(Link)

Go nuts! (If this link ever dies, contact us here and I’ll attempt to recreate the instructions written there.)

As is often the case, I get very attached to actors in shows I watch. Sean Bean of LOTR fame is cast perfectly as Ned Stark. It is unfortunate I find it difficult to shake off his Boromir character, but that’s coz he looks so similar in what looks like a “period” costume. I don’t mind, I like Sean Bean. I first saw Sean Bean in Patriot Games (1992), a film starring Harrison Ford. Bean plays an extremist Irish republican who attempts an assassination of a British Royal. This made me ask “Is he Irish?”, I still don’t know (can someone educate me?). Other similar dark roles are in Ronin (1998) with Robert de Niro, where he had a small role. A bigger role was beside Nicolas Cage in National Treasure (2004) as main villain Ian Howe. Another gem is his appearance as Odysseus in the film Troy (2004). And of course, who can forget him as Boromir in Fellowship of the Ring (2001). He also appeared in a British TV series with the title role of Richard Sharpe, a soldier in Napoleonic times.

A few future roles to watch out for are in upcoming films Mirror, Mirror (2012), a movie about Snow White, and Pan (2012) about Peter Pan. Also to look forward to is the TV drama Missing alongside Ashley Judd, also coming out this year (2012).

Since becoming a mommy, I have to admit I’ve become a scatterbrain most times the past couple of years. But I suppose my passion had been redirected to our new family addition, our beautiful little girl Sophia. Having passed her first birthday, she is becoming more independent: playing alone quietly by my feet for a few minutes, learning to feed herself, undress herself for a bath, ask for what she wants, etc. Breaking my heart while I burst with pride: so this is how it’s like to be a parent.

A passion for what you love doing, a passion for life itself. What are you passionate about?

I know through my more than three decades of existence, there are things about the world that I became and continue to feel passion for. In my life what makes me feel alive involve beauty, knowledge, simplicity and love. Beauty: photos, drawings, music, stories; knowledge: personalities, history, science; simplicity: practicality and frugality; love: family and treasured friends.

This is the essence of our blog. We write about things we are passionate about. But when we get immersed in these passions, these days we don’t get the chance to blog about it as soon as we could.

So yet again, I’ll try to revive this blog. Perhaps what they say about blogging being “dead” can be put off for a little while longer.

I got the Semis correct in the Mens games, though I got Tsonga wrong in the Quarterfinal. I botched the womens though, apart from Azarenka. What a shriekfest it will be tomorrow with Sharapova!
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Mens Final
(Hopeful) Murray vs Federer
(Likely) Djokovic vs Nadal

Semifinal
Djokovic vs Murray
Federer vs Nadal

Quarterfinal
Djokovic vs Ferrer
Murray vs Tsonga
Del Potro vs Federer
Berdych vs Nadal

Womens Final
(Hopeful) Li vs Stosur
(Likely) Azarenka vs Williams

Semifinal
Li vs Azarenka
Williams vs Stosur

Quarterfinal
Wozniacki vs Li
Azarenka vs Schiavone
Williams vs Sharapova
Stosur vs Kvitova

For mens:

For round 2
Djokovic vs Giraldo
Stepanek vs Ito
Petzschner vs Volandri
Hewitt vs Roddick
Tipseravic vs Zopp
Youzhny vs Gasquet
Russell vs Kunitsyn
Bachinger vs Ferrer

round 3
Djokovic vs Stepanek
Volandri vs Roddick
Tipseravic vs Youzhny
Kinitsyn vs Ferrer

Round 4
Djokovic vs Roddick
Tipseravic vs Ferrer

Round 2
Murray vs Malisse
Llodra vs Bogomolov
Troicki vs Garcia-Lopez
Bellucci vs Monfils
Simon vs Beck
Souza vs Nishikori
Granollers vs Dodig
Agut vs Tsonga

