Chạo tôm

CHẠO TÔM

Nguyên liệu:

2 lbs (khoảng 1kg) tôm tươi, bóc vỏ, làm sạch

1 tsp muối

5 tbs nước mắm

2 tbs dầu olive

1 tsp tiêu

3 hoặc 4 tép tỏi tươi

2 củ hành khô (hành tím)

3 tsp đường

1 lon mía, chẻ nhỏ (nếu có mía tươi thì càng tốt)

Cách làm:

1. Trộn tôm với muối rồi sàng tôm một lúc cho đến khi thấy chất nhớt sủi bọt.

2. Rửa sạch lại tôm bằng nước lạnh rồi dùng khăn giấy vặt tôm vừa ráo.

3. Trộn đều tôm với tất cả các gia vị nói trên.

4. Bỏ tôm vào ngăn đá khoảng 2 tiếng.

5. Lấy tôm ra để cho tan đá. Xay tôm bằng từng mẻ nhỏ đến khi vừa nhuyễn.

6. Thoa một ít dầu ăn lên tay cho trơn, rồi dùng tay nặn tôm bọc quanh nhánh mía.

CA Winter 2009 297

CA Winter 2009 303 CA Winter 2009 301

7. Cho chạo tôm vào xửng hấp khoảng 5-10’, tùy theo độ dày của tôm quanh mía.

CA Winter 2009 307

8. Khi sẵn sàng ăn, chiên hoặc nướng tôm cho phần ngoài vàng đều.

CA Winter 2009 312CA Winter 2009 316

Chúc cả nhà ăn ngon!! ^^

Porcini Mushroom Soup

Info

* Course: Hot Appetizer, Main Course
* Total Time: Under 2 Hours
* Skill Level: Easy
* Cost: Moderate
* Favorited: 12 Times


Can be made ahead of time.

This hearty Italian country soup is full of deep, earthy goodness.

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 20 mins, plus soaking
Cooking Time: 1 hr, plus standing
Ingredients

* 1oz (30g) dried porcini mushrooms
* 11/3 cups boiling water
* 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
* 2 onions, finely chopped
* 2 celery stalks with leaves, finely chopped
* 4oz (115g) cremini mushrooms, sliced
* 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
* 2 tsp chopped rosemary
* 1 tsp chopped thyme
* 3 cups vegetable stock
* one 14.5oz (411g) can chopped tomatoes, drained
* salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 4 cups diced day-old crusty bread

Directions

Prepare ahead

The soup can be made through step 3, then cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat, then add the bread.

1. Combine the dried porcini and boiling water in a small bowl. Let stand for 30 minutes. Drain through a fine sieve, reserving the soaking liquid. Coarsely chop the soaked mushrooms.

2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the celery and cook 5 minutes more, until the celery is tender. Stir in the mushrooms, garlic, rosemary, and thyme and cook until the mushrooms soften, about 5 minutes more.

3. Add the stock, tomatoes, and the soaked mushrooms and their liquid. Bring to a boil over high heat. Return the heat to medium-low and simmer for 45 minutes.

4. Stir in the bread. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes. Stir well so the bread can break up and thicken the soup. Spoon into deep bowls, drizzle each serving with olive oil, and serve hot.

Variation

Fresh Porcini Soup

Replace the dried porcini with 4oz (115g) fresh porcini. Do not soak them; instead, slice and add them to the soup along with the cremini mushrooms. You will need an extra cup of vegetable stock.

Notes

Nutritional Benefits: low fat, low GI

Freezing Information:freeze, without the bread, for up to 3 months Good with bowls of spiced olives, and crusty bread.

Caesar Salad

Info

* Course: Main Course
* Total Time: Under 30 Minutes
* Skill Level: Easy
* Cost: Inexpensive
* Favorited: 3 Times

Anchovies help to give this classic salad its traditional flavor, but they can be omitted from the dressing if preferred
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 2 mins
Ingredients

* 2 garlic cloves, minced into a purèe
* 2 anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained and finely chopped
* ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
* 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
* 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
* freshly ground black pepper
* 2 small heads of romaine lettuce
* 1 cup croutons
* 2 large eggs
* ½ cup Parmesan cheese, shaved or grated

Directions

1. To make the dressing, mash the garlic and anchovies together to make a thick paste. Scrape into a screw-top jar, add the olive oil, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper to taste. Shake until well blended and thick. Set aside.

