Whoopie Pies 2nd try

Having exams this two days; Thur and Fri.

Yesterday I didnt had to do much beside helping to fold the exam papers cos they are printed on A3 paper. So need to fold into halves and then put the relevant pages together. Luckily I decided to make it yesterday. And finished it yesterday.

I wanted to make a bigger batch, 3 to be precise. So I wasnt going to make 1 batch at a time. I tripled the ingredients and made a huge batch at a go. Wow it was an eye-opener with regards to how sticky the mixture became after all are combined. It became thicker than what I made the 1st try. So I followed the steps that I took when I made it successfully the first time. Familarity with experience, I mass-cut the baking paper, lined the baking tins and then proceeded to scoop out a tablespoonful of the mixture on the baking sheet. But an unexpected outcome came about when I took out the baked whoopie from the oven.

It was humongous. Plus it didnt turn out very roundish. Cos the mixture was very viscous. It wasnt easy to scoop out a tablespoon and when it was on the baking sheet. It didnt spread out much. So that accounted for the thick and odd-shaped whoopies. On the first try, cos the mixture was a little bit less viscous, so during baking, it spreaded outwards and I ended up with very nice rounds. But this batch, taste better, cos I up-ed the sugar. Also with such a huge batch with triple ingredients, it taste richer than before. So now I know about the effects of making seperate batch or a massive batch.

Then an accident of sort happened. My butter which I placed on the workstation was too near to the oven. The heat radiated melted the butter. Shit! Luckily my collegue can drive and we drove out during lunch and got 2 bars of butter. Extra cost dammit! Then I proceeded to make the Peanut-butter Buttercream. To the mixture which taste inbetween smooth peanut and butter, I added grounded peanut powder. And the taste improved by leaps. Then I made Matcha Buttercream. This time I added quite a bit of the matcha powder including a pack of my instant matcha milk. It turned out pretty matcha-ey indeed. Just before dismissal, I just finished up to this stage.

After dismissal, I went back upstairs to continue. I painstakingly spread the buttercream onto the whoopie pies and they resemble hamburgers. Then to make sure I used up all the buttercream, I spread them and then had re-open them to add even more. After that, I had to individually wrap up each of them in plastic. Then I put them in a bigger zip lock bag and put them all in the freezer. So only when want to eat, then take out and let it thaw. I did eat one of each. I was surprised that the whoopie is very thick. And the peanut butter can cover the taste of the cocoa whoopie. But towards the end of the whoopie, I can taste it again. The matcha ones, the matcha complements the cocoa whoopies very well. So I would advise eating the matcha ones first then eating the peanut ones.

Luckily finished making everything yesterday. Cos today, they asked us to help them do marking. It meant our planned extended long long lunch went down the drain. Cos I've finished making so that meant I dont have to stay back late today to make. Just bring home and store in freezer. I think I still have 34 humongous whoopies. Will bring some back home for family, some for tomorrow. And the remainder, I think I would cut into quarters (due to the size) and leave for collegues to finish for me. Too much of it, also cant finish also no point.

Just got my new I-phone 4 and the whole lot of troubles

My sister handed me my brand new I-phone 4 near midnight, after she came home. I had just only finished bathing and brushing teeth. Just logging onto internet to check on stocks and stuff.

THEN I got to start updating the phone. First disaster, I drop the bloody small SIM card and had to dig around my table area searching frantically for it. At the same time, my dad's irritating questions that always almost seem to pop out at the most unopportune timing. He asked me about stock prices while I was trying to find the SIM card. Obviously I told him I got something else more important to do. My sister logged on and checked the prices for him instead. Geez.

Finally my sister spotted the SIM on my chair instead of the floor. No wonder cant find. Then I had to down-load I-tunes. Obviously I have not been updating it. Plus I was using my sister's laptop. Installed I-tunes and used hers to rip some CDs into my I-Touch. Obviously I cant do it on mine cos the CD-drive was busted.

