Brien’s Bites…

I have always wanted my own Christmas tree especially this year for the first Christmas in my very own house. My problem was, due to some circumstances, my budget was kind of tight and this year almost everything went up except my salary. So, I had decided to wait out on the tree until next Christmas season after I have plan a budget for it.

Then yesterday, I took Mom to Tesco for her weekly marketing and they had a sale on Christmas trees and some selected ornaments. For a 6-foot tall tree that was RM90 (US$25.84) was on sale for RM15 ($4.30), I would be a fool not to get it! So, with the ornaments and other decorations including lights, I have spent less than RM150 ($43.04) for everything in total. A price tag I would never thought possible if they hadn’t had the clearance. The stores would normally put their trees into storage until the next year. Most of the ornaments would be cleared off though.

So, here it is. My very first tree complete with a mini Nativity scene that I got from the clearence bin at Marks & Spencer, and some other festive decorations all a at not so “ouch” price tag!

Happy Holidays.

Images:

1) During my office year-end gift exchange party, I was the ONLY person who got the same gift of book vouchers from the same person three years in a row! At Chef & Brew Restaurant. 18 December 2008

2-3) A hanging ornament and a Nativity scene for my Christmas tree.

 

Though it rained the whole day yesterday, the air was pleasant and cool. Most people would be in their cardigans for a change without having to turn on their fans or aircons. It was also unfortunate that due to the constant rain lately, a massive landslide had occurred in KL that had killed 4 people in a prime housing area. In that same area about 1.5 kilometers away is site of the once prestigious Highland Towers Condominiums. A collapse of one of its blocks (of 3) had killed 48 people in 1993. The remaining of the other two blocks still stand abandoned and in disarray.

I had my family over for lunch yesterday since my brother and his family was in town. I made my ‘famous’ Cool Basil Sauce Spaghetti and Bean Salad. I should be giving the credits to my boss Bee instead. She was the one who picked them up from other sources, simplified them before giving them to me. I only improvised from my side by substituting brown sugar with honey. Besides, she also gave me a whole bag full of basil leaves otherwise the spaghetti wouldn’t have happened.

Mom made her Sea-Salt Baked chicken and that was so good that I have forgotten all about taking pictures of it until I have devoured off any remaining meat from the chicken bone! Dessert was two cans of mixed fruit cocktails where I substituted the juice with a combination of lime pop soda and cream – a recipe from my friend Farouk’s mom. Sounds yucky but once you have tasted it, you’ll scream, “Yummy” instead!

The rest of the afternoon was spent watching Blu-rays, where I introduced the Broadway musical, “Company” (music by Stephen Sondheim) to my sister. I like most of Stephen Sondheim’s work and his music is an acquired taste. This version of “Company” with Raul Esparza is nothing short of being incredible! The actors not only had to sing but play musical instruments as well! Flawless!

I was introduced to Sondheim when I was in college. “Sunday in the Park with George” was the experience and it grew on me. “Sweeney Todd” was and still is a little too eerie for me, but nevertheless, I have it in my collection. “Children will Listed” (from, “Into the Woods”) and the songs from, “The Follies” are some of my favorites.

Both my sisters also like musicals may it be movies or stage. I remember how we would act out scenes after we had gotten back from a musical show that we had just attended. I remember being, “Oliver!”, singing “Where is Love?” complete with tears when I was “in character” lip-syncing to the turntable where the vinyl was spinning. I was around 5 or 6 then. Suan would be “Nancy”, and my brother would be “Fagin”, or sometimes “Bill Sikes”! Yes, that was from the 1968 musical movie adaptation that to me, remains as one of my favorites (others are “The King & I”, “Camelot”, “West-side Story”, stage-version of “Chorus Line”, “My Fair Lady”, “The Wizard of Oz”, “The Sound of Music”, and the newbies being, “Mamma-Mia!”, “Chicago”, “Phantom of the Opera” and on top of the list would be “Hairspray”)!

