Heavenly Paradise@AdelineAng.com

Do you frequent the baking aisle at the grocery store? You’ll be amazed what can be found here! Flour is the basic ingredient for baking. There is a variety of flour, such as all-purpose (white), cake & pastry, bread, whole wheat, multi-grain etc. Since the global shortage of wheat more than a year ago, the price of wheat hits a record high. I remembered getting a 10 kg of all-purpose flour for $ 4.99 when it was on sale. Nowadays, the regular selling price is $ 11.99!!

Feeling lazy and want to do some “no-fail” and quick baking? What about the cake/muffin mix? To prepare batter, simply add milk and eggs into the mix. I’ve tried before and they are pretty good; moist and tasty. It’s highly recommended to those who like to try baking themselves for a change!

Besides cake/muffin mix, there is also ready-to-bake cookie dough. It comes in a cylindrical shape. Simply cut the dough into slices (individual cookies), bake them, and serve! How simple is that!

Here comes a new creation–the Shaker cupcakes/muffins! What is it exactly? It says on the bottle “add milk & shake!” Wow… that’s fancy! Add milk into the bottle and shake it up. The batter will be ready in no time. Subsequently, pour batter into cake pan and bake! Easy enough?

Despite the convenience of cake mix, I prefer baking from scratch. This is what I’d call the “real” baking. It offers more flexibility and many at times, more challenging. As a result, baked goods have finer texture and taste yummier!

Are you curious to find out what other “junks” could potentially be in the snow? With HPC (Heterotrophic Plate Count) method, the melted snow is mixed  with some molten agar on plates. Subsequently, these plates are incubated at 35 °C for 48 hours, to allow the growth of bacteria and any other microorganisms. There is a total of four plates; two for “clean” snow and another two for dirty snow.

To interpret results, simply count the colonies with a colony counter.

Here are the results:

“Clean” snow has an average count of 44 (51 & 37).

Dirty snow has an average count of 65 (60 & 70).

Hmm… looks like the “clean” snow is not a whole lot cleaner than the dirty snow. My conclusions? The presence of microorganisms is inevitable in food intake, most of the time. We don’t usually get sick immediately upon consumption, as our bodies are protected by the immune system. Have you ever wonder if the ice used to prepare A.B.C. at various food stalls is clean to begin with? I won’t be surprised if the it turns out to be more “contaminated” than the fresh snow I’ve had!

Clean and dirty are just relative terms. Clean doesn’t mean that there is no microorganisms in it, but it’s “clean” enough not to make us sick. Conversely, dirty can be something that looked gross even with naked eyes and make us ill after consuming. As long as our bodies can fight against the foreign microorganisms and keep us healthy, having “not-so-clean” food once in a while, might help to build up a stronger immune system :)

Some might not agree with this. Anyway, it’s just my personal opinion. After all, I survived from eating my eco-friendly “natural” A.B.C. :P

I was anticipating the test results for snow today. Carefully, I removed the trays (where a mixture of melted snow and test reagent was kept) from the 35 °C incubator, after one day of incubation. Shockingly, the test for microbiological parameters of the snow turned out to be negative, i.e. it’s safe to consume!! In other words, snow is tested negative for coliforms and E. coli. Thus, snow shouldn’t make us sick immediately. Hooray! It wasn’t a bad decision to have A.B.C. after all!

For the purpose of this test, I used dirty snow (brownish, from the snowbank) as a control, and “clean” snow (untouched, purely white) as a test. There is one coliform present in the former, and nothing found in the “clean” snow. The reason for having a control is to prove that coliform and/or E. coli can indeed be present in snow, since microbiology test for water is not supposed to be frozen. Under the cold temperature, bacteria may not survive.

“Clean” snow is tested negative for coliform and E. coli (top), and one coliform (a yellow spot pointed by black arrow) is found in the dirty snow.

Having said that, this conclusion is drawn solely from the microbiology perspectives. Other contamination, such as organic, inorganic, metals, and nutrients could be involved. Basically, even though it seems like the snow is safe to consume, it doesn’t mean there is no other “junks” which potentially harmful to us.

Hmm… how do we know if there is any other junk at all? Be sure to check back for more updates! The results will be revealed shortly after this.

Donning layers of thick clothing in the winter isn’t funny at all. Plummeting temperatures, biting cold wind, and slews of snowfall leave you with no choice, but to put on warmer and thicker clothing. After a few years of winter experience, I’m much used to knowing what to wear based on the daily weather forecast. Of course, always take the wind chill factor into consideration!

