Prawning!

Way before prawning became the “in” thing to do, I was already doing it. I’m the bimbotic prawner though. I refuse to touch live bait and prawns with gigantic claws. There are several places I frequent based on my mood on the day. I go to Hai Bin (at Bishan) for their big prawns, Happy Prawning (at Pasir Ris) for the atmosphere and *name censored* (at *location censored*) for the exclusivity and the crayfish you can catch. I’m not telling you where cos the owners have said that they’ll put in less crayfishes when there’s more crowd! Actually hor, I am not sure if they are crayfishes or yabbies or something else entirely…

Had a relatively small catch recently, only bagged about 30 pieces with 2 rods in 3 hours.

See my friend with the big claws in the middle of the pic? I caught him! *proud thump to chest* Initially, I thought that my hook got stuck on a rock cos it wasn’t coming up. So I did the typical wave your rod around to dislodge it… and my line started moving towards the far end of the pool! Abit stressed at this point since I thought that I caught a rock and line moving means a swimmer, and how easily I could lose that bugger.

So, I tug tug abit and felt an unusually heavy weight at the end of my line. At this point I was really not sure what I had so I thought to myself “Aiya, just whack and see what comes up, at most re-tie line only”. I then quite firmly pulled my line out of the water and had one of the most fun fights in my years of prawning. Whatever I had wasn’t going down without a fight and it took me a good 5 minutes to land him. I caught a very tasty looking shellfish! (For some reason, I promptly named him Sherbert.)

BF wanted to pretend that he caught Sherbert.

After naming him and all, we bagged our catches and went home where we.. ate Sherbert and friends. He made a very nice additional to my Aglio Olio pasta that night. The BF says I’m mad, naming something and then eating it. I feel zero pity for shellfish in general. I can eat them even if I’ve named them!

Planning to go again this weekend to see if we can catch a few more for our fish tank. Will blog about it too!

xoxo, chryst

How to avoid wedding anxiety

Wedding is probably the most significant day of any grown up man/women’s life. This is the day when you embark upon a new journey of life. This is the day when you really reach your maturity, as you have a family of your own now to look after. A lot of things change after tying a knot. You have to become more responsible and more open towards the facts of life. You have to undergo a transition and leave certain habits that were a part of your single’s life.

What is seen is that majority of the people who are about to tie a knot are nervous and suffer from anxiety. The ratio is more in women as compared to men. But we do see this panic in both the genders and it is very natural as well. Let us first see what can cause this stress.

Causes for Anxiety:

The first anxiety builds up as the expenditures of the wedding start mounting up. Unless or until you belong to a very rich family then it might be ok for you but for a common man, the expenditures are a big worry. You also have to keep your budget in tact. So this causes a bit of panic in the young couples. Next is the family pressure upon you. When you are about to ties a knot you are the center of attraction. You have all the eyes upon you. Handling this needs some nerves. Mostly young couples get nervous being in the lime light. Since they know all eyes would be on them so they try to bring out the best in them, but are always conscious. Then the next pressure is of arrangements, the decors, the invitations, reception and refreshments etc. etc. the couple wants every thing perfect and in order to get the perfection they become more and more complex. What to wear is also an issue that couples deal with.

It’s all about how you present yourself. You are always in an anxiety that would you be able to put a good show or not, would you be able to make everything arranged on time or not. And the list of causes to this anxiety goes on and on.

Few Tips:

The best solution is to keep things simple. In modern times we have so many techniques to avoid this stress. Every thing can be pre-set before you tie a knot. We have proper wedding planners who arrange the entire functions for you. We have companies who deal in the art of making wedding the most memorable event of your life. Take their help. They are not costly too. This can help you in getting rid of one of your major anxiety. Now you can focus upon other things more clearly.

Brides are mostly anxious about how they look and about their weight, don’t panic; it won’t help you in loosing extra kilos. Hire a trainer, join a gym, and get into shape. Follow a diet code, consult a wedding specialist and seek advice. You can get the best designers to make the most beautiful dress for you. It is all about keeping it simple. Sit and have a chat with your peers, mother and aunts, seek their advice, ask them anything that makes you skeptic, prepare with an open mind.

