Any recommendation for free online photo upload?

The one that I am currently using (Webshots) allows me to upload one picture at a time. Once uploaded, my pictures are artificially darken.

Need to upload tons of pictures.

Thank you in advance.

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1. After writing your comments, select 'Other' instead of 'Anonymous'.

2. Fill up your name and click on the button 'Publish your comment'.

Creativity

If you are creative and have a good product, you can laugh your way to the bank. Just look at the number of products advertise and sold on a channel dedicated to selling innovative products.
For example, as my colleague does not know that I am keeping my hair long, she suggested this product called Trim-a-cut whereby you cut your hair while combing it.

Another was the swimwear dryer. Swimmers usually have to bring bags or wrap the wet swimwear in a towel after swimming. At Johns Hopkins Homewood Campus, the swimming pool has this gadget whereby you get dried swimwear after placing in it for 10 seconds. The reason being someone identified the problem and devised a method or tool to solve it.

Sometimes, it takes the right person with the right attitude to be at the right place and right time for new ideas to flow. So, let not any opportunities slip you by. Grab them and make a difference in the world right now.

Commendable aspect of Maryland's transportation

The public transport in USA is equipped to help the physically challenged to move around.

There are bus services dedicated for those in wheel chairs. Boarding onto the bus is easy for them as buses were designed with them in mind. By a flick of the switch, the flight of steps becomes a lift and once onboard, designated seats are foldable where they can park their wheel chairs.

Special laws are passed where abled persons are required to give up their seats to them.

All these provide the physically challenged to go as they wish.

Patapsco Valley State Park

Saturday May 21, 2006
I visited Patapsco Valley State Park located south of Baltimore city. It extends along the Patapsco river where I presumed it got its name, encompassing 14,000 acres or 56.66 square kilometers. There were many trails available for hiking, cross-terrain biking and horse riding (I did not see anyone on a horse but I saw horse poop). The markings for the trails were conspicuous. There was no need to worry about getting lost.

This was also the first time that I experienced some sort of allergy in my life when I walked passed certain part of the park. My throat started to be irritated and I started coughing. Other than this slight discomfort, the hike was relaxing.

The flora and fauna were not as diverse as those of tropical rainforests. There was no thick undergrowth. However, two great things about hiking in a temperate forest were there was no pesty mosquito and the air was not humid.

It is good to get away from the buzz of city life and embrace fresh air from time to time. Watching waterfall and listening to the trickle of flowing water is therapeutic. It serves well for the brain and spirit to re-create.

Drinking oil?

This was a first for me to buy such a large volume of cooking oil (9.46 litres/2.5 gallons). Previously, the most I bought was only 5 litres and that was used for the whole family. I will have more than enough cooking oil to last through my stay here. To prevent rancidity and for easy pouring, I would aliquot into smaller volumes.

This is one thing I like about US culture where things are sold in bulk at warehouse prices. I also discovered my favorite brand of ice cream, Godiva dark chocolate bar at Sam's Club. The chocolate ice cream is encrusted by a layer of dark chocolate crust. It looks tempting just by looking at it. The crust would break when you sink your teeth into the bar. Next, the rich aroma of dark chocolate permeates your taste buds. Heavenly....

Improvisation II

No iron board? Use a bathing towel and lay it on a table. Personally, I find it is better than an iron board because the table has a wider surface area.

A large cooking pot can be used for washing vegetables or meat, brewing soup or steaming food. I had used it to smash white pepper balls between clean cloths since I do not have a set of pestle and motar.

No broom? Use moist paper towels. They pick up dust and strands of hair better than broom. A big plus is that the dust does not fly about compared to sweeping with a broom. Use this method only when you have a small area to clean else you would have backache.

Pork Chop recipe

Ingredients
Pork slices
Bread or biscuit crumbs
Egg white
Meat tenderizer or corn starch works too
Meat marinating sauce (up to you)

Alternatively, you can marinate using light soya sauce, white pepper powder and sesame oil

If you like wine, you can add Chinese cooking wine or red wine

Method
Marinate pork slices using the sauce or the alternate ingredients for at least two hours.

