twenty-five day countdown

Do you remember these?


I wish I had a chocolate calendar!

helluva week

It's been quite the week. A birthday week busy with just stuff.

Two Fridays ago, I went to a battle of the bands fundraiser. The "Wally Project" raised money so that the group could pay down the mortgage/rent for some families so that they could have a decent Christmas.

Two Saturdays ago, I attended my church's 4th, (yes, it's only four years old) birthday. International Global banquet, they call it. Everyone brings a dish from their culture. We got some Dutch foods, a Cheese curry, some Indian... and even KFC - from Canadian culture, I suppose.

Two Sundays ago, I had my own birthday bash! We volunteered for the Richmond Christmas Fund, painting a Christmas scene on one of the dealers (Audi) in the Richmond Automall. They in turn donated $$ to the Richmond Christmas Fund which buys toys for underprivileged kids. My friends had so much fun, it was a great way to spend the afternoon. I always marvel at the generosity of my buddies. Some of them even made Christmas shoeboxes because I had requested it - and others just made them because they do it every year!

Monday and Tuesday were dinners dad and mum.

Wednesday was my friends goodbye "party." Not sure how celebratory the event was, but it was a send-off of sorts. The only person in our group to actually leave the city for an indeterminable amount of time. We were/are good friends and probably became even better friends the last couple of months. So for me it's really sad to see her leave -- to Toronto of all places! Every person has their journey of discovery and perhaps this will be one for her too.

Thursday's evening was thankfully free.

Friday evening some friends and I headed across the border to join in the Thanksgiving shopping madness. We didn't find much in terms of sales, but it was great for conversation and well shopping. Thankfully no one around us died as that would have sucked. Who carries a real gun into Toys-R-Us?

Came home yesterday. Exhausted and wanting my bed.

Phew.

Boring post, I know. I'm feeling rather listless.

thanks

To the people who wished me happy birthday, thanks.

-facebook friends, near (across the street) and far (australia, montreal, los angeles, hong kong...)
-friends for life and friends recently met
-cousins who call and text
-brother and SIL who send a card for London
-the drivers license renewal lady
-my mom's credit union teller
-salespeople and the administration at the Richmond Automall
-my life insurance guy
-DQ friends and family

first words new immigrants learn?

Yesterday at the Deeq, mom was helping a customer. As her cheerful self, she asks,

Mom: so that's a 10" cake, would you like anything else?
Customer: (struggling with English) uh...... condoms?
M: um...
C: (reaches into backpocket and pulls out...)
M: oh, CANDLES!

Mom was visibly relieved.. Ha!

tales from a fast food joint

I love talking to strangers.

That being said, it's limited to small talk about nothing and strangers that will remain strangers.

Not the ones who find out your name and add you to fb.

Or the ones that are twice or thrice your age, give you the sly smile and ask what time you're off.

Nor the teens who comment on your change in appearance and ask questions assuming you're the same age.

Lincoln, Roosevelt, Kennedy, Obama...and Sheman?

As America fixates its hopes upon every word of President-elect Barack Obama, the world watches with great anticipation as well. Obama has created a stir, an interest, an excitement in politics that has not existed for decades. This fervor crossed ethnic and economic divides and even international waters.

West Kenya was celebrating the election of one of their own; Obama, Japan is just happy to have the same name; Canada...? We were more interested in this election than our own. Who's our Presid er...Prime Minister again?

Every generation has had a President (PM?) that captured the hearts and imagination of the people. A man with charisma, a great orator, someone who effectively raised the hopes of the young and the old. Trudeau, was my father's hero. Mom remembers school being canceled and everyone in tears when JFK was assinated. Our generation had lacked a political "hero," until now. Yesterday, I think we (they) elected one.



And I'm pretty sure my kids will look to this kid (man).

are your parents home?

Hah! I love that!

When door-to-door salesmen/political representatives/informational people swing by asking to speak with my parents especially when it appears that I'm probably older than them...

unphat me

Seriously, Richmond. Please stop feeding me such delectable morsels of food.

7lbs since moving here.

12 lbs if you count the ones I lost cos I was sick in the beginning of the year.

Twelve.

