Why Blog? - The purpose of Blogging

What is a blog? What's the purpose of a blog? Why would anyone blog when they could just write their personal experiences in a diary, notebook or journal?

It's come to mind on how I've been in this blogging world for 6 years. There are many reasons and purpose of nature as to why one would blog. One is they take it as a personal shared online journal, others take it for educational purposes to provide information to its readers, there are those who do it for business and certain people opens a blog merely for media/news/entertainment.

Bottom line to all this is, there's no specific grounds or rules that makes the ''perfect'' blog. The one thing about it is being able to engage and share. The only thing you can be sure of is it's written by a 'someone' - just like you and I. And when it comes to personal publishing, it's not the amount of people who visit that's important.

To me, a blog is simply your web log - an open alternative to the real diary which you usually keep locked in your desk drawer. You keep real diary locked because you don't want people to read it and be able to disagree with you in public over its content. Truth be told, I still do have my own diary but it's merely because I love writing and as time passes by, it's something for me to go through the pages of my life. Writing in a diary is no where similar to typing and that's just one aspect to it.

Then again, my opinion of how a blog should be defined - how it should function - is not the hard, fast rule for all bloggers. I believe more importantly, whether it's a blog or a diary or a little book that you write in, it's all about seeing how much you have grown and learned from your experiences. At the end of the day, that is the true beauty of a diary, your own personal and emotional growth, and pretty much what makes you comfortable.

Uh huh....my cupcakes take the cake!

One thing I love about being in the kitchen is when I can make an 'art' out of whatever that I can make. Hmmmm....or shall I rephrase this to -- whatever that I can bake. Once it comes out from the oven, that is when you put in your creativity which to me, is what I enjoy most.

Hilfi had just finished his school's Mid-Year exams and he said he feels good and confident about it. (Well, he'd better be saying that!). So I thought it'd be nice to make something for him. You know like a ''Hey Hilfi, good job on the studying and good luck in your results!". He loves chocolate and I even more so! This is for him and making these cupcakes is all the reason to have this sweet moment shared with the family.

So here we have it. I decided to make Chocolate Chip Cookies Cupcakes. I could just buy a pack of Chocolate Chip Cookies, but because I've the time I decided to make my own and start from scratch. So for this, I'm going to share them with you on how I go about doing so. It's not that difficult but does take a little more time then just buying an instant pack. Then again, there's no harm trying...it'll just make the whole process a little more fun I would say!

Now to make the Chocolate Chip Cookies, you'll need:

• 2 blocks unsalted butter
• 2-1/4 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1-1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

**Just keep in mind to keep some dough for your mini chocolate cookies for decoration later **

1. Heat the oven to 375°F.

2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. And sift together the flour, salt and baking soda.

3. Pour the melted butter in an electric mixer's bowl. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar. In the bowl, mix them on medium speed. And then add the egg, egg yolk (not to confuse you, so this makes 1 full egg + an egg yolk), milk and vanilla extract.

4. Slowly add in the flour until the mixture is thoroughly combined.

5. Lastly, stir in the chocolate chips.

Now that you have the mixture, chill the dough and lay them onto baking sheets. Bake for +/- 14 minutes or until golden-brown. (On a personal level, I'd have the cookies checked every 5 minutes! Uh huh....) Rotate the baking sheet to have an even browning and once that's done, cool them completely.

To turn your cupcakes into creations, you'll need these to make the frosting:

• 1-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon milk

1. Pour 1 1/4 cup of the confectioners' sugar, butter, salt and vanilla extract into an electric mixer.

2. Add milk and continue mixing. With the mixer running, slowly pour in the remaining confectioners' sugar and mix until well-combined.

FINALLY....onto the making of the chocolate cupcakes:

• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 2/3 cup boiling water
• 4 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 + 4 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup plain yogurt

1. Place the cocoa powder in a small bowl and pour boiling water. Whisk until all lumps are dissolved.

2. Add the bittersweet chocolate to the paste and stir until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool.

3. In a large bowl, put together butter and sugar into an electric mixer on a medium speed for about 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time with the vanilla extract.

