Loquacious Musings

A New Blog for a New Time

2011-12-06T14:26:00.001-08:00

Despite not having sufficient time to blog on a regular basis, I've decided to start up a new blog to chronicle my journeys as a new momma-to-be. You can find it at:

loquaciousfamily.blogspot.com

I might still blog here from time to time, but my days are no longer as they were, so it seems to make sense to move to a new look-and-feel for this new chapter in my life.

Happy reading! :)

She

2011-11-30T04:30:00.001-08:00

At least, I hope she's a she. That's what I've been told by two separate techs at two separate times, though of course there is always that 1% chance that she turns out to be a he, in which case I'm going to regret several purchases I've made of late ;)

This is probably my first official post that isn't about me or Hubbs, but about our soon-to-arrive newest member of the brood. Forgive me for not being quite so "out there" with her; I've been cherishing my little (and now, not-so-little) secret and basking in the awesomeness of the moment for the past few months. I've also been tired, busy with school, busy with weekend trips south of the border, tired, hungry, involved with our awesome (not-so-little) community group, and tired. Blogging was just the last thing on my mind, you know? But now that I have this thing called insomnia, I can return to my musings and ramblings and officially announce my little one's arrival. :)

Though, perhaps, is it premature? Should I have waited until post-partum before even saying *anything?* I've heard the horror stories, and listened through tears to those who've lost their beloved babes within days and hours after the first cries were heard. Dare I hope that my story will end far more happily? Or will my current bliss be short-lived?

I've wrestled with this for months (31 weeks and 6 days, actually, but who's counting?), and have had to work through fears heaped on fears. It's the culmination of so many sad and woeful tales that everyone around me has shared with me; for some reason, pregnant ladies get to hear the worst stories, the ones that don't get told to the unpregnant population. It's some sadistic social norm that gives permission for the hormonally-juiced up to be subject to a seemingly endless supply of horror stories about birth, and babes, and mortality and pain. There is also, of course, the opposite end of the spectrum - the ones who've walked the dark valley with empty arms and broken hearts who've shared their hearts with me in the hopes that I might pray. Though I have felt great privilege in being able to partner with them on my knees, those stories linger in my mind too.

And so, my fear (and my fatigue) has prevented me from posting moment-by-moment announcements about her. Not that you want to read every detail, anyway; I don't think I am so unique and my stories so grand that it bears repeating when so many sisters before me have already walked this path and shared their tales.

However, fear is the opposite of faith. The lie I believed, and have agonized over, has been the belief that somehow I am in control of my little one's fate. I'm not. God is. I have had no control over her conception (it took us 2.5 years of trying plus some medical interventions, and in the end it was still God's provision alone), I have had no control over her growth and development (she sprouted limbs, eyelashes, a brain, everything and all I did was sleep and eat and pee), and I will have no control over the number of her days.

In the end, I've had to fix my eyes back on Jesus and surrender this semblance of control with which I've deceived myself. He is good all the time, and all the time, He is good. He is sovereign and He knits her together in this mother's womb. She is fearfully and wonderfully made, and she belongs to Him. I am just the privileged bearer (not unlike how Mary must have felt at being told she would birth the Messiah), but in no way am I the one who created this life. God did. And He will, in His wisdom and for His glory, do what He wants in my life and in hers. My job is just to rest in the assurance that He is good all the time, whether I will end up walking in the valley myself, or whether I am so blessed to be able to soar with the eagles on mountaintop bliss.

So my wrestling subsides, for now. And it is in that spirit of boldness and faith that I write this post and proclaim publicly (for the first time) that Hubbs and I have been blessed, and are expecting, a little she. :)

Middle of the Night, Hormone-and-GI-Induced Ranting

2011-09-18T04:26:00.003-07:00

Sometimes I like to listen to what parents have to say about their child-rearing practices and children, and other times I wish I could just drown them out.

You see, I've noticed that there are two ends of the spectrum: on one end are those parents who are completely chill and down-to-earth about child-rearing, and don't allow their offspring to rule their lives. These folks are the same today as when I knew them p.k. (pre-kid); their identity is intact and they actually have interesting things to say apart from their child's last poop and most recent adorable anecdote. Who they are is defined in multi-faceted ways, which include (but isn't exclusive to) their role as parents. They're also musicians and artists and chefs and world travelers and working professionals and spouses and current events enthusiasts and athletes and...and...and.

Then there is the opposite end of the spectrum. This is where one might find the sanctimonious, "expert" parents musing about their little ~~idols~~, I mean children, and offering advice like it was the Gospel or something. If only they actually spoke of the Gospel more, and of their precious youngsters less! But you know what I mean, right? From FB status updates/tweets/blogs to in-person conversations, these people know only one topic to speak of, and it's *boring* to most of the world. However, these folks have all but lost their identities as individuals, and are now defined (or derive the bulk of their self-worth) by their progeny, so that's what they talk about, and that's what they offer all of their well-meaning (but completely unwelcome) advice on.

(Forgive my annoyance. It's 4:00 a.m. and I've been hit with a gastro-bug that woke me up with belly pains and bathroom trips. For the two nights prior to this one, I had thse pleasure of waking up to charley horses in my left calf in the middle of the night. Also lovely).

Every so often, I muse about the contrast. The folks I seek out tend to be those who fit on the former end of the spectrum, whereas I find myself distancing away from people who elevate their children (or their role as parents) to the ultimate level; I find I have a dwindling list of things in common with them and then the conversation just gets dull. Don't get me wrong; most people probably fall somewhere in the middle (and most of my friends are probably in the middle too - if I've spoken with you recently, you're more than likely still good), and there is absolutely nothing wrong with loving your kids and/or feeling proud of them and wanting to share some of that with the world. However, it's a whole different matter when your identity or value or sense of self is entirely dependent on being a mom/dad or having children, and that's the only thing you know how to speak about anymore. *yawn* Plus it isn't even Biblical, since apart from God alone there is nothing under the sun from which we should derive our value or our identity, and to elevate parenthood or children to that status is most definitely a form of idolatry.

So here's to balance, and to the preservation of self in light of parenthood. Here's to loving your children but not making them your gods, and here's to having more to talk about than the topic of your tykes!

Oh Where, Oh Where Did My Summer Go?

2011-08-17T15:51:00.002-07:00

I remember daydreaming, on a glorious June day, about a time in the summer when I would be free. Free of report cards, meetings, lesson plans...free to read, to lounge and sip cool beverages, and to find awesome last-minute travel deals with Hubbs.

Alas, 'twas not meant to be. It's now a week and a half from the time I start back at school, and so far our summer has consisted of traveling to Calgary, then Edmonton, then hosting my lovely sis and bro-in-law and cutie pie nephew (and a quick jaunt to Seattle), and back to Edmonton. What's left is another quick jaunt to Seattle and a third trip to E-town.

This is not what I had in mind when I was thinking about summer 2011. I really wanted to read a bunch of young adult books, plus finish other assigned readings. I wanted to go to the beach, and to the art gallery, and to food cart/stands for lunch dates with Hubbs. I wanted to take a spontaneous last-minute tropical holiday, walk through the flower gardens of the various Van parks, and check out the PNE and the aquarium. I wanted to have a selfishly indulgent summer.

Instead, I've been going non-stop, and doing laundry in between travels. And though I recognize that it is a blessing to be able to afford flying back and forth to see family so often, I have to admit that I wish I had one more month of summer just so that I could have some "off time" to myself. When I'm traveling, it just isn't the same.

*sigh* Maybe next year, things will be different. Maybe summer 2012 can be my lazy, hang-out-in-Van summer. I can always dream.

Rant: "Chinese Time" or Constant Tardiness

2011-08-11T14:38:00.003-07:00

(In the interest of full disclosure, this used to be me. I used to be chronically late for everything from dinners to small group to you name it. However, I am a repentant and reformed person, redeemed from my lateness by Truth.)

So lately I've been really bugged by people who are always late. You know what I mean, right? You set a time to meet, and then you're left waiting for 30+ minutes before they show. These folks have developed such a reputation for being late that you automatically assume it, and are never pleasantly surprised to be wrong. I know of several people in my life who fit this description, and to be honest, I find it incredibly rude, disrespectful, and dishonest, which means it isn't Biblical.

Matthew 5:37 instructs us to let our yes be yes and our no be no. I think that can be summarized as, "Say what you mean, and mean what you say." Be truthful and walk with integrity. If you agree to meet someone at 6:00, show up at 6:00. Otherwise, make alternate arrangements so that you can show up on time at 6:45. Don't say one thing and do another; don't disrespect those with whom you're meeting by making them wait a long time, since their time is also valuable and should not be wasted because of your own inability to make your time commitments.

Sure, I understand the concept of grace, and yes, I think that anytime travel is required, there is some measure of grace that should be extended because nobody can predict traffic patterns, road closures, and construction work entirely. I am happy to extend 15 minutes of grace and would expect others to be equally patient with me if I end up having to detour several times because of some random parade being held downtown.

However, I'm not talking about an occasional bout of lateness. I'm talking about the people who predictably, constantly show up super late, and attribute their tardiness to "Chinese time" or some other lame-arse excuse that is frankly inexcusable. Hubbs and I are almost tempted at times to tell certain people to meet us 30-45 minutes earlier than the actual time we want to meet them since we're so certain (as in 90%) that they will be 30-45 minutes late.

So what does your punctuality say about you? Do your words and your actions match, or do you constantly show a disregard for others' time? Check your heart, people, and your watches too. And show up on time.

Pho Crying Out Loud!

2011-07-30T00:05:00.004-07:00

Lately (as in the past three days), I've been hankering for pho. Aside from lunch dates with VanillaCon in E-town once or twice a year, I've not had authentic Vietnamese food for like 36 months. And to be honest, I haven't really missed it...until now.

For some strange and inexplicable reason (trust me, it's not "hormonal"), I've suddenly been hankering for some Viet spring rolls and a good brothy beef noodle soup. I even forced Hubbs to take me to our first Viet restaurant in Van the other night; it came highly rated on Urbanspoon and it was affordable. I had my beef brisket pho (with extra meat) and an order of spring rolls. It *so* hit the spot (despite the slightly too salty soup), though the extra meat meant that there was absolutely no way I could actually polish the whole thing off (much as I wanted to).

But tonight, I've found myself craving pho again, to the point where I've actually spent an hour reading foodie reviews and searched out my next place to try; I am in the process of figuring out what time tomorrow I might be able to go (you know, after my brunch dine-out with friends at Sandbar). My thoughts drift to crunchy savoury spring rolls dipped in a slightly tart fish sauce, and to aromatic broths filled with al dente rice noodles and thinly-sliced fatty cuts of beef. *sigh*

Seriously! And I just had a gelato too. It's not like my body's hungry. I guess I've just really missed my Vietnamese.

Discipline vs Abuse - A Rant

2011-07-25T13:39:00.002-07:00

Being that it's the summer, I watch a lot of daytime crap TV. It's a not-so-secret-brainless-indulgence of mine. The other day I caught a rerun episode of Dr. Phil, who was following up about a woman who has been charged with misdemeanor child abuse for the way she "disciplined" her 7 year-old.

Her methods? Yelling, hot sauce to "clean out" his mouth, and a super cold shower while he was crying and screaming for dear life. Obviously, Dr. Phil offered her counseling and she (at least publicly) accepted and is learning a better way to discipline. Then Dr. Phil said that "saucing" is a prevalent form of "discipline" in some parts of the States.

Recently I recounted this episode to someone I know, who then informed me that she knew of someone who also uses cold showers/baths as a way to shock/discipline their young (as in preschool-age) child. Apparently this individual throws their child in the tub, clothes and all, and runs the cold water from the showerhead until the child is drenched. I was told that this occurred if the child repeatedly failed to observe time-outs after being placed there.

Really? This happens? To people who aren't on Dr. Phil? What?!?!?

So yeah, I got to thinking. What would I do if I had a belligerent, stubborn child? What is the purpose of discipline? Would I ever resort to desperate saucy or cold water methods to get my kid to behave?
I don't have all the answers, obviously, but this much I know: the purpose of discipline is to correct behaviour. It is to "train up a child in the way that he/she should go," and it should be done, but performed in love (and not out of anger).

Prov 3:11-12 (NIV) My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.

Prov 15:5 (NIV) A fool spurns his father's discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.

I would hope that I can give my child enough consistent boundaries that he/she would know right from wrong, and good from bad. I would hope to live out my own life as an example, and teach my child that obedience is done out of love ultimately for God and for others. I would want my little one to know that when I do discipline, it is because I love them and want them to be safe and healthy.

And I would make sure that, as much as possible, any discipline I mete out would be preceded by and followed by much prayer, and the discipline itself would be educational or at the very least, appropriate to the infraction. The Dr. Phil lady was punishing her kid for lying. Hot sauce in his mouth won't teach him to stop lying (but maybe he'd try harder not to get caught). Likewise, a cold shower isn't at all appropriate to not observing a time out.

Yeah, yeah. Judgy moms might ask me what qualifies me, a non-mom, to dole out parenting advice. And they would be right in saying that I haven't ever walked that road before, so I couldn't imagine the frustration of dealing with a belligerent child day in and day out.

But it doesn't take having a child to know that it is wrong to act out of anger. The Bible admonishes us not to sin in our anger. It teaches us to let our gentleness be evident to all (including our children). I don't think it is possible to parent effectively without prayer, and unceasing prayer at that. I don't believe it is within our sinful human nature to be loving disciplinarians because our nature is not loving. But I know that the Spirit empowers us to do what we cannot otherwise do on our own; the Spirit changes our hearts and gives us new eyes to see our children from Jesus' perspective, and that brings about a love and a compassion that compels us to want to do what is best for them rather than what gives us release or relief in that moment of anger or power and control.

I'm not perfect. Nobody is. So I don't write this to say that these moms are horrible individuals who should be locked up in jails. We'd all be there for one reason or another if our sins were exposed, I'm sure. What I am saying is that there is always a better way, and that better way only happens through the grace, mercy and love that comes from Jesus. May we all learn a better way.

Sofa So Good!

2011-07-24T19:30:00.003-07:00

Hubbs and I needed new furniture. We've actually needed new stuff for a while. Reasons? Our dining chairs are falling apart, splintering at the seams and losing screws left, right and center; we bought them cheap and got what we paid for. Our sofa is also sinking into the ground, having stretched over the past decade from daily use and abuse. Finally, we need to increase our comfortable and safe seating for guests who will be joining us for small group come September.

So, where to start? What to buy? How much to pay? It was a super tough weekend for us. We wanted to get stuff that matched our present dining table and entertainment unit (both are dark expresso brown). We wanted a modern look to our furniture, but we didn't want to spend a lot of money and I was picky about having seats with proper high backs (as opposed to the trend of low-backed, clean-lined couches that are so in vogue right now). Both Hubbs and I were also big on comfort; we wanted seats that wouldn't hurt our butts after sitting for an hour and a half.

So, we compromised. By fluke, we managed to find some lovely bonded leather brown parson chairs on sale for half price. We bought 6 and stayed under budget!

Next, we splurged on a Lazy Boy recliner (for me). I've always wanted a leather rocking recliner and in the event that one day I will be a momma, I'll want a comfy chair to rock my baby in. Luckily, we stumbled into the store on a "spin the wheel" day and won free delivery for our Calvin reclining chair, which was also on sale. Perfecto!

The sofa was a far more difficult find. Internally I was debating whether I preferred clean lines or high backs (because both do not co-exist in most stationary sofas), and then there were concerns about matching the style and colour of the sofa to the recliner. We drove to 7 places yesterday and saw well over 100 sofas. The only one we liked cost more than I would have wanted to pay, and was being sold in a store with like the worst reputation ever (I googled them and read the rants - it wasn't pretty). So, even if we wanted to buy that overpriced sofa set, the negative reviews were enough to deter us from considering it seriously.

Today, I was more willing to compromise on the sofa. Because I wanted a high back more than I cared about clean lines, I was willing to consider reclining sofas (the only ones out there with high backs). I also didn't want to blow our budget, knowing full well that in a few years, if/when we buy our own place, we will probably want to furnish it from scratch anyway, making these purchases irrelevant to our new future home. I even compromised on the style of the sofa; I was willing to consider "puffier" options that maybe didn't look just like my recliner, but was similar in colour.

In our first shop stop, Hubbs insisted that we pray before we went inside. Great idea. Within 5 minutes of entering, our prayers were answered: we found the sofa that we both loved. Sure, it was puffy, and a recliner, and not even leather (well, it's bonded leather, but that's not really leather). But it was on sale ($500 off today) and it was comfortable and it had a high back and it was a pretty close match colour-wise to our recliner (I think). After a short deliberation, our decision was made and our purchase was finalized.

Now all that's left to buy are stools (to replace the current crappy ones) and a leather storage bench. Praise God that we were able to find and purchase nearly everything we needed within the budget we had set, and in just one short weekend! :) My only prayer now is that the sofa and the recliner will look good beside one another and that nothing will be damaged during delivery. Here's hoping!

Decluttering Catharsis

2011-07-18T12:57:00.002-07:00

It's hard to throw stuff out, especially if you're a pack rat. Though I come by my packratitis honestly (I swear it's genetic - just visit my parents' place and you'll know), the thinking/reasoning part of me recognizes the need to purge every so often, particularly when space is at a premium, which it is at our place.

Hubbs, thank God, is quite the opposite of a pack rat, and has no need for sentimental things like wedding guestbooks and Christmas trees and childhood picture books. He is quite ready to throw everything out and just buy again when and if something is needed. The other part of my thinking/reasoning brain also recognizes the wastefulness of such a strategy, so together we balance each other out quite nicely.

The other day, we decided it was time for some belated "spring cleaning" on our storage room, a room that had become so cluttered that it was impossible to actually enter. It was sort of our receptacle for all things seasonal or homeless, from sugary US-bought cereal and lawn chairs to luggage and gift wrap. It was getting to the point that to peek inside the room caused Hubbs and I great anxiety, sort of like when we watch Hoarders and see the stacks of crap that these people have amassed over time.

We had to tackle the room in multiple steps, and then we had to sort through the boxes and items one by one. Some of the things we ended up "finding" and keeping were:

* more Transformer toys!
* my "How to Travel" tips to Hubbs from when he flew to HK to see me
* our framed pictures (I have no idea why these weren't unpacked for 3 years but we're now getting to it)
* old pictures that had been printed out but needed to be sorted and placed in albums (which we did)
* old children's books that we both love and wish to share with our children one day
* our Christmas decorations and tree (I had to negotiate for these!)

Note, however, that we purged much, even though some of the things we tossed are items I'm still not sure if I'll need again one day (though Hubbs tells me it's highly unlikely since I haven't used them in 3 years). Such items include:

* university texts and notes (including education ones)
* old pictures
* well-used, ancient children's books that are so obscure and outdated that no self-respecting 21st century child would be caught dead reading them
* paperback books that the library wouldn't want
* old "memorabilia" like the menu from our engagement dinner
* finished old journals (I shredded these)
* paperwork from forever ago
* random souvenirs
* old computers
* empty boxes (not sure why we kept them around)
* craft supplies that will be donated to my classroom for class use

We're still negotiating on the two back-pack lawn chairs, but I suspect I might be fighting a losing battle over this one.

Anyway, our purge ended up reducing our box count by at least 5 and we were finally able to fit our movable electric fireplace into the storage room (to make room in the living room). Hubbs also managed to rearrange the stored items such that we can now actually walk into the storage room and take several steps to access items in the far corner.

Best of all, we now feel as though a great weight has been lifted from our shoulders; the decluttering has led to great catharsis and relief. It has also freed us up to purchase some much-needed new furniture. All in all, it was a great and productive way to spend a Saturday!

This is What My Nephew Taught Me About Babies...

2011-07-11T17:45:00.005-07:00

... they usually smile when they wake up, even if it's after a scant 20-minute nap.
... when they're hungry, they're HUNGRY. Feed immediately.
... traveling with one, even to the mall, is sort of like a camping trip. You have to pack food and utensils and some sort of a mat, plus entertainment and a million other things.
... they will put everything into their mouths, including hair and toes and Sony DreamCast controllers; ew.
... they are amused by simple things, like saying hello or clapping your hands or making faces (not the scary ones, though; that makes them cry). However, this amusement can sometimes be short-lived and baby tastes are fickle, so what works one day doesn't work the next.
... time is not relevant to them; they might sleep all day and party all night like a university student, and sometimes they only sleep for 4 hours at a time.
... babies like to be carried and not every one of them likes riding in a car.
... mum-mum's are baby crack(ers), and a surefire way to get a whiny baby distracted.
... the moment the teeth come in, their mouths become weapons. Beware.
... there is nothing so beautiful as a baby's laugh or a baby's giant grin. Nothing.

My 7-month old nephew has spent a scant couple of weeks with me (1.5 in E-town and another 1 in Van) and I am pretty hooked on that little guy. Hubbs has melted for him too, as evidenced by how gushy he acts when he has the little one in his arms. I will miss him when he goes home (and I'll miss his parents too) and this month-long hiatus before I see him again will feel like forever. Thank God for Skype!!! And thank you, my little nephew, for being part of our lives! :)

Mean-Girled

2011-06-23T07:27:00.003-07:00

Someone challenged me on the use of the phrase "mean-girled." Of course, everyone knows this is a colloquialism and probably hasn't been added to the formal lexicon, so to define it I had to refer to the good ol' Urban Dictionary (the dictionary of the masses, if you will). Here's what it says (bolded for emphasis):

Girls who are bullies and use "girl aggression" (nasty comments, trickery, deceit, excluding people from events, spreading rumors, stealing boyfriends,etc.) to manipulate other girls. They will use text messaging, AIM, email, three-way-calling, and any other weapon at their disposal to achieve these goals
(coined by Rosalind Wiseman in her book "Queen Bees and Wannabees").
These girls are often popular because everyone is either afraid of them or wants to be like them. They tend to have armies of followers ("friends"/wannabees) comprising their clique. However, few people actually like them for who they are.

So there it is. It's hardly a surprise that this is not a new phenomenon (well, except for the technological bullying part - that's new) but what *is* surprising is that it can still happen among women in the grown-up world, and in professional environments, no less. Well, maybe not the stealing boyfriends part, but just about everything else is something I have seen in at least *two* of my workplaces, both Christian and non-Christian.

Sad, sad. But then again, only those who truly know Jesus have the capacity to love their neighbours and be better than this, n'est-ce pas? Without Him and His Spirit to show us how to love and treat others, I suppose we're all mean girls at heart. But by His grace and His empowering, we can rise above this sort of despicable behaviour and become encouragers and defenders of the weak and the bullied, a mandate Jesus Himself lived out in His ministry. In the end, how one chooses to conduct themselves is one part God, and one part choice. What kind of girl do you want to be?

Let's Twist Again...

2011-06-21T18:45:00.003-07:00

Apologies on the cheesy title. I'm here to plug a product (not mine). It's the Goody Spin Pins.

I remember a time when putting one's hair in a bun was a form of torture, and required an obscene number of pins plus a monstrous looking hair net that you'd never want to see snaked out of your drain (it's the stuff of nightmares, trust).

Well, no more! These pins are so easy to use. I basically just gathered my hair, twisted it into a bun shape, and gently rolled these two pins into place. Voila, bun!

It's easy and it actually works, even on my semi-thinning hair. At <$10, it's a great deal to fancify your 'do or free up your neck during the hot summer days.

Chicken Soup for the Chinese Soul

2011-06-16T19:18:00.003-07:00

I'm sick! Oh but I have no one to blame except myself; I'm sure I must have let my guard down at some point in the past week and now I'm paying for it with a head cold and congestion.

Anyway, when sick, I have a go-to ginger chicken soup that always warms my insides up and makes me feel better.

Here's the simple recipe:

1 carton (almost 1 L) organic chicken broth
2-3 cups water
1 giant ginger root, peeled and sliced
6 chicken thighs, skinless + boneless + sliced
soy sauce
sugar
salt
pepper
cornstarch
1 egg, beaten
spinach (optional)

1) Bring broth, water, and ginger root to a boil
2) Season chicken thighs to taste (salt, pepper, sugar, soy) and add a bit of corn starch and mix. The corn starch makes the meat smoother somehow.
3) When the soup begins to boil, add the chicken thighs and return to a boil.
4) When the soup boils again, add the beaten egg and stir; it will break apart into little strands in the soup
5) Continue on a low boil for 25 minutes; the soup will reduce a bit at this point
6) Right before you serve, add spinach. It will cook in the hot soup.

Easy, right? SO easy I actually make this soup 2x/month, and *I* am one who famously declares that I'm too busy to cook. It's *that* easy. Plus, the ginger root is like a magic remedy for my cold. The spiciness of the soup (dependent on how large your ginger root actually is) is appealing to Hubbs too; he eats it almost as often as I do!

Now, I can't claim any rights to this recipe. I have no idea who invented it but I was taught how to make this soup by my chiropractor's wife (who happens to be his receptionist). I'm so glad for the recommendation though, because right now drinking the soup is the only time when I actually feel good during my sick spell.

Can't wait to shake this congestion, but in the meantime...bon appetit!

