Obsession with Food.

Woo!

I know I haven't updated in a while and hence, I've got quite a backlog of things I can put in!

So I've been trying my best to do my love act, its got its ups and downs. My life has been trudging along pretty fast these days! Meeting up with friends, doodling, Japanese class, work, church, Singapore etc..and before I know it, I will be leaving Melbourne!

From being a student to a jobless graduate to a working adult, I've been through quite a bit in cold, wet and windy Melbourne! Even though I am very fortunate that my parents provided me well enough during my days as a student (and also, cause I'm mightily thrifty), I also know how it feels to have a limited amount of money in the bank, not having a job and not wanting to ask your parents for anymore dough.

So, I can relate when people are tight on budget. And this is where I try to come in. Its not anything much, but I actually love treating dinners! Ok, not the fine-dining-blow-a-hole-in-my-pocket kind of dinner but just simple catching up dinners!

I've done several over the course of the last 6 months I was absent from this blog, so I won't elaborate much.

Here's a picture!

As authentic as it gets in Melbourne - Malaysian hainanese chicken rice from Coconut House along Elizabeth Street. Yum, yum, yum.

Look what came in the mail!

Ok, this was send about 2 weeks ago but as usual, my updating is pretty slow.

Isn't the card cute???? The middle part is transparent and the picture of the kids is super cute. Not to mention, racially and politically correct as well.

This is my new favourite card, apart from my unglam photo.

Yay!

Art and craft

I love ART.
I used to love drawing, designing, cutting, pasting, planning, colouring and admiring my handiwork.

But as years go by, I find little time to do it or close to none at all because I need LOTS of time. When I start something, I pour my heart and soul into it and get so engrossed in a small little piece of drawing that it takes me hours to finish it. So, I don't start.

Which is why I haven't done anything "artsy fartsy" since...forever.

But when Jade came home with her short new bangs the night before she was flying back to China for holiday, I felt the urge to make her a card. It was to wish her bon voyage, to thank her for all the times she's been there for me as housemate and friend, to tell her I miss her, and to also pay homage to her super cute hairstyle she cut that day!

So there I was planning, drawing, cutting, colouring and writing all the details in. It took a few hours (as usual) but tadah!..below is the card I presented her with lots of love.

Its not particularly her style (cause she likes flowers, pastels and cutesy stuff), but its mine (black, bold and a tad edgy) and its made with lots of love.

So I hope she liked it. =)

Heavy weight

I try to do my bit here and there. Do little things that I can do.

Be a bit more helpful in other people's lives.

So once in a while when I'm over at Genetics to take my food, I'll help bring other people's food over too.

Bet you're a bit confused.

Well, I work in a building called Bio21 that is a good 5 mins walk away from the University. I work under the Genetics department which is situated in the University. The food I mean is food for my fruit flies!! They get cooked at the department so we have to trottle over whenever we order them to bring them back for our beloved flies. This food come in trays of 100 vials and I bring over mine and other people's too - as much as my hands can take. =D

Working with Children Check and a bit about me.

Recently, I enquired about volunteering at the Down Syndrome Association.

I got hooked up to their volunteering department which told me to get my Working with Children Check and Police Check done before I could do any work.

Here in Australia, you need to apply for a Working with Children Check in order to work with children, volunteer or not. It is how the Australian government protects its young ones. So thats what I did!

I like working with children.

Well, most of the time..except when they run all over me and start pulling my hair.

But usually, working with them brings me great joy. I guess you can say I feel very "motherly" or in another perspective, "clucky".

I grew up as the eldest sister looking after two very naughty little brothers. Not to mention, I am ranked 5th in the hierarchy of cousins from my father's side. There are 16 of us, of which most of the younger ones I saw grow up. I like and still love my role as bigger sister which brings me to my next point.

The reason I picked the Down Syndrome Association rings close to my heart.

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The one thing I regret about coming to Australia is missing out on my brother's life. The brother that frustrates me sometimes, makes me ecstatically happy the next, and lets me sit back and wonder most of the time whats in that little head of his.

His name is Luke. He's the middle child. He's down syndrome and autistic. And I love him to bits.

