"Kinda like Trump's hair(piece) on a cupcake"

Woo hoo! I'm back to blogging bout food! Remember the cupcake mix gift I got from Boston? Well, finally found some time and help baking them just now. Was reading the tube and apparently it's from some famous cupcake bakery from Beverly Hills. Simple enough instructions were found inside the container. There you see the mix from the tube, and it's enough for a dozen cupcakes. And right here you have the new digital weighing machine, first time in action.

Anyway, popped them in the oven while doing the frosting. All right, while topping the frosting, I realised that I totally suck at it! They had this nice photo of a cupcake on the container and it really looked nice and smooth. I used a butter spread and mine all looked like it had some weird comb over or something. Slapped across and pasted on them. Kinda like Trump's hair(piece) on a cupcake.

The chocolate frosting tasted great! The cupcake was a tiny little bit too flaky for me but the whole cupcake was pretty decent. Not sure if it's anything like the original in Beverly Hills but I'm fine with it.

Oh, check out this cool cupcake stand I saw while I was buying my baking tray. I believe it can hold 38 mutherloving cupcakes!

"The all-booze, liquid diet version"

Was at the news stand the other day and noticed something funny. You know how the cover of women's magazines are always promising articles on how to achieve the perfect physical image. Bigger boobs, silkier hair, firmer butts, then you got the whole smoother, whiter skin package etc.. But when you look at guys' magazines, it's all about attaining only one main physical attribute. Now get your mind out of the gutter. I'm talking bout the 6-pack, abs of steel here.

That's right, folks. Guys' magazines only make one common promise on their covers, that the only thing guys need to look good is a washboard stomach and we got a gazillion ways to show you how to get them. Apparently you can bend, stretch, run, swim, dance, sing or (I'm waiting for this one) sleep your way to them in a week. There's probably some liquid, carbo, candy or (another on my wish list) alcohol diet in the works too. Yup, I'm just holding out for the all-booze, liquid diet version.

Just realized that I’m only a coupla more entries to my first 100th post. Kinda reminds of how comic books and TV shows always have something big planned for either their 100th issue or 100th episode.

So what do I have planned? I really don’t know. How bout some big revelation like an updated or clearer photo shot of me? Yah, like anyone would be interested in that. Maybe some deep dark kinky secret? Ought to have some lying around here somewhere. Or finally that long-lost secret origin story. Hmmmmm...

"Driven at least one co-worker insane"

Hah, saw this list of 6 weird stuff at Queen's site. Well, why not I guess.

1. Loop-de-loop
When listening to any favorite song, I'll usually put it on loop whether it's on my desktop itunes, old discman or latest nano. I can listen to the very same song looping for hours and hours. Have known to have driven at least one co-worker insane. Here's what I was listening to at work today and this too.

2. Too hot to handle
Despite my origins, I don't do chilli or spicy stuff. End of discussion.

3. Have we met?
I'm very bad with names. Most of my first meetings, the name just goes out my other ear even before I have stopped shaking the other person's hand.

4. Zzzzzzzzz
I'm gifted with the ability to fall almost instantly alseep on just about any sort of public transport.

5. Bullseye
Even though I'm right-handed, I aim with my left eye. That means when discharging any firearm (since army daze) or using a bow (which I used to do), I'll have to use my left hand. It's unusual cos most right-handed people aim with their right eye.

6. Royal pain in the butt
Apparently I have at least one foreign relative (my mom is half-chinese) who is married into royalty, that country's royal family. I'm not close to them at all, well, I am close to only one cousin, so I can't really say how accurate this little factoid is. But I have seen pix of this cousin's wedding and it does feature quite a stellar guest list. No, he's not the one who is supposed to be married into the royal family.

So there you go. Six little kooky facts about me. Now who's next?

"The one with Moses in it"

So I was mopping the apartment the other nite and watching the movie soundtrack channel at the same time. Yah, I was doing the whole mop-is-my-microphone gig too. Then came the instrumental piece from The Planet of the Apes, the Tim Burton's remake.

