Yay!! Internet connection!

Yay! I finally got internet connection in the apartment. The weeks without internet felt like detox to me. I stopped checking email every 2 seconds and I have nothing to do with the outside world. Just in my own little thoughts and lots of rest. But I am happy now that I am connected again. Means more blogging, looking for new knitting patterns and reading my fav blogs.

I miss knitting, I haven't pick up the needles for weeks and I can't wait to start, as soon as I find something interesting. I am thinking of knitting another pair of socks. Well, we'll see. Moving is always hectic and a lot of extra spending. So I am trying not to swipe my cc unless I really really really need it. So yarn has to come after the cleaning supplies and food. And floor lamp, yes I need some light in the apartment.

Complains

Someone at work joking call me whiner. I was a little caught off guard and to think about it, I did complained a lot lately. From the last 2 weeks, I complained about bad customer service from allconnect.com and charter cable, a lot of work related complains because the thing I was working on wasn't working, the HR deducted Ohio state tax from my paycheck and I have never step foot into in Ohio in my life so far and they are stuck as to how to resolve this issue, office phone not working, work laptop wireles not working, and now the latest, no air is coming into my office and the maintenaince man knocked on the wrong door and has to be directed here, hence the comment of LOTS OF COMPLAIN. Oh did I also mention I had a cup of strong greentea at 3pm 2 days ago and was awake the whole night?

Oh well, life throws me a curve ball, or a lot of curve balls everystep of my way and I tackle each and everyone with patience and constructive solutions. I just have to keep it to myself.

Progress: Everything on schedule and many unforeseen life little challenges coming this way.

Hellish Customer Service

What on earth happen to customer service?

I have been trying to subscribe to broadband internet and cable tv and this is what happened to me yesterday and today.

YESTERDAY, this guy Gary from allconnect.com called and I was in line at local McDonalds....


GARY: We have a package deal for our new customers from Charter. For charter cable tv and high speed internet we are offering you is $79.99 and if you confirm now I can lock the rate in for you till.....

ME THINKING: The package through charter.com is only $69.98....

ME: Hmm... can you send me the information to my email?

GARY: No maam, we don't have email service.

ME: Well, I can't decide now, I am outside.

GARY: I don't see how you being outside and not make a decision...

ME: (Getting pissed off) I don't want to decide.

GARY: OK, that I can accept, why don't you make a decision later and then call back. CLICK.

ME: (REALLY PISSED OFF)



Yesterday night I found a deal that offers free cable modem and $100 cash back and I subscribed.


TODAY at 2.10pm, charter called to confirm service subscriptions and to set up installation time.

Girl 1 (2.10pm-2.20pm) : (Routine introductory speech, confirming name and address.... ) Maam, my system seems to show that your address is not serviceable, but the rest of your apartment complex is.

ME: What? Why?

Girl 1 (2.20pm - 2.30pm): I don't know but you can call our service availability desk and they can help you.

Me: Thank you.
(Called 1-877 number for service availability desk and explaining the purpose of call)

Girl 2 (2.30pm - 2.40pm): Oh I can certainly help you with that, they could have transfer you to us but nevermind I will take care of you. ..... All right seems like someone did something funny in that apartment and that's why the service was blocked there. But I can set up your connections and you are all ready now. I will transfer you to set up installation appointment...

Me: Thank you

Girl 3 (2.40pm-2.50pm): Thank you for holding... now let's verify your name and address and your ssn, and let's verify your package, and let's verify the connectivity at your apartment, let's set up a time.....

Me: (answering all the questions and getting tired of holding the phone and thank god finally done) Thank you.


TODAY at 6.00pm I received a voicemall from charter. I called back the 1877 number provided.

ME: Hi, I got a call from someone someone regarding my high speed subscription. Can you check why she called?

Guy 1: Certainly. (10mins later.... maam, I don't see anything on your record, and your name is not associated with this address)

ME: What??? I just spent more than 40mins this afternoon getting this straight!!!

Guy 1: I don't what to tell you but I am not seeing anything.... but let me have your ssn and I can set up your subscription now. (after 10mins) Maam, your apartment is not in our service area.

