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

Some time back, I thought that I couldn't do with some things but now....I think I can. :-) Things sorta moved around a little on the list. Last time 1. My kids 2. Family 2. Internet 3. My work 4. Piano 5. Cell phone 6. Organizer 7. Friends 8. Car 9. Blog 10. TV Now:- 1. Myself 2. Family,Kids and Friends 2. Sanity 3. Yoga Mat 4. Music 5. Food 6. Health 7. Piano 8. Cell phone 9. Internet 10. TV On a technical point, in Zen Buddhism, there shouldn't even BE a list of 'things that I cannot do without' because you are not supposed to hang on to or form attachment to anything in this life. One day, like everything else, they are all going to go. Including myself. So, there is no point in making a list like this. So, watch me. I am going to scrap all of them...just like so.... 1. Myself 2. Family,Kids and Friends 2. Sanity 3. Yoga Mat 4. Music 5. Food 6. Health 7. Piano 8. Cell phone 9. Internet 10. TV I CAN live. Period.

Some of my friends think that because I practice yoga at home, eat healthily and regularly focus on the positive things in life automatically makes it unreasonable for me to react in a human way to negative things, negative people or horrific news that I read on the Internet or the paper. No, it is not unreasonable. Yes, I feel much better after a yoga season and especially after meditating. But sadly, the feelings don't last forever and you know why? Because I am still alive. As long as I am alive and breathing, these are the humanly traits that I will have. I can control them better, yes, but I still feel the urge to swear, cry, behave like a kid and show people my middle finger. I know. Tee hee.... :-) So, even yoga practitioners or even renowned teachers can tell you that it is a struggle too. It doesn't make you IMMUNE to feelings, except that you learn to let go of the feelings quicker as you return to breathing. Have you ever noticed how you stop breathing when...

Not been such a healthy health freak today...just a freak. :-) The kids love instant noodle (for a very wrong reason) so, it is one of those days that I say 'to hell with it'. So, the major ingredients are mostly processed food but cooked in a healthy manner, ok? I can't find the regular instant noodle brand that I usually like so, I settled for this one. Gonna tell you in a bit where it stands as far as taste and quality is concerned. Because instant noodles really lack nutritional value, you gotta add your favorite vegetable into it, you know. And this is mine today. Don't like veg, force yourself. It is good for you. :-) Sound your mom, I bet. Or maybe I sound like YOU. Just for good measure, I decided to add eggs and tofu (from yesterday's complete DISASTER experiment) into this. So, here we go. I have some leftover shallots too, I remembered, so, in it goes. Why waste something so fragrant and wonderful? I don't know about you but whenev...

This is a relatively easy dish to make and it is absolutely DELISH!! For me at least because I have a bit of a Penang tongue. Pork Mixture :- Shallots Garlic Sweet preserved vegetable Dried prawn, soaked and rinsed thoroughly Pork (with a little bit of fat is good) Salt Pepper Sugar (a little bit) Soya sauce Prep: BLEND IT. Well. In this instance, I chose not to blend the pork. I chopped it with a knife ala kampung style until both my hands felt like falling apart. Egg:- Well....Eggs Salt Pepper Soya Sauce Seasame oil Spring Onion Water Prep : Whisk it. The more you whisk it, the foamier it becomes. It's FUN!! It all depends on how you like your eggs, OK? So, whisk according to taste. Both will look like this. So, what do you do next? You throw them in together in a wok, very much like this. ...and steam them for like 20 minutes or so (use agak-agak method, please) and then proceed to the next step...which is EAT!!!

Went out lunch with a friend today and we were just chatting and chatting and chatting...the way old aunties like us do. The funny thing is that I was reflecting about how different the conversation would have been if we were still the college kids that we were when we met. We have grown so much that I said to her, 'Right now, at this moment in time, I realize how miserably pathetic we were when we were kids. But we had to make the mistakes, right? Right. The dumb ones, the mind-numbing ones, the killer ones, the embarrassing ones, the bawl-your-eyeballs-out ones, the F@CK-U-TOO ones.... At this juncture, I dare say that I have come a looooooooooonnnnnnnnggggggg way. I didn't even know that I was suffering from a burnout and low self confidence until...quite recent, actually. The reasons why I stick with the wrong guys. The reason why I let them kick my mind and heart around like it was a soccer ball. The reasons why we refuse to say 'Thank you' whenever someone pai...

This is m y favorite yoga pose. I think it is called Balancing tabletop, a variation of it because the original is with opposing hands and legs straight out. Quite hard to master in the beginning but after a while, you use your knee, shin, and stomach to stabilize the movements of your arms and legs as they move to connect to each other.

Damn, it's bad. Feel like the world is slamming me in the head and giving a good lesson about life, work and friends all at the same time. But it's OK. Not going to die from this. This is life...you learn everyday. I am not a technical writer, end of story. I can't read into your mind or insider secrets either. Period. I am not a super hero and I never claimed to be. I am a simple writer with limits. If you are looking for a technical writer, then consider someone who has experience and education in that respect. This 'friend' of mine hired me as a normal blogger/writer, telling me that all I have to do and write is about basic everyday stuff. Nothing too intense or serious. The criteria changed along the way and then he said that I sucked at it. Of course I sucked at it - he has more than a decade of experience, and I have none. He has to help me, man! But he didn't. And said that I sucked. OK, fine. I'll take it, whatever it is. I was advised to le...

Another case of a racist headmistress has just been reported and to say that I am aghast is an understatement. This feels like using a crane to extract my teeth. Yes, I am vocal about over here in Malaysia but I am vocal because I am not afraid. I am not a racist. And I was just telling my cousin why. I would love to see a system that is fairly executed and managed, and that is not wrong. After all, that is what Democracy is all about. I have wonderful, wonderful, WONDERFUL Malay Muslim friends all over the world and in the same way that they love me, I love them too. I think I like living like that - no hatred, just togetherness and respecting each other. If it were the Chinese or Indians or the Lain-Lains (how sad is THAT?) discriminated against, I will still feel that justice is not served. We are the family and as long as we all hold the same type of IC, then we are deserving of the same opportunities. Currently, I am living with a system that favored boys over girls, elder b...

Nice article to read on health, food and stress. :-)))) As we get busy and stressed, we tend to make poor nutritional choices that can actually increase our stress levels and cause other problems. Here are ten tips for getting good nutrition and maintaining a more healthy diet, even under stress. After a few weeks, they’ll become habit and you won’t even have to think about good nutrition. And your body—not to mention your stress level—will feel the difference! Eat Breakfast : You may rationalize that you’re not hungry yet, that you don’t have time, that lunch will come soon enough, that you need to diet anyway, or that the milk in the latte you pick up on the way is all the good nutrition you need. But skipping breakfast makes it harder to maintain stable blood sugar levels and effective functioning during your busy morning; you need it. (You can easily grab a hard-boiled egg and container of orange juice on your way out the door, right?) Opt For Green Tea : If you’re a coffee junk...

It is going to be a hit-and-run blog today cause I am rushing for some things. Anyway, just wanted to share with you about this new handheld blender/juicer that I found. Believe it or not, I break blenders for a living. Actually, I broke one and the other one makes a lot of noise but don't blend. Isn't it annoying when they are like that? So, I went out looking for a new one and chanced upon this one. Been using it for a coupla days and I tell ya, this blender is a mighty good one. If you're looking for a nice blender, consider this one. No, I don't work for Philips although they were once my client. And no, they are not paying for this blog post. I don't mind, though. You hear me, Philips? You hear? :-)))