Beauty vs. Brains - which is more important

Recently met a friend, and was having a conversation about SIA's interview questions, one of which happened to be the debate segment, where interviewees were tasked to argue whether brains, or beauty was more important to a person.

The team which were for brains on the particular group of interviewees which we were discussing won.

But the day after the conversation, when I actually sat down to think about it, while on the surface, brains, are obviously more important, because who would want to hire someone who is lacking that, is that really all employers are looking for? The smarter candidate, which stands out above the rest?

Let's take the following into consideration now.

• Interviewing for a customer service oriented position, where the first thing customers would judge you upon is your looks.

When comparing two candidates side by side now, both whom are equally well-read and educated. However, candidate A looks effortlessly well-groomed, with a smiley disposition, and pleasant looking face; while candidate B may not be so blessed in the gene pool, and looks lacking when compared to the other candidate.

Would you as the employee then favour A over B? 

Should I put myself in the shoes of the employee, then my answer is yes, and without a doubt.

In the customer service line, being blessed with good looks is definitely a plus point, because when customers, especially those who are already not in a good mood, looks for someone to vent their frustration on, the first thing they come across even before anything else would be the image of the person whom they are speaking to. It does not matter if you are someone who is well trained in managing the customers emotions, because that is not what they see first.

So yes, looks definitely does make a difference to a person. No matter how smart or educated one is, the fact is that one will always be first judged based on their appearance. #sadbuttrue
As such, I definitely would not discount looks, when it comes to a person. I truly believe looks is just as important, if not more than brains.

Mikawa Japenese Sake Bar and Restaurant

Mikawa Japanese Sake Bar and Restaurant

It's my second time here now, and I really love how the food is so well prepared, and how the service staff are all so attentive and well-versed in their food knowledge and also how they treat each customer with so much care that I had to share about this place!

Sat ourselves at the counter and had an omakase for dinner today so we could interact and watch the chef at work. Everything was just so full of flavour, and complements one another so well.

Irish Oyster with Ebi Roe

We started of with this oyster which was really fresh despite being covered in sauce. I must say, the lightness of the sauce even added to the taste of the oyster, and brought out the freshness of it further!

Fruit Tomato served with Bamboo Salt and Yuzu Wasabi Dressing

 Fruit tomato really is one of the sweetest tomatoes around, and this works really well with the bamboo salt which gives it a zing, and the yuzu wasabi dressing which gives it that mix of refreshing and slight kick of spice you get with wasabi. Overall just amazing!

L-R: Scallop, Shrimp, Tuna Belly, Amberjack, Yellojack, Flounder

Sashimi rounded up the appetisers brilliantly. The freshness of the fish and seafood could be tasted in every bite, each oozing with sweetness. My favourite would be the shrimp, which was really thick and sweeter than any other raw shrimps I've ever had!

Shrimp Head from Sashimi deep fried to perfection

 The shrimp head was then brought into the kitchen to be deep fried (according to the chef at a minimum temperature of 180 degrees). It was so crunchy, and it literally disintegrates in your mouth. You wouldn't feel like you are chewing on shells at all.

Pitan Tofu

 Homemade tofu with crabmeat that was so tender paired with the pitan sauce and sprinkled with ebi roe which gave the added crunch to an otherwise really smooth mouthful of tofu. I had to refrain myself from picking up the bowl to lick every last bit of that sauce!

Horse Mackerel

 Mixed with spring onions and chopped ginger with white sesame seeds, it was a perfect mix of spiciness for the fish. Chef likened the taste of the fish to that of the yusheng found in your raw fish porridge, but obviously fresher!

Wagyu Beef

 Seared only on the outside, the inside was still raw, and while chef actually prepared this dish a few dishes ago, he mentioned that it tasted best when left to cool so that the outside and inside temperature is the same. In fact, it was even slightly cold when it was finally served to us.

