Are we always given a choice?

Last night I was torn between blogging (not to mention catching up with reading blogs), Facebook-ing (I've been infected with Scrabulous addiction since last weekend), reading my book (need to finish reading Sabriel so TLA can have the book soon as she completes her PMR) AND sleeping!

I chose sleep soon as MasterChef reminded me that it was passed midnight, I need to get rid of my panda-look.

Where did time go by the way? Work has eased a bit lately, no more crazy 6 meetings in a day schedule, in fact, the latest "victim" of my Facebook conversion project has express his envy of me having so much time for Facebook-ing during office hour - hey, this is called multi-tasking. I do have quite a lot of work to do actually, one main advantage of a desk-bound job is that you can, as I'd like to put it, multi-task which includes accessing webpages. Having said this, 6 months in this new job, I do miss my previous sales job, the advantage of sales job is can multi-task doing shopping and some urgent errands. I would say, more on the move and keep me from being bored. Not to mention more freedom, which also means more flexibility in my gym schedule - can attend earlier classes, which also allows me to go home early and eventually means more time for blogging, facebook-ing and sleeping. It's a chain effect.

Was in Master C's combat on Monday at The Curve (but skipped pump due to the cupcake project). The class was packed even with the absence of some of the usual combaters. Good and bad attending popular classes - Good: Very lively, energetic, full of gym buddies; Bad: can hardly maneuver, possible injuries (for combat, either kick or got kicked), too stuffy. The potential of a crowded class is unlimited, one of the likely arrangement was of course Master C's very own mini concert for example. I thought this if-you-don't-shout-I-will-sing-tactic was exclusively for TC since this was not executed at MML or Axis when I went last week, and he did it again this week at TC.

It was so effective, the moment Master C announced our potential "sentence" for not committing to the kiahs, the class practically went silence on the next cue to shout. (okay, except for a few "good students" giving some faint kiahs at the background). In return of the terrible singing, we the fans, unfairly, gave out roars of cheers and applause (well, not physically since we still need our hands for the punching). This proved again that when it comes to the favorite superstars, fans are always blind, I mean deaf. Not sure whether the combat master had enjoyed the singing or not, but he soon announced that he couldn't sing and revert back to leading the fans, I mean class, with the proper combat shouts. And then he added "if you don't shout you will have to sing". Guess what? There was a temporary featuring of a karaoke lounge at certain parts of the studio. We fans, erm members, are just so accommodating as always, aren't we?

Since I managed to leave work early yesterday, I made it to Master C's MML class again. The class was really jam-packed as usual until you can almost be sure that someone is prone to be kicked. It's a miracle that I was still satisfyingly drenched in sweat after the class even with such limited space and movements. The combat master's tactic was slightly modified though I thought he'd never use that same tactic for other clubs. This day, if we do not shout, the Shanghai Phoenix (as I quote Ladynina) who was team-teaching would have to sing. There was, however, no mini concert. There was just so much energy and contributors to kiahs at MML. The team-teaching new instructor (I persume she's new from what I read, and was leaving already from what I read) was full of energy and I believe everyone love especially her jam-jingga (so I quote again). With her cute accent, she did two tracks including the Girlfriend track which I think suited her better than the master. (note: I HATE the muay thai track for this new release; LUV the double kick track - still can't manage to remember the track numbers)

I recently got great companies for combat especially in MML with Steve and Stan (Having said this, missed Shen and Farid a lot for this Tuesday class!). Believe it or not, our opening greetings consist Facebook topic (which reminds me of my on-going, loosing, Scrabulous games, one particular one with me scoring 100 and opponent more than 200. Most of them are just SO terror - and YOU know who I'm referring to...). For our closing and parting, I was asked if I'll be calling a day off the next day or combating at LM (combating at LM on Wednesday seems so logic since I live so nearby and since it's a later class, ample of time to travel there); but my reply was, old people do need more rest, hence the day off from gym. Do you call this "lazy"?

Although I used to do many more classes, I thought my workout regimen now a days is actually quite acceptable. If I have a choice (this is what happen when one is fussy with instructors and is constrained by office location and working hours) I would want to arrange my gym schedule as such:

Mon: BP & stepper (Maxis) (used to want to do BS after BP, but...)

