Introspection + Contemplation + Ideals

So I've resorted to blogging about instant noodles.

I must admit, there is nothing that soothes this Korean's belly like the one and only high sodium, high MSG, nutritionally deficient Shin Ramen.

I know its not healthy, but it tastes so good! So, I try to limit to eating this to once per month.

An ancient art: I learned to cook instant noodles at a young age. In fact, it was the very first thing I learned to cook.

And over the years, I have perfected this delicate process of cooking instant noodles (In reality, I merely put extra bits of this and that).

Ingredients:
1 Shin Ramen, rice, 1 egg, Kimchi, rice cake

- Boil water (not too much water otherwise it becomes too watery)
- Add vegetable packet + rice cakes
- Boil 1 minute
- Add noodles and 80% soup base (discard rest of soup base)
- Boil 1 minute
- Add egg and immediately stir, to prevent the egg from being cooked in a clump (personal preference)
- Enable Kimchi fusion: liberally add Kimchi soup and cabbage

- Eat noodles
- Once noodles are almost done, add rice, continue to eat

YUM!

And you've now got enough sodium and calories to last you a couple of days.

Be warned that this man is set on his ways, very set on his ways... when it comes his ramen. Be wary if you dare cross paths with me and try to cook me noodles...

There is something about these noodles. Strangely, right after eating, my vocal chords are warmed up and I'm ready to sing!

Here is one of my favourite paintings: Le Bal au Moulin de la Galette
A masterpiece of impressionist art by Pierre Auguste Renoir.
I'm no art connoisseur, but I can tell you why I like this artwork.
I like it because... it's just great and I like it! We don't have to be so learnededed to appreciate beauty, do we?

At first glance you see a party going on and the two women in the center of the painting.

Look closer...

There is more going on in this painting then just a ball. If you look to the far right, there is a young man looking at the girl in the dark dress. A story unfolds that I can only image.

The girls have their attention to the guy with his back to us. The younger girl (I'm assuming) is looking off somewhere yet still listening, while the girl in the dark dress is locked in conversation. Then there is the young man with the hat on the far right.

A brief glance perhaps, but immortally frozen in this painting. He is frozen, while the crowd bustles with activity.

This is what this painting does to me. I feel like I'm in the painting and it evokes an emotional response.

I have the utmost respect for artists. Being raised by parents who are painters, I saw first hand how so much goes into art.

It's amazing, how art speaks to you in an emotional language. We are emotional creatures after all and to master, manipulate and create something that the viewer can relate to, something that will move the viewer... amazing.

Here is Sur la Terrasse by Renoir. This is one of my better half's favorite paintings. In her words "...she has such a content look about her. She looks young but that expression gives her maturity. And I love the vivid, striking contrast of her red hat to the rest of the painting".

A few more bits of info:
"To achieve the appearance of spontaneity, impressionist painters used broken brushstrokes of bright, often unmixed colors" - msn encarta
Impressionism is said to have influenced future art "by recreating the sensation in the eye that views the subject, rather than recreating the subject..." - wikipedia

I suppose I'm going on a theme here... French cuffs, French blue shirts, French impressionist art...

French fries anyone?

Dress shirts are a particular favorite of my wardrobe. I may not seem like a shirt aficionado but I have come to appreciate a well fitting shirt carefully put together. Having to wear dress shirts most of my week, I have noticed the different styles and fabric used.

I will discuss some particulars that I like.

First and foremost is the white dress shirt. While framing the face, it also gives off an extremely clean and fresh aura (more so than Irish Spring soap!). Now add a touch of embroidered fabric and you are ready to seize the day!

Next is the French blue dress shirt, which is a standard in any wardrobe. This blue works well because it gives off a deep and rich look about it. The French sure know something when it comes to shirts. You can have patterns that add sophistication, but be wary of lined blue shirts that look like pajamas.

Cuffs and Cuff links - while most of my shirts are the standard button cuffs, there are some that are "convertible". I have not ventured to use cuff links yet but I do agree that they look cool and sophisticated (think of Jame Bond). Keep in mind that cuffs with cuff links can get in the way of eating, since they stick out of the wrists.

French cuffs are very interesting because ... well just because it's French and it sounds foreign. The double folded stiff cuffs frame the wrists (a recurring theme of "framing").

Collar styles - Now there are numerous different styles of collars out there which I won't get into. All I will say is that there are collars with wide and narrow tips. I hear that if you have a round face, you should get the narrow tips, where as if you have a sharp face, then get the wide collar tips... that is if you are wearing a tie. If you don't wear a tie then any style with one button open is good enough. But please! just one button open only.

Patterns - now if its a patterned dress shirt (like diagonal lines), take note of where the fabric panels meet. If its a fine crafted shirt, the pattern will more or less meet up, especially where the arm meets the shoulder panel.

Collar stays - no other purpose than to make your collar tips straight (they slide into the collar tip)... or maybe you can use them to pick locks. Check out these 24 karat gold plated collar stays from: www.ikebeharstore.com

That's it for now.

And no.. I don't wear custom made shirts. Imports from Korea are just fine with me.

Remember to always iron your shirts!

Taylor 310ce - Crisp, black binding flanks the satin-finish sapele back and sides and glossy Sitka spruce top, and then continues up the fretboard. The 300 Series is truly the performer’s workhorse, combining technology and craftsmanship with understated style.

This is Taylor - the love of my life... as moderate materialism will allow. She is my curvaceous Taylor that sings beautifully.

Someone once said... the instrument has to be greater than the musician. It has to be far greater so that the musician can always aspire to get better and use the instrument to its fullest.

Perhaps this is just an excuse to spend $

I was at worship practice today and one of her strings broke.... what a harrowing ordeal it turned out to be. You see, she is young, naive and thinks very highly of herself. Thinks she is the most beautiful guitar in the world. And very picky and fickle she is - high maintenance you can say.

As I was winding up the new string, lo and behold, the string BREAKS!
So I try again with another new string and the same shocking result, the string breaks.
...she is trying to tell me something...
I realized that I accidentally put the wrong gauge string on the guitar.
Finding the correct gauge string, I proceed to wind up ... then SNAP!
...she is just getting back at me...

The unthinkable... I broke 4 guitar string today. And the worst part is, I have the horrible sound of the string snapping still in my head.

Being a new guitar, I guess one of the metal edges may be sharp and causing the strings to break.


I think she is mad at me... But I'm not sure

Is that bad??