Sunday, January 28, 2007
Great food, Lots of fun, Fine company and the Love of my Family
This is for my dearest hubby to thank him for such a wonderful evening.
As I'll be in Prague for my birthday next week and it's been a while since we entertained my family at home, I decided to invite my folks, my sibs and their respective other halves to dinner tonight for an early celebration. My hubby offered to cook and he made some of my favourite dishes and excelled himself. I think even my mum was suitably impressed. Although my folks had to leave quite early, it was nice to have them round for a change and it was so much more enjoyable and homely than going out to a restaurant and spending lots of money.
My sibs stayed around for some Wii-ing and after a few games of tennis, we ripped into my birthday pressie from my bro and future-sis-in-law:
Three hours later, we were still enjoying it. Despite it's simplicity, it is such a great game and just the dancing microgame was enough to have us rolling around laughing, especially when you put it into fast mode. There is no better feeling than to just have lots of fun, forgetting everything for the moment and just enjoying each others company. Frothy hot chocolate rounded off a lovely evening surrounded by the people I love.
It's times like this that remind us of the more important things in life....
This is for my dearest hubby to thank him for such a wonderful evening.
As I'll be in Prague for my birthday next week and it's been a while since we entertained my family at home, I decided to invite my folks, my sibs and their respective other halves to dinner tonight for an early celebration. My hubby offered to cook and he made some of my favourite dishes and excelled himself. I think even my mum was suitably impressed. Although my folks had to leave quite early, it was nice to have them round for a change and it was so much more enjoyable and homely than going out to a restaurant and spending lots of money.
My sibs stayed around for some Wii-ing and after a few games of tennis, we ripped into my birthday pressie from my bro and future-sis-in-law:
Three hours later, we were still enjoying it. Despite it's simplicity, it is such a great game and just the dancing microgame was enough to have us rolling around laughing, especially when you put it into fast mode. There is no better feeling than to just have lots of fun, forgetting everything for the moment and just enjoying each others company. Frothy hot chocolate rounded off a lovely evening surrounded by the people I love.
It's times like this that remind us of the more important things in life....
Labels: birthday, family, food
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Brave this Stormy Weather...
We've just had one of the strongest storms in this country for ages. It's definitely the worst we've had since we moved into our house. At the height, the lights at work kept flipping off and every so often, there would be a huge bang against the metal walls of the building (I work in an ex-warehouse that has been converted into a contact centre).
When we got home, we found this in our back garden:
The wind had blown half of our fir tree down and it had missed the conservatory by about 2 feet. Fortunately the other half of the tree is still standing, but our neighbours have told us that at one point, the tree was blowing so far across that it was touching the conservatory. Scary stuff....
The barbecue was blown about 25 feet to the other end of the garden and our bins had been blown over half way down the drive.
Hope the storm eases soon. We aren't cut out for this weather in this country.
We've just had one of the strongest storms in this country for ages. It's definitely the worst we've had since we moved into our house. At the height, the lights at work kept flipping off and every so often, there would be a huge bang against the metal walls of the building (I work in an ex-warehouse that has been converted into a contact centre).
When we got home, we found this in our back garden:
The wind had blown half of our fir tree down and it had missed the conservatory by about 2 feet. Fortunately the other half of the tree is still standing, but our neighbours have told us that at one point, the tree was blowing so far across that it was touching the conservatory. Scary stuff....
The barbecue was blown about 25 feet to the other end of the garden and our bins had been blown over half way down the drive.
Hope the storm eases soon. We aren't cut out for this weather in this country.
Labels: life
Monday, January 15, 2007
You know you're the boss when...
everyone else turns up in suits and boots and you turn up in jeans!
This photo made me laugh today!
Stephen Chan rules!!
everyone else turns up in suits and boots and you turn up in jeans!
This photo made me laugh today!
Stephen Chan rules!!
Labels: TVB
Saturday, January 13, 2007
My Environmentally Sound Birthday Wishlist
I watched a report on the news that said environmentalists are calling for people to make lists of what they want for birthdays and Christmas to avoid the millions of pounds and tonnes of environmental resources wasted on unwanted gifts every year. So, here is mine (and it should also help those of you who are trying to think about what to get me for my birthday! hahaha!)... ok, that's my excuse, now just to indulge myself on some stuff I would like to get my hands on!
A nice, spacious double-fronted house... I'm not greedy, I don't need a mansion, just more space to dump my clutter in.
Wario Smooth Moves for Wii - I think my bro is getting this for me! (Cheers, bro!!)
To make up my set, I need one more Wii-mote and two more nunchuks. Then four of us can play together in games like Rayman and tennis, but I think I might need to get the above house first to make sure I have enough space to avoid some serious injuries. Oh and some Wii points would be nice, so that we can download some Nintendo classics!!
