Listen to your heart

   Sometimes we just want to ignore what is really in our hearts. We don't listen enough to the little voice inside us. What is right and what is wrong. What we should do and what we should not. But sometimes, we just did things that our hearts told us not to for whatever reasons. Did we feel happy after that? Only we would know. We couldn't deny this little voice which would always know our mind and hearts although we could camouflage whatever we do or lie to the world.


Prescription : Listen to your heart for answers


(31.05.11-Tuesday)


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   ARE YOU REALLY HAPPY ???


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Nice To Be Lazy

   At times you just wake up in the morning and feel that you did not have enough sleep. Again, you couldn't afford to sleep another wink because your schedule for the day was full. You just had to drag your body up to do your usual routine of tidying yourself, then got yourself to swallow a quick breakfast before rushing to work. Then you would be busy doing one thing after another without realizing that time flies so fast that you did not have enough time to tackle so many things on the waiting list. Another day just went by till you dropped dead tired in bed.

  How long can a person actually stand this for long duration? You hardly have time for yourself but you try to assure yourself that everything is worth it in exchange for a bright future. Even if you feel that you need a break, you can't help thinking of the loads of work awaiting you after the break which will pile up further. Many are caught in this dilemma especially if you have your own business. How nice to be able to afford being just lazy at times...just to relax, thinking of nothing and be in our comfortable cocoon.


Prescription : Give ourselves a break before we break down.


(30.05.11-Monday)

Why huh ???

    

Juicy Gossips

   Women just love to gossip... put them together and their tongues can't stop wagging... that's what people say about women. Hey ! Men too okay! So long there are people with functioning ears and mouths, gossips will be prevalent. Have been like this since the existence of mankind. Some people even make a living out of gossips e.g. gossip columnists.

    Just admit it, we love to hear some gossips every now and then...add some spice to daily life...Listen to your conversations with friends in the office or in an informal gathering especially, gossips will appear naturally to lighten up the atmosphere. Didn't mean much harm most of the time. Conversations base on unimportant subjects especially regarding people's private lives seem to be an integral part of our society, somehow...sort of an entertainment to some. If not, why are stories, headlines and subjects on scandals; who was going out with who, whose wife was with whose husband, who went for plastic surgery to fix this and that...especially about famous people were always highlighted ? Why the paparazzi frenzy when superstars, the rich and the famous are involved? Price tags for such supposed 'leaks' are unbelievable, worth thousands and millions.


   There are some truth in some gossips because 'if there is no wind, the trees won't sway'. But keep in mind that some are mere lies, mere rumours over sensationalized for certain purposes such as for publicity maybe, to ruin somebody or even for entertainment. The power of gossips cannot be ignored because gossips can churn up trouble e.g. to a relationship like marriage, downfall of a career, the dignity of a family etc. Gossips have been used again and again to play dirty for some unscrupulous people. So be careful with what we say and the consequences. Practise tact at all times.


   Try the whispering game. Whisper a message only once to a person next to you. Then ask that person to whisper to the next person and the next. Continue doing this, the more times the message is passed on, the end result of the message received by the last person will be more distorted. Same with gossips. Add a bit here and there... the story will go super fantastic !


Prescription : What you see or hear may not always be true.


(28.05.11-Saturday)

Be Positive

Keep your thoughts positive, because your thoughts usually become your words.
Keep your words positive, because your words might influence your actions.
Keep your actions positive, because your actions could become your habits.
Keep your habits positive, because your habits become your lifestyle.
Keep your lifestyle positive, because your lifestyle would lead you to your destiny.


Prescription : A positive person glows with confidence


(27.05.11-Friday)

Environment and Humankind

   The web of life is not woven by humankind. We humans are only a thread woven within it. How we weave this thread into the web will effect the quality of it. What we do to the web is actually doing it to ourselves. We are interwoven. We are bound together. Everything is connected.