Go Big or Go Home

2011-05-15T20:57:00.003-07:00

It really ticks me off when people don't care about their quality of work, and when they slack off on the job. They are being *paid* to work, and so, at minimum, should do the job that they so happily cash the cheques for. Otherwise, it isn't a fair exchange, and they are defrauding their employers and violating the work-for-pay contract.

That said, if the workers don't know Jesus, I don't hold them to any particular expectation, and reserve judgment. After all, they don't have the Holy Spirit to empower them to change, to take pleasure in their toil, and to give them a heart of service. If they do not profess to following Christ, the principles and precepts of Scripture are meaningless to them.

However, Christians are a different story. The Bible clearly teaches that, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." (Col. 3:23-24).

If a person claims to know and love Jesus, then there is an inherent duty to obey this teaching, because obedience is an expression of love and of that faith relationship. Part of obedience is working hard, and doing one's best, remembering that the boss isn't some person in an office, but God Almighty. This applies not only to ministry, but to life in general, including one's profession or job.

So yeah, I am judging other believers, and I ask that they hold me to this same standard, because it's not *my* standard, it's God's, and we're all called to it if we know Him.

Which brings me to my initial point: it really really ticks me off when Christians don't care about their quality of work, and slack off on the job. I am so annoyed with fellow believers who call it in at work, and don't bother to do their best every day of the week. I don't want to hear people use excuse after excuse to justify their piss-poor work ethic; your choice is really quite simple - go big or go home.

Either do it right and do your best, or else find another calling in life where you actually give two cents, because a Christian who works like someone who doesn't know Jesus brings no glory to His name. If you want to be a witness to the One you serve, then let your work stand on its own. Let every person who sees you remark that you go above and beyond, and let there be no question about your work quality or your integrity.

People often say that I'm a workaholic, and maybe I am a little bit of a perfectionist. But then again, I serve a perfect Savior and despite my own fallibility, I want to give Him my best every day. I want to be sure that every minute that I am given with my students (which is my job, and for which I am paid) is used responsibly, and to the best of my ability, because I will have to give an account one day for the hours that God has entrusted them to me. I do not take that responsibility lightly, for I know full well that those who teach will be judged ever more strictly (James 3:1).

One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys. (Prov. 18:9)

So here's the takeaway: go big or go home. But remember, your work tells everyone a whole lot about you, and about who you serve. What's your work saying about you?

My "Political" Party

2011-05-10T21:43:00.002-07:00

After reflecting on the recent election, I have finally figured out what party I belong to, and why I couldn't stand behind any of the leaders, really. It's because my heart, and my affiliations, lie elsewhere.

I'm a Monotheistic monarchist - I believe in the King of Kings through the Prince of Peace.

I am a member but I wasn't elected - my seat is *in* the elect, since I was personally chosen and appointed by my Leader.

My party is not federal, provincial, or civic - it's eternal.

My platform can be found in detail in the Word of God.

Like Obama, my party believes in change - but it's from the inside, out.

My campaign's goal is to make my Leader known, and my campaign was paid for in blood.

My party will not form a coalition with anyone - my Leader is the only Way.

And although my Leader only has one seat, it is the one before which every knee will one day bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Dirty Mouths and Dirty Hearts

2011-05-03T19:05:00.002-07:00

Today, I shared with my class the teachings of Jesus from Matthew 15:1-10. Sometimes I wonder if more people need to be reminded that it is what comes out of a person (and his/her wicked heart) that makes him/her unclean. Actions and words reflect heart conditions.

This teaching seems so timely when I consider what I have been witnessing on Facebook over the past couple of days. Professing "Christians" who have rejoiced over the killing of a man, or those who have engaged in character assassinations of political candidates who they don't particularly like - these are not the actions befitting one who claims to know Jesus Christ. Somehow, I think that if Jesus Himself were sitting beside these individuals as they readied their status updates, they would probably think twice about the things that they've written.

Don't get me wrong - I am glad that there is closure for so many families who have lost loved ones during the 9/11 attack, and I am thankful that a very dangerous individual is no longer a threat to our shores. However, celebrating the brutal death of anyone, and taking delight in it, elevates the importance of man's justice and diminishes the greatness of God's justice.

"Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and when he stumbles do not let your heart rejoice, lest the Lord see it, and be displeased." (Prov. 24:17)

God is a holy God and a just God, and His judgment is perfect; He is fit to judge the living and the dead. All of us, however, are unrighteous and sinful, and only justified ourselves by the grace of a loving Father. Man's justice is therefore incomplete at best, and imperfect. There is no joy to be had in meting out a human "judgment" that is neither complete nor righteous.

**And as I consider the individuals who have launched gloating and/or cruel, personal attacks on the leaders of our nation's political parties (the one who won as well as the others who didn't), I wonder where the love that Jesus commands us to have for our neighbours has gone. The malicious words that come out do much to reveal the nature of the speaker's heart, and it is this that makes the person unclean in the eyes of God. Though everyone is entitled to his/her opinion, when I observe the vitriol that drips from some of the comments made on Facebook regarding a political leader, I cannot help but wonder how this glorifies God or obeys His greatest commandments.

Are we all guilty of having dirty mouths and unclean hearts? Absolutely. There is no one righteous, not even one (Romans 3:10). But I think it is time we all checked our hearts, and examined our words and thoughts. If we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord, we are responsible for representing Him in this world. By His grace, may we do so with integrity and love, rather than allow our filth to further contaminate an already-polluted world.

** Whoa, you say. Where is all of this coming from, Mrs L? Besides the many character-assassinating remarks made by some very politically-charged "Christians" that I knew on Facebook, I had the misfortune of having to witness a barrage of very hateful remarks targeted at one specific political leader who did not win the election. I was forced to unfriend this individual after I challenged them on their very vengeful remarks, only to be verbally attacked by this person and their relative, neither of whom showed the slightest remorse for their nasty comments but offered a thousand reasons as to why they were somehow justified in their malicious speech toward this political leader. Free speech? Yes. But let's either be fair and godly, or stop saying that you're a Christian. As Emerson once said, "What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say." Their actions all but nullified their claims of being Christians.

"Positive" Updates and the Nature of One's Heart

2011-04-17T07:44:00.005-07:00

Okay, rant time. It is always curious to see what people post as their FB statuses or Twitter updates. I believe it reveals the nature of their heart. Most of the time, status updates are pretty innocuous; they are descriptive and personal, informative, and/or just sort of random or silly. Other times, I see that they are a means to raise awareness for causes (awesome), or a way to encourage others (also awesome).

But sometimes, I feel that people use their updates as a means of self-promotion, or a way to "puff themselves up." I find certain types of updates, even though they are phrased with excited exclamation marks and written in positive tones, to be boastful. Every keystroke, every word, is meant to tell the reader how awesome the writer's life is, and how awesome and skilled the writer is. It feigns humility, but in fact reveals a heart that is arrogant and self-centered.

The Bible teaches that, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord" (1Cor.1:31). Though I've searched for any reference to Him in these updates, few (if any) have been found. If these status writers are Jesus-followers like they confess to be, then it should be evident that any blessing, any gift, any good thing comes from God. To fail to acknowledge this suggests that either the writers do not want to give Him credit, or the writers don't think He deserves credit. Either way, their words point to them and not to their Creator, and that really reveals the nature of their heart condition.

Of course, I am not so presumptuous as to assume that even though these folks are on my FB, they will have read this post. However, in the off-chance that they do, my message is this:
check the intentions of your heart before you tweet or FB. Make your words count for eternal glory rather than your own earthly purposes.

Birds Droppings from Hell and the Antidote

2011-04-08T22:11:00.005-07:00

The place where I work (a school) is but mere minutes away from a cute fishing village on the water, and also immediately beside a giant field. Translation: birds. Seagulls and other feathery fowl that like to lurk near the water or graze on the field or fly back and forth in an attempt to avoid winter cold - *those* birds - also like to fly overhead, above our crowded staff parking lot.

And birds, as you can guess, really like to defecate. They do not discriminate by make or model, colour or age; they just let their poop bombs fly and land as they may. Unsuspecting vehicles in our lot often fall victim to these sh*t bombs.

During the winter, the droppings usually stayed relatively moist, and could quickly and easily be removed with a wet wipe. However, now that it's spring, and we've been blessed with some very warm temperatures and hours of sunshine, a wet wipe will no longer suffice.

Such was the case the other afternoon, when I discovered (much to my great dismay) that my rear driver door had been tagged with a giant brown bird bomb. In my panic, I grabbed a wet wipe and started to wipe, only to find that as I was running the paper towel back and forth I was also scratching my paint.

I quickly ditched Plan A and opted for Plan B: Google it. This is when I learned that these nasty diseased birds like to chew on gravel to help them digest their food, resulting in waste products that are not only acidic and toxic to car paint, but also grainy like sandpaper when wiped across a painted surface. The droppings on *my* beautiful car were also baked on from the heat of the day, so there was no way that water alone would be able to do the job.

Thank God for Google and iPhones! As I frantically searched for an effective solution, I came across several sites that recommended I use salt-free seltzer (or club soda) to dissolve the nastiness. Immediately I raced over to a 7-Eleven and stocked up on two litres of the good stuff.

When I got home, I shook my first bottle furiously (to build pressure), then opened it enough for the carbonated beverage to come shooting out like a fire hose aimed directly at the poop. Immediately the bird poop turned white (from its brown colour) and began to fizzle. I then soaked a towel in club soda and let it rest on the spot to soften the poop further. After covering up the droppings for a few minutes, I was able to sufficiently "soften" the stool so that I could remove the bulk of it without further destroying my paint job.

Moral to the story: keep some club soda handy. Birds are merciless poop monsters, and you can't sue them for damaging your car's paint job.

Cookielicious The Easy Mrs. L Way

2011-04-03T17:38:00.002-07:00

I am not a cook or a baker, and I don't pretend to be one. However, on occasion I feel just the teensiest bit of guilt about not using all of the lovely appliances, small appliances, and kitchen gadgets in my cupboards and drawers. So, every blue moon I drag out the ol' tools (actually, they're more like *new* tools) and I make a noble (or Nobel) attempt.

Today was such a day. In two weeks' of spring break, I hadn't lifted a finger to feed my Hubbs. I figured I should at least try, sort of. My thoughts drifted back to a time just mere weeks ago, when my boss shared her lemon cookies with me, and I was astounded by how delicious they were. When I asked her about her recipe, she told me just how easy it was to make these cookies using generic cake mix and a few other ingredients. I know she repeated it to me like three times, but for the life of me I couldn't recall what those "other" ingredients were.

So I turned to Google, did a bunch of research (more than anyone should justifiably do for the sake of cookies), combined several recipes, and ended up making some of the most delicious yellow cake mix cookies Hubbs has ever had. Not only did he lick the batter off the mixer, spatula, and bowl, but he also ate three cookies right after they cooled.

The ones I made ended up tasting like Snickerdoodle cookies, but I think you can use any flavour of cake mix and make cookies of all varieties. Here's the recipe:

1 box yellow cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup softened butter
white sugar & cinnamon (to roll the cookie dough in)

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Mix the cake mix, eggs, and butter in a mixer on low. The batter is ready when it's all stiff...like cookie dough. WARNING: It will stick to the mixer spokes, so get ready to scrape with your spatula!
3. Drop spoonfuls of cookie dough into the cinnamon sugar mix and roll around, making a nice spherical ball.
4. Place on a non-stick cookie sheet (I used one pan with a silicon mat, and the other I sprayed with cooking spray) and flatten the ball out a bit to make it cookie-shaped.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown on the sides, or you lose patience. I baked the regular-sized ones for 8.5 minutes and the giant ones for 10.
6. Cool on the sheet for a minute or two and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool and harden.

Voila! Semi-soft, delicious cookies.

It was super easy to do, even for me (that's saying a lot). Enjoy! :)

Leaving Early Makes Me Late

2011-03-07T16:51:00.002-08:00

Sounds backwards, no? But it's true. In my nearly two years of teaching in Richmond and living downtown, I have learned that it does not pay to leave school early, unless I want to leave at 3:30 (which doesn't happen unless I have an appointment that I am rushing to).

If I leave at 4:45-5:30 (which are respectable departure times from workplaces), I am doomed to be stuck in ugly post-work traffic, jacking my commute time somewhere north of 60 minutes. It also jacks my blood pressure north of normal too. Not great.

If, however, I leave sometime closer to 6:00 p.m., I can get home in 30-40 minutes, which begs the question, "Why leave early?" It really doesn't pay and I end up taking forever to get home, and those minutes are precious ones better spent being productive at work, right?

So in case anyone wonders why I stay so late and seem to be such a workaholic, there honestly is method to my seeming madness. It's simply practical, and as a hard-working, first-generation native Canadian-Chinese person, practical is sort of my middle name. ;)

Peace Please

2011-03-03T13:39:00.002-08:00

It's an anxious season in my life right now, mostly due to the busy things that simply must be done for work. As I find myself caught up in the maelstrom of stressors, it is easy for me to be sucked down into despair and hopelessness.

Today I took a personal day, and part of the day I intended for decompressing from these stressors. However, due to a series of miscommunications and unfortunate events, we ended up late for an appointment and plagued with responsibilities from Hubbs' work and our company first thing in the morning. By the time 9:00 am rolled around, I was more wound up than ever, the complete opposite condition to the one I had intended.

So I prayed. This, in a nutshell, was my prayer:

Father,
Please overwhelm me with Your peace.
Fill me with it.
Soak me with it.
Completely immerse me in it and drench me entirely with it.
I need the peace that only You can provide.

After I prayed in a desperate bid to unwind, I found myself leaking stress like a defective balloon. It just began to leave me inexplicably (well, it's explicable, but by explicable I mean it was God, done supernaturally, which isn't explicable). Now, to be honest, I am not one whose first reaction is to pray; I wish I was that inclined to rely on God, but my busted human nature is prone to self-reliance and independence, and I often choose to wallow in my stress rather than trust my Savior. This was a last-ditch effort to undo a crappy morning, and yet my Father, who is faithful and beyond gracious to a sinner like me, chose to answer my prayer and bless me with the peace that transcends all human understanding.

How blessed am I! And so, what started as a stressful day has now become the Sabbath that I was seeking to have, all thanks due to the Lord. Praise Him.

Moral of the story? Don't be dumb. Pray first.

Best Frozen Chicken Fingers Ever

2011-02-10T20:11:00.002-08:00

Truth be told, I am the laziest cook on the planet. This is why I eat out so often; someone else is doing the cooking for me! There are days, however, when dining out is just not feasible, and that's when I turn to easy-to-cook stuff, like crock pot dishes and heat-and-eat goodies.

One new (and surprisingly healthy) discover I made are the Superstore President's Choice Blue Label Breaded Chicken Breast Fillets with Flaxseed.
These aren't dry soggy chicken fingers, my friend. These are crispy, tasty, moist morsels of white meat chicken goodness. And they're actually good for me! :) I'm thinking I will be making this a staple in my freezer for those unfortunate days when dining out isn't an option.

Kapoosh!

2011-01-10T07:02:00.002-08:00

Thanks to two of my favourite people (who happened to have visited us this past weekend), I am now the proud owner of a Kapoosh knife block.

It looks like this:

It is great because it can hold any type of knife regardless of shape (save for my meat cleaver, which I don't want on the knife block anyway). How does it do this? In lieu of slots with fixed dimensions, the black part you put your knives into are filled with skinny black plastic straws that mold around any sharp knife you shove into the unit. As a result, you can shove as many knives in as you want, provided you have space left between the handles. ;)

Right now I have several chef's knives, a santoku knife, a pair of food-grade scissors, and a few paring knives shoved into my nifty new Kapoosh. Our gift from our gracious guests (my bro and sis-in-law) is also stainless steel silver, which matches perfectly with our kettle and other countertop appliances.

Thank you again, awesome people! Every time I pull out a knife, I'll be thinking of you! (but in a good way). ;)

Jesus is the Reason

2010-12-12T23:19:00.002-08:00

You know it, I know it, but how does that look in real life and not just as a pretty platitude on a page?

As I contend with buying gifts and "gingerbread" icing making and concerts and marking and packing and the staff social decorating committee and recovering from my cold and wrapping 24 presents for my students, I am challenged to stay focused on the reason for Christmas - Christ.

I keep having to remind myself, because my memory stinks:

He is my joy-giver. He is the reason why I have cause to celebrate. He is the One who inspires hope and generosity and songs of praise. *HE* is. He *IS.*

And though I am utterly unworthy, He has poured Himself out to be my All. I must not forget that there is nothing of greater importance than the reality that God has come. He has come! And for me, a sinner. Emmanuel, God with us. God with *me.* To redeem us. To restore us. To replace us as objects of God's rightful wrath. To reunite us with our Maker. This is Jesus. And this is why I celebrate.

I have to constantly stop and surrender the work, the worries, the thousand-and-two things that have yet to be checked off my to-do list, and look to the cross. This is the only place where I will find the rest that comes from the Prince of Peace.

And in this weary, busy season, I long for rest. Oh Jesus, please come. And please be my peace.

Some People Should Be Sterilized

2010-11-24T18:16:00.004-08:00

Excuse the rant; I am usually a somewhat positive person but what I witnessed today really boiled my blood. Hubbs & I were at the coffee shop inside the big library atrium, and I was ordering a special Christmas drink. Beside me, some lady pushing a stroller was ordering steamed milk for her child.

Sheesh, I thought to myself, why isn't she better prepared as a mom? But then I reminded myself that I shouldn't judge.

Well, as I waited for my coffee, I noticed this lady taking her stroller outside. That was when I spotted her *other* child, a toddler of no more than 3 years, sitting *by herself* at the food court tables outside of the coffee shop. She had a juice in front of her and was sitting there drinking it all by her lonesome.

As I waited for my drink and as Hubbs grabbed us a seat, I noticed the same woman take her wallet and dash out of the library, leaving behind her purse, stroller, and two preschool children. My jaw dropped, and I realized that I hadn't judged too quickly. What was she doing?!?

My teacher instincts kicked in, as did my female instincts and general wariness of strangers. Did she not know that it only takes a minute for children to be kidnapped? Didn't she realize that her children were vulnerable, both because of their age and their inability to use words to express themselves?! Was she not aware that the atrium is often a shelter for vagrants and people of varying walks of life, including the mentally ill?!? My brain went into overdrive in fear for those kids. I debated calling 9-1-1. I looked at the time. I watched those children from the other side of the window like a hawk, knowing that if anyone tried to come near them, I would be at the ready to defend these helpless little people.

Meanwhile, I continued to wait for my coffee. I tried to reason that maybe she went to the bathroom and would be right back. When my coffee was finally ready 10 minutes later, this woman still hadn't returned, and the two kids were still sitting by themselves, the older one rocking the stroller back and forth a little and talking to the younger child.

I decided to call Hubbs to come out to the tables, and I approached the little girl to ask if her mom went to the bathroom. She was too young to string together a complete sentence, but she said no, and answered, "Mom went get sushi!"

A million thoughts ran through my mind, and I decided at that moment that I would wait a bit longer and then I would definitely call Social Services on this idiot. Before long, however, she came running into the atrium, sushi in hand. I promptly confronted her, asking her if she was aware that she had endangered her children, and letting her know that I was thisclose to calling the authorities. She basically told me to butt out, cussing at me and telling me that I didn't know what she was going through. What I let her know in no uncertain terms was that it didn't matter what she was going through; her job was to keep her children safe and she did not do so.

After I realized that this conversation would get nowhere and this woman was not receptive to feedback, we turned on our heels and left. There was no point to arguing any further with a person so caught up with themselves that they completely failed to consider the consequences of their stupid decisions on those around them. Hopefully my loud reprimand of her in the atrium was sufficiently embarrassing for her to never do that again, but somehow I think that this probably wasn't the first time she left her kids like that, and won't be the last. Stupid is as stupid does, and in my books, she is a bonafide stupid person worthy of sterilization. Those little kids deserve a real parent, one who loves them and keeps them safe at all costs. They deserve much better than her.

Anyway, what a brutal reminder of the fallen nature of people. I really dislike people sometimes, and today, this moron ranks #1 on my hate list.

Live Clean! & My Meme

2010-11-08T19:31:00.004-08:00

Recently I've become obsessed with avoiding sulfates in my bath and beauty products. I'm not sure when it started; I just know that I've become somewhat compulsive about my purchasing of shampoos, conditioners, hand soaps, hair products, and body wash. Apparently, sulfates are bad for you. So are parabens, and so are a bunch of other ingredients that make our bath products smell/look good/work well. I have become increasingly committed to avoiding as many toxic ingredients as I can. Of course, it seems that I cannot avoid all bad chemicals entirely, save for washing and bathing with water alone. My vanity prevents me from going quite that far.

Anyway, my quest to detox from sulfates and parabens has led me to discover a line of products that, although not entirely 100% pure and natural and wonderful, comes pretty close to great without compromising on smell and functionality (two must-haves in my world). Live Clean (found at your local Shoppers, or London Drugs, and even Superstore) has a line of vegan, natural, cruelty-free and biodegradable products that smells pretty good and works well.

I've tried the Wave Enhancing "Purple Jewel" shampoo and conditioner, Apple Cider shampoo and "Clean Air" volumizing conditioner, Fresh Water moisturizing hand wash, and Live Clean Baby shampoo/body wash. No complaints yet, and now I'm determined to find the hair sprays for this brand as well.

Anyway, I thought I'd share my new favourite thing with you.

Some other quick facts a la meme:

Average number of hours of sleep each night = 6

Average number of hours at work = 11

My current book = Percy Jackson - The Lightning Thief

My hair = permed (well, a body wave) that was done last month

My hair stylist = quit on Friday when my hair cut was scheduled. Thanks a lot for nothing, lady.

My doctor = fired by me. He sucks. I just signed on with a new one.

TV Obsession = Dragon's Den (it's so much fun to watch these wannabe-entrepreneurs begging for VC and coming up with the strangest business ideas)

iPhone app most often used = Angry Birds Halloween

Favourite recent dine-out place = Chambar

Drug of choice = tie between Advil and PGX (my daily dose of soluble fiber)

Next month that I visit E-town = December

Next holiday = can't come soon enough but I have no idea whether it is going to be Reno/Lake Tahoe, or Disneyworld @ spring break

High Heel Foot Envy

2010-07-27T18:16:00.003-07:00

I really really am jealous of those people who can walk on pavement all day long in downtown Van wearing stiletto heels. Don't the balls of their feet hurt? How do they not fall over? How do they walk like a normal person?!? Me, I teeter and look as uncomfortable as possible when the heel of my shoe exceeds 1.5". It's like I've forgotten how to walk or something; I begin tiptoeing around rather than relying on that poor skinny heel to support the bulk of my weight as I transition from step to step. The result? The balls of my feet ache and blister in a matter of minutes (sometimes less).

This is why I need comfortable heels (and shoes in general). To navigate the cement pavement all around the downtown core, my feet need tons of TLC. I need arch support, padding for the balls of my feet, and straps and heels that don't scrape against my skin. I need wide width to accommodate my non-narrow feet, and grippy soles that can support my heft. This is why I usually stick with flats and brand-name sandals (e.g. Merrell, Rockport).

Which is why it is a curious thing that I have held on to my wedding reception shoes; these are monstrously high, gold and rhinestone stilettos that I've only worn once, but that killed my feet thoroughly in the hour and a half that I had them on. Nobody has a picture of my shoes anymore, but they sort of look like a more sparkly and gold version of these shoes:

Maybe it's because they are Nine West, and I can't give away Nine West shoes after having only worn them once (though sentimentality be d*mned, I did give away my filthy white sandals that I also only wore once on the day of the wedding. Those, however, were not brand name).

And in another twist of curious masochism, I invested $40 of Hubbs' hard-earned money on this torture device:
They are Dollhouse shoes (apparently a brand name in NY but I've never heard of them), and they look crazy sexy when worn because they elongate the leg and force your calves to go muscly. However, they are not comfortable after an hour. The first hour is definitely bearable (and I did wear them around the store for a good 10 minutes before purchasing), but after that, the pain begins.

So why do I keep dropping dollars on these crazy shoes when I am obviously not able to wear them? I think it must be the eternal optimist in me that thinks, "This time, it will be different." Or maybe my vanity always wins over my better judgment.

Regardless, I'm glad for my new Rockport/Adidas heels, and I won't be getting rid of either pair of these things either, though I may not wear them again unless I have someone who will carry me from place to place while I have them on (hint hint, Hubbs!).

PS - If you have any tips to offer on how to wear painful 3" shoes without dying of blister pain or falling, I'm game for some advice. ;)

Baby 101

2010-07-23T23:55:00.004-07:00

Not mine, of course!! Don't get the wrong idea here.

But my sister, Vanilla Con, and her Big Ben hubby are going to get a new little baby friend in a few months. They have been visiting for the past week, along with some other dear friends of ours, and a big chunk of my sisterly-bonding time has been spent looking for things for sis's ever-growing belly and for the still-yet-gender-unknown babe in her womb.

It has definitely been an education. Who knew the number of brands and features out there for everything from strollers and car seats to breast pumps and baby monitors?! I sure didn't. I had no idea what constituted a "good" brand and what features would be handy to have. It makes me think that one day, should we be blessed with progeny, that I will have a *ton* of research to do!!

