All about corn

I intended to write an entry for corn long long time ago, but just can settle down today. Corn is the wonderful food that we eat everyday in many food products but under different forms, mostly as powders. Sometimes we just forget to eat corn at the art of origin. I always have to eat corn on the cob or plain popped corn at least once in a month (except in the winter). Now, when I find many simple ways to cook corn, I can enjoy them anytime as long as I have 5 minutes for preparation. I will introduce those cooking methods here and hope to get you back to original corn in case you also forget them in a long time. 

(Picture source: http://blog.foodservicewarehouse.com)

Book Review: Step Up To IELTS - Self-Study Student's Book by Vanessa Jakeman and Clare McDowell

Living in an English speaking country and using English for everything, those things are still not enough for me. Whenever bumping into any academic fields, I need a recognised certificate. I had tried to avoid an international certificate as long as I could – for at least 5 or 6 years I think – simply because I didn’t need one for all sorts.

I just wish life is always that simple . Unfortunately, it is not. The need for an international certificate is coming and hitting me back now. For better or for worse, I should get high scores for at least one international English test system this year. Also, an international certificate could help prove my stand in the effort of a fresh life-kickoff. After all those considerations, I select IELTS as the target. My strategy is self-studying (the best and also the hardest method) and the score expectation is between 7 and 8 (band 7 or higher).

With all those introductions, I just want to let people know that from now on, my blog will also contain some self reviews on IELTS books, learning strategies, learning sources or English tips. By forcing myself to update the learning progress regularly on this blog, I hope it would also motivate and keep me up to the end of learning journey. Just hope that I’m strong enough to not drop the plan in the middle

I have begun studying since March (two months ago) actually. After researching all necessary tips and resources on forums, I had built up good steps for my entire journey though. While there are enormous learning tips and strategies on over Internet, I just emphasize one thing here - All roads lead to Rome. If you’re on the way to get an English certificate too, just pick up your own strategy and go with it to the end. That is also my thorough guideline for self. Even though I need a certificate, I don’t just study for a certificate. Eventually, I will try to review and catch up as much knowledge as I can during the studying time. I suppose it’s always good to replay what was known but forgot or misunderstood now. Therefore, materials used in my list can be both at basic and advance.

The first book I kicked off was “Step Up To IELTS - Self-Study Student's Book by Vanessa Jakeman and Clare McDowell”

This book is really a great start for learners like me who have no experiences of IELST test. After finishing 16 units in this book, I want to jot down some self reviews here and hope they’re going to help those who need it later.

Homemade: Bean Sprout

Started from last year when I first concerned about bean sprout hygiene on the market, I googled around to learn and tried growing them myself. Actually, food in Canada is pretty safe comparing with my home country. However, bean sprout is very easily contaminated and I usually have to buy it from Chinese stores which is I don't really love to do so. Plus, I also want to spout the beans and enjoy seeing them growing everyday myself. 

How joyful is it when you can make this yourself? 

Cozy and happy birthday celebration with my family

My birthday just passed a couple of days. I was supposed to post an entry on the right day, yet it was still in my to-do list. I guess now is the time and I need to show my gratitude to my families and friends. I want to tell them I love them. 

Homemade, dough from breadmaker: Lemon Cheese Braid

Today I challenged myself a little bit with filled bread. I said "challenge," but you'll see it's nothing challenging though. Just try to sound it louder, LOL. Since my kitchen is very narrow, a bread maker is my saver always whenever it comes to make a dough. 

OMG I love this bread so much and, it turns out perfect for the first attempt. Let me introduce you to my little cuties now. Here come the slices: 

Book Review: Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Project Management by Gregory M.Horine and Mastering Project Management by PM4DEV

Indeed, my first purpose to create this blog was for learning and sharing Project Management (PM) skills. Conversely, after day by day, I’ve turned it into my cozy space for sharing all moments and expertise areas in my life, not just PM. I just hope that change would bring more colors to my virtual space. This post is basically just a book review as usual. The only difference is that the book is in PM field which is also my main major after computer science. 

Cherry Blossom at High Park (Toronto)

The winter is pretty mild this year, so cherry blossoms are blooming a couple of weeks earlier than other years. Visiting High Park around this April, you can immerse into the romantic space of cherry blossoms. In my own opinion, cherry blossoms here in Toronto can't compete the ones in Japan or Korean after viewing same pictures from my friends at those locations. However, I still think they all bring the same joys to viewers. Picking up one petal from the ground, the first feeling comes to mind is "it is too thin and too tender," just like Vietnamese apricot. But it is a completely different story when those vulnerable petals intertwine to each other and ringing in the wind. They now form a wonderful masterpiece of nature. If you are visiting or living in Toronto, you properly won't want to miss this-once-in-a-year-scene. 

Frozen grapes - Ice Cream Alternatives?

I read somewhere before mentioning some sort of info like this: feeling ice cream fantastic your tongue but upset your weight? It's time for frozen fruits. 

I've been tried frozen blueberries and grapes since then. More than a good choice, frozen fruits absolutely surprise my tongue as much as their fatty friend ice cream. Of course, I won't eliminate ice cream completely as well as I won't recommend you doing that; it's still very enjoyable sometimes, especially the homemade one 

Frozen grapes

Homemade Lemon Almond Cookies

When the weather is warming up but not yet hot, it's perfect time for cookies. Especially just imagine the fresh cookie aroma in the oven at the weekend when family members are chilling around. It's sweet, isn't it? This smell will follow us everywhere until our end of life. And on our way to struggle for life, whenever we smell it again, it just simply reminds us to return home. I love lemon and almond, that's why lemon almond cookies are my best matches!

Book Review: DK Essential Managers - Manage Your Time by Tim Hindle

This book summarizes some very good tips to manage time. We all somehow know all these tips but we never seriously sit down and sort them out. Sometimes we’re just too busy and let go everything by the order they appear into our lives. Happening more than once in our lives, we recognized that our days just passing by without getting anything seriously done. Sometimes we also claim that it’s wasting time to make a critical schedule since it’s very hard be practical enough and usually thrown in the garbage bin in a couple of days.