Living my life through small eyes...

3+3

2010-04-11T21:42:00.004+12:00

Traditional noodles for the birthday

The cake - hazelnut flavoured

家後

2010-03-20T06:58:00.000+13:00

The last drive

2010-03-12T19:41:00.013+13:00

1 year and 10 months later, today, we made our last morning drive from Te Atatu to East Tamaki (then to the City for me).

View Larger Map

A to B to C in the morning, and C to B to A at night. 45.4 km each way.

And the traffic didn't disappoint.

Spanish for Chinese New Year's Eve!

2010-02-13T20:02:00.008+13:00

For a long time, we've wanted to try seafood paella. For months, I've told Shirley that I found it on Cafe Limon's menu and we can try it anytime. She was never gamed. Well, if we didn't go for Chinese New Year's Eve, I don't think we will never go. Thank Goodness we did :)

We also caught a glimpse of Queen Victoria.

2 out of 4 8! Oi! Oi! Oi!

2010-01-26T02:20:00.006+13:00

Exciting times ahead for tennis in Asia, as for the first time ever, two women from China reached the semi-finals ~~quarter-finals~~ of the Australian Open this year!

Zheng Jie

Li Na

Australian Formation!!!

2010-01-13T20:14:00.008+13:00

Shirley and I spent the day at the ASB Classic last Monday.

Being a huge anime fan, テニスの王子様 (The Prince of Tennis) is one of my favourite.
Check out Cara Black and Liezel Huber use 大石 (Oishi) and 菊丸 (Kikumaru)'s Australian Formation! Black and Huber eventually won the tournament, showing that the World Number 1 doubles pairing is truly the Golden Pair!

For more photos I took at the ASB Classic,
Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) vs Julia Goerges (GER)
Flavia Pennetta (ITA) vs Jill Craybas (USA)
Cara Black (ZIM)/Liezel Huber (USA) vs Marina Erakovic (NZL)/Polona Hercog (SLO)
Kimiko Date Krumm (JPN) vs Anna Chakvetadze (RUS)

House cleaning project - Garden

2010-01-10T17:13:00.006+13:00

Phase 2 of our house cleaning project is the garden. Again, I had to leave it to the pros.

Home Deco

2010-01-09T21:11:00.004+13:00

Things to brighten our home.

VM

2010-01-08T08:36:00.003+13:00

Congratulations to Vienna and Masroor, who were married in Hong Kong on December 22, 2009.

Food, Friends and Gifts

2009-12-27T07:47:00.012+13:00

(Re)Discover Auckland Zoo

2009-12-19T21:03:00.012+13:00

It's been years since I last visited Auckland Zoo. I know Shirley's never been.
Today, we discovered Auckland Zoo together, with a bunch of friends. We didn't see any Kiwis or Meerkats. But the rest was pretty cool.

2 months

2009-12-06T09:59:00.002+13:00

The Law of KFC

2009-11-30T19:47:00.004+13:00

Have you ever eaten somewhere and say that you will never eat there again? And then to find yourself eating there a few months down the line, and to regret your doing afterwards and remember why you've said you will never eat there in the first place?

To me, that place is KFC.
And so I declare "the Law of KFC" as a sequence of events.

One learns an action is stupid and deems to never repeat the action again
One repeats the action, ignoring the experience.
One regrets in realization how stupid it was to repeat the action.
Repeat Steps 2 and 3.

Sigh... I never learn.

House cleaning project - Roof

2009-11-21T14:25:00.008+13:00

Back in September, I tried to start my own house cleaning project - as it turns out, it's much better and easier to leave it to the professionals.

Before

After

Taipei 101

2009-11-21T10:01:00.009+13:00

You know you are a tourist if you told people that you went to Taipei 101 (Is it still the tallest building in the world?!) when you were in Taipei and took cheesy photos. But really, other than tourists, we didn't see many locals there.

The mall is filled with stores of luxury goods, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., Prada, Gucci. You name it, it's there. My cousin joked to me, of the 4 shop floors, the higher the floor, the more expensive it gets!

Cheesy photos

Nostalgia

2009-11-14T09:39:00.011+13:00

Almost 20 years ago since I set foot in New Zealand. Going through some old photos (as you would on a Saturday morning), I found a picture of the first friend I've met, Kosuke, in front our school, Glendowie College.

Kosuke is Japanese. When I started out at school in 1990, Glendowie College had 3 Asians in the entire school - 2 Malaysian sisters and Kosuke. Not knowing any English at the time, Kosuke and I communicated by creative sign language and me writing down words in Chinese and him trying to interpret it using Japanese Kanji. We didn't always get it right, but most of the times, it was close enough.

