Bamboo Shoots

Hey hey hey...do you like to eat bamboo shoots? Chinese love to eat it a lot!
According to my reading from Washington State University research, bamboo shoot is belong to grass family, it should be harvested before two weeks old.

Bamboo shoots are delicious and yet low in fats and calories. It's also high in fibre and potassium (which good for heart and to maintain normal blood pressure).

Yummy Yummy....see sample dish below???


You can also just stir fry it like below picture. It tastes good.
And guess what??? What you saw are not real bamboo shoots. Some creative Chinese found the way to make bamboo shoots.....Here is the suggested way to prepare it at home.
Warning: This is not the right method!!! This is just suggestion from the creative peoples!

I received the recipes from emails.

Step 1: Prepare wooden chop sticks with your desire quantity. Clean them.
Step 2: Cut them into half, as the bamboo shoots normal length
deng deng deng deng....here is the main ingredient of the bamboo shoots that you saw just now.
Step 3: Put it into the prepared alcohol to soak for few days.
Just put them in together will do
Step 4: Now, you need to put in seasoning/MSG to the "bamboo shoots".
Step 5: At the same time, you also add in a little soda or NaHCO3, which is the chemical name of it.
Step 6: Add in some sugar
Step 7: Add in soya sauce for colouring and taste enhancement
Step 8: Boil them (The recipe doesn't mention the boiling time, I guess 1/2 hour :P)
Step 9: Store it into glass bottle after boiling.
Again the recipe doesn't mention store it for how long.
So you need to check, whether the "bamboo shoots" is ready.
When you see the chop stick absorb all water in the bottle.....ha....
Check check....check....it's ready eh!
See??? It looks exactly like the bamboo shoots that we usually have.

I wonder, what's the price of actual bamboo shoots. Is the wooden chopstick much cheaper than the real bamboo shoots? Why peoples wanna make this? It's like what we heard before, the Cha Siew Bao that the Cha Siew is made by the carton boxes ...YIACKSSSS......

Tak Boleh Tengok Punya Driver

Shan always tells me that Fion and herself are the "tak boleh tengok punya driver". If you do not know them, and they were sitting in the car waiting for someone, it's for sure you would like to give them a slap!!!

Their faces, tak boleh tengok punya lansi!
And because of this and their mouth, which like to scold other drivers, they have been to temple to donate money and do some charity to hope that could help them to reduce their sin indirectly.

Anyway, when I was on the way back home, I threaten a car, who came out from a junction. It's not supposed to come out, while seeing me almost there. And she still came out with her brave. In 3 minutes, I got a call from Shan. Ahhh....the car was her!!! She was scolding me...."ehhh ah moi....tak boleh tengok punya driver, so HIONG I want to slap you." hehehehe...we were laughing on phone to argue who is the person didn't follow law. hehe

And another story to share about Shan, that I couldn't stop laughing.

She met a new customer today. When she wanted to take out her business card holder, she accidentally pull out.................her pantie liner whuahahuhahaha....so siah sui!!!!

So ladies, organize your bag, do not embarrass yourself :P

Finally Back and Settled

Finally I am back in Sydney and settled in a new place that we used 2 weeks to get to rent. It had been like rock n roll for the first couple weeks we arrived back in Sydney. Temporiry staying at my mum's place has its good and bad. Good is that we don't need to pay rent, bad is that we desperated to need our own home. On the same day we arrived at Sydney, after such a long journey flight we still wanted to go out there to hunt for a property. We settled our luggages and Adam with my mum and straightaway we went to our area to look for property.

I never knew looking for a place to rent is such a difficult and frustrating experience. Due to the interest rate non stop increasing several times in each year, people hardly to afford mortgage anymore, therefore they got to sell their property and rent one. In this case, the demand of rental is getting higher but there are not many property for lease.

I have rented twice before this. First time was through private rent. So no hassels at all. Second time I saw the property on the internet, called the agent, booked a time for inspection, I like it, went to his office for paper work and because the agent knows my husband's boss very well, so when we hand in the employment letter, straightaway our rental application is approved. Now, the regulation of rental application has been getting really tough. Not only you have to provide employement details such as payslip and employment, you also need to provide previous tenancy agreement, bank statement, 100 points ID check, etc. They will look at your details and do employment check - which they will call to your work place and confirm you really work there and your income. Secondly with your license they can do credit check to check if you have pending debt to any party or court case. On top of these checks, there are alot of competitions. This is because agents normally will do an open inspection and it could be like 20 people come to see the place, if everyone likes it, and everyone applies it, who knows who will be the lucky one to be picked? First stage have to approve by agent, then agent will bring those approved applications to the landlord to choose. See !!!! how hard it is !!!

