Of Grief and Lamentations

Saturday, I was catching up with movies from Netflix, a lot of soppy romance movies, I'm telling you. A good excuse not to do laundry. It was almost mid-day when I woke up, so I tossed the idea of running errands, and a walk around the lake to burn off the gained calories during the week.

In the middle of the Dear John movie, a friend called, asking me to accompany her to purchase an iphone 4. So off we went, me wanting to trade my old iphone, there was a deal going on at AT&T buy two accessories, get one free.

We left the store happy, then off to dinner, I sugested Long Life in Piedmont, an inexpensive Japanese restaurant, but alas, it has closed. I didn't even notice, it was Miechelle's find, it has been a favorite, which turned out to be our once a month place, until she passed.

So we landed at Holly's Mandarin Kitchen, the food was great, service was perfect and the food presentation was wonderful. There's nothing to elaborate on the food, these are comfort foods, familiar, flavors that does not surprise or assault the senses, perfect for a cool evening to update with friends.



Seafood combo, steamed and dipped in soy sauce with lemon



Mongolian beef, not spicy

For dessert, it was fried banana with coconut ice cream with a side of grapes

Drink of choice: Diet Coke

Holly's Mandarin
(510) 652-9678
4080 Piedmont Ave

Oakland, CA 94611

While she was happy with her accomplishments, she was able to buy a brand new car with a five thousand dollar deposit, got her new iphone, and was able to purchase land, vehicles for the business, and is building a house in the Philippines, she is almost giddy that she felt like she has arrived. Of course she credits Lordy for all this, but why are some people not happy with what she has. There is an apparent jealosy, of envy.. hmmmm I griped that if only there is no jealosy, the world will be happy place to live in.  To which she readily responded, öf course, or Satan will have nothing else to do".

True, life is indeed a plate of Chinese noodles, too plain without the sauce, the sauce provides the flavors, melded otherwise it will not be palatable.

It was Friday, a while ago

 It was just Friday, what happened to it.. I drafted this early Saturday morning and now it's afternoon and it is still not finished. Anyway, Friday was a wet-morning rush. Cabbie was short-tempered, easily upset, I sensed a hint of African heritage, as I alit from his cab, I told him, "take it eay, it is not worth the effort to be upset", he smiled and made some excuse, I think, he will be okay and will have a wonderful day haha.

The reason for this mad-dash to work, is because I had a 10:00 meeting with my boss about my performance review, not that there is much to go on,I was only halft time billable, it was a bad year. (that's why you gotta get a-clickin'my dear, I have to have options ha ha). He said he is happy with my work and that I am on top of the list, not sure how I am rated with my peers because I am the only one who has flexibility.

All these made me look at what I really want to do with the rest of my life.  Well, I went as far  as what I will do for lunch, which was a chinese pork with spinach with a side of rice fare at the Bay Fung Tong Restaurant near my work place.


A little salty, otherwise good, completes the food pyramid requirement

 

Of course, there has to be diet coke in the mix

1916 Franklin St
(between 19th St & 20th St)
Oakland, CA 94612

Obviously, not my first visit, but this place is efficient, cleaner than most Chinese restaurants. There are more choices too.

I am guessing that to make this, use the following ingredients:

     garlic (minced)
     spinach
     pork cut into thin strips
     corn starch
     black beans (salted)

Boil the pork in a small pan, water just enough to cover the pork, slow fire so that the pork is cooked without drying the water too soon. Set aside in the corner of the pan, heat a little oil (olive or vegetable) once heated, put the pork back, black beans, a little water, and the minced garlic.  Notice that the garlic was not sauteed, it is to avoid that bitterness caused by over frying. The spinach goes in last. It is cooked, when the spinach is wilted. Mix a tablespoon of cornstarch in water add a little soy sauce then put in the mixture in the pan.

Enjoy!

Friday, is also the last day of one of our GIS experts, he is moving to another consulting company, one that we also use to comply with the MBE/WBE requirements. Anyway, we were suppose to meet at this new bar on Grand Avenue, called Era, I said I will go, but decided at the last minute not to..

Friday evening on the next post...

Word of the wise, don't worry about the small stuff, you are responsible for your actions, your words as they are with theirs. Let your actions and your words bother you, not theirs.

Libra..

Libra -- the Harmonizer

Nice to everyone they meet. Can't make up their mind. Have own unique appeal. Creative, energetic, and very social. Hates to be alone. Peaceful, generous. Very loving and beautiful. Flirtatious.  Give in too easily. Procrastinators. Very gullible.

Got this from a friend, does that mean that we have the makings of a pushover.  Ha ha.  I sit here, unwinding, keyboarding. I ask myself, why. Certainly, not to keep a record of my life events, heck I don't even balance my checkbook, to give in to streams of consciousness, maybe.  There are times when ideas (not necessarily grand) come to me when I am walking around the lake, waiting for my turn in the supermarket, aboard a bus-when there's too much going on that to even try to read can be frustrating.  This is good practice, though, makes me aware of my commas and when to end the sentence. The familiarity here with web parts (widgets) made me breeze through share point at work not to long on a learning curve. Therefore, dear reader, I don't mind a gentle reminder about my grammatical faults.

I love beautiful words, even obsolete ones, I like to listen to them too, there are just people who have the gift of prose. I, on the other hand, have no just gift, but I like to engage people, pick on the their thoughts, get their opinions, see how their mind works.

What is pitiful is someone who is unable to express themselves for fear of being judged, not being the kewl one, and would therefore just agree on the premise of someone popular.  (Hello self, talking about you?) There are others too who likes to listen to themselves, I tend to shy away from them. 

Yes, so I decided that this blog will be my forum for all things worth pondering on, subject matters that may even be pedantic to you but if it crossed my mind and it stayed there for a bit, you will read about it.  Good, that I have forwarded this link to only two of my friends, they are kind with their words, ha ha. They are the ones who bear my sometimes nonsensical forays into disconnected ideas trying to find a conclusion in them.

So, the foodie that I am, you may see my attempts to discover new cuisines in my kitchen, a passing review of a new restaurant in the neighborhood, an interesting encounter, or just anything  about anything.  No attempt at being profound, ha ha.

Speaking of resto, there is a new Neecha Thai Cuisine on Grand, purty good, a little bit on the expensive side for lunch, but it's good, quiet, the wait staff knows when to bring the dessert or when to check if everything is alright. Not neglectful nor overly solicitous. They have respect for food too, the food is plated nicely. Not overcooked or harriedly prepared that it is not worth savoring the flavors quzzing myself as to what the blend is. The FBI (fried banana with ice cream, silly!), though, was in a small tapas plate, pretty difficult to navigate. The salad has interesting dressing, puree of sticky rice with a hint of lemon and wasabi. I would put more than a hint though, even a dash of their fish sauce. Oh well, that place is going be a favorite.