Then I switched on my sister's super slow laptop to try to install the new version of I-Tunes. And after more than 1/2hr of failed installation attempts then I realized why exactly I couldnt do so. Cos she set up 2 logins and I didnt have adminstrator rights... wanted to ask her but she feel asleep.

K du lan already. I go my laptop and download the I-Tunes which didnt take long. The installation did. The syncing did. Cos obviously my files are all in my sister's laptop. So if I just sync, would lose my data. So doing dunno what sorta of syncing now and its taking bloody long. Plus I need to update the new operating software. And this is just only for I-Touch. What about the I-Phone? Obviously cant do much now with it except to wait and see how the stupid syncing procedure turned out....

So sleepy. Now alread 1.24am. Had a full day. Had assignment....

A sense of aimlessness

Dunno why this feeling of 'aimlessness' is coming back. Its like are there better things to be doing with my time. Especially the weekends. Stay home, watch videos and sleep are not that productive....

This could partly be the stopping of the exercise routine, hence more 'time' on hand plus I was sick for about 2 weeks and assignment stopped for almost a month. So with the extra time on hand, without much to do, I do question 'where' exactly am I heading towards? What am I building for myself?

I have resumed the Gym routine this week. So far, I've clocked in twice. Today later in the late afternoon, I shall aim for the 3rd which is pure cardio. Hope to keep to it consistently. Its really tough to start again once one stops.

Could also be the fact that almost hitting the big 3 soon plus see friends getting married. I am heading nowhere in that aspect. Not that marriage would be the instant step to happiness but its a progression somehow 'more forward'. I am stuck in this stage for now. Guess its the concept of a soul-mate that is appealing but going nowhere there.

But I guess mostly it comes about from the ageing. As one gets older, wish to 'move forward in life'. Somehow. The prospect of a lonely life gets more and more of a certainity. Yet one can never not be lonely. Even when surrounded by family and friends, the feeling of loneliness doesnt completely leave. The simple fact is that no one else can exactly understand completely what are the thoughts and worries in our head. Unless we voice it out, even so, not everyone can completely comprehend it to your perspective.

Also when one gets older, then start wondering, what achievements are there that I've achieved. Looking back, there are definitely triumphs and loss yet none are outstanding enough to reckon recognition. Definitely not in the millionaire grade nor the wealthy, nor achieve fame. But is that what I want? Definitely much more money is something but that doesnt explain everything...

Then one realises that's what LIFE is about.

Hmm this could just mean that I've once again been covered by the 'dust from daily life' that I hadnt had the time enough to brush off. Think the coming holiday in late Dec, I shall take a short time-out to rejuvenate.

Whoopie cake 1st try

A whoopie cake is like a cake-version of the macarons. Imagine two 3-4cm diameter cake shells that sandwiches the cream filling. I had a rather successful run making it on Friday. The only hic-cup is the Matcha buttercream (round 3) which didnt turn out fluffy enough...

I put them together and cut into halves and left on the table for collegues shortly before I left. I did taste one. I think its pretty good except it wasnt that sweet. So I could consider tweaking the recipe to make it sweeter, either the cake shells or the filling. Both werent that sweet which is actually fine with me.
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Still havent gone about gym yet. I think I shall make a last ditch try today - Sunday. I am a bit tempted to go down for the Anime thingy cos yesterday we didnt go. See how...

One more week of lax before I resume the assignment, which is twice-weekly. Its very hard to start once one stops the routine. Lost the momentum. Hard to regain. Both mind and body are weak.

I went out alone on Friday. After the whoopie cake making, I left at 5pm and went home to change first. Didnt know what to do so I took but 143 all the way to Orchard. Cos I didnt want to squeeze with rush hour crowd on the mrt. Reached Orchard and I walked towards Scape. Used toilet and walk over to Cathay. Was thinking of catching a movie if the timing allows. Ate Mee Hoon Kueh plus very delicious Guo Tie from the basement food court. Was too full to consider BFF - best fries forever. Feeling full and warm after the soupy dinner, I walked over to Paragon to get some drinks. In the end, felt tired and not up for a movie. In the Jasons Marketplace, it was very very Christmasy. Lots of Christmas goodies and chocs and drinks. Its where one really realize that Christmas is coming and the mood is there. After that, I took a bus home again.