As far as grooms are concerned, mostly they are either afraid of commitment of the life to come or they are afraid of taking the responsibility. My advice would be to take the help of a wedding consultant. This is the most important day of your life. Think about it. Relax yourself. You are tying a knot because you are looking forward to a beautiful life ahead. Do not panic. Just go out there to take you vows with an open and clear mind. No point in thinking about things that don’t mater.

Malaysian friends, please be careful.

Copying this lock, stock and barrel from a Facebook note written by Chin Xin-Ci, a very brave and quick thinking girl. I am so glad that you are safe and nothing horrid was done towards you.

30 hours ago, I escaped from being kidnapped by Chin Xin-Ci on Tuesday, May 29, 2012 at 12:39am

As I sit here writing this, I am just so grateful to be alive.

To think that 30 hours ago I had a knife to my throat, face to face with the threat of being kidnapped and raped.

It was a Sunday, at 5.22PM. I was alone, walking towards my boyfriend’s car in level B2 of The Curve, Mutiara Damansara. He was not in town, and I was running errands with his car. Just as I was putting my shopping bags in the rear seat, the rear car door was slammed against my back, and a meat cleaver was pressed against my throat. A man covered my mouth with his hand, and whispered not to scream. He then shoved me onto the floor of the backseat of the car and waved the cleaver at me, reminding me not to scream. He was skinny, wearing a baggy turqoise blue t-shirt, had a thick moustache and short curly hair, approx 5’8″, mid-30s, and of Indian descent.

At this moment, second man appeared. He was also in his mid-30s. He was wearing a red t-shirt, had a crewcut, and was of Malay descent. He grabbed my car keys and demanded for my parking ticket. I couldn’t remember where it was. They shoved me deeper into the car, and the Indian man got into the back seat with me, while the Malay man got into the driver’s seat, driving us out of the carpark.

I told them they could take everything, just let me go. But at that point they didn’t even ask for money. Instead, the Indian man started to make sexual advances. Then it hit me. “Oh my God. Oh my God. This is really happening. I’m being kidnapped.. and I think I know what they want.”

//

From this moment on, there were a few crucial things that happened that I think is the reason I’m alive today.

1. I managed to get into a position to escape.
When they got into the car, the Indian man had tried to force my body down onto the floor. I knew that the moment I’m on the floor, there would be no chance of escape. So I begged him to let me sit up. I promised him I wouldn’t scream or alert anyone’s attention. Thankfully, he trusted me, and let me sit up, gripping my arm tightly. Then I told him my arm really hurt and to please not grip it so hard. He loosened his grip.

2. I did not fight for the sake of fighting.
I was in an enclosed space, with no clear escape route. I would never win in a fight with these 2 guys, especially when they have sharp weapons. Had I fought from the get go, I may not have been in a position to escape. I might’ve even been knocked out cold, and God only knows where I would be right now.

3. I was lucky and sneaky.
I knew that the only way to escape, was to jump out of the car, even if it was moving. They had locked the car doors. So I leaned back, pretended to scratch my hair, and shakily unlocked the door I was leaning against. I’m so lucky they did not see or hear this!

4. I went ‘crazy’ at the right time.
And then I waited. I knew that the car would have to slow down outside the parking lot, as it exits to merge with the main roads. The moment it slowed down, I opened the car door and tried to make a run for it. I failed. I kicked my legs out of the car, but the Indian man had managed to pull my body back in. From this moment on, everything is a blur. I remember the Malay driver temporarily stopping the car, leaning over from the driver’s seat and attempting to close the door and pull my legs in. At that point I remember thinking, “Even if I don’t get out now, I need to keep the door open and my legs out the door. At the very least, it should cause a scene, and someone would see me. Or, the door might hit another car and they’ll be forced to slow down.” So I continued kicking. My right foot pushed against the wide-open car door to keep it open. I recall elbowing, struggling, kicking, and even biting. I lost my glasses, and was struggling blindly for my life. At some point the Malay driver yelled, “BAGI DIA LEPAS! BAGI DIA LEPAS!” (Let her go! Let her go!) and the Indian man loosened his grip. I made a jump out of the still-moving car, and ran for my life.

