I hope I'll be able to catch this newly-released movie, The Tourist, starring Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp. Both Angelina Jolie starring with Johnny Depp are a potent combination, and being filmed in the breathtaking backdrop of Paris and Venice, this movie is a must-watch. Both actor and actress, as well as the movie, have already earned themselves a Golden Globe nomination each.
I love Angelina Jolie not as a celebrity but largely for her humanitarian role and efforts. In 2001, she donated $1 million for Afghan refugees in response to an international UNHCR emergency appeal. She insisted on covering all costs related to her missions and shared the same rudimentary working and living conditions as UNHCR field staff on all of her visits. As a result Jolie was named a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador on August 27, 2001.
Since then, Jolie has been on field missions around the world and met with refugees and internally displaced persons in more than 20 countries. Over time, Jolie became more involved in promoting humanitarian causes on a political level. Jolie has received wide recognition for her humanitarian work. She has also donated millions and millions of dollars in aid of the needy.
Asked what she hoped to accomplish and her motives, she said, "Awareness of the plight of these people. I think they should be commended for what they have survived, not looked down upon. We cannot close ourselves off to information and ignore the fact that millions of people are out there suffering. I honestly want to help. I don't believe I feel differently from other people. I think we all want justice and equality, a chance for a life with meaning. All of us would like to believe that if we were in a bad situation someone would help us."
She is a modern day Bodhisattva. May all her projects succeed, so that she is able to continue her humanitarian work and to be able to contribute and help millions of people around the world who are still suffering.
Although it is not clear if she is a Buddhist, Angelina Jolie regards Buddhism as an important part of her son's Cambodian heritage and considers him a Buddhist. She has said, "We spend a lot of time at our house in Cambodia. And I’m learning about Buddhism and I’m teaching him what I can. He spent a lot of time in temples with monks and he's learning." Shortly after adopting Maddox, Angelina tattooed a prayer for protection for him on her upper back. She said, "I asked for it to be done in Buddhist Sanskrit, which is part of Maddox's history."
Here are some of her quotes which I like. In some ways, her thoughts exemplify the Buddhist's way of life. The Buddha nature lies within each of us.
"I don't believe in guilt, I believe in living on impulse as long as you never intentionally hurt another person, and don't judge people in your life. I think you should live completely free."
"There's something about death that is comforting. The thought that you could die tomorrow frees you to appreciate your life now."
"I don't see myself as beautiful, because I can see a lot of flaws. People have really odd opinions. They tell me I'm skinny, as if that's supposed to make me happy."
"If I think more about death than some other people, it is probably because I love life more than they do."
"I'd like to believe that the people that have supported me in my work or identified with me in films, the people that feel they know me, they do and they don't have misconceptions - they understand. I believe that.
"Without pain, there would be no suffering, without suffering we would never learn from past mistakes. To make it right, pain and suffering is the key to all windows, without it, there is no way of life.
I have a love-hate relationship in the kitchen with my mom. There can only be one cook in the kitchen. If we are both there, we would be arguing and chasing each other out. My mom does not have the patience to teach me step by step how to cook certain dishes. And I rather experiment a dish myself than have her standing next to me, nagging non-stop, and I had end up washing the dishes for her while she cooks. This time, my mom bought some pork and just told me to prepare pork chops. When I asked her how to cook the dish, as usual, she would rattled off hurriedly with instructions. It was as good as saying nothing. I chased mom out of the kitchen. Luckily I am smart enough to guess the steps and improvise myself. Hahah!
As specifically instructed by mom, the first step is to pound the pork slices with a mallet or the blunt side of the knife. The next step is to marinate the pork with the usual condiments; sesame oil, corn flour, light soya sauce, a pinch of seasoning powder, pepper..... and I decided to add a tablespoon of XO Cognac into the mix as well, even though my mom did not mention this. If you have been following my blog, you would know I love to cook using wine and especially using XO Cognac. Remember my previous post ofXO Sesame Oil Chicken?
So, I mix all the condiments well with the pork and leave to marinate for at least an hour or more. Next I crushed some biscuit crackers into crumbs. Then beat an egg, and we are ready to fry the pork chops. Make sure the oil is heated in the wok, dip each pork slice into the egg mix and then coat it with the biscuit crumbs, before putting it into the wok.
