cohlinn

I've been wondering ... am I the only person who like supporting characters better than the main characters, regardless of story, genre or media? It's rare for me to actually identify or like the main character, like maybe around 5% of the time. Not that I dislike the main characters, but I just don't find them the most interesting or they don't quite make it to the top of the list.

Main characters I actually liked better than the other characters? Sherlock Holmes, Gregory House (House MD), Artemis Fowl, John Ross (Word and Void, Terry Brooks), Abel Nightroad (Trinity Blood) ... That's about it. Why is the list so short?

If I were to list all my favourite characters which are not main character, the list would be endless. My favourite books, Lord of the Rings, I'd pick Aragorn, Gandalf, Faramir, Denethor. The four hobbits would probably come in Top 10, not Top 5. I prefer Dalben and Gwydion to Taran (Chronicles of Prydain); Sesshoumaru to Inuyasha; Robin to Batman; Roy, Hawkeye, Scar and Alphonse to Edward (FMA); Tezuka, Fuji Syuusuke and Kaidou to Echizen Ryoma (Prince of Tennis); Akira to Hikaru (Hikaru no Go); Arutha and Kulgan to Pug (Riftwar, RE Feist); Belgarath, Polgara and Hettar to Garion (Belgariad, David Eddings); O'mara to Conway (Sector General, James White); Joshua to Simon (MST, Tad Williams); Urd/Skuld to Beldandy/Keichi (AMG); Touya, Yue, Clow to Sakura (CCS); Keiki to Yoko (12 Kingdoms); etc.

Even the stories I wrote myself are no exceptions. Why is that?

Looking at the main character list, certain characteristics do stand out. Most of these characters have an aura of mystery about them that the other characters can't quite figure out. Or they are seen through the filter of another character, such as Sherlock Holmes through the eyes of Watson. Perhaps that is why I like them.

Perhaps this mysterious or unrevealed story/characteristic is part of the charm that piques my interest. A half-veiled character leaves so much more room for the reader/audience's imagination. Is it a case of less is more? Rare glimpses of the minor character's development constrast starkly with the rest of the 'easily accessible' story line?

Yet one of the axioms of writting is develop your characters. So, is there such a thing as over-developing a character? The main character will be especially susceptible to this.

Then again, maybe it's just me and my preference for the subtle, unspoken, between the lines character development. When the characters development happen 'off spotlight' or almost off-hand. Then again, it might not be a very good way to write or at the very least, not an easy way to write. Pacing gets bogged down or just  turned into boring expositions and incomprehensible reveals. After all, something needs to be said, shown, revealed for the missing pieces to be contrasted against. It's a tricky business that requires more thought.

Then again, maybe it's just my silly preference for the stoic silent types that reveal more through their actions than their words.

Or it could be as simple as my liking pretty bishies. ;)

Who knows?

I'd say, it's a quantum state, depending on the circumstances.
Now, if the glass is being filled, I'd say it's half full.
If I'm drinking from the glass or pouring it out, I'd say it's half empty.
If I just walk into a room with the glass just stand on the table, neither being filled nor emptied, I'd say it's half glass.

So there you go. Cheers!

Third time's the charm!



I've been craving roti jala since I starting living more in Singapore than Malaysia. Even in my hometown, I know one or two places that makes roti jala.

So, a few months back, I was excited to find frozen roti jala, made in Malaysia, in local supermarket. It's rare find, a bit expensive, but what the heck. Sadly, it was a disappointment. Unlike frozen canai (aka prata), it smelled funny and was not the soft and delicate roti I know and love.

So, I tried to make some of my own. Googled some recipies and combined their best and simplest features. But wait ... no roti jala cup. Nevermind, I improvised. Sadly, my first two attempts were miserable failures.

First, the improvised cup didn't work so well. Punching holes into plastic container cup is kinda neat idea and less mess all around, but it didn't work too well. Could be the holes were too small. But it could have been a problem with the batter too. Using a ketchup squeeze bottle was a little better, but the hole was too big.

Second time around, the batter was too watery. I got round splatters and not thin long streams of batter. And the texture was all gluey.

Well, I went back to Malaysia, found me a nice roti jala cup and finally got to try it again.

Roti Jala Recipe (8 small pieces - 1dinner portion)
100g wheat flour
1 egg
120ml cup water (adjust so it's just thin enough to give a smooth stream from the holes)
1 pinch salt
1 pinch tumeric powder (optional)
1 pinch coriander powder (optional)

Steps
1. Sift flour.
2. Add all ingredients into a bowl.
3. Mix thoroughly until you get nice smooth batter.
4. Sift batter to remove any lumps.
(This is important or the lumps will clog the holes in your cup)

5. Heat a flat-bottomed pan or skillet.
6. Coat a thin layer of oil. (I just fold a piece of paper towel, dip in oil and wipe pan)
7. Ladle batter into roti jala cup.
8. Hold cup over pan and move it in circular pattern. (Just make pretty pictures with it)
9. Wait till 2 minutes (or the edges curled upwards)
10. Fold into quarters or roll into blanket or any pattern you like.
11. Continue with next piece.

