Matcha IV - a day of exploration

Just because I needed to clear the fresh milk in the fridge asap I made matcha lattes. Aiyah! 真麻烦 the girls want to drink matcha but nobody wants to make, everytime I have to do it. 

And because of this mentality ‘since I’m making matcha I’ll make more’ I realised this can (1) is about to finish this I went on to open up (2). Both cans purchased in September. Link HERE for previous post. 

(1) Matcha from Shizuoka. 

(2) Uji matcha  

It became a day of exploration. Putting the two powders side by side in the sift for colour comparison. You can see a little difference in the colour.

Why do I have (3) ? Not much left, can’t make a teaspoon that’s why I opened (1) previously. 

There’s a subtle difference in all three powders

All are ceremonial powders. (1) & (3) were in the fridge. (1) has a plastic cover before the can cover, (3) is ziploc sealed. If that makes any difference? 

(2) is newly opened and was in the kitchen cabinet away from the oven and stove area [but my EY class galley kitchen is small so maybe heat is bounced here and there]

  Hmm….in this angle the colours look the same. 

Let this fake matcha connoisseur speak 🤣🤣

Jokes aside I’m no connoisseur, I’m as blur or maybe more blur than most people. But based on my cock-eye short-sighted eyesight at first glance when I first opened (1) on 9th Feb the powder didn’t look vibrant green at all which is strange. Can states it’s ceremonial (tho anyone can lie). It’s priced at ¥1620 (if price matters) or did the colour change due to storage? Link to my Matcha III blog, click HERE. 

(3) Naoki matcha powder and the extreme right (2) looks vibrant. 

Truth to be told, I’ve so much to learn about matcha. But do I have the time to compare even more matchas brand in Japan? Do I have the time to read up on matchas? Maybe I should just drink my matcha and shut my mind from thinking and reading too much. Haha! But I have a feeling I’ll have more posts on matchas when I open the other cans. I think this post and the previous ones deserve a label on their own in my blog. 

Questions need to research when I’m free :

(a) is current storage place correct

(b) how long can I keep unopened matcha powder? My powders are 5+ months old since purchase date (2nd Sep 25)

(c) is the way I fold and tape the foil + scotch tape seal can correct? Or is there a better way way to store leftover matchas? 

(d) how long can I keep an opened matcha in the fridge? 

This popped up in my Instagram one day. Is there a need for this at all? If only they have a sakura printed canister. 

I had to pour water, take pic, whisk, take pic, pour into a cup, wash bowl, use another powder, pour water, take pic, whisk, take pic, pour into another cup. 

After I poured the water for the second can, immediately can see the second can’s looks brighter. And if my memory didn’t fail in what I saw earlier coz yours truly only have one bowl so I can’t compare them side by side. 

And after whisking, takes this short-sighted girl to bring the bowl up closer to check coz of the lighting in kitchen. But there’s a sure winner in the second bowl. It’s more vibrant. 

Now can you guess which is which? 

Of course my judgment may be biased coz I didn’t like the Shizuoka’s matcha the moment I opened it early this month. I decided to ask Mr AI for help. 

Drumroll….. 

You can see my question and the answer given

When I did the collages one after another for comparison, I decided to switch the photos 

Switch also no use. When it’s more vibrant the answer will be the same wherever I switch the photos to

So yah that black can is better 

 

Strangely when I did the taste test. (2) is more bitter. Or maybe I should have washed my palate? Perhaps you can’t trust me - the person who still can’t tell a floral or fruity taste in wines. 

6 cups of whisking 🍵 and I’m tired. 6 cups of distraction and I felt a little better. The next task is to deal with all the bits of leftovers in can (1) and packet (3). Poured water into the can and packet and mixed it around 😁. My lazy and not the correct proportion plain tea. 

Left it in the fridge coz my stomach is full from drinking too much water 

Final verdict on today’s exploration 

Wouldn’t buy that Shizuoka’s matcha anymore once I finish the two cans at home. When che-che brought it home, I was shocked by how cheapskate the packaging looks. Doesn’t it look like one of the birthday favors packaging design I would do? 🤣. Shizuoka’s matcha also do not have any の昔 so I’m not sure how legit the tea is. Is it a reseller matcha company? Then again I’m not even expert, do all teas need to have the の昔 indicated.