In just a few minutes, the XO pork chops are cooked to golden brown crisp. The slightly dark spots are the bread crumbs. I garnished the XO pork chops with green and red leaf lettuce and tomatoes, and the dish looks so pretty! My mom tasted the pork chops first and it was stamped with approval. Sweet success! I love the taste of the tender pork chops and especially the XO flavour came through just about right, and not too strong. This is the 'dry' version of my XO Pork Chop.
If you prefer a 'wet' version, you can use Teriyaki sauce or Honey or Ketchup. In this case, I like a Sweet & Sour sauce, using tangy tomato-base gravy. I prepared a mix of tomato ketchup, chilli sauce, oyster sauce, salt, sugar, pepper, and a little pasta sauce, pepper, a little lemon juice, and together with water and some corn flour, mix and stir them well in a bowl. Then I chopped a generous amount of onions, and saute them together with few slices of tomatoes. Once the onions are fragrant, pour in the tomato gravy, mix them well and let it simmer in slow fire for about 5 minutes till it is hot.
Tadah!!! Pour the beautiful tomato gravy mix onto the pork chops and they are ready to be served! The sweet and sour tangy taste of the gravy goes very well with the crispy exterior and tender XO pork chops. The good thing is, you can still taste the XO in the pork chops as it is not too overpowered by the sweet and sour tomato gravy.
I am already thinking of how to improvise this dish and what type of sauce/gravy to create the next time. Maybe I will create a Mexican spicy salsa gravy. This XO Pork Chop dish is an easy dish to prepare for potluck, or just for a normal dinner at home. Both adults and kids love it! Happy cooking!!
A week ago, I was in Bugis for lunch on a weekday. I decided on Wonton Story at the basement of Bugis Junction since I have never tried them. Wonton Story, together with a few other eateries like Bishamon, EAT Bak Chor Mee, Kedai Kue Kue, Uncle's Kitchen etc...... have counters that allows you to place orders and a designated small area with a few tables and chairs for dining. To me, they are somewhat equivalent to a food court.
From its namesake, we know they specialise in wontons, having choices like Asparagus T-Bone, Shanghai Greens, Mushroom, Tako, Crunchy Prawn, Miso Fish. Also, their Xiao Long Bao seems to be the recommended must-try item.
I ordered a set of Minced Meat Sauce Noodles and Mushroom Wontons which was $7.90. I had wanted to order Xiao Long Bao (one of my favourite chinese snack) but to my disappointment, they were not available that day. I was asked to have a seat while they would serve me. I waited for about 20 minutes, even though there were maybe only 6 tables and almost all of the diners were already having their food. I also notice there were probably 4-5 service staff in the little counter/kitchen. When my order finally arrived, I was really truly shocked.
Firstly, they were served in small paper bowls. Even the stalls in air-conditioned food courts serve piping hot noodles in big melamine bowls. Secondly, the portion for the minced pork noodles was so little that it was definitely lesser than a packet of instant noodles! The minced pork on top was also little (about the size of a tablespoon!). The real thing did not go in line with the description in their website "generous helping of minced pork and garnishes". The noodles were a little soggy. I finished the noodles in 3-4 mouthfuls. Thirdly, it's all about packaging. Even if paper bowls are acceptable, the portion of noodles was so miserably little inside the small paper bowl, it was about 1/4 of the bowl. If it was served in a paper /plastic PLATE, it would not have looked as pathetic. The mushroom wonton soup on the other hand, was about half full. The size of the wonton was small (teaspoon size) and there were about 4 wontons in the serving. The soup tasted bland.
The entire dining experience left much to be desired, I felt quite disappointed and short changed for the $7.90 I forked out. And I was still hungry afterwards.
In the end, I had to buy a bowl of $3.00 Taiwan Mee Sua (which came filled to the brim) from a nearby take-away counter, Taiwan Shihlin Snacks. The experience in Wonton Story was the first time I felt paying $7.90 was not justified, for the food, the presentation, the food portion, the waiting time etc.. And making it worse, when I compare what I had in Wonton Story to what I can get elsewhere for $7.90 or less, it is even more frustrating.Let's see what alternatives I found and they are each delicious in their own right.....
At Old Town Cafe, for $6.90, you have a set of Minced Chicken Rice + a Classic Float. The minced chicken was garnished generously and accompanied with an egg and cucumber.
At Soup Spoon, for between $5.60 - $6.90, you get Regular size big bowl of say, Clam Chowder which comes with a bun. The soup portion is sizable, and generous with loads of chunky ingredients.At least it is filling even though it is just soup.
