Sashimi

Today I didn’t do anything much except change my Swatch strap at KLCC and buy a dozen more dunkin donuts. But the rest was pretty forgettable so lets talk about sashimi.



Yes, it’s that ‘ raw thingy’ you get at Jap restaurants you were lured unwillingly to by those scavengers. Cavemen you probably think now.. Parents, friends or whatever. You know that you’re not cut out for all that and would anytime prefer that chunky old medium rare rib-eye, or heck even that old daymn good fish and chips.

But hey, its so good and if you are not one of those who like em’, you’re probably missing out on one of the finest things in life - or you just can’t be bothered.

Right?

It’s that good really. You have to try one of the best Japanese restaurants in the world, go on order a plate of that fresh raw fish they have and you will succumb to your knees! If you aren’t lucky, you will even beg for more - wanting more, and with every bite you take, you know you’ve lost the battle.

Why is it that good you ask?

Well maybe because it just is and has to be! The Japanese can’t possibly go wrong, and this includes half of the sane world who are sashimi-lovers!

Today I had the pleasure to go to one of those supermarkets that had Jap food (normally both sushi n sashimi) ; unfortunately stocked quite nearby their green vegies -you know what I’m talking about..

And there it was. One whole box just staring at my face. Was I gonna sit there and just ignore it? Or put it in my shopping basket?

Hey, you know I ain’t stupid.

Unfortunately, they didn’t come with a soy sauce packet. That would have to be bought separately. Boohoo! And chopsticks cost like RM0.80 I think! What! Not gonna pay that for a one-time use kinda thing.

Having paid for everything, rushed to the autopay station to pay for parking, because I was also rushing home to catch a show on TV. And I couldn’t wait. By the time it took for the car to start its engine, and before reaching the exit of the carpark, (it wasn’t a small car park, then again it wasn’t that big either). And yes, that time was all it took for me to finish it.

It was so good. Just that fresh cold raw piece of sashimi gliding back and forth across your tongue, you chomping it, enjoying it, savouring it, now tell me IS there really ever ENOUGH time in this world? Just ever enough for you to have that one thing just a little bit more?

If anybody is planning to treat me for food (you know you’re always welcomed) well you know where to go don’t you! Don’t say you weren’t warned.

OK let me just rewind that situation.

Pause. And Rewind.

I opened the box carefully to have a close-up look. It wasn’t a surprise anymore, due to its transparency. But was it still as good as a surprise ? Hell yes.

I squeezed the wasabi (horseradish) and the soy sauce into the corner of the box. Due to my cheapskatedness and refusal to buy a pair of chopsticks, I then took a bite of the salmon sashimi using nothing, except my bare hands. And gave a good tear with my strong both upper and lower jaw incisors.

And what can I say? The harmony and mixture of the two flavours, soy sauce and wasabi engulfing; almost but not - the taste of raw salmon was nothing less than exquisite and delightful.

I can say I’m easily pleased. That was utter bliss.

And that eating with hand action made me think of how alike I resembled a cavewoman. Eating raw food with bare hands.

Just a random thought.

Monopoly World Edition

There'll be a Monopoly World Edition coming out and because it's hard to decide which city goes on the board, Hasbro has a worldwide voting system. And the TOP 20 cities will be on the board. Hoohoo. I wanna get my hands on one of these.

But for now - you can vote for any city of your choice to be on the board.

Click here

Glad to say that Sydney is #4 on the board. Keep on voting ppl!

KL isn't doing too bad either - it's at #51 out of 68 me thinks.

And we're talking bout most livable cities kk! :D

A young life, yet lost

My heartfelt condolences goes out to the bereaved family of a fellow UNSW student, Lee Nian Ning who passed away in a tragic bus accident last Friday.

Although I did not personally know her, I have friends who did and who felt a terrible sense of loss.

It was sad that a young girl like her with such a brilliant future had to lose it all due to the recklessness of a bus driver who was SMS-ing, and speeding even when it was heavily pouring that day.