Kosuke left New Zealand after 4th Form. We did lose touch for a number of years, but through the magic of facebook, we found each other again last year - in the U.S., happily married and expecting a baby girl.

People often asked me, "How did you get through the first few years not knowing English?", "Were you depressed?". I don't know, actually. But I have no recollection of being miserable through the early years. Must be because of my family and friends, like Kosuke, that made the tough times appear easy.

古亭 to 台大

2009-11-06T19:39:00.005+13:00

Two places that are close to my heart during my earlier years in Taiwan are 古亭國小 (Gu Ting Elementary School) and 台大 (National Taiwan University).

The former is where I spent 6 years of my younger life prior to coming to New Zealand, and the latter, not for the reason that I was educated there (I am probably not good enough to get in, anyway), is where our family spent every Sunday morning playing sports, followed by McDonald's breakfast across the road. Memories~

On our trip back this October, we took the MRT, then walked from 古亭 to 台大.
The 7-Eleven is still there, and the route is still the same as I last walked it 20 years ago...

Outside 古亭國小 (Gu Ting Elementary School)

台大 (National Taiwan University)

阿宗!! Ay-Chung!!

2009-11-05T05:28:00.007+13:00

Think Taiwan, think night markets and food! Well, to us, 阿宗麵線 (Ay-Chung vermicelli), was one of the best! Took us a while to find it in 西門町 (Xi-Meng-Ting), but it was well worth it!

There are no seats so people either stand or crouch and eat in the crowd outside the shop! For NT$55 (less than NZ$2.50).. 滑潤的麵線，配上香香QQ的大腸及柴魚、筍絲等材料，熬製而成的阿宗麵線吃的時候，再添上香菜或九層塔，淋上一點阿宗調製的辣醬!!!! Ohhhh baby!!!!

Someone went for seconds later that night!

ガンダム!!!

2009-11-01T09:01:00.000+13:00

I can't help it. It is a disease that every time I travel to Asia, I am addicted to toy stores. Bless Shirley for allowing me to chase my man child dream - a little bit at a time :)

Sneak Preview

2009-10-18T10:10:00.008+13:00

October 12, just a little over 24 hours after we travelled half way around the world from Auckland to Taipei, we embarked on a 8 am to 9 pm wedding photo shoot marathon.

The wedding photo shoot business in Taiwan has got to be second to none. It is an experience that we will never forget. And thank got the rain kept away!

Here is just a sneak preview!

Web album has been uploaded at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jenkec/sets/72157622513646935/

1 = Paper

2009-10-08T20:07:00.011+13:00

Today, Shirley and I celebrate our first anniversary as a married couple, for which, the traditional gift is paper. As usual, Google is the source of all my knowledge and ideas. There were ideas such as books, coupons, stationery, etc.

In the end, I made a bookmark and placed a somewhat gross message in the newspaper.

The original

After work, we treated ourselves with lobster and oysters for dinner. Yumm....

Time flies. It's been a wonderful year for us as a married couple. Here's to many more years of happiness to come!

Old times

2009-09-25T15:43:00.004+12:00

Found a couple of mock up screens I did of old versions of our product back in 2005. In Chinese!

Floating and Splashing!

2009-09-13T18:01:00.006+12:00

My company, Hansen Technologies, had an annual function themed "Spring Splash Out!" at the Floating Pavilion in the Auckland Viaduct last night.

Here are just a few snapshots.

09/09/09 09:09:09

2009-09-09T09:10:00.000+12:00

House cleaning project - Roof edge

2009-09-05T09:57:00.007+12:00

Before

After

3 years on..

2009-09-01T08:49:00.012+12:00

2006

2009

3 years ago, after months of house hunting, followed by weeks of nervousness and anxiety, I picked up the keys from the solicitor and became the owner of the place I now call home. It was Friday, September 1, 2006.

3 years on, the plants in front of the wooden fence is now so tall that the fence cannot be seen, the branches of the pine tree (I think) have grown and 4 houses have been built on the land behind me.

Thinking back on this day 3 years ago when I turned key and open the door. There were no curtains, no furniture - just a future to look forward to. Today, sitting in the study and looking out on furniture that we bought and used for 3 years.. I think I will have a wee cheer for myself for becoming home owner for the first time on the 3rd anniversary of my home.

The Pink Slip

2009-07-25T09:24:00.004+12:00

This came from a guy from work as he was organising a Stag Party for another colleague. I thought this was awesome! (and very useful too!)

Hard work that paid off with.... reward!

