LEARNING ABOUT CHINESE HERBS

Before they started acting in the TV drama, Easy Fortune Happy Life, the two leads, Joe Chen and Blue Lan, had to learn about herbs from the Traditional Medicine Clinic to make their acting more convincing since their characters are very knowledgeable about them. I guess they were only given a few lessons so that they could get an idea of traditional medicine.

Do you know that the people at the Chinese Medical Shops spend years and years learning about the herbs? They are only able to dispense the herbs and not give any treatment. A herbalist who can treat people like the character played by Joe Chen would have to learn from a very young age to be able to treat people using reflexology, acupuncture and also to do diagnosis by taking the pulse and then prescribe medicine according to the correct dosage. That is why I have great admiration for these doctors.

For me to remember the names of all the herbs in the herb garden in my school and also their medicinal uses is already quite a chore. I can usually remember the common names but not the scientific names.

Picture source: Asian Entertainment Fanatics Photogallery

EASY FORTUNE, HAPPY LIFE 福氣又安康

Anthony
The leads play the parts of the grandma and grandpa when they were young
The hero getting the flower from the Aluerites Montana tree

Easy Fortune Happy Life (福氣又安康) is currently being aired on TV8 here in Malaysia. I had watched the first few chapters on telly but then as the story got more interesting, I decided to finish watching the whole series by renting the DVD as I couldn't wait for each chapter to be aired each night.

Before I go any further, let me give you the plot of the story first.

The two main characters are two persons who could not have been more different. The girl is a happy-go-lucky girl who grows up with her brother in the mountains and was tutored in the knowledge of herbs by her grandma. The guy is a businessman who grows up in a rich family expecting to take over the family pharmaceutical empire and does not hesitate to step on others in order to achieve his own gains.

These two characters are thrown together by fate one day when she accidentally cures his grandfather when she finds that her grandson, daughter and son-in-law refusing surgery for the old man. The old man then plots to save the souls of his family members by putting a clause in his will saying that whoever marries the heroine will inherit the 80 billion Taiwan dollars herbal medicine business.

Initially the misguided grandson plots with his lover to get the girl for unscrupulous reasons but then he finds himself falling head over heels in love with her. However, there is another guy having the hots for the girl as well. This is a story with moral values thrown in and therefore everyone realises the errors of their ways and they become a real family. The message is that all the wealth in the world would not be as important as one happy family living happily together.

Why was I so engrossed in it?

The two drop dead gorgeous male leads aside, the thing which captivated me was the Herbs. This is after all a story of a herbalist who falls for the grandson of the man who stole the formula for a herb from her grandma and then left her to wait for him for 60 years. The characters talked quite a bit about herbs and I was kept busy jotting down the names of the herbs that they were talking about and also the Aleurites Montana tree.
Ah! There was also another character which made me enjoy the show so much. Anthony the Dog. I love watching shows with dogs in them.

If you are watching it, then I hope I haven't spoiled your enjoyment by giving away so much of the story. Good health to you 祝你安康 and don't forget to take more herbs for your wellbeing.

Picture source: Asian fanatics photogallery

NO WOMAN LEFT ON THIS EARTH?

The Japanese guy pictured above has become a celebrity of sorts as there is a video of him getting officially married to a female character in a video game called Nene Anegasaki (see above picture). By the way, the guy wants to be known as "Sal9000".

In my opinion, it is a really sorry state of affairs when someone couldn't differentiate between reality and fantasy. Hopefully, "Sal9000" is just doing this as a publicity stunt. If you ask any of the older generation, they will ask "Is there no woman left on this earth?"

Reference: http://videogames.yahoo.com/events/plugged-in/man-marries-a-videogame/1376577

IPOH OLD TOWN CAFE IN MANJUNG

Baz and I at the Cafe
Baz dipping her toasted brown bread in potato curry. It's delicious

Free Wifi at the cafe.

Closer look at the potato curry and toasted brown bread

The Mee Jawa is so-so only. The ones in Ipoh are really good.

Me getting to take a bite of the taufu pok.

This afternoon, Baz and I had lunch at the Ipoh Old Town Food and Beverage Oulet which is situated near the Giant Hypermarket in Manjung. The food is pretty good but from my observation, not many people ordered white coffee which is what the original Ipoh Old Town kopitiams are famous for. The tagline for the franchise, "Where life is happy, because we take our time". I guess that really suits the kopitiams in Ipoh Old Town. Usually it is the old folks who would go and enjoy their cup of white coffee and spend time chatting with their friends. Besides the coffee, delicious noodles and snacks are also sold. To me the outlet does not really give me any sense of deja vous of being in a kopitiam in Ipoh.

