Sunday, January 22, 2012

Hmm.

By the nature of being human, we are all wondering about the thoughts and actions and behaviors and inner workings of each other, as we only know about our own thoughts and actions. It also notes what an intriguing thing it is to think about, how we can never know as much about others as we know about ourselves. 

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Green Tea Castella or Matcha Kasutera



We were going away for a three days two nights camping trip and I wanted something easy to serve as breakfast. What easier than having two pieces of cake and a cup of instant 3 in 1 coffee or milk tea? Since I made the Castella cake earlier and we all loved it, that sponge cake was my easy picked. I read that the original Japanese sponge cake does not called for oil/butter/margarine so I was interested in experimenting. However, I was too careful to remove all the oil because I was afraid that it might be too dry thus I reduced half of the oil and some sugar. I added 1/2 tablespoon of green tea powder for a change too. Since I reduced the oil, I also tried the method mentioned in my previous post that was to place the cake in the refrigerator while still warm but I didn't brush the top with honey water (I didn't want it to be sticky).

The resulted cake had fine crumbs and more compact than my previous one. Still soft and light like a sponge cake with the tint fragrant of green tea. Still tasted good after reducing the oil.


Makes one 8×8 x 2-inch pan

Ingredients:

5 large eggs
150 grams granulated sugar
200 grams all-purpose flour
1/2 Tbsp. green tea powder
100 ml whole milk, at room temperature
4 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons canola oil

Method:

1. Grease the square pan with baking spray. Cut out a parchment paper the size of the pan for the bottom of the pan and place it on the pan, spray it with baking spray too. Preheat oven to 350 degree F and place a rack in the middle of the oven.
2. Mix eggs and sugar with a stand-in mixer for about 5 minutes or until batter forms a ribbon when the wire whip is lifted, the color should be light yellow.
3. Whisk together the flour and green tea powder. With the mixer running on medium speed, pour the flour mixture into the batter slowly. Next add the milk, mix it well. Then add the honey and mix it again well. Last, add the oil and make sure it is incorporated into the batter thoroughly.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Place it in the oven and bake for 10 minutes in 350 degree F. After that, lower the temperature to 325 degree F and bake for 35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
5. Remove from the pan as soon as it is done. Place it on the cooling rack and when it's not too hot to handle (still warm), wrap with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator for at least few hours. Then, take it out and let it sit at room temperature overnight wrapped. Cut it the next day.

quote

"The mind is like a fertile garden - it will grow anything you wish to plant - beautiful flowers or weeds. And so it is with successful, healthy thoughts or with negative ones that will, like weeds strangle and crowd the others. Do not allow negative thoughts to enter your mind for they are the weeds that strangle confidence." - Bruce Lee —

Sono hitotsude wanaku otoko ni betsu no otokonara, watashi ni tsuyo-sa o ataete kudasai

