An alternative response

I feel like my patience has been running on low for some time lately.

Perhaps one of the things it stems from is the numerous 'discussions' hubby and I were having to make on decisions related to various details of our future house design... 'discussions' is probably quite a mild way of putting it actually.

In addition to that, at work I am faced with having to deal with blur juniors, who may sometimes have a slight attitude problem. Plus numerous other hiccups that seem to continually surface with a particular project I am currently working on. There was always something happening each day to test my patience and endurance dealing with people and situations beyond my control.

I confess that the most trying situation was having to deal with the afore-mentioned junior who came in thinking they knew it all, trying to shirk or avoid unpleasant work tasks, putting on that couldn't care less attitude... arrrrghhhhh!!! Many a time I arrived home in a black mood, and wake up the next morning with dread of facing another day at work.

I complained endlessly and whined to hubby and to anyone else who would listen. But I had failed to realise that I was letting the situation control my feelings instead of controlling my response to the situation.

Anyway I was complaining again at cell group today and recited my complaint as the usual prayer request in our small groups. We then proceeded to pray for each other in turn.

As Josh prayed for me, an inspirational thing happened... I realised he was not only praying for me, but also praying for the junior in question as well. He prayed that she would grow, improve in her work to become an asset and a help to the company and so on. It hit me how tiresome and childish I must seem for repeatedly whining about how this person was affecting me so much.

I continued to ponder about it later as I reflected on it in the shower. I then made a resolution that each time I was tempted to complain about certain people and situations, I would pray for them and bless instead. So I did right there and then. As I prayed for them I started to think about the small things they were actually already doing which were helpful to me (even though there was still more to improve on of course).

Anyway, I decided that I would attempt to thank one particular junior tomorrow to start with, on how much of a help she has been and how much she has improved. I realise now I can sincerely say that as I pray for her.

A good alternative response, don't you think?

Tuning into mother tongue

I met another Sabahan today. Can't seem to run away from them. I bump into Sabahans everywhere I go.

The way I encountered this Sabahan was interesting albeit a little freaky (for me at least).

It happened after church as I was helping to count the offering money with two other fellow counters. One of the counters was a young mother whom I've seen around church but didn't really know her very well.

As usual we made the usual small talk as we arranged notes and coins and tallied up figures. The other two counters knew each other pretty well as they attended the same cell group... so they fell into some side conversations along the way...

I wasn't really paying attention to their conversation as they sometimes fell into speaking Chinese or dialect... but all of a sudden my ears perked up because I heard something that sounded so familiar...

Heh meeeeh??? Mau ngeeeeeh!!!

HAKKA!!!

And not just any Hakka... Sabah Hakka!!!

Or so I thought. I immediately asked her where she was originally from... Sabah. KK? Yes, KK, how did you know?

Indeed how did I know.

Somehow despite my uselessness at speaking my supposed mother tongue, my ears were in tuned enough to be able to pick up the subtleties of the specific kind of Hakka that is spoken in Sabah/KK. Because the other counter was also a Hakka, but somehow even I could tell that his KL Hakka sounds different.

Freaky or what?

IT Pros??? *snort* I think not...

I had a disappointing experience today relating to IT.

This morning when I logged into my computer as usual, I noticed that all the shortcuts, folders and file I kept on my desktop were missing. We actually outsource out IT support to an external IT company. Anyway the IT guy happened to be in the office to do the standard monthly maintenance as part of the contract we have with them. So I explained the problem and asked if he could help restore the files or something like that.

The response?

He fiddled around with my computer a bit... click here, click there (dunno also what he's trying to do) while I stood on one side watching over his shoulder. Then finally looked up at me with that 'know it all look' and said "Yup, seems like it's a Vista issue. Sometimes Vista just clears your profile as they have their own security system. It's better not to keep any folders or such shortcuts on your desktop at all"

I looked at him incredulously. Not keep shortcuts and folders on my desktop??? Folders I can understand... but shortcuts? Surely he isn't serious. What else are shortcuts there for? It's to enable easy access to frequently accessed folders and files... and now he's telling me not to put them on the desktop. If don't put them there, then put where? Tell me? BTW, this is all just in my head. In reality I was a lot more polite, asking him if he was sure, because I'm certain that the files must have accidently moved somewhere or maybe there was some sort of backup or cache.

Nope. It's gone. Sorry.

I see. Okay, thanks for your help... (NOT!!! What help?)

So just like so many cases before, I had to call my husband. Thankfully, he knew exactly what to do and guided me where to go to find the missing files.