2009-07-12T11:28:00.005+12:00

After months of hard work that involved studying for at least 2 hours every weekday after a 12 hour work day, and almost all of her weekends (you may remember from how the elephant danced), Shirley received news that she passed her PCE1 accountancy certification exam on Tuesday! As reward, I gave her the new iPhone 3GS and a somewhat expensive scarf.

Well done, baby!

Photofunia

2009-07-04T14:33:00.003+12:00

真好家!!!

2009-06-25T19:10:00.005+12:00

Nothing beats 燒仙草 in cold winter... I wish we can get to a 夜市 every night for some. But since we can't, we found this great product - $7.50 for 10 sachets, sold at T-Mart.
Well worth it for the taste, I'd say!

ペガサス流星拳!!!!!!

2009-06-01T19:39:00.006+12:00

I love Saint Seiya. It is the first Japanese anime that I was obsessed with. Boy, was it a big hit when I was in primary school in Taiwan. Sticker books, posters, comic books, action figures... you name it.. Sadly, as we migrated to New Zealand when I was 13, Mum and Dad gave them all away to my younger cousin (lucky sod...).

Anyway, when we were in Hokkaido last Christmas, the child inside this man decided to restart my collection again.

Do you blame me??

My nephew.. Alistair Malcolm Peterson (陳以盛)

2009-05-24T19:16:00.008+12:00

Jean's second child, Alistair, was born on April 27, making me an uncle of two. Today, the extended family celebrated his first month!

P.S. Shirley hates me in this photo.. more specifically, the top of my head missing and the excess wrinkle exposure on my forehead.. I couldn't respond to her comments..

I Swear...

2009-05-23T16:58:00.012+12:00

Who Says Elephants Can't Dance?!

2009-05-18T20:19:00.009+12:00

Couple of years ago, I read 'Who Says Elephants Can't Dance?' by Louis V. Gerstner Jr. - the IBM CEO between 1993 and 2002. The book's about how Gerstner led and turned IBM, the mammoth organisation, from being close to bankruptcy back to the forefront of the IT industry. But perhaps even more so, it proved that anything is capable of changing, for the better - even elephants can dance!

In home cooking, I am that elephant! Long have I relied on takeaways (thank you, McDonald's, Wendy's, local kebab shops and half a dozen Asian food courts in Auckland) and Shirley's cooking (thank you, baby!). As well as feeling satisfied about my cooking repertoire that includes toasted sandwiches, scrambled eggs, instant noodles and the occasional fried rice.

Well, with a little push (by your wife), you learn to change.

Shirley is in the midst of studying her PCE1 accountancy certification exam. With both of us being at work or in traffic between 7am and 6pm everyday, if she was to cook for dinner and lunch tomorrow, she would be extremely grumpy, I mean, exhausted..

So, she went on strike, and the elephant stepped up and danced.. This is by far my best dish!

My steps:

Slice 2 chicken breasts into strips.
Marinate with soy sauce, salt and pepper.
Stir fry with olive oil and chili.
Slice capsicums and mushrooms.
Stir fry with capsicums and mushrooms with olive oil and soy sauce.
Add chicken and stir fry altogether.
Yumm...

Viaduct Harbour

2009-02-07T09:52:00.007+13:00

Busker swallowing a sword

Looking out to the Harbour Bridge

The Spirit of New Zealand heading out to sea

NZL41 - America's Cup yacht commercially used by SailNZ

Happy 牛 Year!!!

2009-01-26T17:32:00.006+13:00

The course

Going hard on the melon seeds

Shirley's ... Birthday!!!

2008-12-03T18:36:00.011+13:00

This blog entry is waaayyyy overdue... Shirley's birthday was October 29...

Anyway, Man's Golden Rule #1, after a certain age, the age of a woman is unimportant, especially if that woman is your wife :)

I don't mean to brag, but I have to say I throw a pretty good surprise party.

I ordered for a rose to be delivered to Shirley's office on the day before. When the flower arrived, everyone in her office found out it was her birthday. They threw her a birthday afternoon tea.

On her birthday, I secretly took the 3 hours off work in the morning after dropping her off work. I went to the Warehouse and bought about 70 balloons and some decorations and pumped all the balloons up - well.. I only managed to do about 50 before getting a huge blister on my finger... It was HARD work..

And I picked up the cake..

After work, we went to our favourite Korean restaurant for dinner. And this was what was waiting for her when she stepped in our home :)

The official birthday photo - Same pose every year - different clothes, different cake.

Man and Wife

2008-10-12T10:31:00.008+13:00

After getting engaged on Christmas Eve in Hong Kong last year, on Wednesday, October 8, 2008, in the presence of family and a few friends, Shirley and I became man and wife.