Add egg white to the pork after marinating. It acts as a glue for the bread or biscuit crumbs to stick to the meat.

Place marinated pork slices onto a plate of crumbs, dip both sides.

Fry over low to medium flame till golden brown.

Serve with vegetables.

A tribute to MOTHERS

Mother, mama, mommy, mum, 母 (Chinese, Japanese), mère (French), madre (Spanish, Italian), mutter (German), mãe (Portuguese), 어머니 (Korean) and Ibu (Malay). I find it fascinating that majority of these words in different languages has the alphabet ‘m’ and regardless of how they may sound, the virtues of love, tenderness, wisdom, courage and strength are found in the person whom we utter these words.

For nine months, you carried me in your womb, protecting the tiny me from harm. In giving birth to me, you endured pain beyond description. During my infant days, you tirelessly fed me with milk and love. In sickness, your constant care nursed me back to health. Your quiet sacrifices are not unnoticed, for you have taught me how to love. In my growing years, your compassion and wisdom taught me charity and guidance to find my dreams. Thank you for believing in all my dreams. I am what I am today and I owe it all to you, Mama.

Madam Soong's son

Children see, children do

I had replaced 'monkey' to 'children' in the phrase "Monkey see, monkey do" from a personal experience. We adults are being watched by young impressionable children.

While eating his meal, my 3-year nephew started to shake his leg. In Chinese culture, it is considered rude to shake the leg or for the more superstitious, luck will be shaken away. My mum reproached him but he replied, 'Uncle Paul shakes his leg too.' I laughed hard when my mum recounted this incident to me.

If you want your kids to grow up in a certain way, do not just tell them because they usually do not listen. Instead, lead the way by showing an example to them. If you don't want your children to swear, don't swear. If you want your children to respect you, respect your parents. The list goes on. You get the idea!

Lesson from T-shirts

I used to wear medium-sized (M) T-shirts. But now, they are small-sized T-shirts. Something was amiss when I woke up every morning to find that my T-shirt hems barely covered my navel.

Lately, did I pieced the clues together. I set the washer to 'high temperature' instead of 'perm pressed', thinking that it would be cleaner. The dryer was set to high temperature too. My T-shirts are made of 100% cotton. Eureka, my T-shirts shrunk because of the heat.

Luckily, these T-shirts are meant for sleeping only. Imagine me walking around with the shrunken T-shirts. (Puking.....) Think this fashion is more suitable for females.

Lesson to learn: Always read and follow the washing instructions on whatever you want to wash.

A week in Paul's world

Sunday
Wake up to the morning sun to do laundry, then attend 11.30am mass.

Cook lunch for a week's supply in the afternoon.

Buy grocery in the evening.

Tired at night after cooking and cleaning up apartment.

Monday - Friday
Work and work.

Dinner will either be ready-to-eat food such as pizza and pizza and pizza....... or noodle in whatever soup that I brewed.

Saturday
Explore new places by bus or stay at apartment to rest.

Invitation to the Refuge Way of the Cross Church

I was invited by Delores to attend a Sunday service at her church today. Knowing that the congregation will be dressed in their Sunday's best, I put on long sleeve, pants and leather shoes instead of T-shirt, jeans and sneakers. This is a great attitude for me to learn because I am too complacent in my dressings when I attend mass.

The church was located just one street from where I attend my usual Sunday mass at Blessed Sacrament Church (Old York Road). When I entered through the main entrance, I was hit by waves of loud praising. The most often heard words were ‘alleluia’, ‘amen’, and Jesus.

The service was conducted in a dynamic and vibrant manner where the pastor will preach and anyone could stand up and praise the Lord. There would be spontaneous clapping, singing and dancing. The church was very much alive and spirit-filled.

After about two and half hours of worship, we adjourned from the main hall to the canteen below. As they celebrated Women’s Day today, all the men waited and served the ladies. I was spared the task because I was their guest. The community was very warm towards me.