Round 3
Murray vs Bogomolov
Troicki vs Monfils
Simon vs Nishikori
Granollers vs Tsonga

Round 4
Murray vs Troicki
Simon vs Tsonga

Round 2
Fish vs Falla
Riba vs KohlSchreiber
Voest vs Darcis
Kavcic vs Del Potro
Dolgopolov vs Kamke
Querrey vs Tomic
Karlovic vs Berlocq
Beck2 vs Federer

Round 3
Fish vs Kohlschreiber
Voest vs Del Potro
Dolgopolov vs Tomic
Karlovic vs Federer

Round 4
Fish vs Del Potro
Tomic vs Federer

Round 2
Berdych vs Rochus
Stakhovsky vs Anderson
Wawrinka vs Baghdatis
Dimitrov vs Almagro
Isner vs Nalbandian
Cipolla vs Lopez
Ljubicic vs Young
Haas vs Nadal

Round 3
Berdych vs Anderson
Baghdatis vs Dimitrov
Nalbandian vs Lopez
Ljubicic vs Nadal

Round 4
Berdych vs Baghdatis
Nalbandian vs Nadal

For womens:
Round 2
Wozniacki vs Barty
Kudryavtseva vs Niculescu
McHale vs Pavlovic
Martic vs Jankovic
Clijsters vs Baltacha
Tsurenko vs Hantuchova
Garrigues vs Govortsova
Rogowska vs Li

Round 3
Wozniacki vs Niculescu
Pavlovic vs Jankovic
Clijsters vs Hantuchova
Govortsova vs Li

Round 4
Wozniacki vs Jankovic
Clijsters vs Li

Round 2
Azarenka vs Dellacqua
Barthel vs Cetkovska
Bratchikova vs Falconi
Johansson vs Peng
Schiavone vs Oprandi
Denilidou vs Goerges
Wickmayer vs Mirza
Ormaechea vs Radwanska

Round 3
Azarenka vs Cetkovska
Falconi vs Peng
Schiavone vs Goerges
Wickmayer vs Radwanska

Round 4
Azarenka vs Falconi
Schiavone vs Radwanska

Round 2
Zvonareva vs Rodina
Makarova vs Kanepi
Cibulkova vs Arn
Strycova vs Williams
Lisicki vs Holland
Stephens vs Kuznetsova
Kerber vs Vesnina
Hampton vs Sharapova

Round 3
Zvonareva vs Kanepi
Cibulkova vs Williams
Hollands vs Kuznetsova
Vesnina vs Sharapova

Round 4
Kanepi vs Williams
Kuznetsova vs Sharapova

Round 2
Stosur vs Radwanska2
Savinykh vs Petrova
Vinci vs Zheng
Dokic vs Bartoli
Pavlyuchenkova vs King
Barrois vs Ivanovic
Kirilenko vs Zhang
Navarro vs Kvitova

Round 3
Stosur vs Petrova
Zheng vs Dokic
King vs Ivanovic
Kirilenko vs Kvitova

Round 4
Stosur vs Dokic
Ivanovic vs Kvitova

If you kow how to do “paksiw na isda”, a cooking method involving lotsa vinegar, then all I’m suggesting is to do a paksiw, and then deep-frying the paksiw. I prefer the paksiw to be quite spicy, using “siling haba” (long, green chili). The spiciness of the chili lends itself very well to a deep-fried fish.

Works best with galunggong =)

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PS after posting this blog, I found this post. Turns out it is exactly what I just described, only she shows a complete recipe. Enjoy!

2010 was a big year for us:

January: We found out we were expecting. Ajay had just flown back to Singapore in early January after spending the holidays in Sydney. I called him on 30 January, Saturday, to tell him I was pregnant.

February: Ajay came to Sydney to help me with early pregnancy. I was juggling thesis writing and horrible morning sickness.

March: I submitted my thesis for examination.

April: Ajay flew back to Singapore to get his affairs in order as we plan to move in together in Sydney. He flies back to Sydney.