I also learned that having a kid is an expensive venture, much more so than I had previously imagined. Sure, you've got to start RESP's for college funds and awkward teenage brand-buying, but even *newborns* need a billion things that aren't cheap to purchase, like Bumbo's and play pens and rocking chairs (okay, that's for Mom, but still) and Baby Bjorns and car seats and bathing apparatus. I'm wondering if it's even possible to raise a healthy, well-adjusted kid on the cheap anymore?!

I very much enjoyed browsing the baby aisles and Babies R Us for goodies for my future niece/nephew. Vanilla Con has already promised to loan me half of her stuff one day when it's my turn. We'll see ;)

But until then, I look forward to ever more baby-buying adventures with Vanilla Con, and am enjoying the fact that with each trip, I learn more about my own ignorance towards the baby product industries and the needs/luxuries of baby-raising. It truly is an education indeed.

Summer Memes

2010-07-16T09:43:00.002-07:00

I had forgotten how much fun these are. Here are a few that I've jumbled together into one giant meme:

1.) What first tells you that summer is here?
Waking up to sunshine beaming into our room through our giant windows.

2.) Name five of your favorite distinctively summer habits or customs.
Going for gelato and drinks on patios.

Wearing flip flips and open-toed sandals.

Going for walks in the flower gardens with Hubbs.

Turning on my fans and A/C.

Weekend road trips and adventures (again, with Hubbs)

3.) What is your favorite smell of summer?
The smell of evening/night time on a warm summer day, especially just as the air is cooling off and lights are turning on.

4.) What is your favorite taste of summer?

Gelato on a hot summer day.

5.) Favorite summer memory?
Getting married. Going on honeymoon in Hawaii.

6.) Extreme heat or extreme cold? Which would you choose and why?
Neither, though extreme heat is slightly better if there was A/C somewhere so I could get some relief. Extreme cold is what we moved away from, and extreme heat is atypical for where we are, so in theory we have avoided both.

7.) What books do you plan to read for the season?
There are a few theology-themed books I’m hoping to tackle, as well as Money Road (by Garth Turner) and Water for Elephants (the book-to-movie that Robert Pattinson is filming at the moment).

Favorite summer flower: Lilies are my favourite at any time of year.
Flavor of ice cream or tofutti: Praline or else marzipan (almond)
Mode of transportation: Foot, train, or car
Music: Something upbeat; I’m not picky
Food: BBQ steak and wings and burgers, corn on the cob, gelato, frosty drinks
Favorite game to play: Bocce ball
Earliest childhood summer memory: Going for soft serve and drives with the family
Favorite Drink: Water
Favorite Snack: In case I haven’t made this obvious enough: gelato
Place to read: In bed, on the couch, in the shade outside
Most annoying: When the temperatures turn my lovely apt. into a scorching greenhouse and the heat is slow-cooking me
How I handle the heat: Currently we have 3 fans and a portable A/C unit. I also take a lot of cool showers. We also go outside where it is sometimes cooler than it is inside, or sometimes I will go shopping or for a drive in our air-conditioned car.
Pet Peeve: Bugs, insects, and arachnids – ew.
All-time favorite bathing suit: I am not a fan, though I was pretty happy with the bikini I bought on a cruise last year.
Best Time of Day: Evenings after the day has cooled off.
Most romantic: Maxi dresses, sunsets, and Hubbs.
Summer movie: Eclipse! J Anything good is worth watching at any time of year, actually.

ONE WORD MEME

1. Where is your cell phone? Bedroom
2. Your significant other? Meetings
3. Your hair? Messy
4. Your mother? Working
5. Your father? Coffee
6. Your favorite thing? Hubbs!
7. Your dream last night? Forgotten
8. Your favorite drink? Water
9. Your dream/goal? Holiness
10. The room are you in? Cool!
11. Your hobby? Reading
12. Your fear? Critters
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Vancouver
14. Where were you last night? Yakitori
16. Muffins? Calories
17. Wish list item? Sectional
18. Where you grew up? Prairies
19. Last thing you did? Laundry
20. What are you wearing? Clothes
21. Your TV? Off
22. Your pets? Allergies
23. Friends? Busy
24. Your life? Awesome
25. Your mood? Relaxed
26. Missing someone? No
27. Car? Fixed
28. Something you’re not wearing? Coat
29. Your favorite store? Dollarama
30. Your summer? Busy
31. Like someone? Friends
32. Your favorite color? Blue
33. When is the last time you laughed? Hubbs
34. Last time you cried? TV
35. Place you go to over and over? Bathroom
36. Person who emails you regularly? Spam
37. Favorite place to eat? Varied
38. Why did you participate in this survey? Entertainment
39. What are you doing tonight? Haircut

Don't be a Greater Fool

2010-07-14T08:58:00.003-07:00

Some of you know that Hubbs & I have some very strong opinions about real estate, and why we've abstained thus far from investing our dollars into a home purchase. We are, by and large, super happy renters. Here are some of the reasons why:

Our rent just dropped by $200.
We are debt free. Imagine owing $300K or more to the bank, with interest! That's not fun.
We don't worry about property taxes.
If so inclined (or called by God to even greener pastures), we can move out on a month's notice (though we probably won't be).
We're not paying rapt attention to hiking rates and sweating over mortgage payment increases and renewals.
We don't have to shovel or mow or worry that our car might get broken into (concierge/security services).
We don't worry about our neighbour's house and their property values affecting our own.
If something malfunctions, our landlord fixes it on his dime. No continuous repairs or upgrades necessary.
Re-assessments? Condo fees? Nope and nope.
We never had to compromise our location based on our price points; we are exactly where we want to be, without the pain of commuting.
If we ever need to downgrade our home because of finances, we don't risk losing our life savings *and* being on the hook for the "remainder" of our mortgage. Canada doesn't really allow people to walk away from a property even if they declare bankruptcy.
We are not alone! Many of my smartest friends in NYC, HK, and Van are also renters. So are millions of people in other parts of the world.

Now, this isn't to say that we will never purchase a property. One day we might, if the conditions are right and we can afford to pay for it outright or else by-pass CMHC altogether by putting 35% down (all the while maintaining our other investments such that our real estate assets amount to no more than 40% of our net worth). But we're not quite there yet, and we aren't in any hurry. Frankly, neither Hubbs nor I enjoy lawn care and we don't like being locked down by debt.

We also recognize that our generation has a propensity to buy only the shiniest and newest stuff, making purchases on (or building) first homes that put their parents' last homes to shame. There seems to be a lack of humility or restraint in real estate these days; so many are buying first homes that are >2,000 sq. ft., and laden with hardwood, stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops. I'd like to think that these are luxuries that one must save up for, and not something that every young couple is entitled to have from the get-go (and frankly, I wouldn't want a 30-40 year amortization, thankyouverymuch). I certainly do not want to chase after such earthly things; I would rather focus my effort and attention on laying up treasures elsewhere by the grace of God.

Such is our position, controversial might it be. We get a lot of wisdom from a blog that I highly respect, called The Greater Fool (http://www.greaterfool.ca/). It's not a site for everyone, and most people aren't open to hearing what the author (Garth Turner) has to say. Then again, few also listened to the prophets of old either. ;)

My wish is that you will not be a greater fool, and that your eyes and your heart will long more for Him than for anything that this impermanent, perishable world might have to offer.

iAddicted

2010-07-14T00:03:00.002-07:00

I have discovered the joy of downloading new apps and games for my iPhone, so much so that I am using up the phone's battery life on a *daily* basis. The first step is admitting you have a problem, so here I am. Guilty as charged.

The games I have been particularly drawn to are Pop Stars, Bejeweled, Tiki Towers, Words with Friends (which I play with Hubbs), and Angry Birds.

However, I've self-imposed some rules that keep some of my addiction under control. First of all, I have an app for the Bible on the phone, and I must do my daily Scripture reading (on the phone) before I can begin playing. Secondly, I must also use my *other* apps (e.g. food diary, weather check) so that I can maximize my phone's functionality rather than use it exclusively as a call-capable game system.

Hubbs tried to impose a third rule - no iPhone playing in bed - but so far, I have not complied.

Hubbs has his PS3 as a weakness, and I fear now that I have mine as well. I keep telling myself that I can quit whenever I want, and that I *will* quit once the summer is over and I'm back in the classroom, but who am I kidding? Once hooked, always hooked.

Long live my iPhone battery! :D

PS - The above cover is almost identical to the soft plastic cover I bought for my iPhone. Mine is only a smidge more purple than this one, but the design is identical. When I hit up the Night Market again on the weekend, I might also pick up a second case. Just because. ;)

Twilight : Eclipse - A Fan Girl Review

2010-07-10T22:38:00.002-07:00

I went to see it with Hubbs today. It was part of our anniversary celebration (well, for *me* anyway - for Hubbs it was comedic relief). Vanilla Con - if you still want to see it I'm still game ;)

Verdict? I liked the book better, but isn't that always the case with books that turn into movies? You always like the one you were exposed to first, better. And of course, when you read the books the scenes seem far less....cheesy.

Don't get me wrong; I am satisfied with David Slade's direction, though I hear he butted heads artistically with some of the actors (namely my favourite, Rob Pattinson). The movie has a slightly darker, more violent edge to it, which makes the viewing experience a bit more appealing to guys like Hubbs. The fighting scenes were definitely more exciting than in New Moon, and the "sleepover" scene sizzled (though I wish they would have stayed more true to the book and made it a bit longer). I thought that the CGI wolves were more convincingly menacing in this film, and some of the cinematography was really artsy even without the blue filter a la Hardwicke. I also appreciated the attempt to bring some humour and levity into the film. Everyone knows that these are not Oscar-worthy flicks, and don't warrant the intensity of a Schindler's List movie; the funny bits help remind the audience not to take it too seriously. Given that David Slade was limited in part by the story itself, and by the screen play, I think that he did a pretty decent job with the weak source material he had to work with.

Hubbs also commented that he thought the actors should be commended for trying their best to stay true to the characters and not overact or make them campy, a temptation I'm sure most actors face when they realize that their characters are somewhat farcical and prone to being the butt of jokes.

But the film had its flaws, too; for one, the "tent" scene was cheesy, way more so than I remember it from the book. It's one thing to read those sappy lines on paper, and another thing entirely to hear them uttered out loud. That was one of my favourite scenes to read, but the tension that was palpable in the novel didn't evidence itself on screen. At all. Though I liked him in the first movie, I also did not find Taylor Lautner convincing as Jacob-the-man-who-changes-into-a-werewolf, and a challenger for Bella's affections. Lautner plays boy-next-door really well, but as a love interest, he falls short (perhaps that is the intention)? I wonder if his role had been re-cast in New Moon, would that have made for a hotter love triangle? Somehow, I could believe Bella's affections being torn if it was between pretty boy RPattz and that 6-pack hottie Michael Copon. Just sayin'....

I also really really missed Rachelle Lefevre as Victoria. She was deliciously evil in the first two flicks, and Bryce Dallas Howard really didn't have the edginess or cajones to fill her shoes. Bad decision, Summit. You shouldn't have dropped Lefevre over a silly scheduling issue that could have been resolved.

The story was also pretty choppy, though I'm not sure if this was because of Rosenberg's screenplay or Slade's direction; regardless, I felt like the plot transitions could have been smoother. There were also parts of the book that didn't show up in the movie. For die-hard fans like me, that was unforgivable (e.g. where was Seth's big shining moment!?? The bonding with Edward part that was key to bridging the wolf-vamp relationship was never even mentioned).

I also found Bella's hair (Kristen Stewart's wig) to be a major distraction; her hairline kept moving forward and backward and sometimes her hair was curly, and other times it was straight. I highly doubt that, when her life was being threatened, that the Bella of the novel would have had time to curl her naturally straight hair. A minor detail, but one that really distracted me. Oh - and Bella uses the word EPIC in this movie, which is beyond wrong in my books. Nobody should ever use that word unless they're describing literature.

The highlights of the movie?

Sarah Clarke as Renee - convincing portrayal of Bella's flighty mom
Billy Burke as Charlie - the sex talk scene was awesome
The other wolves - they didn't have a lot of screen time but I thought their acting was spot on and believable; I could totally buy that they belonged to the tribe
Riley (Xavier Samuel) - very handsome and sympathetic villain; I see a bright future for this young actor
Rob Pattinson - he still looks stiff as a constipated corpse sometimes (sorry honey!), but in a few scenes you see him really get comfortable as Edward, and those are the moments that I love the most. Plus, he's very very handsome in his chalky white make-up; the man *is* beautiful to look at.
The meadow - is that in BC? It's beautiful, so much so that I want to find that place and roll around in it with Hubbs. I wouldn't make him re-enact the scenes though; that would be cruel.

Overall, the movie isn't horrible, and I would see it again (mostly because I'm a fan girl). I used a gift cert from my students to watch it today, so it's not like I had to pay to see it. I would though - but only once, not multiple times like those crazed teenage "Twi-hards" out there. It might be worth $12.50 but it's definitely not worth $25.00.

And out of sheer morbid curiosity, I'll even go to see Breaking Dawn when it eventually comes out in theatres, though I won't be expecting much (unless they complete ditch the novel and come up with an alternate plot line that doesn't involve C-sections or "imprinting" or "cue-to-black" scenes). Mostly, I want to see Edward-Bella "business time" and if the next movie can give me that and make it hot, I might even forgive the whole deal with the name Renesme. Wait, scratch that. Nothing can make me forgive that.

5 Years...

2010-07-09T15:24:00.003-07:00

Hubbs & I, we're a team. And we've been a team long before we exchanged "I do's." However, today marks 5 years since the moment when we officially became "one flesh" in covenant to one another, before God.

And what a great 5 years it has been! Hubbs & I sometimes sit and marvel at how quickly time has passed, while at the same time searching our memories for any recollection of life before each other. Neither of us really can anymore; it's like our existence pre-marriage was like a big dream. What was life like before we had each other? We can barely remember.

Today (and this weekend) we will be off celebrating our 5th honeymoon year. Laugh if you will, but it still feels like a honeymoon to us. We still want to hold hands and sit next to each other. We still giggle together and enjoy stealing kisses when nobody's looking. May that feeling never end!

So how does one celebrate 5 years? According to traditional gift-giving, the fifth anniversary is the year of "wood." I won't even go there; this is a family-friendly site. The modern gift would be silverware, but we have plenty of that already. So maybe we won't do gifts this year, but we will go out for dinner. I'm so excited about heading to Le Crocodile (finally, after 2 long years of waiting) tonight for foie gras and duck breast and French pastries and delicacies. Then, on the weekend, we have plans to spend the day together, and maybe watch Eclipse in the theatre (that's his gift to me!). In return, I might watch him play Street Fighter online with my brother. ;)

The truth is, we celebrate our love all year long, so our anniversary is really no different than any other day of the year. As a result, even our "celebrations" sound suspiciously similar to something we would do on any other weekend.

But 5 years is an accomplishment. Many do not even make it to this point in their marriages. I am blessed. We are blessed. And we have our very gracious and loving Father to thank for that.

~ May your joys be as bright as the morning, your years of happiness as numerous as the stars in the heavens, and your troubles but shadows that fade in the sunlight of love. ~
An old English blessing

In Heat

2010-07-08T08:55:00.002-07:00

When it's stinkin' hot outside, it is hard to think. It is hard to exercise. It is even hard to eat (unless we're talking ice cream). And today, it is *HOT* outside. When I woke up, I was already sweating; that's not a good sign. I'm pretty certain that the temperatures have been steadily rising since that 7:00 a.m. wake-up time.

In blind optimism, I had secretly hoped that this glorious city would have its coolest summer on record this year. I don't mind overcast skies and rain; umbrellas and jackets do the trick just fine, and I find that loomy gloomy gray weather somewhat romantic. However, when it gets brutally hot and our home transforms into a human greenhouse, there is no way to cool down save for standing in a cold shower the entire day. I can remove clothes, blast fans and A/C units, and pull down the blinds, but when that's not even enough, I have no other means of relief from the searing heat.

The forecast is calling for more days like this one, at least for the next week. I hope the forecast is wrong, or else the world will have one seriously grumpy Mrs Loquacious on their hands for the summer.

I Had a Dream...

2010-06-20T01:14:00.003-07:00

Really, I did. The other night I had a very vivid dream where I had a big argument with Hubbs that culminated in my giving him an ultimatum: get me an iPhone, or else. I don't remember if he actually followed through in my dream, but today, he did so in real life and bought me an iPhone 3GS.
I am welcoming myself into the smartphone club. It has been a long time coming, really; I have been coveting an email-enabled phone for at least a year, but I kept putting off my final decision in the hopes that a)the iPhone's cost would drop, and b)the iPhone would come out with a QWERTY keyboard. Of course, the latter did not happen, and one wonders if the former did either; I really don't know if I saved any money by signing up for another 3 years with the big R. However, the price was lower than previously quoted due to the imminent release of the iPhone 4 so I don't feel so gouged by the mobile monopoly to which I am enslaved.

Anyway, it has been a very educationally-enlightening day for me as I've attempted to acquaint myself with my new toy. First of all, this whole touch-screen business is pretty new to me. Up until this point, my only experience with touch screens have been with the Nintendo DS and with the Sudoku game on Hubbs' iPhone, so I've been slowly getting adjusted to the whole idea of scrolling and dialing in this very new way.

Secondly, I've been app-happy all day, learning about and searching for both free and cheap apps to load onto my phone. So far, I've only spent $4.00 but have downloaded 17 apps already, with more to come as recommendations begin trickling in. This doesn't even include games (except Sudoku), so I have a feeling my apps list will continue to grow in days to come. It has been fascinating to discover the sorts of apps that are available, and challenging to find the "best" ones to purchase and install.

Finally, Hubbs has been teaching me how to do the technical things with my phone, like syncing and installing ringtones, etc. Now that I've fully converted to Apple products, I have to learn how to make all of my toys work together for maximum potential. I think I've got the hang of it when it comes to the basics, but I am pretty sure that there's a ton more to learn about this powerful piece of technology.

My next task will be to hit up the night market and purchase a cheap yet durable, chic little iPhone case. I'm still debating between getting a silicone sleeve or a less durable, yet more attractive looking case to house my little white device.

Anyway, my point is that I'm very very excited about this new phone, and though I hated my dream, I'm so glad that it gave me the push that I needed to finally commit myself to an iPhone. It has only been a day (not even), but so far, I have no regrets about my decision, and I don't expect that to change any time soon.

24

2010-05-24T19:39:00.002-07:00

I will miss you, Jack. Thanks for the bad-ass memories.

Proverbs 5:18

2010-04-24T20:42:00.002-07:00

May your fountain be blessed,

and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.

Jesus, the Bridegroom, is relentless in His pursuit of His bride, the Church. He does not grow weary, He does not give up. He loves His bride as much today as ever, in spite of her faults.

Why then does a man cease to pursue and adore the wife of his youth? Why are some guys not fighting for their marriage? Why do they no longer rejoice in the woman that has walked alongside them, for better and for worse? Why is the covenant no longer sacred, and the promises no longer kept?

You cover the LORD’s altar with tears, with weeping and groaning
because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor
from your hand. But you say, "Why does he not?"
Because the LORD was witness between you and the wife of your youth,
to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion
and your wife by covenant. Did he not make them one,
with a portion of the Spirit in their union?
And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring.
So guard yourselves in your spirit,
and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth.
Malachi 2:13-15

Men of faith, rise up! Fight the good fight for your wife and your marriage! Do not grow weary, and do not cease to persevere! May your fountain be blessed AS you rejoice in the bride of your youth!

** I praise God that He has brought me into covenant with a man who walks with integrity and who seeks after God's heart. Day after day, Hubbs models the grace and patience and love of Jesus to me, and lavishes me with affection. My cup overflows, and I feel every bit as cherished and adored as when we first made our covenant to each other. I am blessed, but fear I am in the minority. May that not be so.

Make-Up and Ecclesiastic Eclecticism

2010-04-17T13:37:00.004-07:00

In my bid to find the perfect mineral make-up for my face with the least toxicity, I've been trying nearly every brand mentioned to me. I began with Pur Minerals after having been introduced to Bare Escentuals (which I did not try). Next, I followed my beautician's advice and picked up some pricey Smashbox stuff. When that started to run out, I ordered some Mineral Hygienics. Based on new information about nano-particles, I then rushed an order of Everyday Minerals. Finally, when the great debate about titanium and zinc oxide reared its ugly head, I consulted with the Skin Deep Cosmetic Database and sent for some Rejuva Minerals, my latest purchase.

However, none of these brands has completely satisfied me. Each one has had one or two great products that have really stood out, but for me to conclude overwhelmingly that any one brand has got mineral make-up all figured out would be inaccurate. My quest for the right combination has led me to conclude that perhaps I need to take the best products each brand has to offer, and create my own customized make-up routine rather than commit to just one brand's product line.

Through this process, I am reminded of an article I once read about being an ecclesiastical eclectic. Its premise (which I agree with) is that every denomination that holds to the authority of the Bible and proclaims Jesus Christ as Lord offers some universal Truth about God. Does any one particular denomination get it all right and capture all of the essence of our great God? Probably not; each one is fallible because of the limitations of sinful human nature. However, does not each have something to offer us about who God is? Likely. We can see the passion of God in the more charismatic churches, the splendor and holiness of God in the rituals and traditions of Catholicism, and the mercy of God in the more evangelical traditions. Each denomination of the universal Church reveals something about Him, for each has been established by Him and through Him for His glory.

Just as I would not want to commit to just one brand for my mineral make-up, so too would I not want to commit myself to only one denomination and in so doing, miss out on the insights that another denomination would have to offer about my Father in heaven. I have been so privileged to be able to worship alongside my brothers and sisters in the Alliance, Pentecostal, Catholic, Interdenominational, Christian Reform, Baptist, and Mennonite Brethren traditions. As God calls me to worship in different ways and in different places, I keep getting a fuller and more beautiful picture of the One I serve. How wonderful it is to be an eclectic!

PS - My final "best" list of mineral make-up goes something like this:
- Everyday Minerals Intense Fair Medium foundation / Smashbox Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder*
- Everyday Minerals Sunlight Finishing Dust
- Mineral Hygienics Cool Kiss Mineral bronzer
- Pur Minerals Universal Marble Mineral Powder (pink)
- Mineral Hygienics Sheer Perfection Mineral Finish (translucent)
- Pur Minerals Intensity Eyeliner gel

*By no means is this stuff non-toxic, BTW. It has great coverage though!

** Honourable mention to Rejuva Minerals' Cool Touch Mineral foundation; it doesn't offer super great coverage but it rates the lowest on the toxicity scale and it's still pretty good! :)

Hot Tub Time Machine - Need I Say More?

2010-03-27T22:30:00.002-07:00

Raunchy, crude, totally NSFKids, and absolutely hilarious. It's a movie where you should just check your brains at the door, because it's not a thinking movie; it's a be-entertained and laugh your a$$ off movie. I think I actually cried in some parts, because I was laughing so hard. It was a great way to burn off the calories of the heart-attack-inducing popcorn I ate (only 1/2 of a small without extra butter, so don't judge).

I loved Jon Cusack but I thought Craig Robinson had the best lines. Hubbs thinks the guy that plays Lou had better zingers, but I think that actor tried a bit too hard. I loved the actor who plays Jacob; he was a very convincing 21st century geek.

Anyway, it's a great movie to watch with your funny, more liberal-minded friends. Don't go with your stick-in-the-mud-uber-conservative buddies** though; they will think you're disgusting for picking such a filthy movie! ;)

**No offense to my stick-in-the-mud-uber-conservative friends; I still love you! :)

Theatre Anorexia, or Heart Attack in a Paper Bag

2010-03-27T18:15:00.002-07:00

Did you know how many calories and grams of fat are in a Cineplex Odeon/Famous Players medium popcorn? If not, live in blissful ignorance. As for me and my Hubbs, we can no longer consume those delicious kernels of extra-layered-buttery goodness in good conscience, because we made the mistake of Googling the nutritional information contained in a bag of that stuff.

Let me put it this way: a large popcorn (without the "extra" butter layered on) is equivalent to half of an adult's daily caloric intake, and way more fat grams than any human being should consume in any given day.

And who eats popcorn without the butter? That's like eating hot dogs without ketchup, or french fries without salt. Ick.

So, alas, we must give up our popcorn love or risk having a coronary in the middle of "Hot Tub Time Machine." Maybe sharing a small popcorn is an alternative, but somehow I doubt that this will be much better once they layer on the butter (and you know it's only good with the layers).

Another delicious food completely eliminated from my diet. *sigh*

A MIllion Bucks Doesn't Go Far Anymore

2010-03-25T20:58:00.002-07:00

Not that I have a million bucks. I'm just sayin'. My lovely mom-in-law and I were discussing the Lotto jackpot, and what we would do if we won a cool mil. We both agreed that winning $1,000,000 would be fantastic (hey, we celebrate when we win $5 on scratch tickets), but it wouldn't go nearly as far as it once did (say, in 1985).

