‘Working’ from home

The office’s air con system was aggravating my cough and flu so my manager gave me permission to work from home. Yeah!!!Y (^______^)Y

So what is ‘working’ from home like? First, you dose yourself with lots and lots of over the counter meds.

Then you water your one and only living plant/herb. I love my basil plant, so far it seems to be thriving well but I’m worried it will die on me too, please don’t die dear basil.

My ‘attempt’ at working, hahaha. Recognize the website?

Snacking at home! A slice of yummy Coffee Pecan Torte from Cheesecake Shop. I like cake. Especially cake in front of the tv at home, hoo hoo.

The best thing about working at home is having lots of time to prepare dinner, especially dishes that usually take a long time to cook.

End product: Zhu Hou braised beef brisket with radish and carrot. I love cooking beef brisket, I just wish it didn’t take such a long time to get it to fork tender texture.

Sigh, end of my working at home day. Back to the office tomorrow (-_________-)”.

The Printer Killer

A couple of days ago I received an email from a long lost friend which started with ‘I know you hate your work. It’s all you talk about nowadays’. It gave me a jolt and I thought ‘omg, people are actually getting sick of me complaining about the workplace’. Luckily the second line was something like ‘go to www.workathome.com to work at home and be your own boss’. It was a spam email …

Speaking of work, I killed the printer at work AGAIN. I don’t know why I have such terrible luck with electrical appliances, they just commit suicide once they’re in my hands. This is the second time I’ve jammed the printer. I had to use my damsel in distress techniques (just stand there looking helpless and lost, this comes quite naturally for me) and ask any passerby for help. A female colleague suggested asking the young male colleague in the other branch for help.

So I flew off an email saying ‘ Dear xxx, I know you’re not the printer guy, but the small printer outside the kitchen is jammed and y colleague reckons that you’re good at fixing printers. Do you think you could have a look? I’ve tried but the paper’s still stuck.’

He replied saying ‘I have no idea how y colleague has come to that conclusion. My usual tactic is to attempt to fix it but get frustrated after 10 seconds and smash it with my fists. In any event I am happy to have a look at it. Be there in five.’

So he tried but failed and ended up getting his fingers smeared with ink as a result. We had to call the technician in. Afterwards I wrote to the young male saying ‘I’ve emailed the technician. Thanks for trying, sorry for getting your fingers dirty.’

His reply ‘No problemo Sorry I couldn’t actually fix it. My friends that actually work for a living always say I never get my hands dirty. I guess now I can say I do… on occasion.’

(-______-)”

All in a Day’s work

(Early this morning)

Daitaoha to Mel: I’m feeling really unmotivated today. Very grey.

Mel to Daitaoha: It’s not just you. I feel bleeeeahhhhh today.

(10 mins later, Lin walks in)

Lin to all: I’m feeling really unmotivated today. I just thought I would announce it to you all.

(Daitaoha thinks to self : Hey, she’s repeating exactly what I said earlier)

Lin to all: Is it too early for a coffee? Oh… ok, I’ll make myself a green tea.

(10 mins later)

Daitaoha to all: Does anyone want a coffee??

Mel to all: Aarrgh.. and I was just congratulating myself for not getting one since Lin mentioned it 20 mins ago. Oh well, at least I lasted 20 mins, could I have a skinny cap please?

Lin to Mel: Er.. actually Mel, that was just 10 minutes ago.

Mel : Oh. *silence* It felt like 20 minutes (-_________-)

Lin: Who cares?! Let’s all get coffee!

——————-

(20 minutes to going home time)

Lin emails Daitaoha: 20 MINS ALMOST TIME TO GO HOME!!

( 12 mins to going home time)

Daitaoha emails Lin: 12 minutes to go, but who’s counting?

Lin emails Daitaoha: I AM!!!!!

(Both start packing up and switching off computers. Fire drill goes off. Announcement: Beep. Beep. Beep. This is a practice fire drill. Will all fire wardens please go to the fire phones)

I couldn’t believe our bad luck. We had to climb down 8 flights of stairs and stayed an extra 40 mins for the fire drill!!!

Anyway, enough about work, some food photos.

My carrot cake which I found too light and fluffy, I was hoping for a more dense texture so it would be easier to slice.

I tried out Lin’s low fat Malteser slice recipe, for a weightwatchers recipe, the chocolate cake was wonderfully chocolatey and moist, yums.

