Teatime in Georgetown, Penang Island

Above: The commemorative designed box for bean paste biscuits, otherwise known better as tau snar pneah.

Below: The Cantonese-inspired kai chai peng, baked chicken-flavoured snacks garnished with sesame seeds.

Almond biscuits are a staple of southern Chinese traditions heavily influencing South-east Asia -  the above comes from Macau.

Chicken and mushroom flaky pastry pie, perfected by Hainanese chefs cooking for mainly Scottish masters far away from the British Isles.  (Courtesy of Breadtop)

Design of box holding classic savoury yet sweet Penang specials, the beh teh saw, bite-sized baked delights.

Home made curry puffs from sis-in-law Sian Kin.

(Image Credit - S.K. Teoh)

The 5 Ds

Twenty years ago, I had observations, from many people I came across. of the 5Ds idiosyncratic of Australian society - Drive, Dance, Dole, Drugs and Dogs. These ostensibly one-sided views of the possible propensities of most likely Aussie behaviour stereotyped the need to cover long distances to do anything; the apparently high drive to express one's self in performing arts at an early age; the strong financial support provided by government for individuals and families without employment income; the easy availability of fixation substances and addictive products ranging from alcohol and tobacco to party sniffers and street poisons; and the presence of so many well taken-care-of canines, who seemed to have a better life in Australia compared to many human beings overseas.

At the cusp of a new decade, I have re-visited the 5Ds of my own Australian experience and now offer a revised update of these original Ds. To me now, they are personally Determination, Detail, Demeanour, Decisiveness and De-cluttering.

Australia can be a comfortable society, and it is vital to maintain the determination for improvement and innovation. It has been a rather Lucky Country, cruising through difficult world economic patches with perhaps timely demand for our resources to mitigate against our mainstream unproductive past times of retail spending, excessive debt accumulation and lack of concern that we have lost our manufacturing base forever. To have determination in human beings, often enough one needs a certain level of hunger, ambition and aim. To quote a micro illustration, I reside in a region of this continent nation where the variety and quality of food and food products, in my opinion, can be rather limited, and that maintains in me a hunger to appreciate good food and produce when I can access it. If Australia as an economy has not had a rather sharp economic adjustment since 1991, how can one ensure the motivation to build up the determination to compete against other nations and challengers?  (oh yes, I still have to drive for long distances in Australia  - and that has not changed since 1989).

Attention to detail is useful in a nation with the world's possibly most complicated tax regulations, fine print in contracts or equipment manuals/ cd guides and having one of the most litigious mindsets after California, USA.  There are too many choices on supermarket shelves, it can take the fun of impulse buying - and one also gets the dollar price indicated per 100 grams or per part of a litre, so there is no opportunity, while walking the aisles, to work out bargains in your own head.  On the other hand, there are still many roads in greater Sydney at junctions with no road names displayed, just when one gets lost without a GPS signal and yet there is the repeated same names for roads in every suburb.  Everyone must ensure paying attention to the detail on customs declaration and arrival cards at any airport in Australia. 

How you hold yourself, apart from the verbal barrage that some people I know at work practice to much relish, is even more important. At times, your apparent demeanour is utilised to interpret things in yourself which you never even dreamed of.  Most of Australian society is quickly taken with the gift of the gab when they have made up their minds to love you, and when they somehow otherwise find you irritating, even for no reason at all, they analyse your every non-verbal signal, presentation and look.  Be especially wary at interviews, when first meeting strangers and when you try to sell something.  The right smile may overcoming everything and lead you to open vistas or new opportunities. And I am sure the right expression always comes in handy if you are making a dance move.

With so little time available and so many things to do in the big smokes of Sydney and Melbourne, a rather good flair in applying decisiveness can get you the last available dining table, the sought after ticket and the right train cabin to jump into on some rather confronting days and scenarios. This is an advantage when trying to place your beloved child in the right school, camp activity or Saturday class. Decisiveness also means when to flirt to the next big bonus, corporate box, share tip or mentor in the ever delectable and delicate game of politics and personalities in the business or political world.  People come and go, so decisiveness is most significant when you have the love of your life in front of you and yet you do not jump at the potential offer(and I am not talking about drugs!).

When you reckon you have achieved a fair measure of implementing all the above Ds, then it is time to consider de-cluttering.  The average Australian household, I am told, changes location on an average of every seven years, so it is best not to over accumulate things, using the innate fear of removalist day to always practise moderation and the art of letting go.  Personally I use the benchmark that I do not need to keep something if I have not used it for over a year. Maybe I have to be more strict with myself going forward.  The changing of the seasons encourage us to acquire new plants, electronic stuff, kitchen utensils, software in various media forms, sports, groups, hobbies, clothes and the like.  I have since realised all that I need is a new attitude in treating new products or trends as passer-bys, instead of forcing them to join my inner sense of a club.  Then I will always have room for the new, the untried and the unusual.  Not just in physical form, but more so in ideas, concepts and state of mind.

A Stroll with Jay Jay

I cannot get over the fact that Jay Jay has gentle eyes, but when I look into them, his eyes also reveal a depth of understanding, emotion and communication. 

We were strolling on a street in Baulkham Hills near his abode, and Jay Jay was particularly sensitive and polite to me.  He did not plunge off in a sudden way from his leash, except for one occasion, despite the bark of an occasional neighbourhood canine, or some other diversion - and I quietly appreciated that he took the effort to not cause a disruption to my intent of having a leisurely time with him on a cool winter's day in greater Sydney's north-west. The only exception was when he took an interest in approaching some older teenage girls, who instinctively smiled as they passed by him.