With multiple summons piled against him, the bus driver killed 3 people and injured several others.

Family mourns loss of beautiful, intelligent go-getter

Her boyfriend's family will be taking action against the bus company Konsortium Express and its driver which can be found here. A petition is in its proposal stages to increase awareness of the said issue that the bus driver is at wrong.

If you have a blog, please call out to ANYONE who

knows someone who survived or did not survive

the crash to come forward to join the Lee family.

How many young people should be robbed of their future before something is done?

If only we had - just a little longer..than this.

That's Delta Goodrem btw. Previously I could never tell between Australian singers or American or British when it comes to English songs. Even Canadian.

Well NOW I still can't.

They probably sing it, minimalising any possible accent to avoid sounding too native. Is that possibly why I can't tell?

I'm thinking of our local scene, and the only band I can think of is Disagree. I think there's a band like that, right? Well as for them it was pretty hard to distinguish that they weren't foreign. Kudos to them? :s Nahh crapping.

That isn't the point but...

The point is bout the title. And I wanted to post about maturity and about growing up. And conversely staying young.

I tell you, its nice to tell ppl you're 18 when they think ur 21. How is that possible you tell me? BLIND AH? Esp in uni, when some locals are mature-age. (Studying in uni only after working for a few years). A lot of students in uni also support themselves without the need of the parental units. Amazing. And this includes accommodation, food, transport, education and so forth. Not cheap I tell you. Especially in Sydney.

Ohhh still 18 btw! And proud of it! HAH! Except that you're always known as 'the baby' and ppl always ask you twice if you're of age when alcohol is involved. HMMPH. Better than auntie or uncle la I tell u. *snort snort*

But even when you're 18 now - 2 years ago at 16 you're on a different level of maturity. And that amazes me. Will I be more mature than I am now, at 20? Or is it just the growing stage that every year seems to be a growing year? And yet you'll learn more next year...

Btw I'm turning 18 AGAIN next month. Don't ask.

Anyway it's like writing a diary a year ago (although I don't) and re-reading it now. And you can't believe how you've matured. You can't believe how you could have thought like that at that time. How? How could you have written such a thing? It's funny. And then you laugh about it. Or maybe shed some tears over it?

I've often thought about maturity and wisdom. And how life and its experiences shapes you into the person you are, the person you want to be. By growing old, it's not such a bad thing. Mistakes were meant to be made, but then you learn from them. A saying from Dalai Lama here - "When you lose, don't lose the lesson."

Will I be wiser five years down the road? As I walk across this path of life, I'll realise the reason for the existence of all the people around me, things I did, mistakes I made and the reason they've touched my life in some way or another.

And then I'll learn what love is. I know some ppl who jump from one boyfriend to another, afraid of loneliness, and eager for companionship. A fling is all it is. On the other hand some have ulterior motives - heard of the term goldigger? Then there are some who are so serious that you don't believe it. They just look for one person, it should be a local (non-foreigner) because they're thinking LONG-TERM. Having a partner with another citizenship just won't cut it. Travelling from one country or settling down in one place would just be too hard. Of course the other characteristics matter too. But long term can ya imagine? Amazing.

Some just wait until they find someone - and when they do they go into the relationship. Not hoping for too much, but just to see what comes out of it. just enjoying the ride and the flow you know..Then there are the others who are desperate. Will go to such lengths to get a girlfriend. Any girlfriend for that matter. Who cares? A pig in a skirt is NOT a pig. :s But how bout the ones who aren't looking? Not at all. They have sth else to look forward too. Passionate bout sth else perhaps - studies, or guitar or sports. You know with the time we have in uni, it's hard to balance so many things at one go? If you do and still ace your subjects, well congrats! Because it's a tough ride.

Then finally there's the type that will wait for the right person but will not jump into any relationship because is there a real need to?And until they find the right guy, they're going to keep accidentally breaking hearts. Not with cruel intentions at all. But at least they won't get their heart broken. Makes sense?