Being here, so many miles away from home, I don't regret leaving Singapore, I don't regret leaving my family and friends behind, but I do regret not being there for Luke. It pains me to know that I can't rejoice in his every improvement; the new word he learnt, the sentence he haphazardly strung together, the new ideas he formed in his head. I'm sad that I'm missing out on all that. His hugs, his grumpiness, his laughter, his hand movements, his OCD, his no-urgency walk as if nothing else exists in this world except for him and his toys even if his life depended on it!

I miss him.

Sometimes, I wish I could do more for him. When I'm back home for holidays, I want to spend time with him but its hard. Luke likes his solitude. Nothing irritates him more than if you disturb his nice little perfect world.

I guess I'm not doing this cause I feel obligated to Luke. No, no. But I think I take it more as a dedication of my time in Luke's name. Plus I think it'll be exciting to relive those moments I've had with Luke in those little kids lives!

I'll blog about it when it happens!

Sidenote: This volunteering thing is actually pretty hard because their bulk of volunteering happens during my work hours! Ahhhhhhh!!!!!

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Anyway,

Dear Lukey,

If only you'd know that you inspired me to do this. And that I'm dedicating this volunteering in your name!

Miss you and Happy Belated 19th Birthday!!

Love,
Jie jie =)

Here are some photos I dug up taken wayyyyy back in 2004!! We look so young then!!

Mozzy Love

I don't have a penchant for buying bracelets/bands in support of organisations or causes because I usually don't know what to do with them after! I know I'm a bit of a hoarder so I try to stay away from things that turn into junk!

But this one attracted me like a bee to honey.

1) Because if you know me by now, I'm a person who absolutely ADORE colourful things and this one has just the prettiest colours!

2) Ever since my Honours year researching on mosquitoes, anything to do with these little biters brings up a fire in me like no other. Maybe cause I got to know them just a little bit more better? I don't know.

So as my bit for the world, with this little bracelet I hope somewhere out there, there's a little child whose risk for malaria is lowered because she's got a mosquito net to sleep in. =)

Gold coins

Remember I once said that I had difficulty giving my gold coin to the homeless man on the street?

And that I would rather offer him a meal so as to prevent those that use my money for other "luxuries"?

Well, I gave a gold coin away one of the days.

I'm pretty proud of myself still.

Previously, I wouldn't have bothered but this time, I decided to give.

I was in a bit of a rush, and truthfully, was more scared to offer him a meal than to drop him a gold coin.

Oh well, next time.
It'll only get better.

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I did drop another gold coin recently too.

But not into the hands of a beggar, but into a guitar case.

A guitar case of a busker giving out her all on Bourke Street, Melbourne.

Strumming away, belting out the blues, and swaying to the tune of her own song.

A gold coin for encouragement I say!

Bravo!

A New Direction

So, for the month that I was away from this blog, my Project of Love took a different direction.

When I first started this project, it was to "do random acts of kindness each day" in order to make somebody smile.

After a month's trial, I found it a little too restrictive for my liking.

When I first envisioned this project, I saw myself volunteering, helping out people in need but I didn't think out the specifics of my project properly. Yes, I saw images of those people that I helped smiling but it didn't occur to me then that I could expand my service territory to those out of my reach. That my Project of Love didn't have to be restricted to the immediate people around me, but also to the ends of the earth, directly or indirectly.

How? In so many ways. The easiest one I can start with is to support various causes/disasters/foundations around the world that I feel passionate about, like when I donated to an aid in Haiti after the earthquake. I do not know what happened to that money; whether it was to buy a family food and shelter or whether it was to supply medical equipment or whether it was even used at all. But I would still like to think that I made a difference somewhere. That my money was used to buy a smile out there, half way across the globe. Which is why I've decided that "making somebody smile each day by doing random acts of kindness" is not enough.

That this Project of Love is now here on expanded to "doing acts of love". It has become more ambiguous and I like that. That I am not bounded by definite boundaries but released to do whatever I want, however I like it.

That "Project of Love" has ceased to be restrictive but has become all encompassing.

We're All in This Together

Sometimes, when I'm discouraged or when I feel like giving up on this project, or when I get those moments where I ask myself "What did I get myself into?" or "Why on earth am I doing this?"...

