Sometime over the summer, when I moved into my current house my roomies realized that there was a tree behind our house with small green apples growing on them. I thought they we're crab apples and didn't bother too much about it because the apples were really small.
After ignoring the tree for almost 2 months, I came to realize that the tree was actually a full sized apple tree. Meaning it was producing edible apples...like the ones you would go and get from a grocery store. Haha!
So you could imagine my surprise and delight. I immediately got a chair from the kitchen and picked 2 apples off the tree and had one. They were surprisingly tasty; as good as any regular apple...even better actually come to think of it. I will never eat the skin of a store bought apple because they spray waxes on the skin to keep the apples fresh. In theory, the apples grown on the tree behind my house are organic because the tree was ignored and no one bothered fertilizing it or spraying pesticides on it.
I guess from now on, I'll be going behind my house to pick a couple of apples fresh off the tree whenever I feel like having some. It definitely beats buying apples from the store because if you don't eat the ones from the store, they'll go bad. So I'll just pick some whenever I feel like eating any. Plus, they're organic and free! I will post pictures of the tree soon but in the meantime, I am going to slice up another apple...my second one today.
Showing posts with label Random. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Random. Show all posts
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Routine
Routine isn't just routine especially when you find yourself occupied with things to do. So I warn you, this post is going to be rather random and some parts may sound like a rant but do bear with me.
Last week, I noticed that I had all these bites on my legs...especially on my feet. At first, I thought they were mosquito bites as I was outdoors quite a bit but when they got worse, I couldn't help but wonder what they were. After much scratching, the use of anti-itch cream and lots of online research...I came to a conclusion that they were flea bites! Bed bugs were my first guess but I couldn't find any when I turned out my bed and my sheets.
Needless to say, my war against fleas in my bed/room began! I spent a good part of my time last week spraying insecticide in my room and throwing my sheets into the dryer everyday in hope of killing the fleas and its offspring by heat and poison. For a while, it seemed like I was winning because I didn't get any bites but one morning, I woke up itching and found new bites...I think I really lost it. I ordered special insecticide online and called pest control. Pest control came first before my order of bug spray and sprayed and fogged my entire room. I also washed my sheets and sunned by bed and pillow and I have been bite free since Friday! Woohoo! Now what to do with the spray that I never got to use...I'll just save it for later (hopefully never..).
What else has happened...hmm....Oh! I bought more cheap furniture for my room and for the house off Craigslist. I was so happy about that because I paid $15 for a white swivel chair (for my study chair) and a green stool for the entrance and $20 for a glass topped coffee table and 2 end tables. When my roomie and I were leaving the house after pickup, I couldn't help but say that I felt like we just cheated that nice old lady of her coffee tables. Heck! They were an extremely good deal because I'm sure she could've sold those tables for $70 or more. But I'll need to get some funky fabric from Ikea to cover up my chair. It is made out of some woolly material and it makes me itch when I sit on it...right now, it is covered by a sheet. Will take more pictures of the house soon once everything is settled in!
Also, I found a buyer for my stupid Chemistry textbook. I took that class the 1st semester I was here and boy did I hate it. Not to mention the fact that I got a big fat C in that class...C for chemistry? I'm just glad to be rid of that book and to make $50 for my pocket which will either go to my textbook fund or to my furniture fund. I still need to get some sort of filing drawer for my room as I don't have enough of shelving space and I need a rug for my closet. Right now, the closet floor is just bare, disgusting old linoleum that feels gritty to the touch even thought I cleaned it already.
Hmm...lastly, I was so busy at work yesterday checking in a bunch of Drake football players and honestly, I've never seen so many dumb jocks at once. They not only annoyed me but they are unbelievably and incredulously dumb...even more than cheerleaders! Thank God I don't work the night shift. That would be hell.
Last week, I noticed that I had all these bites on my legs...especially on my feet. At first, I thought they were mosquito bites as I was outdoors quite a bit but when they got worse, I couldn't help but wonder what they were. After much scratching, the use of anti-itch cream and lots of online research...I came to a conclusion that they were flea bites! Bed bugs were my first guess but I couldn't find any when I turned out my bed and my sheets.
