afternoon delight

Cold Night for Alligators
A Lolita Scorned
Nightmare 5
Ghastly Panic
Gypsy Curse

( Others )

The glorious thing about having a car is being able to drive to your favourite fruit orchard one hour away on your day off from work and pick all the fruit you want to your heart's content.

I picked about 40 Honeycrisp apples, 15 Redskin peaches and a quart of raspberries.

Redskin peaches have a fresh, flowery-fragrant low-acid flavour. I just can't get enough of peaches. I planned to slice enough of them to make a peach-frangipane tart, but I didn't have the willpower to stop biting into their juicy, yielding flesh. One thing to remember about peaches is that when picking them off a tree, always remember to wipe off the peach fuzz before eating them. Otherwise you get something akin to that "whisker burn" you get after making out with your boyfriend who has decided to go all cute and scruffy by not shaving for the weekend.

Right now I'm eating roasted peaches. Just a dash of cinnamon, vanilla sugar and dotted sparingly with butter. Mmm... such a warm feeling.

Guess I'll have to make an apple-frangipane tart instead.
( Recipes )

Got this from Andrew Wheeler, co-author of the British food blog Very Good Taste through Clotilde. Andrew says:

"Below is a list of 100 things that I think every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food - but a good omnivore should really try it all. Don’t worry if you haven’t, mind you; neither have I, though I’ll be sure to work on it."

Rules:
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

(Like Clotilde I've added an asterisk to items I particularly like/am interested in)

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare* (I've had tuna tartare tho)
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding (in the form of "blood tofu" 血豆腐 xuě dòufǔ made with chicken blood)
7. Cheese fondue*
8. Carp*
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
( Want to see the 28 other foods I haven't tried yet? )

Update (Sept. 22, 2008): Ate roadkill - deer hit by car.

There's now a stupid banner ad on the edge of my perfect layout. LJ is asking users to pay now to be ad free. I remember NOT upgrading to a PLUS account despite all the benefits because I didn't want to have ads on my LJ.

Thanks for going all money-grubbing on us, LJ. You suck.

Crumpets and jam. YUM.

Josh is the man for kindly making us piping hot crumpets to go with our tea for this week's meeting. The way Josh and Sara cook make me want to give up my communications grad program and join the environmental studies dept. instead. Then I can write a grant and live at the Gibb's House. Anyway as usual with anything jammy (blackberry this time) I somehow got sticky up to my elbows.

Note: Josh didn't have crumpet rings so he used metal canning bands instead.

Kourtney and Pat picked me up at 6:40 p.m. for today's tea party, hosted this week by the aforementioned Gibb's House. It was raining even heavier when we got done at 8:30 p.m. so she dropped me straight back home. My bike is still out there at the Bernhard Center bike racks in the pouring rain, and I hope to God this time I remembered to lock it properly.

During tea Travis brought up his latest two pound purchase of yerba mate, and the general consensus seemed to be that the brew is like coffee, only without the jitters and makes a person very playful. This spun the next gathering's theme of Yerba Mate Fort Building Tea Party for which I hope to do my part by collecting many many big cardboard boxes.

I was glad for tea today because I made the decision at 6 p.m. to defer grad school to next semester. I feel that with some work experience under my belt, I have a better chance of getting a grad assistantship next time, and I don't want to waste my student work permit anyway.

Morning started out with getting the official line on the dining international student employment policy for the school paper. Even though I hear different things from students, I can't print what they tell me because nobody wants to go on record and jeopardize their jobs. But at least I got a confirmation that students who fit into available time slots can start work immediately while waiting for their social security numbers to arrive.

Had a talk with Mum after that about grad school. Family convo is always exhausting for me because while I inherited my Dad's "fine, I won't talk..." defence technique, my sisters got my Mum's "fighting spirit HIYAH!" combat mode. Phone calls usually involve shouting (at me) for a good half an hour before decent conversation follows. Family talk is good in the mornings when I've had breakfast. Then I just feel all mellowed out and soft like putty for the whole day after being worked over by my family.

Saw Jyrki later in lab, and was surprised by Joe while I was heading towards the ISSA. Sometimes I forget that its possible to have a normal conversation with Joe without him booming out excitedly over something, and it was very soothing to talk to him today.

Best part of the morning was seeing Dan in Sprau Tower. I do adore his gorgeous bohemian self. We keep talking about hanging out and doing some baking but we haven't had time to plan that yet.

Yes, 3/4 of the club members were gloriously kitted out like this.

