Monday, May 31, 2010

Back. Finally.

Due to complications in the internet connection in my home I have been unable to create any new posts for almost two weeks. The frustration was unimaginably suffocating, but at the very least it returned at my hour of most need.

Alas, I fear that this may not last. I shall be moving soon to a new condo unit down the road and only God knows when the network can be reinstated at the new house.

What happened during my absence in cyberspace?

I attended my cousin's wedding - again. It seems that this time around we got to see the morning wedding reception, which includes the customary take-the-bride-to-the-groom's-house ritual and tea ceremonies, as well as a village wedding dinner in the evening. It was quite an experience, and it is beginning to eat at my oath to wait for God's choice or remain single for life...

Then there's packing. Loads of it. I managed to pack away all the books and clothes, then unpacked them just today! My room looks fabulous, and I only have a box or two of stuff left to move in. These of course includes stuff I'd like to have around just a little longer.

I went to camp! It feels good to join a camp where you know only a handful of people. Got to know many outstanding guys and girls, but I can't say especially who... I was sort of thrust into the role of team leader, and it's been great leading a bunch of daring, capable people, all of whom are older than me. To tell the whole experience here would not do it justice, so maybe I'll dedicate an entry to it another time.

That's it, really, I could go on about the camp, but I'm afraid I'm running out of time tonight, so I'll just end it here. For Beta!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

It's Official

For a few weeks now, I have (hesitantly) declared that I will be starting a Diploma in Culinary Arts programme in KDU College come July this year. I am glad to say that my enrolment has been approved, and it's now official: for better or worse, I'm going to be a Cul. Arts student.

And what, some people might ask, are the career options for a vocational course? There are opportunities for me to advance my studies in European Culinary Management in IMI Switzerland. After the degree, I can also enrol for an MBA at the same place. Yes, I'll be able to go to Europe again!

After that, it really depends on God. If He so aptly chooses to arrange some job offers for me, I guess I'll take it up for a while. After that I want to return home to open a restaurant, or help some family members manage theirs until I can learn enough about Asian Cuisine. Or maybe I'll travel to various places in Asia to pick up some of the local cuisine.

That said, a more common question I often have to endure is: Are my parents okay with this? Honestly, they claim they are. After all, an ace student taking up a vocational course? That is definitely unheard of, or at least rarely so. One says she's glad I'm doing something with my life, the other says I have to face the consequences of the choice I made. How more negative can one sound?

Either way, what's done has been done now. There is really no turning back, and zero option of anything else. It's going to be a narrow track until two years from now, and no chance of stopping.
... Sounds like a race. And in a way it's true, except that it's not a return-to-start circuit.

Before signing off, I feel obliged to report my goings-on today. I had just supervised and assisted in the moving of several furnitures to the new house. Everything seems to have gone in order, one minor hiccup aside.The new place looks great - just a few more items to clear up before the scheduled clean-up in a week's time.

Alas, I have forgotten of a few items that need be cleared up with the contractor! Three, to be exact. Mom's going to be really mad, I hope I can still fix it tomorrow by going over and seeing him.

That's it really. Now all that's left for today is a surprise dinner occasion tonight. I'm supposed to pick my sister up from her tuition (early - again). So, here I am, signing off.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Reading

I've never gone this far in blogs before. I must confess that I have tried as many as three times to blog regularly - two of those times ended up deleted entirely; one of those times - this blog - has been left to rot for a little more than a year before it is revived. Hence, it is my great joy to declare that this is the 25th post of regular blogging!

Insanity aside, what I really wanted to write about here is my reading. I have taken up the task to fill my hours by going on the Internet reading manga, watching movies, writing my stories and reading books. It is then no wonder that my reading pace has dramatically slowed in recent times.

I used to marvel my reading speed, that I'd finish at the most two books in one week. Of course, those were books that I was really into then, the sort that the book-stores categorize as children's books. Anthony Horowitz, Garth Nix and Eoin Colfer are some of them. I do occasionally stray towards more promising best-sellers (Dan Brown should ring a bell) but these have, in my opinion, have few literary value to them.

Lately I've bought Kate Mosse's first two books, as well as Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist and Khaled Hosseini's celebrated books. I've only finished one of them and reading another, but I am doing so in hopes of prying myself from going backwards in my reading. I've read so few classics, both contemporary and old, that people would surely marvel at how my writing could ever reach such a level.

Then again, my writing isn't quite the bomb really, to use the contemporary colloquialism...

Anyway, I thought I should include a short note of my schedule, at least for today. I do actually have a couple of errands to run: I have to go down to the framework shop two collect the last two art-pieces for the new condo, as well as drop my application for the Diploma in Culinary Arts at KDU college. Before that, I'm hoping to go for a swim to get my aquatic stamina back, and maybe bake a fresh batch of Danish butter cookies for the extended family.