Jay Jay loves the elements and outdoors.  He would enthusiastically sniff off herbs, plants, grass and shrubs along the route we took, as if he was Charles Darwin himself discovering new species in New Holland. Then he would perform what we may think as unsavoury - the urinating - but it was his organic, natural way of placing markers for future reference, instead of building metal towers, drainage holes or radar screens, as modern mankind does. Was Jay Jay also planning a secret garden inventory of Nature's medicine should he need them on a day when he may be feeling under the weather? Maybe it was just a geographical and topographical marker for him.

Jay Jay seemed to be pre-occupied on this walk, but I realised half way that he was also walking truly with me, taking in quietly how I felt, listening to my occasional chat with him, but more importantly soaking in my non-verbal vibes - and then making me feel that it is okay, whatever my thoughts and feelings were then. I was reminded that no matter what, it was just lovely to acknowledge the sunshine, the blue sky, the twitter of the birds and the fifteen degrees in temperature. Jay Jay perhaps just tried to show me to let things be, whether he passed by shouting kids, others doing their sport or the rush of a gentle breeze on a late Sunday afternoon. It was a focused effort addressed to me that particular day, for otherwise he can be active and engaged on previous such walks.

The two of us went up a ridge and then turned around down slope to his home.  Happily he approached the front door and he instinctively knew his job - and mine - was done.  In an unassuming manner, we both basked in the after glow of each other's company.  He did not give me a wink, but his consistent eyes of assurance, when he looked into my eyes, spoke of reliability, on-going friendship and no-fuss approach to what life has to offer.  Think of how many of your human companions can do that to each of us.

Passing Thoughts

Tonight I am blessed with a full moon, with the kind of yellow tinged light and an almost happy celestial look.

The afternoon had been surprisingly warm that made my Kathmandu jacket feel hot, rather than comfortable.
I had tasted a vegetarian risotto first thing for lunch, as the rather unimpressive effects of a cereal breakfast always did not work for me - instead of making me satisfied and defy hunger, they always serve instead as an appetiser to make me look forward to relieve more hunger pangs. The risotto had pumpkin, carrot, peas and things with colours that are meant to be good for health - and was tasty too. Maybe the warm foods preferred during winter time does make one feel truly warm inside. However, at twenty degrees Celsius at teatime, this was definitely not winter.

The pork bites that I had marinated with palm sugar, soy sauce, cooking wine and the lot had turned into a delicious braised serving for dinner. Rain is forecast for tomorrow, otherwise I would have sprayed the weed killers on unwanted leaves already sprouting between the brickwork in the courtyard. The evening before I had managed to get the favourite heritage hand watch going again. Somehow a shopping night out feels better when it is unplanned. Things do get done even if one does not bring the to-do list. I take it as a bright-eyed child goes to a fast food joint as a reward for something well done. The child looks up at the pictures beyond the high counter and realises there are things to aspire for. Nothing else beats that first experience.

The incumbent Prime Minister of my nation had been sacked by a handful of political power brokers in his own Labour Party. I may have an idealistic notion of democracy, but the caucus approach to electing leaders in this country has illustrated its worst facets and extremes.  Why allow a very minority and select few decide the kind of leader to navigate a nation through its fate and history? What has happened to the notion of one person, one vote? It is time to re-think of only electing a party, for a citizen's birthright is also to help choose the person sitting at the helm of the ship taking the country to the future.  You would have thought it logical to encourage a system which reduces factional power and increase the dominance of majority views of the adult population.  Tonight the new and first female Prime Minister of Australia has been warned to be careful of back stabbers and changing fortunes. I hope that this does not reflect the mentality of the majority of denizens of this nation, at whatever levels, whether in the neighbourhood, community, town or region, at the work place or even in the classroom, where especially young an d impressive minds are shaped.

Do We Really Need To?

I felt much warmed up after finishing the clothes ironing and left over pork curry from last night. No need for a heater, as I prefer au naturale approaches to climate management (okay, except for the thermostat heater tube for the goldfish tank, I must admit). No one talks much of the dryness of skin from electrical or other human induced heating, and the effects of searing summer is only for a few unbearable days in Wollongong.  There is so much push by the media on climate change, but they also overload us with plenty of models of electrical gadgets during advertising breaks.

Passing showers fell after I watered the garden beds last night, with precise timing as if I had invoked it once I took out the garden hose. I felt good to see moisture on the sand coloured pebbles placed to try to prevent or discourage weeds. Water flowed over the small stones like a break of drought over a river bed. Flora never go out of fashion as fast as bath sets, tapheads, vanity cabinets, stoves, ovens and sink models. Human beings are in constant drive to modify, change or innovate. Plants and flowers thrive in consistency and gradual adaptation, not sudden drastic changes.

David Mason maintains an engaging enthusiasm as he works through countless numbers of customers at the coffee and tea outlet he works in.  His dark brown hair rises to a natural vertical over his forehead as if he was supporting Mount Matterhorn in the French Alps. His eyes may reflect fatigue but still exude a natural smile for others.  I ask him if he has found his working experience for the past year useful  and relevant to his future plans and dreams. David says he is glad he embraced the ropes, the people, the network and the reality on the front lines. He seems to have a structured purpose to the role he has chosen for himself. Do we need to throw ourselves, I sometimes ponder, to the whims and fancies of formal syllabuses and course demands, when we can shape and sculpt some part of our own preferences in preparing for our future?

 I have been reminded that some specific individuals are not all that reasonable or civil. Maybe, as a title of a catchy tune alludes to in the South Pacific musical, I have been all along too much a bright-eyed optimist. I naturally think of the best in people when I first meet and interact with them. These individuals with negative intent try to impose their demands and influence beyond their actual impact, and must feel good, in their own perverted reckoning, to seemingly be able to utilise laws meant for the common good to apply to their unique personal advantage.  Do they really need to think and act like that?  In the unsaid laws of the universe, every action does bring forth an equal and logical reaction.