I wish there was a casual cycling club at WMU. Reeeeally casual commuter-like, as in let's tool around on trails with mostly flat ground and no steep hills. I was excited to find the cycling team booth at Bronco Bash but they're all hardcore enthusiasts who bike 20 miles on a Sunday to Fort Custer for fun. They were kind enough to give me half an hour of recreational riding today but I don't think I'll be back next Sunday.

I did get to complete my mission at Bronco Bash to suggest that they ask the city council to update their downtown maps to include bicycle racks. The guy at the booth was all wow about it so I hope he does something.

( My kind of cycling club )

Joe, Dave and Quang.

Bronco Bash this year was awesome. Day started out great with the Student Activities and Leadership Program (Katie!) giving me a free BB T-shirt when I went in to buy one. They had extras from orientation training all bought and paid for. There is always an overabundance of S sizes. And why does nobody like white?

After the CommUniversity luncheon I had to go to for work (small talk with Cheryl Roland and Prez. Dunn - yay!), went home and biked over to the Miller Plaza fountains at 2:30 p.m. Storm clouds overhead so I thought it was going to rain for sure and even packed a raincoat. Navigating between tables I saw Darnell, CABbie extraordinare and we consulted his map to find the IPC booth. I liked the bright violet polos the SALP volunteers had this year - easy to spot them!

At the IPC booth saw VP Joe and Treasurer Quang setting up, and I finally got to meet the very famous Matt Kelly in person, who has been in China for the past year. The Kelly brothers are great to watch because I haven't seen much brotherly love in action. Most of my friends back home in that elder/second brother relationship are hardcore rivals and kind of detest each other on the surface. Joe speaks in such glowing terms of his younger brother all the time and well, the guy has three Facebook groups dedicated to him (in a non creepy way).

Met up with Lin at the French Club booth and she, Quang and I did the freebie rounds. Extraordinarily good schwag this year and games that I really could appreciate, like dunking a professor of physical education (loads of fun; candy for trying and a keychain for a successful dunking). Highlight for me this year was seeing the IPC brochure I made all printed and out for distribution. *sniff, sniff* So proud of it!

It was wonderful to see everyone again. Reunions galore, esp. with IPC veterans Aziz BHG (former events promo and current Prez. Rose's brother) and Christina P. (former secretary and former international programming intern). And of course the whole meetup explosion of Japan Club members just a few booths away. I understand how Greg Flynn feels that this is a tag-along semester, since we've both already done the whole graduation thing. But it's not like we're just useless hacks with nothing else to do. I'm working downtown at the Chamber of Commerce and he's got a teaching job lined up in Japan in December.

Cool way to end the day; Dave Estime and I ended up yakking with two Mormon elders about IPC and Bronco Bash. First time I've ever had a convo with these guys that didn't involve religion.

The day passed very fast today, and not only because I was doing stupid things, but we'll talk about that later.

Today I was ridiculously pleased with myself because I had just gotten the temporary password to my new HSBC Direct savings account in the mail. I signed up online Jul. 28, and the whole experience was not only highly enjoyable but very fast. The sign-up process is painless, and you are given an application number in case you want to come back later and complete your application, or if you're setting up a joint account, so your partner can login and complete their part of the application. HSBC's security check is thorough enough that you feel safe, but not overwhelmingly so that you begin to doubt your own identity.

I'm really happy with HSBC because
(1) it's a global financial institution.
(2) online bill payment includes not only utilities but people (they'll get a cheque)!
(3) you can send/receive money transfers to/from other banks in the U.S. and other HSBC Direct accounts worldwide.

And talk about great service! E-mails are answered quickly, and when I call customer service, I get a real person after pressing just one key. It's awesome. And they all sound normal and friendly and don't try to sell me credit cards. Can you tell I'm impressed? I'm impressed.

I finally got my employment authorization (OPT) card today. As a result I kinda slacked off the job market, only applying for five jobs instead of my usual 10. It was also in part because I got a interview confirmation for Monday with Kolbenschmidt Pierburg, a product engineering and development company for the automotive industry. I like them because they're all about incorporating green living into their business decisions.

However, the place is in Auburn Hills, near Detroit. I'm not too crazy about the two hour plus drive, but I applied for KP the same time I applied for the Chempetitive Group, which is in Chicago, also a two hour plus drive away. CG claims to be the only marketing firm dedicated solely to the life sciences industry. I had fun looking over their website - they have a cool, entertaining style and I wanted to be part of that.

I love Chicago, but CG didn't call me back. I have a vague notion of running away to Chicago anyway and working the front desk of a high end spa/salon. However, that does seem like a terrible waste of my $340 employment authorization application fee.