At Aston Express in a kopitiam, for instance, their serving of Chargrill Chicken with a baked potato and salad cost around $6+. Even at their restaurant, Aston Specialties, a dish costs between $7+ to $15. The last time my family was there, our total bill came up to about $55 for 7 persons (average cost per person $7.80).
At MOS Burger, a meal comprising Natsumi Teriyaki Chicken $3.35, Hokkaido Croquette $1.80, and Clam Chowder Soup $2.40. Total bill costs $7.55.
Over at Popeyes, a set meal includes a 2-piece fried chicken, big and fluffy buttermilk biscuit which looks like a muffin, mashed potato with lovely Cajun flavour gravy, and a drink of your choice.Cost $7.40.
At a humble and friendly Penang Food restaurant, for $8, I can have BOTH a bowl of authentic rich Penang Laksa ($3.50) and delicious spicy Mongolia Ribs with rice ($4.50).
Over at the famous Ali Nachia Briyani stall at the Railway Station, a huge plate of Chicken Briyani costs $6. The Chicken Briyani of basmati rice is accompanied with achar, a salad and a vegetarian curry cooked with roasted eggplant. Each set costs $6 and probably an additional $1 for a cuppa hot teh tarik.
Even at Blue Mountain CafeRestaurant in Iluma Shopping Mall, their ala carte dishes for say, their Rosemary Chicken is about $7+. In a set meal, it is priced less than $10. Each main entree comes with a bowl of soup and a drink.
I bought the ready-made salad from Mediya Supermarket in Liang Court. The Salmon Salad costs $4.50 while an additional Potato Salad costs $2.90. Total cost was $7.80 and it fed about 1.5 persons.
I am not even talking about comparing it with hawker or cheaper food. There are obviously many other choices which cost $7.90 or less to fill the stomach.
Operating a food business is not easy, especially in Singapore where the competition is stiff and the wide variety of cuisines available. Singaporeans are spoilt for choice when it comes to food. Hence for a food operator to survive(succeed), it is not rocket science that the followings are critical:
1. Food must at least be averagely delicious, or has one or two specialties (and make sure that it is not out of stock). Otherwise, why would diners keep coming back?
2. Price must be reasonable. If retailers want to charge high, make sure the dish is unique and very delectably delicious, or at least be more generous with the portion. Singaporeans generally do not mind paying for food if what they are getting in return is, by perception, "worth it".
3. Presentation counts. Would you pay premium price for say, an abalone served on a paper plate? Take a leaf out of the Japanese' book. Even for a simple bowl of 450yen (S$7.00) ramen at the most humble and lowest-priced shop in Japan, the dish is served hot, in a nice bowl, with a generous amount of soup, condiments, free green tea and clean napkins.
4. Service must be friendly at the very basic. Generally speaking, nowadays, while diners get served by many foreign service staff whom they do not understand or can communicate properly with, they are also faced with many local staff who do not know what is "service with a smile". Diners tend to be more forgiving when not greeted with a grumpy black face or a blur look.
5. Last but not least, retailers should not be confused about how to position themselves, with the right and balanced mix of the above points.
My mom was complaining of very tired legs that made her walk with difficulty and pain. So I brought her for a massage at one of those foot reflexology shops in Katong.
While I was waiting for my mom, I was sitting near the entrance of the shop. I noticed that the cashier counter was directly facing the door of the shop and in between them were placed very peculiar objects. There were 13 cylindrical small pillars made of stone, arranged neatly in 2 rows. Out of the 13 cylindrical pillars, 10 of them each had a big pebble on top, while there were 2 golden elephant statues on 2 cylindrical pillars, and 2 golden monkeys on 1 cylindrical pillar. Immediately I knew it must be a certain feng shui cure, but I have not heard of this peculiar method/formation before.
I also guessed that the fengshui cure might have been placed to counteract the escalators directly facing the shop. Those familiar with feng shui may know facing escalators to your house or shop is a big no-no, generally speaking. The rule of thumb is to avoid the shops which are directly in front of the bottom step of the escalator. This is because all the energy and prosperity is being drawn off and invited out of the shops by the negative arrow of the escalator. While people may think that positioning one's shop directly to where customers can view the store as they alight the escalator is a good location, it's bad Feng Shui and detrimental to one's profit. Thus explains the feng shui cure placed right in front of the shop. And judging from the business of the massage parlour, they were doing ok, although there were many masseuses waiting at the entrance rather than clients.
