50% Off on Heritage Malta Museums in Gozo this Sunday

Benefit from a discount of 50% this Sunday 1st of March, when you visit 4 of the museums available in the Citadel Gozo.

The weather is looking promising this weekend so you can take advantage of this and have a day out 🙂

I have been Gozo Museum of Archaeology and also to the Folklore Museum and I can vouch for them.

Prices are ridiculously low as can be seen in the advert below:

Heritage Gozo 20150301

Enjoy! X

Words

Unravel hidden memories…
Disentangle your frustration.
Write down your hopes
as an unencumbered song.

Weave the thoughts
Make them flow nicely
notions will fall into place,
by your magical wand.

The sweetest of words,
the harshest of tones
is what makes us unique,
what makes us all Gods.

———————————————–
//By Steffi ~ 

Steffi Advice #3 – Inhabitable Situation with Parents

Dear Steffi,

I am 32 years old and I still live with my parents. I am about to be married in 2 years, and it is best to stay with them as it is cheaper this way and can save more money for the wedding. But they make me so angry, I want to punch a wall sometimes.

Wall Puncher

—————–

Dear Wall Puncher,

I can understand your situation as I have a lot of friends and acquaintances who went through this problem. When you are of a certain age, and you want your own privacy and space, it is a huge challenge to keep living with your parents without any fights and disruptions. Two years is quite some time, and I doubt that you should wait this long. Being stressed and angry with your situation, is not only bad for your relationship with your parents, but also with your soon to be spouse as well as with friends. It can affect your sleep and thus your behaviour at work and your motivation in everything else. I would suggest that you find a flat mate or perhaps see if one of your friends would like to join forces to live together to reduce costs. if you have bought a home with your partner and it’s habitable you can consider moving there, if you are both in agreement to it. You can give it a try for a number of days, and see if you prefer this to your current living situation. Good luck!

Much Love XXX

3 Ingredients Brownie Cake

Tried and tested; All you need is 2 eggs, 350g nutella and 150g flour. Mix them together until it forms a rather sticky dough. Place in a dish, and put in a preheated oven, and cook at 160 degrees Celsius. It took mine 25mins to be fully cooked, but always use a toothpick to check if the cake is ready. As soon as toothpick comes out of the cake clean, switch the oven off and wait for the brownie to cool down slightly before eating it.

Below, you can find a photo of the end result. I have added almonds and chocolate chips on top of my cake:

1966296_10153601588529606_2861893357505748263_o

Bon Apetit!

Microsoft 70-461

During the last couple of months I have been going through a Microsoft book, in order to get yet another certification. Although this could be a good addition to my CV, I am finding this book thoroughly boring and impracticable. Sure, it’s good to know the how-to when you work on SQL Server, and it’s always a positive thing to know how to better yourself and optimise your code. But why would I want to read about its history and in such monotonous American English? Why is the writer bluffing so much in this book, and what about the tricky questions at the end of each chapter? In reality, wouldn’t it have been better if what we read is implied in the exams, by writing down code rather than answering questions based on an X amount of possible answers? It certainly feels like I am being graded on my American English rather than on what I have learned and the skills I have obtained during the last 5 years I worked on SQL Server.

//Rant Over

A walk in Rabat

While waiting for a friend this Wednesday, I decided to have a stroll in Rabat, in the vicinity of Mdina. The weather was not so promising, and I was waiting for the rain to start pouring any moment. In fact, it did after a short while. But, I still managed to take a couple of photos to share with you.

Rabat and Mdina, especially Mdina is a very touristic area, and is a must to visit when in Malta. I’d say it is one of my Top 3 places in Malta, mostly cos I adore medieval and history. Mdina, is known as the Silent city. I won’t bother you with much details for now, until I am able to feature it to you with more photos to support it.

In the meantime, a few teaser photos of the lovely area of Rabat:

201500218 - Rabat&Mdina Walk before meeting Joan (2) copy

201500218 - Rabat&Mdina Walk before meeting Joan (1) copy

201500218 - Rabat&Mdina Walk before meeting Joan (3) copy
Entrance to Mdina

Steffi Advice #2 – Boyfriend harassed into Marriage

Dear Steffi,

My girlfriend of 6 years has finally gotten what she wanted. I have been forced into buying a house with her as I am tired of her nagging; ‘we should get married’. Now I feel unhappy and our relationship is in a mess and it’s all her fault.

Sad but True

————-

Dear Sad but True,

Pressuring someone to get what you want is never a good idea. Forcing someone into doing things for you always has a price to pay. There is no easy way of saying this, but buying that house together was not a very bright decision. This is clearly putting a bigger strain on the future of your relationship. I think it is time to talk to each other, and perhaps talk to a counsellor to see if it is a relationship worth saving or if you should start anew. Buying a house with someone is a huge commitment, and you both do not seem to be at that stage, even if you have been together for 6 years. For a moment, think about yourself, and whether this is the life you want to lead. Imagine what the nagging might get you into next time round!
Remember, loving someone, being with someone and committing to someone should come natural, and with mutual agreement; not enforced.

Much Love XX

Of childhood memories and meat

Last night, it was the first time I have ever seen a video which explains how to butcher a pig. The pig was not alive, do not worry, but the butcher explains and shows you how to best cut the pig into great pieces of meat to cook and to make sausage from.

At first, I was skeptic to watch this. Not because I am afraid of blood or disgusted. I like my meat bloody; medium to rare. The problem is, that when I was young, perhaps five years old, I saw my grandfather killing a rabbit. He had his small rabbit farm; he used to breed them, grow them up and then gives them to his family to eat. I still remember the clunk of the rabbit when it hit the wall, and the squeal which came soon after. It is the one of the first few memories I have as a child and to this day, I rarely eat rabbit. And when I do, I feel the guilt as the memories come back. But the rabbit tastes so divine, that at times it is just so hard to resist.

Those who share my love of food, I would recommend you to watch this video and start to appreciate the art of butchery and the best looking pork cuts I have ever seen.

Steffi Advice #1 – Single and Frustrated

Dear Steffi,

I have been single for a number of years and I am starting to wonder why I have been for so long. Most guys that are interested in me are either nerd looking or those who just wanna have sex and get on with life without me. What do you think am I doing wrong?

Frustrated.

—————–

Dear Frustrated,

Although a number of years might seem to be a long time, it spares you the heart ache of dating someone who you do not have enough interest in. Fill up your time with other things, stop waiting for prince charming. Love comes when you least expect it, or so they say. I have been single for almost a year myself, but I have come into terms with it. There’s nothing wrong with being single. Love yourself, enjoy the freedom. There will be time in your life when you are going to regret not taking advantage of this situation. Travel, read, learn a sport or a hobby, have random chats with strangers, focus on yourself.
I’m sure there are good men out there, he will come to you… or you will come to him; at the right moment, at the right time. Maybe you will have to kiss a few frogs before you find the prince, but remember… everyday you are one step closer.
As much as I don’t want you to give up, I want you to make the most out of your current situation.

Much Love XX