So which person are you? Are you happy with the one you have?

Btw, I decided I'm not turning 18 again. It'll be 19 this time. Sighhh.

Anybody interested ?

AUSSIE, AUSSIE, AUSSIE!

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Hmm

As the new year starts and I still haven't progressed much I thought I'd fill in the gap with some blogging moments. I have a stat counter account which monitors my blog and I put it up just recently and saw that my visitors come from a myriad of countries. Assuming half of them are sesat much, I still maintain a constant stream altho I'm not blogging. How interesting. Statcounter provides a log for up to 500 logins I think. That means only 500 logs will be recorded at one time. After that, they'll start the counter at 0 again, if I'm not wrong.

I'm sure statcounter can provide for more than 500, but a premium will have to be charged. Who cares? We're all in it for the freebies and nth more.

On some random note, all that fuss about our ex-Minister involved in a scandal is a waste of time. From what I read, he did serve the country well, using his political status for a good cause. Yes he did sth wrong and ppl shouldn't cheat on their wife. But he got caught, resigned, and END of story. Who the hell cares anymore? Stop the slandering! No biggie! Ppl do it all the time but he was probably the only one who got caught. Whatever!

Owh, and I'm on an anti-cat mission. I hope somebody kills the cats before I do, because I as a person have never felt any more hatred. So much hatred for those feline creatures more than I've ever felt for any person. Isn't that a good thing? I realise cats are living creatures as well but the RULE is : you live your life. And we live ours. BUT when u ****** come and disturb ours, to the point where ignoring seems impossible anymore, we sacrifice some of yours. It's all for the greater good. Deal or no deal?

=)

Exercise and the F-Word.. Fun!

:s

I know...it's the name of my prescribed text for next sem's gened course.

It should be fun I'd reckon cuz its bout physical fitness and health - sth I've always wanted to know about. Sum part which is interesting yet not too tiring? Um I shall decide to be healthy from next sem onwards. Its the summer break - so yeah? gimme a break. But I'll start when I've established my place (loft? ahaha SIF) right back this March.

But yea exercise is so important for each and every one of us. We can come up with many many excuses every possible one under the sun. Every single excuse is passable. Like "I'm not a morning person..", "Can't stand going to the gym/can't stand ppl who go to the gym"..etc. but like my gym trainer said he trains for an hour plus in the morning only and NOW he only needs 6 hours sleep and its enough. No need to sleep for 8 really..or in my case 12.. What a waste of time sleeping I mean. Training and keeping fit will make my body more prone to fight off the lethargic-ness I constantly face, and I'll have less sleep instead. What a great trade-off.

Perhaps I shouldn't get used to my so-called high metabolic rate. It's always been an excuse for me not to exercise. Why should I? I have a high metabolic rate anyway.. It's not like that and I of all ppl should know. And yes you don't only know it's true until it happens to you. It's slowing down NO! I'm a growing girl I need high metabolism!

Oh wells exercising a lil should do me good. A random fact though:
1. Interest rates have increased. =]
In a way that's good because at this young age my parents ban and completely restrict me from investing or holding a share portfolio. I guess I don't know enough about that yet so fair enough. But at least I'll knoe where to invest in TD. Yes an amazing 7% even for 4 months. I checked ANZ's rates I think. Great holiday money.

Interest rates increasing in Oz is fine by me at least ATM because I'm on the good receiving side of it ;) I don't currently hold any housing loans or have to pay monthly repayments etc so its fine =) for now

2. The Sydney Buses prices have increased.
Crap. I know someone who will totally ban me from taking a bus to the gym because its in walkable distance. It's fine tho. I walk there usually an amazing 40 minute walk to the gym which I consider as my warm-up before I start on the machines. I'm currently so psyched about the gym and all unfortunately. It should've been months ago. What good is this feeling now? But yes normally I'm so worn out after gym time that I have to take a bus. Well it has round 7-10 stops so yeah. Not exactly close. But then again I will be scolded if I was known to be taking the bus home. HELLO? Gimme a break =)

So the point is, the fare prices have increased. Uh! Even concession prices have increased. Ouch! But for the rest I guess double OUCH. Nyehh why oh why?