Tues: BS & BP /& BJ (LM)

Wed: Rest (I insist that older people must rest slightly more)

Thurs: BS & BP (SPK)

Fri: BS (Maxis)

Sat: BP (LM)

Sun: Squash

Whoops... would be transformed back to a BS fanatic instead of a combat enthusiast in this case. Only if I have a job in KL or have flexi working hours. (to answer to the question of why don't I find a job in KL - it doesn't work that way! We don't have choice for most of the things in our life, unfortunately)

Coffee Pecan Cupcakes with Mascarpone Cheese Filling and Coffee Butter Icing

Is the name of this cake too long? hmmm...

Got this English recipe for some time from MasterChef but didn't think of baking it because it requires quite a lot of ingredients which are not common in my "baking storage". Now that I've got half a tub of Mascarporne cheese expiring end of this month, and I happen to have some pecan nuts from the other day, I finally decided to try out this recipe.

It was originally a cake recipe and I've modified it into cupcakes. This is a very nutty cake with fluffy texture. Very suitable to be made into cupcakes. My only regret was the waste of cake which was necessary to accommodate the filling. I've learnt this filling method from Chockylit's blog (the step by step pictures are clearer in her blog if you want to know the details).





I was supposed to cut of a cone shape out of the cupcakes, flip it off and cut off the excess. But since this was a nutty cupcakes, I don't want to waste the cake and pecans, so my first batch was with the untrimmed top. Which was not advisable if you want an impressive cross section of the cake with more "defined" layer of filling. (it was also a bit difficult to "close" them up again because the fillings were threatening to overflow)







So when assemble my second batch last night, I'd cut off the access from the top and tried my best to fill up the centre with a generous helping of Mascarporne cheese filling. (I've actually added more after taking the picture below, so it was VERY generously filled). The cheese filling was delicious even when eaten alone, it's flavoured with coffee as well, giving a very latte taste. However, the filling gets "watery" quite quickly because I've reduced the amount of icing sugar. I believe a higher amount of icing sugar will be able to hold the form of the filling better, but hey, too sweet, what about eating "healthy" right? hehe...






After the filling, the cupcakes were covered with their respective "tops" again. (must make sure you put the respective tops side by side with their "body" otherwise you will have a hard time finding a fitting top, well, that's unless you are a terror jigsaw puzzle guru, you might find it enjoyable matching the tops and bodies.)





Finally the icing. I wanted to try out a new look for the finishing of my cupcakes. So used the sort of old fashion way of just spreading the coffee icing. But, I think it looked a bit erm, "plain". The icing was my usual butter icing flavoured with espresso.



So my second batch of cupcakes were back with my usual weaving, perhaps I should make this my "signature" cupcake look. Lastly, decorated with roasted walnut.

A box of these will go to my ex-boss. Samples for SSB, Little Bro (if he replies my sms) and Hobbes. I wish I can take a new cross section of the second batch cake to see if the fillings look more impressive, but I don't' have spare cupcakes for photo shooting, it's a very small batch of cakes.

Pump made possible by SSB

My original blog title was "Be careful what you wish for... because they might come true"

But the most significant wish came true was the pump class made possible by SuperSpicyBabe, hence the change of title to commemorate the event...

Once in a while, I go through this all-my-wishes-coming-true-phase (I'd shared loads of my wishes coming true stories with PiC previously). Meaning, it's a period of time when the things I wished for will simpy come true. No. I cannot wish for stuff like a bungalow or becoming the queen. If I wish for such nonsense then I will not go through the AMWCT-Phase. Realistic ones. For example...

I had not have enough sleep the whole of last week, and so I wished that I can get slightly more sleep. Then. I overslept on Friday! (haha... that's what I meant when I said "be careful" of what you wish for)

I have no idea how the alarm can be turned off (I have the type which I just turn on and it will just go off at the same time everyday, no need to switch off). I was awaken by my sister's sms asking if I was awake because she didn't see lights from my room when she left the house. (You might wonder why she just can't come into my room and wake me. No. She must use sms humphhhh....). Naturally, I wished that I won't be late to work. Then. There was no bad traffic, I arrived office 10 minutes before 9am.