So far I was happy with the Aichi’s matcha I purchased in Nagoya and Masuda Chaho -¥4400 per can 不好才怪. I think once I finish all the 5 + 3 cans, 80x of whisking, I will only stick to buying proper matcha for myself and the cheap ones for che-che’s matcha lattes 😬. Oh! I forgot I still have another 2 packs of Naoki’s matchas gifted by W.

Music + Jap gf + headset

A chapalan blog post today. 

The music I played today while working around the house. I didn’t know what to play and was scrolling thru the lists of albums in my Spotify when AKB48 songs blasted out from Che-che’s phone. 好吧 I shall listen to my Japanese songs then. Moving to the music just makes housework less mundane. 

Have I mentioned about Hikaru Utada before? Her song, First Love, was a tune I loved. When I was watching those Inside Flow yoga moves (I really want to go for the class) and they kept playing this song. I didn’t know the title until one day che-che played it on her phone. I was doing something in the house and shouted excitedly to ask her for the music title. Only then did I know it’s from a movie. I watched it, I cried and wonder why no happy ending for the two people. Sigh…

Anyway, I only listen to the songs and not that crazy over the artistes. 

Changed to this album. 

Aoi Teshima has some really nice songs. This is one of my fav

When I’m working, the phone is away from me so I don’t check what song is being played. The album plays the music randomly and somehow I must have been paying attention to the words when this song came along. 

Ok, some words like maybe only 5% I catch some words I understand. I don’t know why but I suddenly thought of my Japanese girlfriend. It’s like this song suddenly is reaching out to me and giving me a message. I went back to the phone and screenshot the singer and song title

Since I have my phone I sent her a message just like that, out of the blue. I dunno why prompted me to do so but … I think the words hit me or maybe not 🤣 since I only picked out 5% or maybe 1% of the words 

So out of curiosity after I had finished my work, I had to find the lyrics of the song. AI summary was given as : 

"Himawari no Yakusoku" (Promise of Sunflower) by Motohiro Hata is a poignant ballad that focuses on finding joy, warmth, and hope through deep, unwavering, and sometimes bittersweet, human connection

. Released in 2014 as the theme for Stand by Me Doraemon, the song uses the imagery of a sunflower—representing loyalty, longevity, and honest warmth—to illustrate the comfort of having someone special by your side. 

Key themes regarding joy and warmth in the song include:

• Warmth in Everyday Moments: The lyrics emphasize that seemingly ordinary or "useless" days become treasures when shared with someone special.
• Warmth as Comfort: The song likens the love and kindness of a partner to the "upright gentleness" and "warmth" of a sunflower.
• Finding Joy After Sadness: It explores the transition from loneliness to finding true happiness, with the singer expressing a desire to return the warmth and support they received.
• Hopeful Future: Despite themes of potential separation and, the song promises that even if paths diverge, the memories and connection will remain, providing comfort and a "bright future".

The song's gentle, nostalgic melody, often featuring acoustic guitar, is specifically designed to evoke feelings of comfort and emotional depth, similar to a "warm hug". 

So did I get the correct interpretation of the song to suddenly send her a message? Did I understand 5% or 1% or none at all?

I miss Mio, I haven’t seen her since July 2024. Che-Che and lil’ one met up with her last year during their siblings trip. I should make my pilgrimage this year. A friendship which I truly cherish even though we’re miles apart.

Unknowingly almost 3hrs with the headset on and off my ears, ears still feel hot. Needed to clean my headphone. and feeling 

So in love with my new headset. Need a break coz putting pressure on my not so big solitaire.

Matcha III

On a Monday just doing the most borliao and time-consuming thing 😂. Filming editing and all I can say is “thank goodness I wasn’t interested to be an influenza 😉/ content creator coz my editing/content is lousy/boring.”

Took me an hour from taking videos all the way to the final video product. It was a good break from the break I was taking. Actually it was a good mental break for me coz I’m feeling shitty.

The behind the 🎬 scene :

1) messy kitchen so trying to move things away out of camera view

2) I just push the matcha powder out from the bag to the bowl after that few spoonfuls as seen in video (so leychey to scoop bit by bit with the wooden scoop). And I forgot to sift the powder 🤦🏻‍♀️

3) suck in tummy & make sure only hand in view

4) aiyoh! I’m left-handed 🤦🏻‍♀️, blocked the camera. Shadow on kitchen top.

