space for rant.

try to picture the girl

2010-01-06T01:10:00.000+08:00

in the words of one mr. jason mraz, my new year will consist of the following guidelines:

live high

live mighty

live righteously.

it's that simple.

on another note, i sent in my very first "fail" to failblog. i hope it gets published - then it's time to hit FML.

note to self: i need to set actual goals for myself.

note to self after glancing at tv: polo boys is only good when they walk and not talk.

rock the casbah.

2009-12-31T02:09:00.000+08:00

10 (and then some) reasons why christmas was excellent this year:

kenneth bought me a skillet - which can be used to pan fry fish and as a weapon in the zombie apocalypse.
charlene bought me fruitloops - which is an awesome cereal as well as an awesome step in the right direction.
the beau got me many many wonderful things - all of which is for preparation of my trip to perth + spent x'mas with me and my family
merylnn came home for x'mas - the best present she has ever given me :)
russ invited us over for the most fantastic feast at his place - a 24 pound turkey was the star attraction + he gave me his traditional x'mas hug (which i look forward to every x'mas)
played left4dead2 5 times in a week.
ashton's family were the most hospitable (gorgeous) family ever
my parents splurged on gifts for each other, and both gifts are beneficial to me!
my brother and ta sao got me a chocolate making set
all my friends and i are in talks for an official nerf gun war

Jesus sure knows how to have one hell of (pardon the pun) a birthday!

happy new year folks, make this year count!

Anscoflex II Pseudo TLR

2009-12-17T16:52:00.001+08:00

The anscoflex series is a nice TLR but since many people classify it as “pseudo”, I think I should do the same.

Designed by Raymond Loewy (the same guy who designed the Studebaker Avanti & Lucky Strike cigarette package), the Anscoflex is one of the most stylish camera ever mad.

The Anscoflex not only has that cool slide open panel thingy to access the large and bright viewfinder, it’s got a nifty film advance crank. Instead of turning the knob, you twist the knob back and forth. Sort of like revving an engine, or something.

The camera’s kind of chunky, but it grows on you real, real fast. Gray metal & 1960’s lawn-chair-aluminum, the camera’s got a nice little heft to it, though it’s not at all heavy. The shutter button and back door button are red.

The anscoflex II was released in 1954 as an improvement from the Anscoflex and features a close-up lens and built in, user-selectable yellow filter.

From Madecine

when the world isn't looking.

2009-12-12T04:09:00.002+08:00

oh, an update on the job thing - i've written the letter. the only thing left to fill in is the date at the top right corner.

God, i know - i can feel it - you have something great installed.
and world, i know - i can feel it - you can't really stop me.

i'm feeling far more motivated that i've ever been because i know i'm not the only person who feels this way.

after a heart-felt conversation tonight with someone who had the guts to do what i will eventually do, as well as with two people that feel very much the same way, i realise the problem doesn't lie within me.

i shouldn't have to feel bad for having plans with my friends or beau after work hours.
i shouldn't have to feel bad for leaving at 7pm - even if it's an hour after office hours.
i shouldn't have to get slammed for telling a client "no" to protect my creative team.
i shouldn't have to do something that is not part of my job when i already have so much work to do that is related to my job

i should be able to trust my senior to protect me if my client abuses me.
i should be able to enjoy going to work
i should be able to be proud of the things that i have done
i should be able to say "this is not right, i would do it differently" when i feel it isn't
i should be given credit for something i created all by myself
i should be able to learn on the job - and not have things taken away from me because someone feels that they like to do it too
i should be able to inspire my team.
i should believe in the things i tell my clients day after day.

i can't run this way - my attitude is changing everyday. i work with people who think work life balance equates to 'being able to turn off your blackberry when you are out of the office'.

there are people here who make me seem like a loafer just because i want to leave the office before the streetlamps come on. or who just drive things to the ground because of KPIs and money.

and all because of what? no bonus, no respect, no balance.

i'm done and sick of it. i need a place where i have people who will have the balls to stop being yes men and start believing in the company.

and most importantly, start believing in me.

it's in the works.

2009-12-11T00:52:00.002+08:00

yes, i'm looking for somewhere new to begin everything again.
new hellos and where were you befores.
new finding places to spend an hour at a time.

just new. i need something new.

i don't hate where i am now. honestly, i quite love it.
but it's taking a toll on my state, and i cannot let it happen.

which leads me to think if maybe i'm just giving up too easily? maybe i'm not made for this line.

i really don't know, all i do know is i pray for God to align everything in my life.
yes, he doesn't answer my prayers sometimes.

but he never disappoints.

i'm counting on you.

in your head

2009-11-28T03:56:00.000+08:00

they are fighting...

