-American civil rights movement, back in the 1960s.
I really admired his courage to believe in a dream that seemed so impossible during his time. He didn't give up, even though the odds were against what he believed. With faith and courage, he delivered one of the greatest speech in history, "I Have a Dream", on 28th August 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial.
I was deeply moved as i listened to his speech...i have to admit that i almost
teared. It was his faith and courage that really moved me. You know that you
know that you know, he really believed in his dream.
And...his dream came to past...
This is Micheal Oher, American football offensive tackle. Standing next to him
are his foster parents, Sean and Leigh Tuohy. The story of Michael Oher was
made into the movie 'The Blind Side'. This picture speaks of the fulfillment of
Martin Luther King.Jr's dream...the dream of equality and justice; that there is
no more walls between people because of the colour of their skin.
Truly, dreams can come true if we can believe, and work hard at it.
=)