Everytime we went for inspection and when we were waiting the agent to arrive, we could see many people waiting outside and we started to count ohh this car must be here for inspection, ohh another car coming, ohh..there again..the more the people come, the less chance we get. Anyway, we have applied 3 before we got this approved. 1 rejected - no problem with our application, just that owner chosed another one. 1 no response. 1 approved.

The one that approved I didn't take it because after I applied i saw this place that I am living now and it was only private inspection and I paid deposit on the day of inspection coz I really like this one. Its new and price is ok. So I told the approved agent that I will have to get back to her and she gave me 1 hour because other tenants need the place also. Straightway I called to this agent that gave me the place I am living and told him I got approved from other one but prefer his one please do something. In 10 minutes his collegue called me and said congratulation !!! Yeahooo !!! I got what I prefered and its the same area that I have been living since I got married.

Though we had to wait one week to move in because previous tenants still in for another week, we were happy to wait. I almost didn't call this agent because on the internet it said that availability date is on 17/2/08 but I arrived Sydney on the 31/1/08 and need to move in asap. I saw this property when I was in Egypt already. After 2 weeks of finding place to rent, I realise its really hard, even the availability date is that long, we still need to try to apply and wait for it. So finally I made a move to call the agent and he showed me the place on the same day. Lucky I have made the move.

Moving time !!!!! I got my stuffs everywhere - my mum's garage, my friend's garage, another friend's garage and some at my brother's home. We borrowed Sam's boss's truck and from 5 30pm we started to pick up things from my friend's garage, then we drove about 20minutes to my another friend's place to pick up, then drive another 15min to my mum's to pick up. When we arrived at our place its around 12am lucky we got two other friends to help us to move the things.

On that night I didn't stop until nearly 4 30am the next day. My body was all ache and couldn't walk properly. I used 3 to 4 days to unpack everything also at the same time we bought some new furnitures and things like that. The most hardest thing to organize is the clothes. I just threw all of them on the floor and organize bit by bit. The new couch that we got is absolutely comfy. I just love to sit there all day long to watch tv.The couch is too big that almost couldn't get through the entrance door. The delivery man needed to take off the doors and get them through. Thank god there are in.

There is still another single seat one coming because the shop only got one and needed to order another one.

Sarcastic Movies

Recently, there is a biggest news ever to Hong Kong entertainment. The Hong Kong singer/actor singer, Edison Chan brought his lap top for repair, and the short videos that were taken by himself and he stored at his lap top hard drive were released through the internet world widely. These are artistic videos that he took to remember his sex sessions with the girls who slept with him. Those girls are well-known actress, or someone well-known, which included Gillion (one of the girl from Twins group), Cecilia (Nicholas Tse's current wife), Bobo, and more.

Edison's bad habit has affected the girls who slept with him before, and also affect his career. He has announced to quit Hong Kong entertainment forever. Well, the internet users are worrying about his future. Here is the video with the suggestions to Edison.

http://www.ku6.com/show/GulhAW6L6WhEl8Go.html


Besides that, some of the creative peoples have had found some of the related peoples' video to combine as a whole piece of new video. It's very creative and innovative. It's so true, and yet, it's painful.

I have watched it few times to catch what they said. Please listen carefully!

Part 1:
http://www.ku6.com/special/show_2155651/iOnDbybnltlz-xJ4.html

Part 2:
http://www.ku6.com/special/show_2155651/PbIRDjlz7Q18Iikf.html


(Sorry I have problem to paste this two video, please copy and paste at other I.E. to watch. MUST Watch!!!)

I think it's nothing wrong except he is famous. Like comments everywhere, who doesn't like pretty girls like him?

Wireless Network at Home

he...he...he...Finally I have got my wireless network at home. This is not the exact model that I have. The picture is just for demonstrating purposes.

First of all, I would like to thank the main sponsor, Mdm. Koay, my dearest mom!!!! MUACKSSS.....She paid for the router!

And secondly, I would like to thank to Mr. Adrian Choy! The "ManualLife" Sr. System Analyst who is willing to spend his time to set up this for me!

Kam siah, toh siah, sha sha nong, Arigato Gozaimasu, Thank you, Terima kasih!!