0 to -5 °C: A long-sleeve blouse or cotton turtleneck, and a fall jacket.

-5 to -10 °C: A long-sleeve blouse or cotton turtleneck; alternatively, a short-sleeve blouse and a fleece jacket. Top these up with a regular winter coat.

-10 to -20 °C: A long-sleeve cotton turtleneck, a fleece jacket, and a regular winter coat.

-20 to -30 °C: A long-sleeve cotton turtleneck, a fleece jacket, and a thick winter coat.

-30 to -40 °C: A long-sleeve cotton turtleneck, a thick fleece jacket, and a thicker winter coat (i.e. ski jacket).

-40 °C and below: Stay at home!!

It’s important to choose the proper clothing materials as well as understand the appropriate handling of winter clothing. I tend to stick with cotton blouse or turtleneck, and polyester-based jacket. I don’t usually put on wool clothing, except in extreme cold. Not only does it cause skin irritation, but it also requires special handling in washing (ie. should be hung dry, instead of machine dry). Water resistant outwear made of polyester and nylon is great. It keeps body from getting wet, and hence, avoid freezing. Winter coats filled with down and waterfowl feathers are excellent for insulation. Clothing that needs dry-cleaning? It’s troublesome. Try to avoid getting one, if possible.

Besides clothing mentioned above, a pair of warm gloves and winter hat are extremely useful too. I’m not a big fan of scarves; in my opinion, the more you carry with you, the easier it is to lose things. Hence, wearing light and staying cozy is my goal. Winter coats with hoods and high zippers are wonderful. You can stay comfy without a winter hat; neck and lips are well protected when zippers are pulled all the way up.

How about the bottom layers? You may now wonder… Most of the time, I survived with just a good pair of jeans. Under temperature -35 °C and below, an extra layer of insulation is recommended, even a pair of thighs. When it’s freezing cold, clothing tends to become rigid. This applies to jeans. It almost seems like clothing is undergoing the freezing state, and it’s sticking on body. In this case, a pair of thighs underneath can make a big difference. Having said that, it’s advisable to put on snow pants when it’s too cold. Snow pants offer great insulation and best of all, it’s water resistant! It’s a necessity for skiing.

Overdressed can be as bad as underdressed. You don’t want to suffocate yourself with thick clothing and that you can barely move. Perspiring in the cold winter will only freeze you up. So, don’t do that. Conversely, underdressed might cause frostbite and dry skins. Hence, dress according to the weather.

I’ve never worn Long Johns thus far. Why? Good question! With Long Johns, you may feel warmer in the cold, but it may result in skin irritation when you’re inside a heated building. The same idea applies to wool clothing. If you’re only going to be in the cold for 2 minutes (e.g. walking from car to a building), and staying in the building for the next 8 hours, why bother putting on Long Johns? Unless, of course, you’re staying outdoor for long hours. With a good heating and insulating system, one can be wearing a t-shirt and shorts indoor, despite the freezing -40 °C outside!

It’s worthwhile investing in winter clothing of good materials. The good ones can last for years. Same goes for footwear. A pair of non-slip waterproof winter boots can save you from painful falls and freezing feet. It’s highly recommended to own a pair!

Warm (e.g. 7 °C), mild, chilly, cold, very cold, freezing cold, extreme cold, unbearable cold… These are all relative and subjective terms often used to express the level of cold experienced in the winter.

After the long winter months, it almost feels like spring or fall when the rising temperature leaves the sub-zero zone. Lesser and thinner clothing is an indication of the arrival of spring. Hmm… this probably won’t happen anytime soon. Meanwhile, have fun with the snow everyone!

The winter season in Canada can be long and painful (for most people).

1. 3 months of winter, you’d think? Spring, summer, fall, and winter; four seasons in one year. A simple math calculation tells you that season changes every 3 months. As a matter of fact, NO!! Be ready for 6 months of winter, if not longer! Here is a general season pattern: spring (May-June), summer (July-August), fall (September-October), and winter (November-April).

2. Winter boots. Do you really need one? If you’ve to walk in the winter, of course YES! However, some can survive with just a good pair of sneakers. How? Ask them! Nonetheless, wearing winter boots doesn’t mean that you can run on ice. You will still slip on ice, especially when you’re not paying attention. For myself? It’s usually one painful fall (on average) each winter, on the black ice (covered with snow). I just hope that my laptop is not with me when that happens :)

3. Dry skins and cracked fingers, leads to bleeding. It’s hard to keep your skin moist when the weather is so dry. Cranking up the heat and washing hands on a regular basis are not helpful at all, but making skin condition even worse. What to do? Apply hand moisturizer as often as you possibly can.

