Re-newing New Year Resolutions.

It's already year 2010. How time flies, it just seems like yesterday we were all excited and some afraid of the millennium 2000 and today, a decade has past since then.

(Distraction! An insect just flew past me and I am very scared of insects so I killed it. Looking at its black dead body on the floor, I feel pretty guilty now. It does me no harm...yet...but what if it suddenly stings me or my dog or anyone else?)

Year 2010 is suppose to be my year because it's my Chinese zodiac year, the year of the tiger and also because my birthday is on October 10, so this year my birthday will be on 10-10-10. Yay!

Anyway, when we ring out the old year and ring in the new, it's time for people to make new year resolutions. For me, I am re-newing my resolutions brought forward from last year. I wonder do people really keep their resolutions because I certainly failed to do so.

Lets make a list of my resolutions for year 2010, be it carried forward or newly made :

1. Eat healthily, exercise more ~ last year, I simply said lose weight but I think the ideal way to staying slim is to eat right and sweat more.

2. Gain more knowledge ~ last year, I resolute to get a degree and learn a foreign language. This time around, I won't limit myself to a certain field or language. Bring it on, be it learning how to slaughter a chicken or how to survive in a jungle.

3. Stay positive and motivated at all time ~ I fare quite well in keeping this resolution and will continue making it my resolution for years to come.

4. Travel to at least one country besides Singapore and Thailand ~ am making it my goal to visit Hong Kong before my birthday.

5. To do good and be good ~ to not let work/career be a priority in my life. Human beings and my surrounding are much more important than those documents piling up on my table. To sincerely help people in need or simply lend a listening ear.

6. Prove that people do keep their resolutions ~ will not force myself but will discipline myself and make it a habit to walk my talk.

A random snapshot of dad's bonsai.

Home-Made....

(Warning! This entry contains non-halal graphic. Please view at your own discretion.)

Winter Solstice festival falls on 22nd of December last year. According to grandmum, this festival is celebrated in a larger and grander scale compared to Chinese new year at China because it marks the end of a year. But Chinese new year (also known as the spring festival) marks a new year, so why isn't it more important to usher in a new year? She knocked my question off by saying, "it's tradition, must follow."

One of the must-have during this festival is the coloured glutinous rice ball. The glutinous rice balls are made of flour but due to innovations, some have peanut and an assortment of fillings. I personally prefer the traditional plain one. I enjoyed making and eating the glutinous rice balls, especially the non-white ones because I dislike white colour.

The colourful dough.
I rolled them all. Nice?
Only get to eat them once a year. I like to soak them till they are soggy.


As I have mentioned earlier, Winter Solstice festival rings out the current year and since Chinese new year is just around the corner, granny decided to start preparing for it by making prawn crackers and try making roasted pork. The little elf here lent a hand.
The dough.
Sliced dough, have to dry them under the sun.
Yummy but oily prawn crackers.

Fatty, marinated meat.
Roasted pork.
Yummy!

Tzu Chi For World Peace

On Boxing day, mum asked me to accompany her to an event organised by Tzu Chi Merit Centre. Tzu Chi is a non-profit NGO originally started by a lady, Master Cheng Yen from Taiwan. The objective of this organisation is to help the needy irrespective of age, gender and skin colour.

The event my mum and I attended was a worldwide event where people, irrespective of race and skin colours gather at different places (Tzu Chi centres) to pray for world peace. I was not really keen to go because I am not oh-so-religious-and-holy. Anyway, being a filial daughter, I accompanied mum.

The gathering I went to was held at PISA (Penang International Sports Arena). There are 1,108 non-professionally-trained performers (but their performances are flawless). The turnout was overwhelming, the arena was full except for about four rows.

The lighting and sound systems were very good and I was pretty impressed by the various human formations. There were live testimonials of Tsunami survivors, Myanmar flood victims and many others. Majority of the crowd was tearing during this segment. Before the evening wraps up, all the lighting were switched off and the arena was pitch-black. Each performer, crew and audience lighted a candle in unison with one objective, to promote and practice world peace.

I did not regret one bit attending that event. It was not so religious after all, but more of creating awareness that there are many people suffering around us. We should be grateful for what we have and help the less fortunate whether in monetary or non-monetary form. And one thing for sure, Tzu Chi has been practising 1Malaysia, 1Nation, 1World a long time ago because they really do help people irrespective of race, religion and skin colour.

First Anniversary !

On Christmas day, Mich's Monologue turns one. It's nothing to shout about since it is only one miserable year old and it's not like I blog so often and hit 100 entries in a year. But still it contains all my 'bitterness, sweetness, sourness and even saltiness'. Plus, don't people always exaggerate on their one year anniversary celebration, be it wedding, birthday, first year courtship, first year in the same job, one year since you got your driving license, or bought a house or a pet. Anything!

For me, I am going to celebrate by changing from....
....this.....

...to this....

The Season of Giving and Receiving

When you see this picture, your first reaction will be "What?! It's already new year and you are just about to blog about Christmas? You are so out-dated!" Well, that's undeniable, I had been pretty busy for the last two weeks of year 2009 and am simply loving it.

Anyway, lets get back to Christmas. After all, this is an entry all about Christmas, the season to be jolly, the season of giving and receiving.

About a week before x'mas, I attended a christmas play. The plot is simple but meaningful. The most impressive part of the play are the props, they are all made of foams.



Although my family does not celebrate Christmas but since Malaysia is a multi-racial country, I joined in the fun during this season of giving and receiving. Certainly giving is more fun than receiving when you see the expressions on people's face the moment they open their presents.
Presents for my loved ones.
Assorted chocolates, perfect gift for me.
Limited edition chocolates. Is it so obvious that I am a chocolate lover?

On the day itself, I had lunch with my parents at Station 1 Cafe, the first franchise in Penang. The food are average but the drinks they serve are good.

Our drinks.
Mum had chicken chop with mushroom sauce.
Dad had black pepper chicken maryland.
I can't remember what's mine called.

A dear friend of mum gave my family :
A box which looks like a doughnut box....
But they actually contain cup cakes!
Really cute and too-pretty-to-eat cup cakes.
The cup cakes are chocolate flavoured, yummy!


I personally like snowman more than santa claus. Merry Christmas!