4 Projects in the pipeline

1. Learn XHTML . For years I've been blindly editing my HTML code in a trial-an-error fashion. I think it's about time I know exactly what I'm doing. To this end, I borrowed a self-help book at the library today. Many baby-steps will sum up towards a quantum leap.

2. Eventually register for my own domain and have my own website. After thinking high and low over names, I'll likely revert back to Early Morning Oats. My new website will be a comprehensive compendium towards whole living, encompassing food, cooking, mind and some sciencey stuff.

3. Bake a spelt loaf from scratch. I really mean from scratch, right from the starter culture.

4. Grow spiritually. I've said this one too many times but this time I will really make the effort.

I think three projects is sufficient for the time being. Better not to pile to many things on a plate.

4 Dreams to reality

My dream retail business
Have you ever woke up one day with a brilliant bold idea? For most of my life I've always thought (or have been influenced to believe) that I would end up working in the health/medical/research industry. With graduation impending (about 1 year to go), I've been giving my prospective career more thought. One day I was playing around the Internet, trying to order some Wild Squirrel peanut butter but it ended up that they don't export to Singapore. This is not the first time I've encountered problems in shipping things to Singapore and then it dawned on me that I could be a food purveyor and retailer, specializing in artisanal, unique foods sourced from all over the world. Similar concepts in Singapore would be Brown Rice Paradise, Supernature or Cut the Mustard.

This is totally a wild idea but, why not?

To introduce a fresh concept that has not yet been seen in Singapore, my store would have a bulk bin section for grains, cereals and beans. I first encountered this in Whole Foods (London) and found it extremely useful especially if you just need a small amount of a certain ingredient. There could also be an in-house cafe featuring the products sold and/or homemade products. I could even start my own product line of nut butter and nut milks, sold at a much more competitive price. As for interior design, I'd imagine it to take on a rustic Scandinavian look, that is, lots of whites, light and distressed wood. Possible names for my business would be: Rise for Break Fast (with a focus on breakfast goods) or Pantry Staples (more holistic).

At this point in time, I know nuts about conducting a business, branding and contacts. Maybe I should ask if there's any vacancy at BRP. After all, I still haven't got any proper thing to do during this hols. Does that mean my last three years (four when I graduate) in Life Sciences will be a waste?

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I feel like I'm just letting each day slip by. Today was yet another uneventful day. Well, at least I made cashew milk in the morning. Then I went TPCC to (finally) register for Passion Card. So now at least I get to present my card when shopping at Cold Storage when the cashier asks. Anyway there was a 5-year membership promotion of $6 (usual price $15 - more than 50% discount!) if you sign up for PA membership and a PA course. I picked the chocolate making class. It's a one-day class, three hours in fact sometime in June. I'm not sure how much you can pick up in just three hours but I think it's going to be fun and a new experience.

Maybe another reason why I'm feeling so dejected has got to do with being rejected by the Prof. After patiently waiting for more than a month, I sent him a reminder email, and to that he said, "thank you for your interest, I have found another student." Err... so thanks, but at least he should have bothered to get back sooner? I've set up another appointment with another Prof next week. He hails from China, works in neurodevelopment, and now I've got some readings to do.

I've just created an Etsy account for no particular reason. I thought it may be useful in my future business, which at this point in time have no idea what it will be. Soap making?

Came across a Natural Chef program in Bauman College in the US. My head is in a whizz now. Good night.

1 Fragments of thoughts

I want to experiment with sous vide - eggs, salmon, chicken breast.

I want to whip up a mean white wine seafood pasta (shrimp, scallops etc.).
[Yesterday's squid ink pasta with cod and tobiko in Chreese sauce was nothing short of awesome, but it's not counted, because after all, it's from a package.]

I want to have a laid-back brunch - ricotta pancakes at Skyvve, blueberry pancakes at Rider's cafe, Californian at Wild Honey.

I want to eat cake - strawberry shortcake from Flor.

I want to enjoy nature - Punggol Waterfront.

I want to do photostories - Nikon 7000.

I want to do everything but study for tomorrow's test, Thursday's Immunology, look at the Scratch program, continue writing my essay which I have not touched for 6 weeks or so, do lab report.

For breakfast, I had the last of my steel cutters baked (~1 tbsp), added protein powder and a ball of chocolate spread 3/4 way through, topped with Carman's oats and amaranth muesli. As always, leave the best to the last; scrape around the edges, moving inwards, so that eventually you'll end up with a dark semi-solid, semi-liquid orb of viscous matter - dark, rich bitter warm chocolate that sensuously coats your tongue as you imbibe.

Today I bought wholemeal ciabatta from Cedele and had a tuna 'wich, half with garlic piccanti and the other half with beetroot chutney. Somehow, both tasted similar - vineargy and oniony. Doesn't that defeat the purpose of garlic and beetroot?

I got back two major assignments today - Heritage essay and com sci tutorials. Both were done well, I say. But in return, I get slapped with two CAs this week.

Bye and off to study.