ME (Getting really frustrated): Look, I have gone through this in the afternoon and now you are telling me the same thing, is there someone that I can talk to to get this straight?

Guy 1: Do you want to speak to my supervisor? He can maybe help you..

ME: Yes, please.

(10mins)

Guy 2: Maam, you can't have internet in your apartment.

Me (PISSED OFF): WHAT? WHY? My neighbor has internet connection, why not this apartment?

Guy 2 (Getting louder and ruder): I don't know why. But you can't have internet. You can have the cable tv. You can either sign up with this this this package... tv and telephone.. but no internet.

(Me thinking.. is this guy an idiot or what? high speed internet comes through tv cable)

ME: (Give up and realize I can't deal with stupid people anymore): OK, I can't decide now. I will call you back. Thanks.

(Hung up)(Cell phone ring 1 second later, customer service from charter)

Girl 4: (Routine message) Thank you for your subscription. Just to verify that you have placed the order.

ME (Getting dumber by the second): Yes

Girl 4: Thank you very much and you have a nice day.

ME: WAIT!!! I just hung up with your customer service and they said I can't have internet.

Girl 4: That's strange, my system showed you have an installation appointment set up for next week.

ME: That's what I thought.

Girl 4: You can call our 1888 number and they will verify for you.

ME: Thank you.

Called 1888 (oh..what the hell... I have already this far in the stupid kingdom)

Girl 5: Thank you for calling... routine stuff...

ME: Hi I am calling to verify if I can have service at this address because your 1877 people said I cannot.

Girl 5: Sure... give me a min to pull up your subscription... (after 2 mins) yes, you can have service in your apartment, its all set up and in fact your apartment complex is all set up to have cable service.

ME: Are you sure??? This guys I spoke with said I can't.

Girl 5: Yes I am sure. And yes your apartment can have the internet service. You have this package, and your installation appointment is next week this time. I don't know why they tell you something different.

ME: Are you sure??? Do you mean that the installation appointment is still on?

Girl 5: Yes I am sure, and yes you can have internet.

ME: Sorry, I just wanted to make sure, I am losing my voice talking to those guys. Is there any confirmation on it?

Girl 5: There will be a reminder call the day before the installation appointment.

ME (THANK GOD): Thank you.


Hung up, left office at 7.00pm with no voice and uncertainty about charter operations and a strong urge to call AT&T dsl.


If everyone have a quota of how much crap they can take from rude, uninformed, and plain couldn't care less customer service I think I have just fulfilled mine for a year. But then again, I might be wrong. Nothing is set in stone until the cable guy shows up and I am browsing my own internet. And things can and will possibly goes shitty afterwards...

Of course I have also spoke with some really friendly and competent customer service and a big gratitude to the ones that have made my calls easier.

So Much So Little Time

Phew!!!! I have moved!! I am now in Greenville SC and working and in new apartment and all in 2 weeks! Those who are actively going on with their life might probably scoff at me for being such a little whiny.... hehe

My life has change 360 since my last entries. I have achieved half of what I wrote 2 entries back and still working on the other half. I hope I will still have another 30 years tho..

My feelings about moving to another city this time around is weird. Now I miss my hubby and his handiness (however limited they were) around the house, a companion and just plain having dinner with someone. I hope that one day he will be able to join me. Till then I will have the wine section in the grocery store to keep the cold nights at bay. (From where I am from, TN, you can only get wine at liquor store)


I wish I have more pictures to post but with so many things going on the last few weeks, I can't remember where I keep the camera. I will find it one of these days.

Thanks But Just Leave Me Alone

Dear Good Intentions but Bad Approach,

When I am tired of myself, my lousy situation and predicament, it doesn't help to remind of it to me again. And if you must, you really don't need to repeat it 3 times within a 5mins conversation.