4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt to form as dry ingredients. Add half to the butter mixture and mix them at a low speed. Put in the yogurt, adding the remainder of the dry ingredients and the earlier-prepared chocolate paste. Mix until they're all evenly blended.

Okay, time to put them in the pan!!

Fill the cupcake tins halfway with equal amounts of chocolate. Bake at 350°F for about 20-25 minutes. (On a personal level, it's always best to insert a toothpick into the center, and if it comes out clean then you know cupcakes are ready!)

Once out of the oven, allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before decorating on a wire wrack. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely or you'll have a runny mess on your hands...but so good to lick though! So hey, as you wish and so long as you're happyhappy!

Wooohoooo......FROSTING TIME!

Now you can use a piping bag to decorate but if you don't have one, no fret. All you need is put the frosting in a ''Ziploc'' sandwich bag and cut off a small corner and squish the frosting through the hole. Whether it's using the piping bag or ''Ziploc'' bag, I like to start on the outer edge of the cupcake and swirl around until I get to the middle. This way, I have a nice little curly on the top.

Taa-daahhhhhhhh!!!

Uh huh...so there you have it.....For the best cupcake experience, DO EAT WITH A SMILE!

Oh....and if you ever try this and it works out well, forget me not! :-)

Into the World's Oldest Tropical Rainforest

Spending the minimum is best when travelling alone. It doesn't make sense anyways to bring much especially when you're making your way into a rainforest. My focus of visiting this place was I wanted to have some self-reflections and travel to a place where my parents had once brought my brothers and I. Taman Negara was a family holiday into nature and that was many, many years ago. I could still recall Hilfi was just a little one and my Papa would have him on his front using the sporty Baby Carrier (below). Of course then also my brothers and I were pretty young, so there wasn't much climbing or intense sport but basically just appreciating what nature has to offer.

However this time round, it's different - because I'm doing it on my own. So I aimed to do whatever I can to my best physical capabilities. At the same time, to enjoy the beauty and being far away from all the hustle and bustle of city life. Being toned-down on things and taking it slow. Very slow.

I stayed in a Guest-house, sharing a dormitory with 7 others. So in total, there were 8 of us. I don't know anyone of them, there were 2 couples and the rest were friends doing this adventure together. There were times even though I'm surrounded by others I did feel a sense of loneliness. Like I wished I could have the experience shared right there and then. However, of course...as days go by, international friendships were forged.

Made a hike up to 'Bukit Teresek' whose peak offers great views over the surrounding forest. There was mist and the sounds and chatters of the jungle were just fascinating.

The next morning, below's the rising of the morning weekend sun. I know....I was in amazement myself and I've never smiled so much just seeing it and feeling the morning dew around me.

Along with a guide, we stopped at the 'Orang Asli' settlement - a tribe of nomadic people that live off the rainforest land. We had a chance to fire a blowpipe at a target. Obviously, I sucked at it. Or perhaps I should say I suck at blowing it? Golly, I could not go no more than a metre! How bad was that??! With that kind of distance, I can't even catch a monkey! The most I guess the monkey would do is: it'll stare at me, start making ''monkey-faces'', laugh away and in a flash, it'll be gone...Bah.

The Canopy Walk below is claimed to be the longest canopy walk of its kind. It runs say about 400 metres and is between 25-40 metres above the ground.The walk was enjoyable, just so long as you don't mind heights! I was a little shaky though but just like any circus act, I balanced and looked straight ahead. My target - to get to the other side and nothing else! Focus Farah...Just focus....

Took a dip into this one...wild swimming I'd say....uh huh...a nice, fresh feeling...
Everything comes to an end...On the morning, left and took the boat down the river. Then after, hopped onto the bus to return to Kuala Lumpur.

Would I return? Definitely. Next time when I have more time and am all-ready, I'd want to return to Taman Negara and take a chance climbing 'Gunung Tahan' (Tahan Mountain) known to be Peninsular Malaysia's highest mountain. I was told it'd take about 4-5 days to climb to the peak. If ever I make it, then it'd be a true-blue ohhhhyeah accomplishment.