I look through this video and remind myself that this project is as important to the people around me.

That even though my acts are small, and that I am only but ONE person,

I can make the difference.

http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4NlyZqJhwk&feature=related

I know you'll be as thought-provoked and as encouraged and inspired as I am when I watch this.

I highly recommend it.

Tell me what you think k?

The MasterChef in me.

Since this is a back log of almost a month's worth of "love projects", I've decided to clump a few into 1 post!

So there I was one night thinking of what I could do to make people's lives a tad happier. Two things came to mind:

1) The way to a man's heart is through his stomach.

2) I remember Adrian once whining to me he wanted cookies.

So me being a not-so-fabulous cook decided to "try" out baking!! Here's the catch: since I was giving these to people, I decided not to be so adventurous by burning down the whole kitchen, instead I decided to use pre-mixed powder! (I know its not very impressive but better delicious than bitter and burnt.) Hee.

So off I went to Safeway and bought Betty Crocker's Milk Chocolate Chunk Cookies!

To cut the long story short, I made a whole batch of about 24 cookies and gave it out to a few people. 1 of them being Adrian. They were quite surprised when I handed them their batch of cookies. Smiles galore! =D

Anyway, I thought they were delightfully delicious!

You can never go wrong with trusty old Betty Crocker which brings me to my next point.

A few weeks later, in gratitude to my lab for doing such a wonderful job in cleaning out the lab for an inspection, I made them Cinnamon muffins!! Of course Betty Crocker style but with an added twist! I mixed in raspberries and bananas in the muffin mix as well.

They turned out absolutely heavenly. I'm going to make them again some time soon.

With all these baking success with pre-mixed powder, I've decided that maybe, just maybe I might be ready for the real world. =)

A few photos of my baking expedition.

First off: Cookie Cowabunga!

Second: Muffin madness!

Tadah!

Cinnamon banana muffin with raspberry goodness.

And along with that, I also made Konnayaku Jelly (which I think I'm pretty good at) for my colleagues. However, they weren't all that keen on the jelly as jellies in Australia tend to be very soft - the kind that you can squeeze/mash through your teeth! So the texture of Konnayaku was a bit weird for them to handle but they ate it nonetheless!

Yum. Yum. Yum.

=D

Laziness is a terrible habit.

I'm actually all snuggled under the doona as I type this entry using my phone.

I just wanted to say sorry.
Sorry that I haven't been updating.
Being lazy is a terrible terrible habit that I have.

Remember I said in the first entry that keeping this blog going would be much harder than the project itself? Turns out I know myself too well. =(

Anyhow, through the encouragement of some friends, I've decided to keep persevering with the blog entries!!

About the project, not to worry, it's still been going even though I haven't been updating!

As for this blog, I've decided that...maybeee I won't blog every day but I'll definitely post up the more interesting entries/activities I do!

So once again, thank you for being my faithful followers, encouraging me when I need it most.

Love you guys!!
MUACKS!

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With that, I leave you with a rather weird photo of me. Haha, its not meant to be scary. I think its funny. I helped Mack with one of her weekly photo shoots aka homework. She's got to pick a photographer she wants to represent and, present a photo that best embodies his/her work. For this shoot, she picked a Japanese photographer (can't remember the name at the moment) and tried to replicate a photo he did. She asked, and I helped! So there I was cloaked in tons and tons of Mack's foundation (she wanted me as white as possible) with REALLY RED lipstick and THICK BLUE eyeshadow. Think I scared myself. Anyhow, this was after the shoot. I thought I looked more like a ghost from an asian movie more than anything so I played with some shots myself. Haha.

Lend me your ear

Day 11 - 21st April 2010, Wednesday

Was a listening ear to someone today.

I am glad that you trust me enough.
I really appreciate it. =)

In the midst of it all, I also realised you're very precious to me.

Encouragement goes a long way

Day 10 - 20th April 2010, Tuesday

Today is encouragement day!

Bought BIG M Ice Coffee for JK to encourage him with his honours.

Encouraged Manda and Pream who were going to have their honours outline presentations the next day.