That's 1.5 lbs per month.

Perhaps it's cos my brother moved away and there's no one else to eat the delish food. Sam (Mom's) family apple pie AND blueberry pie.

To be consumed by me.

Yums.

China Series 1.2 08.08.08 at 8:08pm

The Olympics begin in 1h45 minutes, PST.

Excited?

Maybe if I was in China.

I find it "neat" how the Chinese government can get everyone, seriously, everyone, on the same page. Perhaps that's one of the "positives" of Communism?

On arrival at Beijing International Airport, the Indian team were greeted by volunteers, "with a proper folded-hand 'namaskar' and introduced themselves as Charu, Shanti, Vishnu and Raj Kumar."

I guess names like "Cherry," "Cinderella," and "Sue" (for a boy) are out.

Beijing also has nearly 100,000 volunteers...that's in venues alone. 400,000 volunteers around the veunes, and about 1 million in the communities. Meanwhile 67,000 taxi drivers are donning new yellow (of course) shirts and blue trousers.

Oh and for the non-Chinese, you'll be happy to learn that Beijing has "standardized" their menus. No longer can you order "bean curd made by a pock-marked woman," but need to request "mapao tofu."

PS. "Racist Park" no longer exists. Ask to visit, "Park of Ethnic Minorities."

Cheers,

China Series 1.1 - Civilizing the Chinese

The Chinese Government recently issued the "Eight Don't Ask Questions" list, distributed to their people.

• Don't ask about income or expenses.
• Don't ask about age.
• Don't ask about love, life, or marriage.
• Don't ask about health.
• Don't ask about someone's home or address.
• Don't ask about personal experience.
• Don't ask about religious beliefs or political views.
• Don't ask what someone does.

So what are you allowed to talk about?

The weather.

believing in China?

Has China claimed the title of "god?"

Someone once said, if you have faith, you can move mountains.
Moving mountains proves to be an easy task, look at the Sea to Sky.

Yahweh once rebuked the seas, and they dried up.
China diverted the Yangtze.

The gods have always been associated with dictating the weather.
And the Middle Kingdom's latest claim to "fame"? It will be controlling the weather for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Yes that's right. The Chinese have triumphed over nature. Prior to the games, they'll clean the polluted city by with rain, shooting "silver iodide over the city's skies" to provoke a chemical reaction.

Speaking about chemicals... does this trigger global warming?

These are my people.

Never have I been more proud. Sarcasm intended.

ran out of creative complaints.

I'm at a lost for words.
And I'm tired of talking.

To avoid sounding like an old hag and a broken record, I've stopped complaining and I'm starting to find humour in my life circumstances.

What do I do, you ask?

I've filed for early retirement. I sleep. I eat. I nap. I watch tv. I eat. I sleep.

shelaine is...

sick again.

My new theory?

I think it's Richmond.

heartaches and pains...

Can't help but grieve with this family whose music touched me in profound ways... Music is an emotional experience and often reaches the inner recesses of the heart. Often I've felt, it's like I know the lyricist...

Beautiful family.

I read this book in my local bookstore and fell in love with the Chapman family once again. Their work with adoption in China both amazes and convicts me. Ever since I was a kid I wanted to adopt. Seriously! I thought it would be cool to have a UN home. Then I found out it cost >10K per kid.

Ouch.

a letter

Dear God,
I need a real job.

Thanks.

ouch!

My back/neck hurts.

I think my head is too heavy for my heck.

dress fitting

The bridal store needed three measurements from us bridesmaids and my friend's equation can aptly describe my size:

Bust + Waist + Hip = Fat

compliment?

After my dad dropped by for a quick visit, my new immigrant colleague (that's PC for fob), where I flip burgers to pass time, commented, "I know why you are a beautiful girl--you have a very HANDSOME father!"

Was he trying to compliment my father? Or me? Ew.

rice shortage?

I guess when 3/4 of the world's population live on rice, and that is the only demographic that is growing, it makes sense that it, along with other "natural" resources, would be in line for shortages.

It's time for North Americans to introduce the potato to the world.

Hello Potato.

j'ai fini

A collective sigh of relief when I walked into that institute's office and laid my 5lb essay to rest.

