Hello again, blogosphere

Today, I decide to visit my old blog.

And as I lay in bed reading post after post of my blog, I'm suddenly overcome by a wave of emotions.

I feel a tinge of sadness that time has gone by so quickly. In a blink of an eye, it has been 10 years.

So much has changed since my last post on 1st May 2007 when I said goodbye to the blogosphere. Not least the social media. Back then, Facebook was not as popular. Now, everyone I know has a Facebook account. Twitter was pretty new back then. And now, it's been used by people big and small, including Trump. Then there are Disqus, Livefyre, Sumo Me, Medium, etc., all quite mind-boggling to me.

Looking back, there's no doubt I've made some wonderful blogofriends - never mind that I had not met all of them in person. Reading the comment sections of my posts made me laugh; and teary-eyed at times. We certainly had a connection.

Blogging is dead, so I was told. Nobody blogs anymore. Everything is moving at the speed of lightning - people are constantly on the move, updating their status, keeping friends informed of their whereabouts via Facebook and Twitter. There's no time and no necessity to blog because people really have no time to read your story.

So why did I decide to blog again after 10 years? I'm not  a good writer. But neither do I think I'm an  atrocious writer!  I think I'm adequate in bringing messages across, and that to me, is good enough.  Here're the main reasons why I decided to revive my blog:

• I missed writing. Writing keeps me alive. I've been a living dead these past 10 years. Writing rejuvenates  my mind and soul. And keeps my head clear.  
• There are 101 things happening in my life right now. I need to pen them down, or they'll be buried in obscurity as I advance in age. Alzheimer's disease? Well, who knows?
• Writing allows me to unleash the creative beast in me by allowing me to express my thoughts on the events that are happening in my life and in the world. No matter if there's no readers. It allows me to have an extended conversation with myself, a platform for self-expression, if you will. 
• I missed my blogger friends - the constant banters with Vic the monkey; the colored jokes of ECL; the serenity of Liling; the fatherly advice of Chun See, the gastronomic posts of Tigerfish and many others like Shilpa, Eva, Etel. 

So this is what I've resolved to do - at least a post a week. Doesn't matter I've no audience or readers. This is my canvas, and this is where I'd pen my thoughts, my feelings on life, as I see it, as the wheel of time continues to turn relentlessly since the beginning of time.

Adios, my friends

I've decided it's time to close down this blog. Yes, to borrow from a poet, this may be an "overkill". But blogging, to me, is no longer as fun as it used to be. It's also taking away a lot of my time from my family, friends, and my "beauty sleep".

But it was fun while it lasts. And I want to thank each and every one of the blogger friends whom I've met through my blog:

ECL:
Thanks for making me laugh (not to mention excited at times all the time) with your blog. You're one spunky lady, lemme tell ya! Take good care of Jaymes. I'm sure he'd turn out to be a fine young man. And yeah, look up to Chris (Tan not Sim), too. Tell me you're joking about the PAP thingy at home. You can't always be on top! Haha. I wish you all the success in your venture in China.

Chun See:
Thanks for the many wonderful memories, Mr Sentimental Fool (btw, that's also an ole joke, but it's a compliment!) You've enriched many of our kids with vivid tales and stories about lives in the 50s/60s. And though I'm not exactly young, I too find your stories very intriguing. Uncle, you really rock!

IML:
You never fail to amaze me with your ability to convey your message with the brevity of your posts. Accompanied with photo shots of people and nature, I feel as if I'm reading a postcard from the edge from a dear friend. I see your girl's training to be a ballerina. All the best to you and your family IML.

Firehorse:
I'm so sorry Firehorse, guess I won't be doing the meme you tagged me. I like your kopitiam a lot especially with the music playing from the jukebox. And the kopitiam looks really cool, after you gave it a total facelift. But alas, my pumpkin noodles stall is folding up (did you juz increase the rent? Haha). But I guess I'd still pop in sometimes for a cuppa, and the music. Take care of yourself, and your tenants, too.