Let me give you an example. Take for instance, someone that eats for comfort when depressed. And when that someone finally look up in the mirror and find herself fat she gets more depressed and hence eat more. All the while people with good intentions tells her she is fat and depresses her more and leads to more eating and the cycle continues. Finally one day she said to herself that she had enough and tries to get her act together. And while trying to get better, those people with good intentions tries to encourage her by reminding her how fat and ugly she was just in case she forgot. I classify these people as blamers because all they could think of is blaming the girl for not taking care of herself. At this point I just want to say to blamers thanks a lot but you just freaking makes the girl want to eat more now. End of story.

Much More Done In A Week Than 2 Years

Oh my, I have been running myself haggard the last 5 days, might have driven more than a 1000miles... more or less, rushing to make dinners for everyone and all the background work a homemaker usually do. But in the midst of all that, I saw the leaves are turning color. A sign autumn is here and winter around the corner. I love the cold weather, the cold wind in my face and all the good stuff.

What a week I've had. The biggest news is I might be back in the game! I mean job. In 2 days I drove from Cleveland TN to Greenville SC for an interview and has gotten positive reviews and a verbal offer. I am still waiting for the confirmation email though and yeah I cheat a little, I used to work there and the guy that hires me back was once my boss and we went to college together.

The not so good news is we can't stand each other as friends but do quite well working together. But what the hell I am back into the work force. Funny thing, after 2 years hiatus, I may be forgetting how to talk and verbalize my thought coherently. So a lot of things lay in my future, work my butt off to show my worth, lose 50lbs and lead an healthier lifestyle, get my thoughts/act together so that I actually look like someone with a life and not hiding in my own cave.

I think I have been to the mall more than 6 times in a mere few days. Hubby's cousin came for a visit for fall break and I had no idea where to take her, hence we frequent the mall. Not that there were a lot of stuff happening in a small town mall but it got us out of the house. Hubby should have taken a day off to take us somewhere and didn't. So YOUR FAULT!

Coming Out of Darkness

Suddenly I realized that my few recent posts has been dark. I didn't mean to and I didn't realize I'm doing it. I was just writing what was happening and what was on my mind.

Today I am going to change. First of all, I want to announce that I finally finished reading East of Eden from John Steinbeck. I had to stayed up till 4am because I refused to leave only a few pages for the next day. Its just a few pages, a few pages to go... haha

And I went to the mall today and got a $5 scarf.. more like a head bandanna from BR and a few $2 socks. I am cheap. But I am happy to find good deals. Ahh... simple things in life.

Reflections

I am reading Karen Cheng's Big Three - OH and some feelings stirred in me.

I turned 30 a few months ago. That day itself was not exciting, nor has it been for a long time. I don't quite remember having a great birthday. I did have a few good ones when I was a teenager because my first boyfriend made a big fuss out of it. Ah... good old puppy love. Other than that, I was either alone or got angry because that someone dear was not keen of it. But I do have some really good friends who would always remember the day and send me greetings wherever I am in the world even though I haven't seen them in years.

Seeing of where I am now and looking back of where I was, I am no where near where I want to be. The day I turned 30 I am not proud of myself, I have lots of regrets and frustrations and I owe a lot to a few people. I had stopped in time and didn't move forward for almost 2 years and I am out of contacts with outside world. I went to staples and post office yesterday and didn't know how to make copies and post mails. I was close to tears and I didn't know how to go forward and improve. I am at this very dark place and I am afraid. And I have days when I am at this dark place.

But at 30, I have sincere friends and a supportive husband even though we had ups and really low downs. I am just learning how to not be influence by my mother's approval and lack of it. I had hopes that I will one day score in an interview and get hired, be able to afford mortgage and have babies, and still have time to do craft and read all the books a person should read before I die and to travel the world and not stuck in tourist traps. I also hope that I can repay everyone that has been good to me and take care of my mom and make her proud. This is my bright place to counter the dark. And I try to hold on to it for however long I can till I achieve all I hope.

And I hope I will have another 30 years.

I Am Afraid I Have Killed My Desert Rose

During my idleness I saw my desert rose branches went limp. I thought maybe they needed water. So I watered them thoroughly and was quite please with myself.