I remember, as a teen, being asked the same question by my mom. I had a big elaborate plan worked out that would allow me to give some of it away to loved ones, some to God (via charitable donations to the church), and the rest to myself for both investments and spending. I'm sure that at the time, my laundry list of "stuff" not only included nice cars and a home (or two), but clothes, shoes, and travel arrangements. At the time, that sum of money probably could purchase all of the things on my list. The plan was solid.

Now? Even with $1 million, I wouldn't be able to afford a single-family house in Point Grey, or a sub-penthouse apartment in the third Harbour Green building. In fact, I'd probably still be priced out of single-family dwellings in the nicer neighborhoods of Vancouver West. A nice car for Hubbs would set me back nearly 20% of the jackpot. As for investments - well, let's just say that the ROI at 2% isn't awesome.

I blame inflation. It would probably require a jackpot of at least $10 million to be able to do all of the things that I had laid out in my initial spending plans. To me, that's pretty sad. It's sad to see that even my jackpot dreams have become unaffordable. What is this world coming to?

Of course, I haven't bought a Lotto ticket in nearly a year, so my chances of winning even $5? Nil.

I Miss My Childhood

2010-03-25T01:21:00.003-07:00

When we were kids, my sibs and I "chased" a lot of Cantonese serials. That is, we watched many mini-series dramas that were produced and shot in Hong Kong. One that we particularly enjoyed was the 1982-1983 version of Legend of the Condor Hero.

I happened to hear the theme song to this show playing in the Chinese supermarket last week, and it has been on my mind ever since. I decided to Google the show and its actors these past two nights, and somehow, in listening to the songs and watching the accompanying Youtube videos, I've become quite nostalgic for the childhood that has long since passed.

I'm not sure what it is about this show in particular that has triggered my emo-stalgia, but discovering the ravages of time on the actors and reading about the premature passing of the main actress (Barbara Yung) has left me sort of veklempt. I miss my childhood, and the simple lazy days when we used to sprawl on our bellies on the carpet and watch shows like this on VHS. I miss believing that I could actually *be* one of the characters, and have super kung fu powers, and fight bad guys off without even breaking a sweat. I guess I miss the innocence of youth that I once possessed; when did I lose it?

This summer, I think I will pick up the DVD to this show and watch all 59 episodes in a marathon. I might even do it sprawled on my belly on a carpet somewhere.

It Has Been a While, Meme...

2010-03-23T21:08:00.002-07:00

What type of day are you having? Somewhat miserable. I had to get cavities filled and my teeth cleaned, and the dentist used a fluoride on my teeth that took 6 hours to wear off. When it did come off, it did so in chunks. My mouth was also frozen for part of the day, hampering my ability to eat. I ended up skipping my workout due to fatigue and hunger, thanks in part to my frozen mouth.

Was there anyone who "made your day"? Hubbs. He always makes my day! Sometimes he makes it great, other days he makes it horrible.. ;)

Are you liking how you look today? I did not like looking half-frozen in the face, but I always like my legs in yoga pants. So mostly yes.

Do you have anyone crushing on you? Hubbs. He has a crush on my butt and my boobs and other parts of me that he thinks are attractive :)

Have you ever eaten a bug? Not on purpose, but since I did go through a salad phase, I'm sure there were a couple of critters that I inadvertently swallowed with my lettuce.

Are you vegetarian? No, I'm a meatatarian.

When was the last time you kissed someone? Hubbs, a few hours ago.

Have you ever had something stuck between your teeth, but no one decided to tell you? Once I interviewed for a position at Earls, and whilst waiting for the interviewer, I ordered an Earls strawberry soda. I managed to get a strawberry seed lodged right between my two front teeth, and completed a full interview that way. I only discovered this when I glanced at my reflection in the rearview mirror as I was driving out of the parking lot after the interview. Needless to say, I wasn't hired.

Are you a mother or a father? Neither.

When was your last paycheck? I don't get paid in cheques anymore. Direct deposit, baby!

How many pets do you have? One Hubbs.

What kind of toothpaste do you use? Currently it's Crest Cinnamon. It's always Crest but the flavour changes depending on availability and mood.

Are you closer to being rich or poor? Anyone who lives in North America is rich by global standards.

Do you sleep with a stuffed animal? There is no room left on our bed for such things.

What was the last gift someone gave you? An early Easter card from the in-laws. So sweet! I also got a free toothbrush and mini-toothpaste from the dentist's office - do those count?

Do you appreciate that person? My in-laws, yes. My dental hygienist - sort of (she causes me pain sometimes).

Did you talk to anyone you didn't like today? Does my soon-to-be-ex-RMT count?

Do you like picnics? Only if there are no bugs and I am guaranteed not to get dirty. I don't go on a lot of picnics…

What book are you currently reading? Just finished Super Freakonomics and am about to start Money Road.

What song did you last listen to? I forgot already. Hubbs could probably tell you, though; he's the audiophile in the family.

What movie is in your DVD player? It's currently empty. We are still waiting to upgrade to a PS3 so that we can watch movies in HD.

How many windows are open in your computer? Two (4 tabs in the browser)

Are you a very stressed out person? Hubbs thinks so. I think I am only stressed out sometimes, but he believes I'm a perpetual stress ball.

Make a list of 5 things you can see without getting up:
1. Kitchen sinks
2. Mayonnaise (oops, I should really put that away)
3. Kitchen appliances (stove, microwave, fridge)
4. The TV
5. Our bed

How do you style your hair? I usually wear it long and flat. Many products are used in this very complex process, though you'd never guess that from looking at me.

What are you wearing now? My contact lenses, among other things.

Coffee or tea? Both, although someone recently told me that caffeine erodes the calcium in my body. So now I'm thinking I should drink more milk to counteract this effect.

What’s your current fandom/obsession/addiction? Make-up. I keep amassing more and more mineral make-up. It's almost time to purge just to make room for the stuff I just ordered today.

If you could get a tattoo of anything right now, what would you get? Maybe a tacky Chinese symbol (faith? hope? joy?). But I'm past my tattoo-lusting phase now, so I'll likely never get inked.

If you had the money for it, what would you purchase right now? A house in Point Grey, complete with crown mouldings, granite, stainless steel, and landscaping.

What websites do you always visit when you go online? Lainey Gossip, D-Listed, Oh No They Didn't, Greater Fool, Gmail, and iGoogle.

What was the last thing you bought? Groceries.

Who would you like to be listening to right now? Mozart, or Vivaldi, or Grieg. Maybe Haydn.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? The ability to shape shift (I'd make myself skinny and bootylicious), or else the ability to do things really really quickly so that I'd have time left over to sleep.

What is your favourite weather, and why? The brisk clean air of autumn, with just a bit of sunshine and mild temperatures. It's a good feeling in my lungs and on my skin.

If you could play any musical instrument, which one would you play? Guitar. I already know how to play the piano and violin.

What would your theme song be? I'm Every Woman (Whitney Houston) or a praise and worship song (e.g. I Believe in Jesus).

What is your dream career? A hotel and food critic who travels the world and reviews glamourous 5-star dining and resort destinations. :)

Tuesday Rant Meme

2010-03-23T10:35:00.004-07:00

I'm not sunshine and roses this morning so skip the post if you don't want to hear me b*tch. Just sayin'.

1) Don't give me attitude if I miss a massage appointment because you failed to call me *after* I had already requested a courtesy call a day in advance of my appointment. I book these things a month in advance; my memory isn't that long. If I have already asked for the call and you don't bother, don't get in a snit when I no-show. I already told you I'd forget. Ball's in your court, sister.

2) Crusted on egg is a pain in the arse to clean. This is why eggs should only be consumed as hard-boiled; any other cooking method requires too much clean-up, and caked on egg ruins wooden spatulas. Did I mention that Hubbs and I have separate wooden spoons? He's no longer allowed to touch mine, period.

3) If an internet provider has a system failure, there should be an automatic credit issued to all account holders who were affected by said failure. We lost connectivity for 15 minutes yesterday. If Hubbs was working, that would be 15 minutes of meeting time he would have to make up for later. Given his per-hour salary, is the internet provider willing to fork over the $$ in over-time work Hubbs would have to make up? Or what about lost income?

4) There should be an automatic escalation process for customer service phone reps. The moment they realize they cannot solve the problem, or the customer asks for a supervisor, they should move the call along to their superiors. It's a waste of my time, and their time, for me to have to explain and re-explain my problem and wait and wait some more while they figure out if they are able to assist me (which I am almost always certain that they cannot).

Hmmph. On an overcast Tuesday, it is good to rant a little bit. I almost feel better now.

Basic Beauty

2010-03-22T21:35:00.002-07:00

Much as I am fond of my Smashbox Halo mineral powder and its uncanny ability to hide all of my facial flaws, I've recently had to trade it in for something a little less....toxic. My dear friend Amy F. made a good point about being more vigilant when it comes to the stuff that one puts on their skin. I mean, maybe these products absorb into my bloodstream (I have no memory of biology). Maybe they'll inhibit my ability to have babies one day. Who really knows?

Anyway, in an effort to be more health conscious, I decided to try mineral make-up that is a little more simple. As in, 4 ingredients simple. Another dear friend, Mrs. S, suggested that I try Everyday Minerals. Though I was initially skeptical about putting down money on something I haven't ever seen or touched before, I decided to give it a go when I looked up the website and discovered that you could actually order a crapload of samples for a very minimal fee. Given how much I paid for the one compact of Smashbox, I figured that this was a steal.

When the little samples arrived, I wasn't sure what to make of them. They were teeny tiny and there were, like, 15 of them (okay, so I over-ordered a little). Most looked to be similar in colour and it took a while for me to figure out which ones I liked, and which brushes to use, and how to actually get these powders from jar to face.

After this initial bout of problem-solving, I developed my own little system and began trying out the products. Several weeks later, I can definitely say that I am sold. Everyday Minerals are inexpensive, less toxic than other mineral make-up, and easy to use. I am currently using their Light Semi-Matte or Fairly Medium Intensive bases, and have yet to make up my mind on my favourite blushes and finishing powders (though I really like the Kaolin Sunlight finishing dust).

So now, my beauty routine has been changed. Truth be told, it hasn't simplified one bit given that I now use an extra finishing powder (read: one more step) as part of my morning routine. However, I feel much better about leaving my face on when I go to bed (a big no-no but I still do it because I get lazy) and I don't worry nearly as much about poisoning my bloodstream or skin with chemicals that have names I can barely pronounce.

Oh, and I haven't blogged in a while, as you may have noticed. Oh how I have missed it!

I am not dead

2010-02-09T19:44:00.004-08:00

However, I have not been free to blog very often these past few months, owing to the fact that I'm a newbie to educating 6 year-olds.

Here's a recap of the past few months, in case you were wondering:

* We became an all-Mac family and retired my old Toshiba PC after I baptized it with water. I love my Macbook but I think my touch pad clicker key is malfunctioning. It makes an odd clicking sound that I'm pretty sure needs to be repaired (when I get the time).

*Hubbs & I went to Hawaii for 2 weeks at Christmas time. It was a decidedly un-Christmasy December on the beach, but I was so thankful for the much-needed R & R.

* We started some wonderful Christmas traditions that we hope to continue for many years to come.

* Our car finally surpassed the 10,000 km mark. With all of my driving to and from work, the mileage has started to add up.

* We hired a bi-monthly housekeeper to help us keep our place from condemnation. As a working woman, I haven't had much time (or energy) to devote to dusting, vacuuming, and cleaning the hardwood. Thankfully, there are people who are paid to do that kind of stuff.

* I stayed awake and sober enough for the 2010 countdown, though we nearly missed it because our restaurant didn't organize it very well.

* I discovered the wonders of accessorizing. I am not too lazy to do it now!

* I've begun to eat vegetables again...though only in moderation ;)

* I watched the Olympic flame be carried through a stretch of road in Richmond near my school. It was a glorious moment, and I am so glad I was there to witness it.

* We are in the process of hiring a financial guru. I am excited to tap into his expertise and maybe even make some cashola!

* After much convincing, Hubbs finally let me buy a new bookshelf. We actually have space for our books now!

Anyway, that's the long and short of it. There really isn't much to tell since both Hubbs' and my life have consisted of work, sleep, exercise (his, anyway), sushi, and church. We look forward to a busy 2010, however, full of fun weddings and local adventures!

Happy very belated 2010, blog world!

This Little Piggy

2009-11-14T21:31:00.003-08:00

Oink. Oink oink.

Actually, that's not how my flu started, though anytime anyone mentions Swine Flu that's what I think of.

Mine began one morning when I got out of bed, sweating and wondering who cranked the heat in the bedroom. Evidently, no one.

Then, my tummy felt nauseous and crampy. I thought it was all that ab work I did at boot camp two days earlier. Apparently not.

Several hours later, I started feeling very very tired. Not just the I-work-6-days-a-week-and-I'm-new-to-Grade-1 fatigue, but something worse. I loaded up on sugar (Reese's Pieces) and managed to drive home. By this point, the chills were setting in, and I had to wear 2 jackets to try to keep warm.

This is where Hubbs took over, and he took me to Emergency at the General Hospital. Given that there's a pandemic going around, I figured the wait would be long there; previous experience at the Emerg in E-town also taught me to budget a good 6 hours. I didn't expect that the longest wait would be for shift change in the department; we waited nearly 30 minutes just to be helped to check-in. Of course, then I told them about my symptoms, and things sped up exponentially.

I was ushered in, my temperature and blood pressure were checked (I had a low-grade fever), and I was given 3 mega-dose Tylenol. Then, I was asked to go into the Pandemic Room, where I joined two others who were also donning masks and exhibiting flu symptoms. I waited there a while longer (30 minutes?), during which time a doc listened to me breathe and declared I had a case of the piggy flu (though he did say that every flu he saw was *that* flu), and prescribed Tamiflu.

In a relatively brief 1.5 hours, I was in and out of the hospital, and on my way home.

Now this little piggy is staying at home, and resting, and turning into a bigger piggy ;)

The end.

Halloweening

2009-10-30T23:40:00.005-07:00

I have always enjoyed certain parts of Halloween, but as a Christ follower, I've wrestled (and continue to wrestle) with why I am bothered by other parts of the day. I love the free candy and the experience of trick-or-treating (both as the receiver and as the giver), and I am a big fan of playing dress-up. I don't love the demonic or occultic or otherwise-creepy parts of Halloween and I'm not fond of the fact that the day is associated with fear and death, neither of which I celebrate and both of which Jesus conquered on the cross.

So, how will Hubbs & I spend the day tomorrow? I am going to school. I have work to do. He's coming with me. He has work to do...for me ;)

And when we're done, we'll head to an all-you-can-gorge sushi restaurant where the staff are completely costumed up, and the restaurant is covered from ceiling to floor with Halloween deco (webs, spiders, you name it - they've got it on their walls). We won't be dressed up, though I did toy with the idea of having Hubbs dress as Edward Cullen while I wore my most Bella outfit. He didn't bite (pun intended).

Anyway, we won't be trick or treating, 'cuz it's weird to do that as thirty-somethings with no kids. We also won't be doling out candy, since our building is mostly adult-inhabited and nobody trick-or-treats in high-rise condos.

I thought I'd do a little Halloween meme tonight, though, since I'm still feeling a bit sick (I called for a sub part-way through my day today; my cold and cough aren't getting worse but I'm not getting better either :S), and I've slept for most of the day so I'm awake at this late hour.

1. What is your favourite written work of horror fiction?
Does the Haunted Mansion choose-your-own-adventure book count? I haven't really explored this particular genre of literature.

2. What is your favourite work of science fiction/fantasy?
Devil on my Back by Monica Hughes.

3. Who is your favourite monster?
Edward Cullen ;)

4. What is your favourite horror movie?

I don't watch scary movies.

5. What horror movie gives you the most chills?
See previous answer.

6. What character from any horror film would you most like to play?
Does Twilight count? Because I'd want to be Bella.

7. Freddy or Jason?
Who? ;)

8. What is your favourite Halloween treat?
It used to be Kit-Kats and rocket candies. Nowadays, I'm a fan of those yummy Pillsbury sugar cookies with the pumpkins on them (but they're not good for me so I did not buy any cookie dough this Halloween).

9. Ghosts or goblins?
I don't believe in either. But how about vegetarian vampires?

10. Friendly-faced jack-o’-lantern or scary one?
I like the intricately carved pumpkins with scenes on them. Those are usually friendly scenes.

11. What is your scariest encounter with the paranormal?
Demonic attacks.

12. Do you believe in ghosts? Why or why not?
Nope. Once you die, you enter into an eternity that is either Heaven/Paradise or Hell/Hades. Earth is not one of your choices.

13. Would you rather be a zombie, alien, or psycho?

I would rather be an alien in this world ;)

14. Favorite Halloween costume?
One day I'd like to dress up as Jasmine from Aladdin. So far I haven't had a favourite costume, mostly because I haven't ever bothered to invest a lot of money on a thoroughly-convincing costume. I did like my Little Red Riding Hood get-up though.

15. Best thing about Halloween?
The excited little faces that go trick-or-treating.

16. Person in your family who most likes Halloween (not counting yourself)?
I think it's my mother-in-law.

17. Are you superstitious?

Not at all.

18. Share an unusual Halloween story.
I don't have one.

19. What did you do for Halloween as a kid?
I dressed up and went trick-or-treating with my mom and my siblings. In hindsight, my costumes sucked and I hope that when I have kids, I will pick better costumes for them than vampires and princesses.

20. What’s the best Halloween party that you’ve attended?

I haven't actually attended that many, so it's hard to select a "best."

21. What is the worst treat to get when trick-or-treating?

Peanuts in the shell, raisins, and those nasty Halloween candies in the orange and white wrappers.

22. How many Halloween, Friday the 13th, or Nightmare on Elm Street movies combined do you have on dvd?

None. I think the scariest DVD I own is Planet of the Apes (though technically, that belongs to Hubbs).

23. Lamest costume you have worn on Halloween?
I'm pretty sure it was the princess dress, which was covered up during trick-or-treating by my very puffy winter coat. I think one year I didn't even dress up, and that's lame.

24. Have you ever had nightmares about a scary movie character chasing you?
Not that I can remember.

25. Strangest Halloween custom you’ve heard of?
The truth is, there is nothing stranger than the current practices of Halloween. To someone from another part of the world, try explaining the following:

- carving up a giant orange squash and putting it on your doorstep/porch with a candle in it

- dressing up like some ridiculous character that you aren't, complete with wigs and make-up

- knocking on strangers' doors and asking for food or candy

Have a safe Oct. 31st, everyone!

Long Hours, Long Days = MIA for Long Periods of Time

2009-10-25T18:54:00.003-07:00

Story of my life, really. Now that I'm a bonafide full-time first grade educator, I pull an obscene number of hours every day. I don't mean a standard 9 hour day either, people. We're talking Mon-Fri, 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (11 hours), plus every Saturday for somewhere between 3 and 8 hours. And you wondered why I haven't blogged! ;)

Hubbs has accused me of becoming a workaholic, and I can hardly blame him; the guy hardly gets to see me, save for a couple of hours in the evening when I'm already dead tired. Unfortunately for me, I am a perfectionist and there is a lot to do (even for slackers), though I'm told that this is entirely normal for any teacher the first year that they teach a grade, whether they have previous teaching experience or not. I'm also reassured on a weekly basis that things will get better....next year. This means that both Hubbs & I can look forward to 6-day work weeks for the foreseeable future, at least until June.

But before you think I'm a Bitter Betty about the situation, let me reassure you that there are many silver linings to this whole full-time work business. First of all, it's additional income, and at a time in our economy when so many are losing jobs or losing hours, I am beyond blessed to be working steadily.

Secondly, I love my job. I love the cute little faces that greet me every morning, and I love the hugs I get from students who spontaneously wrap themselves around my waist. I love the giggles, the stories, and the generally-positive energy that buzzes around my classroom. It is my calling and I enjoy what I do, and I recognize that not many people can say that about their professions or jobs.

Finally, I get to be released from the chores of housekeeping for the time being. You see, now that we're a DINK family, we can justify hiring a housekeeper to come in bi-weekly to do our floors and windows and bathrooms for us. What a luxury! Plus she's really thorough, so when I come home after our cleaner has come, I am always delighted by the lack of dust bunnies trolling behind my entertainment centre. Hubbs has also picked up some of the slack (dishes, laundry) since he's home during the day. I love being able to share these household duties with my man and not have to shoulder the burden all on my own.

So, all in all, it has been a refreshing change of pace for me. I am tired, yes, and I am also a bit too busy to commit to many other things, but the pay off of working in a place and with a group of people (both the kids and the grown-ups) that I love is such a blessing. I really can't complain. But I might be MIA for a while. Now you know why! :)

No Time to Pee

2009-09-29T19:53:00.002-07:00

Some of you may know that I have an inhumanly small bladder. If I consume even half of my required daily intake of H2O, I'm rushing to the bathroom every couple of hours.

Well, now that I'm a Gr. 1 teacher, you can scratch that. I barely have time to drink water, but when I do, I must hold it in and do the squeezy dance for a long while. Some days, I only manage to fit in a potty break at the end of the day (that's around 3:00 p.m. after all the kidlings have been safely dismissed into trusted hands). Miraculously (and I do consider it a miracle), I haven't wet myself yet, and I'm also developing supernaturally strong muscles in my nether regions.

Of course, there have been a few close calls and rushed power-walks to the staff washrooms, but if being in Gr. 1 has taught me anything, it's the ability to hold it in.

So yay for Gr. 1! :)

Not a Natural Beauty

2009-08-07T11:29:00.006-07:00

Arguably, not a beauty at all, but I'm told I'm cute. If only this were true in my natural state, but alas, not so much; my bare naked face is about as attractive as my bare naked body ;). My "public face," the one that you might see, takes about 25 minutes to apply, and costs me more than I care to admit, every couple of months when supplies run low.

So what is the price of beauty (besides having to wake up an extra half hour every morning to attain it)?

Well, let's outline all of the steps and products that I use (as of today):

1) Lancome Primordiale moisturizer with SPF15 - applied to whole face

2) Neostrata HQ Lightening gel - applied only to cheeks

3) Vichy Aqua Thermale eye gel - applied to eyes

4) Smashbox Light Primer - applied to t-zone

5) Smashbox Halo Moisturizing mineral powder - applied to whole face (kabuki brush)

(Getting tired yet? That's just the base, my friends).

6) PurMinerals Bronzer - contouring face (Purminerals brush)

7) PurMinerals Blush - highlighting cheeks

8) PurMinerals Brow Perfection - wax, then powder applied to my eyebrows (Quo & MAC angled brow brushes)

9) PurMinerals Intensity gel/cream liner - applied to eyelids (Quo liner brush)

10) Lancome Oscillating Cils Booster - applied to lashes

11) Lancome High Definicils Mascara - lashes again

- then comb out with Sephora lash comb

12) MAC Lipliner - outline lips

13) Lancome lipstick - apply to lips

Pretty intense, eh? This doesn't even include the make-up I'd have to use for evenings, like eye shadow, or extra lotion support for saggy eye/big pore days! Once you factor in the face-washing and make-up removing products, my collection probably looks pretty daunting and absurd. Can't wait to see what my mom says when she sees everything tonight (she being the complete opposite of me)! ;)

Why do we ladies (some of us, anyway) feel the pressure to look like supermodels in the first palce? Why don't most men feel the urgent need to reduce their pore sizes, reduce fine lines, and even out their skin tones? Even as I type this, I readily acknowledge the ridiculousness of following these many steps in a routine every single morning, and the fact that I probably don't need to wear so much *stuff* does not escape my rational mind. That said, there is something emotionally satisfying about being dolled up; I'd be lying if I said that these steps didn't make me feel more attractive, even if the end result isn't all that different to others whether I'm bare-faced or not.

In the end, isn't that what counts? How *I* feel about how I look? Certainly, there are limits and I'm not about to inject poisons into my face or invite scalpels into my body to manipulate it to look a certain way just so that I can feel good about myself, but stockpiling make-up like it's Armaggedon is still within the realm of reasonable, right? (Work with me here. ;) ). Half an hour a day isn't too horrible, is it? I feel a lot better having gotten this off of my chest, at any rate. I feel even better since I already "put my face on," too! Now I'm ready to go out in public, feeling good and looking pretty, even if it's not the natural variety! ;)

I Need Me a Good Man....dolin Slicer

2009-08-04T20:08:00.002-07:00

You always want what you don't have, or in my case, I never knew I wanted what I wanted until I needed it. In this case, it's a kitchen mandolin, also known as a slicer contraption (not unlike those as-seen-on-TV kitchen miracle gadgets).

When we registered for our wedding, I had no idea this handy little tool even existed, or else I definitely would have registered for it. Growing up, we sliced everything by hand, and my dad - being a pro chef - didn't even need a sharp Santoku in order to thinly slice his potatoes, tomatoes, and onions. I figured that thin slicing was simply a skill naturally acquired upon growing up, or perhaps as a result of inheriting his talented culinary genes. Not so.

I am a terrible slicer. Tonight, in trying to thinly slice my sweet potatoes (to make sweet potato chips in the oven), I nearly thinly sliced my finger off. Thankfully, no blood was shed and no sweet potato was wasted, but there were a few near-misses and close calls. Some of my slices from my just-sharpened Henckels knife managed to reach optimal thinness, but just as many ended up sort of thick, and a few ended up being half-moon shaped bits.