Tummy is rumbling and I can smell food from here.

My imagination I guess.

A new year and a fresh start.

2008. Now that number just seems too large, too unreal.

Wasn't it NOT too long ago that all of just braced the start of the new millennium , as well as the Y2K effect so many of us feared?

Yes wasn't it NOT too long ago all of us were children running around in diapers, but hey? What happened to all those?

It just seemed a breeze, a snap of a finger *click* that all those happened but yet we're growing older and older each day.

Sometimes its even hard to remember how old you are now, but recalculating your age through your birth year uncomplicates matters in a way. Or does it?

But how bout if we never wanted to grow old? Why didn't we want to stay young all the time?

Would it be possible to stay 18 for a lil' longer? Just a little longer?

********************************************************************************

Now as a more of a me post, and less of the SATC pre-menopausal hype combined into nonsensical ramblings, I'd like to say I'd bade a big farewell to the old year 2007. Hell it was a great year.

Staying alone for the first time was nice and different. Getting the independence that I've yearned for ever since I was born, huh? How could I ask for more? Well alone as in not alone alone but away from parents, with great housemates I've gotten to know and to thank for.
Living with 2 ppl you'd nearly not know was a painful and risky bet, but I'm glad I took the plunge. Heck it's hard to live and get along well with 2 ppl you know, let alone the fact with ppl you barely knew. (You know what they say - you don't know a person until u've LIVED with them) What I can say, that is entirely true.

This year I've also gotten to know better and further
someone who holds a key to an important chapter of my life. All those time I was blind. I truly was. Truly special to me, I'll never regret that path I chose to take almost a year ago.

Living abroad for the first time, I also got to know and realised the vast differences between a first-world country and a third-world country. Don't get me wrong. I don't hate Malaysia. Never did. I could never hate it. Hating the country that you grew up in for a major part of your life is a true reflection of someone's personality, in my opinion. It's just that the type of ppl that should be banned from a country. Their passports should be blacklisted from entering. Sorta like how Malaysians can't go to Israel? What's up with that anyway?

However in my case, it's all about preferences. Preferences to living in another country. Preferences to choosing a subject over the other. Preferences of choosing one type of food over the other. Preferences are like choices. Choices are like opportunities. I like Australia. How could I not? Apart from its high living expenses in comparison to Msia, its people were great and its standard of living super.

And university ahah! was an interesting experience. Call it the first year, call it the freshman year - overall so different to what I expected. It just means growing up faster, graduating and later ending up in a career world which seems fine and exciting for most young adults, but dreaded by those already in it. Why aren't we ever happy with what we have?

Uni goers were a different breed of people but it did not mean that one has to change themselves to fit in. An act which I find truly and inappropriately revolting. To see and to think and yet to know of people like that UHH.

Bout the food in Australia what does it come with- those enhancing hormones? Sorta like what you feed/inject chickens to make them grow fatter? Or it probably could have meant, after solving the equation, that quantity sometimes equals to quality. WHO knew?

As I look forward to continue my third semester in university soon enough, I have yet another 2 months of summer break to look forward to. All this before I take my economy ass back to Sydney. When the hectic life begins again.

Here's looking forward to a great year! Happy 08!

Cheers everybody!

301107

Hmm things are normal as usual. More packing and cleaning, washing and tidying up - before I leave, there a re still a few more ppl that I haven't had time to go out with yet. Haih the liberty of going out -which I will so MISS when I go back home. Nyeh. Still waiting for another parcel as well. Hope it comes fast. Finishing all the food in the fridge. Didn't know we had so much junk.

Nyeh.

And when I was browsing at one of my fav sites to shop - haha guess what I came across. This video cracked me up. Hilariousness. This was really farnie. LAWL.

