Happiness is Mandatory

2009-05-21T01:47:00.001-07:00

Where would you like to eat dinner?

Square 1 and her hubby had trouble deciding where to eat dinner the other night.

Kate and I had a similar night several years ago:

We're headed home from work and Kate is very hungry, with that hypoglycemic hunger where rational thought is starting to slip away. I can say that because I get the same way.

She can't decide what she's in the mood for. I suggest fast food since sooner would be better. No. We drive to one of the neighborhood standbys and put our name on the list. We get seated but wait. And wait. And wait. Nothing but water, not even a lousy cracker.

We get up and walk out. How about B&B? No, it'll be too crowded.

So we drive downtown and park, another 15 minutes occupied. Walk to a good place there. Too busy. Across the street to the seafood place. Too noisy.

Finally we're going past a boarded-up building under renovation. There's an opening in the scaffold and a sign advertising a restaurant. We walk in. It's a new restaurant in an elegant old bank. Beautiful. Look at the menu. Steaks. I explain to the hostess that we're starving, literally ready to faint.

She seats us and introduces the sommelier. I cut short his speil and say we really need some food RIGHT NOW. Quickly a basket of bread and butter appears. He's our savior. We listen to his recommendation and order wine along with appetizers, but again stress speed.

Wine and appetizers quickly arrive as well, both delicious. The waiter has meanwhile taken our order for steaks. They're heavenly, dry aged for 21 days in the restaurant's own facility. Then dessert, I don't remember what but it was fabulous as well.

It was a great, memorable meal in a romantic setting.

So what was planned to take 1/2 hour and cost $20 ended up taking four hours and setting us back close to $200. Ah, the days of two incomes...

Pig Sty Game

2009-05-18T01:27:00.000-07:00

see more memory games

The Two Policemen - Card Trick Revealed

2009-05-07T01:24:00.000-07:00

link for download

2009-05-04T01:39:00.000-07:00

Today is such a counterproductive day. I skipped Chem and Calc. I should study this weekend.

Repro Retro Card Trick

2009-05-01T11:21:00.000-07:00

Dovetail

2009-04-30T21:05:00.000-07:00

I love it when events dovetail naturally and confirm each other. Life is a series of experiences that build upon one another, for good or ill, and we must remember that growing is awkward but necessary. And when I think something is ordained, it's most likely effecting some other change in my life that I can't forsee.

So, I'm wondering how much words can make plans come true. There are many wishes, hopes, and dreams tucked away amongst my words here, and a few goals that have been realized in the real part of my life that you, the reader, can't see. But I can, and that's exciting.

Yahweh has been working fear out of my life, despondency that is ridiculous yet real, and hopelessness which is harder than faith or love for me. I suppose that faith is for what you can't see, love for yourself that gives to others, and hope depends upon belief that He is pushing the buttons and moving, being for me. My belief in Him isn't faith most of the time, it's just knowing. He's there and I can't deny it, wouldn't want to at all. And the love for others, it's difficult but I do it. Hope is a harder task, hope for the future, the world, myself. Contentment is still a struggle, but maybe that's meant to be.

survey. got this from marisa's blog...

2009-04-13T13:39:00.000-07:00

Ten Years Ago, I...
1. was 9 years old
2. got very very close to mawar
3. was very good in math
4. loved art class
5. had beautiful long healthy-looking black hair with curls

Five Years Ago, I...
1. was fourteen
2. slept at the coucelling room with my pet sis because we didn't feel like sleeping in the dorm
3. had short spiky hair
4. smoked weed for the fist time
5. wore my brown doc mart maryjane religiously

One Year Ago, I...
1. was eighteen
2. got into uitm
3. thought activities in uitm was a waste of time
4. had a time of my life at that fat boy slim rave thingy
5. grew up

Yesterday, I...
1. went shopping
2. got to know that justified is not bad at all
3. drove my dad's car
4. had only one ciggarette
5. had rice for breakfast

Today, I...
1. can't sleep and it's 0155 hours
2. have psychology and pub. production classes
3. received a message from him after 24 hours of silence
4. felt fucked up coz i can't reply (no credit!) and am too ego stricken to pick up the phone and give him a call
5. will be sleepy in class

Tomorrow, I...
1. will have replacement class with prof. umbridge
2. have to bring a press kit to class (where the hell am i gonna find a damn press kit?)
3. will have to go to the library
4. will be home after 1700 hours
5. will study

Five Snacks I Enjoy...
1. ben and jerry's around the whirled
2. mrs. field's milk white chocolate cookies
3. pears
4. brownies a la mode
5. HIM! (he he he)

Five Bad Habits I Have...
1. biting my nails
2. procrastination
3. doing things that'll hurt ppl for my own satisfaction
4. forget things
5. smoking

I don't want to worry you but...