So now I'm seriously considering putting down good money on a slicer. Although I think my food processor also has a slicing function, a cursory cost-benefit analysis of using that monstrous beast of a small kitchen appliance shows that this is not a viable option. The time I would need to spend dragging that thing out, setting it up, taking it apart, cleaning it, reassembling it, and putting it away would far outweigh any benefits enjoyed from having thinly sliced delicious sweet potato chips. A mandolin, on the other hand, is small and easy to clean, and is designed specifically for such an event as making oven-baked chips. It would also make slicing tomatoes for my bison burgers a much more appealing task.

Now I just have to convince Hubbs that I *need* a mandolin. He isn't always easy to persuade, especially since several costly small appliances still sit inside our kitchen shelves unused.

I will also have to price out a quality mandolin. I thought my Pampered Chef chopper (an impulse buy) would be durable, but with just one drop it fell apart and broke. I've since learned my lesson and now I will be dutifully doing my google research before investing in another chopper (though I have to confess, Slap Chop Vince almost has me convinced already).

If you can recommend a good mandolin and save me some time, let me know! Until then, I guess I'll have to deal with burnt chips, crispy chips, and thick sweet potato slices that aren't very chippy at all.

What's in a Name? A Sweet Potato by Any Other Name Would Taste as Sweet...

2009-07-31T09:48:00.003-07:00

Yesterday, Hubbs & I finally went grocery shopping (more to escape the heat than to buy groceries, but whatever). I decided to roast some delicious root veg so that I can actually claim to have eaten veggies, even if they're the starchy non-fibrous kind.

Anyway, I wandered around the produce aisles looking for my sweet potatoes, but all I could find were yams. I could have sworn that these were two different root vegetables altogether, but since only yams were available in the "potato" area, I settled for two mid-sized yams.

Ever the curious mind, I decided to google to see if maybe the grocery story mislabeled their veg, or if maybe I was simply mistaken. As it turns out (of course), I was right.

The yam and the sweet potato are two very different starchy root vegetables. Their only similarities are their sweetness and their rooted origins. The true yam does not belong to the potato family, is not grown in N. America, but is quite large in size (up to 3 feet long and 80 pounds), and is a bit dry on the palate. Yams comes in funky colours of white, yellow, and purple. It is truly a root, and I guess its outward texture is quite rough and bark-like. Few places in N. America sell true yams, save for some boutique import grocers.

The sweet potato belongs to the potato family, and is grown on the continent. Its size is larger than the average potato but not several feet in length. Sweet potato texture is moist and soft and, well, sweet. These "morning glory" potatoes are usually orange in colour, and have a smooth skin. Most "yams" sold in N. American grocers are actually sweet potatoes that have acquired this misnomer because of decades-old marketing gimmicks and because some folks were reminded of the yam when they first tasted sweet potato, resulting in the yam moniker.

What I bought was indeed a sweet potato (high in Vitamins A and C), and not a true yam. It appears that the sweet potato is a very healthy root veg and versatile to prepare, so I did make the right nutritional choice after all.

So, the next time you see yams at your local supermarket, keep in mind that unless it's huge and rough-textured and not orange on the inside, you probably have a sweet potato and not a real yam. :)

I'm Melting... I'm Melting....!!

2009-07-30T14:42:00.002-07:00

I've never been a fan of extreme heat. In HK, I was the girl who ducked into an air-conditioned shop every two blocks in order to escape the blistering temperatures of their spring and summer months; I rarely went outside unless I was forced into it, and I kept both the A/C units in my classroom operating at maximum cool all day long. On our honeymoon in Hawaii I insisted that Hubbs blast the A/C in our hotel room as we slept (he wanted to keep the balcony doors open and let all the warm air in).

The current record-breaking heat wave happening in Van is therefore nothing short of excruciating torture for me. It has sapped me of my strength, my appetite, and my concentration. I should be doing prep right now, but I simply cannot. I should be cleaning today, but even sitting and doing nothing causes me to drip with sweat. I should be hitting the gym, but I'm already sweating buckets and my body doesn't have sufficient energy or fuel to actually perform any exercise. All I can do is sit at my computer and ply my body with the cold nectar of God (water, for those of you who are unversed in my hyperbolic speech).

Oh, did I mention that we even have an oscillating tower fan and an A/C unit? 12000BTU's on a portable dual-hose Danby Simplicity; it's monstrously large and not quiet, and if you stand right in front of it you get a good shot of cool air. Unfortunately, this air doesn't seem to travel very well against the humid muggy air of the apartment; therefore, the cool is localized to a very small area in the living room, and does not reach to Hubbs' office nor our bedroom.

Apparently, even whilst armed with both air-cooling devices, we continue to be overwhelmed by the crazy high temperatures of this heat wave. 33 Celsius today, and it feels like 38. The forecast looks like this all week long, too! Even nighttime temperatures only dip to 19 Celsius, and that's if we're lucky and we stay up late enough. I am melting and miserable.

Maybe I'll hit the library tomorrow, and stay the day. Maybe we'll rent a hotel room for the night just so that we can get some good rest. The possibilities are endless, but the money is not, nor is our time. At this rate, we might end up having to invest in a second tower fan and even possibly another A/C unit. Otherwise, our guests (my folks and bro) who are coming for the cruise in two weeks' time may find themselves melting and miserable too! :(

Sniff My Ride

2009-07-21T10:50:00.005-07:00

We've had our baby, our '08 Accord EX-L V6, for nearly a year now. I still remember when I first sat inside the car, marveling at the leather interior and the steering wheel that I could adjust. I still recall trying to figure out the many buttons on the dash, and the nifty little compartments that come standard on most cars these days but were a novel thing to me. Most of all, I still remember the smell. You know the smell. It's the smell of a new car.

Oh, how I love that smell!

Unfortunately, they really don't sell that scent in a bottle that you can stick on the dash. The ones that are available on the market are quite repugnant, and in no way comparable to the scent of new plastic and leather and upholstering.

Thankfully, my honeymoon period with my car isn't yet over. Because we drive it so rarely (less than 7000 km in nearly a year of ownership), I can still smell the new car smell sometimes when we climb into the car. As I sit down behind the wheel, I still get giddy at the thought of all of the controls and buttons at my disposal. I still marvel at the luxuries afforded by the car. It's all still novel to me.

I hope this feeling never ends. :)

Turning Into My Mother, or Building Fences

2009-07-20T10:03:00.004-07:00

They say that children live what they learn, and they learn from what they see. My mother, arguably the nicest woman on the planet, has always been very very kind. Kind to a fault, really. Kind to the point of self-sacrifice and bending over backwards for strangers. And this is what I saw growing up. My mom, to her own detriment at times, has always been unfailingly nice and accommodating and helpful and patient with everyone; she has consistently excused and forgiven all sorts of evils that people have heaped on her, including very serious accusations and insults leveled at her personally, at my dad, or at her children. You might say she's a professional selfless servant, but that might be understating it.

Anyway, this is what I witnessed growing up, and from this I learned. I learned to do the opposite. I learned that it is not good to be a door mat and a servant to everyone, because you get taken advantage of by wicked people with selfish intentions or greedy hearts. I learned that it's important to stick up for yourself, and to defend your loved ones, because they matter more than the acquaintance down the street who badmouths everyone behind their backs. I learned that I deserve to be treated with respect, and must assert myself when this respect is not given.

Or so I thought. Apparently, I am not as different from my mother as I had once imagined, much to my chagrin. Sure, the stories abound about my notoriously aggressive and arguably cruel treatment of incompetent service-providers, but even those have become fewer and farther between as I've mellowed with age (and with Hubbs' restraining holds). Unfortunately, I have discovered that I do make a lot of excuses for people, I do bend over backwards and neglect my Hubbs in favour of doing something spectacular that will bless others, and I am far too forgiving when I am insulted or mistreated, rationalizing away poor behaviour towards myself, Hubbs, or others whom I care for.

I suppose that the argument exists that my mother's approach is the better one; after all, she is a sweetheart and everyone loves her, and she is "bearing her cross" daily. I'm sure Jesus will give her a big beautiful mansion in heaven while I'm stuck in my little one-room shanty, and I know she sleeps well at night in spite of the horrendous ways in which she has been treated, both by "friends" and by family (her own flesh and blood included).

However, I cannot help but wonder where the boundaries must be drawn, both out of love for others and out of self-preservation. I am rereading Cloud & Townsend's book Boundaries and it seems to me that there is a Biblical reason to lay down boundaries, and to refuse to tolerate mistreatment or people who seek to take advantage of your generosity and kindness. Hubbs' parents have pretty solid boundaries and I see how issue-free Hubbs is as an adult; he has no emo baggage that drags him down or weird unspoken obligation or guilt that compels him to have to act in certain ways with certain people. Hubbs lives in freedom, whereas I - not so much.

I think about my future children, and the lessons I want them to learn from observing Hubbs & I. Will I want them to say that they want to be the opposite of what we are when they grow up? No! Would I infinitely prefer for them to see us model Christ-centered, disciplined living within healthy boundaries, and wish to emulate that as they grow up? Of course! In my behaviour, do I want my Hubbs and kids to feel like second-class citizens relative to complete strangers? No! Would I rather that they know they are loved, they are my first priority, and I would lay down my life for them above all else? Without a doubt. Do I want my children to put up with being beat up, insulted, disrespected, and abused? Hell no! Would I want them to be assertive, confident individuals who respectfully stand up for themselves and know how to protect themselves from mistreatment? Absolutely.

And so, my lines must be drawn in the sand once more. No more excuses for others, no more saying yes when I want to say no, and no more putting up with the consequences of other peoples' poor boundaries or inappropriate behaviour. I might not have children yet, but the life I start living today needs to be consistent with the one I plan to live when they do arrive.

---------------------------------------------

Haters to the Left

2009-07-17T09:14:00.003-07:00

There are some people who just cannot stomach the happiness and success of others. These folks are truly haters, and harbingers of negativity. Maybe it's perceived as a threat to their own success, or perhaps it makes them uncomfortable to see the "leveling" of the playing field, or maybe it's some underlying competitiveness that does not wish to see oneself surpassed by another, but whatever it is, it prevents these people from being able to celebrate and enjoy the prosperity and joy of another human being. Just as the one is finally succeeding or doing well, the other has to level an insult or do something disrespectful to undermine that success.

My sis and I were talking about this the other night, as it pertains to weight loss. When I was a slimming down into a skinny-mini, so many of the people around me told me that I didn't need to lose any more weight, and that I should just relax and indulge a little. Some of these folks were well-meaning, and simply trying to ensure that I didn't deprive myself, but others - not so much. You see, I'm quite convinced that some who were bigger than I was at the time wanted me to stop skinnifying, because my weight loss somehow meant that I would be surpassing them in status or something. Others, those who were thin to begin with, also told me to stop losing weight long before I ever hit my goal weight, and I suspect their deepest darkest motivation was to keep me from being thin like them; perhaps it offered some sort of comfort for them to have me as their jolly fat sidekick, and they didn't want me to muck with the status quo.

Regardless of their motivations, they were secretly haters, and people who did not wish to see me succeed in my endeavours.

So too in the business world, there are people like this, people who go out of their way to try and sabotage or demean the success of another, particularly those whom they perceive as a threat to themselves. There are likely countless tales out there of jealous colleagues and gossipy co-workers who try to make life miserable for the guy or gal on top.

Hubbs just resurrected his blog. Many of his friends, his "fans," and his colleagues are simply happy to see him back in action on the web. They are excited for him and eagerly anticipate the contributions he will be making to his industry and to his readership. Already we are sensing the haters, attempting to claim credit for Hubbs' return, and lurking and waiting to disrespect Hubbs or his blog or his appearance or whatever it is that might "bring him down a notch." Do you wonder who these haters might be? Look for the Twitter comments and the blog posts in days and weeks to come; the ones trying to pee on his parade are the ones who don't know how to play the game of life with sportsmanship and grace.

Even in the moral realm, it really isn't much better, is it? There is a mean-spirited subset of the population who simply cannot be happy for those who are happy and who live a good, wholesome, moral life. These folks look for flaws to point out, and hypocrises to accuse, so as to attempt a perceived balancing of the scales. Personally, I believe this happens because people don't like to feel convicted that their own lives are miserable, or that they fail to live consistently and with integrity, and when contrasted with someone who does live consistently and in a godly manner, the difference is far more noticeable. It is therefore uncomfortable for the haters to be in the presence of those who endeavour to live in an upright and godly way, and rather than allow the contrast to result in their conviction and repentance, the hateful people try to bring others down to their own level of moral ambiguity.

Watch for it, my friends. Many of us are in a season of harvest, of prosperity or abundance or blessing or joy. Look out for the robbers and haters, those who seek to offer criticisms or back-handed insults or to deride the success you enjoy, be it financially, physically, spiritually, or socially.

And when you sense the haters, pray for them. Let God be judge, and let Him reveal Truth in His time. In the meantime, however, the haters who target you obviously do not have much to live for in their own lives, and if nothing you ought to feel sorry for their plight and their pathetic condition. Do not let their baiting rouse you to anger, and do not allow it to cause you to sin. In fact, do not even play the game; walk away. You have much to be joyful and thankful for, and to focus on anything less than the positive is a waste of your energy.

That's what I tell myself, anyway. ;)

Fatty Fatty 2 x 4!

2009-07-14T15:10:00.003-07:00

I have no idea what that old saying means; I always thought 2 x 4's were those skinny planks of wood that people use to make houses. Shows you how much I know about manual work and construction! ;)

Anyway, my sisters Vanilla Con & Superstar Jo challenged me to a friendly Biggest Loser - Sisters Edition in prep for our cruise a month from now. It was a great idea, and a nice way to be held accountable. Unfortunately, I don't like being on "diets" and I don't like forcing myself to exercise. Worst of all, I hate stepping on a scale. I didn't even like it when I was a skinny minny size 4. I especially hate it now when I'm not.

However, I sucked it up and did it anyway, stepping on both my digital scale and my Wii Fit board to measure my weight. Both corroborated the other's number. The verdict? Ugly. I lied when I said I can handle the truth. I DON'T WANT THE TRUTH!! I CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!

Of course, nothing motivates you to move your fat a$$ more than seeing such a horrific number in TWO different places. In fact, I was so motivated that I actually joined one of those free online calorie-counting journal things to chart the grub I inhale every day. Enter MyFitnessPal, a non-judgy "pal" that tells me how many calories I've consumed, breaks down the food into carb/protein/fat categories, and also factors in my exercise for the day.

I've only used it for like half a day, but so far, so good. I am really loving the user-friendliness of the website, and appreciate all the clipart-esque iconography that helps me navigate around the place. If you look way down at the bottom of the blog, on the right, I've even posted a little "ticker" (is this considered a widget?) that charts my progress. As you can see, I have a ways to go before I hit my goal. That said, having a pretty little ticker with a flower that moves to the right tracking my progress is just that extra bit of incentive that makes it a little more inspiring of a journey.

Of course, I suppose all of this is moot if I end up getting pregnant before I hit my goal. Until then, however, I sure would love to see the numbers drop, and along with it my sizes!

Who's a Sucker? raise my hand

2009-07-13T17:21:00.003-07:00

Not a big sucker, but a sucker nonetheless. Hubbs & I had stopped at a mall after getting back from Whistler, and we sort of went our separate ways for a while (he to EB Games and I to some store that sold nice purses). When I went to go look for him, I noticed that he had been stopped by some kiosk saleslady.

I approached, figuring I might need to bail him (or the both of us) out of a lame sales pitch. Sure enough, she asked if she could show us something AMAZING. Sure, I'll bite. She asked for my ugliest nail (which happens to be my left-hand pointer finger; the nail has become like two hills because I injured it during biting). I think it grossed her out, so she picked my ring finger nail on my left hand instead.

She started buffing it down with the blue side of a rectangular prism-shape buffer. As expected, it got all white and dusty looking. She did the same thing, but now with the gray side of the buffer. Still all white and fuzzy on the nail. Finally, she took the white side of her buffer and began buffing my nail. It squeaked in a very shrill way as it was brought back and forth over my finger. Then, before she removed the buffer to show me the final product, she asked if I believed in miracles. I tried very hard not to roll my eyes, and replied in the affirmative.

She removed the buffer and my nail was shiny and clear, like she had just applied a glossy top coat on the nail. It was pretty amazing, for real. In fact, I was sufficiently impressed that I was willing to try it again, this time doing it for myself on the nail beside it. Once again, after the blue-gray-white buffing, my middle finger's nail came out looking shiny and the feel of it was incredibly smooth.

So now, this is where the sucker part came in. I probably could have haggled the price of the "kit" but at the time I didn't, so I paid their "sale price" of $30 for it. I should have haggled, though, since I googled about it after I got home and discovered many who were able to get it for $25, PLUS get extra buffer replacements included in the purchase!

I am such a sucker.

On the upside, my nails look glossy and shiny, and without the nastiness of nail polish!

PS - the kit is called the "Seacret Minerals of the Dead Sea Nail Care Kit." Haggle if you're going to buy it - it comes with a buffer, a nail file, cuticle oil, and body lotion.

Welcome Back, Hubbs!

2009-07-13T14:38:00.002-07:00

After a blogging hiatus, Hubbs is back on the webmap with his very sleek and stylish lookin' newly-revamped blog, located at http://graysmatter.codivation.com/.

Take a peek and experience the new look and feel. I am happy to say that I advised on the redesign, and the black bar at the top? My idea :)

I am so proud of Hubbs, and also proud to see the blog resurrected, since I was truly his greatest fan and I missed reading his hilariously cheeky posts and engaging writing style. It will be exciting to see the many new blog post series that Hubbs will be introducing to the site, including some personal and spiritual topics along with the technical articles. It is my prayer that God will use this blog to bring glory to Himself, and that Hubbs will be a light shining among his colleagues and cohorts in the "industry."

Anyway, Hubbs - I love you and I'm so proud of you! I look forward to your first new post on this swanky kick-a$$ site!

Happy 4th in July!

2009-07-12T18:57:00.003-07:00

Not a typo. It was our 4th anniversary on the 9th of July. To celebrate, we took a little weekend getaway to Whistler, which is about 1.5 hours away (driving) from Van. The journey there took us along the beautiful "Sea to Sky" highway, which is exactly as it sounds - there were the sea/lakes/ocean/other bodies of water on one side, and blue skies above us, and giant rockfaces on the other side of the road.

I will spare you all the lengthy and indulgent details, but here are a few highlights from our trip:

- double-person jacuzzi tub in our hotel room (a must-have for any romantic getaway, IMHO)

- riding the Whistler Village gondola to the peak of the mountain (>6000 feet in elevation)

- riding the Peak 2 Peak glass-bottom gondola from the top of Whistler to the top of Blackcomb

- taking the chair lifts (yeah, like snowboards/skiiers would do in the winter but it's way easier when there's no board strapped to the bottom of your foot) down all >6000 ft. ! It was the most relaxing ride and not scary, even for people with some height issues.

- the brick and cobble streets of Whistler Village

- the "raspberry collins" cocktail (get it virgin - it's even better) at La Bocca

- the Great Glass Elevator Candy Shop that sold a bunch of cool import candy from the U.S. and U.K.

- Quattro restaurant; consistently delicious fare and great service at both their Van and Whistler locations

We were only there for the weekend and neither Hubbs nor I did anything super-active (no major hikes on long trails, or biking treks down the mountains) but it was so refreshing and renewing to be surrounded by God's amazing handiwork and to enjoy the sights and smells of the great outdoors. Being on the mountain helped remind us about how small we are relative to such a big and mighty God, and as we rode up and down the gondola and chair lifts, that was one of the things that impressed me most - how loving and gracious and compassionate is such a powerful Creator to one as insignificant and small as I. How magnificent are His mountains and the deep, forested valleys that He spoke into place. How wonderous that in the giant universe of His world, He brought Hubbs and I together, even though we were an ocean apart when we first met. Truly, our meeting that led to July 9th 4 years ago was a supernatural event, and we thank our Father for each other every day. :)

We were definitely blessed by the time we spent together on this getaway, and we look forward to the next time when we'll be back to enjoy the beauty of Whistler, BC. So yes, for us, it was a happy 4th in July :)

Luxury Living Lite

2009-07-08T17:39:00.008-07:00

It seems to me that I belong to a very entitled generation when it comes to real estate and extravagant living. The 20-and 30-somethings of today were born in the 70's and 80's, and were therefore too young to remember sky-high interest rates and the accompanying recession that left many teetering on the edge of bankruptcy those decades ago. Our parents, the "Boomers," sheltered most of us from the many truths about their financial situations and the rising costs and unemployment rates that likely affected them.

Then, when we "Gen-Y" folks got to be old enough to actually care about things like real estate and investment, we saw home values rising fast and furiously, thanks to something called a "sub-prime mortgage" and known as the 0/40 in Canada. Really, it was the same thing; the lure of low interest rates and non-existent down payments with lengthy amortizations made mortgages easier to come by, and drove up the demand for homes, which resulted in escalating property values. This happened to coincide with the season when our parents were retiring or finally upgrading into their "dream home," complete with granite countertops and heated flooring. This additional demand once again affected supply values, and home prices reached ridiculous levels.

As we watched this unfold before our naive and impressionable little eyes, we saw many people make money and build huge equity from their real estate investments. We saw them flip homes, upgrade homes, and pocket large amounts of cash in the process. This was glorified on HGTV shows and all over the news.

And, as human nature dictates, we got a little greedy. Our generation wanted a piece of the good life, the prosperous life, and the sort of life that our boomer parents worked 30+ years to earn.

However, we lacked their patience. We didn't want to have to work 30 years "for the man" or scrimp and save before we could own a huge house in the 'burbs or pocket $100K+ from a home bought and sold. We wanted that luxury lifestyle and that profit now. In our entitled thinking, we justified that we deserved to live in large, brand new homes with state-of-the-art stainless steel appliances and Kohler fixtures. We found excuses to explain why we couldn't thrive in a run-down, older bungalow or buy a small condo first. We told ourselves that we'd be wasting money by renting, and we scoffed at the idea of saving a 30% down payment before getting a mortgage.

So, our generation took action to acquire what we felt we deserved. We went out and bought big shiny new houses with all the finest fixins,' even though many of us couldn't afford to pay 10% down, much less 30% on our $300K+ mansion in the newest, trendiest suburbs in town. We stopped thinking about tomorrow, and lived every day like it was our last. We locked in with a low interest rate for 5 years, and in the back of our minds we rested in the assurance that if anything happened, our parents would be able to bail us out.

Some of us actually saw our investment values rise, maybe even significantly, so we borrowed against our equity to keep living the high life: big trips every quarter, state-of-the-art appliances and electronics, luxury SUV's, and brand-name gear for us and our kids. No problem, we thought to ourselves, real estate always goes up in value!

But what happens if 1981 repeats itself in 2011, or 2014? My generation hasn't yet stopped to think about that. We haven't considered the worst-case scenarios: 20% interest rates, massive inflation in food costs, lay-offs or wage freezes or other forms of income loss from our primary (and sometimes only) breadwinner, property value declines in the ballpark of 40%, not to mention unexpected illness, death, or natural disaster. Sure, our university-educated minds may have considered these things on a superficial level, but few of us have actually carefully planned out what we would do should any (or all) of these things occur. In truth, many of us are simply too busy enjoying our open-concept kitchens with the nice marble countertops, and far too occupied with keeping up with our neighbours, to actually take time to plan for economic hardship.

Which brings us to 2009. Massive government bail-outs. Entire industries being decimated or wiped out in favour of outsourcing, and unemployment rates increasing at an alarming pace. Bankruptcies and rising food costs. Natural disasters. Recession. Rising interest rates.

What will happen to us, the Gen-Y's who have never known calamity and hardship of this magnitude, and who have never faced empty cupboards and empty stomachs? How will we fare when our investments lose value, especially when we've been borrowing on our equity and not really paying off our debts? What capacity will we have to make our mortgage payments when lines of credit run dry and our payments double, or even triple, in value?

Those of us who live entitled, who believe we deserve the finest that life has to offer without paying the price to earn it in the first place, will have no leg to stand on when the fruits of our actions yield disaster. We will not be able to run to Mommy and Daddy and expect their help (remember, they have "dream houses" to pay off too) and we certainly won't be able to whine about how we don't "deserve" the troubles that we face.

When we live thinking that we deserve all the material good that life has to offer without paying the price for it, we deserve everything that life has to offer, even if it comes in the form of bankruptcy or foreclosure.

Maybe it will be for the best. Maybe then we will know what it means to be humble and to live humbly. Maybe then we will shake off the entitlement that has diseased our generation. And maybe then, we'll finally figure out that what we "deserve" has nothing to do with material things, and what we "have" has nothing to do with our own abilities or knowledge or works.

PS - Feel free to leave comments, but I'm not interested in a debate, especially if you're just looking to justify your actions and try to convince me (or yourself) that you're right. Especially if you're involved in crazy investment schemes or MLMs, I have no interest in getting into it with you. At the end of the day, you don't answer to me, you answer to God. But no, I'm not interested.