My dry, cracked finger joint that was bleeding.

4. Wind chill factor. Even when the temperature is as mild as -5 ºC, the wind chill factor can easily make you feel like -15 ºC!! Watch closely to the weather forecast when planning for a trip, even stepping out of your comfy home for just a few minutes.

5. Raining in the winter. The icy condition from the freezing of melted snow can be disastrous! Hence, I favour snow over rain in the winter!

6. Winter tires, antifreeze windshield washer fluid, windshield ice scraper & snow brush, and block heaters. Trust me, you’ll need these in your car! Be sure to plug in block heater overnight when the weather gets really cold, usually below -30 ºC. As well, allow some time to brush off the snow, scrap off the ice on windshield and whatnot, before you hit the road!

The power plug (in red box) of a car block heater.

7. Snow. A snowstorm can result in 20-30 cm of snow. Clearing the driveway with a shovel or snow blower can be a hard chore, especially in the cold weather. The city uses snow plows to clear off the roads and highways; spreads liquid salt to melt ice and snow, or sand to provide traction.

Watch out for the snow plow!

8. Painful frostbite. Try to avoid exposure of large skin area under extreme weather; by wearing appropriate winter clothing, including a pair of gloves and winter hat.

9. Dry weather. Lint particles are often found on clothing. They are apparent on darker clothing, especially black. Static shocks can be annoying too, simply from grabbing on the doorknob (usually metal objects).  Solution? Try touching something with a piece of metal (e.g. key), before holding it by hands. Keep the air moist in your room by placing a cup of water on the desk. You’ll be surprised how quickly it evaporates!

10. Falling snow and ice. Avoid walking under buildings with overhanging ice and rooftops with thick snow, especially when the weather starts to warm up.

Have a safe, pleasant, and enjoyable winter!

Is it better to enjoy money that you earn now, or to save it for future use?

Do you know that interest earned from bank savings is considered part of your income? In other words, the sum of annual income (from a full-time position) and interest from savings, is the TOTAL income of an individual. This is taxable, based on the tax bracket it falls under. In a summary: the more you save up (and earn from savings interest), the more tax you pay. Does it mean that we should spend lavishly and enjoy life, instead of saving up and paying more tax?

There are ways to get around with this dilemma, fortunately. As a matter of fact, RRSP (Registered Retirement Savings Plan) in Canada allows a certain amount of savings (depending on annual income), in which the interest earned from savings or the profit from investments (stock market, bonds etc.), is non-taxable!! Savings in RRSP help to lower the tax bracket too. The downside of it? Withdrawal from these savings is made available only at the age of retirement. However, exceptions are given to a homeowner buying his/her first home, someone returning to school as a full-time student etc., and needs the access to savings. Some conditions apply under these circumstances. Having said that, savings from the RRSP are still accessible in case of emergency, subject to tax and possibility of losing the interests earned.

TFSA (Tax-Free Savings Account) is newly introduced by the Canadian goverment, as of January 1st, 2009. Individuals are allowed to deposit up to $5,000 per calendar year, and benefit from the tax-free priviledge on the interests earned. Withdrawal can be also be done at any given time. How wonderful is that? Furthermore, the remaining amount can be carried over to the following year, in the case where the $5,000 threshold is not met. For instance,  person A deposits $3,000 in 2009; he’s then eligible to deposit up to a maximum amount of $7,000 in 2010. TFSA, is certainly something worth considering.

Enjoy life now, and save for later, is probably the best thing to do ;)

The dismal worldwide economy crisis since last year is rather depressing; there’s no sign of recovery just yet.

The Bank of Canada made an announcement yesterday that the lending rate is slashed to a historic low of 1%. This may be good news to home buyers and the real estate industry; since the low mortgage rates boost refinance activity and therefore, helps the housing market. Nevertheless, negative impacts from the economy crisis such as fast-rising of living cost, high unemployment rate, and production shutdown in various industries, leave most people in the state of insecurity and fear.

Canada’s key interest 0f 0.75%, resulted from decision made by the Bank of Canada as of yesterday. The deep dive below the 1% benchmark has been predicted end of 2008. It’s known to be a 50-year low, and maybe dropping further. How pathetic… I joked with friends that we can now keep our savings in the backyard or under the bed just like the old days, since there’s not much we get out of bank interests nowadays :P

If you’re complaining about this, try observing other countries. For example, Japan offers an interest rate of 0.1%, and that of the United States is as low as a big fat zero. Australia and New Zealand, known to offer high interest rates, can’t escape from the fate of interest rate cut down either. Malaysia, on the other hand, has just recently announced a cut of 0.75% in key interest, down to 2.5%; which observed to be the largest cut in more than a decade.