Okay, so I'm nervous about my Monday interview. Both opportunities are good, but necessitate moving. What a drag. I hate moving. That's why I've never moved all the four years I've been here. I've helped friends pack up and move out and it's a pain. So I also applied to a local job; the Kalamazoo Chamber of Commerce. But they haven't gotten back to me yet either.

Strictly speaking, KP is the best because it's a global company, CG gives the most diverse job duties and KCC would mean I wouldn't have to move.

I realize that even though I don't plan to return that soon to my home country to work and live, I still have that smidgen of loyalty ingrained upon my soul. When Malaysians group together around here, we either talk about food, strange Americans, or the state of things back home. The first two are neutral topics, but woe betide any non-Malaysian to helpfully join in the discussion where Malaysians are ruefully bitching about their own country.

Like a friend complaining about his/her significant other, or a wife expressing her frustration over her own parents, the rules are simple. You, an outsider are just not allowed to comment on the situation! Show sympathy, ask questions, but don't contribute any bitching and agreeing of your own. Compare these scenarios:

Wife: My mother is crazy!
Husband: I agree, dear.
Wife: What? You think my mother is crazy?
Husband, But... that's what you...
Wife: How dare you insult my mother!
(wife runs into kitchen and grabs a frozen leg of lamb)

Msian1: I wish Malaysia was more clean, like in America.
Msian2: More accessible dustbins, like Singapore.
Non-Msian: I couldn't agree more. Even when I was hiking in the jungle in Malaysia I saw...
Msian1: So how come breakfast cereal is so different here, huh?
Msian2: Yeah, I really miss eating Koko Krunch.

It only just struck me that I too am that sensitive about my own country. Most people, when complaining, do so about something that is deeply personal to them. But they don't like it being pointed out to their face, especially by an outsider, or someone who isn't really in the same situation as they are in. That's why family members can bitch about each other but if they hear anything bad outside the family? ( The claws come out! )

I've had so much fun setting up my own container garden this year. I live in a ground floor apartment with a small patio, but I'm pretty fortunate that I get at least eight hours of morning sun for a garden. I started gardening because of my cat, Basil. What's the best treat for a cat? Fresh catnip! So I went to the farmer's market, and after puttering around getting distracted by purple asparagus tied up with twine, and blushing stalks of rhubarb, I got the catnip from a little old lady. I picked up other herb seedlings that I liked as well from some other stalls. I was so pleased to go home with purple and yellow plastic sleeves of catnip, rosemary, basil, chives, cilantro, lavender, and ( chocolate mint )

Craigslist

( Chicago )

( San Francisco )

Came across some sites yesterday that pay YOU to blog. This is great if you want to increase site traffic, but for me, a very private person... how ah. It's an easy way to earn money, which I am definitely in need of. For all of my pals working/studying elsewhere but the U.S., the deal is this: once I graduate from uni, I am eligible for a student work permit/OPT, which allows me to work in my studied field for one year in the U.S. without a work visa/H1.

Getting a H1 requires sponsorship from the company that wants to keep you on, at least USD $5,000 in legal fees, and of course approval from the government agency USCIS. On April 8, 2008, USCIS announced that the entire quota for visas for the Financial Year '09 (Oct. 1, 2008 - Sept. 30, 2009) had been reached, for both 20,000 Advanced (M.A., Ph.D) and the 65,000 quota (B.A.).

It's important to note that this year USCIS had already decided that if the number of applications crossed 65000 in first five working days, they would select the application through random selection process. Basically the whole thing is a lottery.

So that's about H1, and the deadline for me would be April 30, 2009 (if I had an employer to sponsor me). Just a little U.S. snippet on the worldwide applying-for-work process and following your dreams, etc. I don't mean to sound discouraged, but the fact is I haven't received my student work visa card yet, which is the ultimate proof of work eligibility. I got an application receipt and I know they already cashed my USD $340 cheque, so I'm just really so anxious now. I really miss my student days working on the campus newspaper and at the uni international office coz then I had a steady flow of cash.

Anyway, so what do you guys think about the pimping blog to companies to earn money?

I've finally succeeded in making a plain bread that I like, and that is quite close to the soft texture of Asian breads. Americans have a propensity towards hearty breads, most of which are described as having a dense crumb with a chewy, springy texture. Asian breads are cottony soft, melt in the mouth and when you poke it with your finger, the indentation is retained like a memory foam mattress.

The recipe I used is from Wan of "My Kitchen Snippets" and is as follows:

[Ingredients]
1 1/4 cups of milk
3 Tbsp of sugar
1/2 stick of butter - 1/4 cup
3 1/4 cups of flour
1 tsp of salt
1 packet of yeast - 7 g

I also added one egg to the mixture for added smoothness and lightness.