L-R: Salmon Mentaiko, Scallop + Foie Gras, Sea Urchin

 The sea urchin was so fresh it still tasted of the sea! And who ever knew, that scallop and foie gras would go so well with one another. It was the perfect combination, especially with the teriyaki sauce! And of course, one can never go wrong with salmon mentaiko!

Somen fried in Japanese Whiskey

 When it was first placed in front of me, all I could smell was just the alcohol. But the clean taste of the spring onions combined with the springy noodles, made this simple dish a winner.

Musk Melon; Front piece drizzled in 12yr Japanese Whiskey

What is a Japanese meal without fruits, right! Known for their sweet musk melons, this definitely did not disappoint! The slice placed directly on the plate was a chef's special, drizzled in a 12 Year Japanese Whiskey while the one placed on the husk is the original melon. Both was really sweet, but the whiskey really did gave it an additional kick!

Our friendly and humorous chef at work

The cost of an omakase ranges between $100-160, and the above costed $120/pax.

Mikawa is definitely a place I'd visit again often in future, for both the wonderful service and mouth watering dishes, and I strongly suggest you do too!

You can find Mikawa at UE Bizhub North Tower, 6 Changi Business Park Ave 1, 486017.

Open Daily

LUNCH -  11:15AM to 2:30PM

DINNER -  6:00PM to 10:00PM

http://www.mikawa.sg

https://www.facebook.com/MikawaSingapore

*Disclaimer: This is not an ad*

project: feed myself

As always, when the parents travel, on their countless honeymoons, my siblings and I are left to our own devices at home, and being someone who gets really lazy about going out, because having to dress up and stuff sometimes requires too much effort, would just end up making myself food more often than not. And, if my siblings are home, then they'd get to eat whatever I decide to whip up that particular day.

So, the parent's aren't back yet, and they'd only be back tomorrow, but I start work tomorrow, so that means today would be the last of my needing to feed myself whilst they're gone. And without much further ado, here's a documentary of what I've dished up over the last 2 weeks.

salmon fillet and side of veggies + glass of pinot noir

fresh fruit on pancakes drizzled in honey

veggie + mushroom risotto cooked in chicken stock

beef, potato and tomato stew

potato pancakes with mushroom and ham

obviously cheat cooking where the only thing I actually had to make was the scrambled eggs

veggie + mushroom spaghetti

fillet of cod + sausages with a side of mash and fresh veggies

baked creamy macaroni with salmon chunks and carrot cubes

& that one meal my sister cooked, but I plated

There are one or two meals not pictured here, because I forgotten to photograph them, food items like what one could typically see on a Chinese family dinner table of stir-fried veggies and steam fish, and the likes, or other equally lazy/cheat cooking like oats or steaming myself some paos because I only had to feed myself, and just couldn't be bothered with cooking up a full meal...

But yes, looking at the above, I am pretty much qualified to be a housewife, no? I can do the laundry and more too :) HAHAHAHA

Alright, so jokes aside, what do you think? Not too shabby eh... But then again, I have been cooking meals for the three of us since the parents decided we were independent enough to leave us home and go travelling on their own since close to 8 years back, so I can definitely say, without a doubt that my culinary skills is pretty good!

move on

Was feeling all sorts of happy. I had just came off a 1.5 hours worth of watching my idol interact with fans online. 

And then, my feelings dropped off the depths of the earth upon seeing a photo. I shouldn't be feeling this way. It's was pass time for me to still be, considering how I haven't actually spoken to said person the photo belong to in months. But it seems, my heart and my brain doesn't work hand in hand.

But, now, I can just confirm one thing. It really is time for me to move on. Because what use is there holding on to someone, if they can't see your worth. And I know, that I am worth so much more than I make myself out to be. One day, I will find for myself, someone who will love me more than I can ever love myself. That day may not be today, tomorrow or even anytime soon, but that day will come. And until that day comes, I should stand tall, and love myself more, because who else would do so, if I myself can't even.

No more putting myself down for other people. No more letting my feelings be taken over by people who don't see what I'm worth. No more of that.

I'll miss you.

