Happy Birthday, Me!

I've made it! Yes!!

It's only half the battle won, and that there is another half to go, but I'm just so proud of myself for winning this half right now. Thank you to those who pitched in.

Today is my birthday.

And for the first time in my whole life, I am alone on this occasion, in a foreign land. And also for the very first time in my life, this is the year where I don't get to for a series of birthday dinners/gatherings, pre- and post-actual day. There are friends here, of course, but unbeknown to them is the specialty of this date. I simply don't think it's relevant for them to know and also, well, we just met.

Well, alone is not a bad thing. Furthermore, the advancement of technology made it possible that though I was physically alone, I never was. I had the most interesting and touching dinner yesterday. I fulfilled my promise to myself to make a dinner and supper that I would like to have to signify the coming of this day, yesterday.

So, off I went to the hypermarket nearby in the late afternoon and had a wonderful time breezing around the aisles of groceries and taking my own sweet time to ponder and pick the things and groceries that I had wanted. It didn't seem like the most efficient way to do shopping, going about some aisles again and again, making and changing my mind again and again, but yesterday's was one of the best grocery shopping experiences that I ever had here.

In the end, I bought enough to make a dinner of half a fish, steamed with some black sauce mixed with thin slices of a red chilli, some garlics and 3 mushrooms; and a huge plate of stir-fried kangkung, also known in english as water glorybind, water spinach, water convolvulus and swamp cabbage, with a generous portion of sambal and some belacan for that homey-cooking style. I decided to throw in the last remaining tau chiew, or fermented beans, into that dish too, so the spiciness was a little toned down, not as hot as I had hoped it would be. Still, I was very happy with my two dishes for dinner yesterday. Satisfaction to a craving soul!

Once the dishes were done, I went straight to preparing the dessert, which was to be my supper. Lime/lemon tart, courtesy of my brother's tutelage some time ago. Juices from 2 limes and 1 lemon mixed into a whole can of condensed milk made the taste just right. As the recipe called for, I used crushed biscuits held together with melted butter as the base of the tart. Once the tart concoction had been spread evenly over the base, I left it in the fridge to chill and set, ready for my supper later.

I think I used close to 2 hours to prepare my birthday eve dinner and supper yesterday. I was sweating terribly when it was all done, but I wasn't complaining. A wave of satisfaction washed over me, really. It was something that I had wanted to do for myself and I made it.

Told you it was also a very touching time during dinner. Wanting to cool myself down for a bit before digging in, I had a peep at my computer and saw my brother online. Sent him a nudge and voila, he was there! Chatting with my parents at home. Yes, the challenge of having kids scattered from a long way from home is that the old-fashioned, self-professed technology-ignorant parents learnt to use technology as well, even though minimally.

So yes, dinner was great, and not alone, for we had sort of a conference, while I was having dinner, while my brother was having his lunch and my parents, post-dinner on last night, a Saturday night, the eve of my birthday. It had been a long time since we all had a chat together. Definitely a moment to be thankful and appreciative of.

Countdown to end of the birthday eve, a good friend accompanied me right up till midnight my local time. We brought together during university and since then, I think, we never missed celebrating each other's birthday, especially not in the last few years. Last night was the first time that we marked the occasion of my birthday online. One of my landmark birthdays, at that. Won't be the last, I think. Thank you, my dear, dear friend.

Hubbs too took the trouble to call me up, twice! Once at midnight his local time. He had wanted to surprise me by singing a birthday song through the phone but I accidentally cut off the line, not knowing whose number it was and while fumbling about the touch screen instructions. Sorry my dear, for my klutziness. He had another at midnight, my local time. This time, his song got through and I didn't missed it! Thank you very much, my dearest, for the kind thought and for the effort. So sweet of you.

As for myself, in between chatting with my friend, I had a slice of the lime/lemon tart, my treat for my birthday. It tasted great, though the tart a little bit runny. Had it with a small cup of red wine and some scented candles to romanticize the mood of the room and of course, mine as well.

So yes, it was an alone birthday, but yet, I certainly was not alone. I think this was one of the best birthday eve celebration that I ever had. Simple, sweet and very touching. It made me think that I have a lot to be thankful for. That I am not too bad since the powers above decided to let me have such a nice time, last night, to mark this special day. So yes, I've made it, half the battle has been won.

Thank you, everyone. It was great, thanks to all of you!

Of course, not forgetting, Happy birthday to me!

Planet Alpha CS : Part 1 - Characters

Characters, developed as recently as a month ago or so, from the Planet Alpha CS:

The Batman:

A walking English expert. Excellent in expressing thoughts and ideas clearly and very skilled at deciphering riddles and conundrums of Planet Alpha. Funny person who mixes around very well but most of the time, hates the music spun the resident DJ of Planet Alpha.

A manager of sorts and developed the CCS.

The Riddler:

Uses his in-depth knowledge and well of experience for the system to quietly produce very long and complicated riddles for the Batman to decipher. Will use his best to produced the most challenging and mind-boggling riddles to test the Batman, who usually is able to rise to the challenge.

Seems to be losing position as alpha male in present group.

The Turtle:

Hides behind a mask of superficial coolness and arrogance. Beneath it, a well-informed but self centered-individual still suffering from hormonal imbalances who requires constant attention and praise. Little bits of conversation bursts implies a dangerous soul starving for attention from the opposite sex. Overall an acceptable adversary of the Batman but is known to be capable of producing sloppy works for the Batman.

The God:

Has ability to produce excellent work within reasonable time. Has a weakness for the opposite sex. Easy going and optimistic person. Currently, the resident DJ of Planet Alpha. Has a very good relationship with the Batman.

The Playaa:

Also christened as Two-Faced by yours truly. Very well-informed but produces work of very unpredictable quality. Very skillful in the politics of Planet Alpha CS and Alpha Universe. Loves to edit. Slowly but surely establishing himself as the Alpha male of the group but allows the Turtle to rein him. Plays the Batman to the pingpong game of inconsistent and erratic performance.

The Smeagol:

The newest dweller, Smeagol is well-informed but has slight problem expressing them clearly in Planet Alpha's lingua franca, often times stretching to the limits Batman's decoding ability. Clearly looking up to the Playaa, he struggles to stay to true to Planet Alpha and uninfluenced by the lure of the Turtle.

and,

finally,

The Robin:

Yours truly, the Robin, aka the control freak!

Late, but it comes!

It's always late.

But it always comes.

The first year passing, it came only after 6 days.

The following year, it was even later, 11 days after.

Then last year, it came about only after the year hit the 3rd month.

This time it isn't as bad as the last, but still it isn't any good.

It's late once again, with it's coming touching almost at the half of the 2nd month of this year.

It's true that they say, better late than never.

So there it was, the 1st post of the month, few minutes ago.

And here are the greetings,

Wonderful Year 2011 ahead!

Also, this being the bunny year based on the Chinese culture, and today being the 11th day of the new Chinese year, happy Chinese new year! Let's have a prosperous one, here and out there!

Late, but it comes, always!

Picture of the day

I have yet to find my picture for today.

A picture a day, anything that catches my eye.

Can be anything, nothing specific or something interesting.

Anything at all.

But anything or something which catches my eye.

Random but yet, so not random.

Never really thought of the purpose of doing this.

But sitting here, typing this, a thought crossed this brain.

Perhaps, unknowingly, I am testing my self discipline.

Setting a rule, and seeing if I can preserve it.

Like pickle.

I have approximately about four hours till I hit the sack.

Will I capture my picture of today?