   Look at numerous tragedies caused by incidents such as landslides, flash floods, cave-ins, radioactive leakage...all factors seem to indicate man-made errors aided by changing weather patterns which also have something to do with the way we treat the environment. Whenever a tragedy happens, calls for thorough investigation/probe to find out the cause and whatever by whoever are as expected. After all the fuss,  findings would be filed up, had some initial action taken to show that at least something was being done and then no follow-ups...and later totally lapse into amnesia....be forgotten until the next tragedy...oh yes, as usual certain quarters would claim ignorance of the existence of the problem and try to shirk responsibility. The answer was to blame nature, the easy way out. 

   It is essential for humankind to take heed that civilization could be destroyed if we didn't care and make peace with the environment. Any action taken by us which will cause degradation and destruction of our environment will have disastrous consequences. We must seriously think and do some soul searching on how we want and going to deal with the future and overcome environmental threats. Did we learn from previous tragedies to avoid future tragedies? Did we learn from history at all? How do we intend to prevent future disasters? Nothing to do with me? Let other people think about it? I couldn't do much to change the world?
I have better things to do and worry about? Whatever will be, will be ? Fate?


Prescription : When we disregard the environment, we will destroy civilization


(26.05.11-Thursday)





  

Nutritious Double Drumsticks Curry

  
 Drumstick plant (Moringa oleifera) has incredible nutritional value. High in calcium, protein, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, iron and potassium. It could be used to cure a wide range of ailments. This plant is popular among Indians. I remember when I was small, my Indian neighbour used to cook drumstick curry and gave my family some. This dish will always bring me down memory lane...
 

   Here is a delicious curry dish and can make you eat up bowls of rice i.e. if you like curry. It is an all in one dish- vegetables and meat :

Ingredients

5 chicken drumsticks       A few pods of drumsticks (cut into 2 inches length)
2 aubergines , 3 tomatoes , 3 cabbage leaves  (cut up)
3 tbsp meat curry powder (the brand that you love) - mix with some water into a paste
2-3 fresh chillies (slice)        3 stalks curry leaves      2 stalks lemongrass (crushed)
2 cups water                       salt and sugar to taste    3-4 tbsp oil
10 shallots, 4 pips garlics  , 2 red onions (pounded)
1 glass fresh milk or coconut milk

1. Stir fry pounded ingredients till aromatic. Add curry leaves and lemongrass. Continue stirring. Then add curry paste. Stir until the reddish oil is visible and aromatic.
2. Put in chicken and drumstick pods. Keep on mixing till pods turn colour.
3. Add water and cook till boiling. Put in the vegetables, chillies and boil again. Pour in the milk. Continue stirring.
4.  Add sugar and salt to taste. Cook till done. Ready to serve.

Prescription : A meal to walk down memory lane


(25.05.11-Wednesday)


      

Violence for Violence

   There are so much violence around us these days. Open the newspaper, switch on the television, the internet, all kinds of media....child abuse, school bullies, war, bombings, murders... Is it because communication gadgets are getting very advance that we get news fast or these had been happening since ancient times? Is it getting worse due to better improvise technologies, exposure/easy access to violent happenings and start up a chain of copycats? Change in the lifestyle of societies? What are the reasons? We could only guess and be supported by theories through studies base on certain groups of people by supposed qualified experts. At the end, we know there is no definite answer because of complicated, interwoven factors. What actually happen up there in the brain left much to be discovered.

   People tend to solve violence with violence.Pay an eye for an eye...You hit me, I hit you back...Revenge... If that is how to settle or overcome violence, then how is violence ever going to end? There will never be an end...a 'never ending story'. People should start thinking deeply and rationally as humans. We don't like to be called beasts or animals. So shouldn't we behave as humans should  instead of otherwise? Come on... this is the 21st Century, our brains should improve on solving matters amicably and not moving backwards by using centuries old method such as revenge. This is considered simple animal instinct. I am sure that we can do better than that. I really pray for peace, be well and happy each day...my family, myself and everybody.


