The Inspirational Blog Award

Recently, a blogger friend, Sie of the Philippines gave me a very pleasant surprise by awarding me  the "Inspirational Blog Award".  According to her the award is made "basically for sites on my own opinion have Touched Lives". Thank you so much, Sie, for your kind words. It's a surprise that my blog is among the ones you mentioned. If I'm allowed to add another recipient, definitely you're the one who well-deserved it.

I find that Sie's blog "A Life's Journey" is so inspiring with many posts about life.  At one stage, I even thought that she's a counsellor! I love reading her posts which boost so much inspiration and motivation. Check out  A Life's Journey.

The award came along with "Eight Easy Tag Questions" (according to her) but which aren't seem too easy for me! Anyway, it would be great joining in the fun of being tagged.

Here are my sincere answers. Let's look at the questions one by one.


1. What can make you laugh, smile or giggle?
There are many things that can make me do so but among all, I enjoy tremendously my conversation with someone very close to me who can be very hilarious, sometimes, that I just can't help laughing, smiling and giggling!

2.  What are your dreams for your future?
I have many dreams but on top list is to travel the world and speak Spanish correctly if not fluently.

3.  If you were to go to a cruise, where would it be and why?
It would be to New Zealand because it's a very beautiful country.

4.  How would you spend your vacation time and with whom?
Going for a vacation would free my mind from work. Therefore, I would love to have some quiet, quality time with the love of my life; soaking up the sun, watching sunset, admiring the moon, stars gazing and listening to nature's melody - birds singing, crickets chanting and waterfall cascading. It would  be a great moment together when both of us are disconnected from the internet!

5.  If given the chance, what life would you choose? Your new life or your past?
Let me say it this way. I would cherish the sweet moments in my past life and move on with the present. Definitely, the new life is my choice because I feel I'm moving towards better directions.

6.  Is there something you wished before when you were young but you didn't get it?
Let me answer from a different perspective as I'm not going to touch on the material side of it. Well, when I was a little girl I wished so much that I could swim instead of just watching my friends swimming like ducks! I didn't have and still don't have the ability to swim. If you were to take me anywhere for a swim, make sure the float is provided for this big girl!

7.  Have you been in a situation where you might have given up but you chose to move on?
Yes, many times and it was really a test to my patience.  The other side of my mind told me not to be defeated so easily. Instead of dwelling in it, I chose to move on.

8.  Is there someone in your life your source of strength and inspiration?
My late dad is my source of strength and inspiration. He had the qualities of a man who was strong enough to face the odds apart from being so hardworking to ensure his family had enough for daily needs. He was also a very patient man who looked positively at trials of life and worked towards resolving them.


That are the answers to the tags. I hope, Sie, in particular is happy with it. Once again, I would like to say a big THANK YOU to her for kindly choosing me to receive this beautiful and meaningful award.

My Top 10 (Weird) Favourite Food List - Tagged By Essie

I keep on thinking that I still owe Essie a tag which had not been put up here. It had been "haunting" me because I couldn't do a write-up on it at the soonest. Furthermore, I don't like to let my friends down. Essie tagged me  a couple of weeks back and it takes such a long time for the answers to appear here. Sorry about it, Essie. I might not have all 10 weird food but I'm thinking of  listing what my 10 favourite food are.

Here we go at random :

#1

Cold dish consisting of  "fish fingers",  salted jelly fish , crab rolls and prawn cake has always been one of my favourites.  Cold dish is always the first one to be served  every time we have dinner at the local hotel. And this one was served on a small "junk" and off we went "sailing" away our hunger pangs!

I'm giving weird names such as "fish fingers" and salted jelly fish.  What type of fish have fingers?!? Actually, it's made of fish meat mixed with flour and spices and formed into thin long pieces like fingers.  It is fried before served.  Whereas salted jelly fish is made from jelly fish that can be eaten. Before serving, the jelly fish has to be soaked in water to get rid of its saltiness. It is then sliced thinly and mixed with lemon juice, chillies, big onions, nuts and a little bit of sugar. It really tastes good! Over here,  jelly fish is commercialised.

#2

I can't resist the crunchiness of baby kailan (vegetables) fried with squids and oyster sauce. Fried onions and chillies are used to decorate it.

(Oops! Sorry, when I took the photo, I forgot to wipe the spilled sauce at the side of the plate.)

#3

Sea cucumber soup  is said to contain medicinal value.  I like the soup because of its taste. It is prepared using sea cucumber mixed with spices and thicken with eggs and corn flour.


#4

This is roasted chicken with prawn crackers. The chicken is roasted with 5 types of spices. It tastes better when dip into a sauce of 5 spices and dash of salt mixed with lime juice.

#5

The fish is called "ikan sultan", literally translated  the "king fish". It is steamed with many types of herbs and spices and served on a warmer with lighted candle under it. So, it's sizzling on the table.

#6

 

If you like Japanese sushi, I presume you would like this dish of "umai", Melanau sushi.  I am from the Melanau ethnic and this is one of our traditional food. It's made from raw fish, preferably high quality mackerel and pomfret, which are cut into thin slices and mixed with lemon or lime juice, a little bit of salt, big and small onions, chillies, ginger and coriander leaves.  Chill the "umai" before taking it with rice or sago pellets.

#7

Taking this dish would make the body warm. It is duck's meat cooked with "kacang ma", a type of herb. Other ingredients are ginger, garlic, pepper, onions and salt. Women in confinement like to take this dish.

#8

Mutton in black pepper tastes good but have to watch out for its high cholesterol level. I avoid taking the fatty part of it because of its "goaty" smell.

#9

This is Malaysian's favourite. It's called satay which is made of chicken meat or beef mixed with spices and skewed into a thin stick.  Before barbecuing it, it is marinated over night.  Satay is taken with peanut gravy (on the right).


#10

Lastly, this is longan and jelly in syrup. Ice cubes are added to chill it. It's really refreshing!

I hope no one is drooling but I am! If you wish to taste these mouth-watering food, come over to Malaysia.

To Essie, thank you for the tag and I hope you are satisfied with my answers. :)

* Acknowledgement : The photo of "umai" is borrowed from http://wikitravel/org/en/Sarawak
The rest are mine but poorly taken. I need to upgrade my knowledge in photography.

Do check out Essie's blog at http://sofreakinhuge.blogspot.com/