Perhaps you've heard the saying that these IT support guys are just second rate IT people who were not smart enough to be engineers and professionals. As much as I don't want to pigeon-hole and stereotype these guys, but the so called 'support' and 'help' they are supposed to provide has 9 times out of 10 been very disappointing. They don't even try to make any real effort to use their brains. Most of the time, they are just as clueless as we are, but have just developed the art of knowing schnazzy things to click on to appear like they know what they are doing.

Don't know what we are paying these guys for sometimes.

*shake head*

The most salty Chinese cuisine you've ever heard of

"So what else have been keeping us occupied?" you ask.

Well, at the moment we are playing host to a house guest... her name is QiQi (or GiGi as she also calls herself) and she is a friend of a friend.

Basic facts: GiGi is a nurse from China and recently completed her studies in Adelaide to qualify as a practising nurse in Australia. She got a job in Perth and is moving here to settle down and work. Our friend asked us to help look after her since she's never been to Perth before and this will also be her first experience working in Australia.

So we've been doing things such as taking her out shopping, answering questions and supplying heaps of information, introducing her to new friends, taking her out to view places to rent, and so on.

She's originally from Ningbo in China, which is located about 2 hours drive south of Shanghai. So her Mandarin accent is quite different. She even has trouble understanding hubby's Malaysianised Mandarin sometimes. But it's quite interesting and amusing to learn from each other.

She also shared some interesting facts about the cuisine from her hometown in Ningbo:

1. The locals in Ningbo like exremely salty food (I really mean EXTREME)... particularly seafood, as her town is well known for its salted seafood cuisine. (At one of the restaurants we took her to, GiGi ordered fried rice with salted fish because she missed that salty-fishy taste in her food)

2. GiGi doesn't like desserts and sweets. No cakes or cookies or chocolates for her please. She grew up eating and loving her food very salty, so she always prefers savoury over sweet.

3. Some examples of how they prepare and cook Ningbo style seafood:

Chop up some fresh crab, place in a pot of very salty cold water with vinegar and rice wine, and leave for 2-3 days. The salt, vinegar and wine will cure the crab meat. After that all you need to do is crack open and enjoy. GiGi said even the Chinese from other provinces are unable to stomach this and will suffer from diarrhea after eating. (I said I was game to try it! So GiGi said next time she will cook some for us. Hubby is dubious about it though)

Pile fresh fish with heaps of salt (really heaps and heaps of it) and leave for 2-3 days. When the fish is cured, steam the fish and serve. Sometimes for the more exremely salty fish (with double the amount of salt) they will slice up the fish into smaller pieces and steam it with meat and vegetables.

Take some fresh eel and completely cover it with salt, then leave to dry in the sun. After it is dried, chopped it up into pieces and fry it.

Place fresh prawns in pot of rice wine and leave for few days. After that drain and serve it just like that --raw and semi-cured by the wine. (This I am also game to try, but I will need hubby to help me peel the prawns as I can't stand the feeling of the prawn legs and eyes when I peel them)

Quite interesting eh? But imagine all that salt!!! It can't be good for them, which brings me to my next point...

4. Many of the locals in Ningbo suffer from health problems like high blood pressure and cholesterol problems. But they still can't help enjoying their salty food.

5. Apparently the popular Chinese Tang Yuen with those glutinous rice balls, which are filled with red bean and black sesame, first originated in Ningbo and is still known as Ning Bo Tang Yuen.

GiGi's parents currently run a restaurant in Ningbo. She has dreams of sponsoring her parents to come over to Australia to set up their restaurant here to serve the Ningbo cuisine here. Good idea... but I'm not sure how the people here will take to the raw crab meat, though.

String of pearls

After some inactivity in this category... once again I bring you another one of my favourite things...

Here is my very versatile and pretty string of pearls.



I bought them at a little corner shop for around $25. A relatively good set of pearl beads. Yes these are just beads, not real pearls... maybe in a few years lar, k?

Anyway, you might notice that these string of pearls are an extra long version. About a metre long actually. So what can one do with such a long string of pearls? Quite a bit. Let me show some of my favourite ways to wear it.

I tie a simple knot and let it hang down in the front... looks quite trendy yet elegant, hey?



Here's something that looks a little more classic...



And I let it hang down my back for an unexpected twist!



These are just a couple of examples. I've also looped it several times around my neck to make a sort of choker. Also, around my waist like a chain belt. Another suggested way which I've yet to try is to string them up in my hair.

I have lots of fun thinking up different ideas on how to wear them, and I think the extra length is best feature of this necklace.

Let me know if you think of any other ideas!

Ring in the new year

This is a wonderful poem to commemorate the new year. I had thrills down my spine (good thrills) and hair standing moments as I read this poem. I'd like to share it with you and I hope it thrills you too!

Ring Out, Wild Bells
Lord Alfred Tennyson

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more,
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease,
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.