Mei chai kou rou, braised belly pork with pickled mustard, I love this dish not because of the pork belly, it’s the pickled mustard I like!

Tom yum soup, it was a good way to get rid of all the leftover seafood mix and fish in the freezer.

Yeah, it’s finally Friday tomorrow, I can’t wait for the weekend!! (^_____^)

Work emails

2.45 pm Colleague Lin to Mel & Daitaoha: Are both of you going to be in on Friday? I’m planning to bring in some muffins and goodies ‘

2.46 pm Daitaoha to Lin and Mel: ‘You’re bad for my waistline but good for my overall happiness level. I’m in on Friday (unfortunately) Is it just me or is the day going reallly slowly??!’

2.50 pm Mel to Daitaoha and Lin: Sounds yummy. It’s not just you, I can’t believe it’s not even 3 yet!’

2.51pm Lin to Mel & Daitaoha: ‘Omg Mel, just looked at the clock, you totally crushed me’

2.55pm Daitaoha to Lin and Mel: ‘It’s been 10 minutes since Lin’s first email, and it’s still not 3!’

(3 peer at each other over our workdesks. All walk to candy jar and share out chocolates. This job is not good for my health or waistline)

It was a very slow work day.

Cottage pie and tomato cucumber salad for dinner, another case of using up the leftovers. Another 2 more days till the weekend, will it never end?

Sarawak Delights @ UWA Spring Feast 2010

D-Day itself.

The pots and pots of laksa stock, chicken curry and ayam masak merah. Tons of vermicelli. Boxes of yellow rice.

Posters hung high loudly advertising Sarawak Delights’ menu (yes I stuck with the name so paiseh), all boxes going for $6, affordable right?

Hygiene conscious fully togged up professional  chefs ready to roll.

Cute apron wearing cheerful salesgirl. Check. Victory signs (Y__Y). Check.

We sold out in an hour and started packing and washing up by 7.30pm!!

I’m sorry for the lack of photos but I was too busy, well, selling food. Forgot to appoint an official photographer for the night. Never mind, UWA’s Spring Feast was our trial run, our stall at next week’s Curtin Pasar Malam will be bigger and much much better. This was a really good learning experience, I can’t tell you how many mishaps and bad luck we had throughout the day. As an example, of all days, the taps in my house starting running yellow water?!!! And I had to go to the backyard to get clean water for cooking. The water went back to normal when we finished up (T___T).

Cooking lasted till 2am in the morning. Poor Gerry and his parents were roped into the food prep, my lasting impression of that night besides the aching joints was his mother and father sitting on the dining room table and shredding chicken for our laksa, working in harmony and in total silence.

The best part of the night was selling food with Jo, we had lots of fun cajoling people to buy more buy more! And they did. My food was not up to par at all, but I will improve next week.

I promise more pictures next time, Calv, in case you didn’t know (I know you don’t because I didn’t tell you haha) you’ve  been appointed the official photographer for the night.Next Friday night 15 October @ Curtin University ok? Look out for the Sarawak Delights sign or two girls in aprons!  Be there or be square!

Counting down to Spring Feast

It must be Spring because it’s 2 days to Spring Feast festival! My preparation level is at umm.. 30%? For some reason I’m not hyped up or anything, I just feel exhausted already.

But it is my own fault, accepting assignments when workload in the office is at a full time high and I’m close to chocking *my manager* every day. Today I had to restrain myself from chucking a book at an extremely annoying know-it-all colleague, it was either that or bursting into tears.Luckily I didn’t do both.

I found myself reminiscing about the good ol days of working with T, A and J. How nice it was to have a cup of tea with T and gossip about nothing. And Velvet coffees with A and J. But I know it’s no use mourning the past.

Anyway I have just finished another assignment. Must grab some sleep and prepare for the big cooking fest tomorrow and the day after. Friends and family who have facebook and fellow Perth-ians as their friends, quick advertise my stall, I think it’s called Sarawak Delights (so paiseh), I’ll be at UWA on Thursday night with a slightly tired smile,  cute apron and Sarawak laksa in hand

Pocky saves the day

[UPDATE] It’s 2.20 am and I’m finally done. Either the assignment was super difficult or my brain is dying a slow death. I think it’s the latter.

Bah, I have been stuck at home all day working on the stupid assignment and it’s SATURDAY.