Tigerfish:
The fish from California. My, thanks for the many wonderful recipes that I've ripped off your blog, and thanks for the extra tips on my attempt at the mini chicken pies. I guess I'll still be licking my monitor whenever I'm looking at the yummlicious goodies you put up in your blog.

Shilpa:
The lady in France whose acquaintance I juz made. Sorry this had to happen juz as I was about to get to know you better. All the best!

Etel:
Life's a challenge. And yes, it's a jungle out there. Pursue your education if you can afford to do so. You know here in Singapore, paper talks. And ya, keep baking. I see you're quite good at it. I'm gonna try out the pineapple tarts recipe you gave me soon. All the best to your future endeavours, Elaine!

Evan:
I still salivate all over your blog even if I dun leave any comments. I wish you success in your business venture.

Laokokok:
Love your blog. It reminds me so much of Chun See's, but with a flavour that's closer to my age. After all, we are only two years apart, are we not? heheh.

Victor:
Hey Buddy, I guess that's it. You certainly have proven that an old dog can do a good blog (another old joke? Or is this refrain of an old joke becoming an old joke by itself? heheh). Sorry I can't do that meme. Continue to have fun blogging. It's been fun interacting with you in the blogosphere. But I guess it's time you find youself another playmate, playful monkey. As they say, all good things must come to an end. If you need me, I'll be out there in the REAL WORLD.

To all others who had left comments on my blog one time or the other and who chose to remain anonymous, thank you so much for popping by.

Adios, my frens.

How not to lose a friend

• Dun bicker with him over $1. The price of friendship is worth much more, you idiot! Juz pay up, eat the chai tow kway, and be thankful for the ultra-cheap food. Because there'll be no "next time".
  
  
• Dun itchy backside and put up a post on "Reasons why I dun wanna fren u oredi". You make people around you suspicious and wondering if you're talking about them. If you had done it, take it down. If you have not, dun start.
  
  
• Dragons and monkeys are extremely vain creatures. NEVER EVER mess with their faces Avatar, dammit, especially so when you lack the balls to put up an Avatar of your own. And stop boasting that you have balls the size of coconut, becos you obviously do not.
  
  
• You win some; you lose some. Let him win sometimes, but stand firm 95% of the time.
  
  
• Dun ever accuse him of skiving. High achievers in the office DO NOT SKIVE, okay? They are smart, and they work smart, too.
  
  
• If you dun appreciate his jokes, be frank about it and tell him to his face. Dun nudge him or leave comments in his blog suggesting that you're unhappy. How is he to know that you're goofing off or being serious?
  
  
• Lastly, recognise that we are all built differently - some with dimples and others with pimples. 人有长短，也有大小。Mutual respect and honesty are keys to a friendship that will stand the test of time.
  

Category: Musings

Mini chicken pies that look extra mini

Surely, food is one of man's passions. I love people who love their food, and who are creative with food. This calls to mind the self-confessed foodie in California, Tigerfish. I've been salivating non-stop since the day I visited her blog, hungry over her mouth-watering buffet spread of delicious and extremely delectable looking home-cooked meals and snacks. Here's a lady whose passion in her food and cooking (Tigerfish confessed she's not much of a baker, though) simply shines through her blog.

Indeed, one of the snacks that caught my fancy was her mini chicken pies which I read (and which I feasted on virtually) months ago. The pies remind me very much of those being sold at Cottage Pie, a little cake shop here in Singapore. The shop charges three mini pies for $2.50 (I think). Pretty expensive, huh? So, I decided to rip the recipe off Tigerfish's blog and make some at home today for my guinea pigs family. Not copy-righted one right, Tigerfish? Haha.