A few hours later, the perfectionist in me started to want to prune the plant. And I started with the longest branch. I didn't have to do much cutting, the branch broke out by it self quite voluntarily revealing a dark brown soggy texture. I poked at it and the cutting dripped water!

My first thought, STRANGE, and on second thought, THIS IS NOT RIGHT. So I googled about desert rose and found out that I have a root rot.

I tried to save the plant or I think I tried to save the plant. I cut off the section below the soggy area where the branch used to be and saw the darken part covered almost half of the trunk. I cut down more to get the rot off and I cut and I poked and I scraped. And the rot went all the way down to one of the root. Well, long story cut short, the picture on the right showed what's left of my once blooming beautiful desert rose.

Ohhhh... why can't I leave the plant alone and not water them. I know that its a succulent plant. But the soil was dry and so I watered. I've killed my plant.

I Am Afraid I Have Killed My Desert Rose

During my idleness I saw my desert rose branches went limp. I thought maybe they needed water. So I watered them thoroughly and was quite please with myself.

A few hours later, the perfectionist in me started to want to prune the plant. And I started with the longest branch. I didn't have to do much cutting, the branch broke out by it self quite voluntarily revealing a dark brown soggy texture. I poked at it and the cutting dripped water!

My first thought, STRANGE, and on second thought, THIS IS NOT RIGHT. So I googled about desert rose and found out that I have a root rot.

I tried to save the plant or I think I tried to save the plant. I cut off the section below the soggy area where the branch used to be and saw the darken part covered almost half of the trunk. I cut down more to get the rot off and I cut and I poked and I scraped. And the rot went all the way down to one of the root. Well, long story cut short, the picture on the right showed what's left of my once blooming beautiful desert rose.

Ohhhh... why can't I leave the plant alone and not water them. I know that its a succulent plant. But the soil was dry and so I watered. I've killed my plant.

Idleness

The past few days was rather uninspiring. I can't seem find a knitting project to start, I don't seem to be interested anything and days passed without anything done. I am afraid I will have more of these days.

I have however, stood staring out the window and saw stormy sky.



Stood in my balcony and saw that I have a lot of chillies on my chilli plant.



My rosemary, spearmint, peppermint, sage, paisley and lemon balm are due for a harvest.



And reminds me that everything around me are growing, moving and producing... when will be my turn?

Chinese Lyrics

Oh I grew up in the 90s in Asia and I LOVE chinese pop music. But I can't read a single chinese characters and I remember the times when I propped in front of a cassette player with my favorite chinese tape, pressing stop and play, stop and play every few seconds to translate these chinese songs into pin yin (hey, I was kid.. not a cool one.. I know I know). So I live in a household full of people that reads chinese and brother and I were the only 2 yellow bananas and nobody seems interested to help.

ANYWAY... internet is a good thing, and good friend that can't read chinese and are interested in chinese music is a better thing. My bestest bff (LOL) Zakiya found this!

Faye Wong - Love Letter For Self lyrics

(CANTONESE PRONOUNCIATION)

ceng but you fui sam
lei ya huey yao yan dou gei
lai yong mong dou tai gou
ying dai dei ji yao ji gei...

I will be singing in the shower tonight....

Ravelry

Yay!!! I was invited to join ravelry today. I spent all my free time today browsing and getting familiar around the place and have already found lots of future knitting projects. The place is great. Look for me, sparklyheaven when you are there. :)

Ravelry

Yay!!! I got invited to join ravelry today. I spent all my free time today browsing and getting familiar around the place and have already found lots of future knitting projects. The place is great. Look for me, sparklyheaven when you are there. :)

Vintage, Antique and Estate Sale

I saw some really awesome vintage jewelry from Etsy.com and some said its from estate sale. What is an estate sale? Can I go to estate sale myself and find good stuff like that and cutting out the middlemen? Where do I find estate sale? One question leads to another. But first and foremost, what is an estate sale?

This is the definition from wikipedia..
"An estate sale is a type of garage sale, yard sale or auction to dispose of the majority of the materials owned by a person who is deceased or will be moving."