Sidenote: I helped Prabhu with the setting up of his blog. I didn't help much, just merely directed him thats all but I encourage you to read his blog. He writes about his own life experiences/lessons. Some posts are really a gem. =)

Here's the link:

http://prabhu-reflections.blogspot.com/

Friends are important too.

Day 9 - 19th April 2010, Monday

Love is also about friendships.

Courage starts a friendship but love sustains it.

I have many friends but its only a very small number that I can say I know whats happening in their lives. (Don't take into account facebook all you stalkers out there!!..including me.) Friendships take time to nurture. You take a minute to meet someone but a whole life time to nurture it.

So I've decided that I shall make it a point to put more effort into the people around me. To sow into their lives, to be involved, to be happy, sad and angry with them as they journey through life.

I met up with Huishan for dinner today. It is the first time we're spending time alone. It was an amazing experience. I forgot how it was to have a good conversation, a session of letting go your troubles to a person you trust, to have somebody take part in your journey.


I appreciated her company and she with mine.

Thank you for being there.
I love you.


How many friends do you need to catch up on?

How to train your dragon in 3D!

Day 8 - Sunday, 18th April 2010

2 days ago, I saw Heidi's facebook status update.

It was about needing a break from the crazy PhD life.

Having done honours, I knew how it felt to be stressed out and needing a breather.

Coincidentally, Ian and I had 2 IMAX tickets for any show. He bought it in bulk about a year back and it was expiring soon so we decided on saturday afternoon to watch How to Train Your Dragon in 3D the next day!

I knew how much Heidi needed a break so I messaged her Saturday night asking her to join us! I also told her that her ticket will be sponsored by me so she didn't need to worry about needing to save money. "Just come out and have fun!" She even accompanied me shopping the whole day..whoopee!

Let me serve you at Destinos

Day 7 - Saturday, 17th April 2010

Every saturday I go to Bridge church at Richmond.

Service is from 5pm to 630pm.

I am usually at church from 330pm all the way to 730pm because I serve at the cafe in church called Destinos. I lead the Saturday team with Cathy. We alternate every week.

Here at Destinos, we sell cakes, coffee, tea, sausage rolls etc. We serve and greet with as big a smile as we can because we want new comers to know that they're always welcomed, that we're 1 big family. We pray for God to use us to love others through our serving.

Top to bottom:

Setting up Destinos. Spinach and ricotta rolls all ready to be heated up! Me in my apron. View of cafe.

We meet many new people at Destinos. Saturday is not as busy as Sundays so its easier to have conversations with people. I hope to form deeper friendships with the people that pass through our cafe. Its hard but I'll try!

Let me serve you when you come visit us next time ok?

Crash dummy love

Day 6 - 16th April 2010

Background:

I got hit by a car almost about a month back on the 10th of March 2010.

I got hit crossing the road on a green man by a car turning left to the road I was crossing. I got hit on my right hip, fell on my left hip and rolled. Thankfully I only sustained bruises.

I was send to hospital that night by the couple who hit me. The girl was driving when she hit me but the guy took over when they send me to the hospital. She was still under her learner's permit.

In Australia, once you passed the equivalent of the basic theory test, you get your learner's permit. During this period, anybody can teach you how to drive.

I remembered how she was crying while she helped me out of the car. I think she was more scared than I was hurt. I remembered having to comfort her all the way to the Accidents and Emergency counter.

Fast forward to present:

Today I messaged the girl who hit me to ask her how she was and whether she's still traumatised from driving. She's feeling better and now she has a proper instructor to teach her rather than her boyfriend! I asked whether they had to pay any fine for reckless driving, but I didn't get a response after that.

Nonetheless, I'm still very glad that she's recovered as well as I have!

BIG SMILE from me!

Who are we to judge?

Day 5 - 15th April 2010

Sometimes work is so busy that in the rush of the whole day there's no time to think of anything else other than getting work done. In the rush of it all, we tend to forget about others, about the relationships we have with one another, about the cleaner who sits alone in the cafe.

Thursday was like that.

It was hectic. I worked late. Came home late and all I could think of was just melting into the chair.

Project of love was somewhere in my head but I was drained.

I didn't fulfill Day 5.