I have always been interested in Feng Shui, and will pay attention to interesting or weird placement of objects at certain places and try to guess the purpose behind such arrangement. To me, Feng Shui is not about myths and superstitions but more of common sense and intuition (sixth sense), it is about creating complete harmony to blend in with the natural order of Heaven (天), Earth (地) and you (人).
My second aunt who is a devout Buddhist, just came back from her one-week retreat in Fo Guang Shan Temple in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Although I did not ask her to, she has requested a divination on behalf of me. I do not entirely understand the divination results in mandarin, but I gather it was an average divination. Together with the divination, there was also an amulet of Kuan Yin and her mantra, Om mani padme hum. My sincere thanks to my aunt for the effort. What a thoughtful Christmas gift.
I especially like the quote printed on the temple red packet:
"The happiest people have peace of mind.
The wisest people are full of enthusiasm."
- Master Hsing Yun
2010 has not exactly been a smooth year for me, and there were many heartrending moments and obstacles which had manifested. There were times when I saw the true colours of people I have known for donkey years and could not help but feel a tinge of disappointment. As a Cancerian, I do tend to be over sensitive and emotional when I feel betrayed by loved ones, or those who meant something to me. I do not confront people, I do not like to quarrel with people, as I do not see a need to. As I have learned from the past, hurtful words or words spoken in anger are very harmful, and poison our own mind instantly. I tend to control my anger or resentment, and keep everything inside, although I do take a long time to get over these emotions. However I am glad that each time I feel anger, the same thought made me I realise that everything happened for a reason. Whatever that happened, or any person who has caused me unhappiness/harm, whatever obstacles I have to go through, were all the result of my own past actions. In an indescribable way, this self-reminder or realisation made me feel somewhat better.
I am motivated by the below Eight Verses of Thought Transformation, a Paramitayanapractice of method and wisdom, in whichHis Holiness the Dalai Lama has taught and explained in depth over at FPMT website :
1. Determined to obtain the greatest possible benefit for all sentient beings, who are more precious than a wish-fulfilling jewel, I shall hold them most dear at all times.
2. When in the company of others, I shall always consider myself the lowest of all, and from the depths of my heart hold others dear and supreme.
3. Vigilant, the moment a delusion appears in my mind, endangering myself and others, I shall confront and avert it without delay.
4. Whenever I see beings that are wicked in nature and overwhelmed by violent negative actions and suffering, I shall hold such rare ones dear, as if I had found a precious treasure.
5. When, out of envy, others mistreat me with abuse, insults or the like, I shall accept defeat and offer the victory to others.
6. When somebody whom I have benefited and in whom I have great hopes gives me terrible harm, I shall regard that person as my holy guru.
7. In short, both directly and indirectly, I offer every happiness and benefit to all my mothers. I shall secretly take upon myself all their harmful actions and suffering.
8. Undefiled by the stains of the superstitions of the eight worldly concerns, may I, by perceiving all phenomena as illusory, be released from the bondage of attachment.
I am still trying to put to practice what I learned. I am trying to transform each negative thought and experience into something positive. I am still trying.
In the same breath, life has not exactly been that harsh on me this year. I am thankful for my strong health (apart for the bout of cough last week, I have not been sick for 3 years!). I stay safe and protected from greater dangers. I am thankful for the loving support, the kind words and understanding of loved ones and some friends. I am thankful for the benefactors who have helped me in little and big ways. I am thankful to have all my gurus who never fail to touch me deeply (that I am moved to tears). Even strangers whom I do not know taught me a lesson or two. All their actions or inaction have made me more grateful and stronger.
So perhaps the most precious gift I received this year is not that of any tangible stuff, but rather the experience, the conversations, the messages received and exchanged with friends/loved ones... and the precious time spent with the people who matter.
Enjoy this beautiful piano piece, Kiss The Rain. It sums up my quiet 2010. I know 2011 will be a better year. May you be blessed too.
The first Christmas present I received this year is a calendar of many healing mandalas given by Old Beng and his wife. They bought it from their recent vacation to Spain. It was a surprise for them to find a Tibetan Calendar in Spain! Many thanks to this lovely couple whom I have the fortune to meet and to be acquainted with this year.
What is a mandala?
Mandalas are works of sacred art in Tantric (Tibetan) Buddhism. The word "mandala" comes from a Sanskrit word that generally means "circle". The Tibetan mandala is a tool for gaining wisdom and compassion and generally is depicted as a tightly balanced, geometric composition wherein deities reside. The principal Buddha is housed in the center. The mandala serves as a tool for guiding individuals along the path to enlightenment. Monks meditate upon the mandala, imagining it as a three-dimensional palace. The deities who reside in the palace embody philosophical views and serve as role models. The mandala's purpose is to help transform ordinary minds into enlightened ones.