Don't forget that I am an Ipoh girl, born and bred and since small my parents have been taking me to eat at the kopitiams there. I have a good many years of eating there when I was growing up and so I should know what I am saying. When I go back to Ipoh in a couple of days' time, I will make it a point of going to the Old Town and visiting the coffee shop of my family friend. Then I will post photographs of how an Ipoh Old Town Kopitiam looks like.

COMMON INTEREST

I am pictured with Mr Desmond Khor who is one of the sales executives at the Manjung Perodua Showroom. We have known each other since 1996 when I bought my first car, a Kancil, from him. Wow! That means I have known him for 13 years which is quite a long time.

Both of us have one thing in common and that is photography. However, Desmond is much more skilled a photographer than I am. He also does professional shoots when he is not working at Perodua. Believe me, the photographs that he takes are very artistic and interesting.

Visit his Facebook page to view his work, the URL is below:

http://www.facebook.com/deskhor

PERODUA ALZA

I went with my friend, Baz, to the Perodua Showroom in Seri Manjung to have a look at their latest car model. It is a Multi Purpose Van with the moniker, Alza.

Well, there are three types to choose from; the manual, the auto and a special edition. The manual one is about RM60,000. The automatic model sells for around RM66,000. I did not ask the price for the special edition. It must definitely be more. Anyway, Baz ordered the automatic model and she will get her car somewhere in February. In the meantime, the two of us were busy posing with the models that were on show. For those of you who haven't had the chance to view the car, you can look at the pictures that I took.

FREE MUSHROOMS?

The Physics lab assistant of my school saw me taking photographs of the mushrooms and asked if I was going to gather them to cook for lunch. He told me that he was thinking of taking the mushrooms home to eat. I told him that I was only taking photographs and warned him not to eat the mushrooms as one don't just eat mushrooms that one finds growing everywhere as they might be poisonous. Thank goodness he asked me and I was able to warn him.

GANDARUSA TO WARD OF SPIRITS

When I was reading up on a herb called Gandarusa 尖尾鳳 (Justicia Gendarussa Burm. F.) I found out that besides having medicinal uses, the leaves of the plant is also used to ward off evil. It seems that putting a few leaves of the gandarusa will help to prevent being disturbed by supernatural beings. Stalks of the leaves are also used in offering ceremonies by bomohs as well as to heal the sick. It is believed that planting the plant in ones compound would deter evil spirits from entering the house.

YOUR WISH IS GRANTED!

How to Use Feng Shui Wish-Fulfilling Gems to Make Your Wishes Come True

From the earliest fairytales of genies and fairy godmothers, we all have wishes that we would love to see magically happen. Luckily in feng shui there is a wonderful technique for activating the energies associated with all of the usual aspirations that everyone wants: love, wealth, health, happiness, good fortune. It involves using gems and crystals and when used correctly, can almost magically bring about anything you desire.

Gems and crystals are powerful symbols of our earthly desires and they are powerful activators. Gems are regarded as earth's most beautiful and precious energy represented in clear, beautiful, sparkling stones. These stones are widely regarded as storehouses of this beautiful earth energy - and potent objects to ground your deepest desires and help them come to fruition.

Don't believe me? Think about one of the most common gem activators. This one is an activator of love and commitment. It's called an engagement ring. The size, quality, and beauty of stone is often used to transmit the intent and desire of the man to make his intentions known to a woman, which in this case, is marriage.

But stones and crystals can be used to manifest more than just marriage. Used in your life, gems bring precious earth energy to your goals and dearest wishes!

I recommend you find one beautiful stone and make a single wish with great focus and intention. Keep your focus on this intention until you see it come to fruition. Also, be sure you give plenty of attention to your gem and don't disregard your crystals.

To get the best results, place your wish fulfilling gem where you see it and activate it regularly, such as at your bedside table, your desk (my favorite), or your living room. When placed here, you can put your gems under a light to help activate them. You can even put it in a window where the sunlight will hit your gem and activate it. It's especially helpful to raise the gem up so that the light can penetrate and activate the entire crystal.

As wonderfully as these magic activators work, you must be sure to do your part too. If you're interested in creating opportunities for love, get out there and circulate. If you want to lose weight, be sure to modify your eating and exercise more.

So now that you have learned this wonderful - and potent - feng shui trip, it's your turn to find a gem and activate any and all of your wishes!

Select one special POWER gem.