With the majority of our extended families and friends overseas, the two of us decided not to have a big wedding in New Zealand. We decided to tie the knot this year and on our first anniversary, have our wedding party in both China and Taiwan.

Here are some snapshots taken by Peace/First Data Utilities' resident photography expert, Thomas Ye.

A big thank you to Mum, Jean and Chris, Aunty Susan, Thomas, John, Ken and Ivy, Jason and Amber, add of course, Hannah, for being there on our special occasion. We are very happy, grateful and honoured to share this day with all of you.

Thank you also to our extended families and friends in New Zealand and abroad for your warm messages.

Warriors vs Roosters @ Mt Smart

2008-09-20T05:38:00.013+12:00

Sporting dream #1: Go to a semifinal game with 25,585 fans at Mt Smart Stadium to watch the Warriors come from behind, hold the opposition scoreless in the 2nd half and storm into the final four of the competition.

Accomplished: September 19, 2008.

P.S. What a game!!!

Roosters warming up

Roosters five-eighth
Brath Anasta practicing high kicks

Roosters Lock
Craig Fitzgibbon practicing

The Vodafone Cheerleaders

Toki - the Mascot

The crowd on the North and West Stands

The kick off

Big Manu Vatuvei

Brent Tate

The final score

Moon Festival

2008-09-15T20:10:00.005+12:00

The moon - looking out from our home

Most overpriced moon cake in the world - NZ$10.50

Wii Fitting

2008-08-03T10:42:00.007+12:00

I gotta tip my hat off to Nintendo for not only coming up with Wii but creating games like Wii Fit!

Parenthood?!

2008-07-21T14:03:00.013+12:00

To Shirley and I, Barbie is our little girl. I can't say what a daughter would mean to the both of us, but for more than four years, she is as close to one as it gets in our lives.

The past weekend has been the most nerve-racking 2 days for us as "parents". Coming home from work on Friday night, we found some vomit and diarrhea on Barbie's toilet mat and her blanket. We thought not much of it - I guess it happens to dogs, they eat what they shouldn't, and they pay for it. Then on Saturday morning, as I was getting ready for my second sleep at 8.30, I found what I can only describe as "exploded diarrhea with blood" splattered over her toilet mat and floor. I quickly and panickly woke Shirley up and contact our vet. I took a digital photo of the "scene" (the photo is too gruesome to put here) and Shirley collected some "sample" for the vet.

We saw the vet (Dr Nicky) at 9.15. It was hard for the her to determine what was wrong with Barbie. Barbie's temperature was lower than normal. She was very still and looked dehydrated. So she said she will need to perform some glucose tests and inject her with antibiotics. And she will need to be hospitalised and monitored. We would be notified later that afternoon.

We felt horrible. Anxious, worried, and at times thinking of the worst. We googled on the Internet for her symptoms and the likely cause of her illness - parvovirus, worms, eaten something sharp. Of course, there did not draw to any conclusions. The call from Dr Nicky finally came. "Barbie had another episode," and I could feel the hair on the back of my neck stand up and my heartbeat increases. "We will have to put her on IV fluids and keep her on it overnight." "Can we see her?" "Sure, give us time to set the IV up and come by at 4.30". It was 3.50, but there was noway we were going to wait at home, so we rushed out to the vet.

Our poor baby's right hand was wrapped in a cute pink bandage connected to 500ml of IV fluids that looks bigger than her! We asked Dr Nicky about all the possible causes we researched on the Internet - she said they were all unlikely. She was concerned about her episode earlier in the afternoon, but knowing that the antibiotics takes 24 hours to take effect, she said the safest thing was to keep Barbie on IV and leave her at the vet overnight.

It was such a tough night to get over. Both of us were emotionally tired but neither of us could sleep well. I dreamed of receiving a phone call in the middle of the night and Shirley said she had cold sweats throughout.

Morning came, and at 9.30, Dr Nicky called us. Barbie appears to be responding to the treatment. There were no more vomit or diarrhea, and she was quite happy when given some food. We went to see her and to our great relief, she looked much better. The vet wanted to keep her in for the rest of the day just to be cautious. She was fine throughout the day, and we took her home at 4.30 that afternoon.

I took Barbie in for another check this morning, taking the day off from work. Knowing some of my colleagues with young ones sometimes takes time off work to look after their sick child, I feel a sense of parenthood today - staying at home, looking after, not our dog, our daughter. I can feel that she is on the road of recovery. She is following me around, constantly begging for something to eat.

It's 3.00 now, we are just waiting for Mummy to get home!

Public Exposure!

