Seafood Soup

Crab legs was on sale at Whole Foods today and I got myself 2 lbs. The first thought that came to my mind was seafood soup! The Chinese thick soup kind. I also bought some chicken breast bones and frozen scallop too. I came home and found some home-made chicken stock. Throw everything together with some eggs and corn starch mixture and I have seafood soup aka my style.




Seafood Soup aka my style

2 lbs crab legs, extract meat
2 quart chicken stock
2 chicken breast bones
1 inch piece of ginger
2 eggs (beaten)
1 cup scallops
1 cup of shrimp, peeled and de-veined
3 tbsp corn starch dilute with 4 tbsp of cold water
A dash of cooking wine (optional)
Cilantro
White pepper
Black Vinegar

In a pot, bring to a boil chicken stock, chicken bones and ginger. Bring down the heat to medium and simmer for 2 hrs. Fish out the solids after 2 hrs and add scallops, shrimps and crab meat. Bring to a boil and with one hand stirring the soup constantly, slowly pour in the eggs. (Egg drop soup style). Add salt and white pepper to taste and add a dash of cooking wine. Lastly, stir the soup and add the cornstarch mixture. Bring to a boil for 3 mins. Soup is ready. Garnish with some cilantro, and I always like a dash of black vinegar and white pepper.

Artisphere

Pictures taken at the Artisphere in Greenville SC last sunday. Pretty neat but the art wasn't my cup of tea. Random pictures taken of things that tickle me..


He at one point before I clicked shoot, jumped up and scared the crap out of me.


Interesting art..


Colorful isn't it?


The mosaic piece is made out of tiles..


This guy has a sense of humor, he sells carved gourd..lol


I love these 3D drawings...

Pictures that I took when I am bored

One fine morning, before leaving to work. Ain't this family cute?


These two must be playing the court game.


Jade plant in my bedroom

Balcony Gardening

Is someone still reading this? I doubt it, I don't read this myself! Now I am crazy, I am talking to myself. Oh well..

Its Spring and I can't wait to have plants. I went to the nursery looking for herbs in the middle of March and people thought I was crazy. What can I say, I can't wait. Since last month I have been to Farmer's Markets, big box hardware store that sells plants and plant shows. This is what I have accumulated ..

Shasta Daisy, Mix Mesclun Salad and Spinach


Japanese Eggplant... the first flower.. it dropped the next day :( But I got 6 more buds. Hopefully it stays where they are long enough to bear fruit.


Pink Double Knock-Out Rose


Hydrangeas.. my husband got this for me and it was only branches and new growth. Now I have 1 bud. I am so happy.

Balcony Gardening

Is someone still reading this? I doubt it, I don't read this myself! Now I am crazy, I am talking to myself. Oh well..

Its Spring and I can't wait to have plants. I went to the nursery looking for herbs in the middle of March and people thought I was crazy. What can I say, I can't wait. Since last month I have been to Farmer's Markets, big box hardware store that sells plants and plant shows. This is what I have accumulated ..

Shasta Daisy, Mix Mesclun Salad and Spinach


Japanese Eggplant... the first flower.. it dropped the next day :( But I got 6 more buds. Hopefully it stays where they are long enough to bear fruit.


Pink Double Knock-Out Rose


Hydrangeas.. my husband got this for me and it was only branches and new growth. Now I have 1 bud. I am so happy.

Addi Clicks arrived today!

Ok. I admit. I got into the frenzy of people cooing how good addi needles are and I was looking for a set of interchangeable needles. I've looked at Denise and didn't like the feel of it. I drooled at knitpicks harmony, the colorful wooden needle. Then I saw addi and just wanted a set. I placed my orders on webs and it came. I am not as excited as I thought I would. The packaging was filmsy without padding and the box just look battered and dusty. You know, like you ship something without properly packaging it. For $149.99, I would think they will put a few form peanuts in it. The needles look like what's shown on the website. I tried connecting the needles with cable and it works fine. Until I start to use it I won't know how good they are, given that I have not tried any addi before. Here's a couple pictures.

       

 

MacBook: My Documents and Application folder back to the Dock

I accidentally delete these 2 folders from the dock and have been trying for the last few days dragging it back from the Finder to the dock and it just poof! goes into the trash. I have to go back to preference and check the Application to see it again. Anyway I found out how to put these 2 back to the dock so it stack. Drag to the right side of the dotted line and you can see how the trash can kinda move over to make room. Then only you drop and it won't go into the trash. This small detail cause me sooo many hrs of frustration and its just so easy. Ah, the surprises of MacBook, never-ending...

Is there a thing of too much Apple?

Well I got a MacBook and now contemplating on an iPhone. My husband's only reaction, Soooooooo Apple... Heck yeah, they are pretty :). So is MacBook and iPhone toooo Apple? I don't think so, I am paying and I buy whatever I like!  

MACBOOK

Alright! I am back in business. My old laptop died a few months back and I just got a new one. I bought a MacBook. I was/am a PC user and I have a hard time locating where everything is. Oh no, I missed the backspace button and End button already. Oh my, I haven't had time to find out what I missed about PC. Is this PC withdrawal symptom? Oh man, for the money I forked out, I hope I can get use to this machine. Took me a few hrs to find where my uploaded pictures are through Nikon Transfer. Heck I don't think I know but I found what I needed so I am a happy camper. Hopefully I will blog more since I have no reason not to.. well unless, you know its the holiday and got lots and lots to do...