May: I started work with a new academic group.

June: We moved to our own flat, nearer the city. Ajay and I got addicted to watching Masterchef on TV every weekday night.

July: Examiners returned marks for my thesis… A 1 and two 2′s! No revision and 2 minor revisions =) We were travelling from east to west (and back) of Sydney to attend prenatal visits and classes.

August: Resubmitted my thesis, I get approval of admission into the community of scholars and received my PhD testamur.

September: We graduated from our prenatal classes. Started maternity leave in mid-month. Sophia is born on the last day of the month.

October: Spent a few days more than expected due to Sophia’s bilirubin levels. Went home for the first time as a 3-member family =) Sleepless nights but blissful days, happy with our new baby.

November: We finally are notified of the approval of our long-term visa to stay in Australia. Sophia secures support from the university for the same.

December: We applied for a passport for Sophia. We attended my graduation. Our first Christmas season together with baby =)

So much more to look forward to in 2011. Today, the first day of the year, we spent the day with family, and it is one of the most important components of our everyday life that we wish to keep close to our hearts.

Cheers!

[photo on facebook]

I’m playing you some tunes over the iPhone speakers. Softly, since we are, after all, in a hospital ward. We are currently in a second round of a cycle: nappy change, feed, burp, feed, burp, swaddle, sleep. But this time we’re stuck in the first feed, coz you refuse to unlatch. Been an hour now at least that you’ve been suckling that I’m glad I was able to reach my iPhone to type this note up for you. 

I’m not exactly sure how we’re going to proceed with the next 7 hours until your father gets here. You’re not agreeing with my jumping to swaddling or burping… let alone be put to the cot. 

Looks like it will be a long night for me, as it seems I’ll be letting you stay asleep right where you are on my right breast.

You were born 4.55 pm yesterday, 3400 grams, 48 cm. The surgeon was Dr Seng Chua. Anaesthesist was Sajin (?) and Jeremy (who repeatedly teased that your mother was the ‘real’ doctor.)

About a half hour until you feed again. You look so peaceful, sleeping since 1.11 am. I’ve had a good nap from 2 until 4, it’s hard not to wake up now and then to look at you. We had been cuddlinh skin-to-skin since last night when your father was here for your first feed. One of the nurses swaddled you back into your glass sleeper at about 1am. 

I called home and chatted with your poppa and momma for about 20mins. I can see your eyes wander looking for where the voices are coming from as you listened to them for the first time. It was lovely to hear them delight in hearing your girly crying voice when you became frustrated and had a good bawl. 

Your father will be back here in about 2.5 hours. I’ll be waking you up soon so you can suckle. 

Just wiped my plate clean from a couple of slices of toast and a mug of white tea. Not sure if tea is okay for today, but I needed a bit of warmth and soothing this morning. After this I am not allowed to eat anything anymore, and nothing to drink except water until 10 am. We have to be at the hospital before noon to get prepped for surgery.

So it’s your birthday today. I can feel you kicking and shifting in my belly just a few moments ago. Since I woke up at 3 am you have been moving. Kept me awake, but that’s all right. It’ll be just a few hours until you are outside and I can no longer keep the delight of your life physically to myself. I will miss your quickenings, and every move you make today makes me smile.

Your father is still sleeping, and I hope he stays in bed for as long as he can until we need to leave for the hospital. I’ll be needing him more to help with your first weeks with us, especially with a belly wound I’ll be sporting starting later. I am no stranger to surgical recovery, as I’ve been cut 6 years ago in a similar way. It’ll be a while until I’m able to carry anything heavier than you in the next few weeks.

I can’t wait to meet you. I can’t believe how soon it is you will be in our arms. Our countdown started just a few weeks after New Year’s, and now it all comes down to these last few hours. Your father and I have never been more excited. For many years it has been Ajay and Pen. Starting today, we become a family of three.

We love you, and see you soon.