Hopefully the recession will come to an end in the near future. Meanwhile, I’m grateful for the provision I’m blessed with, and continue to keep my fingers crossed for a promising future.

I had a brief discussion with Eric about self investment a few days ago.

Eric: I’m going to do a presentation about self investment. A working person invest in self development through attending part-time courses, which can be for work or personal interests.

Me: I see. Instead of the commonly known financial investment, we invest in ourselves for a better future.

Eric: (busy applying face cream) Yeah.

Me: That’s exactly what you’re doing. Invest in face cream for a nice complexion!

Eric: (making a face) That’s not exactly what I mean!

Me: It’s a good example though. Haha…

Anyway, I spent some time putting my thoughts together. Enjoy reading!

Why do we invest? What’s the purpose of making an investment? For most of us, financial investment is the first thing that comes into mind when someone mentions about the term “investment.” Here is the definition of “invest” from the online FreeDictionary that fits into this context: to commit (money or capital) in order to gain a financial return. More often than not, investments are made to ensure a secured life and a brighter future. We invest in the stock markets, mutual funds, bonds, properties etc. The ultimate goal is simply a rewarding return (the higher the merrier) in the future. We reap the benefits of investments and hopefully, have a comfortable life when we retire.

Despite the advantages of financial investment, how many of us actually thought of self investment? Well, we did it for education since young. We spent time, energy, and money in getting a good education. Then what? We should look at self investment as an act of investing in oneself for a life-long personal development. Here is another definition of the word “invest”: to spend or devote for future benefits.

Self investment is a long term investment. We understand that a long-term investment in the share market takes advantage of market rebounds and generally results in superior returns. Likewise, education is not the end of the story for self investment; instead, we should develop special interests in various fields for our physical, mental, and spiritual growths, as well as to discover our inner talents.

Why do you think parents want their children to get involved in different activities, such as skating, drawing, playing piano, and swimming? It gives children the opportunities to master special skills, be it technical, social, or even management. We realized the significance of being an all-rounder and it’ll only make sense that we make it happen.

What are the ways to do it? Below are a few examples:

(1) Attend part-time courses to allow personal growth. Qualification is the fundamental of a job requirement. Personal development and experience are perhaps something that would distinct between you and your co-workers. Attend various courses, seminars, and workshops. Be initiative, innovative, and creative, in order to stand out from the crowd.

(2) Reading. Invest some money and time in good reading materials, whether they’re for general interests, study, or work-related. Reading is a great way for self-enhancement. It stimulates new ideas and build new perspectives that we can put into practice in life.

(3) Sports. Staying active is an excellent way to promote physical health and wellness. Brisk walking, biking, skiing, hiking etc. You name it! Get involved in your favourite sports.

(4) Traveling. It helps to broaden our horizons and allows relaxation.

(5) Build a social network. Spend quality time with family and friends. Strong relationships offer strong support in our endeavours. Share experiences in life and learn from others’ mistakes. A mistake made is a lesson learned.

Basically, it can be anything beneficial that we enjoy doing. Learning a new language, knitting, cross-stitching, designing and much more. Getting ourselves involved in activities other than studies and work. We need a variety of learning experience to stay upbeat and keep up with the changes in everyday life.

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

~ Romans 12:2 a & b (NIV)

Decision is in our hands. Be motivated to invest in ourselves as the harvest is bountiful. It’s never too late to start investing now. Invest in yourself, and find the greatest treasure in you that brings forth a fulfilling future. Below is a famous quote about investment in knowledge:

“If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.”

~ Benjamin Franklin

What’s your reaction to a needle-pricking pain? How about leaving a needle in your arm for 10 minutes? Shocking? Scary? Ridiculous? Impossible??

I’m grateful that my healthy body is fit for blood donation. If the needle-pricking pain is your problem, think about this: would you ever give up a chance to live on, if one day you happen to experience blood lost and blood transfusion is the only way to save your day? Would you then refuse to accept blood, just because you’re afraid of needles? Not a CHANCE!!! By the same token, why not be a generous donor and share with others the goodness of life? It’s in you to give! What do you have to lose?