12. Eat with curry (preferably curry with a lot of gravy). Roti Jala is great for soaking up the gravy and melts in your mouth.

Notes:
Tumeric is a strong colourant. So watch where it drips and wipe quicky. Also, best to use metal or good ceramic bowls that will not stain. Tumeric will most likely stain plastic anything and even countertops. Leave it out if you don't have any or have 'white' kitchen.

Notes:
Tried to substitute with rice flour. It turns out to be crispy and drier. Not the soft type that I like.

What's a girl to do when she sees a bunch of beautiful chives in the market? She buys them and then wonders what a girl to do with a bunch of beautiful chives!

So, what's a girl to do with a bunch of of beautiful chives now that she has them, you might ask. Well, she'd be asking the same thing, only this girl asked her good friend, the esteemed litgeek
merlusyne , and the all mighty google.

The results were two kitchen adventures into 'stuff we don't usually do at home'.

The first is a fried prawn dumpling, which I may or may not write about in the future. Which works to some extent. Got the recipe from litgeek for the batter, which may I humbly say, is really awesome! Even for a hopeless cook like me who can't fry anything without it being soggy, oil-logged, or black cinder.

The second kitchen adventure is my favourite breakfast, teatime snack, tim sum. Chives dumpling is a largish steamed dumpling with whitish or translucent skin and chives filling. It's a version of chaikoay (vegetable dumpling) and the name depends on the fillings. There's the jicama bangkuang version, which my brother likes, but not me. It's sweeter rather than savoury since bangkuang is a sweetish, juicy kind of turnip. There's mention of yam version too, but I've never tried it.

After some consultation with the oracular google, I've based my recipe on
http://cornercafe.wordpress.com/2008/09/18/koo-chai-kuih/. However, I prefer a closer to my hometown version and I don't keep lots of diff cooking materials (flour and stuff) at home, so some modifications are inevitable.



Fillings:
100g mince lean pork
100g chinese chives (kuchai or koochai)
4 pieces black wood-ear mushroom (soaked)
dash of pepper
dash of salt
dash of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

For the fillings, I've added wood-ear mushroom since I soaked too much of them yesterday for a dessert. It's optional. Stir fry everything but it doesn't have to be fully cooked.


Crystal Dough:
160g wheat starch (aka timsum flour)
250ml boiling water
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon sesame oil

I don't have tapioca flour so I've decided to skip it. And sesame oil is my lazy substitute for garlic/shallot oil.

Mix flour and salt in bowl. Pour 250 ml boiling water into the mix. Stir it with chopsticks to make sure the water is spread around the flour. It gets lumpy and sticky. Let it cool down.

Once it's cool, knead it until it becomes not lumpy and sticks into a ball shape and not on your hands.
Knead sesame oil into the dough.

Pinch off a section, roll into a ball and flatten it into circle. Add one tablespoon of filling in centre. Fold and pinch the edges close. Frill it for prettier looking dumplings.

Brush the dumplings with more sesame seed oil. Steam for 10-20 minutes till the skin becomes translucent.

Eat with chilli sauce.  Yum!

For more pictures of dumplings in progress, please visit picasaweb.google.com/cathy001/Misc

Via: merlusyne 

1. Put your iTunes (or any other media player you may have) on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!

----

This is my humongous playlist that I play on random when I'm doing chores, studying for exams or doing assignment at last minute. I don't even remember getting half the things on it.


IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
Secret Garden (Musical) - If I Had a Fine White Horse

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Laura Powers - Amazing Grace

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Long Journey Home (Soundtrack) - The Irish Film Orchestra with Derek Bell - O Carolan's Farewell to Music

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
Hilary Stagg - Dream Spiral - Before Time

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Tamiya Terashima - Gedo Senki Original Soundtrack - Kumo

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Karl Jenkins - Confutatis

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Eric Bogle - Mirrors Album - Never again, remember

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Loreena McKennitt - A Winter Garden - Coventry Carol

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Okiayu Ryotarou & Mariko Kouda - Marmalade Boy album - With You

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Eric Bogle - Mirrors - Short white blues

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Laura Powers - Beat Of Your Heart

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Ronan Hardiman - Solas - Take Me with You

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Michael Nyman - 24 heures de la vie d'une femme


WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Maria Ana Martinez - Merlin - Opera in Three Acts - Act 2 - Hark! He's calling

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Capercaillie - Crosswinds - Soraidh Bhuam Gu Barraidh (My blessings on Barra)

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
TTC -  Lawrence M. Principe - Science and Religion - Lecture 01
(Umm ... an audio lecture, not technically music, but hey, it's on my playlist )

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Joe Hisaishi - Howl's Moving Castle soundtrack - Escape

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Huelgas Ensemble - New Polyphony - O Maria dei cella

WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
Debussy - Sonata for Violin and Piano - Finale. Très animé

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
Rostropovich - playing Boris Chaikovsky - Suite for solo Cello II. March

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
The Black Family - Donkey Riding

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Rostropovich - playing Miaskovsky -  Cello Concerto  Op.66  2. Allegro vivace

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Hilary Stagg - Dream Spiral - Island Sweets

WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
Albeniz - Merlin (opera) - Now Shall I Lightly Take It

WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
Michael Nyman - The Heart Asks Pleasure First

DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
Okiayu Ryoutarou - Mirai Hikou
(I think that translates to Future Flight. I'm a recent fan of Okiayu Ryoutarou as singer. I suspect this is from an anime since he's a seiyuu. No idea which anime.)