2. To assemble the salad, tear the lettuce into bite-sized pieces and toss with the croûtons in a salad bowl. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, add the eggs, and boil gently 2 minutes, no longer. Drain and rinse well with cold water.

3. Crack open the eggs, scoop over the lettuce and toss. Shake the dressing well, pour over the salad, and toss again. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve at once.

Variation

Chicken Caesar Salad

For a more substantial dish, add chunks or shreds of chicken. To make your own croûtons, toss cubed French bread with olive oil, spread on a baking sheet, and bake in a preheated 350°F (180°C) oven about 12 minutes, or until golden.

Notes

Good with all barbecued meats. It is also good served as a first course or lunch with chunks of French bread.

Carrot and Orange Salad

Info

* Course: Cold Appetizer, Side Dish
* Total Time: Under 30 Minutes
* Skill Level: Easy
* Cost: Inexpensive
* Favorited: 5 Times


Can be made ahead of time.

This light, multicolored salad is good as an accompaniment to hot or cold meats, or served alongside a sandwich

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 20 mins
Ingredients

* 2 large carrots
* 2 large navel oranges
* 1 fennel bulb
* 1 bunch watercress

* 3 tbsp fresh orange juice
* 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
* 1 tsp honey
* 3 tbsp olive oil
* 3 tbsp vegetable oil
* salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2 tsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted

Directions

For the dressing

Prepare ahead

The salad can be refrigerated in a covered bowl for up to 6 hours. Toss the fennel in a lemon juice to prevent discoloration Dress and toss just before serving.

1. Trim and peel the carrots. Use a vegetable peeler to make long, thin strips of the entire carrot.

2. Cut away the peel and pith from the oranges. Working over a bowl, cut between the membranes to release the orange segments. Trim the fennel and thinly slice. Remove any tough stalks from the watercress. Combine the carrot, orange, fennel, and watercress in a serving bowl.

3. To make the dressing, whisk together the juices and honey. Gradually whisk in the oils. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad mixture, sprinkle with the sesame seeds, and serve.

Dulce de Leche

Info

* Course: Dessert
* Total Time: Under 4 Hours
* Skill Level: Easy
* Cost: Inexpensive
* Favorited: 4 Times


Can be made ahead of time.

Apple Yogurt Compote

Info

* Course: Dessert
* Total Time: Under 2 Hours
* Skill Level: Easy
* Cost: Inexpensive
* Favorited: 1 Time


Can be made ahead of time.

Served hot, warm, or cold, this is the simplest of desserts.

Yield: makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 35–40 mins
Ingredients

* 2½ lb (1.2kg) Cortland or Jonathan apples
* 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
* 1/3 cup apple juice
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions

Prepare ahead

The compote can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

1. Reserve half an apple for garnish. Peel, core, and thinly slice the remaining apples. Place the slices in a saucepan and sprinkle with the lemon juice as they are cut.

2. Add the apple juice and sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the liquid comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, about 35 minutes, or until the apples are reduced to a sauce.

3. Let cool slightly. Rub through a sieve to make a smooth purèe.

4. Divide the purèe among four glasses. Top with the cream. Thinly slice the remaining apple and garnish the compotes with the apple slices. Serve warm or chilled.

Notes

Nutritional Benefits:low fatGood with ice cream, cream, or evaporated milk instead of the whipped cream.

Leftovers can be served alongside pork chops, or eaten as a snack.

Mushroom Risotto

Info

* Course: Hot Appetizer, Main Course
* Total Time: Under 1 Hour
* Skill Level: Easy
* Cost: Inexpensive
* Favorited: 33 Times

For the best results, choose a dark, richly flavored mushroom, such as cremini or portobello, to make this risotto.
Yield: makes 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 40 mins
Ingredients

* 4 tbsp vegetable oil
* 1 onion, chopped
* 2 cups arborio or carnaroli rice
* 6 cups vegetable stock or water, kept simmering
* 4 tbsp butter, diced
* 1lb (450g) cremini mushrooms, sliced
* ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 5 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Add the rice and stir for 2 minutes.

2. Gradually add the stock, about ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly, waiting until it is absorbed before adding more. Continue in this manner for 25 minutes or until the rice is barely tender and has a creamy consistency, adding water if the stock has run out.

3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes or until the mushrooms have browned and the liquid evaporates.

4. Stir the mushrooms into the rice and turn off remove from the heat. Stir in the cheese and serve immediately.

Variation

Porcini Mushroom Risotto

Cover ¾ oz (20g) dried porcini mushrooms with boiling water and let stand for 20 minutes, Strain through cheesecloth, stirring the soaking liquid into the vegetable stock. Use in addition to or in place of the cremini mushrooms. (Do not sautè the soaked dried mushrooms.)