4) “ay! How come the colour looks dull? 😳”*panicked and checked the can 

5) after pouring. Oops! Only half the glass 🤣. Made another portion 

6) where’s the glass straw? Wanted to put a straw in after pouring matcha to complete the presentation. Oh well! 

Such a simple video but took me one hour, can you imagine how long it takes for those who make a living out of all these social media postings? I wasn’t making a living out of these so yah I won’t waste so much time 😉. 

My microfoam looks a little better than usual. Still need to learn to do it properly, think next trip to Japan I should go for classes.  

Ok…so I panicked why the colour looked dull after I had poured in water. Maybe it was the angle I was looking at it in the kitchen? Initially I thought it had something to do with organic (?) or expired. Anyway this isn’t organic, I got it all mixed up with another can of organic matcha. I took the Naoki matcha that W gifted me on my last birthday to see if there’s any comparison

When JL was in our house, she only opened this pack of matcha although I brought down the various cans and told her she can open them to try. Maybe she’s paiseh.

Naoki’s looks a little brighter in colour

Whatever powder that was on the plate and stuck on the spoon went into this unwhisked but stirred cup of plain super thin usucha. Don’t care lah! Not that I’m serving this to a guest, 自己喝的可以乱乱来。

Che-che bought this matcha in her Sep 25 trip.

I do have some at home but that didn’t stop me from asking to buy more in Jan this year when she went to Uji. At least she’s in a proper matcha shop. I was happy that she went to Masuda coz I really liked the 泉 something tea. Apparently that’s what they use in their shop.

I didn’t know the tea I liked cost so much ¥4400. I wanted to try a better one so asked her to get a can that is 2 steps superior quality - 至宝の昔　¥6300. In the photo that she sent me, I saw the superior 出品抹茶 selling for ¥12500. Gasp! I will lick up the bag if I ever kee siao buy that one day. I’m not that crazy. 

She continued and messaged me the other matchas she saw earlier. Didn’t ask her to buy coz we still have at home, need to finish what we have at home first. Firstly we don’t have much storage space designated for the various types of teas left in the kitchen. Secondly I’m not sure if it’ll be good to keep matcha powder that long coz I don’t drink it everyday. 

The next day, 30th, she messaged me again. 

Sigh…. they don’t even remember. And most frustrating thing is that they expect me to be preparing the drinks for them everytime. I don’t make, they wouldn’t drink. 

When she returned from her Jan trip

¥15100 for my matcha. And this girl went to buy hojicha. My message to her was probably late. 

Check back my last blog entry on matcha on 昔. 

Headphone

Was looking for headphones to use when I’m doing housework, ideally is to use the speaker at home to amplify but it isn’t possible most times now. I’m still happy with my AirPods Pro but recently my ears starts to itch when I use them. Has nothing to do with dirty earpiece coz I do clean them regularly. Anyway, also feel a headphone will suit me coz so many times while prepping ingredients, handwashing floor mats or cleaning I’m so worried if my earpiece will drop into the water 🤣. 

Then I began my search for suitable good quality headphone. I’m no audiophile, just needed one that can do its job BUT with noise cancelling coz I want to be fully immersed in my world. I could have settled for a cheap $50 or $100 headphone It was a comparison between Apple, Bose and Sony. I settled for Sony’s XM6 coz it’s the lightest amongst all and can play longer than Apple. Apple is the heaviest headphone and surely I do not want a heavyweight on my head when I’m working around the house.

Price comparison

Need to compare around since I’m not earning $$. I could have just settled for budget headphone however it will be a long term investment for me for the next 3 years or more so might as well get one that I put my heart into research. (Disclaimer : I may not be a good researcher) 

Compared prices in Best Denki/Challenger : KrisShop : online. I want to find a place where I can either use my mall vouchers for discount or earn miles (it’s 3 Krispay miles for every $2 spent in KrisShop). When I had a eureka moment - ask che-che to check in Bic Camera or Yodabashi since she’s currently in Japan. SONY = JAPAN so price should be cheaper + tax-free means more discount. 

(1) Best Denki / Challenger states original price $649 (true or not?) but selling at $519. I have $15 Lendlease voucher. Final sum $504

(2) KrisShop states original price at $595.41 but selling at $476.15. I will get 714 Krispay miles which basically means I can offset $7.14 from any merchants that accepts Kris+ or 714 goes into my Krisflyer miles. Not that it will increase my chances to get back into Elite Silver or jump to Gold so the little miles I’ll keep in Kris+ to offset $$.

