Diet of a single man Part II

The usual concoction of "roast duck, char siew (RDCS) and rice" has to come to an imminent end as I savour the last round of RDCS. Tonight has to be different. Five consecutive sessions of the same combo don't do any favour to statistical analysis. So it's Indo mee goreng (instant noodles lah) with RDCS. Threw in an egg, fish balls, crab sticks and prawns for good measure.

Egg "hidden" beneath the noodles.

I resisted the temptation of having two packs of instant noodles. Too much carbo at 1130pm is not helping a 30-year-old man trim down his ever-growing belly.

Yes, another ice-cold A&W root beer to clear the oesophagus.

Happy Days Part 3...

Top to bottom: Brussels, Rome, Helsinki, Geysir, Cornwall (left) Edinburgh (right)

Diet of a single man

What happens when you are too lazy to cook? For me, tabao three days' worth (for only £6.80!) of roasted duck and char siew from Chinatown's Four Seasons (not the hotel) and have it with rice/noodles. And of coz over three days.



Roasted duck with char siew, pork floss and barbequed pork. Not too bad for dinner at 11pm. Topped it with ice-cold A&W.

Burp.

Seal it for your courts above

God has a miraculous way of dealing with people. Over the past few months when God and people shouted into my ears, I hardly hear. Today and especially over the last week, as I sought Him - I realised He has not stopped shouting. Rather it is because I have started hearing.

I am grateful for the prayers that have been coming my way, especially with Xueyan's persistence and faithfulness, Weifu/Merlin's availability to lend me their ears and presence and to many others who have not given up on me.

Psalm 51 has never been clearer to me now. As David cried out on questioning by Nathan the prophet after David had "sent" Uriah to death and lusted after Bathsheba.

"For you do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it,
You are not pleased with burnt offerings.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
a broken and contrite heart,
O God You will not despise." - Psalm 51:16-17

How this song of worship came to life as I seek Him. Lord, may you seal this wretched heart for your courts above.

A broken spirit and a contrite heart
You will not despise
You will not despise
You desire truth in the inward parts
A broken spirit and a contrite heart
Lord my heart is prone to wander
Prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart
Lord, take it and seal it
Seal it for Your courts above.


Update: Forget to mention Pau Ping who has been my London's pillar of strength, encouraging me daily with God's Word and keeping me sane!

Happy Days Part 2...

From top to bottom: Vienna, Barcelona, Paris, Luebeck, Amsterdam (left), Bath (right)

Tough days ahead...

The toughest three days of my life (yet) lies ahead... please pray along with me for deliverance.

"I look up to the hills - where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and Earth."

Psalms 121:1-2

View from my room

Word of the day

He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.
How blessed is the man who fears always,
But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

Proverbs 28:13-14

Two sides of a coin

What kind of peaceful and friendly protests is this?



Coordinated attempts by the Western media to discredit the Chinese government, dramatising false events?

Can money be better spent?

Where angels no longer fear to tread
Scientists try to explain religion

BY THE standards of European scientific collaboration, €2m ($3.1m) is not a huge sum. But it might be the start of something that will challenge human perceptions of reality at least as much as the billions being spent by the European particle-physics laboratory (CERN) at Geneva. The first task of CERN's new machine, the Large Hadron Collider, which is due to open later this year, will be to search for the Higgs boson—an object that has been dubbed, with a certain amount of hyperbole, the God particle. The €2m, by contrast, will be spent on the search for God Himself—or, rather, for the biological reasons why so many people believe in God, gods and religion in general.

“Explaining Religion”, as the project is known, is the largest-ever scientific study of the subject. It began last September, will run for three years, and involves scholars from 14 universities and a range of disciplines from psychology to economics. And it is merely the latest manifestation of a growing tendency for science to poke its nose into the God business.

More here from The Economist.

Happy Days Part 1...

Top left clockwise: Venice, Valencia, Jungfrau, Lake Como, Berchtesgaden, Brugges and Montserrat

What's keeping this blog alive?

My initial thoughts on returning to London alone would mean the end of this blog - since it's titled Eeps and Weexy's Journal and this London journey is becoming a solo flight.

Then again, this a journal about two persons, and not about two persons in the same place physically. More so, this has become a place for inner reflections especially on a cold, snowing Saturday afternoon in London. Lights out and heater on as I try, for the umpteenth time, to focus on the books. But I know where my heart is, so that's why I am finding it hard to study and to fight back the tears.

"She definitely didn't have an easy time in her last weeks here. I am beginning to experience the terror and loneliness of a cold, empty house. While I have my books and mocha to accompany me in school, she only has nostalgia to keep her warm and the flames of a relationship burning.
It must have been very painful."