I am done.

sick again.

My hypothesis is that due to my over-extended neck, my collar/neck is frequently exposed.

pretty please?

Would you like to edit my 62 page "mini-thesis?"

How about a portion of it?

Please?

Don't make me beg...

Send me an uh-oh, a buzz, or an You've got Mail!

Thanks a bundle, make that two.

please no...

Am I sick again?

My previous bout with bacteria it lasted about 4 weeks and had a timely beginning on Dec. 30th 2007, leaving me in bed with sweats and chills--not a great feeling as fear of the inability to hold urine permeated my thoughts; voiceless--anytime Shelaine's unable to voice her opinions is a sad day for humanity; and like a space cadet--which reminds me of my childhood days playing with imaginary friends...

My current symptoms?

Bugged-out/dry eyes (a typical sign for me), slow movements (which could also correlate to the extra lbs I'm carrying), and inability to concentrate (perhaps it's related to the 62 page paper waiting for me to edit).

Diagnosis?

chunky monkey

On Thursday, I went into "work" donning my uniform when I bent over.

Pop.

What's that sound?

My button came flying off. Note to self. No bending over.

On Friday, I went into "work" donning my uniform when I bent over.

Pop.

What's that sound!?

My button -- second button -- came flying off.

Crap.

I walk quickly to the washroom checking the "situation."

My zipper was still up... and I noticed. The pants actually fit well and snug!

A testament to Richmond-living.

buy to buy

I find it peculiar that our accumulation of materialistic wealth forces us to purchase more (other things) to protect our assets?

So that in essence, the more we buy, the more we need to buy?

Seven to Eight servings of Fruit and Veggies?

The Canadian Food Guide recommendations are pretty steep, if you ask me.

I tried to meet the "standard" today.

I made a fruit juice out pureeing a pear, apple, orange, handful of frozen strawberries, and a small kiwi. That should be enough, right?

Nope.

Each fruit is one serving. It made about 1.25 L of a thick, "Jugo juice-like" drink. I drank about 800ml of it. That was maybe 3.5 servings?

Plus I ate cheese with toast.

For lunch I had leftovers--beef noodle soup, with my favourite, cow's stomach. Yum! I added about a cup and a half of "sui choy" making for a delish lunch.

Count that, five (5) servings thus far.

And I've already eaten my quota of meats.

Then rolls in dinner. Rice, tofu mixed with fish, and my ultimate fav, "gai lan."

I ate 1.5 cups of greens here.

Count that, 6.5 servings of veggies. I was done for the day. Incredibly full.

Final count:
6.5/7 servings of Veggies, and this was with a conscious effort
5/6 servings of "Grains"
2/2 servings of "Milks"
4/2 servings of Meats

And this not including snacks. Evidence as to why I'm steadily packing in the pounds.

The "C" word

Why do you come unsuspectingly?
Do you not know that you are an unwelcomed guest?
You come, stay, ravish one's body and soul...
Stripping a person of their joy,
Leaving but a shadow of the former self.

We pray for a miracle.
We ask for a sign.
We are polite.
But you are a stubborn one.

So now the digging will begin,
To excavate your roots,
Please don't stay,
Take all your little friends with you.

You might have taken my buddies,
But she...
She's a fighter, that li'l one.
With the fam together, the force is unstoppable.

With prayers lifted high,
Covered with love,
Bonded by one Spirit,
Our faith is in You.

Help?!

Was a-wondering. Do you have an hour or so to edit a portion1 of my grad-paper? A "thesis-mini" of sorts. Don't worry, it's in Mickey-mouse English, which pays tributes to my ESL days.

My topic?

How do traditional Asian cultural values of family, hierarchy, harmony, and education factor into and influence the beliefs and practices of subsequent generations of North American-Born Chinese Christ-followers?

Doesn't it make you just want to get out of your seat and shout Hallelujah?

1 The blogspot version of footnotes... A portion = a mere dozen or so pages of my 70+ page "thesis-mini." Thanks in advance!

