Summer Side Of Life

Upon entrance

Some really sweet vintage items

Rhinos everywhere 

It’s been a hectic week; intervals of short holidays and practical exams all month and if I’m not mistaken this dreadful trail will lead me directly straight to finals next month. I’m anticipating the end of 3rd year; no more unnecessary toleration, redundant emotional quotient testing, no more lifeless cramming (less of), basically a more structural form of my main concerns. Now let’s not go into detail of such gibberish talk. The three of us, Lily, Jun andI decided to have a close friend's birthday celebrated in one of our favourite restaurant - Nosorog. 

Carbonara pasta 

Asian vermicelli

Cocktail

The storm subsided to make way for my friend’s birthday, well that’s what we said because a few minutes before we departed there was a horrible storm in the middle of summer. The ones that are pretty frightening that it requires more than a few books to add weight onto those thick notes on your table just to prevent them from flying all over the room. Good food, sweet companion but inevitably lack of words to describe, pardon me.

Volga river bank

“Nobody likes being alone that much. I don't go out of my way to make friends, that's all. It just leads to disappointment. ” 

 ― Haruki Murakami, Norwegian Wood

Thoughts On GE13

It’s been a rather politically enriched week, filled with emotions of frustration, fury, and vexation towards what has been happening to my country, Malaysia. I remembered being on my Macbook the entire Sunday, scrutinizing every corner of the internet regarding updates on our recent general election and certain post GE13 has leave a massive impact to the entire nation. A manifold of expressions floating over cyberspace regardless whether it’s Facebook, Twiter, Instagram etcetera; and I don’t blame anyone although some nonetheless of which side they’re on are taking it a bit too far. Barisan National was given the mandate to form the Federal Government. While to some it is seen as a blessing that their favourite party is again in power, I see it as a bane. It was chaotic when the results were officially announced, just havoc and disastrous; even for me who is currently studying abroad can feel the tension of GE13, what more to say those who are currently back home in Malaysia?

I’m not exactly aware of what’s been happening to Malaysia when I was a child, I don’t find the need to do so. Whether it is because I was simply too immature to notice any minute political issues or is it because I live so superficially peaceful that I’m unaware of all the filth and venom that was being spewed. I get to get actively interested in Malaysian politics simply because of it’s importance to obligatory know them just to enhance my essay writing, debating skills and fruitful conversations with the people around me. But as far as I’m concern, back in those days, there wasn’t much of the so-called ‘awakening’ or drastic changes in terms of political grounds.

I like how everyone from all walks of life are being less naïve, we’re slowly dealing with people who are experts at cheating and lying and have no qualms about doing all this publicly. They’re omnipotent, dictatorial, and invincible above the law. For once, we are all determined in expressing our thoughts and desires to have a say in who we elect as a leader that fits the title of ‘A Democratic Malaysia’, and that is a transformation which is amazing to our nation.“Ubah! Ini Kalilah!...” It doesn’t matter whatever phrase and whatever methods we do, isn’t it amazing that my fellow Malaysians are so awakened and so concerned to the state of affairs and definitely after eons of years, the government is actually afraid of the people and I think that it’s a boon.

BN may just win this GE13, despite having the slightest hope and yearning for a miracle, I’m not surprised. But I think that they should realize that the people they govern are different; we are not a bunch of imbecile dogs from the ancient days, no longer slaves being tromped by preposterous rules and legislations, not anymore weak despite being bounded by racial benefits and dirty advantages. We know your dirty magic and even though we’re mortals against you Gods of murky abilities, we still choose unity over injustice, knowledge over nonchalance and dignity over fear. To those who know nothing and could not be bothered and are proud of not caring for our country, well shame on you because you’re just being so selfish and could only mind about your nothing more than any diameter around yourself.

I hope this blog post isn’t overzealous and cheap, however like what everyone said “talking is cheap”. But for God’s sake, mind your words and action as well; there is not need to beg for British to take over our country or have abhorrent curses and insubordination to our prime minister and his wife over their actions. Those that temporarily switched off your Facebook just because of this? Seriously, what changes do you expect from this? Plain dramatic and redundant is what I can say. I’m just a Malaysian studying in a foreign land, growing up and doing what I hope is the right thing. I’m not denying the fact of migrating from Malaysia, however I am cognizant that it is by far the most hypocritical thought because instead of voicing up for changes, yet here I am having this thought of running away from it and no doubt it is drop-dead duplicitous. So please Malaysia, do me and do everyone a favor… Continue to prosper healthily with put a halt to ethic divide and focus on nation reconciliation before we lost what we already have okay?

Stig X Official Theme Song: You & I

My first music video done, which also came to mind that after all these years of media; my media buddy and I have never actually come across to label ourselves. Hence, "Boy & Brat Productions" is born. Video in conjunction with the recent Stig-X event. Here are some behind the scenes footages.  

Right

"You’re going to come across people in your life who will say all the right words at all the right times. But in the end, it’s always their actions you should judge them by. It’s actions, not words, that matter."  

Nicholas Sparks, The Rescue

Chicken In Satay Peanut Sauce

One of the pros living in a student hostel, abroad, with a common kitchen with more than 12 stoves but 5 not functioning at all is that you’re obliged to learn how to cook. I admit that I faced those days when I simply hate to cook [still hate to cook, because I think that making a meal to feed yourself is just plain sad and pathetic; unless I’m preparing a decent meal for some friends]. That time, I would simply just marinate chunks of chicken breasts, stir fry them over sesame oil and oyster sauce with rice and toss everything into the rice cooker with chili padi [no idea how to call this in English] and that’s it.

With immense debilitation, I finally gained some motivation to learn how to make something extravagant and delight recently, Satay peanut sauce with a help of a friend. Hence, I shall be one of those food bloggers that blog about recipes minus a DSLR quality picture of the end product, instead I shall dump all pictures taken with my iPhone with added filters. Don’t judge.

Sauce:

Peanut

Dried chilli

Onions

Ginger

Belacan

Salt

Sugar

Coconut milk 

Notice that I didn't include the quantity like any professional food bloggers do? It's because I believe that everyone has different taste buds and when it comes to tasting, it all ends up according to personal preference. In addition, it always less of an amateur when one cooks without measuring in precision every single bit of ingredient added. Trust your instincts.  

As for the chicken, just marinate them in turmeric, salt, lots of butter and shove them in a tray in the oven. I forgotten about the temperature and timing but as I said, every oven works in different ways so just take a sneak peak into the oven once in a while until the chicken is cooked. Good advise? 

Serve them hot, decent plating and brag to your Chinese friends that you can prepare a decent Malay dish.