RSSMerdeka!
31 Aug 2009 No Comments
in Malaysia
Today is the independence day of my country – Malaysia.
I celebrated it by having a big bowl of Belgian mussels at the Friday Market in Ghent. Ha!
Listen Well
29 Aug 2009 No Comments
in Quotes
A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while he knows something. ~ Wilson Mizner
What Others Think…
27 Aug 2009 No Comments
in Human Nature
The last paragraph of What will they think? stated:
Live your life the best way you know how. Just know that others will talk about you no matter what you do. You could be the best person on earth and someone will talk about it behind your back. Let this knowledge help you hold your head high and build confidence in yourself. Don’t let “they” rule the day.
And may I add, if you figure out what others would think of your actions and decisions, you can actually use this as a reverse manipulation tool. At age 10, I figured out my parents. It made my teenage life a breeze compared to my friends. I have also used this knowledge to smooth my paths in school, at work and in life.
Don’t live life seeking constant approvals from others. Don’t lament on criticisms. No one has the right to butt in. Be smart and know that they will always be around. Just try to use this pesky human behaviour to your own advantage. 
Missing Out?
25 Aug 2009 No Comments
in Human Nature
If I had stayed on at my last employment, I won’t have missed out on the 2007 bonus distributed in March of 2008. I would be earning a very significant salary by now. I won’t have missed out on the stock takeover and the disbursement of yet another generous bonus. I would have had the chance to travel the world at the company’s expense.
If I’d stayed in Las Vegas, I would not be living this fantastic Belgian life! 
I won’t be a legal resident of Europe, travelling freely on my own schedule and budget and taking a ridiculously long break from the 9 – 5 grind. I fully realize that the life I am living now is just a faraway dream for most people. Something people say they would do IF they win the lottery. In my case, staying put would have meant missing out even more…
How do we decide if we ever come to this crossroad? And what a dilemma this would be to so many. Too many people stay at the same job, the same house, the same country, the same relationship even when they are absolutely misarable. Why?
You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. ~ Wayne Gretzky
A Good Life
23 Aug 2009 No Comments
in Quotes
The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge. ~ Bertrand Russell
Things Of Value
20 Aug 2009 No Comments
in Quotes
If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world. ~ J.R.R. Tolkien
What A Day!
18 Aug 2009 No Comments
in Belgium, Happenings
18/08/2009 is a beautiful set of numbers if you look at it from the Chinese point of view.
And what a day today has been:
- The local police who needs to check on me finally did so. She can now send the required documents to Brussels. All went well.
- The mosaic for the shower is finally ordered after months of dilly dally.
- I was informed by my social integration officer that the month end classes of ‘Hello Belgium’ are not available. Another postponement but I am fine with it. I need to focus on the house for now.
- Old laptop did a Lazarus. I always believe that D would make a fine IT person.
- Back to lovely Gent for the rest of the week and will be facing the heatwave in the non-ACed apartment.
Passport Photo
17 Aug 2009 No Comments
in Malaysia
What the hell?! I just got a call from the embassy saying that my passport photo is not readable by the scanners in Malaysia. I knew something like this is going to happen one way or another. I knew that my presence in Malaysia would have been the best and I would have been able to get my passport in a day.
Fortunately for me, I have the ones I took for last year’s visa application. Application was not necessary so I was stuck with photos of blue background. I have sent this off to Brussels. I hope they are good enough.
Thank God I do not need to show or look at my passport photo all the time… I look like a refugee on these.
Stuffed Lotus Root
16 Aug 2009 No Comments
Yep, lotus root is edible.
Growing up in Asia, I have see them used in stir fried dishes during Chinese feast days. Maybe they are seasonal – I don’t know. A few years ago, mom came back from one of her sisters and showed me how to make stuffed lotus root. Mom and I are both experimental cooks and this recipe has gone through a healthy amount of alterations since then.
Deep fried stuffed lotus root is simply out of this world. Delicious or not depends on the person. But it is definitely an interesting conversation piece. Especially when you serve it to non Asian guests. The 14 guests at D’s parents seemed to be delighted by my lotus appetizer. And they didn’t get food poisoning. Ha!
Hmmm… maybe I can start a little home based business with this. Interested?
Breakfast In Gent
14 Aug 2009 No Comments
in Belgium
Woke up, got dressed quickly and went to vrijdagmarkt. This is the weekly farmer’s market a block away from the appartment.
Bought a loaf of fresh baked bread and 2 chocolate buns. Mmmm… what a breakfast. I will definitely miss living in Gent.