When you have a dear desire, such as to get married or attract love, select a large faux diamond and place it next to your bed or on your desk - anywhere you'll see it and can activate it with light. Treat it special and keep it clean. Focus on your desire to attract your perfect mate. You can do this with any special wish or desire you have. If it's a work-related wish you have, keep your gem at work where you see it often.

Surround your Chinese astrology sign with gems.

Looking to enhance yourself or members of your family? Create a gem bowl with a variety of gems. Place small figures of each family member's astrology animal sign in the bowl to use as an enhancer. You or your family will find yourself receiving more opportunities and exciting new ventures coming to you as a result. My husband and I are both tigers and I have a heart-shaped glass bowl of faux diamonds with two tigers in it (picture above). We continue to move ahead in life and have exciting opportunities and adventures -- so I can personally attest to this!

See your ship come in with gems.

Sailing ships have long been activators of arriving wealth. Take that one step further by loading your ship figurine with crystals or faux diamonds. Crystals placed on the body of a ship figure are a great way to represent your wealth sailing into your life. Make sure ships seem to be sailing into the house, office, or room.

Choose gem colors by your wish.

Green crystals will bring health and family luck, red crystals bring fame and recognition for your desire (perfect for an ambitious person!), blue crystals can be used for business opportunities and career advancement (and the money that comes with it), white crystals bring luck with children, creativity, and helpful people and mentors, yellow, pink and amber bring opportunities for education, love, and romance. Pink is especially powerful for bringing you attention for love.

Pick your gems with care.

Always choose clear, sparkling and beautiful gems that appeal to you. Glass, crystal, and natural gems are all perfectly acceptable activators of your wishes. Make sure the gems are not cloudy or unappealing to you in any way. Keep them clean and dust-free.

Put your gems to work.

Have a certain business you're looking to attract? Place the name of that business or a picture of the person associated with the business or a business card on top of your diamond. If you want a commitment from a reluctant suitor, place a picture of your beloved on top of the diamond. A certain clothing size is what you're after? Use a green colored gem and place a picture of your slimmer self on the gemstone.

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Kathryn Weber is the publisher of the Red Lotus Letter Feng Shui E-zine and certified feng shui consultant in classical Chinese feng shui. Kathryn helps her readers improve their lives and generate more wealth with feng shui. For more information and to receive her FREE Ebook "Easy Money - 3 Steps to Building Massive Wealth with Feng Shui" visit www.redlotusletter.com and learn the fast and fun way how feng shui can make your life more prosperous and abundant!

CHANGE OF HOUSE, CHANGE OF FORTUNE

Feng Shui masters would sometimes advise their clients to move into a new house if they have trouble conceiving. I remember reading that Lilian Too saying that she had problems having a child when she was living in her old house. She was advised to move to a new house and it was after that that she managed to have her first and only child, Jennifer.
It seems that Andy Lau's Feng Shui master has given him the same kind of advice as he and his wife, Carol, have difficulties trying for a child of their own. Read the article below to get the whole story.

Andy Lau spends millions for a change of fortune,

Tuesday November 25, 2009 Hong Kong

Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau has spent some HK$106 million (S$20 million) on a new home, hoping that the change in feng shui will bring him a child, according to Taiwan reports.

Lau and wife Carol Chu have been trying to conceive for the past one and a half years and have spent over HK$1 million (S$200,000) on fertility treatments without success.

The singer-actor purchased the house at Kadoorie Hill, Mongkok, after engaging the services of a feng shui master.

The master informed Lau that the new house should be kept away from the prying eyes of the public and under tight security. These measures will prevent Chu from being constantly harassed by the paparazzi and allow her to focus on conceiving.

Chu has been under intense media glare since the couple's hush-hush marriage was exposed by the press in August this year. The former Malaysian beauty queen is reported to be uncomfortable and weary of all the attention and hardly leaves her home since arriving in Hong Kong after her father's funeral in August.

Their new home, a two-storey bungalow spanning approximately 1,200 square feet, is surrounded by a high wall and guests have to pass through two security points before reaching the house. The pair are expected to move in before Chinese New Year once renovations are complete.

According to Lau's assistant, the Heavenly King has yet to confirm the report.

SOURCE: http://asianfanatics.net/forum/Andy-Lau-spends-millions-for-a-change-of-fortune-talk700136.html

PANDAN FLAVOURED 'MA CHEE'

'Ma Chee' is a type of traditional Chinese snack. It is made from glutinous rice flour and grounded peanuts mixed with sugar. This is one of my Aunt Linda's favourite snacks as she says it is easy to eat. As for me, I don't really fancy it.

The Ma Chee sold by the hawker at the Kampung Simee market is a bit different as it is pandan flavoured. Usually the dough is just plain white and not green. It sells for RM2.00.