Oh by the way, the trackpad is nice and all but I got sore wrist last night using it and I plucked in a mouse. I.MUST.GET.USE.TO.MACBOOK.

RIP Laptop

Yesterday the old faithful died. It didn't actually died die, I got virus through FireFox add-ons, the yahoo one and have to reformat but the laptop it got so hot in the middle of reinstallation that it shutdown by itself. I'll have to let it cool and put a fan on Hi towards it. Then I tried to do the reinstallation again and this went on for hrs. After 5 hrs and going nowhere, I have to declare it dead. I was already planning on an Macbook for Christmas and I'll wait till Christmas or at least November and try to live without laptop for a while. I am already feeling technology withdrawal what but heck, I can't cough up the dough and that's the price I have pay. Right now I am using my work laptop so I am not completely lost. Besides, MacBook's configuration is due for an update and looking at the trend for the past few years, it should be close now. So I am hanging in there and waiting patiently.

New Knitting Projects for Christmas

After putting down my needles for over 8 months and the knitting bug is biting me big time in the you know where. So last week I browsed Little Knits for hours and bought some yarn. I am now painfully anticipating its delivery. I ordered 3 skeins of Kidsilk Night in Ballerina, 1 full bag of Noro Cash Iroha in Paprika and Cool Wool Big in Lovely Fushia.

Tentative project in mind:-
3 skeins of Kidsilk Night in Ballerina - Abigail Tee for my lovely size 0 buddy that's getting hitched next month
1 full bag of Noro Cash Iroha in Paprika - Minimalist Cardigan for the bestest Mom in the world
1 full bag of Cool Wool Big in Lovely Fushia - Sidelines Top for my voluptuosly fashionable sista

Of course being the most selfish person in the world, I am thinking of:
3 skeins of Kidsilk Night in Ballerina - Anisette shawl for moi
1 full bag of Noro Cash Iroho in Paprika - Kyra shawl-collar cardigan for moi
1 full bag of Cool wook Big in Lovely Fushia - Wicked cardigan for moi

Wicked aint I? Oh so much to knit, so little time, so little resources.....

New Knitting Projects for Christmas

After putting down my needles for over 8 months and the knitting bug is biting me big time in the you know where. So last week I browsed Little Knits for hours and bought some yarn. I am now painfully anticipating its delivery. I ordered 3 skeins of Kidsilk Night in Ballerina, 1 full bag of Noro Cash Iroha in Paprika and Cool Wool Big in Lovely Fushia.

Tentative project in mind:-
3 skeins of Kidsilk Night in Ballerina - Abigail Tee for my lovely size 0 buddy that's getting hitched next month
1 full bag of Noro Cash Iroha in Paprika - Minimalist Cardigan for the bestest Mom in the world
1 full bag of Cool Wool Big in Lovely Fushia - Sidelines Top for my voluptuosly fashionable sista

Of course being the most selfish person in the world, I am thinking of:
3 skeins of Kidsilk Night in Ballerina - Anisette shawl for moi
1 full bag of Noro Cash Iroho in Paprika - Kyra shawl-collar cardigan for moi
1 full bag of Cool wook Big in Lovely Fushia - Wicked cardigan for moi

Wicked aint I? Oh so much to knit, so little time, so little resources.....

Dentist or Salesmen?

Time has certainly change, or time has make my opinion towards dentist change.. to the worst. In early 2007 I went to have my teeth cleaned and I was given a clean bill of health, clean bill of teeth...it was in Tennessee and I truly like this dentist. Fast forward 1 year and I went to a different dentist (I have since move to South Carolina) and after the end of the half/pseudo cleaning, I was given a treatment plan, 4 gum treatments and 2 fillings. I didn't go for it because the reason I need gum treatment was because they wouldn't stop jamming x-ray apparatus into my Asian jaw. I can hardly close my mouth and they want me to bite down. Gums were still hurting after 2 days. So after 6 months, and many many cups of coffee and tea later, I went to a different dentist. And this time after a real cleaning I've had had since the first dentist I went to I was satisfied. Until the dentist came in and start checking my teeth sans x-ray (the second dentist didn't fax over the x-ray) and starts to roll call bad teeth, and its almost everyone single one of them. Finally I was given a treatment plan, 8 fillings! Amazing how 6 months can do your teeth or is it something that I need to investigate further, wait 6 more months and go to another dentist? Also, notice how the last 2 dentist in South Carolina loves dispensing treatment plan and its not quick one time treatment. The plans usually requires you to make at least 4 more visits. Don't worry, there are at least 4 pages of dentist listing in the Yellow Pages until my teeth all rot and falls off.

Something on my plant..

Something on my plant..

Hello again..

Let me say HELLLLOOOO anybody out there?? Can you believe it has been more than 6 months since I blog? But let me assure you that being a boring person as I am, there isn't much going on here. Except that I have been busy stimulating the economy.. man I can't believe I just said that with my personal finance in shambles.




My latest toy... Nikon D40



Latest confidence booster - 4" High heel Shoe..

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.