INVICTUS by WE Henley

WE Henley, Gloucester, England 1849 - 1902

INVICTUS

by


William Earnest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul

~***~

Salam, Dear Friends!

(Personal Class: Kak  Ayu from Singapore 18 - 19 Dec 2010)

Chef Baini is honoured to present today's blog post on a personal class for Kak Ayu who came all the way from Singapore. She came with her family who decided to paint the town red while she diligently works on learning the craft of fondant and cake decoration. As you might have expected, finding her way around KL would be quite a challenge, as she is not from here. But this determined lady would not be denied her opportunity to learn what she has travelled far to learn.

What Chef Baini found truly amazing was that Ms. Ayu put aside food and drink and went to work non-stop! On the first day, she spent at least 12 hours and on the second day an incredible 14 hours! On the first day she travelled from the dead of night to arrive in KL at 8 am, which means that she went without sleep for a continuous 18 hours with little nourishment! So determined is Kak Ayu that Chef Baini thought only the INVICTUS poem by WE Henley is the only fitting poem to describe Kak Ayu.

The poem is a sort of compulsory poem that every schoolboy and girl would have learned in school. Had they gone to school in England, that is. It is a classic in the English language: it professes the indomitable desire to rise above oneself that makes the human spirit unconquerable. If it is inspiring enough to read, what more to see it embodied in a person! Chef Baini has mentioned before that she learns from her students as much as they from her. This time she is inspired to greater heights as well.

Kak Ayu wanted to learn 1) Cupcake Hantaran 2) Pillow Cake 3) Kebaya cake and 4) 3 Tiered Wedding Cake. But in the beginning she had to learn to roll out fondant icing properly, just like everyone else. In a relatively short time, she picked it up just like everyone else too!

Thank you Kak Ayu, for coming all the way from Singapore to visit Chef Baini. It was definitely worth the long hours you spent here in Malaysia. And thank you to all of you too, who spent some of your precious time visiting Chef Baini's blog today. We will see you again soon. Take care!

Love Always,

Chef Baini