5. I acted in spite of the fear.
My friends said I was brave. But I didn’t feel like it. I was quivering and shaking in fear. I was so afraid. I thought I was going to die. I was weak with fear and deathly afraid. I truly thought “this was it”. But I knew I HAD to move. I had to run. Or there would be a worser fate in store for me. While I was quaking in fear, I forced myself to look around and see if there was any way I could escape, or even catch someone’s eye.

6. I remembered the people I love.
The only thing that matters when you’re faced with potentially horrendous fate, is the people in your life. When I felt the knife to my neck, the first thing I thought was , “This cannot be happening. I must be dreaming.” The second? The people that truly matter to me flashed across my mind. It sounds cliche, but it’s true. I thought of my parents. My brother. Khailee. Esther. More people. That’s all I could think of for a few moments, before I started brainstorming my escape.

//

I ran towards the Maybank outlet at the Curve. There were plenty of people milling around. I screamed for help over and over again. I was hysterical. I grabbed an older Malay man by his shoulders and begged for help before practically collapsing at his feet.

I will always remember the relief and liberation I felt, running over Mutiara Damansara’s manicured grass and into the crowd.

//

Today, I found out that the entire ordeal from the moment I left the parking ticket payment machine, to my escape, happened in about 4 minutes. To me, it felt like one long nightmare.

We never think its going to happen to us… and then it does. I used to think that this is something that happens only in the papers and to people far, far removed from me. But then it did happen to me. I moved to PJ/KL 6 years ago, and I’ve spent countless mornings, afternoons and nights at The Curve. When my friends and I were organizing Rock Up! back in 2008, we were walking around the place at 4AM even. It’s been 6 years, and never once did I feel that I was unsafe at The Curve. Until yesterday.

I feel like moving out of the country ASAP. Getting the hell out of this state where you hear of a kidnapping or attempted one every month (remember Nayati?), or a snatch theft every week. And yet I’m fully aware of the fact that in another country with more lax firearm laws, they would’ve been holding a gun to my head, not a cleaver. And that would’ve been so, so much worse.

I’m Blessed. By God’s grace, I am alive and relatively well. And I will live another day to build another cat iPhone app. It just was not my time to go. And for that, I thank God.
I want to share this story with everyone because cops tell me that they rarely get to hear it from someone who escapes.

Girls, be so very careful. Be vigilant, and please try not to go anywhere alone. If you need to walk to the carpark, and you’re alone, get a guard to go with you. I was recently told that it’s part of their job description to assist anyone if needed.

Guys, watch out for your girlfriends, wives, mothers, sisters and friends. Walk with them, don’t take their paranoia or fear lightly. Watch out for them.

And everyone, just watch out for each other. Take care of each other. These things really DO happen. As I ran out of the car, so many people came to help me. Strangers who didn’t know who I was, came forward and offered me tissue paper, water, cellphones, and general comfort.

Malaysians, please care for one another. You already do. Just keep on caring. Keep watching out for each other. Don’t worry about being thought of as “busy body” or “overreacting”. The world can be a cruel place, but all it takes is for people to care for one another to make all the difference.

Looking for KAKI? or merely concidence

 Gets kinda eerie or not? your judge.

My condolences to the victims invovle. This is a article i read on XinMsn , KOPE and post it here.

SINGAPORE: Within a fortnight, two accidents under identical circumstances at the same junction of Rochor Road and Victoria Street have raised questions over whether there is more to the occurrences than mere coincidence.

Both accidents — on May 12 and 26 — happened in the wee hours on a Saturday and involved cars travelling in the same direction, beating the red light and crashing into taxis. Three persons were killed in the first accident, while the taxi passenger in the second received outpatient treatment.