I guess my interests for musicals came from those formative years (Mom used to play, “Wouldn’t it be Loverly” from the soundtrack of “My Fair Lady”, whenever she fed me milk). Dad played a lot of Sinatra and that also explains my fondness for torch standards.

Went to the movies with my old friend, Steven last Sunday for Disney’s “Bolt” in 3-D at KLCC. Enjoyed myself, and this


year’s KLCC Christmas tree is the worst! It may be the tallest in the world but the boring-est! See for yourself!


Images:

Top) Simple, fast and colorful! All the beans (canned) came from the supermarket shelves. Throw them together and walla! You get a nutritiously delicious bean salad! Everyone in my family loves it including the kids. I think it’s the dressing (I use balsamic vinegar, garlic granules, honey, sea salt and of course, olive oil)! Salad dressing recipe came from my boss, Bee. 8 December 2008

Middle) Invited my family over for lunch yesterday and I made them this speghetti. The recipe actually came from Richard Rocco and my boss improvised it before giving it to me. It a little bit of work but the result is worth every bit of compliments I get every time I serve it to my guests! Most would want to take the loftovers home and it’s vegetarian. Thanks, Bee (my boss). 8 December 2008

Third) The cover of, “Company” DVD/Blu-ray.

Last)  This is by far the most boring Christmas tree being put up at the KLCC mall this year! Even though the styrofoam gingerbread men and nutcrackers looked cool amongst the other giant-sized ornaments, the tree looked completely boring! One needed to squint their eyes in order to see the lights flickering. Tallest in the world, but most boring (actually used the "boring" word three times here)! 6 December 2008

I was at my regular music store recently and the guy there kind of knew me. He would give me quite substantial discounts on CDs. This time around, he handed me two copies of SACD and asked me to try them. One was Carol Kidd’s “Dreamsville” covering another set of torch standards, and the other was an artist that I have never heard of before by the name of Eugene Ruffolo.

“Try it! You will like it. He sounds like James Taylor.” he said to me referring to Eugene’s album.

Strange as I have never bought any James Taylor from him nor did I ever told him that I liked James. Anyway, I decided to give both SACDs a try on their stereo.

Carol Kidd was good as usual but I already have all the songs featured on her album being covered by other artists (yes, I have quite a substantial collection of torch standards ranging from the Sinatra/Fitzgerald era to the more recent Ronstadt/Simon’s). When I put Eugene’s album onto the player, I was mesmerized by that James Taylor sounding voice that was so, so sweet to my ears! That was only at certain notes on the first track that he sounded like James but on the following tracks, you could hear that he actually has his own full-bodied voice that would be uniquely his. He was something and I don’t understand why he hasn’t gone mainstream. His songwriting is powerful and melodies as haunting as ever! I listened to it every single night until just a few days ago when I thought I was going to melt my CD. Checked on Amazon and apparently, this guy has released several albums earlier. This SACD edition was released by a reputable German audiophile label, Stockfisch and costs about 20 quid from Amazon.UK. I paid the equivalent in RM at the music store and I absolutely have no regrets despite the very high price tag! Will get another copy for my eldest sister since she is another James Taylor fan and have told her about Eugene. I know she will like his music too! The only problem now is finding another copy!

Other new SACDs that I deem good investments in my collection:

The Sarah Brightman SACD’s are exclusive Hong Kong releases and not available in Europe or US. The sound is nothing short of being described as,  ”incredible”!

When the cat is away (my boss being on leave), the mice (me and my colleagues) come out and play. Why not? We are not a bad bunch at all and I have to admit that we are a bunch of work-mice that are well behaved whenever the boss is not around. We don’t come to work late nor do we go back early. We always come back from lunch on time and as ironic as it sounds, would occasionally come back late when the boss IS around (but she doesn’t mind though, but our conscience would. So we stay back a little later to make up for it. The cat would do the same though)!

As usual, during this period of the year, we are bogged down with various year-end publications and I am responsible for the ‘main event’, and that is coming up with the concept design for this year’s annual report - the mother of all projects that I do in the year. My only vice when the cat is on leave is writing this (and perhaps reading some other Blogs, or some light-weight shopping at Amazon.com)! There are times when despite the chaos, you just need to stop the world for a few moments to do a little something else to restore your sanity!

