I am thankful.

It’s 5am. Just got back from supper. Burp. Prior to that, me and the BF joined REACH OUT on one of their outings distributing food to the homeless in our “beautiful” city, Kuala Lumpur. We started at 11.30pm and finished at 3.30am.

REACH OUT is a strictly non-profit, non-political & non-religious organisation that aims to provide nutrition, medical support and training skills for the homeless so that they could one day re-enter and contribute to society.

I found out about REACH OUT via TLC Promise Me, whom I worked with last year to raise funds to buy a hospital bed for Goo Tyng Tong.

Homelessness is quite a unique problem. It doesn’t get as much attention or sympathy compared to say…orphans. For some reason, people tend to brush it off as a result of laziness. Eh, these homeless people are able bodied, so why can’t they get a job?

Well, tonight I learnt that homelessness is not caused by laziness. It’s just that sometimes, some people can be dealt with really cruel cards in life.

# – No, they’re not having a picnic.

Sometimes, they could be born to poor uneducated parents whose parents were also poor & uneducated.

Sometimes, they could be impregnated by abusive men with equally abusive family members.

And sometimes, if the universe decided to be humourous, they could even be both.

The circumstances of the homeless in KL are completely unimaginable to us, people who choose not to eat so we could be thin – the spoilt bourgeoisie. They are stuff soap operas are made of, minus the glitz, glamour & happy endings.

# – Down the storm drain, here we go.

So….laziness? Don’t these people wish they have the luxury to be lazy.

After seeing what I saw tonight, I’m honestly slightly embarrassed by my own dissatisfaction with life. Here is a dumbass who got upset because she can’t afford to go to Maldives to dive. There are worse things to get upset over, you know what I mean?

Right now I am thankful for what I have and who I have to lean on to.

Budget Black Swan & Imitation Alexis Tiramisu Cake.

I hadn’t blogged properly in the past week. Call it hormones, quarter(+2) life crisis, panic attack, call it whatever…I was in a bad place. Everything irked me. Waking up late irked me. The rain irked me. Twitter irked me. Gok Wan irked me. Gok Wan’s addiction to patent leather irked me most of all.

I had absolutely no patience for anyone, not even for the BF. I didn’t cook for over 7 days, we were eating crap food outside and that too probably contributed to my bad mood. I think I gained 3 kilos – I can’t be sure cause I refused to weigh myself. I had a blackened pimple scar on my face that made me see Timothy Tiah when I looked into the mirror (sorry Tim, I couldn’t work it like you).

But I’m feeling better now. I always feel better after a phase of darkness. It’s still work-in-progress, trying to stay positive and optimistic.

It’s not all glum & gloom though, I did have moments where I completely enjoyed myself. Like the steamboat session at Cass’ beautiful home. Cass went all out in indulging us with scallops, marbled beef slices, lamb, the whole deal. Best steamboat ever! <3 # - Most awesome steamboat!

I took the opportunity to bring a cake. Had always wanted to re-create the famous Alexis tiramisu cake, so that’s exactly what I attempted. As it’s my very first time making it, I had no idea whether the soft cheese filling would set or not.

# – It was a moment of triumph when I successfully removed the cake mould without it crumbling into a sloppy mess.

# – Then I sprinkled chopped homemade hazelnut and almond pralines all over it. I think I was pouting cause everybody kept nicking the nuts!

# – End result.

The BF said it was an excellent attempt. Of course, being very self-critical I think the sponge needed to be fluffier, the chopped chocolates in the middle needed to be bigger & rougher, the cake needed more alcohol and I needed to devise a more manageable cheese filling. The only thing I was happy with were the nut pralines :P

Then there was a Halloween party which I had to attend. I thought I was going to go as Vagrant Woman (read: tattered tee, my Donald Duck shorts and the hair net that I wore to Cass’ above) until I was inspired to make a black tiara which eventually led me to dress up as Budget Black Swan.

# – Looping cable ties around a black plastic hairband.

# – Then, cut them into tiara shape!

# – Budget Black Swan, DONE! BTW, I followed this makeup tutorial.

That’s all. Bye.