All's well will hopefully end well.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Procrastination

I originally learned of this word from an acquaintance from Penang, who is now really no more than a memory. Who knew that this would gradually become an annoying trait of mine.

By definition, it means to put off or delay the completion of a certain task. The layman might associate this word with laziness, but in actual fact there is little in common between the two words. A procrastinator normally would finish his work in the end, albeit often unsatisfactorily, but a lazy person just couldn't bother finishing his.

I wasn't always like this. In fact, I considered procrastination one of my cardinal sins and would never do that to important tasks. In other words, the only reason why some of my work was done at the last minute was because I had simply forgotten about it. Shamefully, that was the truth.

Presently, it is a different case. Some people might give any excuse conceivable under the sky to put off doing something. Not everyone may relate to that, but sometimes it is because they simply don't want to let it be done. Perhaps doing that certain task has consumed most of their time and energy, and they worry that they would not have meaning in their lives any more after it is completed.

And perhaps, that is the case for me. I'd usually deny this, but a part of me has gotten used to relaxing without a care in the world, which used to be a rarity for me. In order to shy away from the stress of life and living I would retreat to fiction - usually movies and books - for simple, temporary distraction. In the beginning, it was simply a distraction; unfortunately it quickly grew into an addiction.

However, there are two sides to every coin. I have acknowledged this flaw, and recently have begun to grow restless from all the cooping up I have resorted to. While this is a good thing, I need to be constantly vigilant against relapses and weakness, and in order to cure myself of this addiction I might have to turn to the extreme...

Enough said about such a depressing matter. I actually wanted to write about my writing project. I haven't written anything about the Lady ever since Johor, and I was supposed to do it alongside the Chronicles. And I have writer's block in the middle of Scroll II, so I'm really trying to kick back and think of a way out and continue the story. Alas, that might actually involve editing what I've written so far...

*Sigh. Writer out.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Chronicles of the Soulless

I guess I'm going to be using this blog to catalogue my writing process, and also to advertise my story. (On that note, I haven't posted a recipe in a very long time...)

I have just completed Scroll I of the Soulless series of short stories, entitled Osiris. It introduces two of the main characters in the series, as well as the events kick-starting the introduction and involvement of the beings I call the Soulless.

No doubt the people reading this story will connect the Soulless with Osiris the Egyptian Lord of the Underworld, that they are, perhaps, the same. How that will be told remains to be written, as well as read, but I can assure my readers that more Ancient Egyptian mythical gods will be featured during the entirety of the series.

In some sense I am following Rick Riordan's footsteps in creating a story that revolves around mythical deities but set in the present day and age. Indeed, Riordan has given hints that a new series based on Egyptian gods will be released soon. Some may be tempted to say that I stole the idea from him. I wish to clarify that this is completely untrue. The actual truth is that I have written Osiris as long as five years ago, and now wish to expand the story to include more gods and myths of Ancient Egypt. So if anyone wants to say who copied who, I dare say that since I wrote this first, Riordan copied me. ;p

On a lighter note, I will send Osiris to be published in the June issue of Opinionated Monthly. Any rights to republish the Soulless series is hereafter reserved by OM. I will of course also reserve the right to publish it here, but that will depend on me alone. Having said that, I know I promised to publish The Maze here too, but since The Opinionated Ones blog has already published it on the Internet, there's no need to copy it here.

Author out.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Originality

I write this in the post-event of completing the corporate video for my dad. In hindsight, I find that the job was not as tough as I had imagined it to be. Granted, it took some patience with, not one, but two unstable and inefficient laptops, as well as a good eye and ear for the corporate touch, but all-in-all, I was merely updating the video. I was given a week, and I made the best of it doing what I'm good at. I'd say it was a good job, and my "critics" agreed with me too.

But I despair over the inability to do more. Due to the time constraint I had to work with existing project files, when I wished I start from scratch. The new version, 3.1, looks quite similar to the old one, 2.3, but somehow a little more impressive. It is still too long, a little over ten minutes, but that can't be helped since we wanted to include everything. To me, that's its flaw - it lacks originality.

Come to think about it, very few things of this age and era of technology are original. Almost everything is an advancement or improvement of a previous, similar model. Everything seems to be merely an extra level on a foundation laid out millennia ago. No longer do we pay our dues to fabulous artworks by renowned artists, because they simply do not exist any more, simply because the spotlight has shifted to the cold and life-imitating discoveries and inventions of technology.

Eulogy must be paid to the marvels of culture. Art no longer has the same meaning as it had a century ago. No longer do we visit museums and art exhibitions in crowds to enjoy paintings. Books that made their way to the best-seller list rarely has the quality of a classic work of fiction. Songs nowadays are merely the vehicle of money for many "artists", and rarely give more than a fleeting expression of human emotions and experience. And films... don't get me started.