Ekkk... from a person who is deceased? hmm.. felt kinda bad and guilty and not to mention the thought of ghosts! Who am I kidding, antiques and vintage has to belong to someone, and someone or anyone will pass sooner or later. Do I still want to go to estate sale? No... kinda. Do I still find the antique and vintage jewelry pretty? Yes.

Bamboo Adventure

Meet my mini bamboo in the kitchen. Everything was growing fine except for a little twig that grew astray and away from the body. I have been staring at the little twig a thousand times when cooking and doing dishes. So yesterday, while waiting for water to boil... the most boring thing in the world, I can't stand it anymore and started to mess around with the plant. With bamboo skewers and kitchen twine I poked, staked, twisted, turned and tied the stray part to the bamboo skewers and hope that it will grow to the shape I want.

Bamboo Adventure

Meet my mini bamboo in the kitchen. Everything was growing fine except for a little twig that grew astray and away from the body. I have been staring at the little twig a thousand times when cooking and doing dishes. So yesterday, while waiting for water to boil... the most boring thing in the world, I can't stand it anymore and started to mess around with the plant. With bamboo skewers and kitchen twine I poked, staked, twisted, turned and tied the stray part to the bamboo skewers and hope that it will grow to the shape I want.

A Little Bounty From The Garden...

Oh look, CHILLIES from my garden. I still have many green ones hanging there waiting to turn red. I think I can make sambal for my fried noodles. Yumm...

A Little Bounty From The Garden...

Oh look, CHILLIES from my garden. I still have many green ones hanging there waiting to turn red. I think I can make sambal for my fried noodles. Yumm...

To be or not to be....

Did I ever mention that I am awfully indecisive? I am. Very. Indecisive. I think too much, I analyze from all angles (or from the angle I want to look at), I get information overload and finally decided that I don't want it anymore. Many moons ago I was feeling rather carnivorously yucky as meat quantifies a big portion in my every meal. Plus the after-meat effect was quite unpleasant to my body. So I went to Walmart and got a juicer hoping that with daily increase of freshly squeezed juice intake my body function will go back to normal. I quickly realized what a hassle to use the machine. I need to peel, cut and core fruits and vegetable to be able to fit into the feeder. Arghhh... Right about the same moment I saw an infomercial about a big mouth juicer that could take an apple whole without all the hard work mentioned. I quickly started a frenzy search on the internet that lasted 3 days and might have read more about juicer than the person selling it. There is so much to learn about picking the right one. To find a perfect juicer, factors such as the kind of fruits and vege, the noise level, the speed of juicing, ease of cleaning, among other things, have to be considered. There are centrifugal, centrifugal ejections and masticating juicer, manual press, single and dual augers and twin press. You can read all about juicers by googling it. Obviously, each kind of juicers has its pros and cons and prices can be quite steep ranging from the mid 50s to well.. I don't know, go find one you like and then look at the price heh. And I finally found my perfect juicer but with price 5 times higher than the walmart one. Nonetheless, I am still indecisive because I like the ease of use of the centrifuge juicers but love the quality of juice produced by the harder (hassle) to use masticating, single or dual auger juicers and manual press. I also like to be able to juice fruits and leafy vegetables too.... By this point I think I will need a few different juicers to satisfy my needs which is.. erhh can't do unless I want to be first to be bankrupt by juicers. Also, I am sure that if anyone is still physically with me are now lost in thoughts to my ramblings.. Anyhow, I took the walmart juicer back and I still don't have a juicer.

So! If you have been directed to http://stephanielam.blogspot.com/, which is this blog from my All Things Knit and Green, same principle here. I can't decide which blog name to use!

Link

I am awfully indecisive. I can't decide if I want to use the name All Things Knit and Green or using my name Stephanie Lam. All Things Knit and Green are suppose to record all my knitting and plants news. Stephanie Lam should just record my random thoughts. But since I am an boring person and didn't have enough to split between the two. So right now all my new postings will be here.

http://stephanielam.blogspot.com/

And again, welcome to my blog.

Stephanie Lam

Hello!

Again...