2009-03-27T11:29:00.000-07:00

Item tagged with chinese year, joke, swine flu

...is this just a sick coincidence but:

2007 - Chinese year of the Chicken - Bird Flu Pandemic devastates parts of Asia

2008 - Chinese year of the Horse - Equine Influenza decimates Australian racing

2009 - Chinese year of the Pig - Swine Flu Pandemic kills hundreds of pigs/humans around the globe.

It gets worse. Next year......2010 - Chinese year of the Cock - what could possibly go wrong?

2009-03-03T19:50:00.000-08:00

I spent last night browsing through sites, looking at pictures of Audrey, Charlotte Church, and Princess Margaret. Besides the fun of looking at the rich and famous, I was searching for ideas to apply to having my own pictures made next week, for my 21st. Mother and I went to visit a photographer yesterday, and he, Jeremy, and his wife, Tana, were very nice and seem to listen to my ideas. Photographers are a lot like hairdressers, in that they mold your outer image, need to be good listeners, and the not-so-good ones do what they know and don't try to get the effect you want. We have an old bridge in town, called Carpenter's Bluff, that overlooks the river, and we may take a few shots out there. It's a dilapidated, one-way bridge with a crickety foot path, and a rocky beach below. It's my favourite out of the way spot in our town, and would make nice informal pictures.

Willamette Valley tour

2009-02-01T11:41:00.000-08:00

We drove from Vancouver south along the I-5 past Seattle and Tacoma; we spent the first night in Portland. I've always wanted to visit the legendary Powells Bookstore in Portland. If you're a book lover like me, it's worth the trip. Powells is HUGE--it takes up an entire city block and they sell new books as well as used books.

After a browse through Powells, we visited the Portland Japanese Gardens before heading south-west along the 99W toward McMinnville, in the heart of the Willamette Valley.

This region is famous for its Pinot Noir. We tasted plenty of pinots during our three-day stay.

This is Domaine Serene's tasting room. Gosh, their wines are expensive, but very, very good.

Anne Aime's winery:

The Carlton Winemaker's Studio:

The first night in McMinnville we ate at this fantastic French restaurant called Bistro Maison. Their braised duck breast in a pinot noir cherry sauce was TO-DIE-FOR.

We came back home with 18 bottles of wine to add to our cellar. We had to pay $180 (Canadian) in duties when we crossed the border back into Canada though. Argh!

2009-01-21T01:28:00.000-08:00

We went to see the third Lord of the Rings yesterday. I don't think any second or third movie can live up to the original in a series, but it didn't disappoint. My favorite part was concerning the city of the kings, Minis Tirith. The large rock ledge, with the circle on top, the Romanesque statues and the hall of kings were all wonderfully historical. It doesn't top the part in Fellowship of the Ring when the fellowship is in canoes on a river, and come upon the two huge carved rocks, one that looked of a Viking and the other of a Roman soldier. Here's a few sites: Official Lord of the Rings movie site and National Geographic's Beyond the Movie, with language and Tolkien information

Another Kick

2009-01-07T19:10:00.000-08:00

I received a letter from the Veterans Administration yesterday stating I have until Dec. 20, 2008, to use my military education benefits, or I will lose them completely. This statement is news to me, considering I retired from active military service in October, 2003, and I should have ten years from my retirement date to use the entire, 48-month education benefit promised when I enlisted.

I guess that's not the case. The reasoning behind this monumental decision, according to the letter, is because I had a service break from Dec. 8, 1984 to Oct. 18, 1987, and the education benefit was shortened by any time I was not on active duty. This little tidbit of information was never passed to me at any of the hundreds of counseling meetings that I attended during 20 years of service to my country. If I had known the time period to use the military education benefit would be shortened, I would have attended college sooner after my honorable discharge instead of gaining practical experience in the IT field.