At a young age, I envied those who’re over 18 of age and are able to donate blood. Why would someone who used to afraid of swallowing pills and needle-pricking like me be brave enough to go for blood donation? I believe in overcoming fears in life, especially if it’s unnecessary fears. If you want to stay healthy, simply swallow the prescribed pills; if there’s something else you develop a greater fear of (which surely you do), just go for blood donation!

I was really excited for my first blood donation in 2005, at the blood donor clinic on the university campus. I’ve to admit that one of the motivations was the bonus point from my Biochem. lab professor who encouraged students in her class to participate in blood donation ;) I had bad experience donating blood the first couple of times. I’ve slow blood flow due to my tiny veins, and nurses had to give up after a while before they could gather the desired amount of blood from me! I pray hard every time I go for blood donation that my blood would flow freely and let it fill up the bag. My prayer was answered at last, when I started using my right arm (even though I used it before and it didn’t work)! Apparently, I’ve larger veins on my right arm and twice so far, that it worked perfectly! Nevertheless, I spent 14 minutes instead of an average of 10 minutes for most people. The nurse was worried at some point that I might not be able to make it through and had to adjust the needle’s position… Ha… I proved him wrong :P

I’m surprised to find out my blood type (B+) is rather rare in Canada, about 7.6% of all blood types. O+ is the most common (39%), followed by A+ (36%), O- (7%), A- (6%), AB+ (2.5%), B- (1.4%), and AB- (0.5%).

Do you know?
1. Each blood donation can save up to three individuals. One unit of whole blood can be separated into red blood cells, platelets, and plasma.
2. On average, a hip replacement requires one unit of blood, a cardiac bypass needs 2 units, a heart transplant 2 units, and a liver transplant 10 units!
3. Blood cannot be manufactured. It can only be given as a gift from people.
4. Blood donors can donate as frequent as every 56 days.
5. One unit of blood is ~450 mls for each donation.
6. The process of blood donation, from start to finish, takes only one hour! Hemoglobin (iron) testing, answering donor questionnaire, blood pressure & body temperature reading, blood donation, and 5 minutes of rest.
7. A blood sample from the donation is taken for testing transmissible diseases, prior to usage.
8. You burn about 650 calories for each pint (~ 473 mls) of blood donated.

What are you waiting for? Call the Canadian Blood Services today to make an appointment (1 888 2 DONATE)! Remember, it’s in you to give! Be the ONE who makes a difference in someone else’s life *v*

One of the few things that I’ve to get used to living in Canada is to remember about the time switching in the spring and fall. “Spring forward, fall backward” implies the change of time in the spring (an hour ahead), and in the fall (an hour behind). In other words, you lose an hour in the spring but gain an hour in the fall. What does that mean? It means I’ve just got an extra hour of sleep! The change of time takes place on the first Sunday in November and second Sunday in March, both at 2:00 a.m. It used to be on the last Sunday in October and first Sunday in April at one point. It amuses me how the clock system works on electronic gadgets, e.g. computers and cell phones. According to the time zone it’s set for, the clock will automatically turn back time, it strikes 1:00 a.m. from 1:59 a.m. when it really supposed to be 2:00 a.m. I’m really impressed…

What’s the point of Daylight Saving Time? This idea was first introduced in the early 20th century and has been adopted by most of the western countries. It’s meant to provide more daylight hours in the afternoon for various activities. Furthermore, it contributes towards energy savings, i.e. more daylight hours during working hours leads to energy efficiency. It’s even shown a drop in accident rate, i.e. driving to work at 7 a.m. in the dark is more prone to accident than in the light.

I thought it was bazaar when I first realized that I’ve to switch my clock back and forward! If you’re not paying attention, you may show up an hour early for an appointment in the fall and an hour late for your test in the spring! Therefore, it’s important to take note of your calender, or simply still, make sure you’ve the right time zone selected on your computer and it does the miracle :)

Something to keep in mind though, majority of Saskatchewan and parts of northeastern British Columbia, as well as some places in the USA (Arizona, Hawaii, Puerto Rico etc.) obey the standard time all year long.

The importance of time standardization reminds me of the synchronization of time zone between the East and West Malaysia in 1981. Under the premiership of Dr. Mahathir, West Malaysians moved their clocks ahead by 30 minutes to match the time zone used in East Malaysia (8 hours ahead of GMT). Singapore followed suit the following year, to ease the trades across the causeway. This explains why the dawn is observed sooner (6 a.m.) in East Malaysia than the West (6:30 a.m.)! It simply because the West Malaysians have moved their clocks forward.

Time, time, time… how fascinating it is!