A few areas, however, do survive to bear witness to mankind's originality and creativity. Architecture is the new battlefield for the bold and the brave, where countries compete to produce amazing edifices and monoliths, each and every one of them a testament to new scientific discoveries related to building. Countries constantly try to offer a new attraction to the beholder, mainly to draw the tourists, and the money, in.

Food has also recently made its way to stardom. Barely a decade ago, the phrase "celebrity chef" would have drawn laughter to the common man. Today, however, names like Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver would be immediately recognised by the kitchen enthusiast (such as myself) and ranked among the persona that make fashion and entertainment headlines. Their creations are simply astounding, and they absolutely believe in sharing brilliant ideas with the general public.

Nevertheless, we live in a world where money often comes before the enlightenment of the soul. Indeed, few has the freedom to express originality in stunning masterpieces, and those who do have that originality are restrained by the lack of opportunities and good fortune. This is true for generations past, but never more real today.

Oh, the shame! Shame for the loss of talent, of originality in what are regarded as fine pieces of mankind's achievement. Must we continue to live in a world where the new is often scoffed at, or its début delayed until man is ready to accept it?

Thursday, May 6, 2010

It. Is. Done.

I have finally completed editing Opinionated Monthly's May issue.

It has been an intense joyride, but in the end it was completely satisfactory. I managed to introduce a two-column layout, as well as a cooler looking header and footer. Also standardized the font sizes and justifications, and included a great deal more pictures to make the magazine look more exciting.

Besides that, I enjoyed reading some of the pieces my friends contributed to. A few of them are very enlightening, giving me access to their line of thinking and ideas about stuff. Some reveals stuff about them I never really knew, a previously hidden side. All-in-all, the May issue, although thinner than the others, remain a good read, intellectually inspiring and immensely enjoyable.

I will certainly look forward to editing the next issue.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Double Heavy Duty

I guess this must be what life is like - multiple, separate, unrelated tasks with the same bloody deadline.

The job Dad gave me which started yesterday has just completed its second phase, which included re-shooting of various parts of the corporate video due to unsatisfactory quality, or out of need to update. The third phase - completely comprising of video and scene editing - has begun and, according to schedule, shall consume most of tomorrow. The deadline of the submission of this CorpVid v.30 is Friday, and the final deadline for submission is next Monday or before then.

My post as Deputy Editor of Opinionated Monthly has also received its latest job, albeit with a little delay - the final editing of the magazine, after which will be sent to the printer for publishing. This is more important to me, and I will slot it in to any empty spaces in my schedule this week as much as possible. Of course, the Chief wants to publish this by Friday, so I have at most until Thursday night to complete it.

All in all, a most packed week.

I suppose if my preferred line of work is graphic editing of any kind, this would be my norm. It is a creative line of work, after all, which is no wonder that it is one of my secondary passions, otherwise my jobs would seem to myself utterly dull and time-consuming.

Speaking of creativity, I've spoken to a restaurant owner whom my parents has befriended. He is a passionate food lover and is dedicated to the highest quality his kitchen can attain. He is willing to take me in as an intern until I start my Culinary Arts Diploma. It will certainly be a great experience if he puts me to actual cooking - I'll be able to learn time management in a real industrial kitchen, and test my cooking skills to the maximum, which is more than I can say about cooking at home...

Monday, May 3, 2010

Axe-Sharpening

I am officially a part-time consultant.

Basically Dad asked me to work with some of the company staff on Corporate Video Version 3.0.

"If you were to chop down a tree in eight hours, first spend six of those sharpening your axe." We've been sharpening the axe all morning, metaphorically speaking. The plan for the new video has been done more or less, which included time-lining CorpVid v2.3, streamlining it, omitting old and defunct parts and updating, refining and adding new sections etc.

What's next? One of my colleagues is right now collecting all the files pertaining to all versions of the CorpVid and relocating them into a secondary laptop, courtesy of Dad who thinks all the work should be done on that, instead of my own snail-like, faulty one.

We'll also be taking a factory tour, for my benefit mostly, to see what else needs to be done for the video. That's still sharpening the axe, but it will certainly be quite an educational trip.

Thinking about the company also reminded me that my friends had asked to see it for a school trip. I agreed, so if they decide to write in for permission to visit, we'll probably schedule it in June, in the beginning of their second semester.

Returning to the CorpVid, I suppose that's what I'll be writing about for the next few days, unless something more interesting turns up. I have to remind myself that this blog is still about food and my experiences about it. Then again, it can also evolve into something more. Change, after all, is nature, even if this blog is, by all intents and purposes, unnatural and immaterial.

And now I have to return to work.