Resolutions or Resolu-nots?

Happy 2014!

It is a new year. Time for some brand spanking new NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS!! Or at least recycling some old ones. Or in my case, making a resolu-not list.

What is that you ask?

Well, like at least half the planet, well intended souls everywhere have made a list and are determined to see it through. Scouring the Internet, I have found some examples of these hopeful wishlists.

1.Lose Weight

2.Volunteer to Help Others

3.Quit Smoking

4.Get a Better Education

5.Get a Better Job

6.Get Fit

7.Eat Healthy Food

8.Manage Stress

9.Take a Trip

10.Save Money

11.Manage Debt

12.Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

13.Drink Less Alcohol

14.Learn Something New

15.Enjoy Life More

It is now almost a month into the new year and I am willing to bet not even 10% have put no.1 into action. Call me cynical but I too was once a hopeful young thing confident that I was going to turn my resolutions into a reality. But the harsh truth is that however organized we are or how determined we aim to be, life gets in the way. I think the best new year resolution should have only one thing on the list. Which brings us to my resolu-not:

1.      Do not have a new years resolution

That's it.

Human nature defies against rules and regulations. Even though we are governed by them everyday and I think we actually need some of them to stay sane, it is nicer to believe we are free spirits. Free to live as we like and nobody can tell us otherwise!

However, if you must have a list, tell yourself you are doing the things on that list because you want to and not because you are forcing yourself to. Also, make it realistic. If you are not financially able, don't plan a trip that's going to land you in debt. If that's the case, no.10 (Save Money) and no.11 (Manage Debt) should not even be on your list!

As for no.2, no need to volunteer in a big way. Loaning a fellow student your extra pencil, helping someone with their groceries or buying a cup of coffee for the homeless man down the street. All these simple gestures will earn you brownie points and you can definitely scratch at least one thing off your list. But don't stop being nice. Let it become a part of you and you will be one step closer to making the world a better place. I believe this will give no.15 (Enjoy Life More) a head-start. This goes for no.12 as well. Don't make recycling a resolution. Make it a daily practice!

For the sake of your own health and well being, quitting nicotine and alcohol is something worth looking into. But do it wisely because if you are anything like me, the day I tell myself I am going to stop drinking is the day I get drunk.

So like Santa, make your list and check it twice. Make some resolutions that you know you can achieve. Looking at your unfulfilled 2014 list in 2015 is only going to make you sad.

I leave you with some simple suggestions that I am going to try as well. Good luck to you and to me too...

1.      Stop being so cynical

2.      Greet your colleagues with a smiley “Good Morning” everyday.

3.      Find at least one thing to laugh about everyday

4.      Give yourself one special inexpensive treat a week.

5.      Do a good deed everyday, big or small.

6.      Stop pressing the snooze button

7.      Don't make promises you can't keep

8.      Be more on time to everything

9.      Always say please and thank you

10.  Stop restricting yourself. If you enjoy doing something, just do it. If it's bad for you, do less of it. If it's good for you, do more of it.

 “I will bestir myself,' was her resolution, 'and try to be wise if I cannot be good.”

―Charlotte Brontë

The Taming of the Coup

This is Sir Prickles Erizzo Roly-Poly Scratcher the III. He is a male albino hedgehog roughly 6 months old.

Rizo and I met in August 2013. And it was not love at first sight. The night I collected him from his breeder, he had just experienced a 2 hour car ride coming from a farm in another state. In the 5 minutes that the breeder and I were conducting the final transaction, Rizo was an angel. Even after such a strenuous journey, there was not a single raised spike to be seen. As I walked away, cooing gently to this odd little creature that was to become a new member of my family, I thought to myself how lucky I was to have obtained such a pleasant, good natured hedgehog.

I was wrong.

From the very moment I set foot in my home and attempted to pick him up to place him in his posh new quarters, a war had been declared. The first week was filled with tears, blood and a whole lot of hissing. I ravaged the internet, trying desperately to find a solution to my prickly problem. Hunting high and low, scouring blogs and forums, searching for answers. All I found were hedgehog owners shouting praises of their adorable pets. Or manuals with no information other than ‘leave it alone. It will eventually come around’. Or behavioral tests that he failed miserably. I was constantly on the phone with the breeder, begging him to help me. Fraught enough to request a different hedgehog. Or even a different animal. How cruel you must think me. But this situation was not improving. It was getting worse every day. When the breeder assured me that Rizo was the best natured of his litter, I was so sure it was my fault. Absolutely certain I must be such a terrible person for this little animal to hate me so. I was convinced he could sense my frustration and in return had decided I deserved no love from him. I was at my wit’s end.

And then one day I decided enough was enough. This walking cactus and I needed to find peace to co-exist and I was done letting him ruin my life. I was so sure that this cantankerous act was all on the outside and he was caring and amorous in the inside. Even though a friend who was a veterinarian was very sure his attitude was caused by the fact that he was meant to live in the wild, I refused to surrender. And so began our journey to find harmony. This is how it happened.