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
David Arkenstone - The Celtic Book of Days - Yearning Hearts

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
Brian McNeill - The Back O' The North Wind - Destitution Road

This is a dream. I'm writting it down while it is still vivid and fresh in my mind. Much of the details are impossible to note down. Sights, smell, colour, the beautiful costumes, elaborate jewellery and golden facepaints.

It started innocuously enough.

I was a student, late for class and trying to buy some food and drink. It was bazaar day. I stood in the middle of tented area, surrounded by women preparing food. One spoke to me in a language I do not understand. With many hand gestures and head noddings, I guessed I was being told to spread a cloth on the ground and the women would serve the food. Feeling rather out of place, I clumsily lay it out.

Before I was done, I found myself called for an interview with the head of institution. There were a row of men and women ahead of me, all dressed strangely. Most out of place are a group of women, spread evenly among the line, all dressed in lilac frilly gown. Some have flowers braided into their hair. All ignored me. They seem busy, intent on some kind of communal meeting that formed small groups, whispered urgently and broke up again.

I went into a side room. A woman in business suit seems to be in charge there. I spoke briefly with her and left with a feeling of urgency and anxiety about the whole place. But I knew they were ineffectual and helpless.

I walked out and into a large furniture showroom. There were large screen TVs everywhere with rows seats. I searched for a nice quiet place and came to an open area. It looked ancient. There were wide staircases going down to a large underground cavern. There were more marble and concrete staircases going to higher level, some to hillside gardens, some to overhead walkways.

I was at the bottom of a dead-end staircase, running parallel to a wide road one level above. A motorcycle with two black clad riders streaked along the road, long red hair streaming in the wind. I ran to the underside, not waiting to be seen. They knew I was there anyway and turned around. As they rode down the staircase, I left my hiding and ran up. I did not want to be trapped down there. Once started on the bone jarring downward slide, the bike would not be able to turn to follow me up the stairs. As we approach each other, the bike swerved to run me down. I grabbed the handle and turned it to the side. It overbalanced and went crashing down. I ran the rest of the way up, heart pounding. Relieved I escaped with minor scrape along my arm. Afraid I might have killed the rider. I looked down and heard him groaning. I called 999 and left him there.

I found myself in a group of women, dressed like egyptian queens. One of them seems to know me and said vehemently, "I will not accept this! I will not accept this! I've sent emissaries to the six wives of the Pharoah." I knew something bad was about to happen. I didn't know what it was or how to stop it. I had to find out. How do I get to the Otherworld?

I came upon ancient staircase. It looked like a temple, with wide staircase going to a huge underground chamber. A procession was going downwards, sweeping me along. At there centre were nine priestesses. The head priestess turned to me and said, "It is coming. It is here!"

"No," I yelled at her. "This is a mistake. You can't hide down there." I ran against the crowd, up the stairs again. As I reached the top, I felt the gentle cold wind and smelled the ocean. People were screaming and running down past me. I took a step forward and stepped knee-deep in warm water. The water rose higher and spilled over the top step.

I reached out to a girl in pink dress. Together, we climbed on to the parapet. "Don't go down!"

01. What's the last TV show you saw?
Babylon 5

02. What are you wearing at the moment?
Batik night dress

03. Who is/was your favorite cartoon character?
Arzon from Visionaries

04. What is/are your favourite scent(s)?
Rice, eggs, milk, rain, cut grass, tea, cakes baking in oven

05. What is your favorite drink?
Milo, iced tea, hot chocolate

06. What do you drink the most?
Milo

07. What is your guilty pleasure?
Being utterly alone, but not lonely

08. Are you allergic to anything?
Yes, still no idea what it is

09. What did you want to be when you grew up?
Zoologist, veterinarian, astrophysicist, space explorer, scientist, teacher, photographer, designer

10. What foreign city/cities that you've never been to would you like to visit?
I'm not very fond of cities, so none.

11. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
Creative, geeky, adorable genius

12. How do you like your job?
It pays, it could be better, but at least it's not the worst. Just feeling under-utilised.

13. What's your favourite item of clothing?
My black fitting dress pants that fits like a dream

14. How long have you been on LJ?
Can't remember. But I've spent less than 24hrs cumulatively.

15. Are you a synaesthete?
Slightly. Words, how they look and how they sound, always seem to have a kind of personality, taste or smell to them; especially when I don't know what they mean.

Went to the library earlier. I came out, went to the right bus stop, knew which buses I was to take and waited for the bus. Some where between my knowing and a bus' arrival, I forgot I was waiting for a particular bus and simply walked into the bus. 5 minutes later, I remembered I was suppose to take a particular bus, but I don't know which bus I was on. Moral of the story is ... Buses should have their numbers on the INSIDE! You never know when you need a reminder about where your body going. Especially when your mind is somewhere NOT on the bus!