Truth is, it took me some efforts making these mini pies. I was looking for the pastry puff sheet in Phoon Huat, a rather famous shop selling bakery stuff but was told they do not sell them. Thanks to ECL, she told me to try my luck at Cold-Storage and I managed to get it. Then I went back to Phoon Huat for a muffin pan, and was told that they were sold out! By then, my mood for baking had all but disappeared. Then yesterday, while having breafast at Haig Road, I chanced upon a shop selling muffin pans and so I bought it. After so much trouble, the pies had better be good!

Well, you've seen the slides. The pies may look yummy here but believe me, they pale in comparison to those found in Tigerfish's blog. I'm almost shy to hyperlink hers here... heheh

And the verdict of my pies? Well, something juz didn't seem quite right. First, the circular pastry that I cut out was a little too small. I ended up having some problem trying to seal them after stuffing them with the fillings. The end result was that the mini pies looked extra-mini. Heheh.

Second, because the muffin pan that I bought only have room for six pies at one go, I had to wait until these pies are fully baked (about 40 minutes) before I could bake the 2nd lot. The result? The 2nd batch of pies tasted much harder than the first, probably because of prolong exposure to the air. I should have used a damp cloth to cover up the pastry.

Third, I din adhere strictly to Tigerfish's recipe for the fillings. I omitted the hard-boiled egg and instead of using cornstarch, I used Mayo sauce. My kids dun fancy green peas and corns; so I juz use boiled carrot and potato, and shredded chicken, of course. I also din stir-fry the fillings, much less used olive oil. As a result, the fillings was a wee bit dry and lack moisture.

The smell of the pies, while baking, was really good, though. Junior kept asking if they were ready. Oh, I also left out the salt since there was sodium in the Mayo. The pies tasted a little bland at first bite. But the taste sort of grew on you. How else do you explain the verdict by Junior? He gave me 73% for the first pie he ate. Half an hour later, he asked for seconds, and went on to award me 84%. Not bad wat, from Band2 to Band1, I told him. All in all, he polished off four mini chicken pies! I told him not to tell Mummy I made this. Maybe she would think I bought it from Cottage Pie? He commented nonchalantly, "Professional chicken pies where got like that one?" Despite giving me high marks, I guess my pies still didn't quite make the cut. Sigh.

Oh, my big boy loves it too; and so does the Queen at home who told me the taste was juz right even without the salt. But the Slim Lady is never a food critic. To her, most food taste nice, especially those whip out by her hubby (so that she never has to cook?)

Well, I think I can improve on the pies further. Next time, I'd follow Tigerfish's recipe religiously - word for word.

Category: Food

Chivalry is dead. Or is it?

How odd.

Fit, able-body men, many of them executive type, sitting on the MRT seats. They appear oblivious to the sweet young and pretty things (SYPTs), many of them office workers in high-heel shoes, standing and holding on to the hand rail or metal bars, trying hard to keep their balance as the train buzzes along.

Tell me you find this odd, too. What happened to chivalry? Is it really dead?

Now, I dun take public transport very often because I drive to work. But while having a course conducted at the CBD last week, I took the MRT four days in a row because of some policies concerning civil serpents and car ownership which I think I would reserve for another post. So, yeah, I think I know the scene above repeats itself often enough in the rush hours every day, and not juz on the MRT, but on public buses as well.

I'm curious to know if this behaviour is unique to us Singaporean men or is it juz as common in other countries. But, as an able-body man myself, I think I maybe able to offer an explanation for our behaviour, as least as far as Singaporeans are concerned.

See, most of us men really have no hesitation in giving up our seats to these four categories of people:

• The elderly
  
• The physically challenged
  
• The very young kids (excludes those 51 going on 15)
  
• The pregnant ladies (it's ok if they happen to be SYPTs)
  

But when it comes to the SYPTs (the unpregnant kind), trust me, it's not that we men dun wanna give up our seats. It's just that we are afraid that our kind gesture may be misconstrued as an act of "cheekiness", especially so if it comes from a man with the "chikokpek" look (I'm so tempted to do a hyperlink here.... oh never mind... heheh). And we also do not relish the unwanted funny stares from fellow commuters, especially the guys as if they are saying: "Trying your luck, huh, buster? Well, try harder."