Reading

I have been trying to finish reading East of Eden by John Steinbeck. It is a good read I admit but lots of other things are demanding my attentions now. A little knitting, cooking, learning Ps, trying my hand at blogging and thus taking pics of everything around and before I know its midnight and bedtime. I am rather embarrassed to renew the book for the 5th time again. heh



While staring out the window this morning, I saw roots are sprouting from the rosemary cuttings that has been sitting in a glass of water. How amazing! I trimmed down my rosemary and thought the clippings looked fresh and nice. I placed them in a glass of water and didn't know they would live! I will probably find a pot somewhere and plant them. More rosemary pork chops for dinner!

New shades

I sat on my sunglasses a few months back and so out with the old, in with the new!

PS. Here is to Zakiya, I am sorry I laughed at you about your shades.

Sick

I think got a cold. Don't know how I got it but I woke up with a stuffy nose and things went downhill from there. Slept whole day yesterday and ate plain rice porridge (jook), salted mackerel (sook yu) and fermented bean paste (fu yue). I might be in Tennessee but can't take the Chinese out of me.

Myself, Present.

Panic

Sometimes I take a step back from life and I realise that I’ve been running in Survival Mode.

Doing as little as possible to get through each day.
Holding back. Hesitating. Preserving.
Waiting for something. Don’t know what.
Just SOMETHING.

The days pass. The seasons change. The years slip away.
And you are no closer to your dreams. No closer to the kind of person you wanted to be.

And that tragic word. Regret. That word you’re not supposed to use these days.

Yet it’s there.
It eats and consumes your heart.
Body panics. Mind is paralysed.
Don’t know what to do.

So you continue to wait.

From Karen Cheng's Snippets of Life Panic 4/19/06

Shh... can't tell anyone...

I have found out that if you tell your plans to others prematurely or getting overly excited about it you will jinx it. Yes I jinxed one of my big plans just this afternoon because I can't help telling. I am not a big mouth per se but sometimes you really need to do it for some reasons that I won't delve in. Boo Hoo... guess I will keep my mouth shut from now on. No wonder chinese mothers never tell when they are pregnant before the 3 months mark. I now believe that there are some spirits out there are just too jealous and take it away from you. :(

Blog: Tip of an Iceberg

Who knows blogging could be so exhausting. I have had my share of blog browsing this past year and had thought that this is easy.. I can do it. Heck I started last week ( I mean seriously starting) and couldn't be more wrong. EKKKK. I want a nice template, a personalized one and started to play around with my pictures and some really prehistoric image processing tools... stuff that came with my hmm... camera.. 5 years ago. So I googled around, and suddenly (light bulb in head) PHOTOSHOP 7 (PS). But I haven't played with photoshop since my first year of college. Hmm... shouldn't be that hard. If anyone is reading this, yes I had it coming. I sat in front of my laptop whole day the day before trying to figure out how to use PS7. I mean just the New, Save As, Image resize and other stuff took me a whole day and the outcome of my 1st masterpiece was not satisfying. My picture.. that's my masterpiece. I have already 1 comment from my friend, she was nice and said I should work on it more. OK. Then I thought blogger could have some instructions on this. I read to the part where people can actually get free blog templates! Yay!!! I could just do that. So I browse more.. now on templates. But I still didn't find one that I love dearly. I am still looking... and I also found out that PS7 was really old and they have new stuff.. CS3. And they have video tutorials out there to show people like me of how to use PS. Gosh... suddenly I asked the question of where have I been this past 5-10 years! And what will I find out tomorrow and when will my blog be like the ones people had out there. All nice and personalized. Oh well... I'll knit more and take more pictures and post it on hmm.. not really there yet blog. I pray people will be distracted enough by the contents to pay close attention to the blog layout. Now I will go knit some more...

Montego Bay Scarf

I have recently finished the Montego Bay Scarf from Interweave Knits Summer 07. I used about 3 1/2 skeins of Debbie Bliss Cathay yarn in light pink. I might have made a mistake of blocking the scarf as it is now too long and the yarn has less bounce to it. But it still feel soft and luxurious against my skin.