Sony Ericsson w810i in WHITE - I was gonna get this today for myself, but the launch date has been delayed until 22nd Jan. Patience..... argh!
Some Czech money will come in handy for my Prague trip...
Toyota Yaris - This should give me the motivation to get back on the road. It can wait until 2008 though, so I can get myself an '08' registration plate. Hey, I am Chinese so superstition runs in my veins.
O2 XDA Orbit - OK, now I am just being frivolous, but I have heard so many great things about this device that I want one just to see if it really is so great. Shame they haven't got any decent staff deals on it.
Oh well, I can always pin my hopes on tonight's lottery numbers.
I watched a report on the news that said environmentalists are calling for people to make lists of what they want for birthdays and Christmas to avoid the millions of pounds and tonnes of environmental resources wasted on unwanted gifts every year. So, here is mine (and it should also help those of you who are trying to think about what to get me for my birthday! hahaha!)... ok, that's my excuse, now just to indulge myself on some stuff I would like to get my hands on!
A nice, spacious double-fronted house... I'm not greedy, I don't need a mansion, just more space to dump my clutter in.
Wario Smooth Moves for Wii - I think my bro is getting this for me! (Cheers, bro!!)
To make up my set, I need one more Wii-mote and two more nunchuks. Then four of us can play together in games like Rayman and tennis, but I think I might need to get the above house first to make sure I have enough space to avoid some serious injuries. Oh and some Wii points would be nice, so that we can download some Nintendo classics!!
Sony Ericsson w810i in WHITE - I was gonna get this today for myself, but the launch date has been delayed until 22nd Jan. Patience..... argh!
Some Czech money will come in handy for my Prague trip...
Toyota Yaris - This should give me the motivation to get back on the road. It can wait until 2008 though, so I can get myself an '08' registration plate. Hey, I am Chinese so superstition runs in my veins.
O2 XDA Orbit - OK, now I am just being frivolous, but I have heard so many great things about this device that I want one just to see if it really is so great. Shame they haven't got any decent staff deals on it.
Oh well, I can always pin my hopes on tonight's lottery numbers.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
For all you diehard softhard fans...
Found this little gem on youtube. Ironic that it starts with a warning about not wishing for it to appear on youtube, but hey, watch it while it's still there and enjoy.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Found this little gem on youtube. Ironic that it starts with a warning about not wishing for it to appear on youtube, but hey, watch it while it's still there and enjoy.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Labels: hk celebs
Monday, January 08, 2007
Draw A House...
Found this on spcnet so I gave it a go and will post my house here too...
Based on your drawing and the 10 answers you gave this is a summary of your personality:
Your house tells the world that you ought to be a leader. You are a freedom lover and a strong person. You are shy and reserved. Once you have a problem, you need a friend with you. Your life is always full of changes.
You will avoid being alone and seek the company of others whenever possible. You love excitement and create it wherever you go. You see the world as it is, not as you believe it should be.
You added a flower into your drawing. The flower signifies that you long for love. We also see that you are sensuous, sexual, and privately passionate. You don't think much about yourself.
Hmm....
Your Personality from Drawing a House
Found this on spcnet so I gave it a go and will post my house here too...
Based on your drawing and the 10 answers you gave this is a summary of your personality:
Your house tells the world that you ought to be a leader. You are a freedom lover and a strong person. You are shy and reserved. Once you have a problem, you need a friend with you. Your life is always full of changes.
You will avoid being alone and seek the company of others whenever possible. You love excitement and create it wherever you go. You see the world as it is, not as you believe it should be.
You added a flower into your drawing. The flower signifies that you long for love. We also see that you are sensuous, sexual, and privately passionate. You don't think much about yourself.
Hmm....
Your Personality from Drawing a House
Labels: blogthings
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Addicted to 'Dicey Business'...
I've been pretty hooked on 'Dicey Business' over the last few weeks because it is a rare occurrence in recent TVB history to find a series that shows a little depth and so many great talents gathered together. The storyline was refreshing and contrary to the original first impressions, it wasn't just a rehash of some earlier gambling related series. It was far more 21st Century, dealing with a lot of human emotions and reflections of modern day society and not just fancy card tricks and big guns. The plot and suspense was spread throughout the whole series and did not just fizzle out half way as is the case with many of TVB's recent productions. The twists and turns in the storyline, the changes of personality as the characters matured and the sensitive elements portrayed all contributed to a high quality presentation from producer Cheung Kin Man, whose earlier productions included 'Au Revoir Shanghai' and 'Lethal Weapons of Love and Passion'.
