tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56589232024-03-07T19:53:30.242-08:00Brain DoodlesWhenever I don't want to do what I'm supposed to do, I like to write.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger232125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658923.post-20442203998907505242009-05-24T11:14:00.008-07:002009-06-17T23:02:56.036-07:00One down, many to goOne of my new year's resolutions was to complete a 10k run in under 90 minutes. I know 90 minutes is a fairly relaxed goal, but I just needed a goal to get me started on endurance training. So after my exams last month, I signed up for a 10k training clinic with Running Room. The format consists of a clinic night (where various speakers come in to educate us on a topic for 20, 30 mins) followed Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658923.post-76571985733611844142009-05-21T14:23:00.004-07:002009-05-24T17:54:48.860-07:00Just peachyIt's funny, some of the things we hang onto. A couple days ago, I opened a bar of 20-year-old soap. I kid you not.I even remember exactly who gave it to me: 2 girls whom I barely knew (and haven't seen since) who were friends of my friend. It was ultra-nice of them to get me a gift (Body Shop fuzzy peach soap and a really nice scrunchy) for my birthday, considering they didn't know me, and Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658923.post-26964483795528990532009-05-12T22:14:00.009-07:002009-10-21T22:19:56.558-07:00A nice quiet bdayI'm afraid that I went through a bit of a cranky mood last night. A couple friends were asking how I was going to celebrate my birthday, and I got a little frustrated and let the pessimist take over. Everything that made me happy, I'd lost in the past year. There was nothing to celebrate.[As a side note, though, my friend came over and helped me reset my whole wireless network, getting me a step Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658923.post-47508346863285045932009-05-10T00:00:00.005-07:002009-05-10T14:30:37.370-07:00Catch and releaseThose who've been keeping up with my blog know that I have a thing about mosquitoes. Yelch!! Well, a couple of hours ago, as I was putting away some laundry, I noticed a huge-a$$ mosquito fluttering about in my room: its wingspan was a good 2 inches! But then I lost it when I ran out to get my spider cup! (Yes, I have a transparent cup that I use to catch spiders!)Well, I was getting ready for Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658923.post-31431044437884332392009-05-09T22:55:00.005-07:002009-06-17T22:19:03.261-07:00Have a little considerationMy dad and I went to see my mom this morning, a day-early Mother's Day visit. As we were sending our thoughts to her and offering fruits, a group of Chinese were there talking, laughing, and being oblivious to the fact that other people were around. Seriously? It's a mausoleum!This example was the latest in a series of observations that when Chinese people congregate, they become loud and noisy Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658923.post-77174691068917504892009-05-08T22:19:00.011-07:002009-05-09T00:13:51.107-07:00Ba-da-boob, ba-da-bingJust got home from the 4th Annual Vancouver International Burlesque Festival, which was fabulous. I saw an ad for the festival in The Vancouver Sun, and thought it might be interesting to check out. Something different. So I got tickets to The Cheesecake Burlesque Revue, a group from Victoria, BC.For a mere $13, we got 2 hours of glittery ruby red lipstick, sparkly eye makeup, costumes and wigs, Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658923.post-60859186112840331062009-05-04T23:27:00.015-07:002009-05-07T12:50:45.335-07:00Dressed to the ninesMy dad and I put together bags of clothing for donation, and in the bags was a long coat of my mom's, pictured right. My dad had told me about it a few months back.My mom made this coat. Yes, one of her many talents. Waaaay back when my dad was studying in the States, and before any of us were born. My mom was really, really excited: they were going to go to Las Vegas. So my dad went with her to Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658923.post-56713360886937053622009-05-02T16:31:00.004-07:002009-05-02T16:45:52.054-07:00Sugar-coated pastOne of favourite candies from my childhood is Wonka Runts. Fruit-shaped fruity hard candies! I liked getting each flavour and melting them in my mouth....I saw them at Superstore the other day, and a wave of nostalgia inspired me to purchase a box.Well, I should've just left the past in the past. They taste awful - just