Needless to say, my war against fleas in my bed/room began! I spent a good part of my time last week spraying insecticide in my room and throwing my sheets into the dryer everyday in hope of killing the fleas and its offspring by heat and poison. For a while, it seemed like I was winning because I didn't get any bites but one morning, I woke up itching and found new bites...I think I really lost it. I ordered special insecticide online and called pest control. Pest control came first before my order of bug spray and sprayed and fogged my entire room. I also washed my sheets and sunned by bed and pillow and I have been bite free since Friday! Woohoo! Now what to do with the spray that I never got to use...I'll just save it for later (hopefully never..).
What else has happened...hmm....Oh! I bought more cheap furniture for my room and for the house off Craigslist. I was so happy about that because I paid $15 for a white swivel chair (for my study chair) and a green stool for the entrance and $20 for a glass topped coffee table and 2 end tables. When my roomie and I were leaving the house after pickup, I couldn't help but say that I felt like we just cheated that nice old lady of her coffee tables. Heck! They were an extremely good deal because I'm sure she could've sold those tables for $70 or more. But I'll need to get some funky fabric from Ikea to cover up my chair. It is made out of some woolly material and it makes me itch when I sit on it...right now, it is covered by a sheet. Will take more pictures of the house soon once everything is settled in!
Also, I found a buyer for my stupid Chemistry textbook. I took that class the 1st semester I was here and boy did I hate it. Not to mention the fact that I got a big fat C in that class...C for chemistry? I'm just glad to be rid of that book and to make $50 for my pocket which will either go to my textbook fund or to my furniture fund. I still need to get some sort of filing drawer for my room as I don't have enough of shelving space and I need a rug for my closet. Right now, the closet floor is just bare, disgusting old linoleum that feels gritty to the touch even thought I cleaned it already.
Hmm...lastly, I was so busy at work yesterday checking in a bunch of Drake football players and honestly, I've never seen so many dumb jocks at once. They not only annoyed me but they are unbelievably and incredulously dumb...even more than cheerleaders! Thank God I don't work the night shift. That would be hell.
Friday, July 25, 2008
What is it about Green?
I guess a lot of people would assume that I either know or do this but I don't....not really anyway. I'm talking about going green. I'm sure a lot of people talk about eating organic food or reducing pollution and this movement is gaining momentum in Malaysia but in the US, it's been going on for a while now.
Being my day off (the morning anyway), I decided to take a little trip in the afternoon to the local grocery store and organic shop. For that one hour I spent cycling there and looking around, I felt like a tree-hugger hippie. I brought my backpack along with me so I reduced the amount of plastic bags I used and instead, put the groceries into my bag. In addition to that, I bought some organic and free-trade food. I tell you one thing for sure, it ain't cheap.
One bag of sesame seaweed rice crackers cost me $3.19 and a bar of free-trade organic Mint Dark Chocolate was $4.19. For price comparison, I can get a Hershey bar for $1 or less on sale. They say that organic foods tastes better but I am skeptical so I decided to try it for myself.
Honestly, I would rather eat a bag of Cheetos any day, complete with extra sodium and msg than eat this if I had a choice. I mean, it wasn't bad but it wasn't fantastic either. I usually snack on chips when I have a craving for salty food and sadly, this does not satisfy. They are kind of bland but I'm sure if a little more seasoning was added, I might just change my mind in spite of the price I have to pay for it.
The organic chocolate was a different story however. I must say the people who run the Equal Exchange for cocoa have extremely good marketing skills. You don't just buy a bar of chocolate, you also get information about what you purchase.
Information about fair trade cocoa is printed on inside of the wrapper for you to read and digest and basically pat yourself on the back on how you did good by helping out some poor cocoa farmer in Peru earn a better income and how you helped stop the exploitation of cocoa farmers by buying Fair Trade chocolate. I like to call this..."Feel Good Chocolate". As if the endorphins that you get while consuming chocolate isn't enough... But I guess it's a good thing to not take advantage of people who don't know any better but then again, at $4.19 a bar, are people willing to pay that much for chocolate? In spite of the hefty price for a bar, I must say that it was some good s**t chocolate... Call me weird but I like dark chocolate (which most people hate) with mint (which most people hate also...) and this company produces what I want exactly...so I'm not complaining.
In addition to my green exploits, I'm proud of the fact that I bought a vintage second hand bicycle for $15 and I love to ride it. Here's a picture of my bike; it is at least 30 years old!