Left4Dead2 is awesome.

Awesomely difficult!

kenneth, char, the beau and i spent 3 hours playing and we couldn't even finish ONE map all the way.

ok, noobs we might all be but when we played L4D the first time, completing a map was easy peasy.

no fucking away man, this game is too awesome.

and i think i might just make this gaming thing a weekly thing.

maybe i should just stay home and play plants vs zombies all day long.

full of glee.

2009-11-23T00:48:00.002+08:00

yes, i did spend 7 hours watching this show.
7 glorious hours of feel-good singing, dancing, teenage drama and inappropriate threats.

i hearted every single minute of it.

my god, Glee (2009) is number one - it's the crude version of high school musical - but actually dealing with real problems like homosexuality, preggers and socially-inept people.

Glee Football Dance (single Ladies) HQ Full Video - Watch more funny videos here

and my word, is the cast talented. though, i am pretty sure there's a bunch of uglier people actually singing the songs for them - everything is lip-synced but no one really cares. (edit: actually real singing is done every time. wow, impressed much.)

and coach Sue Slyvester - i could actually see my primary 6 form teacher (she who shall not be named but coded as Nazi Nun) embodied in her. it made it all too real.

oh well, 10 episodes down, 12 more to go. release it already!

love in my tummy.

2009-11-20T00:39:00.004+08:00

eve dying for adam by ~coffee-and-pepper ; deviantart

i tried two new recipes this week (yay, two more than usual!) and i must say both came out just delish.

the first one is one of those i'm-alone-at-home-don't-want-to-spend-money-don't-want-to-go-out kinda of thing. the other, totally spend effort, money and time to get this perfect.

do note that i'm a "感覺“ ("feeling") kind of accidentally cook so i tend to just taste test my food rather than go strictly by ingredients. i believe everyone's palette is different so just go with the flow or just "隨便“（"going with the flow")

find the recipes after the jump :)

numero uno - comfort ala creamy, chunky macaroni with cajun chicken and parsley
easy peasy meal meant for those rainy days that you don't feel like taking out more than one pot and a bowl.

ingredients
serves 2

Macaroni pasta - about 200 grams
Campbell Soup - 1 1/2 Cans (i use chicken mushroom cos i'm greedy and want both, but just use your favourite flavour)
Any leftover meat you have - about 1 cup (i used last night's cajun chicken; i find normal fried luncheon meat tastes phenomenal too.)
Water - 1 cup
Dried Basil - a pinch
Dried Parsely - for garnish

ok, the hard part.

Cook the pasta according to instructions. Cook them till al dente cos later on it'll be cooked through.
Pour in the campbells into a pot NOT on the stove yet. Many people add the campbells paste into a hot pot and end up having a nasty burn at the bottom of the pot. you can taste and add more campbells later.
Pour in the water
Now, turn on the fire to medium heat.
Use your ladle or spatula to kind of chop through the chunkiness of the paste + water. do this until its smooth like soup and slightly bubbling.
Once starts to bubble, add in meat and basil.
Stir and heat up the meat.
Finally, add in the pasta.
Heat the pasta through and serve with sprinkled parsley.

numero duo - Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)

this recipe takes patience, time and loads to love. I add carrots to my recipe because i love the natural sweetness it brings to the broth. heaven!

ingredients
serves 4

Broth

Leg/Knuckle Bones or Oxtail - 2 kgs
200grams of Chuck Beef
Carrots - 2 mediums, chopped anyway you like.
Fish Sauce - 1 1/2 Cup
Sugar - 2 - 3 tablespoons
Water - 12 cups of water (give and take)
Spice packet - 1 cinnamon stick, 5 star anise, 6 cloves, 1 cardamom seed, 1 tbsp fennel seeds, 1 tbsp of coriander seeds. (tie them all up in a mesh bag = best!)
Dried Basil - 2 - 3 tbsp
White Onion - 1
Ginger - 1
Salt + Pepper

