Monday, November 26, 2012

The Men In My Life

Got inspired this morning to write about the various men in my life. These are people whose lives have crossed mine and worthy of an anecdote (be it good or bad). And since it's Christmas, I'm sure I will have something good to say about everyone. And since I have found The Man in my life, these will remain the pretty little boxes that you pack it up and leave them along memory lane.

The First Crush - I was 7 and it was my first year in primary school. I thought he was cute and I wanted to marry him some day. Then as I grew older, I came to realise that there are alot more things other than "cute" that you actually marry a guy for. But I must say, it was all sweet and giggly... (with my girlfriends of course) and I bet he never knew.

The Childhood Buddy - While we were waiting for our school bus during age 7-10, this little boy (then) told me that toadstools will "melt" my shoes because they are poisonous. Naturally, I envisioned my beautiful, white shoes sizzling away and was terrified. Thereafter, we took very different paths but as fate will have it, we went to the same school again years later. And because we were neighbours, his Dad was very kind and sent us to school every morning although we still shared very different social circles. A couple of years back, he invited me to his wedding and during his speech, he specially thanked me for attending. I was visibly touched. We were never the best of friends but somehow, he's always THE childhood friend because we once told each other really silly things.

The Eye Candy - Major teenage crush! I was 16 and was in my the final year of secondary school. He was a year older and is totally HOT (IS because he's still HOT even till today after that may years. More of that later...). Everyday without fail, I will look out (from afar) for that super cute face in the canteen during recess time that would brighten me right up. Never once, have I had the courage to approach him to even say hi. Even till today, I have no idea if he knew. Coincidentally, a couple of years back, I walked into a shop in the east looking for skates and as I was leaving, I saw a stack of business cards bearing his name sitting right by the exit. Almost immediately, I turned back and saw the silhouette of a tall, dark & handsome man walking out of the storage room. There he was, the exact suave face that made mine go all cherry red and at that particular moment, I swore my heart skipped a couple of beats. I couldn't believe my luck and this time around, I did pick up the courage to say hi and asked if he attended the same school (duh... like I didn't know...) But since then, my paths never crossed again.

The Basketballer - The first boyfriend who started my dating life. It all began with a mini crush because he was an awesome basketball player and was always the cool, quiet one. I never would have imagined for a million years that I would ever date anyone like him in this lifetime. But I did and the rest is history. Part of that chapter of history bears the mark of a really sweet and warm person who took very good care of me. I chose to leave the relationship because I was convinced that our lives were heading in different directions. He's the typical, "You're great but not for me so thanks but no thanks type." According to Facebook (because he vanished yet son after), he's now happily married with kids and during our very last conversation, he was trying to sell me a car but I had just bought mine then. Oh well...

The Loyang Boy - We were young, we dated and we partied. He watched me throw up and embarrassed myself thoroughly and hopelessly. He carried a very drunk me from the car, cleaned me up and puts me to bed. We went for a drive in his swanky car for the last night that he had it and I, unappreciatively, fell asleep with the wind in my head. He really cared although I will never know if he really loved. He was boyishly cute as far as my memory serves me well but not the gorgeous looker sort. He's down to earth yet exudes a touch of flamboyance. He's smart but not too geeky. He's probably everything I would want in a man but the timing just wasn't right. I was still a child and was extremely wilful. I was still a child (and I can say that now) and my emotions were extremely unstable. If I'm a guy, I wouldn't even date the then me. He was patient and showed his concern in his every little action. It's a pity that I didn't learn to appreciate until much later. But I'm sure he's very happy with his life now.

The Comic Fan - It was thoughts of him (while I was clearing out my drawer of nonsense) that inspired this post. He was the spoilt and pampered kid who was born with a silver spoon and waded in privileges. As a boyfriend, he was very attentive to my little needs and tried his best to accommodate my little quirks. He will buy me little, inexpensive but very well thought out gifts. Eventually, I felt compelled to leave the relationship. Apart from the fact that we were still relatively young and I was still in school, we came from very different family backgrounds. I didn't think I could lead the life of "ask and you will receive". Don't get me wrong and I'm not the angel that you're picturing right now. I love luxurious stuffs and I have been introduced to the evil world of material wants. However, I am working my ass off to get there and more importantly, even at that tender age (and maybe it's from then), I had wanted my partner to be a little hungrier and ambitious. Until today, I'm still very thankful of how wonderful his Mom treated me and I can still remember how adorable his siblings were. I don't know how things would be if I didn't choose to leave and just when I was wondering... During a forum event this year, I ran into him. Not knowing what to say like an immatured lass, I avoided contact. I know I deserve a slap! When I came to realise perhaps I should pop him a note, have a meal and give his whole thing some closure (I wasn't that great with break ups then), he wasn't as responsive as I envisioned. I guess he's still affected by my actions so I can't really blame him. Till date, we have yet to meet for a meal. *Oddly enough, I'm still friends with many of his friends.

