Happy Lu


I had been pretty free recently and so, I decided to brush up my cooking skills. I would secretly admit that my end results are quite good, but please do not expect me to cook for any of you any time soon. I’m trying to expand my repertoire of recipes to include more diversity in both cooking styles and ingredients. So far, I pretty much tried out some variety including the basic beef, pork, chicken, fish and seafood. But, I’d yet to try other type of meat due to the unavailability and price concern. I will venture out instead to experiment with cooking styles instead of the ingredients.

As much as I would like to reproduce famous chinese cuisines in my small kitchen, I found the time spent in the kitchen disproportionate with the returns. The reason behind my experimenting with food was to find more efficient ways of cooking in order cut off the time I used on preparing food, but so far I’d only managed 45 minutes on average. I wanted to be able to have warm food quickly by next semester because at the rate I’m going, lunch or dinner will take me around 1.5 hours from preparing the dish to consuming them. I viewed food as substance to keep me going, and would not actually be bothered with the minor details of appearances, just that it is edible would be sufficient. Sometimes, I would try out those complex recipes involving more man power in order to relieve those hometown taste on a whim. It cringed me when I realized that preparing to cook char siu took up so much time, but the end result did satisfy me. Slightly under par compared to the hawker stall version, but that’s because I could not bothered to prepare more caramelized char siu sauce since I used them up.

Perhaps, now is really the time for me to learn a thing or two from my mother about managing in the kitchen.

On the other hand, I’m pretty much involved with a still airing Korean drama, “That Fool”. Next week would conclude the whole series, and I could not wait to see it. The drama have an impressive cast, with two famous actor/actress are the two main leads (Kim Ah Jong and Hwang Jung Min), but its ratings are a bit in the dismal. Nevertheless, it would make a sweet romantic flick for anyone interested.

chicago-macys

(Chicago, Illinois) Macy’s !

I visited Chicago cosmopolitan to look at their architecture. I must admit that my timing throughout the entire trip is not perfect, but perhaps, it was this sense of uncertainty that added some spice for the travel.

My train ride through the Metra was delayed because there was a homicide in the next station prior to my boarding. While the delayed was a nuisance and ate up significant time I could spared, being near a crime scene was indeed an excitement. I could not help but to try and lookout for the scene as early report come in that the person was hit by the train, or to another version, a gunshot.   Xiaolu and I looked out of the window, focusing up and down the tracks, and guessing whether the footprints that stopped halfway on the train tracks might have belong to the now deceased person.

Chicago was supposed to be the cultural center of the American Midwest. To a certain degree, I agreed that it was true. The many museums, cultural attractions, and unique Gothic architecture brought out the aesthetic appreciation in me.

chicago-culture-musuem

(Chicago, Illinois) “Books are the legacies that a great genius leaves to mankind, which are delivered down from generation to generation as presents to the posterity of those who are yet unborn.” ~ Addison

I meet a friendly security guard in one of these museums. He was a nice chap, with a side hobby dabbing in photography. He offered to take a picture of us, and gave some pointers on interesting shots around the place.

My time spent walking around the city area was spent photographing memories as well as sampling the local culture, as it was during a celebration period when I visited. It was a time well spent. I do hope that I have more time to spare to explore the remaining areas. I also learned that Chicago is a better place to shop for high end products comparative to NY because the stuff are slightly cheaper and the salesperson more responsive even though I might not give out an aura of a rich social elite.

chicago-skyline1

(Chicago, Illinois) Frozen river. Amazing skyline.

all-saints-stamp

Sekolah Ulung ~ Premier School, SM All Saints

Not bad. I just recently received this news. My alma mater, All Saints Secondary School was honored by Pos Malaysia to be included as one of the four Premier school selected to be engraved forever as stamps.

SM All Saints was chosen by Pos Malaysia Berhad to be honoured in the custom-made stamps and first-day covers for their academic and curriculum achievements.

Ah, the nostalgic feeling and school pride seems to be filling up inside myself again.

This school had produced notable personalities and professionals, past and present, among others, former Chief Minister Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat and Upko Deputy President-cum-Tuaran MP, Datuk Wilfred Bumburing, who was also a former Deputy Chief Minister.

“In fact present Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman was also once a student here.”