OK, maybe smooth traffic is a coincident. True. I'm not saying that my wishes came true in a magical way, they just came true in the form of many coincidence.

I've been a bit tired of having lunch with my bosses... there are some routines which are hard to break. So, I was just thinking "how I wish I don't have to go lunch with boss today". I was just so lazy that day. Then. I heard my bosses leaving the office during lunch time. They were gone! Yay! I had lunch time all to myself.

As per my plan, I've got pump class to rush for right after a private yoga class in the office. The session was supposed to be from 5.30pm to 6.30pm, ample time to make it to the 7.25pm class at The Curve (my office is only 15 minutes away plus parking time with good traffic - there is hardly any bad traffic on that route I travel). But the yoga only ended at 7pm. Gosh... what a rush!

The yoga teacher left my office before me but was still at the lift landing when I'd finished packing my stuff to leave the office. The lift then miraculously arrived the second I reached the lift landing (Erm... No, I didn't wish for the lift, it's part of my wish of getting to pump class haha).

Felt like giving up pump class the moment my car left the basement parking, because it was already 7.10pm. Furthermore, it was Kylie Gate's class I was trying to rush to, slim chance of an empty class, so didn't even bother wishing for that. Nevertheless, I can't help it, I kept wishing for all sorts of things which include "how I wish I had a gym buddy for that class, so he/she can help me get a place in the class and set up for me." "I hope (synonyms of wish)I can reach the gym on time!"

I practically flew to the gym, but still, I was really late, the class had started already. The moment I reached the landing and spotted Kylie on the stage with most of the members ready, I gave up in joining the class. Perhaps I'll just go shower and go home. Then. (haha) I saw Little Bro and SSBabe, drenched in sweat (looked like drenched in sweat, I didn't have time to analyse remember? I was rushing) and they were equally surprised to see me materialize at that moment. On my verge of total lost of hope, I heard Little Bro urging me to hurry on into the class, with SSB not only pointing out a space for me to squeeze in (yes! there was an empty space! And if I remember clearly, that was the ONLY space left) but also helped me with setting up my board and plates. (side track: Babe, thanks again a million! Cannot thank you enough, felt so privileged to have you setting up for me!)

The class was great! Kylie was great. Oh yes, Kylie threw me a puzzled look when she spotted me later on in the class, she must have thought that SSB was joining the class. She said something which I couldn't quite make out and I got more curious looks from the surrounding members. I'd managed that sudden attention by plastering a wide grin on my face.

I was beyond glad that I could make it to the class. It's not only about making it to the class, it's about having god sent friends and about my wishes coming true again as well!

Have been wanting (wish) to join FI's class and I did on Saturday. Missed someone so so much ("I wish I can see you") and I saw him yesterday.

Hoping that there will be zero joining fee offer from FF so MasterChef can join the gym. They are offering one now!!! (Ok, even though MC had to delay that plan, but still right?)

I was also wishing for something bigger, a change perhaps, and it seemed that there was (is) an offer... will see.

Still combating today...

I think I've been over-planning my gym timetable...

1st I thought of doing this:

Mon - Curve - BC & BP - Done!
Tues - MML - BC - Done!
Wed - Rest - Done...
Thurs - Rest
Fri - Rest (rest from gym, having a private yoga class)
Sat - LM - BP

Then, I change my mind after weighing myself this morning, goshhhh.... 1.5kg heavier! NOT. GOOD.

and so...

Mon - Curve - BC & BP - Done!
Tues - MML - BC - Done!
Wed - Rest - Done...
Thurs - Axis - BC - Done!
Fri - Yoga
Sat - LM - BP + Stepper

But by end of the day, due to some potential family activity, change again... so that I can be at home early on Saturday. Also, I've not done the new BS release, and I've not joint FI's class for a long time.

Mon - Curve - BC & BP - Done!
Tues - MML - BC - Done!
Wed - Rest - Done...
Thurs - Axis - BC - Done!
Fri - Yoga + Curve - BP
Sat - Maxis - BS

Today I arrived at Axis, so early because the traffic was smooth perhaps due to fasting month and everyone needed to rush to their buka puasa destination. Diha was there. Salute. Can actually manage class during fasting.

