In remembrance of Peter Kassig, the compassionate one

You went in when others run out
Giving a hand to the weak and injured
Without a care to the siege
Only the welfare of others in your heart

May you find peace
As we find solace
From the hint of hope in humanity
From the foundation you have built

Sukhi Hotu

Why do we live?

It was 2 days short of PM's 6th birthday. We were travelling up north to hold a birthday bash for her with the whole extended families of uncles and aunties. She sat at the back of the car, quiet with her thoughts. Then she called out to me and ask me, "Why do we want to live in this life? We live, we get old, then sick then we go to rainbow (our version of death).. What's the point of living?".
I was caught by surprise. Did not expect this question so early in her life..
My meaning of life is to be happy. How? By being useful. When we contribute to the society and made other people's life meaningful, we will attain happiness. And that happiness made living worth it.
I hope she could share and understand my meaning. Or she may have to search her own. I hope it will turn out fine.

You are still pulling my heart

12 November 2014.. I found the song I lost in 1994
It took me 20 years.. 20 long years to find the song he dedicated to me before he left. How does it feel to be left for good? It feels unfinished.. Incomplete.. As if the person is not deserving of love. More so when it is the second time. Not their choice.. Life is short.. But it is not my choice that life has to go on..
我的心让你牵
He particularly love this song and wanted me to share it with him.. We never said a word.. Leaving our feelings within our hearts.. thinking time will tell us what to do.. not knowing time has other plan for us..
He spoke to me last before letting go of this stage... He was happy.. I was content.. Though shock as I was..
Life has to go on.. I kept it buried within my heart.. Never letting go of the memory and the song.. But I am not Chinese literate.. looking for this song was particularly difficult as no one seemed to pay much attention to this song.. I try buying every single album I encounter but never finding this song.. People doubted if I remember the song correctly.. I know what I heard.. It is etched in my heart..
And today I finally found it.. 20 years makes no difference.. It still hurts...

"How to print chinese writing exercise from web applications" ~ A banana-mom's preparation for banana-kid's Primary Chinese School in Kuala Lumpur

What a long title, which kind of match the long process (in my mind) I am preparing myself and my PM for primary 1 in a Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) or simply put chinese national school.

For a banana like me, I am not sure what to expect. I am not looking for a "Smart School" for PM. I am simply looking for a school that teaches chinese wihout all the stress. I do not think that is going to be easy. I will have to brace through this with PM.

By the way, PM was not expose to much chinese reading and writing until now (it is late, I know). PM will have to pick up speed now and learn as much as possible so that she can fit in comfortably when she reports to primary 1.

My bff offerred to tutor her (best thing happening for us, I could not ask for more).

She recommended this website http://www.yes-chinese.com/ with many forms of learning materials.

I use it mostly to print out writing exercises for PM to practice http://www.yes-chinese.com/zh-cn/wordcard/edit.html?cat=P3

For banana-moms, you can use google translate to translate the page and words.

This is how I do it:

1) Translate the intended words into simplified chinese

2) Copy and paste the simplified chinese words into the large-left box (highlighted in blue).
     Then click on the "Slide Show" icon-button on top (Preview)

3) You will get this page. If you are happy with what is shown, then click the red button for printing.

4) Tada.... Your kids have work to do!

The days unknown

I feel cold.. Day by day, colder and colder.. I have so much in life, but why am I feeling lacking.. Why the loneliness.. I hope I can hold on to the faith in life, just a bit longer, if I may.. But that void within.. It is never closed.. It just remains there, lie in waiting, waiting to grow.. I am afraid.. I am afraid of myself.. I am afraid of what I might do and how I might change others..

Recipe: 2 Dishes 1 Soup (2D1S)

Sometimes I do not have enough time in the morning to prepare for double-boiled or stewed soup. So I have to come up with variety of quick soups. This is one of those..

Easy Chinese Spinach Soup

Ingredients:

• A bunch of chinese spinach
• A grasp of dried anchovies
• A thumb of ginger, smashed
• A carrot
• 1-2 tofu
• A grasp of wolfberries

1. Put anchovies, ginger and carrot in 1 litre of water and bring to boil
2. Put in tofu
3. Once the carrot has soften, put in the vegetables stem first, followed by the leaves (so the leaves wont be too mushy)
4. Finally, put in the wolfberries and salt to taste 

Easy Peasy Steamed Minced Pork with Salted Egg

• Minced pork 150 gram or about 3/4 cup
• 1 salted egg

1. Mixed the meat and the egg
2. Steam on top of cooking rice

Easy Stir-fry Chives with Prawns

• A bunch of chives, dice/julienne (cut into small sizes like the picture)
• 10 prawns (as you like)
• A thumb of sliced ginger

1. Marinate the prawn with sugar and placed in fridge for half hour to make it crunchy.You can ignore this step if it is real fresh.
2. Fry ginger in minimum oil, dump in the prawn and the chives. Stir, stir, stir... Done!

Run with Wig, Run for Cancer

Sad to say the event was postponed in the last minute..

It is with great honour for me to have received a request by the organiser to pose their even on my blog. Though my blog is pretty much inactive, I would do my part..

It is my first time.. and I am dragging along Ben and the 2 lil monsters.. Oh I can't wait..

I am thinking of getting a colourful afro for myself. The lil monsters would probably wanna be Elsa and Anna.. We'll see..

For those of you who wish to try this:

For age 7 & above 

(nevertheless my lil monsters will be there.. hehehe..)

Registration from 1 May 2014 to 6 Jun 2014

Form is here 

Registration fee is RM25 per person

Payable to CK Hair & Beauty via AmBank acc no 0872 022011520

Make sure you submit the form and proof of payment to info@locksofhope.org

Or if you have queries, you can contact:

Rachael 016-902 9105

Ang 016-221 9005

info@locksofhope.org

(I've tested the contacts, they do entertain queries)

Better still, check out this meaningful campaign

So.. see you, if I see you there. Adios!