To serve

Rice noodles - 4 bunches
Sirloin - about 200grams (i put my sirlion in the freezer 15 minutes before i cut it, it makes it so much easier!)
Fresh Basil - a handful
Bean Sprouts - a handful
Fresh Cilantro - a bunch
Limes - 2, sliced into halves
Fresh Red chillies - 2 mediums, chopped
Fish sauce
Hoison Sauce

ok, the hard part

Char your onion and ginger by either a) putting it in your oven's highest rack for about 10 mins or until the onion turns black on the top; b) be extremely lazy like me and stick them into the microwave for a minute on 70% strength. The smells of the ginger and onion should be HEAVENLY.
Meanwhile, parboil your bones to get rid of the funk. Boil enough water to cover all the bones and once the water is rumbling, pour in the bones and boil vigorously for 10 mins.
Pour away funky water and wash the pot.
Fill the pot with clean water and bring to boil.
Once boiling, put in ALL BROTH INGREDIENTS except the Carrots. Carrots cook fast, so put them in last. sneak a few into your mouth, you deserve it.
Simmer for 1 1/2 hours, uncovered. every now and then, check the water levels. Pour in more water when the meat is not covered. for every 2 cups of water, add a dash of fish sauce.
After 1 1/2 hours, remove chuck beef and do a taste test. Add in more sugar/fish sauce to taste.
Simmer for another 1 1/2 hours covered, without chuck beef.
At the last 15 minutes, add in carrots and basil.
While the soup is becoming awesome, cook your rice noodles according to instructions.
Cut the sirloin, against the grain, into the thinnest slices that make size 0 models self conscious.
ok, now the fun part: put your cooked chuck beef at the bottom of the bowl, then rice noodles then strips of uncooked sirloin.
Do a final taste test of the broth - add salt and pepper to taste.
Now, ladle some boiling broth into your prepared bowl - watch that sirloin cook!
Allow your guests to add in as many veggies and condiments as they like. and indulge.

[adapted from steamy kitchen]

fuck yeah.

2009-11-18T01:01:00.004+08:00

the Leica M7 Hermes edition; USD14,000

DOGN by Cognitime; USD949.00

Razer Naga; USD79.99

Macbook Tablet; USD-who really cares, people will still buy/want/desire it

[via fuckyeahgadgets]

i want your ugly; i want your disease.

2009-11-14T02:33:00.005+08:00

i want your drama; with the touch of your hand

tonight, i realised i'm selfish.
self-centred, looking out for my own interests, petty and spoilt.

and i'm humbled by the fact that despite tonight's episode - you are still around.
and i'm humbled by the endless reassurance you gave me tonight.

most of all, i'm grateful for you in my life.

there is nothing better than knowing that you are loved despite of all that funk.
and that everytime you fuck up, it's ok.

pardon the emotive rant - it's a friday.

have a good weekend folks.

want you back for good.

2009-11-06T00:26:00.003+08:00

ok, let's pretend my whole "you need to grow up" thing never happened. i'm back at blogger. i don't know if it's because i'm use to it, or because it's just one of those better things.

i feel much more at home here, and i feel like a horny school boy who got his own place to lay girls but ended up missing his mom's cooking and not getting laid at all.

argo, hello i'm back!

(urm, to satisfy my itch, i'm going to play designer.)

tumble here.

2009-09-26T02:47:00.003+08:00

i have moved.

dear blogger,

it's not me, it's you.

we've been together for 6 years. you were my first taste of web freedom - the space to write anything i wanted. an avenue for my friends to understand me without actually talking to me. you knew my deepest darkest secrets.

but i've met tumblr. and, it was love at first sight. I swear when i was creating my new interface, i was thinking of you. it started as a physical thing - the clean layouts and interface, the excellent blogging facilities - but now it has morphed into an emotional attraction.

tumblr is a lot like you, you know. it does exactly the same things as you. maybe that's why i liked it so much. but there's one thing that it has that you don't - change.

You have not changed. with web 2.0 emerging, you still remained in version 1. while other blogging sites became intuitive, your engine remained complicated. when wordpress began revolutionizing the content management systems, you... you never did.

that's why blogger, we must part. though many firsts where given to you, i feel our relationship has not blossomed as much.

you will always be a part of me, i'm part of you...(i want to say indefinitely) no more.

love,
karen.

the weekend.

2009-09-13T22:34:00.000+08:00

my weekend was great. how was yours?

<3

love in my tummy.

2009-09-07T22:47:00.000+08:00

the best thing that came out of the infection - chicken macaroni.

when i'm sick, i cook.
because i'm at home, no one's around, i know exactly what i'm craving (usually good ol' soup) and i can eat as much of it as i want without judgement.

ok next thing on the menu - Bailey's Cornflake Crispies.

time traveller's meh.