While motorists and stall owners in the vicinity were certain that these accidents were due to human factors, some suggested that the straight road and the close proximity between the sets of traffic lights at two different stretches — they are about 100m apart — encouraged reckless drivers to speed in the wee hours, to try and pass the consecutive sets of lights before they turn red.

The fact that late—night revellers from the nearby Clarke Quay area would drive through the junction on their way home meant that it could, in theory, be prone to accidents.

Mr Loh P H, 47, who operates a shop in Bugis Street, said that he has seen cars travelling quickly along the road during off—peak periods, although he would not say they were speeding.

He pointed out: “Both accidents happened on a Saturday and Clarke Quay is a popular Friday night hang—out. You can’t rule out the possibility of drivers drinking and speeding along this stretch … I just hope more people will be more careful from now on.”

Taxi driver Ng W H, 68, who has been driving for 15 years, noted that the two consecutive sets of traffic lights change at the same time and a motorist might be tempted to speed in order to “escape” from the red light at both locations. This was, however, unlikely during the day when the traffic is usually heavy, he said.

Mr Ng added: “It’s a straight road. As long as you are alert and follow the road signs and rules, I do not see why the road would be a problem.”

Still, another taxi driver, Mr Koh C C, 56, who has been driving for the last year, said he is wary of the spot.

He said: “It is scary that taxis were involved in both (accidents).” He added that, following the first accident, he is “more careful” whenever he has to drive past the area.

Mr Koh reiterated that it is the drivers “who caused the accidents, not the road”.

Mrs Agnes Chan, 53, who has been working in the area for several years, said that, while the junction is a busy intersection, it is not dangerous. “It’s a few bad hats giving the place a bad name,” she said.

Arty-farty manicure

1. Begin by painting your nails with a light-colored polish. We used OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls.

2. Dip a slanted makeup brush or small paintbrush in a bright, saturated polish. Next, quickly dip the polish-covered brush in a bit of nail polish remover to thin it out.

3. Channel your inner preschooler and pull back on the brush to splatter polish across your nails. It’s a messy process, so make sure you’re working on a covered surface!

4. Continue splattering with as many polishes as you’d like (We used three bright colors).

5. Now comes clean-up. Begin by using a remover-soaked cotton ball to wipe away the splatters on your hands and fingers. After most of the splatters are cleaned up, switch to a small remover-dipped makeup brush to clean up the skin right around your nails.

6. Add a top coat and get ready to answer “How did you do that?” for the rest of the day.

Have fun!