Prescription : Love peace and have it in your heart for always


(24.05.11-Tuesday)

Wedding Dinner

   In Malaysia, when a pair of lovebirds get married, usually a wedding dinner will be held as a way to celebrate the occasion with friends and relatives. Yesterday my hubby and I attended a wedding dinner at Ming Court Restaurant in Seremban. The eldest daughter of our friend got married to her sweetheart. The dinner was supposed to be at 6 pm.(written in the invitation card). As we are used to being punctual , we arrived at the restaurant at 5.50pm. We gave an 'angpow' (red packet with money to wish good luck in Chinese tradition)  to the receptionist who accepted gifts on the behalf of the married couple. We were seated at table No.6 and being served with drinks. Guests slowly trickle in to fill up the seats around. After rounds of drinks and a few visits to the restroom, the star couple of the night finally arrived with applause from guests. Then there's this short introduction by the emcee of the night. The long awaited first dish finally arrived on our tables at >8 pm. Like most Chinese dinners, a ten-course were served. We had

 1.   Cold dish- an assortment of fried delicacies 
 2.   Seafood soup  
 3.   Roast duck 
 4.   Roast piglet
 5.   Steamed pomfret in special soy sauce                                        
 6.   Fried prawns in special sweet and sour sauce
 7.   Mixed vegetarian dish
 8.   Glutinous rice in lotus leave
 9.   Sweet longan soup with lily bulbs
10.  Pink tiny rabbit buns and fried pancakes with lotus paste

In between the wedding, there were a magic show, karaoke singings, words of blessings given in speech form by the emcee and toasts to the happy couple by guests. The bridegroom seemed a bit drunk at the end of the dinner. His face was flushed. The dinner ended at 10 pm. Overall, the dishes are okay but how I hope that guests could be more punctual. This kind of situation is a norm in most Chinese wedding dinners in Malaysia and Singapore as far as I know. So be prepared to wait if you are going to attend one unless you are the late one. Maybe it's due to this that most guests would take their time to get to the invited place. Dinner could only be served at >< 3/4 attendance of guests.

Prescription : Be punctual


(23.05.11-Monday)

Live Without Regrets

     Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. Always love the people who treat you right. Just forget about those eyes who don't. Do believe that everything happens with a reason. Whenever you get a chance, take it and move forward. If it changes your life, so be it.

Prescription : Good things seldom come by twice.

(22.05.11-Sunday)

Arowana Needs Anti Stress

   An arowana is a graceful fish that swims in a relaxing manner. It stays most of the time near the surface of the water and moving most of the time. The colour of its body could be enhanced by the colour and lighting of its environment as well as the type of feeds given to it. The shining beautiful colour of its scales makes it a prized fish for hobbyists. By watching it swimming is just like being hypnotized into relaxing. Make us feel sort of calm. It needs a big aquarium for it to have enough swimming space and exercise in order to stay healthy. In aquarium, it is practically a solitary fish. Which means people usually rear only one arowana in a tank/aquarium unless the tank or pond is really big.

  
    The last time I wrote under 'Arowana In Distress', our arowana got well and we were really relieved and happy. But three days ago, my hubby bought 2 parrot fish from his usual fish shop because he couldn't resist buying at the recommendation of the owner that was to make the aquarium more colourful and act as company to our arowana since our aquarium is quite big to accommodate extra 2 fishes. I was sceptical when my hubby brought back the 2 fishes and I reminded him about the previous episode of nibbling case. He put the fishes in anyway and got our timid arowana all stressed again. Worst this time, it sank to the bottom and staying very still at one specific corner of the aquarium for 1 3/4 days after the parrot fishes were removed. The colour of its scales turn dull and blackish - bad sign. The only consolation is it is still able to eat when fed. Gave it the same type of treatment like last time -changed 1/3 of the water, add extra aeration for more oxygen, mixed in stress reducing formula which was patented in US plus arowana medicine. At least now it seems to be swimming again although not much. Still sluggish. Hopefully it will recover soon. Told my hubby not to try any new experiments with his arowana or the aquarium in future. When the arowana fell sick, our hearts seemed to pop out. Couldn't take much of that because the feeling was horrible. Took so long for it to grow to 2 feet and be an adult fish, fell in love with it and it is really expensive.




Prescription : Learn from mistakes but be prepared that the feeling sucks. Cheer up!!!

(21.05.11-Saturday)


**Note :  Just to update - our arowana is more active today...(22.05.11-Sunday)