pure sugar, in a packed powder form. They're absolutely disgusting!Some Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658923.post-11486595845766451852009-04-26T15:20:00.009-07:002009-04-28T12:33:39.837-07:00Iron Ring ironyAfter our run this morning, a woman in my running group commented, "Oh, you're an engineer, too," indicating the Iron Ring on my right hand.I always say that the stainless steel Iron Ring on my pinkie is a reminder of the hardest thing I've ever done: the many years of suffering through my engineering education. It's true. Those were some very gruelling years. I think I must've developed my Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658923.post-37480828950027215932009-03-28T19:58:00.008-07:002012-06-01T12:15:07.294-07:00Could you repeat that again?On my way home from campus a few days ago, I stopped off at Timmy Hs to grab some coffee and replenish my bagel supply. When I got to the counter, I placed my order: "Medium mocha with decaf, and half a dozen blueberry bagels, please."The cash register rang up "1 Lg mocha". The woman behind the counter looked up at me and asked, "What size?"Me: "Medium. With decaf, please."She corrected her entryUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658923.post-18177004485879098862009-02-20T15:29:00.003-08:002009-05-07T01:14:17.766-07:00SubtitlesOkay, I'm totally supposed to be studying for my anatomy+physiology midterm, but I had to take a few minutes to write about this.I was waiting for my order at Tim Hortons, and the next two people approached the counter to place their order. There was some back-and-forth about what beverage they wanted, and it became obvious that the two customers were hearing-impaired, with one woman Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658923.post-45666853490434042332009-01-19T15:21:00.012-08:002009-01-19T17:31:12.611-08:009 for '09I'm not usually one for New Year's resolutions, but I figured that with my life where it is right now, it wouldn't be bad to have some. So here we go, 9 for '09.Lose 5 poundsThrough exercise and a proper diet, not starvation. The goal is more to re-establish an exercise routine than to lose the pounds.Learn to use my camera settings properlyFor a camera with limited settings, I should really Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658923.post-16441719432841278282008-12-25T00:07:00.003-08:002008-12-25T00:43:36.577-08:00Merry Christmas!Merry Christmas to all! What an interesting holiday season it's been!Most of the excitement has been thanks to the largest snowfall in Vancouver in a long long time. It snowed last Wed, and I had the great pleasure (...) of shovelling the snow. Those who have been to my house in the winter know that it's almost as cold inside as it is outside, so coming in from the cold didn't offer much comfort.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658923.post-69203413667462700852008-11-19T16:42:00.004-08:002008-11-19T20:21:23.941-08:00Through sickness, health and sex changeWhile looking for an image for my French composition, I came across an article about a couple that was still married after the husband underwent a sex change operation. The article goes on to talk about how marriage laws are a little behind in keeping step with what is acceptable in modern society, and touches on just some of the issues that an untraditional couple might encounter in various Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658923.post-28562868259468966082008-10-24T21:26:00.003-07:002008-10-24T21:31:10.419-07:00Not so bright, Part 3I was under the impression that I'd already posted this 3rd installment, but I guess I hadn't done quite enough stupid things, yet! I've now caught up.When I park at the side of the road, I usually back up and straighten my wheel so I can ride away more easily. One night I was leaving the post office (which happens to be on a slight slope), and as I let my scooter glide backwards... I stopped Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658923.post-20403708902998103392008-10-19T23:40:00.003-07:002008-10-20T00:00:35.661-07:00Awww, thanks!I just completed my Standard First Aid and CPR Level C certification this weekend. In two days of training, we covered a lot of emergency and first-on-the-scene procedures; I highly recommend it!We were practicing moving a victim from upright position to floor while immobilising for possible head and spine injuries. And as my group member was gently letting my immobilised head down onto the floorUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658923.post-77377246006453813832008-08-24T00:29:00.002-07:002008-08-24T00:32:59.316-07:00DesolateI still want to hold your hand, smile at you, send you kisses over the phone....Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658923.post-41281335859282460432008-08-09T22:43:00.004-07:002008-08-10T16:16:48.954-07:00StandstillIt feels like whenever I move to a new place (all two times), everyone I leave behind moves on with their lives, and I am at a standstill.When I moved to Taiwan, time froze. I worked and played and experienced a lot of things, but I remained at the same point in my life. All my friends in Vancouver were getting married and having kids. Now that I'm back in Vancouver, all my friends in Taiwan are Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658923.post-73026213619730299872008-07-26T00:26:00.006-07:002009-05-07T01:02:46.935-07:00Home. And yet....I arrived back in Vancouver on Thursday night, closing a chapter of my life, and starting a new one.It's funny, because it doesn't feel like I'm coming home. In fact, it feels like I left home. The wonderful friends and "family" I built up over the nearly 4 years, my brothers and new sis-in-law... all left behind. :(Everything I'm coming back to... is different. So, in a way, it almost feels Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658923.post-57396839883098790092008-07-25T22:22:00.005-07:002008-07-26T00:26:45.630-07:00Not enough time, Part 2So, in my 3 weeks left, I managed to squeeze in a fair bit, just making the most of my time left.- outdoor climbing at Longdong 龍洞, despite a climber falling to her death a month earlier;- National Palace Museum 故宮 with my dad;- wakeboarding 滑水 with my coworker in Taipei county - sooooo much fun!- more indoor climbing at iClimb (that was a constant!), including helping with a kids' activity, ha;-Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658923.post-27805697852352533612008-07-04T11:29:00.001-07:002008-07-04T11:31:16.264-07:00Not enough timeThe time's gone by awfully quickly.... Since coming to Taiwan, I've been partly busy with handling some personal business (finances, other loose ends) but also with spending time with friends before I leave the country "for good". So here's the Reader's Digest version of what I've done so far in the last 4 weeks:- watched dragonboat races for 端午節 (hadn't ever done that in Vancouver even!);- Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658923.post-37534359437110877922008-06-07T08:55:00.005-07:002008-06-09T20:47:09.124-07:00Hot and sweatyThat's how my trip to Taiwan is starting out. First of all, when I went through Customs, I got selected for a random patdown. The Customs officer was nice enough, though. Asked me if I was wearing a belt ("Um, no, it's just... fat." "Hahah, if you're fat, then what am I... obese? :p") She actually did pat down the entire body, including around all sides of the bra...! and checked the bottoms of Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658923.post-61252170831908787642008-05-31T16:20:00.005-07:002008-06-01T13:01:05.157-07:00Blood. It's in you to give.After thinking about it for several years, I finally took my first step in becoming a blood donor. The radio broadcast an immediate need for O- blood, so I figured why not, this was as good a time as any! (While in Taiwan, I wanted to join CompanyM's blood drive, but hadn't been back from Cambodia (2006) or Vietnam (2007) for a full year.)Yesterday around noon, I went to the Canadian Blood Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658923.post-58360722737007595532008-04-22T17:01:00.002-07:002008-04-22T17:03:11.497-07:00Under the table"King one still there on the whole bar! And I'm in a soundproof room...!"That was the line that we kids would call out at each meal when we were younger. It was the statement that granted us the deed to the forked legs at each end of the table, so we could prop our feet on them for the meal.First you had to get your feet on the bar, and then you had to say the whole statement without the other Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5658923.post-92005116132745116812008-04-19T16:30:00.003-07:002009-05-07T01:07:19.968-07:00In Loving MemoryExcitable and HumorousEveryone who has met my mother undoubtedly knows her for her playful energy and zest for life. Indeed, Mom was more excited about my first date, about my prom, and convocation than even I was. And she loved to hear about any new activities I was trying – hiking, swimming, rock-climbing. I could always count on her to start deliberating about what I would be wearing to a Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0