(3) It’s ¥59400 in EdiOn. Without tax is ¥54000 according to her, strange that it’s less than 10% (or did my daughter try to earn extra ¥ from me? 🤭). That sum equates to S$438.59. Transferred her $440. Saved $36.15 for the same product why not? 

As she went to work the same day she returned, she only unpacked her luggage the next day. And … I opened up my new headphone the next day 🤣. Tested it. I LOVE IT! I tried the Cinema listening mode and what better music to test other than the orchestral piece Merry Go Round of Life. 

Food I missed

You can take a Singaporean out of Singapore but you can’t remove that Singaporean in you. I MISSED HOME FOOD!!! 

Only 3rd day into the trip and I was craving for laksa, mee siam and chwee kueh. Lil’ one craved for Uncle’s wanton on the 6th day 😂. Another thing I wanted was tong shui 糖水, I wanted cheng tng. 

On 27th we had our lunch in the food centre. I wanted to eat everything! Bak chor mee, wanton mee, chicken shredded noodles, lor mee, mee rebus, mee Soto, mee siam. Jialat! How to choose? I don’t know why I had kueh chap instead when it was not what I wanted, maybe coz there’s no queue at all? It’s the chilli that I miss. 

Hubby also must have craved for 糖水. Asked if I wanted, I showed him the widest smile. Of course I wanted my cheng tng 

Packed 20 sticks of otah from Lee Wee Bros for snacks. And packed my economical fried bee hoon for dinner. 

Few days later, I kindda still desired for longan based dessert again. So today (1st) got my action going and ….. 

Making Peach gum dessert. Yummy! 

Video collage + Shirakawa-go collage

About video editing apps

Made my second holiday collage with Capcut. 

I can safely say Capcut editing tools is so so much better and has more features compared to Vivavideo. I subscribed to Vivavideo but don’t understand why I still can’t access to some extras. Anyway, I will not renew once my subscription ends in April. 

I like Capcut better but I hate the way I have to select the items manually into the edit album. For a better explanation, I usually put all pics and videos into one album in my phone and from there I’ll pull out the items into the editing app. In Vivavideo, the moment I open my phone album all pics and videos are in there, so I just click them all in order. BUT in Capcut, they separate the pics in one sub album and videos in another. Thus I have to go back to my actual phone album and memorise the sequence “P,P,V,V,V,P etc…” it’s a tiring process coz I need to go to and fro my phone album, go back to app, select, go back to phone album. 

Comparison between Vivavideo and Capcut

V subscription price yet so lousy, tried certain ‘diamond labelled ’ features but kept prompting me that I needed to have membership. 

Oops! I missed to end my cheap subscription before 26th Jan. Alamak! I must have set the wrong date alert to myself in Jan. Argh! It was a promo price of more than 50% discount. Now I’m paying extra one month to Feb. Must set a reminder to self to end subscription on 24th Feb.   

Checked their subscription plan. Wah! Why do they have so many different prices? 

Their yearly plan has a huge difference between the cheapest and the most expensive. No way am I going to spend more than $50/year. How often do I do all these collage anyway? I mainly need it for my holiday family video which goes as long as 40+ mins to an hour. 

*** edit : I found the screenshots taken on 27/12/25 12.50am where I took up to subscribe for a month

I want to quickly finish all the family videos but it’s taking me a very long time to finish. 

I can probably finish the family videos only …

if the moment I wake up, I’ll continue lying on the bed or sofa without doing any houseworks. Without the need to cook (I mean I don’t cook daily in the first place), without leaving the house, be fed and leave the washing up to the family and continue doing the videos until I sleep. I might be able to finish one day of family video in a day.

Drumroll .. 

and Click HERE to view my Shirakawa-go’s collage. Hmm…haven’t been able to embed YouTube videos in here like I used to. 

Missing GJ

Rushing to make a few more aesthetic looking Instagrammable quality video collage with the CapCut app as it’s nearing the end of my “special price 1 month subscription”. Decided to make the highlights of the new places I went in June. 

I miss Gujo Hachiman!!! I think I blogged about this last year how I love this place. I’m so tempted to go back again this year, maybe bring a mat and sit down by the river to listen to the rushing water 🤣. 

Here again

Here I am again at 2.38am (26th) in Terminal 1 when I barely touched down 20hrs ago in T2 from our long trip. 