Yesterday was a nice trip out. Just that I felt tired at certain points. Think the lack of exercise is affecting my stamina. More a reason to start. The new place we tried out "Strictly Pancakes" serves very good pancakes. Also I bought about 4 Cds. I did change SGD at a pretty high rate of RM$2.385 and thus fatten my malaysian wallet further. Also guitar lesson was better, at least I could understand some stuff. We'll be switching to electric guitar at the end of this set of 4 lessons.

Dinner though was kinda disappointing cos the food was really just like 'canned' or 'ready-made' style. Nothing memorable and it was mediocre. Plus it was pricey. My set dinner cost $11.90 for a drink, a stew (with rice and fries) and I added on a medium fries also. So the stew reminds me of canned soup and I think they put in 'leftover' or 'extra' ingredients that come from their other mains like hotdogs and chicken chop. The rice was pretty good, which is some rice with mushroom and cooked with a sauce. The fries were normal. I ordered the funky and healthy "beetroot with honey" and its not bad. But I would not consider eating there again. Not a good value proposition. Felt tired after that, think lack of stamina. We walked around a bit more before I left to take a bus. I actually dozed and slept on the bus journey. Woke a few times to check that I didnt miss the stop. Reached home around 10.20pm. Took a bath, brushed teeth and slept.

Again I woke up at the ungodly time of 7.30am without alarm clocks at all. Its irritating cos I really wanna sleep more on weekends but my body clock is really tuned to my working hours. Now I am hungry, havent eaten breakfast yet. Think I shall go over to eat something.

Pan cakes _ Vanilla Ice Cream

After a long stand-still... today I got about to making some pan-cakes during my free period. Since I've finished my solo lessons for today, I had a free period and I decided to cook instead. I dont really know HOW a nice pancake taste like or look like, so its a hard to decide how long to cook it. So though they didnt turn out fluffy or thick, they are chewy. Still have some leftover flour, think I will try to make some with less milk so its less liquid. But its not rising much... hmm have to research more about 'making pancake mix from scratch'.

Which brings me to the newly opened shop near my guitar school, called "Simply Pancakes". Think I need to visit it to check out what and how a good pancake should look and taste like. There's an anime convenction of sort this weekend. Dont think I will go for the concert... see how after guitar this sat. Still need lunch after that.

Then since after meeting still got some time, I spent it cleaning up and cutting up the "chocolate chip pancakes" and serving it downstairs for collegues. Then while watching my collegue, cos now I am free-er after work cos of not starting assignment yet also have been skipping gym...

... so I asked if she would be taking some more time, so I can go and try out the 'Amateurish Ice-cream'. The last 2 weeks, I have been freezing many ice-cubes at work so used them and did a 'Vanilla Ice Cream' but cos didnt really massage it for too long plus maybe too little salt used... so its still more liquidy. So I poured the fluffy melted-ice-cream style liquid into a container and seal and put in the freezer. See how it turns out at tomorrow.

Nothing much else... I am trying to 'jump-start' the gym going and more stuff which I dropped after being sickly for 2 weeks. So hard to get started...

Still have several new recipes to try out. Also still have to do re-match with macarons... also thinking of pairing macarons with tiramisu cos one uses alot of egg white, the other uses only egg yolks.

Suddenly dunno what to do with myself

Its just 2 weeks of having more free time cos assignments ended for now. I actually said "No" to money. My ex-collegue sms me just one week after the assignment ended to ask if tuition would resume. I sms her back that I intend to take a break and also I was still sick then. Yes, so I do say "No' to money coming my way. Think I needed the break plus too sick to consider others.