It was a heavy piece and had the apes running, leaping about, hunting down the humans. The make-up and SFX were fantastic, I know they were nominated but can't remember if they won an Oscar. Looking at them, I'm immediately reminded of the original version, the one with Moses in it. I saw that on TV when I was like about 10 years old, I think. And I was completely and majorly freaked out by the apes! Those mean talking apes, beating up the humans really spooked me as a kid. For a kid my age, they look waaaay too real for comfort! And I'm a huge sci-fi, fantasy movie fan. I mean, I'm used to watching ghosts, aliens and monsters on TV and in the movies, I love them but ... geez ... those damn apes were in a class of their own.

The other soundtrack video that came on a little later was this. "Old habits die hard" by Mick Jagger and Dave Stewart from the movie 'Alfie'. I love that song. Now this is the song that I did the microphone/mop routine! I could really relate to the lyrics and all. No, I sure as hell don't look anything like Jude Law at all, but there was a time when I would find myself going through one relationship after another ... er ... I may have said too much already.

Anyway, some pretty neat additions to the household. Gifts from halfway across the world.

"Thighs of Steel"

By now some of you might have heard about or even experienced the two tremors this afternoon. It's something I sure as hell won't forget anytime soon.

I was in the office when the first one hit close to noon. My colleague turned to me and said "FUCK!". I went "Huh? What happened?". Then I immediately felt it. No, not the building shaking but a wave of nausea. Giddy-like. Followed by a slight tremor, the room moving just a little. We immediately stepped out of the room and we saw everyone else, out of their rooms or cubicles, all anxious and worried. You know, I never knew the first thing to hit me would be the nausea, apparently everyone felt the same way, always thought it would be like the room or floor shaking or something. So we were all going, "Did you felt that?" "The building was shaking." "Leave the building now." "Take the stairs."

Oh yes we did, all 32 floors of it...

Once outside the building, I called my folks who turned on the TV and updated me on what happened. Earthquake in Sumatra, lots of other buildings here felt it. I think the official number is about 200 buildings here.

Well, we had lunch and about 1.30pm, most of us were already making our way back into the building. I was back at about a quarter to 2. Then it happened again.

I turned to a different colleague. I looked at her and she went "What?". I kept quiet cos I thought it night had been my imagination. Then came a stronger tremor. "Shit, not again!"

But this time we were all too tired to walk the stairs. The lift opened, some other colleagues were about to step out. We pushed them back it. And down we went.

All the sideway cafes, coffee shops around the area were filled with people from all the neighbouring office blocks. When I heard my other colleague had walked all the way down twice, I looked at him and said, "thighs of steel. man".

We all returned about 3pm cos the boss sent an SMS telling us to head back or else! Word came later that both quakes, about 2 hours apart were each 6.6 on the Richter Scale.

By the way, taking a page out of my current fav sitcom Two and a Half Men, decided to name each entry using a line from each post, kinda like how each episode of the show comes with a really weird title taken from the script (when it's read out of context), know what I mean?

Hide And Seek

Gosh, its been awhile since I posted anything. Work has been so crappy lately that I just didn’t wanna do any more writing once I head home. Now that’s another thing. When you live alone right now like me, the last thing you wanna do is not have anything to do when you step into an empty apartment.

That’s why I always try to do something or plan something or have something to look forward to when I come home. Otherwise I know I’ll just go nuts slowly but surely. And that’s why I was kinda glad I had World of Warcraft online, that kept me busy after work and was most additive, for awhile at least. Fun while it lasted. These days I try to sleep early, used to sleep pretty late after midnight.

These nights, I might slip in a card game at a game shop after work on Tuesday nights, Wednesday and Thursday nights are usually TV and reading. Would catch up on my reading while watching CSI or Two and A Half Men. Fridays, if no one has plans for drinks, are for laundry and vacuuming and mopping the entire apartment. I always think I’m freaking out the neighbors with all that vacuuming in the middle of the night.

Now, here's one of me favourite bit of my Batcave, Fortress of Solitude, Avengers Mansion or whatever. My hidden (book and display) shelves in the living room!

And ta-tah! Open them and ...well, it is kinda messy I know, that's why I took the pix from a distance!

