2014 Year-in Review

2014, what an extraordinary year. The year has been literally a roller coaster, climbing to the climax in the middle of the year and rushed deep down towards the end of the year. Thanks to everything I faced, everyone I met, and every decision I made and thanks to my strong heart for surviving this year. 2014 might not be be easiest year I've been through, but it's definitely the most meaningful year I've had so far. It's the 1st year after my 20th birthday and it's there were so many first experiences I had this year. I am more than grateful to spend these moment with these special people. So, I shall dedicate this post to thank these people for these memorable moments.

January:

1st internship: The healthiest 3 months I've had in my life: daily workout and free scrumptious staff meal, the only cost is waking up at 5 daily to commute. =/

Last day of internship. oh, the happy faces.. =DDD

February:

1st year celebrating CNY with only my family (and no reunion dinner for me T.T): Spent the new year at a different country, though we chose a wrong place but the time spent together with my family was priceless.

Happy Chinese New Year! but first let us take a selfie

1st rock climbing experience: It was random, but a nice experience! and I brought back a scar on my calf as a souvenir.

March:

1st concert: No words to describe. It will always have a special place in my heart.

Sodagreen Walk Together 2014 last station: Kuala Lumpur! <3 nbsp="" p="">

April/May

1st project with an industry partner: Simplyd Pasta Project! You know well enough what this is if you've been following me. =) One of the best experiences of the year.

June

21st!! From pre-birthday to not-so-surprise birthday celebration to the biggest surprise at night, I am grateful to have all of you. =''] oh, thanks for the very belated birthday gift too! xoxo

Larger surprise than the actual birthday surprise. Thanks chefs for the great night!

Actual day! You guys need to go for acting class, I'm serious. but again, thanks guys! xoxo muacks muacks
p/s where were you Ms Chong?

aww, another pleasant surprise. Thanks Blue for the honey stars, how thoughtful are you. <3 comment-3--="" nbsp="">

From my dearest family even though they were across the sea. Thanks Uncle Jimmy for being the messenger!

Another thoughtful gift from my bestie! Hanli and Meiling, when can we meet? 

July/August

1st oversea stay for more than a week: Highlight of the year, summer in Korea! Countless of first encounter during my three weeks there: food, people, places...... Happiest time of the year, right, waiting alone for the bus under the typhoon and clothes being burnt by the drier totally count. =X

September

1st class trip: It finally happened in semester 5! It felt so warm to spend my mid-autumn with my second family.

October

1st broken phone: my precious phone.. T.T

bam! and so the bad luck streak began....

1st cross-border trip by train: Yet another thrilling experience when your trip started with you almost missing the flight. Yeap, luckily we made it and had a blast. 

Bye Thailand, hi Malaysia!

November

1st 'broken bone': Never in my life had I encountered any medical problems nor serious injuries. It sure hit me hard when I got to know I am now suffering from spondylosis. Yes, even sneezing is a luxury to me now..

Ouch! it really hurts when I bend down.. =( Source: healthdrip.com

December

1st breakdown/showdown with the class: The air pressure in the class was getting really really low, I could hardly breathe anymore. Sometimes, nothing happen doesn't mean there's no problem. Maybe I was too sensitive but it had affected me for a few days until the emotions finally settled in. Anyway, I still treasure you guys and I hope this incident could bring us more united as a class. Cheers!

I love you, you love me, we are happy BS3

2014 was indeed the most happening year I've had. Went through the best and the worst in a year, it did trigger a huge growth in me. Looking back, the good memories still outnumbered the bad ones. That said, I shall move on, ready to create more memorable stories and not let the bad memories haunt me. 

I know it doesn't sound like me but I really want to take this chance to thank all of you who walk me through my hardships. Daddy, mummy, and Cherry who came in relay when I was at the verge of breaking down. My other family members who worried for me when I encountered those problems. Dr Chong, for being my mentor and motivation to keep going. Team ACE for always standing by me and BS3 for the happy and tense moment we've been through as a class. GPS for being a great travelling buddy. Hanli, Meiling, Xinyu and others, thank you for being my friend and sorry for not keeping in touch with you guys, I'm a bad friend. >< To the friends I met in Korea, you guys are great and I learnt so many new things from all of you. Finally, thank you my Culinology family for being so awesome. =) Let's strive for a better 2015! 