Meme 65

2009-07-02T20:53:00.003-07:00

Another one, yes, but this one was long and lots of fun for me to do. Enjoy!

1. First thing you wash in the shower?

Hair.

2. What color is your favorite hoodie?

Navy blue

3. Would you kiss the last person you kissed, again?

Definitely.

4. Do you plan outfits?

Only when I'm working, or it's a special occasion.

5. How are you feeling RIGHT now?

Hungry.

6. Whats the closest thing to you that's red?

My placemats.

7. Tell me about the last dream you remember having?

A dream about Hubbs' brother bringing a bunch of his friends over to my in-laws' house to crash while Hubbs & I were house-sitting.

8. Did you meet anybody new today?

Yes.

9. What are you craving right now?

Red meat and ice cream, but not together.

10. Do you floss?

Not as regularly as I should but yes.

11. What comes to mind when I say cabbage?

Soup, not that I'd drink that crap.

12. Are you emotional?

Fairly. Hubbs would say absolutely.

13. Have you ever counted to 1,000?

No, I usually break it down into hundreds or fifties.

14. Do you bite into your ice cream or just lick it?

Lick quickly to contain the melt, then lick slowly to enjoy it.

15. Do you like your hair?

It's getting longer and the bangs are finally growing out so I no longer hate it, but "like" is a strong word ;)

16. Do you like yourself?

Most of the time.

17. Would you go out to eat with George W. Bush?

Only if he paid, and lots of other people were there too, so that I wouldn't have to have a conversation with just him.

18. What are you listening to right now?

The hum of the tower fan.

19. Are your parents strict?

Once upon a time, yes. Nowadays, they're mellowing in their old age.

20. Would you go sky diving?

Maybe - but only if I was guaranteed a safe landing.

21. Do you like cottage cheese?

No, it's gross and reminds me of puke. But Hubbs loves the stuff.

22. Have you ever met a celebrity?

I was once on a short-haul to Edmonton with the Vancouver Canucks. I've also met a few Oilers.

23. Do you rent movies often?

Hardly ever.

24. Is there anything sparkly in the room you're in?

My ring.

25. How many countries have you visited?

6 - Canada, Thailand, Indonesia, China, S.A.R., U.S.

26. Have you made a prank phone call?

Once.

27. Ever been on a train?

Only urban ones.

28. Brown or white eggs?

It makes no difference if it's brown or white ;)

29. Do you have a mobile?

I do have a cell phone.

30. Do you use chap stick?

Smashbox Lip Treatment SPF 15

31. Do you own a gun?

Not a real one.

32. Can you use chop sticks?

Functionally, yes. However, my mother feels that I don't do so correctly.

33. Who are you going to be with tonight?

Hubbs.

34. Are you too forgiving?

Sometimes.

35. Ever been in love?

Still am. :)

36. What is your best friend(s) doing tomorrow?

Hubbs is working.

37. Ever have cream puffs?

Yep. I like the regular vanilla ones from Beard Papa's.

38. Last time you cried?

A few days ago...and they were tears of frustration at my own dumba$$ness.

39. What was the last question you asked?

Whatcha thinkin' 'bout, hon?

40. Favorite time of the year?

Christmas, autumn

41. Do you have any tattoos?

I think Hubbs would kill me if I got one.

42. Are you sarcastic?

I'm trying hard not to be but sometimes I am.

43. Have you ever seen The Butterfly Effect?

Nope but I read the Wiki for it!

44. Ever walked into a wall?

More often than I care to list ;)

45. Favorite colour?

Blue.

46. Have you ever slapped someone?

I'm embarrassed to say that I have. Once I even meant it.

47. Is your hair curly?

Straight straight straight.

48. What was the last CD you bought?

Ben Gadd's. He's the worship leader at Westside Church, and both Hubbs & I really like his original praise songs.

49. Do looks matter?

Depends for what. They shouldn't, but the reality is that if you look good, you'll get farther in life.

50. Could you ever forgive a cheater?

Only in board games and card games. In relationships, that would be a lot tougher.

51. Is your phone bill sky high?

My-Five plus VOIP equals affordability.

52. Do you like your life right now?

Life is very good right now. I cannot complain.

53. Do you sleep with the TV on?

Only if I fall asleep on the couch. There's no TV in our bedroom.

54. Can you handle the truth?

I love Truth, but sometimes it's pretty brutal. Like today, when the gym owner Ron Z told me to do more cardio, please. Unsolicited, harsh, but honest advice.

55. Do you have good vision?

Not even with my contacts on.

56. Do you hate or dislike more than 3 people?

I dislike way more than 3 people but I don't really hate anyone.

57. How often do you talk on the phone?

Once a day, maybe?

58. The last person you held hands with?

Hubbs.

59. What are you wearing?

Glasses, among other things.

60. Are you cool?

Define cool.

61. Where was your default picture taken at?

New Year's Eve 2008 just as we were about to ring in 2009.

62. Can you hula hoop?

One of my rare abilities in the physical activity realm.

63. Do you have a job?

As of last week, yes! :)

64. What was the most recent thing you bought?

Coffee from a VanHoutte machine.

65. What do you do when you wake up?

I thank the Lord for another glorious day that He has graciously given me.

A Sign That You Might Be a Redneck

2009-07-02T20:43:00.002-07:00

... when you drive with your left arm hanging out the open window, AND/OR

... you're smoking, AND/OR

... you flick your nasty cigarette butt on the road when you're done, AND/OR

... you really don't give a flying frog about who might be watching.

I saw this happening on the road today, in downtown Van. I got pretty annoyed about it, too, because obviously people who do this don't want to "smoke up" their car but think nothing of the effects their flying ashes might have on the cars behind them, or the effects of littering all over the road. Because their windows are rolled down, mine have to stay rolled up (necessitating the use of my A/C since panel vents would just channel their nasty air inside my car). Double-whammy against the environment. NOT cool.

I think smoking should be banned from everywhere except perhaps inside the smoker's own home, and that's only if they own it.

Grrrrr.....

Thirty - Twosday Meme

2009-06-30T12:57:00.003-07:00

Well, I finally got a real meme, and not the kind I have to look for online to blog about. Thanks Rain! :)

32 Random Questions for your reading pleasure:

1. What is your occupation right now?

Teacher

2. What colour are your socks right now?

Skin.

3. What are you listening to right now?

The hum of the fan, the sound of the washer and dryer running full loads, and the voice of Hubbs on the phone in another room

4. What was the last thing that you ate?

Lasagna - the frozen entree variety.

5. Can you drive a stick shift?

Can you fly? Same answer ;)

6. Last person you spoke to on the phone?

The receptionist at the dentist's office.

7. Do you like the person who sent this to you?

This is a dishonest question. Obviously it was sent by a friend, and if it wasn't, I'd still feel obliged to say that I like him/her even if I secretly didn't. In this case, yes, of course I like her! But the question sucks.

8. How old are you today?

Old enough to know better than to answer this question.

9. What is your favourite sport to watch on TV?

I do not enjoy watching sports on TV unless it's Olympic coverage, in which case I like all of the sports.

10. What is your favourite drink?

A Lava Flow (a strawberry colada with free-poured amounts of liquor)

11. Have you ever dyed your hair?

Never.

12. Favourite food?

My dad's cooking, probably.

13. What is the last movie you watched?

Up! But after tonight, it will be Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

14. Favourite day of the year?

Christmas, followed closely by my birthday, Hubbs & my anniversary, Easter Sunday, New Year's Day, Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, Canada Day, Hallowe'en, and several others. These are not listed in any particular order, BTW. They're all tied for second place ;)

15. How do you vent anger?

I cry. Hubbs would say that I yell. I think I just naturally talk loud, though, so to me, it's not yelling.

16.What was your favourite toy as a child?

Hard to say. We really loved our three kid chairs and the blanket and pillows in the family room. Those few toys gave us endless hours of entertainment.

17. What is your favourite season?

Autumn

18. Cherries or Blueberries?

Rainier cherries

19. Do you want your friends to e-mail you back?

No, but feel free to blog it.

20. Who is the most likely to respond?

Nobody ;)

21. Who is least likely to respond?

Anyone who reads this blog. You guys aren't meme-lovers, I gather ;)

22. Living arrangements?

Debt-free renters in a 2-bedroom, 1.5 bath apartment in Coal Harbour

23. When was the last time you cried?

Yesterday. Don't ask. ;) (and no, it doesn't concern my Hubbs at all).

24. What is on the floor of your closet?

Which one? Dresser, giveaway clothes, laundry hamper, and another clothing shelf.

25. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending to?

I'm not sending it to anyone, but my most longtime friend who I know to read this blog is probably Angela :) Oh, and Lindi (presuming she's reading the blog today but I doubt it since she just had her baby girl - Congratulations Lindi!! Welcome to life, Annika!).

26. What did you do last night?

Grocery shopping, and spent the night with Hubbs.

27. What are you most afraid of****?

Bug infestations, weird cluster rashes (and weird clusters in general), and clowns

28. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburger?

My special bison burgers are spicy *and* cheesy. :)

29. Favourite dog breed?

Probably Shih-tzus, chow-chows, and the many varieties of cute teapot terriers

30. Favourite day of the week?

Fridays or Saturdays. It's the anticipation of having an entire weekend off that thrills me, I think.

31. How many countries have you lived in?

Only 2.

32. Diamonds or pearls?

Bring on the bling. I like 'em clear and shiny and colourless and big!

Excessive Optimism Lived Out

2009-06-24T20:12:00.002-07:00

In my spare time, besides shopping and reading and blogging and all that other stuff that I like to do, I've added another hobby (much to Hubbs' dismay): contest-entries.

It started out innocently enough; my bro-in-law Space Max showed me a website where you could play a virtual VLT to try and win prizes. I played it for a long while but didn't win anything, but I started to get greedy and thought maybe if I entered in a lot of different contests and giveaways, that eventually I might win something. Since that day, I've become a bit of a contest junkie.

Have I won anything yet? No, but I did get a free pack of gum, travel-size bottles of Head & Shoulders shampoo and conditioner, and travel-sized Herbal Essence shampoo and conditioner. I also received 3 free pregnancy pee tests that I'll be saving for a while (hopefully they don't expire), and I'm anticipating getting a few more freebies in the next couple of weeks. I don't even remember what I've signed up for anymore, so when a package arrives in the mail, it's like Christmas. I get incredibly excited. :)

Anyway, I thought I'd give you some insight into my dirty little hobby. It's innocuous enough; nobody gets hurt, and I'm careful not to sign up for a bazillion mail-out newsletters. Maybe one day I will win something, but in the meantime, it's fun to build my optimism every time I sign up for another contest!

Two Memes on Tuesday

2009-06-23T19:05:00.003-07:00

The first is a question: "Name 5 songs that are like fingernails on the chalkboard for you." Believe it or not, this is not an easy question for me to answer, since I am not an audiophile and I barely pay attention to music. However, there are a few songs that grate my nerves:

1. I Kissed a Girl - Katy Perry

2. Don't Cha (Wish Your Girlfriend) - Pussycat Dolls

3. Red Red Wine - UB40

4. Anything sung by a Cyrus

5. Your Body is a Wonderland & Waiting on the World to Change - John Mayer

I think there are actually many more, but those are the first 5 that came to mind.

I suppose the opposite question should be asked. Name 5 songs that you can never grow tired of listening to. That's harder still, since I don't have tons of favourites. Hubbs could rattle off a list in less than a minute, but he's a die-hard music fan. Hrm...

1. Any/all praise and worship (yes, that's a genre, not a song, but I can't narrow down)

2. Any/all Christmas songs

3. One Day in Your Life - Anastacia

4. Everybody Hurts - R.E.M.

5. Miss Saigon soundtrack

I know, random strange list, right? ;)

Here's the other meme, which is a one-word meme. I love these since they force me to be succinct, which I'm customarily not.

Where is your mobile phone?

- Purse

Your significant other?

- Hubbs!

Your hair?

- Greasy ;)

Your mother?

- Sweet

Your father?

- Goofy

Your favourite thing?

- Everything!

Your dream last night?

- None

Your favourite drink?

- Nestea

Your dream/goal?

- Travel

What room are you in?

- Dining

Your hobby?

- Spending

Your fear?

- Falling

Where do you want to be in 6 years?

- Vancouver

Where were you last night?

- Bed

Something that you aren't?

- Pregnant

Muffins?

- Cupcakes

Wish list item?

- Sectional

Last thing you did?

- Sang

What are you wearing?

- Contacts

TV?

- Samsung

Your pets?

- None.

Friends?

- Loyal

Your life?

- Busy

Your mood?

- Joyful

Missing someone?

- No.

Drinking?

- Water

Smoking?

- Gross.

Your car?

- Accord

Something you're not wearing?

- Socks

Your favourite store?

- Shoppers

Your favourite colour?

- Blue

When is the last time you cried?

- Up!

Where do you go to over and over?

- Bathroom

Five people who email me regularly?

- Hubbs, Facebook, Connie, Jo, stores

My favourite place to eat?

- Out

Favourite place I'd like to be at right now?

- Spa

I Can Handle the Truth!!!!

2009-06-18T18:14:00.003-07:00

This post is inspired by L's Favourite Things post, on her Baby B blog. I had left a comment there that started to run long, so I thought I'd just make it into a post of its own over here.

First of all, I'm not pregnant, and I have never been, at least not up until this point in my life. However, most of my friends have been pregnant already, and are now mommas. This is great on many levels; hand-me-downs, experience from which I can draw, recommendations for the best baby gear, books I can borrow, common ground and little friendlings for my babies to play with one day, and on and on. You get the picture.

That is not to say that it's all great, even though it should be. In fact, it's down-right not great in one particular way, and that is the reality that nearly all of these girlfriends continue to keep quiet when it comes to the things that I *really* need to know about being pregnant and having a baby. They gush about the miracle of life, how "worth it" everything was to have their baby, and how great it is to be a mom, but almost nobody ever elaborates on the "everything" that was worth their sacrifice. Sure, I know about the pain of labour, and swollen ankles, and sore backs, but the truth is that there are lots of other even more embarrassing and horrific changes that happen to the body when one is pregnant, and probably just as many disgusting things that happen post-pregnancy that someone like me should really be mentally prepared for. It is in these details, however, that most of my friends have kept silent, much to my dismay and disadvantage.

Now, that's not to say that all of my friends have been completely quiet. Tejanamama - I'm talking 'bout you here - has been very forth-coming with details, although I have the feeling she's still holding out a little, probably to keep me from avoiding motherhood altogether ;) A few others have mentioned things like the laugh-and-pee syndrome that develops once your belly grows, and one friend did tell me a very scary post-babies story about loose flapping lips ... and I'm not talking about the set on one's face. So yes, I've heard a bit about the oogly side of motherhood, but even then, I'm pretty sure it's not the whole story.

So what gives, ladies? Is it the embarrassment of admitting to having had "accidents" that keeps you from speaking up? Is it something that is too traumatic to be spoken of? Is it socially un-PC to speak ill of the pregnancy or birth process? Or does the brain just suddenly forget about all of those really gross things that happen the moment eyes are laid on baby? I have no idea what social rules of propriety are keeping these women from voicing their not-so-nice experiences, but I for one would like to know. I can handle the truth!!! Really, I can. And honestly, knowing makes it easier for me to prepare myself mentally for whatever horrors lay ahead.

This is why I am asking, imploring, that you open up to me about the not-so-glamourous parts of having a baby. Don't hold back, either; I want to hear the grossest, nastiest stories you've got. I need to make sure I know what I'm getting into, and I already know about the sugar-and-spice-and-everything-nice that accompanies parenthood. The details I want are the ones that all of your books don't even mention, the things that caught you by unpleasant surprise, and the things that made you go red. I can read the books I borrow from you for the other details; give me the real deal.

My future self thanks you in advance ;)

Change is the Only Constant (Aside from God)

2009-06-17T23:01:00.002-07:00

As you can see, the blog layout has changed again. This was not really my choice. I was going to go and clean the bathroom.

However, much to my dismay, upon publishing the last post I discovered that the template I was using, the one that was free from a blogger template site, contained a PhotoBucket image that was apparently exceeding its bandwidth. I have no idea what that means in real people terms, but to me it meant that my beautiful layout became this ugly wallpaper of PhotoBucket warnings. In my panicked state (thinking maybe it was a clipart image I had liberally "borrowed,") I went wild deleting cutesy clipart images from my last few posts.

It didn't work.

Finally, I looked at the code for the template, and lo and behold, I saw the tell-tale PhotoBucket text in the HTML. I had to quickly do a template swap and replace, just so that I could get rid of the oogly warnings all over my beloved blog.

So, you like? I think that this is a lovely template; hopefully it has lots of bandwidth or whatever it needs to stay intact. I particularly am enamoured with the cityscape scene of this template, and since I live in a big urban city now, I guess it's appropos.

Point is, the change was not my choice, but in the end it probably worked out for good. My toilet, however, is still dirty. Boo-ray for that.

On the upside, though - I can say that I did accomplish something today ;)

A Little Muse Here, A Little Muse There

2009-06-17T18:06:00.010-07:00

Hubbs is away. To mark this very sad occasion (it's sad at my place every 3 weeks when he flies out for work), I did nothing. Literally, nothing. I might end up doing some cleaning so that I'm not a completely useless lump of space-waste, but so far my only accomplishments have been 1 load of laundry, and this blog post. ;)

During my day of nothingness, a few random and unrelated thoughts and observations came to mind. In keeping with my oh-so-generous spirit, I thought I'd share. :)

Stinky Garbage Tip

When you have a smelly bag of half-full garbage, a way to reduce/eliminate odors is to put some coffee grinds in the garbage. For some reason, it just kills the other bad stench and replaces it with coffee smell (which I prefer infinitely over the smell of rank old garbage). Of course, this is a temporary measure; I would not advise using this as a long-term alternative to taking out the garbage, especially if there are decomposing items in your bin.

Flight Fussy

Hubbs & I have become exclusivists when it comes to domestic air travel. We refuse to fly with Air Canada anymore, so we now only go where Westjet goes, or else where Westjet will connect to go. It used to be that we'd book Westjet more often than AC because one was always more affordable than the other, but ever since we moved to Van and have had to do the commute back to E-town almost bi-weekly, we have noted that the quality of air service and overall travel experience between the two are glaringly different. Whereas Westjet is relaxed and the whole process with ticketing and check-in and flying and baggage is just easy and hassle-free and problem-free, with AC you're constantly dealing with the ordeal of late flights and lost bags and long line-ups and cranky passengers and other headaches. We've since concluded that a flight that isn't with Westjet isn't really worth taking.

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin'

We'ver just taken up this sport, so we're still newbies. We've only been on blades three times (once for lessons and twice on our own to practice) but we are in love with the feeling of gliding over smooth pavement! Don't get me wrong; we're not proficient yet, but we've really had a lot of fun figuring out how to glide and stop and keep our balance on even ground. Neither of us has tackled hills so far, and I anticipate much falling when I learn how to go down a slope, but in the meantime we're happy simply with getting used to the feel of moving on wheeled shoes and finding our balance. I'll post more about this later, but suffice to say it's something we plan to continue pursuing in the short-term at the very least. :)

The Myth of Rain

Before we moved, people kept telling us that it rained all the time in Van. We heard it from nearly everyone (yes, even you), so we expected that it would be a miserable dreary (but lush green) world we were entering into. I'd like to officially state that nearly everyone was wrong.

We've been in Van for 8 months now, and the only rain we've seen has pretty much come when the rest of the Western provinces were seeing piles of white stuff on the ground. Even then, the white stuff stuck around much longer in AB than the rain has in BC; we've been enjoying summer temperatures for the past two months! I keep waiting for some rain, since I love the smell of the air after a good downpour, but most mornings I wake up disappointed. Nothing yet. Tomorrow's forecast is finally calling for some moisture. It has been weeks since we've had significant precipitation so I'm optimistic that this is it! :) But in the meantime, I'd like to just say a sincere and well-intentioned :P to you all!

Alas, I miss my Hubbs. I've grown so accustomed to having him at home while he works that it feels quite lonely when I'm in this place all by myself. It's not a big apartment, but with him away it feels like it's too big for just me. Gone are the days of my youth when I relished having time to myself, and a private place from the world in which to retreat. Now, I would rather share all of my moments with Hubbs, and no longer find the solitude comforting. Funny how that happens after one meets their soul-mate, their "better half," their lobster (you'll get this reference if you watched "Friends"). I guess it just means that Hubbs & I were meant to be together! :)

Okay, so now I have to go clean a toilet, lest I further waste away the day with non-productivity. I told you it was random! ;)

The Wrong Formula for Babies

2009-06-12T10:54:00.013-07:00

Many people subscribe to the following life formula:

Get married --> Get a house --> Start a family --> Get a bigger house

Why?

Sure, I can understand the get married part, though it's not for everyone. I can even understand the start-a-family part, which is also not for everyone. But why, pray tell, does buying a house ever have to factor into the equation, particularly for those who wish to be married and to start a family? Are people who get married and those who start families without owning homes somehow bereft as parents or as citizens of their nation? Are those who rent their abodes guilty of abusing their children by not giving them their own rooms?

I would like to challenge the notion that "nesting" and "owning" are somehow synonymous or even related terms. I would like to question the thinking that when one starts a family, they need to upgrade their living conditions immediately. I would like to test the definitions of need and want when it comes to raising families.

Note, first of all, that single bachelors and bachelorettes are exempt from home-owning pressures. Nobody insists that George Clooney own a large house, because he's single and unmarried. Likewise, if Jennifer Aniston wanted to rent a beachhouse all of her life, nobody would call that into question, because she has no kids and no husband. However, the moment that a person gets married, or has children, then society seems to feel that it is obligatory for them to "settle down" and buy a home. If they don't, a stigma is attached to them; either they must be "too poor" (cue the pity) or too wasteful (cue the derision and judgment).

Why?

Is it not possible to "nest" in a rented apartment? The short answer is yes. Nesting is really just the process of preparing a space to make it livable. In the case of birds, it's about making a soft nest so that the eggs can rest comfortably before and after they hatch. In the case of people, it's about preparing a home so that it is comfortable and safe for when a baby arrives. Whether the home is rented or owned is immaterial; the point is that it is furnished and ready for people to live in. I am pretty sure that babies cannot tell the difference between an owned and a rented home, and frankly, I don't think that most people can tell the difference between whether or not we own or rent. The only people who really feel the difference are us and our landlords, and that's just in the wallet, much to our pleasure and our landlord's loss.

Now, when a couple has a baby, the formula suggests that they have to upgrade their DINK (double-income, no kids) living conditions to more family-friendly homes. In most cases, this means buying bigger, and buying a house (or at the very least, a townhouse).

Um, why?

Sure, I agree that at some point, people with children will probably need to upgrade the size of their home as their progeny get older and taller. However, babies are not usually born 4' tall; there are a good few years between birth and the time when they outgrow even a small apartment. Such a fact should bring much relief to most new parents; they can get used to having another person around for a while before they have to go through with a move, which is a very stressful event (and not one that should accompany the ever-more-stressful event of childbirth).

Unfortunately, so many new parents or soon-to-be-expecting couples fall victim to the idea that the moment they start trying, they must upgrade their living conditions to make it suitable for the baby. I guess that all of those commercials and Sears catalogues featuring designer-looking nurseries have successfully ingrained certain messages in the mind of these folks. Personally, I suspect it's just a conspiratorial ploy between baby furniture manufacturers and real estate agents to drum up business.

There is far greater value in taking one's time to research out the neighbourhoods, the economic conditions, and one's own financial capability before entering into a real estate purchase (or upgrade). I won't go into details about today's market, but suffice it to say that the current economic climate isn't exactly ideal for anyone to sign on for more debt. The baby factor should not be the stimulus for home buying or living larger. Honestly, the baby would probably feel as comfortable in a dresser drawer as in a giant crib.

Which brings me to what our world (at least, so says the media) likes to suggest are an infant's "needs." They need their own nursery, and it needs to be colourful and stuffed full of toys. They need a separate change table that matches their crib, and a large back or front yard in which to ride their much-needed Big Wheels and tricycles or play on their giant plastic Playskool jungle gyms. They need a separate recreation room for playing. They need the space for their Jolly Jumpers, their playpens, and every other space-consuming toy advertised on Saturday morning TV.

Oh, really?

From my vague recollection of child psych 101, children seemed to need very different things from the ones listed above. If memory serves, they needed loving parents, a safe and healthy environment, food in their bellies and roofs over their heads... I don't remember nurseries, furniture, toys, yards, or big houses ever being listed. Hmmm.

When I was a kid, I found tremendous joy playing under a blanket propped up by two chairs. In our "tent," my sisters and I had great "camping" adventures. I also recall a lot of fun being had with large cardboard boxes. The conversations my sisters/roommates and I had for those 11+ years in our shared bedroom were sometimes the highlight of my day. Our rusty old swing set in the backyard didn't even see as much action as those found on the playground at school or in the neighbourhood park. And you know what? I don't even remember what my change table or my crib or my stroller or my car seat looked like. I'm not even sure if my Mom does.

Babies and children have simple needs, and they learn to be content when their primary caregivers model contentment in their lives. If anyone cares about a decked out nursery and swanky matching furniture, it's not going to be the infant, but the parents. Why? To impress the Joneses next door? To succumb to social pressure or avoid stigmas?