MSN with a baby boomer

A riveting conversation with my technologically savvy auntie on MSN

Shale: Oh yeah, Happy Valentine's Day. K is working, if S is not home for dinner than you and Uncle can have a romantic dinner together :D
CCC: S has to go to school he will come home late. but we still have a dinner at home.
Shale: then you and Uncle can have a romantic dinner together. bring out the candles and wear a sexy dress. Haha :D
CCC: I can't because my father in law eat with us.
Shale: oh...yeah.. nevermind

lent-ing

Last Wednesday was the beginning of Lent. I've never participated in it (by "sacrificing" something)... but this year, I thought I'd give it a go.

I "gave up" snacks and extraneous meals.

I fumbled on the first day... but it was well justified.

Three days later... I'm down again.

I think I might as well call it quits.

3/3

Gastropod!

My final dine-out.

Desserts--top notch.
Appies--presentation rocks.
The Mains?--dry.

Is it me, or the common theme with my white restaurants (of my choosing) are overcooked protein?

That's why I eat raw. Yum. Gooey, fleshy, rawness. I think that's what I'll eat in heaven.

Anyhow...

$50 bucks later...

I think I'm fasting for the rest of the year.

phew!

Today I conquered a domestic demon.

Three (3) loads of laundry.

Life can only get better.

2/3

Restaurant numero dos -- Blue Water Cafe. Upscale pretentious Yaletown dinery Please bring your professionalism and great looks.

Decent food, delightful conversation with Mum.

A snippet of our verbal exchange went something like this.

M: How was your day?
S: I went to the tattoo parlour.
M:
S:
M:
S: So...
M:
S: Wanna see?

1/3

I'm living life extravagantly, enjoying these two weeks of dine-out Vancouver. Unfortunately, many of the great restaurants are now on the $35 list which furthers the hole in my purse. My reasoning goes like this: it's be a rarity to see my pretty face indulging in Vancouver's fine-dining restaurant scene.

Here's my attempt at a Restaurant Review.

No worries, I won't make a habit of it.

This is a fabulous promotion from the recesses of Tourism Vancouver. When everyone intends to "cut back" and save money after Christmas, many of us end up dining out multiple times for $35/$25/$15 for a 3-course meals. Great food. But after drinks and tax, we're looking at 50 bucks a pop. Ouch.

Rare is the winner of "silver" in the "new fine dining" category of Vancouver Magazine. Seriously, Vancouver is quickly becoming a one-stop cuisine destination, rivaling the best in the US.

I failed by forgetting to bring my camera. But you can just imagine. A delectable 3 course meal. Not counting the two "from the chef" plates that came out to greet us... for free!

Only problem is that for someone who enjoys raw fish, thought the edges of my fish were a bit dry. And my dad's beef tasted like something from the Taiwanese beef noodle house. The flavours in the dishes however nicely complemented each other.

And the service was impeccable.

I'd go there again.... If I had $50 bucks to spare.

After all this, trust me. I'll be dining in.

i'm thinking... (which is always good)

Here's a new label for you.

Are Sunday church services suppose to include preaching? Is that "mandatory?" Does it say somewhere in the Bible that some guy (or gal) has to stand up and deliver a "sermon?" Or is it tradition? If it's tradition then is it a custom that needs to stay? Or can some churches adopt other methods of teaching and it be "ok"?

I've always been fascinated with "how people grow?" It's the title of a book that perhaps one day I will read. But how does an outsider come to the understanding of all the cliches and jargon bridges the gap between this outsider becoming an "insider?"

1pm PST

Were you up?

I sent out an email at 1pm PST and back flies three emails, from LA (ok, same timezone), from London (almost bedtime) and another from Australia (ready for work!). They "just received" my email.

Crazy.

Hong Kong, were you up?

Er... n/m it was 5am.

678

My brother and his high school prom date are getting married on June 7, 08.

...but not to each other.

Reality struck today.

No "S" sizes at the mall. A sharp reminder that I'm now living amongst skinny people. And get this: they're small but fierce. Watch 'em sharp elbows. Buyer beware.

Moving Notice.

We've downsized.

My current bedroom = Mom's old closet

Was mom's closet ginormous or is my room now teeny weeny?

Miss me?

'cause I missed you.

I hope the feelings mutual.