2008-07-17T20:39:00.007+12:00

As the winner of "Top Graduate in the Bachelor of Business Majoring in Accounting" awarded by AUT this March, Shirley got herself on the Western Leader - the local newspaper (above), and New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accoutants' "Accounting News" newsletter (below) in June. I am so proud of her!

THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE

2008-05-31T23:40:00.021+12:00

I still remember vividly the first NBA game I watched on TV. It was 1987. It was Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Magic Johnson's Los Angeles Lakers were at Larry Bird's Boston Celtics. I was 10. Magic's Junior, Junior Sky-Hook with 2 seconds left on the clock gave the Lakers a 1-point win over the Celtics. Wow, what a game it was. As a 10 year old, the intensity and the excitement I experienced from watching that game is what made me follow Michael Jordan and the Bulls religiously in the 1990s and Yao Ming and the Rockets since his draft into the NBA.

Over the last two days, the Lakers and the Celtics have emerged as Western and Eastern Conference Champions, respectively.

Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol

Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett

Both teams have made great acquisitions in the off-season and during the regular season to boost their teams' chances to win the championship. The Lakers traded for Pau Gasol to give them a formidable inside threat to complement MVP Kobe Bryant mid-season. The Celtics acquired All-Stars Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in the off-season to form the Big Three with Paul Pierce. Both teams finished as number 1 seeds in their respective conference.

I can't wait for Game 1 of the Finals to start. These two proud franchises are back in the Finals for the first time in 21 years - for the first time since my first game of NBA. Between them, they have won 30 of the 61 championships in the history of NBA. I just know that this is going to go all the way to Game 7. But... there can only be one! (I am rooting for the Celtics though)

Update: Beat LA! Beat LA! Beat LA! Yah!!! Celtics Win!!!

The next chapter of our lives..

2008-05-06T06:09:00.005+12:00

For a bit over 2 months, I have been on Seek, Trade Me, Search4Jobs just about every night.. updating CV, adjusting cover letters, preparing for interviews.. but no, I haven't been looking for a new job (yet..).

And no, I haven't decided to change my career. I am lousy with my finances so God saves us the day I would be giving advice to others about theirs. But yes, Shirley has been looking for her first job in New Zealand since graduating end of last year.

For all that's been said about the lack of skilled employees in New Zealand these days, the responses from Shrley's job hunting has been thin, despite of her having previous work experience in China and being the top graduate in her year last year.

Well.. coming Monday marks the next chapter our lives.. because Shirley was offered and accepted a graduate accountant position last Friday at BDO Spicers!!! I can't describe how emotional, excited and proud I am when I heard the news. We are still buzzing!

Shirley's Picitoral Recipes: Tofu wraps!!!

2008-05-03T08:31:00.003+12:00

Shirley's Picitoral Recipes: Chicken, potato and cheese..

2008-04-26T16:26:00.005+12:00

Pork chops??

2008-04-17T19:59:00.010+12:00

An extract from a chain mail...

In a zoo in California, a mother tiger gave birth to a rare set of triplet tiger cubs. Unfortunately, due to complications in the pregnancy, the cubs were born prematurely and due to their tiny size, they died shortly after birth.

The mother tiger after recovering from the delivery, suddenly started to decline in health. Although physically she was fine, the veterinarians felt that the loss of her litter had caused the tigress to fall into a depression. The doctors decided that if the tigress could surrogate another mother's cubs, perhaps she would improve.

After checking with many other zoos across the country, the depressing news was that there were no tiger cubs of the right age to introduce to the mourning mother. The veterinarians decided to try something that had never been tried in a zoo environment.

Sometimes a mother of one species will take on the care of a different species. The only orphans' that could be found quickly, were a litter of weanling pigs. The zoo keepers and vets wrapped the piglets in tiger skin and placed the babies around the mother tiger. Would they become cubs or pork chops?

Take a look...you won't believe your eyes!!

Now, please tell me one more time... Why can't the rest of the world get along??

Shirley's Picitoral Recipes: Umm.. Lamb chops...

2008-03-25T17:37:00.008+13:00

Bring out the shirt and tie

2008-03-19T18:56:00.012+13:00

It seems so long ago since I have worn a shirt and a tie anywhere. For years, they have just been hanging lifelessly in the closet, not touched, not worn, not up to Shirley's standards and waiting for her to "retire" them to the clothes bin.

Needless to say, on the weekend before attending her AUT Business School Award Ceremony, it was imperative that her man upgrades his fashion collections.

Well, there's something that a shirt and a tie does to a man's overall package. One thing for sure, I would stand up and sit up straight the whole time. Which is why I am so grateful that I haven't needed to dress business casual to work for a few years now. I enjoy slouching on my seat too much :)