Again With The Comfort Food

Gezz, has V-Day just passed me by? Well, to be honest, was just too busy with work to make a big deal out of it. I did managed to catch the latest episode of Two and A Half Men on YouTube that day so it was a pretty good day for me. I thought of writing something about past loves for V-Day but how do I talk about my past 'social life' without sounding like a cad? I don't for now. Maybe one day I will.

Anyway, the last weekend till today was just one long cleaning up and getting ready for the Lunar New Year. Got my pussywillow the other day after work. I figured it's kinda like our local version of the Christmas tree, only a little more naked. You buy it during the holiday season, dress it up a little and ...er...ok, there are no presents under this plant...so I guess that's about all the similarities to the Christmas tree.

Work has been hell and it's gonna get a lot worse before it gets any better. So off I go for my comfort food session namely getting the best Japanese food my money can buy. Finally managed to hit somewhere that I have been eyeing for awhile now, Kaisan, a pretty expensive little place at our famous Raffles Hotel. Here's a very good review of the place by Skinny Epicurean. Every word is true. I was there alone on Thursday nite. Got myself a counter seat. Ordered some sashimi and cha soba, my usual at most Japanese joints until I find out more about the place. I'll definitely make a return trip one of these days, probably end of the month or early March. So if you see a guy in t-shirt and jeans, alone having dinner at the counter, that's me!

Me, Two Men And A Kid

Hardly watch TV these days but Two and A Half Men…damn, that’s a good show. Probably the most memorable line for me was when Charlie Sheen’s playboy character was asked. “Women: Disposable pleasures or worthwhile pursuits?” and he had to pause to think of the answer. Truth is, that’s pretty much how I would have reacted years ago. Servant of Chaos, remember?

Then there was the episode where he told guest star Teri Hatcher the mental image of them having sex years ago was "lighter fluid when I'm barbecuing alone."

Cable's showing the first season and I'm checking out some episodes (Xmas episode, best opening ever!) of the current season four on You Tube.


Speaking of guys, here's how a guy eats his fruits. No need for plates, just cut it up and eat it on the cutting board, over the kitcken sink! The kiwis were really soft and sweet. Slice it in half and you use a spoon to scoop it up. Think the last time I had fruits in a (proper) bowl was at my mom's place.

I guess when you are on your own, you kinda wanna do things your own fast-and-easy way. I eat more stuff outta their original containers!

The Not-So-Big Chill

We’d been having some pretty weird weather lately. It’s exceptionally windy last couple of weeks. Icy, chilly winds in the evening when I'm back from work till morning when I leave. The flash storms have stopped but almost every evening till late at nite, the winds (can they be plural?) have been howling like a buncha banshees. Windows blown shut (and open), things flying around the house, just like in them ghost movies. Actually I’m used to the wind howling, reminds me of my old place when I was like 10 years old, the wind was making all kinds a noises in my folks’ first apartment.

Wonder if anyone else in the country is experiencing it? Some say when it's this 'cold' or windy in January, it's gonna be exceptionally hot later around April.



Anyway, finally gonna open this little beauty up. Got it at duty-free coming back from Hong Kong last year. I couldn't resist it when I read the line ... "A unique blend of premium French Vodka and Gourmet Coffee with a hint of vanilla and creme." Ohhh ... I can see this going into my morning coffee and after dinner ice-cream dessert.

Q Daze

Damn, they better be worth it. And they are....sort of. Not great but I still kinda enjoyed them. Yah, I waited in line at Raffles City for three hours for them. Didn't really planned it that way. The line wasn't that long so I got in the Q. It hardly moved cos the kitchen was small and folks ahead of me were buying boxes and boxes of them. Well, The last time I had a donut 'meal' was in New York seven years ago.

Here's something else I stood in Q for that day. That's an opened case of World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade. Me and the guys PLUS the other guys from my online guild were at the launch 'party' (I use the term loosely) and altogether, we collected at least 60 boxes for everyone. It was fun standing in this Q cos the rest of the guys were there and we all talking crap together.

In other good news, the national library has FINALLY stocked up on new comic books! After a year of no new stuff, we got quite a lot over the last week.