CHOOSING AUSPICIOUS DATES

The Chinese Almanac or T'ung Sing has been used by the Chinese since ancient times. It serves as a useful guide to everyday life. The Chinese will consult the T'ung Sing to select auspicious dates for weddings, shop openings and other important occasions. However, not every Chinese can read Chinese and even if they do they might not be too well-versed to search for the relevant information.
Interested to refer to the T'ung Shu but is Chinese illiterate? FEAR NOT! I found a site that provides an online Chinese Almanac which provides a daily Feng Shui and astrological guide.

Please click here to go to the site.

'USHER IN LUCK' FRUIT?

I saw this attractive fruit at the market this morning. The lady at the market told me that the name for the fruit is "Chiew Choy Kor" in Chinese which literally translates to mean 'user in luck fruit". As usual the traders would always say that this plant or that fruit can usher in good luck and fortune and people would buy them to place at home. I don't think it is that simple.

Anyway, I bought two bunches of the fruit for my mum to place on the house altar as I thought they are really pretty.

If I am not mistaken, the fruit should be from the same species as that of the torch ginger as the fruit smelt like the Bunga Kantan to me. Anyone out there can help?

ANOTHER MASSAGE SESSION

I went back to school today as I had some paper work to do. I managed to finish at around 4.00 p.m. and managed to get Puan Latipah to massage my sore arm again. I have regained much strength in my right arm and hopefully I will be completely healed by the end of next week as I have some official duties to do then.

CHINESE BELIEFS ABOUT CLOCKS

Many Chinese would not give clocks as presents as the Chinese meaning of 'giving a clock' has the connotation of sending a person off to the world of the dead.

Also if the clock is spoilt and cannot be repaired it should be thrown away as it is inauspicious to have broken things at home.

I am pictured with a clock in my house that is spoilt. Initially my mum thought that the battery had expired and that was why it wasn't running but after changing a new battery it still didn't come alive. So my mum will be throwing it away and buying a new one.

LI NA & ZZ PLANT

I am pictured with my mum's ZZ plant in our house in Ipoh. It has been placed near the window outside our living room and I told my mum not to move it as it is supposed to purify the air instead of giving our poisonous gases. It will be okay as long as our dog does not eat the leaves.

DON'T SIMPLY BELIEVE!

The nice old lady living next to me told me that my other neighbour told her to get rid of all the ZZ plants or Eternity plants (Zamioculcas zamifolia) in her garden as she said that they were poisonous. Today the daughter-in-law of my mum's neighbour told her not to place the ZZ plant inside the house as it is supposed to give out poisonous gases.

I can remember my same neighbour wanting me to give her some shoots of the ZZ plant in my garden a couple years back as she said that they were supposed to bring good luck to the household. Now this turnaround. How the fate of this plant has changed!

Anyway I am not one to just BELIEVE if someone tells me so especially if that someone is not an expert on the subject. I have already done a post about this particular plant but am doing a more detailed one here since I wanted to findout more. I did a search in the Internet and I can tell my mum not to move the ZZ plant from its place near the window. Also my mum is not in the habit of eating the ornamental plants that she grows in her garden. As far as I know my dog, Angel, does not fancy eating the plant either. Furthermore, I believe cats and dogs have an innate sense of what greens to eat and what not to eat for their survival.

Here is information about the plant.

Scientific name: Zamioculcas zamiifolia

Common names:
ZZ plant, Eternity plant, Fat Boy, Aroid palm, Zu Zu plant, Succulent philodendron , Golden tree, Arum Fern

Botany
An evergreen plant that grows from a stout underground, succulent water-storing rhizome, attaining a height of 45-60 cm. Leaves are pinnate, 40-60 cm long, with 6-8 pairs of leaflets 7-15 cm long, smooth, shiny and dark green. Flowers are small bright yellow to brown on bronze spadix 5 cm long. ZZ is also called the Eternity Plant because it lasts an eternity.

Caution !
All parts of the plant are reported poisonous to humans and animals if ingested.

Uses
With its air-purifying quality, it is in the list of "Plants that Detoxify the Air."

Studies
Air-purifying: Research studies showed ZZ to be one of the plants most effective in counter-acting off-gassed chemicals and maintaining a balanced internal humidity.

References:
http://www.stuartxchange.org/Zamioculcas.html
http://www.denverplants.com/foliage/html/ZZ.htm
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/gardening/bringing-in-green-10-best-plants-for-apartments-069526

A BIT DIFFERENT

I think only my close friends and family would not be too surprised if I stop the car while I am driving so that I could go down and take photographs of a plant that I have spotted.