A Good Friday... and a long weekend

Just got off the phone with Xueyan. What was supposed to be a good and long weekend has turned out to be a cry for Beckham's 100th cap - lots of pomp/hope but nothing to show for.

Another first of many to come - my first lonely Good Friday and Easter in London. Most Singaporean friends are off travelling (mostly to Spain) to escape the cold, harsh UK weather. Remember my post last year about snow in London? It snowed again this afternoon and I called Xueyan the instant the snow came. And the first thing I remember was the pictures we took last year when the snow came falling. It is not as dramatic as last year's but nostalgia always dramatised past events.

Okay, now I am into my final lap of revision. I will be taking leave over the next three weeks to revise for my exams. My colleagues were wondering if I am a part time worker instead of a part time student, given the countless days I took in Jan (for exams as well), Feb (3 weeks back to Singapore), Mar and Apr (1 week each month). Haha, studies do have benefits. I just need to make sure I have results to show for them. Alas, can't wait for the day (April 14) to come. My last paper for the year before studies resume in October. And more reasons to take leave in between now and then to enjoy the British summer!

Anyone for the dirtiest AND most expensive?

But I still like this city...

LONDON (AFP) — London is the dirtiest and most expensive city in Europe, while Brussels is the most boring, according to a British survey published on Wednesday.
London edged out Paris for the unwanted accolade of dirtiest city in the survey of more than 1,100 travellers carried out by TripAdvisor.
Respondents said Paris was the most unfriendly, followed by London and Moscow, but the French capital is still working its old magic as it was voted the most romantic destination in Europe and the best for shopping and dining.
London won out for having the best nightlife and public parks.
The cleanest city is Zurich, the survey said, although the tidy Swiss city also finished equal second behind EU hub Brussels as the most boring place.
Prague was elected the best bargain city, followed by Budapest and Lisbon.
Despite the weak dollar, half of the Americans surveyed said they planned to visit Europe this year, the same number as last year.
Here is the a rundown of the top three in various categories:
Best bargain city: 1. Prague 2. Budapest 3. Lisbon.
Most expensive: 1. London 2. Paris 3. Rome, Venice, Oslo, Moscow (tied)
Most friendly locals: 1. Dublin 2. Amsterdam 3. London.
Most unfriendly locals: 1. Paris 2. London 3. Moscow.
Best cuisine: 1. Paris 2. Rome 3. Florence.
Best shopping: 1. Paris 2. London 3. Rome.
Best nightlife: 1. London 2. Amsterdam 3. Paris.
Best parks: 1. London 2. Paris 3. Barcelona, Amsterdam, Copenhagen (tied).
Most romantic: 1. Paris 2. Venice 3. Rome.
Most attractive locals: 1. Rome 2. Paris 3. Stockholm.
Cleanest: 1. Zurich 2. Copenhagen 3. Stockholm.
Dirtiest: 1. London 2. Paris 3. Rome, Athens (tied).
Most boring: 1. Brussels 2. Zurich, Oslo, Warsaw, Zagreb (tied).

Word of the day

How can a young man keep his way pure?
By keeping it according to Your word.
With all my heart I have sought You;
Do not let me wander from Your commandments.
Your word I have treasured in my heart,
That I may not sin against You.

Psalm 119:9-11

Barely surviving

The same goes for this blog. I don't think you guys are complaining since no one actually left any comments asking for an update. Two months have passed since my last post and many things have changed drastically.

I am finally back in London after 2 1/2 weeks in Singapore for the Chinese New Year holidays though I did not manage to catch up with a lot of people. Since I am back in Singapore only once a year (hoping to increase that statistic this year!), I preferred to spend time with my family and close ones. You, as my friend, are definitely understanding enough to know that. ;)

I missed London when I was back in Singapore. The hot and humid weather does not help a single bit though I ran quite often in the morning to get a tan (this after "complaints" from family and friends that I am fairer than Fann!). Funnily I did not miss the food in Singapore, taking in just wanton noodles and nasi lemak more than once. Kiasu and C&R in London must be doing a good job.

Now that I am back in London, it's time for me to refocus on my studies. Thank God that I managed a decent pass for the last paper. Missing four weeks of school will not guarantee that result, so I really have to dig in deep. Also have to thank God for my recent promotion (though the bonus and increment were nothing to shout about); that definitely gave me more motivation to work on the next step in my career.

So if you can, please pray that I will get back on track with God. The last few months have been extremely trying and distracting. God shouted but I turned a deaf ear, which led to many mistakes and broken hearts. So while healing is needed, I must be prepared to be obedient and allow God to work in my life. So please pray with and for me on that!