Thursday, December 18, 2014

Inevitable

18 December 2014. There is a Chinese belief that if there is a "kip" (misfortune or unfortunate happening), it is unavoidable. However, certain measures could be taken to lessen the severity of the misfortune. If it is going to happen, it will happen. First case. Today, we went to a furniture shop. While we moving around the shop, we heard noise coming from the ceiling. The shop assistant assure us that it is just renovation works going on upstairs. Everything is fine and the ceiling won't collapse on us. We then moved to another spot. We were talking to the shop assistant when suddenly the ceiling came crashing down. It was inches away from us, narrowly missing us. We were shocked. Everyone in the shop came running towards us when the heard the loud crash. They stared at the debris of the fallen ceiling and then at us in shock. We escaped unscathed. They then say that we are very lucky. We turned to look and saw hanging from what previously was the ceiling, some renovation equipment hanging from its cord, and light bulbs and ceiling scattered on the floor. It was fortunate the equipment didn't land on our heads. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to relate the story now. Case two. Just a short while ago, the old man and me were watching tv. He was standing behind the sofa where I was sitting. Suddenly, he lost his balance and went crashing into the furniture and wall a few feet behind. He crashed so badly that he broke the furniture and the table fan toppled and fell off the cabinet and was hanging by the cord while he was pinned between the cabinet and the wall. He was bleeding profusely on the arm. I ran to his aid to pick him up but he was already injured. It happened so fast that there was no time to react. He frightened us. Even the neighbours ran out upon hearing the loud crash. He dosed off while standing again. After the incident, mum mumbled to me. She said the "kip" is unavoidable. The ceiling might have missed him earlier today but he still has to end up injured somehow. Come to think of it, it is quite true. Why else would two such events happen in a day? It is not mere coincidence. I told her, it is better to be injured this way rather than having the ceiling with equipment land on our heads. Some things are just inevitable. 

Sunday, December 07, 2014

Road Bully 2

There seems to be a new trend lately. Road bully trend. Recently an uncle was beaten with a helmet by an illegal parking attendant for refusing to pay for parking at Penang hill. Today, there is another road bully trying to imitate the steering lock road bully. Again this took place in Air Itam, a tourist spot. Air Itam is an extremely congested area, with almost no parking place and really narrow roads. It is even more congested in the morning, during marketing hours as stalls will be set up along both sides of the very narrow single road. Finding a parking spot during this time is almost impossible and if you're lucky, you might be able to squeeze into a really tight spot provided you have really good parking skills. So the old folks went to the Air Itam market this morning. Having no where to park, one person has to stay in the car, so that if any vehicle needs to move, the car can make way. So mum ran off to buy some stuff and left a blurry vision dad in the car. Not too long after that, someone started hitting the car mirror. Blurry vision dad turned to look but didn't see anything. Then mum got back. This girl between twenties and thirties, dressed like a gangster mistress was screaming and shouting saying " You won't even know why you are beaten". Not knowing what happened, mum got in the car and drove away. When she got home, she asked dad what happened. Dad said he doesn't know. He must have dozed off while waiting in the car. The crazy woman must have been pissed at him for not responding to her harassment. So she must be the one hitting the car screen/window. That crazy woman must have in her unsound state of mind  thought the Penang government bestowed her that parking bay or the entire Air Itam road. Anyway, She could have nicely approached them to asked them to remove the car from her parking spot or to make way for her hearse. Or just find another parking spot. Since when have Penangites become so uncivilised? Shame on you road bully. 

Monday, December 01, 2014

Disastrous Meal

It is really important to hire chefs that know how to cook if you open a restaurant. Had a really horrible meal at Dragon-I. Ordered a crispy skin duck, sliced/pinch noodle and crispy noodle. Well, what turn up on the table far varied from the photos in the menu. 
 The duck's skin was not crispy. The meat was dry. In fact it was hard. Overnight meals don't even taste this bad. The duck was not only dry it was burnt as a result of being deep fried. This is not how Peking duck or roast duck is made. 

 The sliced/pinched noodle was hard. Was the dough left in the freezer? Or is this reheated microwave meal?

 This didn't taste that bad but the seafood was not fresh. The crabsticks were sour. The seafood (squid and prawns) had a strong fishy taste. Overall, the only thing that didn't suck were the drinks that's cause they were Coke. Seriously it was a meal prepared by master chef from hell.