She’ll have 1 day or maybe 2 days of work before she flies off for her next trip. Cabin crew lifestyle 🤣. 

My day after touching down

As usual, hubby and I will need to clean the house. 

Mopped the floor twice, pulled out the bedsheets and Che-che’s towel for wash, washed outside toilet, can’t possibly clean every part of the house but I cleaned the important areas first. Ahh… my Thermomix simmering basket wasn’t cleaned properly so did one round of wash. Wanted to unpack but was so tired. Slept at close to 12 for 5 hours. 

Woke up, cleared the luggage and left some items inside coz I didn’t want to re-take items from my room to put into luggage again a month later. But lil’ one and my sweaters and thermal have to be hand washed, so I left them aside in a bag where I will take them out bit by bit to wash. 

Weird dream

Woke up to a weird dream. Feeling so fucking stressed the past few days. Damn pissed. Why? Thought we can go and enjoy the holiday properly but …

“dreamt drop handphone in drain meaning”

Dropping a handphone in a drain in a dream often symbolizes a 

loss of communication, connection, or a feeling of being overwhelmed by emotions or life situations. The specific context of a "drain" adds an element of something being lost to something dirty, hidden, or irretrievable. 

Here are some possible interpretations:

• Loss of Connection: Phones represent communication and relationships. Dropping it may indicate a disruption in an important personal or professional connection, a potential breakup, or a feeling of being unable to reach someone important.
• Emotional Turmoil: Water often symbolizes emotions, intuition, or the subconscious. Dropping your phone into it could suggest that you are feeling overwhelmed by your feelings or experiencing emotional turbulence that is interfering with your ability to communicate effectively.
• Loss of Control or Opportunities: The act of dropping something can reflect a feeling of losing control over a situation or your responsibilities. The drain specifically suggests that the loss might be related to something that feels "dirty" (perhaps a shameful situation) or something that has simply vanished, potentially symbolizing missed opportunities or a fear of falling behind in life.
• Difficulty Expressing Yourself: The dream might suggest that someone or something is preventing you from expressing your thoughts or opinions freely, essentially "shutting you off" from speaking your mind.
• Warning or Internal Conflict: Some interpretations suggest the dream could be a warning to be more cautious about your possessions or plans, or it might reflect an internal conflict where you feel you have made a faulty life choice and are having difficulty finding your way back. 

Ultimately, the most meaningful interpretation will depend on your personal feelings and current life circumstances. Reflect on what the phone, the drain, and the feeling of the dream mean to you personally to understand its full significance. 

“dream drop handphone in gated drain meaning”

Dropping a handphone in a dream generally relates to a 

fear of losing important connections, communication, or something valuable in your waking life. The specifics of the "gated drain" suggest feelings of being unable to retrieve what is lost, or that the loss is contained or blocked off in some way. 

General Dream Elements and Interpretations

• The Handphone (Cell Phone): This typically symbolizes your ability to communicate, maintain relationships, access information, or stay connected in society. Losing it often implies a disruption or fear of disruption in these areas.
• Dropping the Phone: This action can indicate a fear of failure, an accidental loss, or feeling clumsy or out of control in a situation where something important slips away.
• The Drain: Drains often represent a way for things to be washed away, discarded, or disappear into the subconscious. It can also symbolize emotions or feeling overwhelmed, as drains are associated with water flow and waste.
• "Gated" Drain: The presence of a gate or cover is a key detail. It suggests that the item is irretrievable, or that a physical or emotional barrier prevents you from recovering the lost connection or valuable item. You may feel a situation is "blocked off" and cannot be reversed. 

Possible Interpretations

Combining these elements, the dream could be interpreted in several ways:

• Loss of Connection: You may be experiencing anxiety about losing touch with significant people in your life, and the "gated drain" means you feel unable to fix it.
• Blocked Communication: There might be a specific communication channel that has been cut off, and you feel the problem is now out of your reach or "down the drain" permanently.
• Feeling Helpless: The dream could reflect a situation where something valuable to you was lost due to circumstances beyond your control, and the "gated" nature emphasizes a feeling of finality or helplessness in recovering it.
• Privacy Concerns: In some cases, a phone can hold personal contacts and information. The dream might suggest a fear of losing control over your private life or essential personal/business contacts. 

Ultimately, dream interpretations are highly personal, and the meaning that resonates most with your current life situation is usually the correct one for you.