Lunch began with a bowl of vegetable soup, a cup of cut fruits, followed by entrée consisting of rice, baked chicken and vegetables. I was too full for a slice of cake for dessert.

This was really an experience to see how Christians worship in USA.

Paul's Gong Bao Ji Ting (chicken) recipe

Let me share my Gong Bao chicken recipe. My cooking style is based on estimation of the amount of each ingredient needed.

Ingredients:
Chicken breast meat
Dried chilli
Cashew nuts
Ginger
Garlic
Onion
Capsicum
Light soya sauce
Sugar
Sesame oil
Corn starch
White pepper powder


Method:
Cut the chicken breast to small chunks.

Marinate the meat with light soya sauce, white pepper powder, sesame oil and corn starch for two hours. Do not put too much sesame oil and corn starch because the former will impart a bitter taste if added in large quantity while the latter will give a starchy texture. Corn starch serves to tenderise the meat.

Chop garlic, slice ginger and oinion, cut capsicum to bite-sized.

Warm cooking oil and stir fry cashew nuts till golden brown.

Fry dried chilli, chopped garlic, sliced ginger and onion sequentially when each has given off its fragrant.

Add marinated meat and stir fry till cook. Add light soya sauce and sugar to taste.

Fry capsicum quickly (since it can be eaten raw) and serve.

Bon appetit.

A prayer for strength

Lord, grant me patience to deal with life situations as they come.

Teach me to forgive and forget with a generous heart when hurts and insults befall me.

In my afflictions, mould me into the person that You see in me.

Above all, I seek Your wisdom to navigate through this life's journey!

Amen.

F & F cravings

Two months without local food and fruits! My cravings for them are building up to a climax as though I am suffering from withdrawal symptom. I am even eating pickled chilli (or what they called here as ‘pepper’) as a dish.

Tropical fruits such as banana, watermelon and mango are expensive here and do not taste as sweet.

Beef noodles, dry wanton mee, Hainanese chicken rice, fried kway tiao, rojak, mee siam, durain, rambutan, papaya etc. The list is endless. I want them all!

Prior to my US trip, I actually began to crave for local delights. Whatever dish I thought of, I would ‘hunt’ it down and relish its taste and flavour. A meal could mean a few dishes instead of my usual one dish and a drink. Debbie brought me to the Red Hill Hawker Centre once where she recommended famous stalls. We went from alley to alley, ordering up to seven dishes at the end of the gastronomic adventure. Without saying, we were bloated but I had a great time satisfying my cravings.

I will do this again when I am back soon.

Face off at Homewood Field

I finally got to witness a match of lacrosse on Saturday which is the oldest sports in North America. It began centuries ago where the Native Americans played to resolve conflicts, heal the sick, develop strong and virile men as well as to prepare for war. To Native Americans, lacrosse is still referred to as "The Creator's Game."

The match took place at Homewood field, between Johns Hopkins University Blue Jays and Townson University Tigers. Each team has a goalie, three defenders, three midfielders and three attackers. The aim is to shoot as many balls into the opponent's goal. The team with the most goals wins.

The game began with a parachutist bringing the balls for the match. What a great way to start a game! The referee’s whistle blew off and the competition started with the Blue Jays leading against Townson Tigers. I sat among fans of the Blue Jays where I spotted a guy with an interesting cap. In support of his favorite team, he had three blue jay look-alikes attached to his cap. The Hopkins cheerleading team and pep band were there to hype up the game with chants, dances and songs. Everytime the Blue Jays scores a goal, the pep band will played the fight song, 'To Win', where fans would join at the end, by counting the number of goals scored by the Blue Jays and chanting 'We want more!'

Competition was fierce between both teams. Players had to wear protective gears as they can use the lacrosse stick called the crosse to hit the opponents. Their scores were neck and neck with the Blue Jays leading by two or three points. The face off ended at the fourth quarter with the Blue Jays beating the Tigers 11-10.

Congratulations to both teams for a game well played. I had a good tan sitting at the spectator stand for one and half hour after two months here.