A meaningful POEM to share........

Can't help not sharing this meaningful poem by Kit McCallum with everyone out there....... it really reflects on our today's life!!! The author summarise it as "Sometimes the most difficult choices are the very ones that can bring us the greatest rewards."

The Road Less Traveled by Kit McCallum

How often we must bear the challenges of life;
The endless roller coaster between happiness and sorrow;
The constant ups and downs of daily strife.
And always the question remains....... why?

Life is not an easy road for most;
It twists and turns with many forks in the road,
Although always, and inevitably, we are given a choice.....

Do we turn to the right..... or the left?
Do we take the high road..... or the low road?
Do we take the easy path..... or the difficult one?

Decisions are not easy for those struggling for direction.....
And sometimes the many choices and signs become overwhelming.

While standing at a crossroads in life,
The urge is to take the most comfortable path;
The road with least resistance....
The shortest or most traveled route.

And yet, if we've been down that comfortable road before;
Have gleaned its lessons in life and learned from our experiences;

Do we yet again follow the known?
Or does our destiny lie in another direction?

The fear of the road less traveled is tangible and all too real;
It manifests itself in many ways,
And tends to cloud the issues that might otherwise be clear.

It is in these times of confusion,
That we must seek peace and solitude;

Time to contemplate on our life,
Our experiences and our choices past;
Time to look back, and reflect on what we have learned
Without fear or confusion.

For only each of us knows our own personal thoughts;
Our unique past and personal history,
The experiences that brought us to the crossroads we now face.

We can always learn a small degree from other experiences,
And yet.... no one person can walk in our shoes,
Others know not, the trials and tribulations faced in private....

For each is individual..... unique..... and personal.

And that is why..... while standing at a crossroads,
Only "we" can formulate the decision for ourselves;
The true direction that lies within;
The choices we must deliberate on with clarity and wisdom.

For it is only through personal reflection,
That we can now choose our destiny;
..... Our next adventure,
..... And the future we will embrace.

Sweet & Sour Dishes........

Sweet & Sour dishes are among one of the popular Chinese Cuisine. It complement well with fish, prawns, crabs, pork and chicken.

Here's a simple home-cooked recipe which I would like to share with working mums who can't spend too much of their time in the kitchen preparing their meal. The amount of the ingredients used are not being specifically fixed, as it varies according to the portion that each individual needs to cook and the sauce is depending on our individual taste-buds, whether how sour or sweet we prefer.

Sweet & Sour Pork

Ingredients:
Pork (preferably the meat with a little fat & the tender one - inform butcher for purpose of
cooking sweet & sour)
Garlic - chopped (more for better taste)

Sauce ingredients: Mix all in a bowl
Tomato sauce or ketchup (needs more for better taste)
A pinch of salt
Sugar
Some vinegar
Corn flour
Water (depends on how much sauce you need)

Method:
1. Wash, cut pork into desired cubes and marinate with salt, pepper and seafood sauce/oyster sauce. Let stand for at least half an hour.
2. Dust some corn flour onto the marinated pork.
3. Prepare oil for deep-frying. Fry pork in batches, when cooked drain on absorbent paper and set aside.
4. Heat a frying pan with oil enough for slow frying of the chopped garlic. Heat should not be too high as it will burn the garlic. When garlic turns slightly yellow (not brown) pour the sauce ingredients onto the garlic and stir well. At this point we need to taste the sauce and extra sauce ingredients can be added to our individual liking. If the sauce is not thick enough, we can add extra cornflour mix with water.
5. Stir well, then put the deep-fried pork onto the sauce, give it a quick stir to ensure they are well coated.
6. Dish up & serve!

"HAPPY COOKING"

HOBBIES......... [Part 3]

Many people loves collecting Key Chains, though it might just be kept in some boxes, drawers or displayed in home cabinets, with the simple reason it makes great gifts and souvenirs for and from friends and also for our own self!

Here's some of my collection which I would like to share with all........

Remembering those 'bitter-sweet' moments.........

1st November is a day which I am always looking forward to, as it marks the 'break-free' from my working life!!! Working for twenty-five years and eight months is considered long to me. In life, there will come a time when we have 'ENOUGH' and that will be the moment when we make that big collective decision, a decision which is well discussed with people dear to us.

In my scenario, when that collective decision was made many months before my application in early August 2006, there is never a thought of turning back!! I believe that a solid, strong, definite and confident decision is best as compared to those "half-hearted type".

On this special day I am most delighted to share the path which I've traveled during those years through some old precious photos..........

(Top left) My office space in the hard-solid place called STORE
(Top right) In Limbang Store for stock taking with Mr. William
(Bottom Left) On our way up Bukit Mas with coll. Bine & nephew
(Bottom Right) Attending a Logistics Seminar in KK

(Left) A group photo after the Fashion Show during UTES Dinner
(Right) Singing the 'Solidarity' song in 1998

During our 4th CA Negotiation in 1998
(2nd row left) Having our dinner in the President & GS room
(2nd row right) Our discussions preparing for next day's negotiation till late nights
(3rd row) At the roof-top swimming pool of Kingwood Hotel, Sibu

(Left) In front of Sacred Heart Church, Sibu
(Right) Miri
Having our 'meet-the-members' session in Sibu & Miri

(Left) Dinner with course participants at Riverside Majestic
(Right) In Corpthorn Orchid, Penang with course co-ordinators & speakers

Year 2003 - CWA/UTES Women Seminar
(Left) Delivering my Chairperson Speech

(Top left) The delegates for Kuching Branch
(Top right) NEC Officials 2000-2003
(Bottom) NEC Officials 2003-2006

My 2nd Working Department/Unit at Simpang Tiga

My office at the Union Office, King's Center, Kuching

(1st row left) UTES Anniversary Dinner in Miri
(1st row right) Anniversary Dinner in Kuching
(2nd row left) Anniversary Dinner in Sibu
(2nd row right) MC for the 7th UTES TDC
(Bottom) Welcoming dinner for the TDC

Year 2006, UTES members picketing
(Top left) Officials preparing placards in the Union Office
(Top right) Final briefing to the members
(Bottom) During the day of picketing