Alright, remember I talked bout the reshuffling in the office? Well, as I expected, things aren't off to a great start. It ain't easy when your 'superior' can't seem to make up his or her mind and it sure as hell ain't helping me when he or she admits in my face, "I'm sorry but I know I'm really anal."

Bought A Buff

Weather's been pretty cool lately. Not bad, good excuse to wear all those sweaters and loong sleeved shirts for once. Actually bought this. Thought it was neat, not cos the weather or anything. Well, my hair's pretty long now, not cutting it yet. Waiting till it's closer to Chinese New Year, that's late February. Saw it and just ... wanted it, I guess. I can now look like a pirate! Yar!

My life in the last few days has been all bout work and some WOW card playing (which I lost mostly but made some new friends so not much to talk/brag about there). Anyway, Niki did this great list. so I figured why not.

Countdown
Ten Things About You
1: Am only child.
2: Carry a money clip but not a wallet
3: Hates tissue paper
4: Prays every nite before bed
5: Enjoys all kinds of game
6: Had my own newspaper comic strip years ago
7: Am told that I'm tone deaf
8: Fan of WWE wrestling
9: Wears glasses only at the movies
10: Will instinctively wake up at 7am no matter where I am or how late I slept

Nine Things You Love
1: Family
2: Japanese food
3: Internet
4: Writing
5: Fooling around (if you know what I mean)
6: Comic books
7: Long rides
8: Traveling
9: Constance

Eight Songs You Love
1: Born to run (Bruce Springsteen)
2: Those magic changes (Grease soundtrack)
3: Summer of 69 (Bryan Adams)
4: Johnnie b goode (Chuck Berry)
5: Miami (Will Smith)
6: Stayin Alive (Bee Gees)
7: Tonight is what it means to be young (Fire Inc.)
8: Burning Love (Elvis)

Seven Things You Wear Daily
1: Either one of two G-Shock watches
2: Boxers
3: Ring
4: Jeans
5: T-shirt
6: iPod nano
7: Smile

Six Things That Make You Smile
1: Winning a game
2: Reading a good book
3: Memories of fencing
4: Comfort food
5: Old photos
6: Comments left at my blog ;)

Five Things You're Looking Forward To
1: Tokyo
2: A drink
3: Weekends
4: Favourite websites' updates
5: Meeting my friends

Four Things You're Scared Of
1: Heights
2: Losing my $enses
3: Being alone in the world
4: Zombies (don't ask)

Three Things That Annoy You
1: Waiting for public transport
2: Telemarketing
3: Whimpy songs from the 70s

Two Of Your Favorite Books
1: The Dunwich Horror
2: The Hobbit

One Thing You Can't Live Without
1: Oxygen

Back At Work

By now most of us are probably back at work after the holidays, same here folks. But I still feel like I'm on holiday season mode. Can't wait for the Chinese New Year break again.

Official word is they are gonna split us all into dedicated (smaller?) strike teams. Yup, it’s a reshuffle. There’s gonna be a big meeting this coming Monday to explain how all that’s gonna work out. Well, we’ll see. It’ll mean I’ll be moving out of my room and into cubiclepolis. Anyway, that’ll be later, at least a couple of more months.

So with my Warcraft Internet connection moving slower than a dead turtle, I spent my last few nites downloading (or is it uploading?) a bunch of CDs onto the nano. I managed to get thin clear plastic protectors for the back, wheel and screen for the nano on Monday at that Apple shop at Cineleisure, they were even nice enough to paste it for me.

Anyway, here's me playing with the 'Food' mode of my new camera.

Duck from a famous duck rice stall from People's Park Complex in Chinatown. Yah, I always thought it sounds like some kinda commie HQ building or something. Bought it for dinner over the weekend. Looks like the Chinese New Year decorations are already coming up all over Chinatown. So what do you guys think of this 'Food' mode? Does the food look yummier?

Happy New 2007

Two long nites of gaming can really wear out a guy. Had the gang over for board games (Beowolf, Railroad Tycoon, etc.) on Saturday nite, till like 3am. Slept at 4am. On New Year's eve the next nite, another group showed up and played till about 3am too.