International golfer Ben Leong (my cousin), swimmers Alex Lim Keng Liat and Elvin Chia, and karate exponents Michelle Koh and Sarah Chung, to name a few, were also products of the school.

I should strive harder to be included as one of the more notable alumna a few years down the road.

Quod Facimus Id Perficimus

“What We Do We Carry Through”

I was bored the other day. So, while trying to do some research for the paper I was writing on, I stumbled upon a blog, challenging anyone to beat the writer’s IQ score using the free IQ test. I thought it was nothing and just tried it once out of sheer boredom.

Truthfully, I never believe in IQ or IQ test as a true measure of intelligence. In particular, those free IQ test questions which has been popping upon the net. I also firmly believes that IQ is not an indicator of success in the future. And yet, on that day, I still give it a go.

Here is my response to the challenge, my IQ score on this test is not that high, but at least it is good enough.

Online IQ Test

I will delete this post eventually after a few days once the euphoria dies down. But still, it confirms that I’m a braggart. :P

Thanks for the wishes, guys (and girls).

I turned 18 today, finally, a starting point from which I will be accountable legally for my actions. Frankly, I did not look forward to this day.

Prior to today, I re-evaluate what I had hope to achieve for the entire year before. Until today, I am still unable to drive since I considered myself too busy to neither take any driving lessons nor sit for the test. There are still so many places I wanted to visit yet I lacked money, time and transportation to do so. I want to learn so many skills, meet new acquaintances, and read countless books I’d been postponing. And yet, I still find excuse to evade from fulfilling all the thing that I wanted to do.

By passing this auspicious date too, it means my summer is coming to an end and all the time in the world will come to a nil. Apparently, time urgency does not constitute enough incentives for me to be more aware of the slipping time and be more productive.

Anyway, I would like to say thanks again to the birthday wishes I received from everyone. Be it messages sent to my cell phone, comments in my Friendster and Facebook account, or even in blogs and Recom forum, I appreciate it very much. Just next time guys, skip the greetings, bring me the presents. It will provide me more of an economical well being instead of a social one. I’ll like material gain anytime. It has been a fruitless year for me like almost every other year as I passed through this day empty handed.

At least, some consolation prize I received this year is a home-made durian cake baked with fillings from three durians (yum) and witty conversations with some of my friends.

Arena of glory – Where stars shine.

INTI Idol just finalized into the final round. The stage is set. The participants are ready. So, let the show rolling. In this singing competition, the darling of Block A manage to land herself in the finals. So, as an act of support, a large group of us bought prime ticket seats right beside the stage to launch our supporting slogans and banners.

People tend to help others whom they know or is somehow related. Through social connections called ‘guan xi’, a single person can accumulate the support of the masses. The things we do to protect this social connection – screaming till the voice is hoarse, snapping up shots like a zealot fan and gathering together in blue themed color shirts to prove our undying support.

Though our star didn’t make it to the final two as the competition progress, we are still trying to obtain her a prize through the popularity votes (which involves money :( ). Unfortunately, for all our gargantuan effort went down the drain when other participants with ‘guan xi’ of their own rise up to the occasion and snatch the popularity contest from right below our fingertips.

As far as the INTI Idol is concern, it seems the social connection is still not enough to overcame public opinion. The final winner is an international female student who, apparently seems to lacking in supporters as to the other more popular male finalist, even though the champion is determined by the majority votes. Congratulations to her.

To our bright star, although she may not take away the the championship, she is still a winner in our hearts. And for all the crazy stuffs the people at the other end of the ‘guan xi’ pulls off, what did we get in return? Apparently nothing, but… We still love you, Valerie!

Old Malacca – Where it all began.

This is the final part of my trilogy about my trip to Malacca. The first order of the day is to get breakfast/lunch because we all overslept that day. Too tired and lack of sleep from the day before equals me who cannot be woke up by alarm clock.

So, we went on our planned trip to taste Malacca Chicken Rice Ball. When we reached there, a small restaurant in Jonker Walk, the place was jammed pack with people. Even though we had reservations, it still took us some time before they could find enough seats for us.