2009-09-06T23:02:00.000+08:00

hello world. it's been awhile.

been home bound for the past two days due to an infection. first food poisoning last week, then this. i'm getting to weak for my own good, getting sick and infected way to easily. i hate taking mc and feeling like someone is trying to pull my stomach from the small of my back. need to stock up on vitamin c and other "bu" stuff.

well, at least i got to cook during my rest :) cooking always makes me happy.

enough of the infection, to the weekend!

first, as a welcome back to health treat, the beau bought me dinner at the much anticipated Astons. ok, i hear the "gasps!" from your screen, but yes i've never eaten at Astons, always put off by the long queues. He forced me to queue and discussed very questionable baby names (for instance, he would like his first child to be called Tchaichovsky or Aristotle or Xerxus, for that matter). since, at this point, i am not the mother of the baby, i had no veto. well done.

Astons was very satisfying. The steak i had was very very tasty - had it in medium, and it is one of those places where you don't have to down the doneness. You get the exact doneness you like. yummers. the beau's chicken was delish too. We had two mains and two soups and it came up to less than 30 bucks. quite reasonable. lovely.

we proceeded to catch District 9, which literally blew me away. i went in with the beau refusing to disclose the story line to me and came out begging the beau to promise me a sequel (ok, beau is not peter jackson, but worth a shot). It was simply - great. no doubt. i can't tell you what's great about it though, it was just a great experience. the story line was pretty solid, character development tops and the cinematography was very unique. GREAT LOH!

but all good things come to an end, as you will read.

so today, me + beau + 2 other hardcore TTW fans headed down to cine to watch what we have been waiting for months for: henry and clare immortalised in flesh on screen.

all i can say is a big big big MEH.. italics, bold, caps and underlined.

supremely underwhelming, story was cut in a unkempt and disregarded way. important bits from the book were left mysteriously out, even altering the very poignant and important ending (i understand the movie cannot contain the full book within it, but this, this was insult!). this book wasn't meant to be a happy ending! it was meant to be tortured, painful, poignant and joyful all at the same time. no word.

they left out ingrid, the torrid affair, henry's mother's death (over and over again.) and kinda of trivalised the entire story. wah lau, worse 10 bucks i spent at the movie! (aside from twi- ok, nevermind!)

luckily, dinner more than made up for it. headed to bedok 85 for bak chor mee, orh luak, chicken wings and otah. good to the last drop though i became so full i had to hunch forward to suck my stomach in. WAY too much effort.

thanks to ling who sent me straight to the doorstep despite living in the west. huat ah pop cherry crush!

ok, another week of work, another weekend to work towards. mini milestones, baby steps.

samurai girl is playing on channel 5. oh hello stereotype!

checklist.

2009-08-23T12:10:00.000+08:00

clearing cobwebs - both online and offline at the moment.
that explains the dead air that's present here.

quick updates can be done, as such:

- job: check
- love life: check
- friends: check
- family: check

things are going well in karen's world.
:)

it's like hollywood heard me

2009-08-05T16:19:00.005+08:00

I cannot believe so many of my favourite books and stories are being immortalized onto screen with big hollywood names actually interested in making it work.

the lovely bones was one of the very first books which i could not put down. i think i must have read it at least 4 times and everytime, every single time, i always discover something new about it. it's so child-like and different.

time traveller's wife is the ultimate favourite book for me. heart-wrenchingly beautiful, it's an out of this world story made believable. love knows no boundaries, not even time and space.

and alice in wonderland, my favourite childhood book. my mom actually banned me from it for a good while because she thought i had an over obesession with it. just as icing on the cake, tim burton took it and made it his. with johnny depp, but of course.

i'm too excited to work, i'm just googling all the book titles i love to see if a movie is attached to them.

next stop: real world by natsuo kirino.
hollywood / japanese directaaa - are you listening

spent time

2009-08-03T23:14:00.007+08:00

rock it, i by mad puppet (deviant art)

thinking about you today.

There's still a door here shaped like you. Boarded up, covered in chains and nails. Look at you, like a new tattoo. Because I might not always have you but I'll have the feeling of you for the rest of my life. But life doesn't give you a second canvas. So all you can do is paint on. And, sometimes, even over.

so in the meantime, I built you a house and a garden inside my head. I know you'll be happy there.

and stay there for a while. Just so i can keep you there for that little while longer.