Finally, I can online when I pangsai, at couch, at bed, at living room, at balcony...anywhere at home! hehe, sua gu....coz I was waiting for my old router to get damaged that time, so I have an excuse for myself to buy a new one. Too bad, it didn't happen. So, I gotta find sponsor to get this. This is only wireless router, which is very cheap if compared with modem router :P

Anyway...I am satisfy with it :P

Dummy Speed Trap

I wanted to blog this long time ago, but I didn't have the picture. Finally, my friend sent me one of the blog, who blogged this!!!

It's funny to see the dummy speed trap along the highway during CNY. It's everywhere under the bridge. And the police is a poster! and with blinking yellow/blue light.

It's really scary to see it at night I bet.

I wonder that how many real traffic police were out there that time?

Congratulation to my friends!!!

These two days, I have got many wedding invitation.

Firstly, Kok Vun message me yesterday morning. "Hey free on 1/10? Please come to my wedding"...surprised me!!! I have never heard he says he goes to date. I gotta go KK, Sabah to attend Mr. Kok Vun wedding!!!

Well...later, Li Yun remind me her Bintulu wedding on 14/9. Well...it's too near, I wonder if I could make it as well. Some more Sunday. Let me see if I still have saving by then.

Then this afternoon I have got a call from Ah Fern. She is gonna have her wedding reception on 9th May! HURRAY!!!! I will have many peoples celebrate my birthday with me!!!

Congratulation to all of you!!! I hope to get more good news!!

Remember!! Please arrange me to sit at the table with top guys ya!!! :P See if I have a chance to find my Mr. Right there :P kekekek sorry, am I too desperate to find one? I am not actually :P Just wanna expand my network....

The Network from the Internet

Today I found few of the old IRC friends, who are still out there! Well, I don't think they remember me, as my nick name was too man :P I was "Zoneless" 10 yrs ago.

Then, I found Sasha left me a message at my blog!
Sasha, I decided that I must add you into my MSN :P
Although we never work together, yet our network is so closed that I always hear some of your news. Why not, we keep in touch, get the news direct :P Don't be surprised to see my blog. And please keep it for yourself, not to give to any of your ex-colleague from TS :P haha

Learning language - Use of Vulgar Words

Ah Mah, one of my friend post a video at Facebook. It's a good thing to share! It's the usage of vulgar words. I think many of my friends like it. It's HK version!

It teaches the basic 5 words, tiew, hai, gao, lan, and chat. The most important thing is the pronounciation. Then, it talks about sentence structure. Method to insert the basic 5 words. It also mentioned about the tone when you speak vulgar words.

Please play the video and I hope you use it wisely :P

以五十步笑百步! Fifty steps laugh at hundred steps

There is a Chinese proverb, 以五十步笑百步! (Fifty steps laugh at hundred steps). It means, when you are doing not good, you are laughing at someone doing better than you.

I am now laughing at my supplier, who just lose one of their employee that take care of our account. I am not doing better than them, because I have my lovely subordinate, who is going to leave me by end of this month. So? I still want to laugh at them, because I am slightly better. I have Jodie to serve one month notice. While their Ms. Yap is immediate resign. The day she submit resignation letter, she left on the same day!

Good good good! I will have less headache with this supplier! Keep them busy... and keep them lack of assistant! HURRAY!!!!

The Authentic Women's Penis Size Preference Chart

I have received a chart from Hong this morning. It's a chart about the Authentic Women's Penis Size Preference. Look at the chart, both of us doubt that is this true? Can someone advice us whether this is true? Looking at the Circumference size by inches...I can't believe that there are something that so huge. Are they having wrong measurement, which suppose to be CM?

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to everybody!

I felt so bad today. It's one year anniversary that I found out my bf has another gf last year. I do not love him anymore. But, I feel the hurt last night. I am not sure why.

I hope everything could go through faster than I thought. I hope today will not turn out so bad to me.

God bless me.....

By the way, tonight "bai tin kong"!! Yeh! Chance for me to pray for good bf again! :P hehe....wish me all the best!

"ti kong po pi... wa ai geh 1 leh hoh ang!"

....................................................

btw, I was too tired to blog last night.
I wanted to blog, I have car accident, RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. I parked my car in front of my house! And I came out from home to work in the morning. My neighbour was standing there, I wish her "Happy Chinese New Year".

She replied me, "Happy Chinese New Year, I hit your car!". She said it softly! I couldn't make sure of what I hear it. I couldn't believe it.
So I said, "Sorry, I back your pardon."
She was being friendly, said " Come, let me show you, I hit your car."
WTF??? HIT MY CAR, while I didn't move at all. I have problem with my auto gate, and I park my car outside for few days already.

