Trust an ex-secretary to have her day listed out in points

So here I am in the middle of KL, waking up in the middle of the night at 3.30 am because of the tension of the next day.

It started off as ‘just for fun’ and then, it progressed to ‘new found friends and having fun’ stage. So, things were still cool.

Then, things start to get serious and now, it keeps me awake at night.

Before I go on, today, on Sunday, Patrizio Buanne is singing at the E&O. He has a press conference with CM Lim Guan Eng yesterday. If I am in Penang, you bet that it is part of my ‘job’ to be there on both occasions.

But I am in KL. However, media friend Leeling who knows how crazy I am with ‘Awww…I am going for a RM30K battle in KL and yet, I want to watch Patrizio’s concert live in Penang’ took this photo and tagged me on Facebook.

I woke up at 3.30am and checked my Facebook and is actually touched she did that.

Anyway…back to the title…So, it has come to the final. Though I want to still fool around with ‘win or lose, doesn’t matter as long as we have fun’, the reality is there are three prizes to be won. RM30K, RM5K and RM5K. There are only few of us. Chances are good, of course.

Recently, with my day job, I didn’t have much time to get down to experiment with what I want to cook. I only have once short experimental cooking on Friday evening. I came to KL yesterday. I initially wanted an apartment suite with kitchen. But they do not have that type of suite so I have to forget about any last minute cooking.

We went to the venue to check out the stuffs we can use. My original plan was to make one Penang curry mee style dish. Unfortunately, yellow noodles are not provided so are taugehs or taupoks. So, I get imaginative and wanted to try a Western dish. But that is not creative enough.

So, I came back to the hotel earlier and decided to start on square one, on a blank piece of paper. It is nice to have two sons who are in the culinary arts. We get to discuss like a bunch of aunties. Or professional chefs, whichever way, they are the same, really.

And I draw out what I am going to cook. My eldest son has already completed his college and is going to work tomorrow as part of their placement. All our plans of sending him for training in Singapore, Germany and Maldives did not materialise due to one reason or another. I am actually glad about it. He is going to work in one of the beach hotel not far from our house. Anyway, he is more experienced in food preparations and platting (i.e. how pretty we lay out our foods).

Whereas, my second son is very sensitive to tastes and he will imagine the flavour and we can discuss if the thing clash or complement each other.

After all that discussion going on, of course, I now feel very much pressured because it is something do-able. And achieve-able.

So, I woke up at 3.30am and started typing out what are the steps by steps things to do. I listed out things like
1. Boil 3 pots water
2. Take ingredients
etc etc etc.

I think only freaky ex-secretaries like me organised life in such a manner. Smack down, in point forms, not leaving out any details. Even the garnishing are listed. I even draw out how I am placing the foods, what kind of plate, etc.

So, it is no longer ‘let’s play-play’. It is ‘I am going to do my best and if I win, I know it is a family effort.’ And if I lose, I know I have tried and done my best. No regrets.

Now, back to sleep! And getting ready for the battle. Though I did wish I don’t have to miss Patrizio in Penang. But never mind, I won’t even get a chance to swoon over him because of all the datins who have paid big money to see him.