The usual Thursday crowd wasn't there. No queue and no need to squeeze and fight for space in class. Honestly I've never seen this class so empty (well, not empty, empty, but for Master C's class this is pretty empty, you know what I mean?) until we actually had "enough" space to perform our ES-kicks. Class also a bit quiet. I was so inspired by this track erm... what number again? Track 6 is it? I can't seem to be able to describe track with track numbers. People will say Oh I like T6 and I will say, izit? I like the one with the double back kick. Haha... same track izit? Anyways, I was originally very inspired by this double-back-kick-track to do some serious shouting, but after a while, I sort of got demotivated to shout... crowd a bit boring tonight, or was it me who was bored for no reason. Combat class no good when there's not enough shouting... humphhh...

I had this kid beside me again today, as though we've planned to be each other's gym buddy for the week. I'd had to say, it's good to have young people around me in the class sometimes so that I feel more invigorated, makes me feel younger as well, haha... Anyways, I'm not going to do combat tomorrow, too much combat and the instructor in question will kill the joy of combat in no time. Lets see if I get myself any gym buddy tomorrow. Anyone doing BS on Saturday at Maxis?

Came back had a light dinner and wanted to get rid of my double cream which had been probing my mind (I've bought the cream for some time and it was a 1liter pack which I've only used 200ml) by making it into pana cotta. BUT. It turned sour as I've been worrying about. What a waste!!! So, no dessert for TLA when she comes over this weekend.

Got a cupcake order. Thanks Babe for being a loyal customer. It's going to be a cupcake weekend, will also be baking a new version of cupcake which MasterChef said BIL will like.

I seriously need more sleep, looking very much like a Panda, minus the cuddly.

*There is something wrong with my sentences today (or has it been wrong all the time?). Most of my sentences have grammatical problem... too sleepy already?

The effect of over-combating...

I'm supposed to sleep but the consequences of being a story telling addict and Facebook addict kept me up till now. I've been in front of the computer screen for an hour now, busy sending hatching gift, poking people and buying people rounds of drinks. This sounds so like childhood games but the adults are the ones being addicted to these games... looks like more to come since Facebook is backed by a bunch of extremely creative programme engineers.

Anyways, what's it about over-combating? And I mean only over-combating for 2 days... This morning I woke up with a familiar tone and "you are my, you are my fantasy...." ringing in my head. What the...? Then I recall that being as one of the combat songs!!! Once I got less dreamy, the combat scene of the night before sort of started to slip back into my head...

The combat master was really coaxing for shouts last night. I know it's a norm for combat classes, but it seemed to me that his tactics had leveled-up. Not just the normal encouraging lines like "kick and give me a kiah" but it's "if you don't shout (the team-teaching instructor) will do push up" or "if you don't then we will start the track all over again". Now the ultimate I've come across so far had to be

"if you don't shout I will sing"

Hmmm... do we choose "shout" or "mini concert"? Tough choice eh?

Well, I guess we didn't mind some extra entertainment. Since the combat master can potentially do jam moves (I thought his hip hop moves were quite pro!), perhaps he's also a Malaysian Idol in making? How wrong were we?

The mini concert look and feel were passable and believable with us "fans" screaming and cheering for the "superstar" but the singing... well, it's going to be subjective when we start being critics on pitching and originality. I'd to say, the objective of making the class noisier and more lively was definately achieved, just not with the planned fierce combat kiahs but with hysterical laughter and great amount of cheering. The side effect for me, got corrupted by that song.

The combination of combat and pump conditioning tracks this release is extremely torturing (I mean effective). Notice that we had to do loads of oblique crunching, and lots of strength building for hip flexor since we had to hold our legs up for quite a long time. Wahhh... can feel side and lower abs aching!

Did combat again today by leaving the office early, leaving all work behind (lately had been VERY tired from being a workaholic!)... I so happened to have the same combat partner for last night (The Curve) and today (MML). A kid whom I'd to refer to Farid for a name. We might have appeared to be like the lastest combat buddy, Ha... Today's class were so so packed but enjoyable. I realize that this particular class will be double entertaining if we are following Master C's dad's gym blog series.

I'm missing my combat buddies. The gals are away from gym for the fasting month...