She then show me her car's back light. It's cracked. She said, "See my car? serious than yours. Your bumper is cracked a bit only, or like scratch. It's okay lar, never mind, I pay for the repair."

I was so cool that, I didn't angry at all, and walk very Bergaya!....I said okay. I will definitely check on the repair price, and claim her.

I asked is her car sensor got problem?
She said, " No, the car sensor is function, just that I didn't listen to it."
WTF??? @#$%^&*&&#@@$%#X...I wanna pengsan!

Obviously, she need not reverse, as there is no car in front of her. She can just go ahead without reverse.

Multiply

I have joined Multiply, I guess 6 months ago. This afternoon I tried to login Multiply to find out whether I can get full size pictures upload, and download the same size later.

I accidentally found out that my blogs here are synchronized to my Multiply blog. I did it once. I thought I have to update it manually everytime, but it's actually updated automatically.

I found few friends who do read my blog very often, in fact, never miss a chance to read my blog. I would like to welcome you to blogspot direct (umchoomh.blogspot.com), so that you can see comments, and give comment. That will be more fun. As some of the comments are fun, and some interactive are more fun too.

And lastly, thank you for visiting my blog. And may I know, are you my high school friends? As you are mostly linked from my high school's friend. It's always good to meet old friends, as well as new friends!

Professional!

I went KLCC with Shan...B4 I go further the actual topic, let me share with you the Premier Toilet at KLCC, what's so special that they collect RM 2/entry. I am so sua ku that Shan belanja me to dai hoi ngan gai. To be kiasu, we were trying to figure out, why it worth RM 2. The answer is here. They provide Body Shop lotion, face spray, hair care, and the fragrance candle. Shan kiasu-ly take off her diamond ring to apply lotion. I was saying that, if she forgot to put on her ring later, then she will lose more than just RM 2. She quickly put it on back to her finger, and she wanted to share her finger with you, that's the one!

We spent 5 mins in the toilet to apply those that you see in the picture. :P And of course, as usual, we have our happy talk.


This shopping is actually Shan has got a Parkson voucher to use. I accompanied her to buy bra with the voucher. This is the first time ever met such a professional bra promoter.

She asked "Do you need my help? I can suggest you some."
She then does not go direct to grab any bra. She will touch you from front to back, and measure. Then she goes to choose what is suitable for you. She will only give you 2 pieces to try. Not more than that! The reason is she will not know if the size suitable to you.

She then made you put it on, and she will go into fitting room to adjust the bra for you. She will teach you how to wear with proper way, and in very professional manner! IMPRESSED me!!! Shan learned the way she talk, and perfectly like identical!

She upgraded me 3 cups. Walao! I never know that's the right size to me, I don't know I have grown :P She persuaded me that's the right way, with her explanation. It will reduce "extra fats" at the back, which most woman neglect.

When we walked out from the cashier, Shan said "people gave me soya sauce, but I give chicken." as she got RM 40 voucher she spent RM 190. Well, I said "I got no sauce and I gave 2 chicken!" I bought 3 pcs. And I am happy with what I got!

And we then looked back before we left....eh.....the promoter has "extra fats" at the back ler...layer by layer! With the way she taught us, she shouldn't have it. KNN. It's always 能医不自医. It's alright. We love her service. We agreed each other that she is not a normal promoter. She wasn't selling us something. She actually gave us a Talk!

Ladies, you may try her service at KLCC, XIXILI counter.

She has many regular customers. We were actually introduced by Shan's friend.

Dilemma

I always have a dilemma when my siblings are looking for job.

First of all, I might need to explain to friends who do not know my background, and some stories.
I am working for family business. When we were young, our grandparents, always told us to join the company when we grow up.

Now, we grow up. And I think we are as competitive as other graduates.

After graduating, I worked at Citibank, and then I quit, because my grandpa passed away. and there is first 7th, second 7th, third 7th and more that required to go back Penang to pray for him. At the point of time, I was with Citibank for 2 months only, and as a new employee I was not able to take the off day for the ceremony.

So, I decided to quit, and my dad invited me to join the company. Well...I joined it since then. It was August in Year 2003. It's about 5 years soon. Time flies.

I was discriminated by my second aunt, who said " ha..haha....University grad and end up at Teik Senn (our company name), so what for you studied overseas for your degree? You could join Teik Senn after form 5."