Simply stated, a mandala becomes a sacred area that serves as a receptable for deities and a collection point of universal forces. By mentally entering a mandala and proceeding to its center, a person is symbolically guided through the cosmos to the essence of reality. By constructing a mandala, a monk ritually participates in the Buddha's teachings.
The sand mandala
In Tibetan Buddhism, contemplation of sacred images is central to religious ritual, and a mandala is one of the most important of these sacred images. Mandalas constructed are believed to effect purification and healing. According to Buddhist scripture, sand mandalas transmit positive energies to the environment and to the people who view them. Typically, a great teacher chooses the specific mandala to be created. Monks then begin construction of the sand mandala by consecrating the site with sacred chants and music. The monks chant and meditate to invoke the divine energies of the deities residing within the mandala, and ask for the deities' healing blessings. Next, they make a detailed drawing from memory. Over a number of days, they fill in the design with millions of grains of colored sand. At its completion, the mandala is consecrated. The monks then enact the impermanent nature of existence by sweeping up the colored grains and dispersing them in flowing water, a further expression of sharing the mandala's healing power and blessings with all.
The process of constructing a mandala is a sacred ritual. It is a meditative, painstaking process that can take days or even weeks to complete. Before a monk may participate in the construction of a mandala, he must undergo a lengthy period of artistic and philosophical study. In the Namgyal monastery, the personal monastery of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, this period lasts three years.
Mandala symbolism
Outside the square temple are several concentric circles. The outermost circle is usually decorated with stylized scrollwork resembling a ring of fire. This ring of fire symbolizes the process of transformation humans must undergo before being able to enter the sacred territory within. It both bars the unitiated and symbolizes the burning of ignorance.
The next circle inward is a ring of thunderbolt or diamond scepters, which stands for indestructability and illumination. This is followed by a circle of eight graveyards, representing the eight aspects of human consciousness that bind a person to the cycle of rebirth. Finally, the innermost ring is made of lotus leaves, signifying religious rebirth.
The square structure in the middle of a mandala is a palace for the resident deities and a temple containing the essence of the Buddha. The square temple's four elaborate gates symbolize a variety of ideas, including:
* The four boundless thoughts: loving-kindness, compassion, sympathy and equanimity
* The four directions: south, north, east and west
Within the square palace or temple are images of deities, which are usually the Five Dhyani Buddhas (the Great Buddhas of Wisdom). The iconography of these deities is rich in symbolism in itself. Each of the Dhyani Buddhas represents a direction (center, south, north, east and west), cosmic element (like form and consciousness), earthly element (ether, air, water, earth and fire), and a particular type of wisdom. Each Buddha is empowered to overcome a particular evil, such as ignorance, envy or hatred. The Five Dhyani Buddhas are generally identical in appearance, but are each represented iconographically with a particular color, mudra (hand gesture), and animal.
In the center of the mandala is an image of the chief deity, who is placed over the center dot described above. Because it has no dimensions, the center dot represents the seed or center of the universe.
Below is a video clip showing the construction of a Kalachakra Mandala in 2009.
Merry Christmas to all my readers! Christmas day is also the blog anniversary of Life of Lopsided 8! Today, LOL8 is 6 years old. A big thank you to all my readers for your support all these years! May I be able to find the inspiration to continue to blog regularly and may LOL8 be able to benefit many people who find my stories and information useful.
Our usual Christmas party with the extended family is normally held on Christmas Eve. This year, it was at my uncle's house. Not the entire entourage was present, as 2 families were overseas and another family had to attend a function.
However, the remaining of us still made up a sizable number, enough to have 2 soccer teams! Here are my good looking cousins.
The feasting begins! Here's a glimpse of some of the delicious food we had. I forgot to take photos of the desserts and some other dishes and what-nots!
Our Christmas feast includes Spicy Spaghetti, Baked Ham, Roast Chicken, Chilli Garlic La La, Special Salad, 3 types of Pizzas, Assortment of Cheese, Assortment of Sausages, Assortment of Cold Cuts and lots of Fruits, Cakes, Jelly, Pies, Chocolate, etc..etc...
Camwhoring time!
It was yet another happy gathering / reunion. I love my family, because no matter what happens, they treat you just the way you are, without prejudice and with much understanding and love. Next reunion will be Chinese New Year!
