The Mask.

It was a mild day, though gusts of wind made it cold. The overcast sky loomed over the city, as forecasted so many days ago. How come the world couldn’t forecast deaths? Sudden grief struck me as I exited the hospital. I’d spent the past day simply gazing at an immediate family, wishing they’d come back into existence.

The sun was setting, as I walked alone, letting my legs take me wherever they wanted. Wishing that all the worries and burdens that now followed me would simply vanish, I ran, hoping that I’d be able to outrun them all, in a race to the end. Life isn’t that straightforward. I lurched forward, instinctively putting my hands out to cushion my fall. It was only a small stone in the gravel. The skin tore, leaving vulnerable, open flesh. The pain still couldn’t match the hurt that was etched in my heart. It simply added to the list of things to do.

“Why God” was all I could manage, before I collapsed into a world of darkness.

I began to stir. Sunlight began to filter through the trees, pouring abundantly over my feeble body. The hope that it was all a dream vanished when I found the death certificate in my pocket. “Use sparingly”- A note attached to a thin wooden mask lying beside me. I smirked, remembering my question before I passed out.

With a few weird glances on the tram ride back home, I looked at my reflection. Ruffled hair and heavy bags under my tired, bloodshot eyes; surely this wasn’t me. How easily affected I am. Toughen up, I thought. Allowing a few days to compose myself, I rested up; preparing for a friend’s twenty first, themed ‘Masquerade.’ Perfect, perhaps I’d be able to use that wooden mask.

The day arrived. I was a show-stopper, winning ‘Best Mask.’ I approached the birthday boy with a hug and a customary ‘Happy Birthday!’ With the mask in my hand, he looked at it and looked back at me.

“I love your mask… and also you seem to be coping really well with that tragic… passing.”

“Thank you.” With that, many others also said things similar to what the birthday boy had said. By midnight, I was exhausted. Placing the mask in my bag, the most peculiar thing happened. My worries had seemed to have disappeared.

In the morning another note seemed to have attached to the mask ‘It works.’ I understood what it meant. It was a mask- one that masked insecurities and worries.

Only a week later, I was passing through a shadowy laneway, when an urge to use the mask happened. Perhaps it was to keep me from feeling insecure. Wanting to look like a person with a funny personality in front of my friends, I wore the mask. Sure they cracked up laughing, but I noticed a blood red number fixed in their heart, with a strange symbol located next to it.

I made a mental note of the symbol and asked a friend of mine, who was a creative artist, who was into symbolism. She took her time, but finally sucked in some air and remembered.

“Estimated Days Left to Live. That’s what it is. Viking doctors used it for their terminally ill patients.”

I gasped. Incredible.

I was excited. Now, I’d be prepared for the death of a loved one, not to mention my own.

Arriving home, I ran upstairs and locked myself in my bedroom, telling mum that I’d be down for dinner soon. It was now or never.

I stood in front of the mirror nervously with the mask in my trembling hand. As I raised it up to my face, I saw a single digit ‘0’

Ahh :)

New Hobbies
-Cartooning
-Photo (though.. I only have a camera phone)



I lovee One-liner cartoons ^^

Ahh made Choc Chip Cookies today
They were so nice..and so simple!

Unhealthy though..

MY RECIPE:

150g butter (:O)
1 Cup Sugar (Half Brown, Half Caster)
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Egg
1 3/4 Cup Flour
1 CUp Choc.Bits :D

160 Degree Oven - Preheat
Beat Butter, Sugar, Vanilla until smooth.
Beat in Egg
Slowly incorporate flour
Stir in choc.chips
Roll into teaspoon size balls-flatten with fork
Bake until golden brown

NOTES:
-NEVER melt butter, unless asked to.
-Wet fork, that way when you lift it up from biscuit, batter doesn't stick
-Larger Choc.Chips- tastier :)



~COOKIE LE BEFORE.



~COOKIE LE AFTER

And if you haven't seen my random photo stuff..
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=80851&id=1020240384&ref=mf

Reflection

MM.. I haven't posted for over 3 weeks
Been procrastinating..i've lost motivation for 'The End' mm.. i'll get more done in the holidays

~Reflection~

Lonely and broken-heartedly staring into the window, a gloomy reflection gazed back. Those eyes reflected the weather outside, grey, overcast, threatening and stormy. Those eyes; once bright and dancing, had lost the life it once contained.

Tears of frustration rolled down their faces; synchronized. A sobbing that could only be cured by anti-depressants. An emptiness in both their hearts, filled temporarily only by alcohol and drugs.

With a trembling hand, the glinting knife is lifted off the table. Tears splatter over the study desk, though blood would soon replace it. The table buzzes, as both go over to answer the mobile phone.

"Don't do it.." Both hear their sisters, fighting back tears. Sniffing, the sisters continue "Deep down, I love and care about you." As if that weren't enough, another call comes in.

"Deep down, I love and care about you too." The voice on the other end of the phone was also struggling to stay composed. Amazed, both look at their screen 'In Call with Brother.'

The rain ceases as the sun cheekily pokes through the clouds. The reflection vanishes.

CAKE :D

Cakes are awesome! :)
Creativity really pays off with cakes.. mm remember the V8 8-Layer Cake on Masterchef?
Ha.. No, I don't push myself that much

It's hard though because my dad's diabetic..and I need to restrain myself from using too much butter, oil and sugar


Hehe.. Restless Eggs :)

As you can probably tell, my favourite cake is Pandan Chiffon Cake.
Pandan is commonly referred to as the ASIAN VANILLA :D
Chiffon cake is a butter-less cake that has a CHEWY texture
Though it's a crazy radioactive green, it tastes really good.

There aren't many recipes out there for Pandan Chiffon Cake
Heres my interpretation..I've broken it up into 4 different components
A)4 Egg Yolks
40g Sugar
1/4 Tsp Salt

B)60mL Oil (Use a neutral flavoured oil, because olive oil would add a strange aftertaste to the cake)
130mL Water
1 Tsp Pandan Extract (Available at almost any asian grocer

C) 150g Flour
1 Tsp Baking Powder

D)4 Egg Whites
40g Sugar

STEPS ::
1. Whisk (A) until thick and pale, and until sugar has dissolved
2. Combine (B) and then pour it into (A)
3. Sift (C) and incorporate into (A)&(B)
4. In (D), beat eggwhites until you reach soft peaks.. then slowly add in sugar until thick peaks are achieved
To Test whether you have thick peaks- turn the bowl -Slowly- upside down.. it shouldn't fall out
5. Using a spatula, incorporate (A)(B)(C) into (D)

DO NOT GREASE THE BAKING TIN
Traditionally it should be baked in an Angel Food Cake Tin at 150 Degrees Celsius



But any cake tin will do if you don't have one, preferably a deep tin
To test whether a cake is done, poke a skewer through it and if there is no cake batter left on the skewer, it's done!
Check every 10 minutes
When done, let the cake sit upside down
Release it gently with a knife when the cake has completely cooled down
The Result:



Other cakes I've baked before (Recipes for these are more accessible):


CARROT CAKE ^^


BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CAKE ;P


GREEN TEA CHIFFON CAKE =O (Original Idea eh? :P)