Sometimes, all it takes is to stop and say hi. It might not make a difference to you, but it might make a difference to the other person.

How many "cleaners" have you said hi to today?

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Since I didn't fulfill Day 5, I thought I might share a little something extra.

I went to Connect group on Wednesday and we were talking about missions, but in particular reference to homeless people.

In melbourne, there are a lot of homeless people around asking for money on the streets. They usually look dirty, ragged, and sometimes drunk.

I never give them money because I've always had the assumption that they would spend it on drugs and alcohol. That I would feed into the vicious cycle they're living in.

Sometimes, they would come and ask for a few gold coins to "fund a meal or a place for them to stay for the night". I've always felt that if you had 2 hands and 2 feet, you were fully able to fend for yourself and find a job if you worked hard enough. That they didn't seem to care and were contented to live in their current state was only their downfall.

I guess thats my biggest mistake.

Who am I to judge them?

"Is it fair to walk pass the homeless man and give him nothing in the assumption that he would spent it on booze or cigarettes or suggest that he should go out and get a job?

Who are we to judge the alcoholic, or the prostitute or the addict as if we were any better?"

I didn't live their lives, I didn't know what they had and were going through. I did not know whether they had tried to find a job, tried to quit drugs or alcohol but failed and were just needing some encouragement...or a few gold coins to tide the day till they succeed.

What would Jesus do?


He'd never have judged.

There are no right and wrongs to how you can help somebody. If you're comfortable with giving a gold coin, so be it. I'm still hesitant but I've decided that the best way to help them is to offer them a meal if ever they asked for money.

I would say this now instead of walking pass them like they don't exist:
"I don't have a gold coin but I would love to buy you a meal".

Will tell you when I do it! =)

On a side note, I stumbled onto this picture which was how I felt initially and thought it was quite funny.

Happy birthday G!

Ahhh! I'm trying to keep up with my entries.

Go Janice Go!

Day 4 - 14th April 2010




I shall call my friend G. He works in my lab and he's very quiet. He tends to keep to himself. He doesn't talk much but he's very nice.

I noticed that whenever I bring gummies/chocolates to work and share it among my office people, he likes to eat them as well.

I found out on facebook that it was his birthday today and the only thing on my shelf was a box of Lotte chocolate sticks I bought from this Korean shop over the weekend!! Decided to give it to him anyway since I knew he'd like sweet stuff so I left it on his table with a note that wished him HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

I reckoned I saw his sweetest smile ever the next day he came to thank me for it. Haha, and he kept saying "mmm" while eating the sticks. Cute!

He recently just became a father but I don't know whether his family is here or back home. Nonetheless, very happy for him!!

Glad it made you smile G. =D

Another cup of sweet love

Day 3 - 13th April 2010

Ian came over today and brought dinner.

After dinner, we decided it would be nice to round it off with a nice cup of hot english breakfast tea. I went to the kitchen and brewed 3 cups of tea.

1 for me.

1 for Ian.

1 for Ifa.

I know Ifa would appreciate a cup of hot tea knowing that she gets cold easily plus she's been so busy with all these assignments and tests! Tea would help settle the mind and tummy.

Oh, and did I tell you I loveeeeee me some english breakfast? Love is an understatement.

I now know:

Ian likes it with milk and 1 teaspoon of sugar.

Ifa likes it with milk and 2 or 3 teaspoons of sugar.

I like it with milk and 2 teaspoons of sugar.

Hope you liked it Ifa. =)

Setting my perspective straight

Day 2 - 12th April 2010

This day was a confusing one for me.

I was so busy at work that day, and after work I had to rush to Tinna's house for dinner and by the time I got back it was already 1030pm.

Having just started this project, I naturally forgot about it and it was only til 11pm that I SUDDENLY REMEMBERED I HAD A SMILE TO EARN!! I thought and thought, the clock was ticking, my heart started racing and in my head I was panicking. It was going to be 12 and I haven't done anything! It was like a time bomb. In my head, I was starting to feel disappointment. Disappointment that I failed my task, that I didn't and couldn't accomplish Day 2.

Then it struck me.

