Marsha Maung: Write. Cook. Read. Watch. Try. Innovate.

Being a very smell-conscious (I was just about to say 'smelly' because noise = noisy) person, to me, the first thing that makes a home smell homely is the smell of aromatic good food coming from the kitchen. Maybe it reminds me of my days as a kid, coming home from school, entering the home after playing whatever game it was that I was playing after school hours, hungry as hell! The smell of my mom's cooking is DA BEST !! Ever! Maybe that is why I have a fixation of smelling the house out. And let me tell you this - I love my home best when there is something cooking in the kitchen.  Hhhhmmm....can you smell the beef patties cooking in the oven? Gosh, it smells like heaven. :-) And you must be asking why am I not grilling the patties?  Well, generally speaking, I am a bit of a Nazi when it comes to the food department and if I can save on using too much oil, I will. So, instead of letting the patties swim in oil, I would rather bear with the slightly drier tex...

Have you ever heard of how people trap monkeys in India? It's really funny because it never really struck me as off or odd before but I think it is true. They make a box and they put a banana in there. They fit a hole that is only large enough for a monkey to fit its hand through it. The monkey smells and sees the banana, puts its hand into the box and grabs the banana. And with the banana in hand, it tries to move its hand out of the box but it can't. Its hand is stuck in the box unless it is willing to give up the banana. Banana in a box image But it's right there, in its hand!!! It thinks of ways to get the banana out of the box with its hand intact but no, it's stuck, alright. The monkey's trapped. And they say that monkeys is the less evolved species of the human being – GAWD, they're right. Human beings act the same way . That is the way we are, as human beings – we keep hanging onto the banana. We are trapped because we refuse to let th...

I have not been doing Friday's English for a long time...partly because of business, mostly because of laziness. Anyway, it's back. Trying to make it a regular again, as with my Monday Ha-Ha's. As you can see, it's hard-work trying to find English words to write about so I have resorted to writing about a popular French-adopted word.  Boudoir ...not all of us know how to spell this word correctly, unless we're French. Most of us don't know what it means. Well, Boudoir basically means a room whereby a lady (back in those days, French) can retire to to sulk and moan that another French woman got the tea set that she badly wanted. It also applies to perfume, makeup, clothing and shoes.  The term has its roots in the word 'bouder' which is obviously also French which means to sulk or pout (prettily or not). Who started this? Turns out, the mistresses of Louis XV of France were jealous pouters (note: the plural usage for the word mistress) and the ru...

I don't usually post recipes here because I am always conscious of the fact that I would, indeed I would, end up being the butt of someone's joke. But this one, I copied it down from a website some time ago and it worked with the kids.  My kids, I don't know about your kids, are really anti-veg and anything healthy. It's healthy? Eugh, get it outta my sight.  Anyway, hence, mom's consistent hunt for good recipes to HIDE the healthy stuff. And this is one of them. This Creamy Broccoli, Carrot and Celery Soup is really very nice! For me, it's already lunch.  Ingredients : Onion, Tomato, Broccoli, Carrots, Celery, Milk, Chicken broth, Butter, Pepper, Dried Mixed Herbs The above: I had to HIDE the most pungent veg of all...the celery. Hence, I cut it up into really TEENY TINY pieces. The carrots, they love it, so, I left it in chunks.  My kids hate onions because in their minds, onions makes you cry. Why would anyone, in their right mind, want...

KO guy image I am reading a book (surprise, surprise) that reminded me about a time when I first started out as a writer. Boy oh boy, I'll spare you the gory details but I would like to reenact a scene here just to show you how tough it was.  I call this one the Late Night Winging Episodes *** *** It's kinda a time for everyone to be deep in slumber, i.e. 2.30am but my Younger Son was jostled awake by the 'swinging arm leg' movement of Elder Son. Gord, he still has that syndrome. Sleeping with him is NOT RECOMMENDED and I pity his future wife.  So, Younger Son sees me sitting there at the computer, feverishly typing out messages and articles for clients who call the other side of the world their home. They're on MSN and Yahoo Messenger, so, I was desperate. Sleep-deprivation...to hell with that. SHOW ME THE MONEY !!! (insert wild chest-thumping here) Younger Son would often tot over, up goes my shirt and he knows where to find the source of milk a...

Swallows Flying Image You wanna know what I have recently discovered? Well, you ought to know that I am going to tell, anyway, whether you wanted to know or not.  :-) A couple of months back, I had the pleasure of being invited for a yacht trip, something I have never done before and on a night-out with a friend, the chance presented itself to me and I said 'Why the hell not?' On top of having being introduced to a world of luxury, comfort, grandeur and splendor that I have never ever, EVER, (or ever will again) seen, I was more focused on the simplicity of the things I saw and felt. Instead of the mouth-watering food, waiting servants, speed boats, masseurs, pedicurists, manicurists, glistening walls, shining dining tables....I saw simplicity. And one of the most simple things that touched me during that trip was watching how the birds fly.  I don't know about you but I have no inkling as to why birds (swallows, I think) like to fly after yachts in a t...

I have a very special collection (only three, but hey, if I call it a collection, then it's a collection) of stones. Here's something I think we need once in a while.... Here's to your smashing weekend ahead!

I am just like WOW. Really? REALLY? Apparently, the 'shock' and focus of those high-pitched sound can cause objects to levitate. LEVITATE ME!!!! To Paris, please!! Next up, Manhattan. Watch the video, it's really quite awesome! To find out more information about h ow sound levitation work s , you'd have to do a little bit of research.  Now, I have to pack my bags for Paris. Toodles! Did you know about sound levitation before this? ( polls )

LOL!! I just got this from my Aunt Angie. I never, personally, send out chain letters and discard them with a click of my fat fingers.  This one is so funny that I have to share here, instead of sending out emails.  To All .......... To all those friends who sent me chain letters promising me good fortune and money in 2009, please be advised: IT DIDN'T WORK!!!!   Therefore, for 2010, please just send the money directly! Thanks  

Today's menu:- * Lap-cheong Flied Lice (say it with Malaysian accent please)  Ice-cold water Corn soup Corn ice-cream.  We'll be corned out today... :-) * Chinese sausage with Fried Rice