Notes

Leftovers can be shaped into patties, coated with fine bread crumbs and pan-fried.

Gertie’s Crab Cakes

Info

* Course: Main Course
* Total Time: Under 2 Hours
* Skill Level: Easy
* Cost: Moderate
* Favorited: 9 Times


Gertie Cleary hailed from Baltimore’s Greenmount Avenue and her cooking was legendary throughout St. Ann’s parish and northeast Baltimore. Her crab cakes are my absolute favorite. I must, however, admit my bias. Gertie was my grandmother, and I grew up on these wonderful spiced morsels of crab. This recipe is in the most traditional style of Bay crab cakes. It uses as lightly spiced mixture of mayonnaise and egg, and is lightly bound together with cracker crumbs.

Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients

* 1 egg
* 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
* 1 teaspoon dry mustard
* ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 teaspoon Chesapeake Seasoning
* 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
* Dash of Tabasco Sauce
* 1 pound backfin crabmeat, picked over
* 1/3 cup saltine cracker crumbs
* Vegetable oil, for frying (optional)
* Clarified butter (see Note) and/or olive oil, for sautéing(optional)
* Tartar Sauce and lemon wedges, for accompaniment

Directions

Mix the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, pepper, Chesapeake seasoning, Worcestershire, and Tabasco together in a blender or mixing bowl until frothy. Place the crabmeat in a bowl and sprinkle on the cracker crumbs. Pour the egg mixture over the top. Gently toss or fold the ingredients together, taking care not to break up the lumps of crabmeat. Form the cakes by hand or with an ice cream scoop into 8 mounds about 3 inches in diameter and ¾ inch thick. Do not pack the mixture too firmly. The cakes should be as loose as possible, yet still hold their shape. Place the cakes on a tray or platter lined with wax paper, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cooking.

Pour oil into large skillet to a depth of about 1½ inches. Heat the oil and fry the crab cakes, a few at a time, until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Remove with a slotted utensil to paper towels to drain. Or broil the cakes: Slip them under a preheated broiler until nicely browned, turning to cook evenly, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Or sauté the cakes: Heat a small amount of clarified butter or olive oil, or a combination, in a skillet and sauté the cakes, turning several times, until golden brown, about 8 minutes total cooking time.

Serve at once, with Tartar Sauce and lemon wedges on the side.

Notes

To clarify butter, place solid unsalted butter into a heavy-bottomed pot and slowly melt over a low heat. When the butter is completely melted, remove from the heat. There will be three distinct parts of the butter remaining: a foam on the top; a clear, golden-colored liquid in the center; and a milky liquid on the bottom. The trick is to separate the golden liquid from the foam and milky solids.

First, skim off the foamy topping and discard. Next, with a small ladle, carefully remove the golden liquid to a clean, dry container, being careful not to take up any of the milky solids from the bottom. The clear, golden butter is clarified butter and is excellent for most sautéing needs.

Semolina

Info

* Course: Dessert
* Total Time: Under 15 Minutes
* Skill Level: Easy
* Cost: Inexpensive
* Favorited: 6 Times

This milk pudding is warm and comforting.
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cooking Time: 15 mins
Ingredients

* 2 cups whole milk
* ½ cup heavy cream
* 2/3 cup semolina (pasta flour)
* 1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp sugar
* 3 tbsp rose water
* 4 tsp raspberry jam, to serve
* 1 tbsp boiling water

Directions

1. Bring the milk and cream to a boil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the semolina in a steady stream, then the sugar. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat. Simmer, whisking often, for 3–4 minutes, until very thick.

2. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the rosewater. If desired, thin the pudding with more milk.

3. Divide among 4 dessert cups. Mix the jam with the boiling water and drizzle over each pudding. Serve warm.

Variation

Baked Semolina

At the end of step 2, transfer the mixture to a buttered baking dish. Bake in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Grape and Elderflower Gelatins

Info

* Course: Dessert
* Total Time: Under 4 Hours
* Skill Level: Easy
* Cost: Inexpensive
* Favorited: 0 Times


Can be made ahead of time.