I am sure most ladies take delight in shopping and making themselves beautiful but not too many would go ga-ga over some species of herbs by the roadside.

A few of my relatives say I am a bit weird and unlike others. What to do? It is just me and that is what I enjoy most. For your information, I also spend hours on end pouring over Feng Shui books and magazines. However, I also like shopping and making myself beautiful as well. Guess I am a bit normal too. Ha! Ha!

GENDER GAMES

Aaron Yan
Aaron Yan

Aaron with fellow Fahrenheit member, Wu Chun

The sexual inclination of Fahrenheit's Aaron Yan has been questioned by the entertainment media as it seems that he prefers to be in the company of male companions. So far he has been seen to be in suspicious relationships with male friends.

The way I see it there could be several explanations.

Explanation one:

This good looking young man is a teenage idol and I am sure that if it was known that he was in a relationship with a girl he would lose many female fans and in the process he might have to make an early exit from the entertainment industry

Explanation two:

Aaron might be secretly dating a girl but is hoodwinking everyone into thinking that he spends time with male friends as a cover-up.

Explanation three:

He might genuinely enjoy a normal relationship with his male friends. It is sort of a guy thing to hang out together.

Explanation four:

The press is trying to sensationalise the issue just because they saw him going out with a friend who happen to be male a couple of times.

Explanation five:

The guy is actually gay and couldn't really suppress his need for male company and hence he has aroused the suspicion of the press.

WHAT DO I THINK?

Actually any one of the explanations could be true. We never know. For the sake of the fans and his popularity he better be heterosexual.

If you are interested to read the article, visit:

http://asianfanatics.net/forum/Intimately-shopping-Arron-Yan-and-Ah-Ben-are-brokeback--talk699784.html

FENG SHUI BOOKS

Last Saturday, I went with my mum to the WOFs branch in Ipoh to buy the Fortune and Feng Shui books for 2010. We wanted to have a look at what is in store for our Animal Signs in the coming year of the Tiger. I also wanted to purchase the ticket for Jason Eng's Annual Feng Shui update which is in January, 2010. Unfortunately, the tickets are not ready yet and so I have to go another trip to get them.

RAIN'S NEW MOVIE

I saw the trailer for Ninja Assassin while I was at the bank with my mum this morning. The show looks very promising. I can't wait to watch the movie which will start its run in Malaysia this Thursday. I hope it would be better than Speed Racer which I did not want to watch after viewing the trailer.

To read reviews abut this movie, go to:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1186367/

SONG ON PREVENTION OF NEW INFLUENZA

There has been some hoo-hah about a new wave of Influenza A virus which is stronger and more lethal. That is why the Malaysian Health Ministry is giving out a lot of information on how to prevent getting the virus. My students who are sitting for their SPM examinatin have their body temperatures taken before going into the exam hall. They are also given a face mask to wear each time they sit for a paper.

In Korea they got the lead singer of SS501's, Kim Hyun Joong (pictured above), to perform a song that promote the prevention of the new influenza. Kim Hyun Joong and participants in a Korean TV programme sang the new influenza prevention promotional song on stage.

The young star of the hit Korean drama, "Boys Over Flowers" would be a very suitable candidate to sing the song as he suffered and recovered from Swine Flu or the Influenza A virus while on a promotional trip to Japan. I am sure with his Star Power,Hyun Joong would be able to influence a lot of young people to practise all the safety measures to prevention this dangerous form of influenza.

Reference: http://asianfanatics.net/forum/SS501-Kim-Hyun-Joong-perform-song-that-promote-prevention-of-new-influenza-talk699489.html

HENNA PLANT

The above is the Henna or Mehandi plant in my school Herb Garden. Its Malay name is Inai. In Malaysia, Hindu brides and Muslim brides would have intricate designs drawn on their hands and feet with henna. This is because Henna has an enchanting history of being considered auspicious by many old civilizations. It is used for bridal make ups, the Body Art, cosmetics and hair colouring.

CROWN OF THORNS

The plant above is called Crown of Thorns. Legend has it that the Romans used this plant to fashion the crown of thorns for Jesus Christ before he was crucified.

SUPER AUSPICIOUS WEDDING DRESS

What you see above is supposed to be a wedding dress.

The 999-meter-long scarlet wedding dress was displayed in a shopping mall in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning Province on February 21, 2008. The hand-knitted dress features 2,008 pieces of jade, 29 golden phoenixes and 880 peonies that took dressmakers three months to finish. Wonder what they did with the dress after the exhibition ended?