Why am I panicking? Its not like I've got an exam to study for, or a deadline to meet. Where's the joy in all that? I don't wanna be doing acts of kindness cause I need to meet a deadline. That would defeat the whole purpose! Had it become a chore already?

No. No. NO. I don't want that. Had to set my perspective straight again. Whats the use of making somebody happy when you don't have a cheerful heart?

You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves a cheerful giver. - 2 Corinthians 9:7

So I decided that it was ok to forgo Day 2 and decided to think about how blessed I was instead!

Who were the people that made me smile today?

Tinna and Tinna's whole family. I was invited over for dinner and had a taste and reminder of what family life was like! Oh, how I miss my family!! I was standing in the kitchen, her mum was frying vegetables, her dad was sitting at the dining table, tinna was bickering with her little sister, and I felt tears welling in my eyes.

I miss home.
I miss family.
I miss eating my mum's home cooked food.
I miss disturbing Luke and talking to Mark.
I miss my Dad's insight.

Ok, I'm going too far off tangent. Snap back to reality! Ok, so yes, I had a taste of what a family dinner would be like in Taiwan!! Her mum cooked sooooo many dishes and it all tasted soooo delicious. Not to forget, we even had HOME-MADE red milk tea with pearls!! Best way to end the dinner. She even packed lunch for me the next day. How awesome is that.

So this was a glimpse of dinner that I brought to work the next day. Salmon, beef, chicken, herbal egg. SO. GOOD. Beats eating cereal any day.

Her mum even gave me half a container of taiwan red tea leaves so that I can brew my own bubble tea at home. If I could write chinese on this computer, the word that best describes what I'm feeling would be: xin fu.

The other person that made me smile was Kah Wai. He messaged me on facebook to encourage me about my project of love just when I needed it. He gave me tons of encouragement and support and it just made my day. He made me feel that persevering with this project was the right thing to do (and its only the 2nd day!).

He even told me that I've actually fulfilled Day 2...cause I was receiving all these encouragement from facebook that said my project made them smile! I don't know whether that's counted but to all those who are supporting me out there, a BIG THANK YOU to you. I appreciate it more than you know.

Thank you for making me smile. =)

Nestum Cereal Goodness

I'm backdating my entries cause I only just started this blog.
So this is Day 1 - 11th April 2010.

I made Mack (my house mate) a cup of Nestum Cereal 3 in 1 cause she was feeling hungry and cold. Well, me too. So..I made both of us some nestum goodness! What a way to warm up the cold cold night in Melbourne. Sob sob..where did summer go??

She had never heard of Nestum and was wondering what "hot porridge thing" I was giving her. One sip was all she had to make the decision that "Janice, next time you buy these 3 in 1 cereals, buy 1 packet for me". "OK!" That drink made the night soo much better, us so much warmer, and mack so much hungrier. Yikes!

But glad it made you smile. =D

Welcome to Janice's Project of Love

I've been thinking of doing something like this for the longest time but just never got round to it. Its been a year since I started working and life has settled into a nice routine but I've always felt that I could do more with what I have.

Life has been grand so far, and even more so this last year. Definitely the usual ups and downs we all face but other than that, I've been feeling extremely blessed. Too blessed. I feel like I've got so much to share, so much love to give, so much encouragement to say. But of course under all this lies the foundation and source of my affections which can be summarised in just 3 words:

"God is Love" - 1 John 4:8

Thus, the birth of this project.

God has blessed me with so many things, and I feel that I've got to share my blessings. Simply put: God bless me, I bless you.

Therefore, my aim is to make somebody smile each day for a year by doing random acts of kindness. Strangers, friends, all inclusive.

Start date: 11th April 2010

I hope by the end of this project, these acts of love would be instilled in me and become an everyday occurrence for the rest of my life. Its also my own little journey to Christ-likeness. I believe its going to be an enriching yet humbling experience for me...and the receipient. And I hope through this acts that everyone can feel the unconditional love my God has for me. ;)

This blog will be a record of all my doings. I'm not the best writer, so I'll make each entry short and sweet, grammatical errors included. And I'll really try....to keep this blog going (which to me is harder than the project itself!!!).

So with that I'm glad to say that Jan's Project of Love is underway! Woohoo!!