My advice: Watch what is promised closely if you enlist in the military and review the mounds of information available. I served my second tour of duty from October 1987 to October 2003, and this little rule never popped up in 16 years.

Sunday Dinner

2008-12-21T23:04:00.000-08:00

Such a yummy Sunday dinner last night. I'm very pleased with how the sablefish dish turned out.

Seared sablefish with a sweet miso glaze on a bed of wilted greens (Swiss chard and arugula). Green onions, black sesame seeds, and a few drops of sesame oil for garnish.

For the glaze:

1/3 cup miso (fermented soybean paste)
1/4 cup mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger

Stir together until the miso paste is dissolved into the liquid ingredients. Pour half of the mixture over the sablefish and let marinade for at least 30 minutes. Set the other half of the mixture aside for plating.

I also picked some fresh strawberries from a local Fraser Valley farm and I made some small strawberry tarts.

I prebaked the short-crust pastry, let it cool and then spread some cream cheese mixed with sugar on to the tarts and dotted with the fresh strawberries.

Then we enjoyed a small cheese plate with J.Daan Pinot Noir which we picked up from our trip to the Willamette Valley in Oregon last week. More about our wine trip later!

internet!!

2008-11-12T14:26:00.000-08:00

wow being cut off from the internet is crazy. i feel like i left the country 'cuz i haven't talked to everyone in so long. will update when i come home (saturday) :) i love the east coast! kay i gotta go on the yale tour now (i'm using their computer) lattttterrrrrrrrrrr :D

Not terribly exciting...

2008-10-21T05:50:00.000-07:00

Family holiday to the wonderful city of York. Stopping off at a motorway services on the way there, we did a bit of shopping at the Sainsburys store that was present. I, the inquisitive 7 year old that I was, spotted some tasty looking Trebor Lemon Mints in the sweetie section, and proceeded to buy three packs.

When we got to York, I'd scoffed my way through two packs, and was saving my last pack for the remainder of the holiday. Bored, I decided to read the ingredients. "WARNING: THIS PRODUCT MAY HAVE LAXATIVE EFFECTS IN SMALL CHILDREN".

Unsure as to what this means, I ask my Dad: "Dad, what does "laxative" mean?". He replies "It makes you go to the toilet all the time.".

Thinking he was joking, I ignored his warning and proceeded to eat the third and final pack anyway.

For the rest of the holiday, three whole days - I was stopping every five or ten minutes to find a toilet. The York sightseeing tour was most interesting...

Me

2008-10-19T05:48:00.000-07:00

Me and my mates were sitting in school talking at lunchtime when my other friend called Julz ran round the corner like an excited puppy screaming "Have you seen it?!" Rather confused, we said no. "Well, hurry up, follow me!!" came the reply, Julz now hopping from foot to foot with sheer glee.
We followed her into the girls toilets were a small crowd of 1st years had formed round one of the cubicles. Using our folders as battering rams, we bravely fought our way into the toilet to be greeted by the sight of...the biggest turd I have EVER seen. Honestly, it was as thick as my fist and it actually curled in the bowl.
The worst thing though? The 1st years had their camers phones out and were taking pictures of it! I'm sure that'd be nice to recieve over dinner...

The first time I met my girlfriend's parents...

2008-10-13T00:25:00.001-07:00

I realised I needed to go to the loo. I politely excused myself and made my way to the bathroom. Needless to say, I did an unfurtunately large turd that refused to flush away, the brush wouldn't even help. I had to scuttled downstairs and get my girlfriend to fetch the Marigolds (all without the parents noticing...even though in the same room at this point!). This got the interest of her little brother going, so it ended up with all 3 of us in the bathroom, me trying to push the stuborn log around the S-bend, just as I reached too far and the rubber glove dipped below the "water" level, thus filling up, the mother banged on the door to ask what we were doing..."Nothing!" we all replied in unison.
I seem to remember spending the rest of the tea-drinking awkward evening chatting with the folks thinking only of the tainted rubber glove hidden in my pocket.