Look out for delicate and fragrant elderflower liqueur or syrup.
Yield: makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 mins, plus setting
Cooking Time: 5 mins
Ingredients

* 3 tsp unflavored gelatin powder
* ½ cup elderflower liqueur
* whipped cream, for serving
* seedless green grapes, for serving

Directions

Prepare ahead

The gelatins can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

1. Sprinkle the gelatin over ½ cup water in a small bowl. Let stand about 5 minutes, or until the mixture is spongy. Place the bowl in a small frying pan of simmering water. Stir the gelatin mixture constantly until melted. Remove from the frying pan.

2. Stir 2 cups tepid water, the liqueur, and the dissolved gelatin together in a large measuring cup until combined. Divide among four 8oz (240ml) dessert glasses. Refrigerate at least 3 hours, until set. Top each with a dollop of whipped cream and some grapes, and serve chilled.

Pear and Grape Salad

Info

* Course: Cold Appetizer, Dessert, Side Dish
* Total Time: Under 4 Hours
* Skill Level: Easy
* Cost: Inexpensive
* Favorited: 3 Times


Can be made ahead of time.

You don't often think of adding cucumber to sweet dishes, but it works perfectly in this exotic fruit salad.

Yield: makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 5–6 mins
Ingredients

* 1 cucumber
* 2 lemongrass stalks
* 1/3 cup granulated or raw sugar
* 2 ripe red-skinned pears
* 1 cup green seedless grapes
* 1 cup red seedless grapes
* ¼ cup packed small mint leaves

Directions

Prepare ahead

The salad can be refrigerated up to 2 days in advance.

1. Trim the ends from the cucumber. Cut in half lengthwise. Using a teaspoon, scoop out and discard the seeds, and thinly slice. Cut the bottom 4in (10cm) from each lemongrass stalk, and discard the tops. Discard the tough outer leaves from the lemongrass. Halve the lemongrass lengthwise and smash with a rolling pin.

2. Bring the lemongrass, sugar, and a scant 1 cup of water to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the cucumber. Let cool.

3. Discard the lemongrass. Quarter and core the pears, and slice into thin wedges. Transfer to a serving bowl and add the green and red grapes, cucumber, and syrup. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to chill. Sprinkle with the mint leaves and serve chilled.

Bok Choy with Oyster Sauce

Info

* Course: Vegetable
* Total Time: Under 15 Minutes
* Skill Level: Easy
* Cost: Inexpensive
* Favorited: 8 Times

Baby bok choy look more attractive but regular bok choy can be used if cut crosswise into thick slices first
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 5 mins
Ingredients

* 1lb 2oz (500g) baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
* ½ cup chicken stock
* 3 tbsp oyster sauce
* 1 tbsp soy sauce
* 1 tbsp rice wine or dry sherry
* pinch of sugar
* 2 tsp cornstarch
* 1 tbsp vegetable oil
* one 1in (2.5cm) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and shredded
* 2 garlic cloves, chopped

Directions

Prepare ahead

Step 1 can be completed several hours in advance

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, add the bok choy, and blanch for 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold water to preserve the bright green color of the leaves. Gently squeeze each bok choy to remove excess water.

2. Mix together the stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle in the cornstarch and stir until dissolved. Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 15 seconds. Add the bok choy and stir-fry for 1 minute.

3. Add the stock mixture and stir until the sauce has thickened and coats the bok choy. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot.

Notes

Special Equipment:wok

Good with a variety of Chinese dishes. This also makes a good side dish alongside grilled meat or fish.

Ratatouille

Info

* Course: Vegetable
* Total Time: Under 1 Hour
* Skill Level: Easy
* Cost: Inexpensive
* Favorited: 11 Times


Can be made ahead of time.

This popular Mediterranean dish is delicious hot or cold
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 40 mins
Ingredients

* ¼ cup olive oil
* 1 onion, chopped
* 1 zucchini, sliced
* 1 small eggplant, about 8oz (225g), cut into 1in (2.5cm) cubes
* 1 red bell pepper, seeded, cored, and cut into 1in (2.5cm) pieces
* 1 garlic clove, chopped
* 2/3 cup vegetable stock
* one 14.5oz (411g) can chopped tomatoes
* 2 tsp chopped oregano, plus sprigs for garnish
* salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large casserole over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft and transparent. Stir in the zucchini, eggplant, red pepper, and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.

2. Add the stock, tomatoes with their juices, and the chopped oregano and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and partially cover the pan. Simmer about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender.

3. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately, garnished with oregano sprigs.

Notes

Good with a bowl of grated cheese for sprinkling, over hot ratatouille, or a bottle of fruity olive oil for drizzling over cold ratatouille.