The Psycho - Trust me, I am trying to be nice. Ironically, I spent most of my youth with this person. He probably loved and cared for me so much that it became suffocating and even creepy. I suppose if I have nothing better then I shouldn't. He did, however, opened me up to what the material world. I guess I also caught the travel bug from him as well. If anything, I do miss the luxurious surprises but I definitely do not appreciate the threats. Yes, that's how he got "The Psycho". As far as I'm aware, he continues his quest with younger and younger girls.

The Bao - Probably the only one whom I've dated who remained a friend after the breakup. I should have known that we were such different people, we would never be living the happily ever after. But during the times when we were attached, I had some much fun and laughter. I played the big sister to his nieces and nephews and we would spend the lazy Sunday mornings at McDonald's with the kids. We had regular meals with his family.. Just like... Well, a family. Perhaps because of all these, it seems that he was yearning for a family of his own and I, clearly, wasn't quite ready for it. He was an amazing guy who would surprise me with little things and go out of the way to cheer me up. It's a pity I just couldn't see myself with him. If anyone is looking for a great boyfriend, look no further. I admit that the problem laid in me and my big fat head that that I couldn't get around.

The Inspiring One That Got Away - What do I not love about this man? Nothing. He has a wicked sense of humour, carried himself well, good dose of integrity, knew his wines and sports a million dollar dazzling smile. The problem? His messy breakup and that timing was totally wrong. He went on to marry an amazing looking girl and continued living his wonderful life. We were merely friends and will always remaining so. Probably it wasn't meant to be and God meant it that way. He was very optimistic and cheerful. All the energy that would rub off on anyone but to me, out of pure honesty, it got a little tiring after a while.

The Roommate - Funny how life goes round and there are mere 6 degrees of separation. If I don't remember wrongly, our paths crossed because he went to the same camp as The Comic Fan during their NS days and through a Christmas invite (post my break up with The Comic Fan), we became friends. We had a long distant platonic friendship and after promising a visit to LA for years, where he was based, I finally visited him when he moved to NYC. The month in NYC was one of the happiest time of my life. Even while he was working in White Plains, he lived in an apartment in Manhattan and that was the best "hotel" ever even if it didn't have a TV nor a heater. He's like the best girlfriend stuck in a guy's body. He loves fashion but he also likes a hot chick. So yes, he's straight. We would party and he was my wingman! I will always remember walking down quiet Manhattan in the middle of the night during Christmas. We gossip and we talk about the dumbest things in the world. If I'm gonna have a Maid of Honour for my wedding, he's the one.

The Photographer - Maybe it was the way it began and I wasn't wholly interested. I simply needed to bounce onto a warm body. I grew to have so much affection for him that the tables were turned soon after. Throughout the relationship, I found myself to be extremely accommodating and was living my life tip-toeing around his. It was not all bad because we shared some similar interests like cars. He taught me photography and I taught him how to play mahjong. Then came the turning point when he had to go away for a couple of months. Following a period of attempted breakups by him, a very rude wake up call finally allowed me to walk away in peaceful anger.

The Divorcee - a.k.a The Compulsive Liar Perhaps it's not fair for me to make such a judgement. He was afterall a Mr Nice Guy whom everyone adores. He's a father of 2 and claimed that he was officially divorced when I decided to date him. But when you request to see documents (yes, it actually boiled down to that point), they simply do not exist. This was perhaps the mega lie and beneath that, there are still so many little little lies littering the relationship (some of which I only managed to unearth after the relationship). Recalling this relationship makes me really sick. I know I have bad eyesight but I must have been blind. That's a perfectly good reason for me to get LASIK done very soon. Ran into him a while ago and whilst I wasn't angry, I really didn't wish to waste another breath of such an irresponsible idiot.

The FBIL - It's funny how our lives have intertwined. He's the most patient and harmless person I know. The distant memories of us holding onto the phones and talking till we hear each other snore during school days, do bring back fond memories. He's one of those who has fallen into the friend zone early on and I think that's because God knows just how things will be and should be.

The Honey Bear - The man whom I tell almost every damn thing to and if I would trust my life in someone's hands other than The Man and family, it is him. The relationship is absolutely platonic but unlike The Roommate, you know it's not a girl stuck in a guy's body. The best way I can describe is like having an older sibling. I live my life vicariously through his luxurious travels and the stories he tells me. We would both swoon over the nitty gritties of first class food on SIA as he sends over photos. He would send me his cyber hugs when I'm down because he's almost never able to be there physically. He would hate the disgusting men in my life because I hate them and complain about them to him all the time. He would tell me silly things almost every day to cheer me up. He's my best friend whom I rarely get to see.

