the war

I'm going to fight the war. The war in Tekong.

First, I have to report there at 8.30am at the war command centre 2. Then they will inculcate and drill the idea into my head of having a war mentality before shaving my head as a sign of acceptance of the ways of war. They will give me lots of war rations and equipment and I will be led to my campsite. I will fall in and they will give me my rifle. Thereafter, they will send me into the battleground, to fight the war.

My commanding officer will decide my fate; he gambles with lives the same way a gambler gambles with money. Blood will be shed, but hopefully not mine. I will have faith and trust in him.

My company shall fight as one, forging a strong unbreakable bond. My comrades will cover me, and I shall protect them. With our lust for blood, the savage enemies will be defeated. God protect us.

There is hope. A light at the end of the tunnel, though only a sliver. The war will be over. Its days are numbered.

ian can cook episode 2

Hey kids, welcome to the second episode of Ian Can Cook (pronounced as yan can cook XD).

Japanese cuisine is something many people enjoy, but not many over here actually cook it. Today we will be making something simple which can be done in less than 15 minutes. It's called hiyashi chuka or cold noodles. Yeah, something different from your usual hot and soupy Maggi mee diet. :D They say it's great for the summer time. And since Singapore is always summer, you can probably eat it everyday (if you are willing to spend at least $6 for a packet of noodles for two).

So go to any Japanese supermarket or a supermarket with a Japanese section and find some hiyashi chuka. It looks something like that...
The recipe is in Japanese on the back of the noodle packet that feeds 2 people. I will translate into English here:
1. Boil plenty of water. Put your noodles in. Let it cook for 5 minutes.
2. Drain off the boiling water with a strainer and rinse the boiled noodles immediately in cold water.
3. Drain off the noodles with a strainer.
4. Put noodles on a plate with your choice of topping.
5. Pour attached sauce over noodles.

Refering to Step 4: Yeah! Free choice of topping! Take your pick among these:

• thin strips of fried eggs in an omelette
• thin strips ham or poached chicken breasts
  
• julienned cucumbers
  
• julienned carrots
  
• bean sprouts
• sliced tomatoes
  
• pickled ginger (beni shoga, in little strips)

For the ultimate cooling effect, cool them all after cooking or slicing and dicing!

Arrange them so that they look something like this:Well, let's see what I got around the house... Eggs, leftover frozen bacon, lettuce. Perfect!

Cooking in Progress. Boring...

Since presentation isn't so important to me and I can't be bothered to slice the bacon, the following should be sufficient for a great lunch!

Itadakimasu!

The noodles are chewy and light. The sesame sauce poured at the end gives it a tangy taste.
Oishi desu!

Rating: 9/10 WIN for hiyashi chuka!

We have come to the end of the second episode, kids. Oh yes, I almost forgot, get your parent's permission before using the kitchen knife. We don't want to see bleeding little escaped fingers wriggling around the chopping board. Alright, goodbye, have fun!

more anime

I think that this post is very boring... a mere reflection and description... and I feel that the connection between ideas is poor.

Congratulations, you are on your way to becoming an otaku. That's what sometimes I would think. Since I have chosen this path, l'm going continue to tread it for the next unknown number of months. So if I'm not blogging, I'm either watching anime (most of the time), sleeping (I sleep more than I watch them), playing computer or outside. Such is the life of one who has no school to attend and awaitng NS.

So, what have I been watching? I'm a little experimental here. Being an absolute noob in this delusionary world, I think that it's okay to watch everything popular that comes my way. In this way, I watch almost every genre like romance, comedy, magical girl, supernatural. I haven't watched much horror yet. I'm avoiding stuff like mecha and fighting. Anyway, ever-popular Naruto and Bleach both have way too many episodes for me to even start watching. Besides, there's a high risk of becoming a NARUTARD. :(

Here's my watched list:
Recommended
Clannad, Ginban Kaleidoscope, Alice Academy, Shugo Chara, Vampire Knight both seasons
Ok only
School Days (craziest ending ever), Kannagi, Lamune, Aizu Pure
Very Ecchi (adult)
Oruchuban Ebichu (a sick anime with dirty Japanese jokes and puns by a silly hamster,not to mention actual sex scenes but all drawn in a simplistic style)

Currently watching:
Skip Beat!, Toradora! (both of them are showing on okto by the way), A Certain Magical Index, Maria Holic, Kiss x Sis, Clannad After Story, Shugo Chara Doki

Watching in the near future (probably after BMT):
The Melancholy of Haruchi Suzumiya (both seasons), GTO and its prequel OVAs, La Corda O'ro (both seasons), Kanon, Air, Higurashi, Jigoku Shoujo
In fact, the new Spring 2009 season seems very promising, but I need to catch up on older ones. :D

Well, in view of the long list of anime I am watching, I guess it's going to make me very introverted and unfit (lack of exercise). At the same time, the packets of subliminal messages of Japanese culture within each anime is turning me into one who adores their culture and their language. Not that the proliferation of their culture is a bad thing; it's good to learn about them. But I feel as if I am so crazy as to aim to fold 1000 paper cranes over this year and also try to find out more about their language to the point that my everyday greetings may soon become Japanese. Soon, don't be surprised in the morning that I may say Ohayou, and at night, Oyasumi. It is an overkill, isn't it?

To be continued... After I come back...