The rice balls are finished very fast. I was only about to take this picture when the food arrived when several forks and spoons reached out and hey, where’s the food? Truthfully, I don’t know what is so special about this restaurant. Sure, the rice taste good and is shaped like a ball. The chicken flesh is also smooth and delicious. But, most chicken rice stall also the same wah. I don’t really understand why people would wait in line just to eat this stuff? But all things said, I will still give thumbs up for the food.

But not for their attitude though. As soon as we finish eating, the lady of the shop asked us if we are finish and straight away chased us out. What type of attitude is this? I know you want business, but that is not a valid reasons to ask us out and said “Next!”. At least, asked us politely about it. I don’t know if you gain any extra profit by kicking us out that early. But I am sure you will lose me as a long term customer, which means, you won’t earn anything from me!

We then proceed to the Stadhuys’s building for some sightseeing. But with these guys, they are the one worth more seeing.

The Handsome Guys RULE!

See, this is why the guys are better sights than some monumental building which I can view in the Internet everyday. If anyone objects to the obscenity of this picture, I will take it down straight away. :P

After that, we are supposed to go to Malacca Parade to do some shopping. But, when we reached the foot of St. Paul Hill, we take a long detour so that we can visit A Famosa on the way.

The group next to St. Paul Church.

Inside St. Paul Church, it has nothing except a few stone slabs. I think they are tomb stone. Perhaps this is where Seong Gee got the idea for my eternal demise here.

After walking around with nothing interesting to do except to sprinkle coins into the dungeon and taking some photos, we headed down the hill to the remains of A Famosa.

Just a small piece of it left. I really wonder how big the whole fort really is in the fifteenth century.

Some of the more insensible things I do. I would had been a goner if there is a loaded cannon ball inside.

Here’s the group photo for most of the members in the trip. The objective here? Kick Albert especially on the head to get him out of the picture. :P

Once we completed our trail on A Famosa, we headed to Dataran Pahlawan and Malacca Parade to shopped around. Since we missed out Tan Kim Hock to buy some delicacies because we overslept, I headed to Giant and bought some dodol there. Hey, it also has the same Tan Kim Hock brand too.

After that, we all board the bus back to the hostel where unfortunately, I missed out on most part of the Kaisouki Matsuri held that day, since the grander celebration is in the morning.

Our Day 2 of the Malacca Trip start of with homemade breakfast by the committee members. If there are any suitors out there looking for a wife or husband who can cook well, find them. Their cooking are excellent.

The first agenda of the day is a trip to Water World.

Here, everyone is planning which ride to go on first.

There are a lot of pictures took inside Water World but not in my camera because I scared it get wet and we already have an official photographer by our side :P Sadly, I obtained the photos from other cameras already but stupid China made low quality pendrive turn corrupt and delete almost 1.2 Gb of photos away. So, now, no pictures of us in Water World.

But the rides there are quite usual, just some average rides you play along with your friends or in tube. The only exhilarating ride there is the tallest one. Wow, that is a real adrenaline rush. You go without a tube and all you have to do is slide down a long……. water slide. There are two types of slides there. One where you cannot see anything and then just slide down in one continuous slope down. The other one, although it may look less terrifying than the first one, is definitely scarier. It is also a slide with the same height but there are two horizontal path along the slide. There is really nothing that scary when you go down it except when you reach the horizontal path. Even scarier is if you wear a goggles like me so you can see where you are going. I practically feel that I was leaving the surface of the slide when I was leaving the horizontal section of the slide. What if I decide to twist around at that specific moment? Surely, I would have went off course and that’s the end of my story. Any rational men would tucked in their hand be still like me, but what if the person down the slide is irrational? That will one dark record for the theme park operator. I think they should put a net around the slide just in case.

Spending a few hours there is certainly taxing on my body because my stomach is already grumbling before we even reached there. So, when I am swimming in the wave pool, I felt a little seasick. Must be the lack of glucose in my body. I always feel a little giddy if I am hungry.

Luckily, after that, they were all feeling hungry too and we all go for lunch. Hah, I finished a meal portion for two person there in just a flash. In fact, the committees were telling me not to eat so much because they still other places to go to eat next.

Before we left the place, the A’ Famosa souvenir shop allows anyone to take photos with a yellow python if they purchase stuff above RM10. Those blood suckers. The cheapest thing is priced around RM 9.90 so you need to buy another piece to qualify (and low quality one because I later found out that the merchandises I bought are all rusty).

