Ikan
Today, I learned a new lesson, cutting a fish, ikan kerisi to be exact. I do know the standard fish cut, but for ikan kerisi (to be fried), it has to be a full cut from the backside of the fish. It was my first time. When I first hold the fish, I know right away that it's a little fragile. So, I decided to cut it softly without putting any kind of pressure on it. The result: the fish was destroyed due to excessive softness. Then, I put a little force on it, and it went quite successfully though not really beautiful. For my third fish, I was too excited which causing me to put an extra pressure resulting another destroyed fish. For my fourth fish, it was quite successful where I learned to put the pressure at the right places. Though all the cuttings after that can never match my mother's, I was quite satisfied.

Then, to clean its stomachs. I have never take it out bare handed before. With the normal fish cut, my grandmother had taught me to do it using a knife. I tried to do the same, unfortunately it ripped the thin layer of the fish's abs. For my second trial, I tried using my hand (while comforting myself that it's just fish) to jerk away the gill but it became quite messy because I didnot get the whole of the gill. On my next trial, I decided to be a little braver this time, I dig deeper, allowing my hand to get a little dirty. The result: a really smooth and clean look of a fish abs. I was satisfied though my hand smells, and I was glad that not only now I know how to cut a fish, I also learnt quite a few lessons:

1. You can never be too soft, it will destroy. You can never be too hard, it will destroy also. You have to know to put the right pressure at the right time.

2. Different people requires different kind of approach. If you force a wrong approach to a wrong crowd, somebody might get hurt.

3. Sometimes, you had to get it dirty first to get it clean (please don't misunderstand this). For instance, you have to be in the field and get your hand a little dirty to achieve your goal. You also need to be a risk taker. Be creative, dig deeper to find your answer.

4. Of course, I learnt that practises make perfect. You can never be too old or too young to learn something.

It was quite an adventure with the fishes today. I spent my whole afternoon with them and i was satisfied with my findings. There is always something to learn in every act that we do... God bless..