How many special people change
How many lives are living strange
Where were you when we were getting high?

and they say.

2009-07-16T23:48:00.000+08:00

love exists. we haven't discovered it yet.

top sex.

2009-07-15T22:55:00.004+08:00

today during lunch, my colleagues were discussing on the sexist people ever.

The criteria was personality, looks and pure raw sexual power.

though mixed reviews and many tears and heated discussions, 8 of us managed to agree on 10 people - 5 men and 5 women - who are the sexist people ever to live and walk this earth.

i present to you the sexist people ever:

do you agree? i think you do.

pack my bags.

2009-07-11T01:41:00.004+08:00

You think you’re waiting for help. For someone to tell you what the right thing to do is. Even though, at the back of your mind, you already know what that is. So all you’re really waiting for, is a time when you’re forced to do it.

When you finally understand what it meant, the truth will leave your lips. Not as words. But a sound at the back of your throat.

You will hear it and no one else will, like your soul wears headphones and only it can hear the music.

If it was easy, everyone would do it. But it's not. Which is why it's up to you.

I feel guilty for not feeling guilty.

I don't know if it is suppose to be so easy. Are we meant to block out things we know we cannot deal with? Is it our mind and body's way of defending itself - much like how the brain produces adrenaline in times of fear and panic or when the body produces antibodies for a virus each time we are infected with a new one?

Is this my mind's way of telling me: you can't deal with it?
so don't deal with it, lock it away so that we won't need to suffer a breakdown.
Other people need you, your job needs you, your beau needs you, your friends need you.

You don't need you. You just contort and follow in everyone's plan and then it will be fine. Because of this, you will have multiple backup plans - you'll never be alone.

I hate feeling like I don't care. Because I do, because I want to care. I want to feel that I'm living for myself. And the sad part, is that I don't care enough (or at least my mind says I don't) to even do that.

I feel guilty for not feeling guilty.

2009-07-03T23:54:00.002+08:00

oh, bugger.
the week went by really quickly and somewhat painfully.

firstly, mj dropped dead.
secondly, all of my projects got pushed back cos my client is quarantined.
thirdly, i got some terrible news which involves intrusive solutions.
lastly, i found out the beau is working all weekend at an event.

on the total opposite side of things...
firstly, mj can never die because he is immortal.
secondly, all of my projects pushed back = no over time for me.
thirdly, at least this news made me realise how important i was to someone.
lastly, i got all the time this weekend with zac without feeling guilty.

see, giant silver lining is works!

HUGE NOTE
i'm thinking of taking a trip to thailand in oct - all in 4d3n at 187, any takers?

death of a king.

2009-06-28T00:20:00.003+08:00

Michael Jackson showed me that you can actually see the beat. He made the music come to life. He made me believe in magic.

- P. Diddy

thank you for singing the songs that defined my generation.
thank you for creating music that i still find too good to be true.

the world has lost another great.

p.s please say hi to ed and farrah. :)

robots in demise.

2009-06-26T00:50:00.004+08:00

whoar, so big.

so transformers: revenge of the fallen came and went.

the animation was amazing still. but hype has fallen since the first transformers.

i still squealed (inside) when optimus prime transformed for the first time.

i was pleasantly surprised there was a Blackbird in the show - one of the most technologically gorgeous aircrafts ever.

nice to see still got GM branding even thought they are kaput.

i was also very surprised to see megan fox looking quite delish. always thought she was manly.

[highlight to see spoiler] part where optimus died actually brought tears into my eyes. i asked the beau why like that about 4 times in 2 secs.

the villan - also known as the fallen - only appeared like for 2 mins out of which he spent half the time dying.

i was not prepared to see decepticons humping, "ghettobots" and a butcher's ass.

and the last scene where the US was blowing up pretty much all of Egypt's ruins was about 20 minutes too long. [end of spoilers.]

and josh duhamel is married to fergie. like what the fuck.

after thought of the movie: michael bay cannot do romance, comedy and romantic comedies.

JAMES CAMERON FOR PART 3!

with love, from taiwan

2009-06-21T01:57:00.003+08:00

so, i spent a good week alone at home. just me and my house.
liberating, yes
lonely, yes.

but i welcomed my parents home today. and to that, my mom bought these goodies for me:

before she left, i said: "just get me some nice cosmetics lah."
my mom is great innit?