xoxo, chryst

5 signs your relationship is over

 SIGN THAT IT COULD BE OVER 1: INCOMPATIBLE GOALS FOR THE FUTURE
They say that opposites attract, but when you want children and your other half panics at the mere mention of parenthood, or your partner wants to immigrate to another country and you want to stay put, this kind of opposition can cause a problem. Whilst it’s possible to work through such mis-matched goals and reach a fair agreement that both parties are happy with, sometimes it’s hard to do that without thwarting your – or your partner’s – dreams. Perhaps the most unhealthy thing you could do to your relationship at this point is try to persuade one another to sacrifice future plans in order for you to stay together. Not only is this selfish, but more often than not it leads to feelings of resentment between you and your other half, which often results in a break-up anyway. If there’s no compromise and you feel as though your plans for the future are being jeopardised, it’s probably best to part ways for the sake of your freedom and happiness.
 Sign that it could be over 2: Sneaking around
The key to a great relationship is honesty and trust, so if your partner is sneaking around then it defeats the object of being in anintimate relationship and you need to tackle the problem head on. Go about it carefully though; following him/her into town to ‘catch them in the act’ only to find that they were purchasing your surprise birthday present could lead to all sorts of complications, and you don’t want to risk being the embarrassed guilty party. Instead, it’s a good idea to communicate with a secretive partner to make it clear that you’ve noticed they’re up to something and you’re offended that they couldn’t talk to you about it. If you still feel like your other half is up to something, it might be a good idea to call it a day on your relationship as the trust barrier has clearly been broken.
Unhappy couple after an argument
Unhappy couple after an argument
 Sign that it could be over 3: No special gestures
After weeks or months of being wooed by your other half in the early stages of a relationship, when the dust begins to settle it can feel as though Cupid has disappeared off the face of the earth and suddenly you’re stuck in a relationship rut. We’re not expecting to be swept off our feet and taken away to an exotic island to be showered in expensive gifts, but many couples often lose sight of the small romantic gestures that make the relationship feel that bit more special. If special gestures are sparse in your romance, this by no means suggests that it’s over; you may just need to make a little more effort to be romantic – suggest more things to do together and the problem should be resolved in no time. However, if after a conversation you realise that all romantic gestures have stopped because you no longer feel as strongly for your partner as you once did, this is a sign that your relationship should come to an end.
Sign that it could be over 4: You can’t seem to leave the past in the past
Relationships where the past can’t seem to be left where it belongs are often a recipe for disaster. If you’re having an argument, respond appropriately to what is happening here and now, not what happened six weeks ago. Granted – past issues can cause an underlying problem in the relationship if they are never spoken about, but once a problem has been addressed it’s time to move on from it. It’s a common deal-breaker in relationships to keep bringing up past issues during an argument to use as ammunition against your other half. If you can’t learn to forgive and forget – or your partner can’t learn to forgive and forget a mistake that you have made – then it might be time to cut all ties and start afresh.
Sign that it could be over 5: You’re constantly bickering
Arguing is a natural way to get things off your chest and emphasise what’s upsetting or annoying you to improve your relationship in the long-run, but when things have soured to the point that you spend more of your time arguing than not, it’s often time to raise the red flag. Healthy relationships are about having good conversations and being happy when you’re around your other half, not constantly being surrounded by negativity and feeling angry or upset. Don’t be tempted to stick together when all you do is fight; as easy as this is to do, you will end up feeling even more miserable in the long run.

Food Delights Part 1

I am a typical asian who will always take a picture of the food before i tuck in. I guess most of the asians do this too. This post will be fulled with photos of food that i have taken. Sorry that i am not a good writer =(

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Pumpkin Soup @ Newyork Newyork

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Chee Cheong Fun inside International Plaza

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Salmon Tataki @ Ichiban Sushi

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Salmon Belly Mentaiyaki Sushi @ Ichiban Sushi (This is really very very good)

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Mango Sago with Ice Cream @ Hong Kong Dessert Tanjong Pagar MRT

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Matcha Shiratama @ Tampopo

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Fried Black Pork Ramen @ Tampopo

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Mango Snow Ice @ Mei Heong Yuen

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MOS Burger

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Tom Yum Goong clear base @ The Porn

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Fried Rice @ The Porn

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Poon Choi

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Home cooked CNY dishes. BEST!

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Vanilla Dirt Cake

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Molten Chocolate Cake. My favourite.

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Seafood Feast @ Fish&co

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Pizza feast with MFP crew

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Chicken Chop @ Taste Bug KSL City

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Hainanese Beef Noodle @ Zon Roost Cafe

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Salad @ Amoy Food Market Salad Stall (Always got super long queue!)

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Death by Chocolate @ Tutti Frutti

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Thai style sweet and sour chicken chop

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Some fried tofu + fish cake

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Very very yummy and popular bak kut teh in JB @ Soon Fatt Taman Sentosa

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Mini Cheese Cake

to be continued…

Shall end my post here. Too much good food to share with all of you so decided to do another part! See ya!

Tilting & Shifting

Tilting and Shifting in Photography manipulates focus planes using special tilt shift lens, using Scheimpflug principle. Technicality aside, its great fun!

Some examples courtesy of tilt shift images..

Example of a CANON Tilt Shift(TS) lens

If you don’t have the equipment to do this optically, there are plenty of websites with plugins to manipulate your images digitally, one of which is tiltshiftmaker.com

Try it, and do share your creations with us! It’s more effective if your scene is really wide and from a top-down point of view.