Strawberry Panna Cotta

Pannacotta:
- 1 C (250ml) whipping cream
- 1 C (250ml) milk
- 1/4 C (50g) sugar
- 1 tsp (2g) agar-agar (or 2 1/2 sheets of gelatin, about 5 grams; see instructions)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla paste

Strawberry coulis:
- 9oz (250g) fresh strawberries
- 1/4 C (50g) sugar

Optional, for decoration:
- 12 small fresh strawberries
- four butter cookies (Petit Beurre for instance)

(Serves 4.)

Panna cotta. Combine all the pannacotta ingredients (if using gelatin, see instructions below) in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring from time to time (do not let it boil). Let cool for five minutes. Rinse four half-cup ramequins or bowls quickly under cold water, do not dry (this will help unmold them if you choose to), and distribute the panna cotta mixture evenly among them. Keep in the refrigerator until firm, about three hours or overnight.

Important note: if you are using gelatin instead of agar-agar, do not combine the gelatin with the rest of the ingredients. Instead, soak the sheets in a bowl of cold water while you bring the other ingredients to a simmer, then squeeze with your hands to drain (they will be soft), and whisk into the (hot but not boiling) panna cotta mixture to dissolve before pouring into the ramekins.

Strawberry coulis. Rinse the strawberries quickly under cool water and drain. Cut the stems off, and cut strawberries in quarters. Combine in a small saucepan with the sugar and two tablespoons of water. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat immediately. Pour into the bowl of a blender or food processor and mix with short pulses. Cover, let cool to room temperature and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serve the panna cotta in their ramequins topped with a layer of coulis, or unmold them carefully onto plates and drizzle with the coulis. In both cases, you can decorate each plate with three whole strawberries and a butter cookie.

Norwegian Wood review

A book that takes a path in your deepest mind, examining your times of extreme loneliness and destitution as well as the calm happiness of you being by the person you love. A Norwegian Wood world is featured so real in which survives desperate suspicion melted in hidden dreams and thoughts. Unexpectedly in midst of the pains, when everything seemingly stops, you realize how all pains bring about a mere passion and belief in life that will push you through.
- Nga

Saturday, September 20th 2008

Bạn ơi, whenever I think about you, I feel calm and happy :)

Smile

When I am hopeful and cheerful, a joyous path will come to me :)

I need to write you an email. I will, I will!

Life

Are we friends or are we not? Do I need to say I'm sorry? Did I do wrong things again? What should it be? Where should we go? I just know I still treasure what we have. Can't there be another option of us not keeping away from each other?

Moving on...

So last week was my last interning week in SHF. There were still things to be done and messages to be passed. I really enjoyed my time there. It's a place where you can do what you want, where you test what you learn and where you do not need to worry about cold faces and office politics. People there are so nice and sweet, which makes me wonder why a married woman would not stay and work there for the rest of her life. The sincerity from the people there truly touched me. I will miss you all, Friends. I will miss the breakfasts, the chocolate, the stresses, the cuteness of my manager, the Saboteurs, the chit chatting, the pantry, the library appointments, the gym, the smiles, and the understanding. Thank you for every thing :)

Psychology and campaign marketing notes

Testimonial writing can be a path to enhance brand evaluation. However, the positive effects induced by testimonial writing can be counteracted due to the attractive prizes that motivates people to exaggerate their testimonial statements.

Positive post-experience influence:
- Positive brand-related elaboration (must accompany positive emotional mode and minor social pressure?)
- Brand commitment
- Confirmatory processing in subsequent product evaluation
- Positive reconstructed memory

Negative post-experience influence:
- Induced by customer's insincerity when writing testimonial (esp. with too attractive prizes and promotions)

Cause-related marketing

Some consumers experience a close identification with a cause or a company and appear to be drawn to a campaign because they consider the cause relevant to them.

Cause involvement is the degree to which customers find the cause relevant to them.

Social Impact Theory (Latane 1981; Latane and Bourgeois 2001): Social influence and conformity: Responses to social influence are determined, in part, by immediacy or the proximity to physical sources.

Maheswaran and Meyers-Levy (1990), using involvement theory, claim that in conditions in which issue involment is high, issue-relevant meassages are processed in detail and are more persuasive when framed negatively. Positively-framed messages were more effective for less involved customers because less involved customers process information in simple inferences derived from peripheral cues.

Social Impact Theory predicts that as strength (ratio and number of people who conform) and immediacy (the level of one's involvement in a group) increase within a group, conformity will also increase.