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

Dong

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Late night rant: What's the very criterion of an authentic food?

So I read about this news report about banning foreign workers as the main cook in hawker stalls just now. Content is roughly about how government of Penang is considering to ban the employment of foreigners as the main cook in hawker stalls in order to protect their food heritage. 

First off, kudos to the effort of preserving the food heritage! Penang has a state government I really look up to, from the efforts of conserving environment, to providing free wi-fi all over the state, to now, preserving the food heritage. Many of my friends are so excited about this that it flushed other feeds in my news feed.

I get it, this is to ensure that our culture will not be 'polluted' by foreign cultures, but isn't it too fast to celebrate? I mean, what about the food? Yes, my concern here is just the food! Why care about the cook when food is the culture/heritage itself?!

For me, to preserve the food heritage, the taste must at least to be maintained. I want the authenticity of the food to be preserved! I don't care who's behind cooking the dish, be it a foreigner or a local. I know many would argue that the heritage is not only about the food, there's a whole lot more, the history, the ambiance, including how is it prepared and served. So, of course the cook is an important factor. But now, let's say you're given two dishes: 

1. Sarawak Kuching laksa cooked by a local Kuchingite but tastes like curry laksa, with fish balls  as the condiments dafuq?
2. Kuching laksa that reminds you of 古早味 but cooked by a 'kakak'

I know both are a bit offsetting, but this is what's happening now. Anyway, I'll go for option 2. In fact, I'd be even happy because see, even a foreigner can master the essence of the dish, at least the dish won't go 'extinct'.. don't mind me, just me being 'ah Q' .. 

But yeah, shouldn't us be sad that even foreigners can cook our traditional dish better than locals? And that's why the Penang government is thinking of implementing this policy. This is like indirectly admitting that the younger generations are just a bunch of incompetent fellas who don't even appreciate their culture.

But even still, should the taste be compromised? I just couldn't get over it. I can't accept the fact that our food being 'polluted' by foreign or some funny elements. I get that chances are the foreign cook don't understand the food enough and couldn't execute the dish. But most of the time, what I got was those innovative locals trying to be creative and ruin the dish. If that's the case, I'd rather have a kakak cooking what is being taught. 

So what's your take on this? I'm eager to see the Penang government coming out with a satisfying resolution. =)

Good night,

Dong

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Wolf in the Dangerous World 危险世界的“狼”

最近，才子方大同、韦礼安不约而同发新专辑，我也不禁把两张专辑拿来比较。后发现两张专辑竟是如此连贯。脑海中忽然浮出这画面的我就迫不及待地把它画下来。

在我作画的同时，飞来一道晴天霹雳的消息--首相宣布失踪多日的MH370在印度洋坠毁，幸存者为0。罹难者的家人是何等心情，我完全无法想像。当媒体都在抨击大马政府这种“不负责任”的行为的时侯，台湾政府强制驱离反服贸协议的民众，无视司法程序的行为又是有多负责任。当然，这也只是我单方面的看法，相信马/台政府也是经过多方考虑才下的决定。但人们最终只愿意选择相信自己想听的。

在我看来，在这乌烟瘴气，人心险恶，危机重重的危险世界里，人们为了保护自己珍惜的一切，不惜付出任何代价。而这种种行为却使人不自觉地变成了“狼” *pun intended*。

然而，狼的内心又有多少恐惧？对改变/未知的恐惧，对于贪念的恐惧，对于爱无法及时传递的恐惧，对于自己处于绝望时代的恐惧。为了逃避、掩盖这些恐惧，人们选择伪装成狼。最终发现，互相伤害的大家都只不过是披着狼皮的一群迷途羔羊。

所以，大家可不可以脱掉那层狼皮，脱掉伪装，与恐惧正面突破，真心对待每个人事物，把这危险世界变成美好世界？

真心期待这一天的到来。

peace,

東

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