Saturday, January 7, 2012

30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself

When you stop chasing the wrong things you give
the right things a chance to catch you.
As Maria Robinson once said, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”  Nothing could be closer to the truth.  But before you can begin this process of transformation you have to stop doing the things that have been holding you back.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
  1. Stop spending time with the wrong people. – Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you.  If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you.  You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot.  Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth.  And remember, it’s not the people that stand by your side when you’re at your best, but the ones who stand beside you when you’re at your worst that are your true friends.
  2. Stop running from your problems. – Face them head on.  No, it won’t be easy.  There is no person in the world capable of flawlessly handling every punch thrown at them.  We aren’t supposed to be able to instantly solve problems.  That’s not how we’re made.  In fact, we’re made to get upset, sad, hurt, stumble and fall.  Because that’s the whole purpose of living – to face problems, learn, adapt, and solve them over the course of time.  This is what ultimately molds us into the person we become.
  3. Stop lying to yourself. – You can lie to anyone else in the world, but you can’t lie to yourself.  Our lives improve only when we take chances, and the first and most difficult chance we can take is to be honest with ourselves.  Read The Road Less Traveled.
  4. Stop putting your own needs on the back burner. – The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too.  Yes, help others; but help yourself too.  If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.
  5. Stop trying to be someone you’re not. – One of the greatest challenges in life is being yourself in a world that’s trying to make you likeeveryone else.  Someone will always be prettier, someone will always be smarter, someone will always be younger, but they will never be you.  Don’t change so people will like you.  Be yourself and the right people will love the real you.
  6. Stop trying to hold onto the past. – You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last one.
  7. Stop being scared to make a mistake. – Doing something and getting it wrong is at least ten times more productive than doing nothing.  Every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading towards success.  You end up regretting the things you did NOT do far more than the things you did.
  8. Stop berating yourself for old mistakes. – We may love the wrong person and cry about the wrong things, but no matter how things go wrong, one thing is for sure, mistakes help us find the person and things that are right for us.  We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past.  But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future.  Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come.
  9. Stop trying to buy happiness. – Many of the things we desire are expensive.  But the truth is, the things that really satisfy us are totally free – love, laughter and working on our passions.
  10. Stop exclusively looking to others for happiness. – If you’re not happy with who you are on the inside, you won’t be happy in a long-term relationship with anyone else either.  You have to create stability in your own life first before you can share it with someone else.  Read Stumbling on Happiness.
  11. Stop being idle. – Don’t think too much or you’ll create a problem that wasn’t even there in the first place.  Evaluate situations and take decisive action.  You cannot change what you refuse to confront.  Making progress involves risk.  Period!  You can’t make it to second base with your foot on first.
  12. Stop thinking you’re not ready. – Nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises.  Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first.
  13. Stop getting involved in relationships for the wrong reasons. – Relationships must be chosen wisely.  It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company.  There’s no need to rush.  If something is meant to be, it will happen – in the right time, with the right person, and for the best reason. Fall in love when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely.
  14. Stop rejecting new relationships just because old ones didn’t work. – In life you’ll realize that there is a purpose for everyone you meet.  Some will test you, some will use you and some will teach you.  But most importantly, some will bring out the best in you.
  15. Stop trying to compete against everyone else. – Don’t worry about what others doing better than you.  Concentrate on beating your own records every day.  Success is a battle between YOU and YOURSELF only.
  16. Stop being jealous of others. – Jealousy is the art of counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own.  Ask yourself this:  “What’s something I have that everyone wants?”
  17. Stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself. – Life’s curveballs are thrown for a reason – to shift your path in a direction that is meant for you.  You may not see or understand everything the moment it happens, and it may be tough.  But reflect back on those negative curveballs thrown at you in the past.  You’ll often see that eventually they led you to a better place, person, state of mind, or situation.  So smile!  Let everyone know that today you are a lot stronger than you were yesterday, and you will be.
  18. Stop holding grudges. – Don’t live your life with hate in your heart.  You will end up hurting yourself more than the people you hate.  Forgiveness is not saying, “What you did to me is okay.”  It is saying, “I’m not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever.”  Forgiveness is the answer… let go, find peace, liberate yourself!  And remember, forgiveness is not just for other people, it’s for you too.  If you must, forgive yourself, move on and try to do better next time.
  19. Stop letting others bring you down to their level. – Refuse to lower your standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.
  20. Stop wasting time explaining yourself to others. – Your friends don’t need it and your enemies won’t believe it anyway.  Just do what you know in your heart is right.
  21. Stop doing the same things over and over without taking a break. – The time to take a deep breath is when you don’t have time for it.  If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.  Sometimes you need to distance yourself to see things clearly.
  22. Stop overlooking the beauty of small moments. – Enjoy the little things, because one day you may look back and discover they were the big things.  The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you.
  23. Stop trying to make things perfect. – The real world doesn’t reward perfectionists, it rewards people who get things done.  Read Getting Things Done.
  24. Stop following the path of least resistance. – Life is not easy, especially when you plan on achieving something worthwhile.  Don’t take the easy way out.  Do something extraordinary.
  25. Stop acting like everything is fine if it isn’t. – It’s okay to fall apart for a little while.  You don’t always have to pretend to be strong, and there is no need to constantly prove that everything is going well.  You shouldn’t be concerned with what other people are thinking either – cry if you need to – it’s healthy to shed your tears.  The sooner you do, the sooner you will be able to smile again.
  26. Stop blaming others for your troubles. – The extent to which you can achieve your dreams depends on the extent to which you take responsibility for your life.  When you blame others for what you’re going through, you deny responsibility – you give others power over that part of your life.
  27. Stop trying to be everything to everyone. – Doing so is impossible, and trying will only burn you out.  But making one person smile CAN change the world.  Maybe not the whole world, but their world.  So narrow your focus.
  28. Stop worrying so much. – Worry will not strip tomorrow of its burdens, it will strip today of its joy.  One way to check if something is worth mulling over is to ask yourself this question: “Will this matter in one year’s time?  Three years?  Five years?”  If not, then it’s not worth worrying about.
  29. Stop focusing on what you don’t want to happen. – Focus on what you do want to happen.  Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story.  If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.
  30. Stop being ungrateful. – No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life.  Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs.  Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing.

Bowl Game, Florida, and Daytona


What a day yesterday was. Went to my first bowl game for USC and we won it. It was crazy and fun being there glad that I got the opportunity to be there.