Montego Bay Scarf

I have recently finished the Montego Bay Scarf from Interweave Knits Summer 07. I used about 3 1/2 skeins of Debbie Bliss Cathay yarn in light pink. I might have made a mistake of blocking the scarf as it is now too long and the yarn has less bounce to it. But it still feel soft and luxurious against my skin.

Chai Kuih

Chai Kuih, vegetable dumplings can be found from any night market in Malaysia. The main ingredients are well… vegetables, jicama to be exact. A recent trip to Atlanta asian grocery store I have managed to find some jicama (sar kok) and this is my second attempt of reproducing the taste of Malaysia in my Tennessee home. Oh this is my first attempt to write recipe so bear with me if something is not clear.
Ingredients:

Fillings:

1 jicama, julienne

3-4 tbsp dried shrimp, soak for a few minutes, drained and minced

3-4 tbsp ground pork (marinated with salt, soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil, optional)

1-2 gloves of garlic, minced

2 tbsp oil

soy sauce, white pepper, salt

Dumpling skin:

I obtain this recipe from Lily’s Wai Sek Hong Chive Dumplings. Please refer to her site if you need detail instructions.

1 1/4 cups wheat starch/tung mein fun
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup boiling water
1 tsp vegetable oil

To prepare the fillings:

1. Stir fry garlic and dried shrimp for a few minutes until fragrant. Add ground pork and stir fry for a few more minutes.

2. Add jicama and stir fry for about 10mins in medium heat. The jicama should be a little crunchy and not soft. At this point, add salt, white pepper, soy sauce and oyster sauce to taste. Turn off heat and let cool while preparing the dumpling skin.

To make Dumpling skin:

Please refer to Lily’s Wai Sek Hong Chive Dumplings .

Fill jicama fillings into the dumpling skin. Be careful of not touching the dumpling openings with oil as the dumplings will not stick close during the steaming process. Place the dumplings about 1 1/2 inch apart in a well oiled pan/plate and steam for 7-8 mins at high heat. (I steamed 6 - 7 dumplings per batch) . After steaming, drizzle a few drops of olive oil on the dumplings to prevent them from sticking together.

Modified Forecast Sweater

I started on the modified version on the Forecast sweater from knitty.com. So far so good. But now I am thinking maybe a little bobbles will make the sweater more interesting. Don't feel like frogging so I will continue with the body. I have been using a worsted weight yarn I got on sale from red needle yarn few months back. I believe the name of the yarn was Colorado.

Modified Forecast Sweater

I started on the modified version on the Forecast sweater from knitty.com. So far so good. But now I am thinking maybe a little bobbles will make the sweater more interesting. Don't feel like frogging so I will continue with the body. I have been using a worsted weight yarn I got on sale from red needle yarn few months back. I believe the name of the yarn was Colorado.

Desert Rose

Recently I went to Lowe’s and got myself a pot of Desert Rose. At the time there were a few buds and 1 bloom. The roots were a little soft to the touch but I simple can’t resist the flower blooming potential. So I took a chance. And I am glad that I did. See how it bloomed in just one week. I watered it a few times and the roots became strong again. I am very please with this purchase.

Desert Rose

Recently I went to Lowe’s and got myself a pot of Desert Rose. At the time there were a few buds and 1 bloom. The roots were a little soft to the touch but I simple can’t resist the flower blooming potential. So I took a chance. And I am glad that I did. See how it bloomed in just one week. I watered it a few times and the roots became strong again. I am very please with this purchase.

Hello World Again!

It has been a long time since I blog. I have decided to change the blog name as well since my interest has shifted somewhat a bit since then. The blog sparklyheaven was meant to document the progress of me jewelry beading but didn't materialized. I meant the jewelry beading part. Haha. Now my interest is in knitting and plants. Hence the name ALL THINGS KNIT AND GREEN. I will also try to post some of my cooking adventure too. It would be my greatest pleasure to provide you with a minute or two of entertainment should you landed on this blog. Again, thank you and welcome!