Yah, its been a pretty gaming holiday for me ... (must remember only the good things!) ... well, would have played more if the damn Internet connection my World of Warcraft wasn't lagging all the time, and kept disconnecting me for like, 3 days in a row now.

Coming up next, The Burning Crusade. Mark my words, come Jan 16, men (and some women I guess) from all over the world will vanish from the streets, social committments will not be met, dates will be broken, well, you get the idea ...

But seriously, its been quite past year of gadgets for me. First came the conventional microwave oven. then followed by a new Nikon camera, handheld vacuum cleaner and Philips DVD player (with Divx Video) all during the Great Singapore Sale.

And then it was happy birthday to me with this. Ended the year with a couple of good grabs during the office party and someone else's party gift.

The Spoils Of War Or How I Finally Got An iPod

Talk about your six degrees of separation. I finally bought a new 4GB ipod nano (2nd gen) for only S$250, about US$168 (retailing at S$348, about US$227).

The crazy part is how I got it. My gaming buddy’s wife got it from her ad agency’s creative director as a Xmas gift. She’s the agency’s client (BIG telco account). But since the couple already has a video ipod, my friend decided to sell it to me. I didn’t know the background behind it yet but I noticed the nano came preloaded with a ton of really obscure old songs (over 400 oldies!), I asked him if I could delete them. He said sure and told me about its ‘history’. So I deleted all the songs ‘cept for the Seinfeld album.

Now I knew folks who knew folks from the ad agency. Well, did some nosing around. Agencies giving ipods to clients? Wow, haven’t heard that one in a long while. So, to cut a long story short and to leave out the nasty details cos as this story clearly shows, you can never tell who knows who, the nano wasn’t exactly given out in the spirit of goodwill.

Ho Ho Ho! Now I have an ipod nano (see the first Die Hard movie to get this inside joke)

Well, since almost everyone in me office is a Mac/Apple fan. It wasn’t that hard for me to …er… ‘get’ a whole bunch of free songs from their playlists as our network kinda links our desktops/notebooks. Now to get one of those external speakers for me new nano.

Merry Christmas Everybody!

Had a early Xmas dinner with friends on Saturday nite. Everyone prepared something so we had lots of food and later, leftovers. Anyway, we ordered one of those pre-cooked turkeys this year. Some of the things overheard before dinner was served...

"Are you sure it's cooked?"

"Are you sure you can fit it in the mircowave?"

"Remove the foil!"
"You don't need to remove the foil if you set it to 'conventional oven'!!!"

"This isn't rocket science."

"It's cooked but it's still cold on the inside. Put your finger inside the bird and feel it."

"Maybe it's supposed to be cold on the inside."

"Eeeewww. Why did you have to put your middle finger in it?"
"Cos it's my longest finger!"

"Why did you give me a dessert knife to cut the bird with?"

Well, I'm sure there were a couple others that I forgot. Anyway, I had leftover turkey sandwiches for breakfast 2 days in a row already.

Merry Christmas guys! Thanks for dropping by!



A little present I got that nite. A giant jar of mashmallows!

Christmas Reading

Should I be saying this? I guess most people kinda blog bout almost everything, like good times and bad. Me? I like to blog bout happier stuff, the little things that I get a kick out of. Yah, of cos not-so-good stuff do happen to me but I just rather not blog bout it.

Anyway here's my Xmas gift to myself. Been eyeing this since I saw it in an online catalog months ago. Remember reading all those old pulp fictions as a kid. I just love those written during the 1920s to 30s.

For more than 70 years, fantasy fans have followed the exploits of Conan through novels, comic books, and movies. This book, the first-ever illustrated guide to Robert E. Howard’s most beloved character, is a genuine treasure chest of Conan lore, following Conan through the ages, through his different careers, as he meets friends and foes and travels across the Hyborian continent. Written by none other than Roy Thomas of Marvel Comics fame, expect nothing less than an exciting tale, with art from some of the foremost Conan portrayers ever: Frank Frazetta, Mark Schultz, Gary Gianni, John Buscema, Cary Nord, and more. Created in full cooperation with Conan C and T 2006 Conan Properties International, LLC Foreword by Todd McFarlane. Features character profiles, maps, art from original paperbacks, comic books, and video games.