With 'sam gor' Michael Miu and Bobby Au Yeung at the helm of this series, the potential was there from day one. Throw in the versatility of Jessica Hsuan and two of the most promising young TVB actors Bosco Wong and Tavia Yeung and this is looking cast-wise like a recipe for success. Michael pulled off his troubled 'hero-turned-villain' character of Kiu Ching Chor extremely well and his gamble to sacrifice his usual image of the 'good guy' seems to have paid off. His scenes of internal conflict, especially during the scenes with his mother (Leung Shun Yin) and the scenes where Benz Hui's character is dying were so moving that you were crying for him inside. Bobby showed that he can do more than just comedy and professional characters by playing his reformed down-and-out gambler role of Chai Foon Cheung. Memorable scenes for him included his crying scenes at his parent's shrine and in the sewer when he found out about the history of Bosco's character Ah Fu. I have never seen Bobby so sentimental before and the scene was extremely powerful.
I have always enjoyed Jessica's acting, but I couldn't help but find her recent roles in 'Just Love', 'A Handful of Love' and even 'Life Made Simple' rather samey and monotonous, so her compulsive gambler role of Lee Ching Wan in 'Dicey Business' was a welcome breath of fresh air. She really let herself go, especially in her moments of madness at the casinos and she convinced you totally of how she managed to attract the attentions of casino CEO Michael. In another fresh trial, Bosco played a withdrawn young man who had been through plenty of ordeals in his life and he did extremely well in showing his character's strife in the early part of the show by using just body language in many scenes. He showed some excellent chemistry with Tavia throughout their sub-story and they really did seem like they shared some very innocent love between them. Bosco maintained the innocence throughout the series and having Bobby beat him with a feather duster towards the end to wake him up to his responsibilities was a nice touch that I found particularly memorable. Also deserving of a mention were Benz Hui's superbly camp but ever so lovable 'best friend' character of Chow Fook Wing, Florence Kwok's dependable person in the background Lam Siu Yan and the extremely funny antics of Tavia's mum and dad, played by Lee Kwok Lun and Yvonne Lam.
The show was a balanced mix of comedy, drama, love, passion and friendship. Topics tackled included gambling addiction, commercial greed, business battles, criminal activity, conflicts between allegiances, relationships and even psychological warfare. Plenty to keep most audiences occupied. Of course, there were the scenes of poker and showhand that contributed to atmosphere, this is after all a show about gambling. Overall, it was a very enjoyable production and there was not one character that I disliked in the show. I have not anticipated the next episode for a series in recent times as much as I have for this one, especially as each episode ends on a cliff-hanger.
Totally recommend this series.... you won't be disappointed!
Whilst on the topic of TVB, we have more or less given up with "To Grow with Love". Progress has been slow as I am watching this with my hubby who isn't so much of a TVB fan and since the arrival of the Wii, then Fat Tin has been shelved as the joys of Wii Tennis and Zelda took over the after dinner entertainment slot in my house. Maybe we will continue sometime later, but having got up to episode 12, I am not really missing the rest of this series.
I have been watching my latest idol Stephen Chan's show "Be My Guest" though. It is such an interesting chat show and quite intriguing to find out a little more about the stars and celebs. I particularly enjoyed the ones with Lydia Sum and Softhard and Mr Chan is such a charismatic host. No wonder his radio show was so popular when he did it. Talking of Softhard, the DVD for their stage show arrived yesterday, so I went straight for the best bits in disc 3, where they showed all the guest portions, including Leon Lai, Eason Chan, Leo Ku and Miriam Yeung. They are so funny, especially when they change the lyrics to something reflective of their guests' backgrounds, such as Jacky Cheung's associations with Disney and Eason's collaboration with McDonalds. Yet to watch the rest of the show, but just this bit was worth the £18 investment on its own.
What next? I watched an ep of 'The Price of Greed' and it looks promising, but I think I might suffer from Bosco Overdose if I watch it straight away after 'Dicey'. The trailers for 'The Brink of Law' look really good with all the guys wearing dishy specs and some interesting storylines, so I might grab that one next. Also the return of another of my favourite veterans Elliot Yue should be something of note.
I've been pretty hooked on 'Dicey Business' over the last few weeks because it is a rare occurrence in recent TVB history to find a series that shows a little depth and so many great talents gathered together. The storyline was refreshing and contrary to the original first impressions, it wasn't just a rehash of some earlier gambling related series. It was far more 21st Century, dealing with a lot of human emotions and reflections of modern day society and not just fancy card tricks and big guns. The plot and suspense was spread throughout the whole series and did not just fizzle out half way as is the case with many of TVB's recent productions. The twists and turns in the storyline, the changes of personality as the characters matured and the sensitive elements portrayed all contributed to a high quality presentation from producer Cheung Kin Man, whose earlier productions included 'Au Revoir Shanghai' and 'Lethal Weapons of Love and Passion'.