It has been an extremely long and trying week, from what should have been an afternoon of visiting grandma ended up with me being shook awake in shock to learn about her death a mere 3 hours upon reaching home after work in the morning.

To say that I was crushed, would be taking it lightly. Grandma was and is the only reason I can speak in teowchew, however minimally it is, and understand it as well as I do now. For the sole reason that other than teowchew, she only understands bahasa melayu from her time spent working in the hospitals as an amah.

At that point, I had not been to see her for about a week and a half, and the morning she passed, was the one day I was free to visit her that week. But alas, fate decides that it should play such a cruel trick on me. Especially considering how I actually felt some weird tugging on my heart on the way home from work, a little niggling that just didn't bode too well with me. But still, it was late. 3AM going on 4, and how could I bring myself to go over to her place at that timing and disturb her, and my aunt and the helper at that timing, knowing that grandma barely sleeps at night anymore.

To be honest, I knew, that she had not many days left, not when she was refusing to eat or drink, and barely sleeping either. The fact that she was in and out of hospital as frequently as she did gave me an inclination to her state. But still, as much as I would have liked for her to stop suffering, I was, unprepared to lose her.

At this point though, all I can say is, grandma, we'll keep the family ties strong, and may you find grandpa, and rest in peace, and look after us all from above. You'll forever be in our memories, and we'll miss you dearly.

I LOVE YOU, GRANDMA!

unsettled

It's been awhile, and never have I expected that my first post back after almost 4 months to be of such a depressive nature, but I guess things just have a way of its own.

You can say, that my mental state has been quite affected as of late what with things going on, and just some old stuff being brought to light. I probably did mention this somewhere before, and it's true, that I've never been the most well-liked person around. But I thought with time, and certain friends who have stuck around despite my quirks and blunt personality,  I have grew out of that overly sensitive and emotional me. Yet it seems, I probably am not as strong as I would like myself to believe. This new found information, as shared to me from someone who I knew from back then, left me much much more affected than I thought. Although to be honest, this was just a part of the reason why, because thankfully I have friends around me to pull me out from that.

What probably affected me more, was coming across a post from someone who I had once thought of to be a really good friend, although I can't say I think of that someone as that anymore. The things that happened, its irreversible, and nothing could possibly change the fact that I've been hurt one too many times. And its true, you may mend a broken mirror, but the cracks will forever remain. Whats more, despite the chances I gave, and the efforts I put forth, no apology ever came, and thats what hurts the most. That you don't see the need to apologise, or that you probably don't even now what you did wrong.

And if all these wasn't enough, I've probably never had more on my mind than now. I've been plagued with so much feelings and emotions, and just can't seem to figure things out. It honestly would be so great, if I could just know what was going on, and not be left waiting, wondering and feeling so torn up over things right now. Hopefully though, things would settle down soon, and that I can find some peace within myself, and just put the past behind me. Because whoever said time heals all wounds was lying.

*on a side note though, I promise to be back with an update on my trip to taiwan last month soonest!

one step closer

Final Semester of my 20 months stint in university.

So excited at the prospect of being that much closer to receiving my degree, yet at the same time, all sorts of worried for my future. But that aside though, looking at my near future, what I can say is, I'm gonna have to put in so much more effort this semester as compared to previous semesters.

As if it isn't enough that studying in a private university means having to be highly motivated, and having the drive to self study (which I obviously do not do enough of), I happen to be highly unfortunate this semester, and have the same lecturer for both of my marketing mods. The thing though, is that this lecturer is a total uncle, who can't seem to speak much less teach properly. Especially when I look at past modules, the concepts he teach doesn't even sounds the same half the time.

So my only hope, is myself, but that really doesn't sound to promising either. Which means, I can only pray. HAHAHA.

Ok, but my whining aside, I really have so much I wanna blog about, but can never seem to find the time and sit down to draft it out proper. Assignments are already piling up to my neck, and it's only week 2 >:( I'll try my best though.. We'll see how it goes.

And for now, it's back to report writing for me..