The truth is, anytime one invites debt (even in the form of a mortgage) into their lives, they run the risk of it getting out of hand, and controlling their existence. If they lose a job, or get injured, or the interest rate goes up on their loan, or their investment depreciates in value, these all lead to a type of instability that is arguably more detrimental to a child than not having a large yard to play in. When finances get tight, people get stressed and oft come into conflict (it's the #1 reason why couples fight). Sometimes one or both parties have to take on extra work, reducing the amount of time they can spend with their child(ren) and decreasing the quality of the time that is spent with them (energy supplies being depleted and all). Quality of life diminishes as the couple scrimps and saves to try to survive; excesses and "treats" like eating out or seeing a movie at the theatre are among the luxuries first to go.

That doesn't seem like a winning formula to me. I'd rather keep it simple, and remove the social "expectations" of home ownership and consumerism from the family equation. It would be far preferable for us to live in our humble rented 2-bedroom, park a crib in the living room when/if we are blessed with a new life, and look into renting bigger or owning a home only when the economic situation, our personal financial situation, and true need align. Until then, consider us counter-culture radicals who refuse to be victims of a losing formula.

We're not losing sleep over it, and frankly, we don't really care what anyone else thinks. ;)

Hitting 4 Gyms in One Day

2009-06-11T10:15:00.002-07:00

..but I only exercised in one of them, lest you think I'm a die-hard.

Now this is story all about how / My life got flipped turned upside down / And I'd like to take a minute, just stick around / And I'll tell you how I searched for a gym all over town.

Several weeks ago, my former gym "Rob" suddenly shut down without any notice. Hubbs & I showed up to find a hastily-scrawled note on the window, telling us to visit the gym's alternate location. This "other" location was about 35 minutes' walking distance from our place, so to work out would now mean we'd have to drive (or use up many precious minutes of our day going to/from the gym), not to mention park at the costly downtown meters.

We gave the owner a few weeks to reopen, but alas, apparently the rent went up and he decided not to renew his lease. Long story short - we had no choice but to cancel our membership and find a new gym to call home.

We loved Rob; it was a boutique gym, never crowded, never loud, and stocked with all of the equipment we like to use. The closing of its doors was pretty devastating to us, especially since we had searched long and hard before coming across it in the first place.

So, back to square 1. First, we made a list, and checked it twice (really, we did). Hubbs & I wanted a fairly reasonably priced gym with a full set of pre-weighted barbells, a squat rack, calf machines, a good range of lighter dumbbells for me to use, and a larger collection of cross-trainers. We were also hoping that the gym membership would consist of fitness enthusiasts, and that the place wouldn't be crowded at all hours of the day. Finally, we wanted a place that was either within walking distance, or offered free parking. On our "would be nice" list were items such as free lockers and friendly staff.

BEN

Our first stop was a place very close to our pad. "Ben" was a bit

pricey ($350 admin fee + monthly membership costs) but the location was prime, and easily accessible by foot. They had classes, towel service, a rockin' change room, and squash courts that came with the membership. When we first stopped in (a week or so ago), they offered us free passes to try out the gym for a day, and it was during our visit (first thing yesterday morning, thankyouverymuch) that Hubbs discovered that they lacked our barbells and several other key pieces of equipment that he usually uses. Several other requirements on our "must-have" list were also not met.

Ben was thus immediately ruled out. In fact, I would even go as far as saying that Hubbs' reaction to Ben was swift and negative. Next!

DAN

Our second gym option was not as close to us, but on a good day the distance is walkable and the drive (though convoluted) isn't long. I had also read good things about "Dan" on a hardcore bodybuilding forum. They offered free parking, and classes, and squash courts, and a large collection of Precor cardio equipment (I have a bias in favour of Precor x-trainers). Finally, their membership was reasonably priced, and we really liked the fellow behind the front desk.

However, the first strike happened the moment I walked in the door. You see, I spotted a dog lying on the floor. A dog!?! As you may recall, I have issues with dogs in gyms. When I asked the friendly fellow behind the counter, he explained that the dog was their "mascot" and had lived in the gym its entire life. Sure, the lazying canine was uber-cute, but that's beside the point. Care to explain the fact that you are selling beverages in the same area that a dog is regularly inhabiting? By-law infraction?

Upon touring the place, we came across a few other no-no's from our list. Dan was devoid of all circuit machines! Sure, they had the Hammer Strength ones, but nothing that was pre-weighted, and I'm not a big fan of having to load those heavy plates on all the time. Also, their dumbbells weren't offered in less than 5 lb. increments, and their equipment was pretty old.

In the end, we figured that if this was as good as it gets, we'd settle, but it would be a compromise on the quality that we were actually looking for. We thought we should continue exploring our options, so on we went, to "Pan."

PAN

Now, everyone knows that Pan caters to the die-hard body-building crowd. They have a separate weight area for the grunters, so we sort of knew the type of fitness-enthused membership to expect when we walked in. Pan was also conveniently located within walking distance to us, and had a little juice bar and Greek food stand located on-site. I hadn't read great things about Pan though, so I tried to go in with an open mind.

Well, the first strike we noticed was the parking. It was pay-parking. Secondly, I saw a small yappy (not cute) dog wandering the halls of the gym. Now if I thought that Dan was bad for having a dog lazing around the front entrance, I felt 1000x worse about an ugly yappy dog openly roaming the gym, especially since they serve food there!! Hello by-law violation!!! The saleswoman explained that the dog belonged to the owner's friend, who has the gym dog-sitting for them during the day. Ugh. So wrong on so many levels.

The next thing we noted was the aggressiveness of the saleswoman, who openly dissed the owner of Rob (who we like as a person even if we don't love the way he shuts down his business). Not professional, and not cool, lady. She also laughed in my face and said, "Seriously?!" with disgust when I asked her about the dumbbell weight increments. Insulting the potential member = bad business practice, IMHO.

A few other things we noted with displeasure were the lack of cardio machines and the messy and cluttered state of the gym; old broken pieces of equipment and other items lying about in a disorderly way, and stacks of papers untidily stacked do not give me much confidence in the gym's ability to handle my membership properly. Hubbs also noticed that all of the equipment he would normally use was upstairs, but their barbells were all located downstairs (a difference of about 3 narrow flights).

Finally, the saleswoman tried to hard-sell us on the membership, and rather than give us time to shop around over the next few days, tried to get us to come back that evening to sign up (lest we should miss out on the "open house deal" that conveniently ended the day before we got there). Their memberships were also yearly, and any contract terminations due to moving were still subject to a "buy-out fee."

Bad, bad, bad. Nothing about this place impressed us. Pan was not what we were looking for, and when we left, I believe Hubbs & I both silently vowed never to walk through those doors ever again.

RON

Somewhat discouraged, we headed to "Ron." This was a gym that Hubbs had read a lot about, and was very impressed with on paper. I wasn't sure what the membership costs would be like, nor what sort of atmosphere to expect, given that most of the advertising for the gym used scantily-clad fitness models (sex sells?). There was also the issue of the drive; Ron was nowhere near our place, and the drive during traffic would be about 15 minutes long. They did offer free parking, however, and they were rated a top gym for the past two years.

The moment we walked in, we were greeted by their very enthusiastic staffer. He had nothing but great things to say about the gym, but I was trying hard to take his word with a grain of salt. He showed us around, and here were all of the positive things we noted for ourselves:

- no crowds during peak hours

- clean gym, everything in its place

- Precor x-trainers :)

- dumbbells with 2.5 lb increments

- extensive sets of circuit machines

- a Ladies-Only section with many pieces of equipment

- classes included in the membership

- a nice, clean, newly-renovated locker room

- an abundance of cardio machines

- barbells and squat machines for Hubbs

- no dogs to be seen anywhere

- friendly staff

- modern, new, matching equipment

- super-affordable annual membership with a month-to-month continuation

You could totally tell that this place cared about aesthetics and making lasting impressions. Their reception area was covered in autographed images of celebrities who had previously visited the gym (including Lynda Carter, Jessica Alba, Jessical Biel, Ryan Reynolds, Triple H, the Rock, Trevor Linden, and that hot JAG actor David James Elliott, to name a few). In comparison to Ben, Dan, and Pan, Ron was hands-down the best in terms of facility and equipment. In fact, Hubbs & I think it was even more impressive than Rob.

After our tour, we walked out of the gym and began the descent down the stairs to our car. Before our feet even hit that last step, Hubbs & I turned around and marched right back up to the gym and signed up. We were both pretty convinced that this was the right gym for us, so no sense in dilly-dallying. I looked at my trusty Excel-created checklist, observing that Ron had hit every point on our wishlist (except for walking distance part).

So, after hitting 4 gyms, we finally found one that was to our liking and fit for us to get fit. I'm actually excited to go work out today. I think that says it all. ;)

Fan-tastic

2009-06-09T21:02:00.003-07:00

When I lived in HK, my then-youthful body was quick to acclimatize to its crazy-humid climate and extremely warm temperatures. After a very tough first summer, I was able to handle the 90%+ humidity and 30+ Celsius temperatures without fainting or having a breakdown.

That was then. Now, my aged old body isn't quite so quick to adjust to new environments with different climates. The Vancouver humidity, though wonderful for dry skin, is causing me to break out in random rashes. The warming temperatures (a paltry 22 Celsius with some moderate humidity) have been sufficiently contrary to my previous Alberta weather experiences to render my body unable to deal. Yes, I am overheating.

Now, I'm not saying that it was always cold in E-town. On the contrary, from our 15th floor apartment, we used to get a pretty good dose of sunlight during the summer months, and our place got ridiculously warm there too. However, we had the luxury of air-conditioning, so there was a reprieve from the heat (except for those several weeks when the A/C was busted).

Not so much with our Van pad. Our current abode, though sexy and stylin' and very urban, is surrounded by windows. These aren't dinky windows, either; they are large 5.5' x 4.5' windows with southern and eastern exposures that tend to really catch those rays. And of the 13 windows, only 4 will open. And only by about 3". You see, we have casement windows, a structural legacy left behind by the corporation that once existed where we now live. I suppose the windows were a safety precaution to prevent a depressed office worker from leaping to his/her demise. Regardless, the condo-conversion-engineers did not tinker with the original frame of the building, and so our windows are what they are.

As the temperatures have been rising, so too has my discomfort. We've resorted to opening every window, spiders be damned, just to try to cool down. Unfortunately, on days like today when the breeze just didn't blow for a good half of the day, having open windows was no different from having closed windows.

So, we considered a few options. The first was a portable air-condiitioner. I explored this option to death, but it turns out that for giant casement windows like ours, portable A/C units aren't very pragmatic. We would have needed to hire a plexiglass/plastics dude to come and custom fit our windows with plexiglass panels, and then we would've needed the same dude to come and drill out a custom-sized hole for the exhaust pipe of the A/C unit to fit through. Then, we would have needed to glue or velcro the plexiglass to our window frame, resulting in much alteration/damage to the frame (which would have surely pissed off our landlord).

The second option was to buy an oscillating fan. We (meaning I) did some extensive Google researching and discovered that a certain NOMA Tower Fan (with a remote) was on sale at Canadian Tire, and that this fan was quite highly-reviewed by others who have bought it. We rushed out to our nearest Canadian Tire, nearly walked out empty handed (thanks to the salesperson who had no idea what she was talking about), located a sole unclaimed fan in a random part of the store, and rushed to the check-out before someone could wrestle this seemingly last unit out of our hands.

When we got home, our first priority was getting this tower fan set up and operating. The fan has been blowing ever since, and now I'm not so miserable to live with (ask Hubbs). This sleek and chic unit moves a good amount of air, and not only has an oscillating feature and 3 speeds, but can ionize our air (and once I figure what that is, I might even turn that function on!). ;) It also operates by remote control, which I think might come in handy at some point.

Anyway, things are fan-tastic now, although the big test will come in the afternoon tomorrow when the sun gets all invasive in our living room again. We'll see how our little Noma holds up to mondo heat and light.

For tonight, though, I will finally get a comfortable sleep, something I've been missing for the past few evenings. And tomorrow (and the next day, and the next), I will park myself squarely in front of the fan to keep from overheating, until such time that my body gets used to Vancouver's definition of summer.

Up For the Win!

2009-05-31T11:08:00.003-07:00

Hubbs took me to a movie yesterday - a matinee. I'm so glad for matinees, because when I'm done the movie I still have part of the day left for other stuff, like running errands all over the Greater Van area. ;)

Anyway, we sent to see UP in 3D, the new Disney-Pixar flick. It was the best animated movie I have ever seen, even better than Wall-E (which says a lot since Wall-E is like one of my all-time favourites).

The movie, in case you haven't heard, is basically about an old guy who uses balloons to float his house to South America. After take-off, he discovers a boy-scout-esque kid on his porch, and is forced to take the boy with him on his adventure.

Aside from a few holes in logic in the movie (and don't most make-believe stories have holes in them? Yes.), it tells a very touching tale about a guy and his relationship with his past, as well as his newfound friendship with the kid on his porch. I laughed out loud at the funny parts of the movie, and there were also some very sentimental parts of the movie that made me cry...a lot. Whoever says that this is a kid movie is kidding themselves; UP is predominantly an adult-themed movie that happens to be animated and happens to contain a sufficient number of funny scenes for little kids to laugh at.

**SPOILER** (highlight to read)

What makes the movie so touching and heart-rendering is the first 15 minutes of the flick, which very poignantly describes the loving relationship between the main character (the old guy) and his wife. This back-story explains why he wants to go to South America and also why he doesn't take an airplane to get there; his attachment to his house and his past become like an albatross on his back, weighing him down and holding him back from living the rest of his life. I cried, no, bawled like a baby because as I watched the movie, I could envision Hubbs and I and growing old together. I could feel the sense of loss and loneliness that the main character feels after his wife passes, and it caused me to consider my mortality and my life. Hubbs and I both decided that we probably cannot recommend this movie to our parents or our grandparents without a big fat disclaimer warning them about these first 15 minutes. But what was so sad about the movie also made the movie that much more meaningful, and this is why I think that its main target audience isn't so much the 8 year old, but the adults in the audience.

Anyway, I loved this movie and I would recommend all of you to go and see it. Bring Kleenex, because I didn't and the napkins at the concession are really awful and abrasive on your face. I will probably see it again, though likely not in a theatre, and there is a 100% chance I will be buying the movie when it comes out on DVD (but don't wait til then to borrow it from me; see it in 3D)!

Scratch Not, Itch Not

2009-05-26T20:30:00.002-07:00

...

Eczema is a problem. It has always been a problem for me, but has exacerbated exponentially since the year that I moved to Hong Kong. Now, nearly a decade later, I am still grappling with skin issues.

My most recent problems? Massive eczema rashes on both of my upper arms (spreading slowly south of my elbows), a patch of what I think is eczema on my face, and a weird random as-yet-undiagnosed rash on the back of my right hand. All are itchy. None have responded to hard core steroid creams.

Before you start wondering if I should be sent to a leper colony for the eczema-ridden, I'm not contagious, and I am seeking medical help in the form of a skin specialist (dermatologist) in a couple weeks' time. The appointment was made a few weeks ago, but you know how it is with specialists - you have to wait and let things get worse before they can see you; that way, you will have a nice big nasty problem to show them, and maybe then it will be easier for them to diagnose ;) I kid, I kid...sort of.

Anyway, until that magical day of June 12th, when I expect miraculous healings to occur, I am stuck with major skin itch. My mom always said that I should never scratch an itch, lest it get worse. The temptation is huge, though, especially when the itch flares up (which it does several times during the day). If it's not one arm, it's the other, and if it's not the arms, it's my face, and if not my face, the back of my hand. Vicious cycles.

My make-shift, non-scientific solution to try to curb the itching? Mineral oil and fragrance, also known as Johnson & Johnson's Baby Oil (original formula). Believe it or not, the greasy oil helps to tame my burning desire to scratch, because my itch settles down when the oil is applied. I have no idea why this is, and frankly, I'm a pragmatist and if it works, I really don't care to know. ;)

Anyway, this simple homeopathic remedy has worked on all of my eczema patches, and even on the weird unidentified rash on my hand. Although the redness isn't completely eliminated, it has gone down somewhat, particularly on my right arm (the one that I don't tend to scratch as much).

I am trying to find the silver lining in all of this skin-diseased madness. The only one I've come up with? I smell great, like a freshly bathed baby! ;)

Thrifty and Frugal are my Chinese Middle Names

2009-05-22T23:17:00.008-07:00

Kidding. However, it is in my genes to be cheap and to try to spend as little as I can to get what I want; my parents were great inspirations to me of how to live frugally, and those are values I want to one day pass on to my progeny.

My friend Rain recently posted about living within her means, and when she solicited comments, of course opinionated little me had to chime in. My name isn't Loquacious for nothing, so it's hardly a surprise that my comment ran long and I decided just to make a post out of it.

Rain was asking for other suggestions on ways to live economically and/or lessons learned along the way, and here (edited and extended) were some of my ideas:

1) Tithe first. When finances get tight, it is tempting to give God our last-fruits, not our first-fruits. As the month drags on, that tithe money that you've set aside looks larger and larger. Therefore, if it's not a direct withdrawal tithe, it should be done at the very beginning of the month or the moment that you're paid.

2) Mix and match. If you mix and match between Dollar Store goodies and regular items, nobody is going to think you or your home looks ghetto; in fact, few will notice. Some things are just as good at Dollarama as anywhere else, such as small kitchen items, school supplies, craft materials, organizational items, gift bags & wrap, and cleaning supplies.

3) They don't call 'em fillers for nothing. Learn to add bread or oatmeal to ground beef when making burgers or meatloaf. That way, you can get bigger and more moist burger patties and loaves for the pound of meat that you bought. Ditto with adding stuff like celery and chives to tuna salad; increased volumes go a little farther.

4) Get grungy...sort of. Don't wash your hair every day. It saves water and is better for your hair if you rinse every other day instead. You'll be using half as much water as if you had to shampoo and condition.

5) Two are better than one. If you can shower with your honey, all the better! Half the time, half the water, and twice the fun. ;)

6) Collect points. Then, take advantage of bonus deals or redemption freebies. I've banked enough Shoppers points to claim over $150 in goods there now; over the past year I've probably redeemed another $75, and all from buying my cosmetics and filling my prescriptions there. Airmiles collectors can sometimes get 5x the points on certain purchases, or with a coupon; we always shop at the grocery store (Safeway) where we can most effectively collect points that are actually redeemable. Even our credit card collects points for us; in our case, it gives us Avion points towards flights, and we now have enough on each of our cards to probably fly anywhere within Canada on a short-haul.

7) Become a swag junkie. If you buy cosmetics during "Bonus Time," you can get some very lovely freebies that will last you another month or two, or even longer. Things like mini-mascaras, make-up remover, lipsticks and eye shadows, lotions and cosmetic brushes are great for traveling and for those times between when you run out of your regular stuff and another promotion comes up! All of my current lipsticks are from freebies or gift cards, as are all of my eyeshadows. My current primer, eye cream, and face cream are also freebies. In cosmetics, a little goes a long way!

8) Curb your inner boozehound. Try not to drink alcohol when dining out. That sets you back quite a few dollars, especially with alcohol taxes and such. Our bills in the past have literally doubled from having just a drink or two each. If you really need some booze in your system, have a glass before you go out for dinner. It will usually cost two people as much to have one drink apiece at a restaurant as it is to buy a bottle of decent wine that serves them each two drinks (or more)!

9) Look for free fun. Creativity is key when you want recreation without having to pay up the wazoo. However, it's not an impossible task to find ways to be entertained. Go for walks at the park or go to the park and get on the swings! Go for a drive around the city (especially the new development areas). Have a picnic. Find a firepit and make some smores, or make smores at home! :) Catch a free movie at the park (they show these in Edmonton during the summer). Watch TV together with some buttery microwave popcorn. Borrow a DVD from a friend for a movie night. You get my drift, right?

10) Walk. Walk instead of drive if you can. Park for free further away and walk the remainder to your destination. Gas isn't that cheap and we know meters are crazy expensive, so why pay when you can help it?

11) Support the locals. We try to grab our produce from the local market; it's half the cost of produce at Safeway. We find the fresh seafood from the market is also a little more cost-effective than buying the stale stuff at the grocery store.

12) Need and Want aren't synonymous terms. The ability to differentiate between the two is huge. I want new sandals but my survival, my happiness, my health and my safety aren't dependent on having them. However, I need food to live, and without food my health is put in jeopardy. Needs always come before wants, and knowing is half the battle to saving money.

13) Freeze and cool it! Sometimes we freeze stuff we can't consume, like black bananas (for banana bread). Other times, we stick our food in the fridge; it keeps a lot longer, and well past expiration dates (bread is good in the fridge for like 2 weeks beyond the expiry).

14) Shop patiently. One reason why people buy regular priced items is that they do not have the patience to wait for stuff to go on sale. If you're willing to let time do its work, sometimes you're able to score the things you need at ridiculously reduced prices. For instance, buying sandals in the fall vs. the spring means you will be able to get them at huge discounts. For non-essential items like throw pillows or decorative wall art, if you are patient you can wait until you come across an amazing deal on that perfect item before you buy it.

15) Freecycle. No, I didn't make that word up. It's an email group (there's one in every city) that you can join for free and list items you either want or want to get rid of, also for free. We got rid of our old TV that way, and when something awesome comes along, we'll be emailing to take advantage of these giveaways.

16) BYO Bottled water?! Evian, Dasani, and all those other brands of bottled water - not necessary. Bring your own water bottle and save many dollars. One should never have to pay that much for water, and $1.00 for less than a litre is truly much too much.

Those are just a few ways that we've been thrifty and frugal in the last little while. Sure, we're big spenders (ask my siblings, they think we're loaded..ha!) when it comes to others, but often when it comes to ourselves, we try to find ways to be economical and shrewd with our dollars and cents. We aren't experts in the world of savings (not by any stretch of the imagination), but at least we're making the attempt.

In this day and age when retirement funds and old age pensions are being eaten up by bankrupt major corporations and bail-out government spending, it's never too early to start saving up!

What Does It Take to Get Some Respect Around Here?

2009-05-22T11:57:00.003-07:00

I'm pondering the dilemma of professional designations and regulations. This stems from a discussion my RMT and I were having during my last massage. She was lamenting the fact that in her profession, there's a wide range of people with varying levels of experience and credentials who go around offering "massage therapy" services. In her industry, there has been talk of setting up a national standard that would require all registered therapists to have worked and trained a minimum of 2200 hours before getting a formal registration. Currently, different provinces have different standards and RMTs in AB can get "registered" with one of the multiple bodies after working only a couple hundred hours. As a result, RMT charges cannot be claimed under personal income tax as a health expense in AB, even though it can in BC (where all RMTs must have well over 3000 hours and are registered with one provincial body).

This chat caused me to think about Hubbs' and my professions. In education, all teachers are certified by provincial bodies that have different standards across the nation. The common denominator is the B.Ed. degree, which all teachers must have in order to teach, and the absence of a criminal record. However, it has been suggested in BC that a professional designation be used to delineate between practising, qualified teachers and those who hold degrees but are not certified to practice. The rationale is that a designation would offer the profession a bit more respect, since currently the career of "teacher" garners little respect and compensation relative to other professions. Engineers have designations, as do accountants and doctors and financial analysts. Why not teachers?

Hubbs' industry is a funny one, where anyone can claim the title of "developer" with little or no formal training whatsoever. In some ways, his line of work is even less regulated than massage therapy is. There are no bodies to certify whether a developer is qualified or not, and there are no checks and balances to ensure that consumers are not being ripped off by some "IT professional" who produces a poor and costly product due to their incompetence or ignorance. How does one determine who is an "expert" in the software development world? Is it the MVP award, given to individuals recognized by Microsoft to be knowledgeable in just one specific area of development? Or is it the experience of a given individual working within the field over the course of decades?

Of course, not all industries or professions require a designation or registration or a guild. My sister the banker is promoted through the ranks based almost completely on her ability to manage accounts (a quantitative measure) and build positive relationships with her clients. These are easily observable products of her competence over time, and movement up the corporate rungs are based on her performance alone; those who do poorly simply never move up very far, and the banking world seems to be sufficiently small that one knows via references who is "good" or not in the city or province.

My other sister, the Public Affairs Officer with the provincial government, also does not require a union (though maybe she belongs to one?) or a bunch of letters behind her name in order to be seen as an effective staffer. Again, her work is judged by her peers and her bosses and she will climb the proverbial ladder based on her performance and the services she provides.

However, I suppose their types of employment are different from RMTs (with a transient clientele), teachers (where recognition as a profession does not translate into respect nor proper compensation), and developers (whose oft-changing clientele ranges from small start-up companies to large government and private corporations).

On how to regulate, I have no ready answers, but I recognize the complexity of the issue and the need for something to be done in all three cases. However, I see a problem with any possible quantitative measure, and none appears to be a perfect solution.