My Garden Series Cupcakes

My auntie ordered some cupcakes (large); my sis requested some to bring to her office for her colleagues (mini); SpicyBabe made a prior request (regular)... So, I baked all 3 sizes.

Auntie (her boss ordered actually) wanted the cupcakes with raisins and loads of icing. (Offered this to Carebear too, but too sweet for her - Carebear is therefore being rated low sweetness tolerant. Hee...)



My sis wanted mini ones so it's cute and can be easily distributed among a huge office crowd. To make sure the minis were not too sweet, I normally try to only cover the cupcakes partially. Hence the "garden series", cute or not?


There... packed into box for sis...

Happy Birthday Hobbes

Cheese + blueberry lover = the return of the sticky chocolate blueberry cheesecake.

Actually, have been planning with Little Bro aka Manjakid, for a surprise birthday do for Hobbes... originally, we wanted to do the "birthday cake scare" - appearing with the cake outside the studio after Hobbes' Saturday BBalance at The Curve... Then I cancelled that plan. Because, it's fasting month and the gals, my usual surprise party squad will not be able to participate. So, discussed with Farid and we thought it was best to arrange for a buka puasa dinner which comes with a belated birthday celebration then.

Later I found out that Hobbes was teaching pump last night (Friday) and thought perhaps I could whip up a cake for a little surprise for him on Friday night. But bro said they had a dinner arrangement. Besides, it was quite tiring baking a cake after work, late after work. So I told bro that I'll think of something but most probably belated then.

THEN, I thought, since I was suppose to go to The Curve today (Saturday) why don't I just drop a birthday present for Hobbes? After considering hard and long, I couldn't think of anything perfect to get him. So, at the end, I'd revived the original little birthday surprise do at gym, but slight amendment to executing it before Hobbes' class, and imported my personal surprise party squad - my sis, cousin sis and bro in law. And of course the Manjakid as the very insider and head of birthday song choir.

The cake was trimmed this time, so the layers were more visible. Compared with the last one I made.

But it's too plain for a birthday cake right. So Hippo (courtesy of my little cousin) was on duty again. Still quite plain. So I added the birthday tag, which gave more colour to the cake, and might as well add a matching ribbon.

Cake was then placed in a present box instead of the usual cake box, finished with a gold bow, didn't look like a cake at all, but forgot to take a picture of that. Did it this way slso, just in case if Hobbes was late, then I can still pass him the present quickly, without the celebration.

So, there we were at gym, the reception kindly let the rest of the non-gym members in with me and we waited at the reception area. The "present" was placed on the table for the birthday-boy-to-be (actual day 18 Sept k guys) to unveil the "surprise". Well, Hobbes were somehow surprise when I told him to come and "meet" his present (told him the night before that I wanted to pass him something, didn't suspect me at all meh?). Bet he was really wondering what present I've gotten him (erm... what else can a baker offer ah?) and was (I hope) pleasantly surprise to see the cake. If my record is right, blueberry and cheese should be his favorites.

Once Hobbes had settled down with the cake, and I'd lit up the candle, Manjakid had happily gathered a birthday song choir. Plus my personal squad, we made an impressively loud birthday song presentation, or was it loud enough? We wanted to do a second take for better effect, but I supposed we were hushed by the very shy birthday boy.

Hobbes had certainly made the cake look delicious, quite a perfect model if I need someone to advertise for my cakes. Aren't you convinced that the cake was delicious with this kind of face expressions? This also gives the "indulge in the cake but would not get fat" message. Mwah hahaha...

I remembering saying that the baking of the cake was not messy as described by the founder of this recipe, but apparently she meant the eating part being messy not the baking. Well, it was indeed quite messy since the centre of the cake was self-saucing type. Better to do this with plates and spoons - oppss... sorry, didn't think of organizing these. And of course the cake will be more "manageable" if it was straight out from the fridge. Nevertheless, since self-saucing chocolate puddings are normally being served immediately from the over, I find this the best arrangement for serving self-saucing chocolate dessert at places far from the oven.

I had a great time indulging myself in the scene of happy faces and contented look of savouring the cake. I think indulging my friends is the best way to indulge myself also.

Happy birthday darling, and here are the pictures of the hippo...