Happy Chinese New Year! Oink Oink

Happy Chinese New Year!!! Today my mother was very excited and we quickly chowed down our vegetarian dish and squeezed our way into Mott St. because of LION DANCE! Yes, the Lion Dance, the main entertainment during chinese new year. It was festive, and brutal out there. Melting snow, wet and soggy street and lots and lots and lots of people squeezed into 1 cramped chinatown street. And boy it was fun just to be there, the festive vibe of everyone around and the constant popping of confetti fireworks (fake fireworks, since its illegal to burn the real thing). The person that invented the fake fireworks is a genious and I hoped he is now very 'properous'. Anyway back on to the street... I couldn't take pics fast enough since my once-upon-a-time very nice camera respond time was like 3mins. However I managed to get a few.

Confetti fireworks and people gathering around the lion dance. I couldn't see it in the pic. They must have dodged down when camera decided it was time to 'click'.

The lion dance band. (4 red sticks and the guy behind it. I think he was beating on the drum.)

Wet and soggy streets with used fireworks. The confetti was great in the air, not so on the ground.

And of course, after the lion dance we have to get down to business. A visit to the temples! In every part of the world, temple is a main destination during first day of new year. Its dangerous too. Over-zealous Buddhists trying to get the first blessing walking around with burning incense sticks.. oh boy. I believe my husband has a scar in between his 2 eyebrows to show for it. We quickly get our praying done, including me asking for new year predictions (chim) for the year in general and work. I wanted to get one for hubby but it was no time for doing things on my sweet time as people are waiting for my kneeling spot. So off we went to another temple on Central St. There was a line to go in there but it was far more efficient than the previous one and we went in and out in about 5mins with the line and got a red packets each from the monk. Pretty smooth sailing, all except the two women behind me trying to push me out of their way. I wonder what's the rush... the line to free vegetarian food? I didn't stay long enough to find out. :)

The front of the temple. Its not respectful to take pics in the temple so I refrained.

Chinese New Year Eve Dinner

Happy Chinese New Year to everyone and may everyone have a prosperious and healthy new year ahead! This is the second year that get to spend chinese new year with my mom and boy, I think I gained 10lbs just looking at the food she lovingly, but very efficiently whipped up. Check out our new year eve dinner.

Hou Si, Fat Choi, Tung Ku, Hoi Sam Jue Saw (Dried oyster, ..., mushroom, sea cucumber pig trotter). Our tradition and must have every year!

Abalone and fish maw soup! Oh boy this is good!

Scallion and Ginger Frog Leg, by far the best dish among all!

Of course, the regular staple like fish and chicken were present too but that fades into the background blissfully.. haha. I am a happy girl!

Chinese New Year Eve Dinner

Happy Chinese New Year to everyone and may everyone have a prosperious and healthy new year ahead! This is the second year that get to spend chinese new year with my mom and boy, I think I gained 10lbs just looking at the food she lovingly, but very efficiently whipped up. Check out our new year eve dinner.

Hou Si, Fat Choi, Tung Ku, Hoi Sam Jue Saw (Dried oyster, ..., mushroom, sea cucumber pig trotter). Our tradition and must have every year!

Abalone and fish maw soup! Oh boy this is good!

Scallion and Ginger Frog Leg, by far the best dish among all!

Of course, the regular staple like fish and chicken were present too but that fades into the background blissfully.. haha. I am a happy girl!

Happy New Year!!

New Year kicked off pretty good for me with a small amount of a variety of alcohol :). Resolution wise I pretty much have the same as everyone. I.e. Lose weight, get a job (or get a better job), volunteer and all that great stuff. But this year I want to learn something new everyday! First on my list is to learn about investing (after listening for hours to Donald Trump and some dude that came out with a book). Next on the list is getting a sewing machine and learn how to use the sucker, I tried when I was a kid and it didn't agree much with me and left me a perpetual fear of loud and fast machine that can run through your fingers before you can say ouch. And pretty much that's it.


ps. I would like to wish my hubby, family and friends a very exciting and fulfilling new year. Happy 2007!!