Introducing SmurfMern!

Q: What is a Smurfmern?
A: It is a humern smurf (see images below)

The winter Smurfmern

 The Winter Snowbaording Smurfmern

 The Hiking Smurfmern

The Starjump Smurfmern

 The Smart Smurfmern

 Smurfmen Politics

Patriotic Tarts

Today, I was invited to a 4th of July barbeque party so I decided to bake some cute looking patriotic colored desserts to bring along with me.

As I was baking them, I felt awkward about baking American fruit tarts since I am still a Malaysian and not an American citizen. However, I found reasons to justify myself out of my award-thought-situation:
1. I am living in the US as of now
2. If you look carefully, these tarts also be a perceptual illusion.Recall the young lady/old lady illusion.

                                                                         Image Source

Well, if you look closer at the tarts again, they actually have the color of the Malaysian flag: red, blue(ish), white...and yellow(ish---->from the tart crusts). :D

Of course, you may argue that the fruits are not Malaysia's local. Come August 31st, maybe I will be baking tarts with white durian flesh filling topped with jambu, nangka and a blue flower ( the one used to make nasi kerabu blue..can't think of a blue fruit)

Blue bell/Clitoria ternatea                              Image Source

I prefer to call it blue bell flower for a certain reason.

Je m'appelle...

My English name is a Romanized version of my Chinese name, which is the common format for the majority of Chinese in my home country. This is one of those everyday existences which no one questioned, so I naturally did not think much about it for the first 18 years of my life. When I attended college in the States, while many of my classmates found my name a little challenging to remember and/ or pronounce, no one has ever suggested I adopt a common English name such as Melissa or Emily.

            Hence I was both amused and annoyed by some fellow Chinese in Hong Kong who asked if I had an “English” name when I introduced myself with my Romanized Chinese name. It was only then I noticed that 98% of the people in Hong Kong have an “English name” – if their parents did not give them one on their birth certificate, they’ll adopt one when they are in school or start working. In addition to the more traditional English names such as Jane, Susan and Michael, the most common ones I’ve seen among girls are fruits – Cherry, Mango, Apple, Orange… I’m looking forward to meeting a Papaya, Pineapple, or Avocado.

            Below are a few more “great” names that I’ve seen. You should seriously consider them for your kids:

• Bird – Great start but you need to be more specific, e.g. Parrot, Flamingo, Crow, Pelican, Ostrich
• But – Why not And?
• Ice – Your 2^nd kid can be named Fire
• Drunk – The other kids can be Tipsy, Shitfaced and Hangover. Easy.
• Calculus – Combined with Algebra, Geometry and Logic, you are in good shape to do well in Pure Mathematics!
• Xenon – Can’t beat my sis’ suggestion of Francium and Selenium, which can be Frank and Selena in short (check the periodic table for more options!)
• Kinki – I’m sure he/ she will be best pals with Sadist and Masochist

Seriously, I do not understand why these people with such unique and beautiful names in their native language would want to be identified as Tom, Dick or Harry. Either that or they got too creative. Do you really want Li Na to be known as Banana Li, or Yao Ming to be known as Mackerel Yao??

Last but not least, because I work for a well-known global luxury brand, a few people asked “Can I call you the _______ (Dior, Chanel, Cartier, Hermes…) girl?”  

           

            My response (and am very tempted to show them the middle finger too):

How Alvin Ooi Got Famous

Lesson of the Week: Watch That Font on Your Luggage Tag!