So, is chivalry really dead? I think not. If only the SYPGs allow us men to carry them across that puddle of water by the doorway. But I guess not. Many of them would become hysterical if we so much as touch a strand of their hair!

No? Okay then you tell me. Would you accept a seat from a guy on the MRT? And to the gentlemen out there, would you care to offer your seat to a SYPT?

Category: Musings

Reasons why i dun wan to fren you oredi

• You kiss and tell, and talk too much.
  
• You always suck up to the boss; and you've elevated the act of apple-polishing to an art.
  
• You're so loud, your voice can rival that of BBC. Juz that the latter talks more sense.
  
• You always portray yourself as the victim, the damsel in distress.
  
• Sometimes we do lunch, and sometimes we don't. But there's no reason why you can't say "hi".
  
• You got iron teeth, and your skull's thick as the elephant's trunk.
  
• You're only interested in talking; never really bother to listen.
  
• You owe me money. Lots of money!
  
• You always picked the good cherries, and gave me the rotten ones.
  
• You're too clever for your own good. I hate your guts!
  
• You bitch too much. Admit it; say you're bitch.
  

Sure, it's always nice to have a friend than a foe. But if you insist in behaving the way you do, then I dun wan to fren you leow!

Dun ya juz luv those skin parades?

Miss Singapore Universe 2007 Semi-Final

I have a date this evening. Not with one, but a bevy of beauties. I'm referring to the final of Miss Singapore Universe 2007 Pageant that would be telecast on Ch 5 tonight.

I have nothing against beauty pageants. As a matter of fact, I find them rather entertaining (the SYTs, not the pageants). Needless to say, I enjoy the swimwear segment the most. You can't help but notice that the Eye Candies come in different packages;) Well, an object of exquisite beauty, like a piece of art, is meant to be appreciated, is it not?

Lest Etel accuse me of being humsup (for the record, there's only room for one humsup in the blogosphere), I do find beauty pageants both thought-provoking and steamulating. The SYTs tackle questions on World Peace, HIV, and the underprivileged children in Third World. Why, many of the contestants are undergraduates and graduates. If memory serves, we have a former Ms Singapore who was a lawyer. So, beauty and brain do mix, don't they? And I thought God is fair?

But of course, there are bimbos, and there are himbos. We used to have Manhunt Singapore Pageants in Singapore, too, showcasing beefcakes who were long on brawn but short on brains. But we men juz aren't supposed to be prancing around on stage. I dun think we're designed that way. We're hardly the objects of desire, unlike women. Oh puleezz, nobody in their right mind would want to see a grown man wriggle or shake his bum bum, okay?

Despite the frivolity and triviality of it all, beauty pageants, besides enriching the pageant organisers, sponsors and the winners, do serve as a short respite for us mere mortals, especially so for men whose wives are always complaining of a headache. LOL.

Speaking of beauty queen, have you heard about the faux pas of a former Singapore beauty queen? This is a first hand account, I witnessed it personally on our national TV many years ago. I can't remember if she was Ms Singapore or Ms Chinatown or Tourism; but she was the winner anyway and she was being interviewed by Lance Alexandra, a former 98.7 DJ, in a morning talk show. When the bloke asked the beauty qeen what she thought of people labeling Beauty Pageant as Skin Parade, the hapless airhead answered, "Oh, skin is very important. We must drink lots of water everyday, and eat lots of fruits....” Lance was flabbergasted and speechless. But I was laughing my head off!

I know, I'm nasty, (but please dun flame me hor). But life's a beach, isn't it? Thank God for beauty queens. Wahahaha...


The newly crowned Miss Singapore Universe 2007
Category: Musings