These two girls have got guts. They were playing with the snake most of the time. Emily especially.

Whereas I could only attempt to stuff the snake’s head into my mouth. Brave leh me. Soon, the next destination is still to eat …again!?

McQuek’s Satay Celup. I don’t know what is so special about this restaurant but they only let us cook our food in peanut gravy.

Our food boiled in peanut sauce. It’s hot!

This is my meal. Yes, I know it is a bit too little for a guy but I always have the option to take some more.

These two are obviously enjoying their meal. :P

Our group photo. I’m eating with the girls group where there are only two guys in it. The whole bunch took up three different tables but I’m only showing one group here. Although this is a girls majority group, they sure can eat a lot. Our table manage to consume around 140 sticks of satay celup compared to the all guys table who consume around 180 sticks. Not that much different, right? Oh yes, something happened at another table, not from our tour one lah. Apparently, fire shot out from under the table where they are eating. The boss says there is nothing serious and he will look into the problem. But, no one dare to go near that table after that.

Our final event for the night is to shop through Jonker Walk. Since the Wesak is approaching, that place is packed with people. There is a singing performance going on when I reached there.

While browsing through the place, someone (I don’t remember who) recommended us to try out the Jonker Walk famous cendol. I don’t know anything about famous but the line waiting there is long. So, as the initiator, the one who recommends need to wait in line to purchase a few bowls of cendol for us.

The cendol. It is very sweet. You see the brown layer on top, it is a thick glaze of melted Malacca sugar. If you don’t think it is sweet enough. Look at the jug of melted brown sugar behind my cendol. Help yourself, eat until you can get diabetes, for all that I care.

Some of the stalls here. Hmmm, I wonder if bargaining is allowed here. After a disastrous experience with the stalls in Kek Lok Si, Penang, I seems to have lost respect to any of the stall hawkers but the goods here look reasonably priced.

After that, we gather back in a place as planned beforehand. Call me a male chauvinistic pig, but why can’t the girls be punctual at all! The deal is to gather together at 11pm sharp. Albert and I were the earliest there at 11 pm. Malaysia Rubber Time still applies here, so we give allowances for them to be a few minutes late. Soon, all the guys were gathered around. But where are the girls? Only two or three returned because they were following the guys group or their boyfriends.

We wait and wait and wait until 11.30 pm when the girls suddenly showed up. Grrrrr, why can’t they be a bit punctual for once. They said they were not the last one because still got a guy behind them, but that is because he is the one sent to go and find you girls! Aiyo.

While waiting, we fool around with the things we bought.

Cowboy Jedi versus the Botak Monk Jedi.

I think this guy is a MCA politician. If so, I really wanted to meet him in person. I never thought I would see a politician so muscular before. Previously, my assumptions are that they only sit in air-conditioned room dealing with the people, where did they get the time to exercise until like that. Slacking off, is it? So brave to post up a large signboard picture of himself for public view. Must be a very vain person.

And this is the building right across the road from the picture.

It is a little blur, but this is the Malacca fire department building. Instead of the usual “BOMBA” sign which signals fire brigade, the lettering shows out “BOMB”! Why did the firemen still dare to stay in this building? They should called the anti-explosive squad inside instead.

With all the pressure contained within me, will I ever be able to release it like the trickle of water or will I explode under the tremendous pressure?

Yesterday was another hectic night for me. Sigh, where can I get the energy to last through the day.

Oh, what confidence, what style, oozing with sexy gracefulness – that is the Latin dance.

As you can guess it, I performed a Latin dance performance last night. Just a small one, but at least I can show my stuff. Since we only practiced the routine in just two practice because of the short amount of preparation time, our performance was so-so lah. Just enough to please the crowd.

So, when someone ask me whether I was the one dancing last night this morning, I don’t know whether to be happy with pride or to hung my face with shame from humility. Since I did not managed to perform the best I could.

The performing pairs. My partner, Natalie is the one on my left.

After the dance, I went on to the chess club meeting instead of returning to my room. What an ego boost to me after the person that I thrashed 3 – 0 was told to me as a state chess player. Has my level of play improve that much or is it just that he is letting me having an easy game?