Finally found it at Kinokuniya a couple of weeks ago. Reading it was like stepping into a freakin’ time machine! All the original stories (in summarized form) were there in chronological order. I was going “I remember that!” Damn, it was sooo cool.

Speaking of books and comic books, here’s something new I found. Never was a big Archie fan, more of a DC and Marvel fan but if there are any women reading this who were Archie fans….this is for you. Archie and gang finally get a face-life after 60 years! Doesn't Veronica look like that Eva gal from Desperate Housewives?

The Aftermath

Saw all of the pix taken that nite. The innocent ones and the not-so innocent ones. Fortunately I wasn't in any of the more 'notorious' ones. Some with me arm around a couple of very attractive women although I must have been quite stoned by the time they were taken cos I don’t remember any of it at all. Really.

Ah. Here’s what I got from the nite’s lucky draw. Heh.

Office *hic* Party

Well, this year's party was definitely a lot better than last year's. Although I had to leave in the middle of last year's party cos of a family emergency. Everyone was saying that the one we had the previous year 2004 was crazier, wilder, cooler etc. And we had a handful of pretty scandalous pix to back it up too. You get the idea, us media folks for better or worse have a reputation when it came to parties, in and out of the office. Yours truly had the honor that year for throwing up and almost passing out at the steps of our grand ol' City Hall.

Along came this year's party at a tiny little bar, let's see now....what I do remember is...

At least 5 Scotch on the rocks
At least 4 shooters
1 bottle of beer

Now the last major drinking session was here. Looks like I got back (at least) one to my four original vices that nite.

Best part, we have all-new scandalous pix. The official photographer left after 10pm when folks were still pretty sober. Later, our 'unofficial' photographer made the rounds and rest is history. More than a few had to be censored before we could put them up on the public server.


The ol' mushroom cloud AKA what me head felt like the next morning.

Weekend Home Alone

So what do you do when you are a guy living alone on a typical weekend? Well, you might want to start with an hour-long vacuuming workout followed by non-stop mopping like me, on a Friday nite right after work. It doesn’t help when the radio station removed their Friday nite retro party hit program and replaced it with sucky love songs. WTF? I need me loud, rock music when I’m mopping!! Mop = Mircophone stand, geddit?

A home alone weekend means walking around unshaven (for two whole days!) and being glad that it’s a rainy Saturday afternoon, cos you now have an excuse for staying indoors and playing World of Warcraft online. Awww come on, it’s not as bad as it sounds. I did leave the apartment to have dinner at me folks’ place on Saturday nite.

Sunday morning is laundry morning. Hang them high! And hang them dry! That’s what I say…er, metaphorically speaking of cos…hmmm, no, I don’t normally talk out loud to my laundry either…

Weekend home alone also means whipping u p a cool dessert like this, anytime of the day! Vanilla ice-cream with new mint choc Bailey’s.

Hong Kong Foody

Well, finally found the time to post me Hong Kong food pix. Forgive me but I can't remember most if not all of the names of the places. I think it's a guy thing. Ever since the primitive hunter days, primate man would just remember the field where he hunted his dinner. Sure, he'll remember how to get there, climb which valley or cross that river. But name the place? Nahhhh. I don't think so. But I digress.

Some breakfast pix I managed to snap. Starting with macaroni and ham soup, a very thin ham omelet and of cos, me favourite milk tea - done Hong Kong style. But I got to say, I really enjoyed all the food there, all my meals. They were great!

Yes, they really loooove their macaroni here. Here, McDonald's muscles in on the lucrative macaroni market too!

Lunch was a little too hit-n-run for me to snap anything. So here's a couple of dinner pix instead. Something porky with pieces of bread to wrap them in.

A very, very nice (medium) steak at Suzuki cafe. Yes, that's mayo. Really.

Oh wait, I do have a lunch pix. Was the lunch I had near me hotel, just before heading to the airport. Wan Ton Mee with mango pudding dessert. Apparently the restaurant is pretty famous. Was there a previous nite for dinner and was told that the guy sitting behind my table was some TV actor. A minor supporting role kinda guy although I have no idea who he is or was or whatever.