The Man - Never in my dreams would I picture my future to be so closely related to a man like that. He's not the tall, dark, handsome but he sure is tall. He's not the romantic, he's an engineer and definitely not a sweet talker. Our paths crossed briefly when we were in college but never knew each other's very well until we both bought the same car. All the quirks and wilfulness in me from before, never quite went away although it did mellow. But this is the man who made me look at myself and think twice before I act. Impulsiveness is never the trait I'm proud of. He became my mirror and my reminder. He loves me with so much conviction, I actually think he loves me more than he loves himself. Ok, maybe that's an exaggeration but yes, I shamelessly know for a fact that I'm pretty darn important to him. And for many years down the road, I think we will still fight and argue... But I know, we will also kiss and make up because nothing else is more important than having the other person to walk the walk with. I love you and you know it and I also know you're reading this!

The Brother - The real one. The irritating little brother who grew up to be my best friend whom I can never stop worrying about. We fought, we shouted at one another, we pulled each other's hair, we punched the other's face but in our hearts, we know we love each other. He's the person I can always run back to and have our little chat by the stairwell. We would bitch about our parents, about our partners, about money... We are very different and in the real world, I do not think our paths would ever cross nor will we become friends at all. But because he's my brother, he's also my best friend. I love him to bits.

Lastly, the man who gave me life and taught me all about life - The Dad. I reckon I'm not going to win some Miss Singapore or some idol contest, hence, I would like to use this opportunity to thank him for loving me. It's tough to say that he's been there for me because being a traditional Chinese Dad, he is never ever expressive with his emotions. But his life was spent ensuring that we have a decent life with food on our plates and comfortable shelter over our heads. I am not able to dedicate my entire life to him because I will have my family. But I know Dad has already dedicated his whole life to my brother and I. As a disciplinarian, he ensured that we have our values in the right place and our focus in the bulls'eye. We may not have been the perfect children but we couldn't have asked for more in a Dad.

Monday, November 19, 2012

Potato Salad Recipe

Here's my personal recipe for some really evil potato salad. After fine tuning it several times, trying out with different combinations, I have determined that this is the best tasting marriage as far.

1 bag (about 1 kg equivalent) of washed Red-skinned Potatoes (or Gold Yukon) - I've tried the different potatoes. I personally love Russet's texture but Russets will disintegrate when we're mixing. This is a heavy salad so the tossing isn't an easy task. Cover the potatoes with water and bring it to a boil. Add a tea spoon of salt into the water. Salt, no only adds flavour to your potatoes, it also brings up the boiling point of the water (although this is often disputed as the amount of salt is just insignificant). Boil the potatoes in whole and leave the skin on. The skin gives it the additional texture and I highly suspect the nutritional value is probably retained in the skin. After the water is brought to boil, let it simmer for 25-30 minutes until your fork can poke through the potatoes at ease.

300g of streaky bacon - Cut the sliced bacon approximately into 1" x  1" squares. Use a tiny bit of oil to even out the heat in the pan and to prevent the bacon from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Any bits to the pan stuck will turn dark and gives the salad an awful colour when you mix the bacon it. The fats from the bacon will then cook itself. It will reach a point when the fats from the bacon will "deep fry" itself until it turns golden brown. Drain the bacon from the oily and leave it to cool.

4 eggs - Boil the eggs and sometimes, I just throw it into the pot of potatoes. Peel the eggs and smash the eggs using a fork. The space between the fork creates the right width/texture for our salad.

1 white onion - Cut into into fine tiny cubes. The finer you chop it, the less likely the consumer will chomp into a mouthful of... well, onions. I do like a bit of crunch though.

Mix all of the above with mayonaise. Add rock salt and crack in some black pepper to taste. Garnish it with chopped spring onions (aka scallions). I love how the spring onions actually "upgrades" the taste of the salad.

Get fat with me!

Friday, November 16, 2012

WeChat

If you haven't heard of WeChat, you need to seriously keep up with the world. Just like Whatsapp, WeChat is a multimedia messaging platform for mobile phones. But unlike Whatsapp, WeChat is keeping up with the times.

To start, WeChat is stretched to fit the iPhone 5 and Whatsapp is still stuck in medieval times. The Whatsapp window just looks weird. Apart from the fact that it's not utilising the longer screen of the phone, the OCD side of me just find the black patches irk me.

Also, the convenient switch to voice chat only means that I can send a message to a friend who may be driving or cooking. I'm not encouraging texting and driving at the same time but your passenger will be able to just play it for you or sending out a text which requires only a fraction of the effort taking up ONE second at the traffic lights. Not to mention if you're living in very different time zones, you can drop your friend a "voice message" that can be picked up anytime at their convenience.

Being Asian, having emoticons in my messages just add that bit of sparkle and fun. And do you know, that if you send a message with "Happy Birthday" in it, icons of cakes will drop from the top of the screen. It's not a tool of utility but hey, it is interesting. If there are other "codes" that trigger other icons "falling", do inform me!

Whatsapp, you have to pull up your sock before you lose your market share which you have built up over the years... Slowly but surely...

Go download your WeChat now! If you must know... I'm not getting paid a single cent by them...

***Update*** The day after I published this article, the update was out and viola, Whatsapp is catching up! I'm not deleting this as I feel that they still need to improve and the speed done in today's context, is far from acceptable. But well done... For now!