It's a video of these Japanese dudes playing a whole full soccer game. U know the Japs and their classic pranks/jokes :_)


http://view.break.com/405282 - Watch more free videos

BAHNESS -

I don't quite understand how I forgot about it either. At least it's not too big. the fine

"What happens if I do not vote?

Initially the Australian Electoral Commission will write to all apparent non-voters requesting that they either provide a reason for their failure to vote or pay a $20 penalty.

If, within 21 days, the apparent non-voter fails to reply, cannot provide a valid and sufficient reason or declines to pay the penalty, then prosecution proceedings may be instigated. If the matter is dealt with in court and the person is found guilty, he or she may be fined up to $50 plus court costs.

Non-voters
17. Apparent non-voters are identified using
certified lists of voters. The certified lists
contain information from the electoral roll on
who is entitled to vote at an election.

18. Electors voting in person are required to have
their names marked off the certified list of
voters at the polling place before they are
issued with ballot papers (s. 232 the Act).
Declaration voters complete a declaration
certificate before they vote that allows their
names to be marked off the certified lists
of voters before their votes are entered into
the count.

19. The certified lists then become a record
of who has voted and who appears not to
have voted.

20. Under s. 245(2) of the Act, a list of the names
and addresses of the electors who appear
to have failed to vote at an election must be
prepared for each division. After election day,
the names and addresses on all certified lists
of voters for all divisions across Australia are
scanned by computer. This scanning process
produces a report on apparent non-voters and
apparent multiple voters.

21. Within three months after election day, each
Divisional Returning Officer (DRO) must send
by post a penalty notice to every elector
whose name and address appears on the
list of apparent non-voters.

LECTORAL
Ebackgrounder No. 17
22. The DRO is not required to send a penalty
notice to electors who have died, were absent
from Australia on election day, were known
to be ineligible to vote at the election, or who
have supplied a valid and sufficient reason for
not voting.

23. The penalty notice posted to an elector
advises that he or she appears to have failed
to vote at the election and that it is an offence
to fail to vote at an election without a valid
and sufficient reason. The elector is further
advised that if he or she does not wish to
have the matter dealt with by a court, the
elector may, within a specified time either:
• Advise the DRO of the circumstances
in which they did in fact vote
• Advise the DRO of the valid and
sufficient reason why they did not
vote, or
• Pay to the DRO a penalty of $20.

24. If no reply is received to the first penalty
notice, a second penalty notice must be
sent by the DRO.

25. Under subsection 245(11) of the Act,
if an elector is unable to respond to
correspondence from the DRO because of
absence from his or her residential address or
because of physical incapacity, then another
elector who has personal knowledge of the
facts may respond on behalf of the elector
who appears to have failed to vote.

26. If the elector pays to the DRO the $20 penalty
for failing to vote, then the matter ends there.

27. Where the elector writes to the DRO providing
a reason for not voting, and the DRO is not
satisfied that the reason provided is valid
and sufficient, then the DRO must write again
to the elector advising that the DRO is not
satisfied, and that if the elector does not wish
to have the matter dealt with by a court, the
elector may, within a specified time period,
pay to the DRO a penalty of $20. If the elector
then pays to the DRO the $20 penalty for
failing to vote, the matter ends there.

28. An elector may be prosecuted pursuant to
s. 245(15) for failing to vote at an election
without a valid and sufficient reason, or for
making a statement in response to a penalty
notice, or to the further notice by the DRO,
that is, to his or her knowledge, false or
misleading in a material particular. The court
may impose a maximum penalty of $50. In
addition, court costs may also be payable.

29. It should be noted that if a non-voter has been
convicted and fined by a court, but decides
not to pay the fine, then it is for the court to
decide what action should be taken or if a
further penalty should be imposed. The action
taken by the court in relation to fine defaulters
may vary depending on the state or territory
in which the conviction is recorded, and may
involve community service orders, seizure
of goods, or a short period in jail. In some
jurisdictions the court may have no alternative
to ordering a jail sentence for fine defaulters.
However, this is a matter for the courts and
not for the AEC."