^^

They are very sweet and nice friends of mine. And I am so happy that they are now together. May you two be happy together forever ^^

I'm sorry

Time flies.

I want to say sorry. I dreamt to be a good girl to everyone but I have not been good to you :(

Half way around the world

Still I'm always the dreamy girl, who misses old times and old people...

:)

Feelings

It has been such a long time, since I dare not think and face my inner feelings. Things are too complicated until it is too hard for a person like me to dig deeply inside and grasp all the courage, to map my way.

I have one secret. If you love me enough, there will be a day you know my secret. Until then, there's no use thinking about it.

You stepped into my life, like a friend. Then we both knew we needed more than a friend. But I want us to be friends, really friends :(

I dont want to hurt you, and at the same time to hurt me.

Old friend, I miss you. A lot. A lot. Look at what life I am leading, dotted in scare, nervousness and missing dreams.

Let's imagine the day where the world ends. I wish to have you by me, in a separate corner. And my friends, my pretty, genuine and pure friends, to eat, to chat, and to dream. I will hug this land, for teaching me the growing-up lesson. I will sit beside my family, enjoying an awesome dinner. I want to hug all of you. And I want to make you happy. :)

Morning!

So this has been the 5th day since I come back from the Vietnam trip - Uom Mam. People have been asking me about the expedition. It was fruitful. With lots of memories, passion, feelings and love. I was crying at the airport and I will be missing all of them, the nice, cute, angelical DUT students, the lovely, sweet, smart and pretty kids, the romantic, eager and dedicated teachers, the people who are resistant to changes, the kindhearted old ladies and men, the lotuses, the agent orange victims, the facilitation nights, the dinners, and breakfasts, and lunches, the friends that I made and understood, the friends that I kept, the hearts that I revealed, the realizations that I gained, the hopes that I hold,... There are too many things that happened and stayed. For so many moments, I cannot figure the feeling that I will never ever do Project Uom Mam again. This is unbelievable. This is filled with worries, and hopes.

I met a guy not a short time ago. I am drawing myself, closer to him. He is there, like or like not the prince that I have been waiting for so long? I kept wondering while I was believing. I am scared of all illusions and dreams I had bred within myself. Time will tell it all. A love story calls for patience and romance. True care and understanding will be staying in nurturers. Though at times, passion makes control too hard to follow, because I never want to lose you, let us treasure patience and care, for each other.

Today's notes

Hahaha my prof is so so cuteeeeee! can't wait to see the grades from her, stupid vista.

This term is a happy term for me, hopefully it's a most rewarding one also =) (pray pray)

My internship is going to start soon. I'm excited, I'm curious and I'm anxious as well. An exciting time is waiting ahead. Or at least, make it exciting!

Hmm a shy nice cute old boy is making a heart grow fonder, but the heart itself is shy too haha :p

(I miss my family, parents and dear sis want me to come back this summer :( )

Haizz

If only I were more hardworking
If only I were more determined
If only I were patient
If only I could do things fast fast fast
If only I never interrupted myself

Haiz, I must think less and do more. Think on its positive side!

Yo, the goal can be attained!

Things that make me happy today

- I came across these very cute cute birthday cards. I laughed out right inside the bookshop when I saw those haha
- Sheryl says she will share with me the free airshow ticket she got. So I saved my 20$! Gonna see the shooting of the planes as well. Wow, I am excited!
- The wallet is pretty :D
- Yellow brightens my mood =)
- He looks handsome today?
- After long time no seeing him my smu brother, we still find warmth and comfort with each other. Yea, "nothing can compare"
- Belongingness is not here now, but I know it will come. At least, I never turned hope to prejudice.
- I love cheese cake. I truly do!
- My cousin brother and sister in law finally get married today. It's amazing! I will call them early tomorrow!
- That call is spontaneous. It made me happy ;)

While busying myself with unnecessary daily stresses, I realize I need constant moves to add colors to effortless life bland pictures. Sheryl mentioned with me about the leap year story today. Though the movie coming in many parts sounds so vain like such Korean cancer shows, the leap day concept is cool. The guy you meet on one leap day of the years is the guy fated for your life ;) b-)

Male military program as effective gender equality promotion

Things to do today

- send EDA slide and rough speech, ask chi Yen for conical hats, send Vietnam pics to Julian
- read up on TWC
- read up on SP
- write posts for discussion forums
- reply Ha's email - UM birthday party ideas - Des, Yan n Adeline
(- register Air show ticket
- Internship check)