So thanks to being sickly for 2 weeks, I have stopped going to gym. No assignments. So that meant I spent numerous hours at home. Quite a lot in bed sleeping. But still not very productive. Maybe due to this, I am started to feel quite bored and at a loss of what to do with the time I have on hand. Cant seem to find anything else much to do at home that would alleviate the feeling. Maybe its due to almost 3 weeks of just work-home and not much heading out. On the other hand, I must say I would have saved quite a bit of money by leading this type of low-expense life for almost a month.

Ironically I didnt lose weight due to illness. Did affect my appetite a bit but when at home, just eat and sleep. So no loss... Due to being unwell for two weeks, didnt try any cooking experiment at work place. Ya think many things came to a stand-still.

Hmm the stock market seems to be heading up. I am waiting in particular for one counter which hasnt moved up to do so, so that I can do my trading and sell for profits. The other stocks that have gained, I dont have so many lots in the first place, so those have to wait and see if they go higher. Only 2 months left until book-closing. Still havent hit the $15k target... Hmm but I dont want to just sell now to realize immediate profit cos the potential for more may lie a few months down the road. Oh well, if by Dec, at most leave that for next year's profits then. Its just a sort of accounting. Not really set in stone.

Pale and sickly

Hmm this week I have been quite stoned and sedated at work. Rather unproductive. After catching something last Monday or so and then seeing the doc on Thur. I have spent many hours lying in bed, hoping to recover quickly. It didnt help that last week, my temper wasnt that good cos of sickness. But after the whole stay-in weekend, still wasnt well on Monday.

Kept having relapse daily of headache and cough and feeling very sickly. I would lie in bed sweating like crazy but still suffer daily relapses. I start off the day feeling normal but by early afternoon, start getting the symptoms again. I tried to sleep it off, really sweated buckets but still not completely well.

Tuesday I asked for permission to leave earlier just before cca cos dont feel good. Went to see a doc in the evening. Got mc that I used on Wed. Its my first mc since I've started. I spent majority of Wed sleeping in bed, sweating buckets again. Only in the later evening, I had to make my way for guitar make-up cos this sat session, the instructor cant make it. I was quite stoned then and again not getting some stuff left me quite frustrated. I guess bo bian since I didnt practice much since I was lying sickly in bed most of the other days this week. Reached home and just slept and slept.

Today is much better. So far no relapse but just feeling weak in general. Collegues said I look sickly n pale.with blue lips. I looked at myself in the mirror after that. True enough, I looked quite pale. So far I just finished the day with cca. Even made myself do some strokes with a couple of students. Man that's tiring. But at least so far no relapse. 

Hope to recover enough to resume gym going. Completely came to a stop since last Monday. Dont believe in pushing myself especially when genuinely unwell. Hope to be able to go out also. Quite a few weekend of staying home. Quite boring and unproductive. Also better be well enough to practice guitar more dilligently... really hate to be frustrated.

Still sickly???

On Sat, after guitar, my flu flared up. The weather was wet and cold, so I ate a soupy lunch. Managed to walk over to the Cathay before I gave up and headed home. Was still well enough to reach home before it flared up.

I spent the entire Sat lying in bed, sweating non-stop and dozing off and waking. But still not concuss type. Sun was better already. I deferred gym and just stayed at home. Was feeling pretty good until near dinner. Somehow got a bit nausea so ate just a light dinner.

This morning, I was back to normal but until 2 plus, started to stone again. I could feel that it's not fatique but like another flu relapse type of grogginess. Reached home and stayed home. By 7pm, am back to having slight headache forming. Cough with lots of phelghm while bathing. Felt better after coughing and spitting them away. Ate my meds and am trying to let the body rest. If no improvement, am seeing the docs again. Might need stronger anti-biotics. A dull headache is forming at my forehead, the meds managed to dull the ache. Will try to sleep soon.