Today we left Florida and got to stop in at Daytona beach that place is pretty awesome for one that blew my mind a bit was the fact that you can drive right up on the beach. That pretty awesome, I can understand why most place wouldn't want you doing that but man that seems the way to go. I see in my near future that I will be heading that way summer time hopefully to visit down in Florida, I can see why a lot of people like to visit there


1st week down


So the first week in the new year is coming to an end at least the work week. It started out great spending the new year with some friends and my girl. That next day was the long trip to Orlando, though long it was worth it, got to see my gamecocks win a bowl game which is pretty awesome for being my first bowl game.
Orlando is def a pretty awesome place to visit I see in my near future returning there, especially going back to Daytona beach it was pretty cool being able to drive right on the beach, I can understand why most places wouldn't like that but that seems to be the right way to go.

Back at work on Wednesday i was expecting it to be very busy but turns out that was the opposite got my work done, put out a few fires and was able to go home early. Thursday was the same store meetings took care of some issues that need to be looked at and then home. Friday, end of the work day went through the motions of everything and done. 

We went out last night to club XS, first time going back to the place sine it was reconverted from Elements and first impression was wow they really put some work into this place. Only thing i was against was the fact some of us had to pay and others got in for free. Also the places drinks were expensive, the only thing that was there real saving grace was the fact that people were nice there and that always goes a long way. It was fun night really enjoyed myself and great way to end the night was heading to the waffle house for a chicken and bacon wrap.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

20 Secrets of Very Fit People

1. Keep a water bottle with you at all times and drink from it
often. Water should always be your drink of choice. To kick things
up every once in a while, try adding lemon, lime, cucumber, or a
few berries to liven up the flavor without adding significant
calories.
2. Look at exercise as a pleasure and a privilege, not a burden or
chore. Think positively about the changes regular exercise will
produce. Rather than obsessing about your next meal, get excited
about your next workout!
3. Eat well-balanced meals and remember that excess calories, even if they’re from food that’s fat free and high in protein, will turn to
excess weight. No matter what the latest fad diet says, extra
calories equal extra weight!
4. Limit caffeine and exposure to even secondhand smoke.
5. Focus on short- term fitness goals with an emphasis on completing
daily exercise.
6. Keep a daily log of what you’re actually eating. This includes every
time you grab a handful of chips here or eat the crust of your kid’s
sandwich there, and ALL of your snacking.
7. Enjoy an occasional (once a week) “unhealthy ” treat, but never an
unhealthy week or unhealthy vacation.
8. Enjoy contributing to the health of others by having a partner or
friends to exercise with, as well as recruiting others who want to
feel better and have more energy. Have a neighbor who’s sitting on
the porch every morning when you walk by? Ask him or her to join
you on your walk!
9. Avoid monotony by taking up new forms of exercising, or using
things that keep you motivated and inspired, like new shoes or
great music.
10. Subscribe to fitness magazines to keep focused on health as an
overall way of life.
11. Invest in the right tools— good shoes, a portable MP3 player or
iPod®, fitness equipment, a new series of tapes, etc.
12. Make it your goal to do some form of exercise 6 or 7 days a
week. If some days you exercise once in the morning and once in
the evening, even better! If you’re eating right, exercise will fuel
your energy level!
13. Don’t compare your body to others’. Instead , work to be your
personal best.
14. If your diet is unbalanced, take daily vitamin and mineral
supplements for total health.
15. Work to take your exercise to new levels of intensity.
16. Create an exercise schedule the day before instead of leaving it to
chance or waiting to “find ” the time. If our last three Presidents of
the United States can make time to work out every day, you can
make time too!
17. Move beyond the boundaries of weight loss and into total
fitness. Measure success by the way your clothes fit, not some
number on a scale.
18. Stick with eating plans you can maintain indefinitely. Remember
that no matter how hard you’re working out, if you’re consuming
too many calories, you’ll never see the muscles that lie beneath
layers of fatty tissue.
19. Get adequate amounts of sleep, but remember that people who
exercise regularly fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly.
20. Limit alcohol intake to special occasions.

(Source: challengescompleteme , via fitter- -happier )

Sunday, January 1, 2012

First Blog of the new year

So I brought my new year in with the a few good friends. I was really glad that I got to bring it in the way I did with everything goong on right now just something I feel I needed. And hey found a new champagne that tastes pretty good might try and pick up a bottle in the near future.

Right now I am on the road with my girl and her dad to Orlando right now to go to the USC Bowl game with Nebraska. We are about 92 miles away and I've taken about two nap so far. The hotel that we are staying at is consider a resort we found this out just yesterday so it will be interesting to see how this place looks the pictures looked awesome and I'm hopeing to catch a quick work while tonight.

I guess now that I know theres is this blogging app I'll def be trying to do more of it