Great point! And she didn't aware of the new blood in the company with knowledge can bring the company to next level. Well, we proof it!

Now, back to the topic. Whenever my siblings are looking for job, my cousin will encourage not to take them in. He prefers them to gain some experience elsewhere and then come to work later to avoid too many family members, which might get some non-performing ones.

I do agree with him at some point. However, I can't tell this to my family.
See? My siblings might think I want to grab all of my dad's share in the company. Or I do not want them to share any benefit from the company.

I have had big argument with my dad before because of the company. He always asked me about work things at home. It's really stress, and I couldn't get away from work 24 hours. I have gone crazy. Well, I managed to recover the good relationship between myself and dad two years ago after I moved out from home. It released me. I then could sleep better, eat better, and treat my family better by not having so bad temper from the stress.

Frankly speaking, I am stuck at the company, and I wish to quit. I do not want the share or the title of director in the company in the future or money or share. And there is no benefit to join this company. It cannot fill my career path satisfaction. I believe that I have the capability to earn by myself, and I could have more (X3X5 like jackpot) than just "korek" from the same "lubang" (company).

I am now sandwich between my cousin and my siblings.

Ha...another thing...My sis/my brother they want to come into same department as I do, Marketing Department. My dad wants me to train my sis/my brother later. Well...I do not mind to do it, just pray to god that, it would not affects our relationship in the future. As I appreciate, and love our current relationship. I knew my sister always love to complain, and it might hurt our relationship eventually. Our current relationship is very very very close to each other. I hope work, money and job title will not change the quality of our relationship. I do not want to have a sibling who is just money minded and does not care of parents, and siblings.

I hope to keep good relationship with my family, ALWAYS. I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Now, I am waiting for Wayne to be "sang seng" and join the company later. It's time for me to leave later. I need my own life! It's enough to me! I do not feel sorry to dad, as I have put in my best effort in the company.

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year holiday is gonna end! Tomorrow I have to back to work...sien :P
Anyway, some update for my CNY....

Choh yat, we visited grandma at our uncle place. See?? We didn't wear new clothes :P the weather was terrible. Simple and short is good for us.



My dearest siao lan brother.


My sister!!

My da lan brother... with KFC uniform eh...:P


We had dinner on Choh 1 at Forum Chinese Restaurant.
We had Yee Sang! Lou lou lou....Lou lou lou....
Da lan "hong" Gilvie...without she noticed it.
The dinner was perfect. But at the end, the "tang yuen" wasn't cooked. We complaint. However, the captain said, it's like that 1. Gilvie told the captain " Don't "sin" us like we never had tong yuen before! replace something" at the end they compensated us with Mango Pudding. It was best of the night!
My happy family!! Second day of CNY, all of the family members having reunion at Traders Hotel, Penang for lunch buffet. Hey....remember Aliyah?? She is the one in red behind my grandma! She gained weight, she is now taking care of my grandma...we miss her a lot. This picture is requested by Aliyah, she wanna take a pic with us.

We came back from Penang on Choh 2 afternoon, and got home at night. The whole trip, whenever we were in car, we had cock talk. Guess what, really cock talk. I wonder, how can my parents being so open? haha Anyway, fun topic especially when Gilvie present it.
Choh 3, I went to see my cousin's new born son, Jasper. He is so cute, leng chai ler!
Choh 4, I stayed at home lau sai :P after so much food during CNY, I have to lau sai at home... and ready to go back to work tomorrow :(

Good night everybody...

Jenjarom Buddhist Temple

Was bored. So I followed my parents to this famous temple in Jenjarom. It is near Klang. It's really famous as there are so many people there. Estimated about few thousand people there. It took about 2 hours to go through the traffic to get to the actual venue (and 1 hour to get out from there). I was a bit regretted to join the trip but I thought what the heck let's just go there and see for myself. I took this opportunity to take some pictures:

 
The lanterns along the entrance of the temple

 
The flowers and the giant lantern in the open area just outside the temple.

The close-up on flowers

The love shape GuanYin bamboo shoots

The pineapple shape GuanYin bamboo shoots

Nice bamboos

The buddhist statues

The wishing pond

You can make wishes on this tree too. Just hang your note there.

 
"The Mortal Clean Earth" - Temple Entrance

The lotus pond - Very Zen!

The Zen Garden!

Many lanterns are hung on the side walk

More lanterns...

The temple itself... Looks like Forbidden City

Donate some money and you will be given wishing lotus candles