Recently in Hong Kong the “war on climate change” has taken a new and absurd (of course its my life) guise in the form of matronly supermarket cashiers asking, in a tone that suggest I might get a failing grade, “did you bring your bag?” This while I stand before them clearly empty handed, wearing nothing but casual shorts and a t-shirt. I want to assure them that my belly is al flesh and blood, not some secret stash of shopping luggage.

So for avoidance of doubt, to all who might ask:

• I did not bring my own bag for the many loose food goods I am buying from you.
• I did not bring my own plate to eat food cooked in your cafe.
• I did not bring my own box to cart away the new computer from the computer shop.
• I did not bring my own crate to crate off that plasma TV from the AV centre.
• And I did not bring my own tires to drive off in my new car.

It has always been the custom that the vendor provide these as part and “parcel” of the business exchange. So stop bloody asking me if I have done your job!

So due to the very very very bad implementation of Apple’s “Mobile Me” not only something I wasn’t looking for, but something that has made my email crap out for days at a time since its launch, I am planning my move.

I had prepaid until November, but I might as well start now.

I’ll need a
1. Blog host
2. Internet based universal email
3. Web Page Host
4. Internet Storage
5. I guess thats it.

All suggestions welcome.

Yesterday I completed the practical final exam for the Hong Kong Certified Chef, which is recognized in Hong Kong and the EU.

The practical exam is where I have 3 hours to prepare a 3 course lunch for 6 people from scratch, and from a basket of ingredients provided by the organizer. This is all done under the scrutiny of 6 senior and master chef judges. The judges scrutinize everything including menu, recipe writing and actual preparation, cooking and hygiene practice. The food is then served to customers of the VTC culinary school.

My menu was:

Braised, chilled, nested leek and new potato salad with citrus tarragon vinaigrette

Paper roast chicken roulade with sauce demi-glace, wild rice pilaf and sumer vegetables.

Grapefruit and meringue tart with supreme fruits and grapefruit-thyme syrup

I hope to get pictures from the VTC (the examining body, they took some and I had no time to) soon.

Prior to this I had to pass a written exam covering every aspect of the culinary arts field, from management, to product knowledge to recipe and cooking lore. And before that I had to gain a hygiene supervisor certificate,which is a separate program for food preparation safety management.

Im glad I did it because now I can show definitive “academic” qualifications to further support my significant practical and commercial success, but I have to say that the practical exam is the most unnatural way for a professional chef to work. No team, no regular menu, no regular kitchen no mis-en-place.

This does test a wide range of your cooking ability, but it does so in a strange surreal environment, which I am not convinced shows how well you preform as a professional at work. But still I guess they have to test somehow.

This is the first in a series of chef certifications I am intending to complete. I am studying the college courses for the US Certified Executive Chef certificate and I will probably take the Hong Kong Trainer Chef program next year as well. Just to keep current.

People you love
Will turn their backs on you
You’ll lose your hair
Your teeth
Your knife will fall out of its sheath
But you still don’t like to leave before the end of the movie
People you hate will get their hooks into you
They’ll pull you down
You’ll frown
They’ll tar you and drag you through town
But you still don’t like to leave before the end of the movie
No you still don’t like to leave before the end of the show
People you hate will get their hooks into you
They’ll pull you down
You’ll frown
They’ll tar you and drag you through town
But you still don’t like to leave before the end of the movie
No you still don’t like to leave before the end of the show



















At first I was afraid
I was petrified
I kept thinking
I could never live without you by my side
But then I spent so many nights
Just thinking how you’d done me wrong
And I grew strong
I learned how to get along
So now you’re back
From outer space
I just walked in to find you here
Without the look upon your face
I should have changed my f-ing lock
I would have made you leave your key
If I’d have known for just one second
You’d be back to bother me

It took all the strength I had
Just not to fall apart
I’m trying hard to mend the pieces
Of my broken heart
And I spent oh so many nights
Just feeling sorry for myself
I used to cry
But now I hold my head up high
And you see me
With somebody new
I’m not that stupid little person still in love with you
And so you thought you’d just drop by
And you expect me to be free
But now I’m saving all my loving
For someone who’s loving me

Oh now go,
Walk out the door
Just turn around now
You’re not welcome anymore
Weren’t you the one who tried to break me with desire
Did you think I’d crumble
Did you think I’d lay down and die
Oh no, not I
I will survive
As long as I know how to love I know I’ll be alive
I’ve got all my live to live
I’ve got all my love to give
I will survive
I will survive
Yeah, yeah

So for 3 days now my blog has been either messed up or offline, all because Apple wants to “upgrade” everyone at the same time they launch a new phone.

Of course none of it is working for anyone and so old users like me are suffering through what amounts to a radical downgrade while new iPhone users are getting the shaft with not being able to even use their new devices.

Bravo.

Henry and I are wondering if we are odd…not in all the usual ways we are already certain of, but in regard to sport spectating.

We are absolutely entirely and completely disinterested in watching or chatting about any sport, even competitive eating. And with the Olympics just ahead it seems sport spectating is invading our little sport free zone an awful lot recently. We love playing sports, actually any we have played we enjoy very much, but as to watching others play or worse having a favorite team or desired outcome, no thanks.

Is that entirely odd of us?

I have had a rash of annoyances for small coin from various internet companies lately. Skype, and Godaddy web hosting to name two. In both cases I originally selected a pay in advance plan, with no monthly charge. The plans are promoted and billed as pay up front for X amount of service time. But both shyster companies immediately started billing me monthly when the plan expired and are now telling me that it is their policy and that it is in their legal notes. Further they both put you through complicated gymnastics if you want to alter or delete your plan, and will not accept emails (from the source) refusing payment and telling them I did not authorize any monthly payment.

I have had the same kind of nonsense in the past with local phone and cable companies, but never with a net company before. With net companies it is a lot worse because you have no local consumer protection to fall back on. Further Visa and Master card have become much less likely to intervene on your behalf in these matters, also making you go through a complicated dance to get any help.

A well perhaps another corollary: For every minute a sucker is born a fraudster is born too.