Gerry’s uncle left Perth last night and we had a farewell dinner at LeftBank indulging in seafood which he really loves. He also loves the ocean which I’m quite sure was his favourite and most memorable memory of Perth. I still remember how amazed he was when he caught his first glimpse of the ocean and walked on the sandy beaches of Cottlesloe ‘it’s just like a painting!’ he exclaimed.

I kinda wish I had an uncle like that too, Gerry’s uncle is spontaneous, funny and really easy going. Last night as we were leaving the restaurant and walked past the live band on stage, a drunk Aussie bloke came up to him and started dancing , so what did Uncle do? He did a few jiggles too! Hehehe. Super funny.

Ok a short break and back to the assignment. I’m surviving by eating lots of chocolate and drinking copious amounts of coffee. I think will die from a chocolate overdose soon.

When I get mad …

I cook. I don’t know what others do to let off steam when they’ve had a horrible day at work. Yesterday I came home from work spewing and ready to bite. Luckily none of the boys were home (or I’m sure I would have taken off a head or two) so I headed straight into the kitchen and started taking out all my pots and pans.

I must have put some of my anger and heat into this dish of sambal prawns. It came out super duper hot and spicy.

Stir fried brussel sprouts, these little things look so cute but I just don’t like them, I think it’s all the children books about kids hiding brussel sprouts under their plates, I didn’t like brussel sprouts even before I ate them.

Sesame chicken drumsticks.

I was going to bake cupcakes but was sidetracked by my mother’s steamed pumpkin kueh recipe. I called home to ask my mum for some tips, and immediately felt better. Her instructions were something like  ’2 cups of rice flour, 3 cups of water ..’ so I  asked ‘what kind of cup? As in baking measurement cup?’ She said ‘no.. you know that bowl that we use at home with the flowers on the side.. that cup lah’. Hehehe, my mother is so cute, and really a master chef because obviously she doesn’t use measurements and just goes by ‘feel’. I’ll never get there (T_____T).

Despite my shoddy attempt, the kueh actually turned out quite good, except I forgot to season the flour water mixture so it wasn’t salty enough. Otherwise, pan fried and crispy, it was quite nice.

Even though talking to my mother cheered me up, the cooking fest didn’t work off all my frustration. But this turtle did! Doesn’t it have the cutest smile? He just looks so happy and sweet, I just find myself smiling every time I look at it.

Cute even upside down! Hehehehe Well it’s Friday tomorrow. Bring on the weekend!!!!!!!

The last few days

MONDAY.

Work was dwindling, the biggest decision of the day was deciding between Aik Cheong and Old Town instant kopi packs. I prefer Aik Cheong (^__^).

TUESDAY.

Meeting Calv for lunch at Burger Bistro. Lame and funny as always.

WEDNESDAY aka THE LAST DAY

Wearing my boots from Japan to work, so comfy and they keep me warm.

My contribution for farewell morning tea was caramel cake, no, I didn’t bake it.

Packing up my desk. My elephants (Colleague T’s souvenirs from two separate Thailand trips) go with me everywhere.

Farewell lunch at Canton Lounge Bar with my favourite people from work, kinda sad but still fun. I had a steak sandwich.

One of my farewell presents. The person who was in charge of the gift was so happy that I knew what elBulli was and had heard of the book before. She said ‘I knew it! Everyone didn’t get it and they were like, what is that? But you are the only person whom I knew would get it !!’

THURSDAY aka FIRST DAY AT WORK

I don’t know how others calm their nerves on their first days, but I did it with Lowdown.

It felt like they knew and the coffee was extra pretty and special. The pregnant wife asked ‘did you enjoy that?’ with a big smile.

End of first day. I survived. Pink skies. Homeward bound.

$$$$ face

WUAHAHAHAHA, it’s just past midnight and I’ve finished the last of my ‘side business’ projects!!

I am really exhausted, god, the things I do for money, I tell myself that this is the last ‘project’ I will take but I know if more forthcoming requests i.e. money is flung my way, I would do it in a heartbeat!

Which means, I am a money face ($______$). But my family and friends already knew that right?

Photos soon! Mark is landing in Perth in approximately an hour, woo hoo. Oh and even bigger news, I am going to Melbourne with the Rabbit this weekend, Foodie capital of Australia here I come  (^_______^).