Mythbusting - Coin in Egg

My workmate Peter was going on and on about a home remedy his family uses to treat flu and fever. 

He says its 100% effective.

What you do, he says, is boil an egg. Once hard-boiled, peel it.  Then put a coin in the egg (yes, you read right, put a coin in the egg).  Wrap the coin-in-egg in a handkerchief or towel then rub the wrapped egg all over your body.

The coin, he says, absorbs all the bad energy from the body and will in fact turn black from it.

Peter reckons his mom could tell if they were lying about being sick because the coin wouldn't turn black if they were faking it.

So when the girlfriend got sick, I took the oppurtunity to give the coin-in-egg remedy a go.

Hahaha. You should have seen how weird my girlfriend looked rubbing a warm egg on her neck and chest.

Suffice to say, it didn't work.  

My girlfriend didn't get better, nor did the coin turn black.

I couldn't get myself to eat the egg afterwards though.  

I was worried it DID absorb some sickly energy.

Update 30/4/09 - Peter told me that I can't use normal 20 cent coins! I need to get a silver coin.  And that I shouldn't have the yold in the egg.  I guess this mythbusting experiment is not over yet!!

Sick

I've been sick the past three days.

Like, really sick. 

Sneezing and coughing and all things yucky.

During this time, I've locked myself in my room watching episode after episode of Jumong (this korean drama is almost the bomb.  The problem is the subtitles changing names.  One time its Jumong, then its Zhumond, then its Chumong, then is Dyumo. Very confusing!).

But you know one thing that's always bothered me is my boss NEVER ever getting sick.  

Here I am, supposedly at the prime of any man's age, yet I keep on getting the flu and migraines. 

Not once in my three or so years working with him, have I seen him take some time-off sick.

Maybe all the time clubbing and staying up late is making me sick.

Or possibly, he synchronises sick days with me, that way I don't see him being sick!  Yes, that's probably it!

20 Under $20 - Llama Bar

I've only been to Llama Bar a couple of times.  

My last memory was stopping over during a Subiaco Pub crawl with my brother, cousins and Anh.  We went from one club (or pub) to another and I remember ordering a shot of WasabeVodka at Llama.  

And yes, it was as disgusting as it sounds.

Thankfully this trip to Llama Bar, Subiaco was not for another round of Wasabe Vodka.  

Its to try the infamous $10 steak in our 20 Under $20 list!

First thing you need to know is its technically not $10.  You need to buy a drink at the bar first, where you can then order your meal. 

I bought a vodka-lemonade for $8.

So $18 for porter house steak, mashies, swanky-sophisticated subi atmosphere and an alcoholic drink - that's pretty steakaliciously good value!

Speaking of atmosphere, you definitely get that yuppie feeling at Llama's.  The modern furnishing, the turntable pumping chill-out tunes and the mood lighting.  The place fills up quickly with young professionals.  Well, except maybe for the old couple who sat at the corner who was obviously only there for the cheap steak.

Though I must say, the chill-out music was not very chill-out. It was actually quite loud. Conversation with Anh was spent mostly asking her to repeat what she said and her telling me to repeat what I said.   Maybe we're just getting old (like the couple in the corner).

There's a stage for stand up comedy and live performances later that night 

The food came out quickly and looked fantastic! The steak portion was generous and was cooked beautifully.

Anh's mushroomly saucy steak

For its price, I'd give the steak 9/10 for awesomeness (I would give it 10 if it made me lose weight... and made me richer...  and more attractive)

The potatoes I'd probably give a 3/10   :(

Not that it tasted bad.  It just came out room temperature cold.  Both Anh and I got cold potatoes :(

My afterwork look.  Apparently I look like a waiter.  A fellow customer started giving me her orders whilst I was waiting.  I think she was drunk.  Or maybe she was trying to pick me up.....

Now if your imagination is as colourful as mine's, then thinking about why your mashies would be cold would ruin your appetite.  

This was a real shame because the cold potatoes took the thunder from an otherwise awesome steak meal.

So for the Llama Bar $10 steaks, thumbs up for value, but no thumbs for the food taste.

And still a thumbs down for Wasabe vodka.

Review: Guitar Hero World Tour (Wii)

I've been a big fan of Guitar Hero since the day it came out.   On the PlayStation 2,  I would spend hours and hours pretend-playing rock star until my eyes hurt.

At night I would dream about the gems flowing down the guitar hero highway and I would play the chords on my bolster pillow.

I would "sleep-guitar hero".

So to say that I was excited about GH: World Tour would be an incredible understatement.

World Tour kit comes with everything in picture and microphone minus try-hard guitarist

ROCK AND ROLL!

GH: World Tour is Guitar Hero that can be played with drums and a microphone (Karaoke).  If you can find yourself an extra guitar (with Wii remote), you can have four friends playing simultaneously to complete a (faux) band.

IGN full band screenshot

Last weekend, my friends and I got three people playing together at once (guitar, drums and mic).  I was so happy because we almost sound talented.

Almost being the operative word.  The groupie was not too impressed.

Don't think the neighbours were too impressed either.

Still, nothing beats playing games with mates.  :)

Sadly, the fun of GH: World Tour is tainted with some rather annoying hardware issues.  The guitar I got registers notes even when not strumming.  I'm trying to sort out a replacement guitar.  Rather disappointing considering I've only had it four days. 

Guitar box includes stickers to make your guitar PHULLY SICK!