Had dinner two evenings ago with a former colleague. CK was regarded as a cool cucumber but his bough broke around this time of last year due to being overwhelmed with work. I urged him to persevere until at least after January to at least get his little due bonus if there was any (and he did got something out of his bonus). He still thinks the cat is the greatest boss but the cat never really forgiven him for walking in the midst of the year-end / beginning of the year chaos. That was almost a year ago.

I am glad to see CK being at ease and happier in his new job (could tell by the warm serene glow emanating from his face). He also told me that he was dating two women with the prospect of marrying one of them. He said he didn’t even have any time to think about settling down when he was my colleague because he had to bring work home almost every evening!

In a short few months, I would be in my 9^th year at this establishment. It is not a bad place at all and sure, what working places would not throw in a little tough challenge every now and then? That is where I find that I would somehow discover something new about myself. If it is a shortcoming that would be the opportunity for me to perhaps improve myself (and that is also a conscious choice). Yes, I have made dozens of blunders over the years simply because I am like every body else - a mere mortal and bundled with flaws on default. I seek for more clarity to see my own weaknesses and to work on them. This is after all, what life with its experiences is all about?

I have stolen quite a bit of time reflecting and to write this. To me, this is therapeutic. F the grammar and F whatever structures that I am supposed to adhere to in writing but boy, I can go back to work as if I have taken a well-rested break.

Back to work then…

Coming soon.

Just heard one of the most beautiful melodies in tribute to Karen Carpenter! This is from the, ‘Ghost Rider’ soundtrack titled, “

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”. It sounds new-age though I haven’t heard any other tracks from the soundtrack album yet. I had bought the movie on Blu-ray simply because I am a ‘Ghost Rider’ fan, and I think I was one of the less-than-a-hand-full of kids that liked the comic in the seventies (my comic staple-diet also included, ‘Spiderman’, ’The Incredible Hulk’, and ‘Fantastic Four’). I didn’t know they had made reference to Karen until I read the synopsis on Amazon when shopping for Blu-rays. So, it is an added bonus and looking fore ward to watching my copy over the weekend!

Other notable reference would be ‘The Simpson’s Movie’. The song that launched The Carpenters to stardom, “Close to You”, was featured prominently in the scene of a home video of Homer and Marge’s wedding. One of those rare instances where Richard Carpenter actually gave rights to use the original!

On, “The Broken Hearts Club”, the main character dumps his potential lover for being ignorant of what or who The Carpenters were! Due to the nature or subject of the movie, no original Karen Carpenter vocals were used (or being given rights to) but instead, covers by unknown Mary Beth Maziarz on, “Close to You”, and “We’ve Only just Begun” on the soundtrack. Someone wrote the following in critiquing the movie,” The covers of Carpenters hits work only intermittently, and this film would have been elevated greatly by the inclusion of some real Karen vocals, particularly since her voice is discussed early on, in a scene that sets up the basic emotional journey of the movie”.

Whoopi Goldberg’s, “Boys on the Side” features her co-star’s character’s obsession with Carpenters music. At the end of the movie, Whoopi’s character sang a snippet of, “Superstar” on the piano in tribute to her friend. Again, no real Karen vocals were featured on the movie, and no Carpenter songs on the soundtrack. Like “Broken Hearts Club”, I was told that they couldn’t get the rights from Richard to use them for this movie!

Murial’s Wedding – Original Carpenters’ version of, “We’ve Only Just Begun” was featured on the soundtrack but I don’t recall any references to Karen or the Carpenters on the movie.

On “Anger Management”, Jack Nicholson’s character removes all Carpenters CDs from Adam Sandler’s character’s collection claiming that, “…Carpenters music is ANGRY music”, and dumps them into the waste-paper basket! The CDs break asunder as if they are made out of thin bisque porcelain! I don’t know if I find that funny or what, but this one would remain the bootleg copy as it is in my DVD collection!