With 'sam gor' Michael Miu and Bobby Au Yeung at the helm of this series, the potential was there from day one. Throw in the versatility of Jessica Hsuan and two of the most promising young TVB actors Bosco Wong and Tavia Yeung and this is looking cast-wise like a recipe for success. Michael pulled off his troubled 'hero-turned-villain' character of Kiu Ching Chor extremely well and his gamble to sacrifice his usual image of the 'good guy' seems to have paid off. His scenes of internal conflict, especially during the scenes with his mother (Leung Shun Yin) and the scenes where Benz Hui's character is dying were so moving that you were crying for him inside. Bobby showed that he can do more than just comedy and professional characters by playing his reformed down-and-out gambler role of Chai Foon Cheung. Memorable scenes for him included his crying scenes at his parent's shrine and in the sewer when he found out about the history of Bosco's character Ah Fu. I have never seen Bobby so sentimental before and the scene was extremely powerful.
I have always enjoyed Jessica's acting, but I couldn't help but find her recent roles in 'Just Love', 'A Handful of Love' and even 'Life Made Simple' rather samey and monotonous, so her compulsive gambler role of Lee Ching Wan in 'Dicey Business' was a welcome breath of fresh air. She really let herself go, especially in her moments of madness at the casinos and she convinced you totally of how she managed to attract the attentions of casino CEO Michael. In another fresh trial, Bosco played a withdrawn young man who had been through plenty of ordeals in his life and he did extremely well in showing his character's strife in the early part of the show by using just body language in many scenes. He showed some excellent chemistry with Tavia throughout their sub-story and they really did seem like they shared some very innocent love between them. Bosco maintained the innocence throughout the series and having Bobby beat him with a feather duster towards the end to wake him up to his responsibilities was a nice touch that I found particularly memorable. Also deserving of a mention were Benz Hui's superbly camp but ever so lovable 'best friend' character of Chow Fook Wing, Florence Kwok's dependable person in the background Lam Siu Yan and the extremely funny antics of Tavia's mum and dad, played by Lee Kwok Lun and Yvonne Lam.
The show was a balanced mix of comedy, drama, love, passion and friendship. Topics tackled included gambling addiction, commercial greed, business battles, criminal activity, conflicts between allegiances, relationships and even psychological warfare. Plenty to keep most audiences occupied. Of course, there were the scenes of poker and showhand that contributed to atmosphere, this is after all a show about gambling. Overall, it was a very enjoyable production and there was not one character that I disliked in the show. I have not anticipated the next episode for a series in recent times as much as I have for this one, especially as each episode ends on a cliff-hanger.
Totally recommend this series.... you won't be disappointed!
Whilst on the topic of TVB, we have more or less given up with "To Grow with Love". Progress has been slow as I am watching this with my hubby who isn't so much of a TVB fan and since the arrival of the Wii, then Fat Tin has been shelved as the joys of Wii Tennis and Zelda took over the after dinner entertainment slot in my house. Maybe we will continue sometime later, but having got up to episode 12, I am not really missing the rest of this series.
I have been watching my latest idol Stephen Chan's show "Be My Guest" though. It is such an interesting chat show and quite intriguing to find out a little more about the stars and celebs. I particularly enjoyed the ones with Lydia Sum and Softhard and Mr Chan is such a charismatic host. No wonder his radio show was so popular when he did it. Talking of Softhard, the DVD for their stage show arrived yesterday, so I went straight for the best bits in disc 3, where they showed all the guest portions, including Leon Lai, Eason Chan, Leo Ku and Miriam Yeung. They are so funny, especially when they change the lyrics to something reflective of their guests' backgrounds, such as Jacky Cheung's associations with Disney and Eason's collaboration with McDonalds. Yet to watch the rest of the show, but just this bit was worth the £18 investment on its own.
What next? I watched an ep of 'The Price of Greed' and it looks promising, but I think I might suffer from Bosco Overdose if I watch it straight away after 'Dicey'. The trailers for 'The Brink of Law' look really good with all the guys wearing dishy specs and some interesting storylines, so I might grab that one next. Also the return of another of my favourite veterans Elliot Yue should be something of note.
Labels: TVB
Monday, January 01, 2007
Wii Napping after New Year's Party
This is the Wii taking a well earned rest after a good EIGHT HOURS of being hammered (literally) by my friends. Great party... now must sleep!
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!
This is the Wii taking a well earned rest after a good EIGHT HOURS of being hammered (literally) by my friends. Great party... now must sleep!
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!
Labels: wii