The Wii version also requires a Wii remote for every instrument including the mic!  I only have two Wii remotes, so I need another one to have a singer for the band.  Taking the Wii remotes out of their protective jelly covers to fit into the drums or guitar is also a bit of a nuisance.

But apart from that, the game is just plain awesome fun.  

The Wii version lets you freestyle rock with your Mii characters. 

The game comes with a comprehensive song list including Eye of the Tiger, Beat it, What I've Done (Linkin Park), Band on the Run (Beatles).  Songs can also be downloaded from the Wii store for 200 Nintendo Points (which works out to around A$3).  The instruments are also compatible with Rock Band 2 and future Guitar Hero titles (Guitar Hero: Smash Hits comming out on my birthday month of June *hint *hint)

For me, the biggest plus is getting the girlfriend (aka Ringo) to play with me.  We started a band called Porcelain Chicken. We played three gigs and had a great time playing songs together.   

Looking forward to touring soon.  

Just a word of warning though.  

Drummers tend to hog the drum kit.  

Ringo didn't even let her little sister play!

Salmon Run 2009

Around this time every year, I head south of Perth with friends and family to Bunker Bay to try my luck with the elusive West Australian Salmon!

Fishing road trips are the best!  

The fat bream... and the fish

Fresh air, blue skies and the glory of catching a salmon!  Hehehehe.  

Schools of WA salmon move around the coast of Dunsborough during this time of the year.  It's very exciting stuff because it's not often you get big fishies so close to shore.

But after four hours of fishing, no salmons :(  

Locals say its too early. Maybe if we went next week or the week after.

  

I caught this salmon on my breakfast plate.  It came with toast and poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. :P

Nonetheless, we caught lots of other fishies and had a great time.

Anh, the herring queen. She caught so many herrings, I spent more time unhooking and cleaning her catch than actually fishing :P

My brother caught many weird and wonderful fish.  None we took home coz they all looked scary 

We spent the next day driving around checking the attractions and wineries around Margaret River.  

Canal rocks never cease to impress me. Watching big waves smash into big rocks is hypnotising 

We had lunch at Voyager estate, where I had the best meal ever!!  Pork cutlets with crumbed feta served with fried apples.  My mouth waters just thinking about it!

Voyager estate has an awesome garden, but the white house and the huge flag pole reminds me of Camp Biggest Loser for some reason

Then we followed it up with a short trip to Margaret River town centre and Mango ice cream from Simmo's.  Sweet indulgence - so good!

My only regret was having to drive back home.  

*sighs*  

Until next year then. :)

Short Changed

"That'lll be $10.80" said the girl behind the counter. 

$10.80 for bubble tea and bread at Utopia Myaree.  

Man, I hate this addiction for flavoured water with jelly bits.

I give the girl with the orange bandanna $15. She takes the notes and continues to press some buttons on the register.

"Um... do you have 80 cents?" She asks nervously.

"Nopes.  Sorry that's all I've got"

"Because we don't' have any change"

And that's when the staring game started. 

We just both stood there staring at each other. 

Not in a Oh-my-god-I-can-see-through-your-eyes-that-you're-my-destiny-my-love-my-everything romantic kinda of stare. 

On the contrary, I was giving her a commanding stare.  I was trying to get her to find some change or just say 'don't worry about the eighty cents".

And I was also secretly staring at the pimples clumping on her cheeks.  They've grown quite big and very purple.  Kinda like little berries.  

I was wondering if pimple juice ever get into the bubble tea she serves.

She, on the other hand was giving me puppy dog eyes, searching for a lifeline to this difficult situation.

For what seemed like a ten second eternity, my pimple staring left eye stumbled across the tips jar brimming with coins.

"Can't you just use that?" pointing at the tip jar? (I lost the staring game)

Her eyes widened, she stepped backed crying "No.  Noo.. NOOOOO!"

As if I just put an evil curse on her by suggesting something so blasphemous as touching the tips jar. 

Thankfully the other staff member watching remedied the situation by grabbing a handful of coins from the tips jar and replaced it with the $5 note. 

Change given, crisis aborted.

Too bad the she's cursed now.

****************

Last night, I used my monthly Maccas quota and ordered myself a Big mac meal drive thru (I was gunning for the CRV in their Drive-thru-to-win promotion)

I know its bad, but I'm also addicted to the special sauce and plastic cheese.

The stocky guy at the window took my $10 note and asked

"We've run out of five cent coins, is that alright?"

He's suggesting he short changes me and is checking if I'll be alright with that.

Now I had two choices. 

I could say:

A - yeah thats cool. Rip me off five cents, but im down with that.

or 

B - no, its not alright.  As an establishment who has failed to project the coin usage for that day, I think they should at least try to appease their customer by giving me more change rather than less.  By making me happy, they increase the likeliness of me returning (although my addiction for the orange special sauce and plastic cheese gives them the upper hand).  And if you think about it, five cents, for the individual might not be much, but if they shortchange every one of the million of customers they serve daily, then you're talking big bucks.  I for one, will not stand at this injustice.  Who can say that this guy isn't in fact pocketing the five cents and making a lucrative business for himself by hi-jacking customer five cents.  Most importantly, its the principle of things.  I should get the correct amount of change for the money I've given.  Its a basic principle of sale.  But to suggest something so bodacious as ripping myself off?!! Crazy right?

So of course I opted for option A.

Five cents annoy me because I can't use the coins for parking.

And when I get home, I open up my brown bag, only to find the FRENCH FRIES WERE MISSING!!!

NOOOOOOOO!! 

:(