However, I also have a confession to make. I haven't been recycling like I should...only because I couldn't find the green bin that some person put behind my house! I feel guilty already! Will recycle this coming week when the garbage truck comes on Friday...
Being my day off (the morning anyway), I decided to take a little trip in the afternoon to the local grocery store and organic shop. For that one hour I spent cycling there and looking around, I felt like a tree-hugger hippie. I brought my backpack along with me so I reduced the amount of plastic bags I used and instead, put the groceries into my bag. In addition to that, I bought some organic and free-trade food. I tell you one thing for sure, it ain't cheap.
One bag of sesame seaweed rice crackers cost me $3.19 and a bar of free-trade organic Mint Dark Chocolate was $4.19. For price comparison, I can get a Hershey bar for $1 or less on sale. They say that organic foods tastes better but I am skeptical so I decided to try it for myself.
Honestly, I would rather eat a bag of Cheetos any day, complete with extra sodium and msg than eat this if I had a choice. I mean, it wasn't bad but it wasn't fantastic either. I usually snack on chips when I have a craving for salty food and sadly, this does not satisfy. They are kind of bland but I'm sure if a little more seasoning was added, I might just change my mind in spite of the price I have to pay for it.
The organic chocolate was a different story however. I must say the people who run the Equal Exchange for cocoa have extremely good marketing skills. You don't just buy a bar of chocolate, you also get information about what you purchase.
Information about fair trade cocoa is printed on inside of the wrapper for you to read and digest and basically pat yourself on the back on how you did good by helping out some poor cocoa farmer in Peru earn a better income and how you helped stop the exploitation of cocoa farmers by buying Fair Trade chocolate. I like to call this..."Feel Good Chocolate". As if the endorphins that you get while consuming chocolate isn't enough... But I guess it's a good thing to not take advantage of people who don't know any better but then again, at $4.19 a bar, are people willing to pay that much for chocolate? In spite of the hefty price for a bar, I must say that it was some good s**t chocolate... Call me weird but I like dark chocolate (which most people hate) with mint (which most people hate also...) and this company produces what I want exactly...so I'm not complaining.
In addition to my green exploits, I'm proud of the fact that I bought a vintage second hand bicycle for $15 and I love to ride it. Here's a picture of my bike; it is at least 30 years old!
However, I also have a confession to make. I haven't been recycling like I should...only because I couldn't find the green bin that some person put behind my house! I feel guilty already! Will recycle this coming week when the garbage truck comes on Friday...
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Malaysian Pop
This is a random post that was generated by my news reading and forays onto Youtube. I was reading about how this Indonesian dangdut singer, Inul Daratista's concert was banned in Malaysia because of her suggestive performances. Naturally, I googled her and did a Youtube search.
Honestly, I've seen worse.
Think about all those hip/hop and rap videos that are shown on MTV. Additionally, she can't sing...really. Somehow, when I was looking on Youtube for videos of her, some of Siti Nurhaliza's popped up.
I'm not a big fan of Malay songs (but I like Indo-pop) but I find it hard to hate Siti. She has an amazingly sweet face and that girl can sing. There was a video of her singing at a ceremony in Taiwan and she sang a Mandarin song...with Lee Hom!
I was completely blown away!
She might not have the best pronounciation but heck, I think she's even better than I am with my half-assed Chinese. The thing about her is that she has personality and she tries. I'm still not a fan of her English songs...she sounds a lil weird but other than that, no wonder the Malaysian public generally loves her. My favorite song of hers still has to be her first single...a classic...Aku Cinta Padamu.
Honestly, I've seen worse.
Think about all those hip/hop and rap videos that are shown on MTV. Additionally, she can't sing...really. Somehow, when I was looking on Youtube for videos of her, some of Siti Nurhaliza's popped up.
I'm not a big fan of Malay songs (but I like Indo-pop) but I find it hard to hate Siti. She has an amazingly sweet face and that girl can sing. There was a video of her singing at a ceremony in Taiwan and she sang a Mandarin song...with Lee Hom!
I was completely blown away!
She might not have the best pronounciation but heck, I think she's even better than I am with my half-assed Chinese. The thing about her is that she has personality and she tries. I'm still not a fan of her English songs...she sounds a lil weird but other than that, no wonder the Malaysian public generally loves her. My favorite song of hers still has to be her first single...a classic...Aku Cinta Padamu.
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