Recently I seemed to be having problems one after another.

Near Christmas last year, one of my projects developed excessive movements. Not only I had to rush out the designs to stabilise the movement, I had to explain the movements. Towards New Year 06, the same site developed another serious problem at a different location. In Jan 06, a serious slope failure occurred in NUS and I was implicated. Then last Monday, my engineer's father passed away and he had to fly back to China. And one day after he left, the project he was handling showed signs of potential problems. My partner took over his project. And then last Saturday, his father, too passed away. Today, my clerk's son got into an accident in school requiring 3 stitches on his head.

Wtf! Either me or my office's being jinxed!

I wonder what's coming up next?

I was browsing through the CDs in a music store when my attention was caught by this CD cover.. sunny yellow with the silhouette of a tree and a guy with his guitar. Jack Johnson? Never heard of him. But I like the album title.. In Between Dreams. sounds lovely and so I bought it.

I bought a CD because I like its album cover? what the...

Thank goodness it wasn't a waste of money!

I've uploaded 3 of songs I like. Enjoy!

No, I'm not getting any new fanciful gadgets. I'm just stepping back into the kitchen.

I've never really like cooking that much... messy, oily and all that washing up afterwards. So we always have our dinners at my mom's place weekdays and meals out on weekends.

Well, lately both my hubby and I were bitten by the cook-bugs and we've been spending weekends trying out recipes. So far my Antipasto di Melanzane, potato bake, peranakan kuey-pie-tee, Japanese chawan-mushi turned out pretty good. My hubby was trying to make his own pizza and I think he'll be making bread tomorrow. Tomorrow... hmm.. I haven't decided. Might try cooking lamb shank stew with mashed potato and Russian borsch soup or Sushi with miso soup. Let's see whether I'm able to get the lamb at the market tomorrow.

We started a small herbs garden too. Basil, rosemary and mint plants are doing well. Trying to grow thyme, dill and oregano too. I was pounding some ginger when my son came into the kitchen. He told me our kitchen was starting to smell like grandma's. Now that's a compliment!

Saw this at Darth's blog and did mine too! It's quite nice and I wouldn't mind having it printed on a T-shirt.

Zoolander is finally being screened here after 5 years! It wasn't exactly banned here. In the movie there was a plot to assassinate Malaysia's prime minister. My guess it wasn't shown out of respect for Dr. M of Malaysia. The relationship between Singapore & Malaysia was a bit strained back then because some political issues. Anyway I've already seen it on DVD a few years back. Ben Stiller's Blue Steel, Ferrari and Magnum looks which were the same suck-in-cheek, pouty-lips, pinched-eyebrow gaze, was hilarious. Of course I had to switch off whatever little intelligence I have to watch this show.

Literally translated ... 15th Night... of the Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year is celebrated over a period of 15 days. Well tonight is the last night of the celebrations, last round of dinners, fireworks, last chance to collect red packets. And in the past, the 15th night was sort of a Chinese version of "Valentine's Day".

My mom told me that in the past, young maidens would dress up on this night and there would be young admirers hanging around hoping to get the attention of the pretty girls. The young maidens would throw tangerines into the river. Apparently they would attract good husbands by doing so. Perhaps that was how she met my father! hee hee..

No New Year feast would be complete without Yu-Sheng. I had 5 rounds of Lo-Hei Yu-Sheng (撈起魚生）this year. My husband isn't too fond of it, saying it's all commercialism. But I really enjoy the ritual of having Yu-Sheng during Chinese New Year. Why not since it symbolizes good luck?


It's basically a colorful salad with raw fish, crackers and peanut, topped with a honey and plum sauce. The various ingredients have associated auspicious sayings. And you are supposed to recite them as you place the ingredients onto the plate.

There are variations but essentially, the dish consists of
1. A bowl of cooking oil (万事如意 May all things happen according to your wishes)
2. A bowl of plum sauce (金玉滿堂 May all your hallways be filled with gold and jade)
3. Five spices powder (鴻運當頭 May good luck be ahead of you)
4. Lime juice (大吉大利 Best of luck & prosperity)
5. Salmon fish (年年有餘 May you receive good tidings in abundance year after year)
6. Shredded turnip & carrot (風生水起 May your fortune rise with the wind & tide)
7. Golden brown flour chips (遍地黃金 May the ground your tread on be covered with gold)
As you are about to start the tossing you'll have to say May all see their fortune rise higher with each toss!

So you can imagine the gorgeous mess we make. Everyone, armed with a pair of chopsticks, will dig into the large dish and try to out do another, tossing the salad as high as he can! The higher you toss, the better the fortune for the coming year. You simply can't resist it!

大家一起撈吧！越撈越高！