Using several pairs of gloves and the thickest towel I could find, I gingerly picked him up and placed him on a chair. His immediate reaction was to ball up and hiss loudly. I patiently waited for him to calm down and come out. 5 minutes later saw a small pink nose slowly sniffing his surroundings. Deciding I wasn’t about to turn him into soup, the rest of him gradually unfolded. There he was, all 5 inches of him staring me in the face. That was the first time I had seen him properly in the light of day. As his red eyes glinted evilly in the evening sun, I refused to lose my cool and proceeded with my plan. With great care and heavy duty protection I gently lifted him and informed him that he was to be subjected to daily doses of affection whether he liked it or not. I addressed his bad behavior and the grief he had caused me in the past weeks. I told him that he had better start appreciating my efforts or the dog was getting hedgehog steak that night. On and on I lectured him, stopping only for breaths and an occasional hiss, which he was made aware that I could produce as well.

And that was what I did. Every evening after he had awoken, we would have a little tête–à–tête. I would talk about my day and he would hiss at me about his, occasionally spiking to make a point. But the situation improved in leaps and bounds. Within a couple of weeks I had learnt to pick him up with my bare hands without getting stabbed.
But not everything is hunky dory. There are days I am too tired to play with him and that results in a relapse. Our struggle continues and our ride off into the sunset seems further some days than others. But I refuse to accept defeat. I will make the grumpy little scrubbing brush love me, one cranky day at a time.
I leave you now with a photo of Rizo vs. The Toilet Roll. But that’s a story for another day…

Kalamazoo Cafe - Aman Suria

The Circumstances

I found this place by pure coincidence a few weeks ago. I was in the Aman Suria area around lunchtime with my mom and decided on this place by chance. We were walking past and decided to check out the menu of this quaint little cafe.

We were approached by Evan, one of the employees, who offered to give us a quick run through of the menu and specialty dishes. A really friendly guy, he quickly charmed my mom and without further ado, we headed inside.

The Atmosphere

First impressions last. While the decor in Kalamazoo wasn't anything special, it had a nice, comfortable air to it. Quirky yet modern, brightly lit and mildly kitschy, it's a place suitable for anything from business lunches to groups of friends hanging out or families having a meal.

That's Evan standing at the counter. And does that other guy remind you of a walrus?  :P

Taken from my seat. Not the best pic I'll admit, but I'm shy when it comes to taking photos. >.<"

The Food

The cuisine served at Kalamazoo is purely American, with an slight emphasis on pork. With plenty of appetizers, salads, burgers, ribs and other mains, you are spoilt for choice. Aside from their regular menu, they also have special brunch and lunch menus. 

I ordered their one of their lunch set options, the Pork Chops with Pineapple Chutney, which the main menu stated was one of their specialties. They also have a Tex-Mex (barbecue) flavored version. I have to say, it was delicious. The sauce was sweet and savory with a distinct taste of pineapple.

Portion size was larger than I expected, to be honest, with 5 thick chops, a scoop of crisp and fresh coleslaw slathered in mayo (not the withered, bitter tasting kfc type), and a dollop of fabulously buttery, homemade mashed potatoes which had a wonderful texture to it without being lumpy. However, sauce and sides aside, the texture of the pork chops themselves was rather lacking and ranged from dry and overcooked, to something resembling shoe leather. Still edible though except for the leathery one which I couldn't finish.  

4 out of 5 stars. Could've been better if not for the . 

The lunch set also came with a cup of mushroom soup, but I found this to be disappointing, though still edible (I admit, I was starving!). It was a little on the watery side, with a sourish undertone and small chunks of onions and button mushrooms floating in it.

1 out of 5. Couldn't give this any more.

My mom, aiming for a healthier meal, ordered the Orange Chicken Salad off the main menu. Now this was very, very good. A brilliant combination of flavors, this salad was well executed and was filling and refreshing. The roast chicken strips were wonderfully tender, and their smoky flavor was enhanced by the tanginess of the salad dressing and the orange slices. Presentation was also excellent, with an eye pleasing combination of colors and a fairly generous portion size.

5 out of 5. A must try.

The Service

The service we received was nothing short of excellent. Our personal waiter, Evan, was friendly, attentive, professional, knowledgeable, efficient, and was was generally everything you would want from a waitstaff. The food came quickly, and so did the bill when we asked for it. I found it faultless.

The Price

Prices were generally reasonable at Kalamazoo. Expect to spend about RM 15 to RM 25 for a lunch set and RM 20 to RM 35 for an entrée. Soups cost between RM 5 to RM 8, and salads range between RM 9 for a House Salad to RM 15 for the Orange Chicken Salad. And while I forgot to make a note of the drink prices, I do know that water costs RM 0.50 a cup though.

The Result

Though not show-stoppingly brilliant, I did have a fairly enjoyable meal. I would definitely go back to sample more of their food, especially their salads!

The Place

Kalamazoo Restaurant & Cafe

Address: A A-G-36, Jalan PJU 1/43, Aman Suria Damansara, 47301 P.J., Selangor

Tel: 03-7805 1436

Web: http://www.kalamazoocafe.com.my/index.html

Opening hours: 11am to 10pm daily (Closed on Tuesdays)

Parking availability: Ample.