[Instructions]
(1). Combine milk, sugar and butter and medium heat until butter just melts. Set aside to cool until warm to the touch / 90°F.
(2). Sift flour, salt and yeast together. Stir in (1) + one egg until well combined and knead for a few minutes. Dough will be soft and sticky.
(3). Let dough rise until double in size. Can also leave overnight.
(4). Prepare muffin tin by buttering thoroughly.
(5). Shape 1-inch size balls and put three into each muffin mold. Set aside for second rise (about an hour).
(6). Preheat oven to 350°F, brush rolls with beaten egg, sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional) and bake till golden brown (15 - 20 minutes).

I've always used a damp tea towel for rising but the top of the dough tends to stick to the cloth because my mixing bowl isn't big enough. I'm thinking of adding a greased piece of cling-film/plastic wrap on top of the dough, and then the damp tea towel. I usually proof the dough in the warmest place in my kitchen - on top of the refrigerator.

DesignSpotter yielded this gem of post today about the "Marry Me Mug," a product that could give your partner a hint that you would like to get married. When the user holds the cup in their hand their finger slides in to the ring and it looks like its being worn as an engagement ring.







Haha, I could so imagine a scene in which a guy slips a mug of tea (with milk) oh so nonchalantly to his girlfriend while they're hosting a small dinner party at their house. She smiles at his thoughtfulness, then oh! Discovers the unusual handle. She blushes, wondering about it, and their eyes meet, and he smiles to her in a secret, warm way. Some friends notice the mug and there are grins and nudges, but they all continue chatting casually with each other. When she drains her cup, there are words at the bottom:

Dear _ , Will you marry me? ♥, _.

Totally awesome way to propose!

Layout bunk.
Thanks Firefox 3.
Now fixing.

- Inspired by Michael Pollan.

Last night there was a wonderful heavy rain, just like Malaysian weather. My friends who live in residential areas lost power (but they are always losing power). The lights flickered a bit at my apartment.

But I live near my university, so we're always on the grid. Found the above beautiful image by tebe_interesno via NOTCOT. ( a tribute to spring )

Give me a boost by clicking on my balloon. He's a cute raccoon called Meriadoc! :)

According to the The Dirty Dancing Guide to Romance, what all women want from their lovers is patience, dedication, and decisiveness; among other things. Mmm, of course getting a lover first is paramount to this romance gig, which is why I feel the need to get my flirt on. According to Chicago’s Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation, orange, vanilla, musk, and lavender scents "get the biggest rise out the guys." That's super coz I'm really into lavender vanilla right now, even with cupcakes! I guess I can throw a little orange in too.

Of course, I wouldn't mind dating a guy who has some culinary seduction skills up his sleeve as well. I haven't learnt how to take it slow yet, but the idea of being "whipped up into a fine froth instead of demanding so much passion right at the start" sounds sexy as hell.

Some relationships I've been through have seemed to be master telepathy classes, but no more! I'm going to perfect my mastery of the language(s) of love; words of affirmation, quality time, gifts, acts of service, and physical touch.

I've been doing something right after all. All my previous boyfriends have been firstborns.

Lastborns are usually friendly, easygoing, and creative. Research shows that you're more observant and that you have more diverse interests than your older siblings. You also take more risks, like to travel more, and are more liberal. You're the first to embrace new theories and you love challenging the status quo.

Younger sisters of sisters are driven, ambitious, and creative dynamos. You're the most feminine and flirtatious of girls. Nothing can stand in your way when you have a goal. But you often get distracted by whatever crosses your path — whether it's a new career, a new man, or a new interest. And let's face it, you have many interests, more than you can handle at times! Your best match is a firstborn, who are usually dominant and organized.

[I'm the "most feminine and flirtatious of girls?" Perhaps having a 10 and 12 year gap between my elder sisters and me makes me a bit more of an only child. Let's see.]

Female only children like to have a patron helping them throughout life. Brooke Shields is a perfect example, She was helped by her mother throughout her career. Unlike the male only child, career is not as important to you. Brooke Shields, for example, ended a budding film career to pursue romantic interests with various high-profile men. Your best romantic match is an older brother of sisters. However, you must also consider your mother's birth order since you, more than other girls, learn from her how to interact with men. If she's a firstborn, your best match is probably going to be a lastborn guy.

[Mum's a lastborn, so my ideal match really is a firstborn! And all this time, I've never had a big career thing going on in my head, just a vague notion of success. Bad, huh? "What did I send you to university for?" my mother would say.

So where's my patron, my guide? Maybe I can have a male patron who is an older brother of sisters. Hahaha.]