After finishing three games, I move on towards the Adventure club gathering night. Wah, why so hectic one my life!

A scene of the Adventure Club arena, it is jam packed with people.

I take it light this time and just watch the show. When I arrived, the committees are asking the participants to play a game of passing water balloons around without using their hands. The emcee also requested the people there not to throw the water balloons around because the sound system is around them. But, being teenagers, they never listened and throw a few balloons around.

Haha, retribution. The committee then continue to play a game of Simon Says where they have to sit on the floor. Does anyone wants to sit on a wet floor caused by themselves? :P

Tired, I returned back to my room. That would be the end of my day, but not before I show off my new shirt I just received.

Know what it says?

The crazy members of the LEO club. Instead of the usual charity works always held, the LEO club members instead decided to treat ourselves with a trip to Malacca.

I spent my whole weekend on a group trip with the LEO club members to A’Famosa Resort as well as touring around interesting places in Malacca.

The trip was fun with the committee members trying to have ice breaking games on board the bus. It was a chaotic ride all the way to Malacca. However, I was greeted with a sight I deemed to be quite inappropriate: “Melawat Melaka Bermakna Melawat Malaysia” which is roughly translated to “Visiting Malacca Means Visiting Malaysia”. For those who understand that no one country can be briefly described with a few words, they will understand why I am quite upset with this slogan. No two places are the same. You cannot compare the bustling city life of Kuala Lumpur to the tranquil beaches of Kuala Terengganu or mysterious virgin rain forest of Danum Valley. Even the attitude of the people in two places are not the same. Blah, how shortsighted is the Malacca Tourism Board when setting up this obnoxious signboard.

This is us in the bus. This is took once we managed to settle down.

Once we reach the place (a rented bungalow in the middle of nowhere), it was dark and all of us are hungry. At least they prepared some food beforehand to fill the stomachs first. Soon, some went on to sing karaoke and watch cartoons while others, including me, went on to slave at the barbecue pit to prepare chicken wings for the lazy bums consumption. One by one, the slaves left to join the entertainment inside the house until there were a few of us left. So, someone got naughty and in one by one, people were thrown and pushed into the swimming pool.

For those who claimed sanctuary by having any electronic gadgets like hand phones and cameras, they were not spared as the gang stripped the people of all belongings and whoosh, in you go. Fortunately for Matthew and me, we were spared to the last because we all still had electronic devices on us and the two last people who are still barbecuing food for them, partially also because I was barbecuing two chicken wing and threaten to stick the skewer into their asses if they come near me. Unfortunately, the immunity did not last long and we both scampered into the house when they show every bit of evil intention onto us. Sigh, I even broke my slipper strap in the process.

Safely inside the haven (bungalow), we join the entertainment of watching Tom and Jerry cartoons. Our joy was short felt when the outside people asked us to come out. Like idiots, the others went out, oblivious of the danger even after the warning I gave them.

Turns out, they are not pulling our legs after all because it was a suprise birthday celebration for one lucky girl. Still, both matthew and I are too afraid cautious to venture out in the first place. We only went out to enjoy the cake and then rush in again.

This is the lucky girl.

A group photo of us although everyone is looking at different cameras. Noticed that I almost cannot be seen because I am short and stand in the back since I am afraid they might pull a stunt on me if I get any closer to them. The swimming pool is just behind the photographer.

After everything is over, we head back into the house to play cards. However, it is not just any type of card game. It is an adapted version of doctor, police, murderers, and villagers where the position of the player is drawn out by the luck of the card’s drawn out. Here, the murderers are supposed to kill a villager each round while the doctor trying to rescue someone in the hope of preventing a death and the police trying to figure out who are the murderers. Then, the villagers are suppose to have a council (all position kept secret) where they kick off someone from the game whom the majority believed to be one of the murderers. It is all psychology here where the murderers try to convince the council that others are the murderers instead and the police also has his or her own opinion.

Anyway, I was fortunate (or is it unfortunate) to pick out the doctor position most of the time where I performed spectacularly awful with no one who I managed to rescue. This game took a few hours until 2am and beyond when it is disbanded after the participant are tired. However, I only sleep around 3am because I am waiting for the bathroom to shower.

And that concludes Day 1 and Night 1 of the Malacca Trip.

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