1. Education

With RMTs, the training ranges from a few weeks in a course to four years in a university-type program (my RMT has her B.Sc. in BioChem as well as her 4 years in Massage Therapy training). Some have no training save for those sketchy massages they offered when they lived in a developing country prior to moving to N. America but I suppose there are a few guys out there who think these therapists are the best ("happy ending," anyone?). However, as my RMT was telling me, there are some very educated therapists (full 4-years, >3000 hours) in the city whom you wouldn't want to find yourself in a closed room with.

Teachers all have B.Ed. degrees, but that is no guarantee that they're effective in the classroom. Some (like many I taught with in HK) have other bachelor degrees and yet are among the best and most creative educators I've seen. However, both are compensated equally, and not highly, and are treated with little recognition of the training that is involved with such a huge responsibility as educating young minds for the future.

In development, some folks have little formal education but tons of hands-on experience. Others have 4-year Comp. Sci. degrees but have no idea how to write a test or a decent line of code. Still others fall in the middle somewhere, with diplomas and certificates and varying levels of experience and ability and training.

So how can education be a criteria?

2. Experience

This is a slightly better measure, but only in instances where products and services can be quantitatively measured (or qualitatively judged against some perfect standard). I mean, my "massage therapists" in HK probably had decades of experience (some of them were pretty old) but does that mean they understand the biomechanics of how muscles and tissues and pressure points work? Maybe, but maybe not. It is no guarantee. Just because they worked for many years also doesn't mean that they gave a good massage, either.

I've also met a few teachers who, decades into their profession, are past their prime and need to retire. These are educators who have tons of experience under their belt, but haven't stayed relevant to technology or new developments in pedagogy over the past couple of years. As a result, they are only effective in teaching things "the old way" and cannot wrap their brains around inclusive, student-oriented, differentiated instruction or the way to use modern technology in the classroom.

The development world is even more random. Some guys, like Hubbs, have been coding since they were 6, but that in itself can hardly count as experience. However, Hubbs keeps up with what's new in his industry, and he's up to speed with current best practices. This is what legitimizes his experience and allows him to remain effective in his current role as a software architect with the provincial government. However, there are just as many people who have decades of dev experience (from adolescence), but all with just a handful of languages and in the same job over those many years. The result is a lot of experience, but with a limited knowledge base in "legacy code" that isn't very relevant to the ever-advancing .NET 2.0 world of today.

So can experience really be an effective criteria for regulating or designating a profession? Not in and of itself.

3. People Skills and Products

Some would argue that in the end, it's about an individual's ability to do well with people and produce an end product. If clients keep coming back to that massage person, whether it's an RMT or a masseuse, the proof is in the numbers. But how is one to know if the person kneading their flesh is really helping them to work through the knots and help their bodies heal, or if they're just giving them a feel good session with no long-lasting health benefits?

I've met a few grumpy teachers who count down the days to summer in early October. These educators may have sufficient people skills to survive the year and even teach a few things to their students before the end of June, but does that make them effective? Are their kids really learning concepts and big ideas, or just regurgitating information from rote memory? Those "products" can never really be measured until the next year, or the year after that, when the same students are challenged with more difficult concepts, and must demonstrate an understanding of the fundamentals in order to learn these new ideas. Unfortunately, those who should not be teaching are sometimes in the classroom, and that's probably where the disregard for education as a trained profession comes from.

Finally, you've got some developers who can turn out a product, but of such shoddy quality that to maintain it would cost twice as much as it cost to build it in the first place. The slickster devs out there (or their placement agencies) might talk a big game, but when it comes to producing a viable application using development best practices, they're utterly incompetent. There are also developers who are so devoid of basic social skills that to interact with a client in a professional, non-passive-aggressive or awkward manner is a virtual impossibility. They might produce a good product, but their odd interpersonal qualities make them difficult to work with on any team over time.

Can social skills, or workable end products, be a good measure of how a profession is regulated? It paints an incomplete picture, non?

So basically, at the end of the day, I am left to conclude that there are many many factors that go into deciding how any profession is regulated or how designations are assigned. Not only are there multiple factors to be considered, but each of these must be weighted against the others to come up with some equation that both protects the professionalism of said industry and its members, and also ensures that the clients out there are offered the best possible services from the most qualified individuals.

I got a full brain today, methinks ;)

Oily Clean! and Smooth as Buttah...

2009-05-22T09:46:00.003-07:00

My new ritual before bed is to rub my entire face with oil. Seriously. I read about it when I was looking for a new facial cleanser, and after my curiosity was adequately piqued, I headed to my favourite new store (Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty Boutique) to try it out.

Turns out, if you use the proper kinds of oil, they work really well to pick up the dirt from your face, as well as melt the make-up off. Then, when you add a bit of water to the rubbed-on oil, it emulsifies and brings the dirty stuff to the surface. Once you rinse with water, all of your make-up is off, and you end up with this soft skin that hasn't been stripped of its natural oils.

One step! Now I don't even need a separate eye-makeup remover anymore. I just use the oil. My product-of-choice is Lancome's Huile Douceur; it has been super gentle on my eyes (which have been itchy and sensitive due to allergies lately), and also incredibly good for my skin, which feels softer now than before (even Hubbs has noticed this).

Another item that works some serious illusory magic is Clarins' Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch. It boasts the ability to instantly reduce the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles, and dilated pores. I was of course skeptical about its claims, and know that pores cannot really be reduced in size. However, I got this as part of a "bonus" with my new mascara, so I thought I'd give it a go.

It was indeed magical. The pores beside my nose and on my schnoz, which are the largest on my face, instantly looked smaller upon application. Wanting to experiment a bit more, I decided to make Hubbs my guinea pig, and applied the cream on his pores too. I watched with amazement as the pores beside his nose seemed to disappear, while the other pores on his honker also seemed to shrink a little (not as much though, since those are rather large pores - sorry Hubbs! - that will take some serious microdermabrasion to sand down). Still, it took me by surprise to see that this little cream did such a big job of making our skin smoother...smooth as butter, even!

So now you know where all of my frivolous spending has been going. To be completely honest, however, I did go during a promo so I got a free Lancome swag bag of stuff (justifying some of the cost), and the Clarins mascara also came with 2 free mini-products, plus I collected some good Optimum points to boot. I would never buy if there wasn't a freebie or bonus attached; I'm just that cheap.

For the amount of product I've been pushing on here lately, you'd think someone would send me some free stuff to advertise for them! Sheesh...but hey, if it's good, I like to share, and everyone who knows me knows that I've been representing my fave things, like Advil, pro bono for the last decade. :) It's just in me to give ;)

6 Strikes Against Jen, or Why You Should Avoid Her at Axis Hair

2009-05-20T16:45:00.006-07:00

I used to think that anyone with the most basic Hair 101 training can cut bangs. I also thought that nobody could mess up a trim of my long sleek locks. I was proven wrong on both counts last week.

My original hairdresser, Jasmine from Axis Hair, upped and moved to Tofino a few weeks ago, and she was not allowed by the salon to contact her existing clientele to let them know the news. As a result, I didn't find out that she had moved until I called the salon and asked for her; I was left having to find another person to trim my long bangs and even longer hair. I requested that the reception folks book me in with someone who was as good as Jasmine (whom I liked very much and who was a very good junior stylist), and they set me up with Jen.

When I went in for the trim, I was pretty explicit about my preferences. I told Jen that I had just been to the salon 3-4 weeks prior, and that I liked having longer bangs that I could either sweep to the side or wear down the front of my forehead. I also explained that I like longer layers that aren't too obvious in my hair. She reassured me that she knew what she was doing and she would simply give me slightly shorter layers (for volume) and would trim up my bangs.

I started to worry when large chunks of my hair began falling on the floor; this was bad sign #1. The second bad sign occured when she tried to part my hair to the side (it normally parts in the middle) and I had to stop and correct her, even though my part should have been painfully obvious to anyone who was paying attenion and knew what they were doing.

The moment she snipped at my bangs and I saw the end result of said snip, I almost cried; bad sign #3. She had cut the bangs to the same length as where my eyebrows sit! Given that my preferred length was somewhere around my lower lash line, this was a big problem and I knew I was not going to love this cut. I mentioned, calmly, that I was concerned that the bangs were too short. She insisted they weren't.

Bad sign #4: after she had cut more of just the front layer of my bangs, she began cleaning up the back. I had to stop her to ask her to cut the remainder of my bangs (which run a little deeper into my scalp and aren't limited to one straight layer across the front). She then proceeded to challenge me on this decision (bad sign #5) until I absolutely insisted. As she cut the rest of my bangs, I asked if she could leave those layers a little longer and blend them into my shorter bangs so that I had at least a bit more length in the front. She insisted she could not do this without the bangs looking even shorter.

When she had finished with the now-very-short bangs, she asked me if I wanted to have them layered. Um...NO?!?! If she couldn't layer the longer portion of my bangs to blend with the short front layer, I wasn't about to have her layer them to be shorter than they already were! I told her absolutely not, and insisted on a blunt bang.

As she blow-dried my hair, she was very quiet. I think my upset and disappointment came through loud and clear in the tone of my voice, and even though I didn't tell her off, she knew she had messed up royally on my bangs. When she was done blowing out my hair, she apologized for the bangs being too short for my tastes, even though she remained insistent that they weren't actually too short, and that they looked good.

I left the salon feeling ticked off and disappointed, as well as embarrassed by my stumpy bangs. Despite reassurances to the contrary by friends and Hubbs, I still could not shake the feeling that this cut sucked arse. I tried consoling myself with the knowledge that bangs grow quickly and my misery would be short-lived, to little avail.

Jen from Axis Hair needs to go back to beauty school and get more training, or find a new profession. I realized this when, a few days later, I tried to pull up my hair into a ponytail, only to discover that the "blended layers" she had cut into the length of my hair left me with several very short layers, several chunks of medium-length hair, and two lone chunks of freakishly long hair. Bad sign #6 is that there was no subtlety whatsoever to the cut, and in the ponytail position everyone could tell that the haircut was poorly executed and blended. Even Hubbs, who usually makes up something to compliment me and will almost always avoid making critical statements, had to concede that my ponytail looked wacky.

By this time, I had hit my breaking point. Usually, 3 strikes and you're out. Now we have 6. I called the salon in my most panicked and upset voice and demanded a re-cut with a senior stylist who knew what she was doing. Luckily, such a stylist existed and they booked me in to see her the same day.

When I arrived, the stylist was attentive and pretty quiet as she listened to me rant about the shoddy quality of my haircut. She grew extra quiet after she examined my jagged ponytail. She apologetically informed me that the bangs would simply have to grow out; there is nothing she'd be able to do about them. She then explained that she could help me blend those jagged layers back in while maintaing most of the length, although I knew that this meant that she would have to take off more of the length in the back to even things out.

This stylist was obviously experienced; I could tell by the way that she re-cut my layers and explained things to me. She also apologized for my crappy experience with Jen, although she was careful not to be critical of her even as I continued to rant about how horrible my initial haircut was.

In the end, the back of my hair was repaired, even though I lost about an inch and a half from the length. With this new stylist still there, I tried pulling my hair up in a ponytail to confirm that the layers now looked blended. They did.

The salon also comped my second haircut, as they rightfully should, and I tipped this new stylist well and also bought a product from her. However, I'm left wondering if I should ever return to this particular salon (or this location), or whether this was a sign that I should move on to a more upscale and experienced salon like Suki's.

I haven't made up my mind yet, but I'll be that by the time these bangs grow out two months from now, I will.

And now you know...not everyone who goes to hair school knows how to cut bangs, or layers, or hair, period.

BLACKLISTED: Jen from Axis Hair

Tightening the Reins

2009-05-20T10:06:00.002-07:00

You know, I had a whole post written about how Hubbs & I were going to eliminate our respective spending on clothes and shoes, and how we were going to limit our dining out, just to try and save a bit more during this recession.

My post was going to be a tongue-in-cheek sort of rant, poking fun at my uncontrolled spending on skin care products and my inability to quit shoe shopping despite having a full shoe wheel and an increasingly-cluttered hallway.

However, I decided to delete that post even as I was finishing its composition, because I did not want to make light of the very somber reality of these economic times. I found myself sounding trite, and the last thing I want to do is be careless and flippant with a topic that is for many, a hardship and a reality.

The truth is that Hubbs & I are incredibly blessed, and God in His mercy and grace and infinite wisdom has somehow decided to provide for us in an abundant material (and immaterial) manner, even though there is nothing inherently good or worthy about us that would merit such favour.

Sure, we're not wealthy like many I have met in Vancouver; I would never drop hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on a handbag or a pair of shoes, nor do I own multiple homes with pools and other fancy amenities. Neither Hubbs nor I zoom around in an import sports car, we don't have time-shares and vacation homes in tropic locations, and by no means can we even pretend to keep up with any "Joneses," but I recognize that in these tough economic times, we are among the blessed.

Hubbs has a job, and so do I. Neither of us is in imminent danger of losing our employment, and the work that we do is work that we love. We have shoes on our feet and clothes on our back (and extras to spare!), and we can afford to buy groceries even though the cost of food is rising. We have a car to drive and don't have to rely solely on the mercies of public transportation. We live in a modern, amply-equipped condo in a safe and quiet neighbourhood in downtown Vancouver. God has allowed us to be debt-free (except for car payments on the new car), so that we won't have to worry when interest rates go up (which they inevitably will). We don't have to watch the "market" to make sure that our real estate investment or net worth doesn't plummet as the recession deepens. Unlike so many others, we are healthy (save for a cold here and there). Even when we get sick, we have health care and extended health benefits to help pay for the bills.

Do we deserve any of this abundance? Is this our "reward" for being faithful to God? If the blessing heirarchy was a meritocracy, nobody would be wealthy or healthy or blessed. We are all by nature objects of wrath, sinful and fallen and selfish and unacceptable to a holy God. Nobody deserves anything good, and God is the only source of goodness. Our material abundance only demonstrates that God is merciful and gracious in His goodness, even to someone as imperfect and self-absorbed as I am.

I do not claim to understand why God has been so good to us. I have met many other believers who are far more faithful than I, who "deserve" far greater blessings than I do, and yet sometimes I find myself sitting on the greener grass.

However, what I do know is that God's will is to be glorified. This is His greatest desire, and His foremost purpose. As such, whether we live in need or in plenty, Hubbs & my purpose is to give glory to God and to worship Him. It is to proclaim Him and to further the work of Jesus on earth. To that end we strive, and take no blessing for granted. Instead, our heart's goal is to use what God has entrusted to us to bring Him honour.

We aren't perfect, of course. I still spend a bit too much on make-up and shoes, and we still eat out more than we need to (does anyone ever "need" to eat out?!). However, as the economy falters and the recession moves closer to a depression, we recognize and direct our thanksgiving and hope to the Giver that allows us to live in plenty, and we focus our eyes on Him, and not on what we have been given.

We do not take lightly the tremendous responsibility as well as enormous privilege that we have been entrusted with. Though I joke about purchasing all sorts of crazy things, the reality is that we try hard to be good stewards of that which we have been given. We hope that we have been, and will continue to be, faithful in using God's gifts for His glory and for the building of His kingdom.

And in these tough times, we are also being called to be more shrewd and wise with God's gifts. We are being prompted to tighten the reins on our own selfish spending, and challenged to use what we have even more purposefully for Him. May we be proven faithful for His name's sake.

My Wardrobe...Flashback to 1999

2009-05-12T13:49:00.010-07:00

...sort of. I recently found myself shopping at a store that I haven't visited in over a decade. The store? Bluenotes. It's a denim and casual cotton-wear shop that I used to frequent in my early university days, when I was a poor, broke student surviving on cheap pasta and ground meat. After a while, I had to upgrade my wardrobe to more work-appropriate attire, and my visits to Bluenotes became more infrequent. After a while, it was just one of those stores that I'd walk past at the mall and not think twice about going into.

Well, everything changed on the weekend. Hubbs & I were both in the market for some new jeans, but neither of us wanted to drop a ton of money on them since we figured we might be skinnifying a bit in the next few months.

Anyway, after looking at our usual jeans places (without any luck), we came across a Bluenotes and I saw the sale sign prominently displayed across their denim display walls. I figured I had nothing to lose, so I went in and tried on some jeans. In the end, Hubbs & I walked out of there with 2 new pairs each...and all for the same price that we probably would have paid for just one pair of jeans elsewhere. :)

Bluenotes now offers several cuts of jeans, and like many other denim places, sells jeans with various inseams for short, regular, and tall people. This is definitely an improvement from a decade ago, when I don't recall them having jeans in any other length than "standard." Each of their current styles also comes in a variety of washes, which is perfect for me since I am only allowed to wear dark non-faded denim to school when I am teaching, but prefer a slight fade when I'm going out on the town.

Bluenotes' prices are relatively low, even though the quality of the jeans (at least so far) seems to be pretty good. Sure, these pants don't have any fancy brand-name patterns on them, but they make my butt look round and J-Lo-ish, and they sit really well on Hubbs too. Sometimes, brand names aren't necessary if the clothes look good, right?

Anyway, I'm pleased to see that I can still shop at these stores, even a decade later, and it pleases me even more to know that they sell stuff that I can fit and wear comfortably. Quite frankly, I don't mind if my wardrobe is reverting back to 1999 so long as I'm only paying 1999 prices ;)

Halo and Cookies

2009-05-12T13:24:00.003-07:00

Sometimes topics just don't segue properly, and this is one of those times. ;) Two things I recently discovered to be awesome are:

1) Smashbox Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder Mineral Make-up

and 2) 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies.

The first - HALO - is my newest mineral make-up discovery. I am still a big Pur Minerals fan, and its lightweight coverage is all that I need, most of the time. However, for those days when my colouring is a bit rough, or when I have circles under my eyes and need a little more *correction,* I've been turning to Smashbox's Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder. It's a costly powder, to be sure (nearly twice as much as the entire Pur Minerals starter kit for just one powder), but it contains pure gold, it has hydrating properties, it fills in fine lines, and it offers mondo coverage. It's also not messy, since it has a built in "shaver" that you turn to dispense the amount of powder that you want. No waste!

I love how even my skin looks after I've applied Halo, and it also feels lightweight (though perhaps not quite as light as the Pur). If I use the Light Photo Finish primer by Smashbox before this powder, it makes applying the powder even easier, and the result is a totally smooth complexion. The last few times I've used Halo, Hubbs has commented on how beautiful I look. I'm pretty sure it's the powder ;)

The second - 3-Ingredient, Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies. These things are the tastiest and easiest cookies I've ever baked. How easy is it? Let's see:

1) Preheat oven to 350F.

2) Mix in 1 cup of PB, 1 cup of sugar (or 1/2 cup of Splenda brown sugar), and 1 egg.

3) Shape dough into cookies and make a fancy forking pattern through the middle of each cookie.

4) Bake for 8-10 min. on a parchment lined tray.

5) Cool on tray for another 5-7 minutes, then cool on a rack.

I made these cookies in record time, and they are soft and sweet and so tasty (especially with a nice cold glass of milk). Hubbs & I tried these cookies a few weeks ago at small group, and the other day I saw a TV segment of someone making the very same cookies. It wasn't hard to memorize the recipe and convince me to give it a go. The results? Delicious.

Anyway, those are my two new favourite things for now. If/when I discover more goodies, I'll let you know. :)

Slow Saturdays Warrant Self-Indulgent Meme-ing

2009-05-02T13:57:00.005-07:00

There are days when you wake up and the sun is shining expectantly on your face, waiting for you to haul fanny out of bed and do something with your life. Those days are productive, and you feel pretty good about yourself by the time you hit the pillow in the evening.

Then there are days like today, when the sun is barely poking its face out from behind the massive cloud cover overhead, and you wake up to the dreary gray day feeling as quick and nimble as a geriatric snail (I'm guessing on this one but you get the idea). You feel like you could stay in bed all day, and wait for the sun to emerge again before leaving the comfort of your warm, soft surroundings.

I woke up at a respectable 7:00 a.m. this morning, and decided after breakfast to return to bed. Hubbs & I have been out to eat a few times this week, and I feel like my week has been eventful and productive thanks to the awesome temperatures and bright days. Today, however, the sun decided to sleep in, so I figured I was justified in crawling back into bed.

Now, however, at 2:00 p.m. in the afternoon, there's little justification for sleeping (unless I was still down with bronchitis, which I am not any longer). So, what to do? We're thinking of heading to see Wolverine tonight...maybe. We also think we'll be going out for dinner, but we haven't decided much about the details of that yet. I'm supposed to go pick up some more Pur Mineral make-up at the drugstore but I'm not yet convinced that I want to go outside. Yeah, it's just one of those days ;)

Time, then, for a meme. When the clouds come out to play, so does my inner biatch. It's loads of fun, especially for Hubbs ;)

The Word Association Meme, brought to you by the letter S and the number 6.

1. Where is your cell phone? ………….Purse

2. Your significant other?…………….…Couch

3. Your hair? ……………………….…… Dirty

4. Your mother? …………………………Home

5. Your father?……………………………Coffee

6. Your favorite thing?…………………... Hubbs

7. Your dream last night?……………….. Sex (too much info, I know)!

8. Your favorite drink? ……………………Lavaflow

9. Your dream/goal?……………………... Kids

10. The room you’re in?…………………. Dining

11. Your ex?………………………………. Dead (to me, anyway)

12. Your fear?…………………………….. Bugs

13. Where do you want to be in 6 years?…….. Vancouver

14. Where were you last night?………….. Out

15. What you’re not?……………………… Tall

16. Muffins?……………………………….. Soy

17. One of your wish list items?………….. Sectional

18. Where you grew up?………………….. AB

19. The last thing you did?………………... Eat

20. What are you wearing?………………... Comfy

21. Your TV?………………………………... Off

22. Your pets?………………………………. None

23. Your computer? ………………………... On

24. Your life?……………………………….... Meh. (It's great, really, just a little boring today.)

25. Your mood?……………………………… Gray.

26. Missing someone?……………………… No.

27. Your car?…………………………………. Parked

28. Something you’re not wearing?…….. .... Contacts

29. Favorite Store?………………………….. Shoppers

30. Your summer?………………………….... Busy

31. Like(love) someone?……………………. Hubbs

32. Your favorite color?……………………… Blue

33. Last time you laughed?………………..... Hubbs

34. Last time you cried?…………………….. Forget

35. Who will re-post this?……………………. Nobody

On an unrelated note, it seems that our windows have officially been elevated from dirty to disgustingly filthy. Those spiders that I mentioned months ago have now hatched, and baby webs dangle from the exterior ledges in random patterns that become ever-visible in the reflected light of the sun. There are also smears of bird droppings running down the windows, which I'm sure isn't hygienic, and could prove to be hotbeds for disease.

Upon careful inspection one can even see the nasty full webs in some of the ledge corners, and I'm sure there are a few bugs stuck in those orbs, but I try not to look too carefully. Some of the baby spiders have also found their way into our place, putting me on vigilant web-cleaning duty yet again for the next few weeks or until our building gets its crap together and finally washes our disgusting windows. I am not pleased.

Anyway, now for a Hubbs meme...one that in theory he should complete himself, but since he doesn't do the meme thing, I will do it for him (with his permission, of course!).

1. Boxers? Briefs? Boxer briefs? Thongs? Commando?

- Boxers and boxer briefs. Anything less is unacceptable in his books (and mine).

2. What’s your fussiest personal care routine?

- Where to start? Hubbs has several tools for hair removal from various parts of his face and body. He washes his face with multiple scrubs and cleansers, and moisturizes afterwards. He then applies his Shiseido eye cream, blow-dries his hair with the diffuser on (using the positive ions setting from our tourmaline ion dryer), and styles said hair with a couple of different styling products. In between those times he also puts on deodorant and cologne. I'd say that it takes him nearly as long as it takes me to get ready, but then again he would probably dispute this claim since I do take a long time.

3. Do you have a favorite tool? Power or manual?

It's the Bodygroom by Philips. It's waterproof, rechargeable, and electric (not manual). Hubbs doesn't do power tools of the home-repair/reno variety. He's just not wired that way.

4. Can you change your own oil? Do you?

Hubbs probably can, but I'm not totally sure of that. He knows how to check it, though, but prefers to get someone at the dealership to change it for us.

5. What’s the “manliest” thing you do on a regular basis?

He provides. ;) He also takes out the garbage. I don't know what manly things are...he belches, farts, and chews with his mouth open, but only on occasion. Oh, but he does do air guitar. Only guys do that.

6. What’s something “manly” that you never learned how to do?

Home repairs/renos. Hubbs has also never learned how to chew & spit tobacco, scratch himself in public, wear a beer-brand T-shirt, and drive a truck. Frankly, he's a better person for it, IMHO.

7. Do you ever cry? If so, what’s your trigger?

Hubbs never cries, or at least, he has never cried in the 6.5 years that I've known him. I'll bet that if he got "canned" or something, he'd get tears in his eyes. Sometimes when he laughs too hard his eyes water too, but I don't think those situations count as "crying."

8. Do you have a chivalrous streak? How does it manifest itself?

Hubbs is chivalrous to his own detriment. He carries *all* of the groceries himself, even when there are over a dozen bags to carry up. He usually does this all in one trip, too, which I find incredibly stupid. He opens doors for me, he pays, he carries my shopping bags, he helps me with my jacket, and all those typical things that make a guy a "gentleman," he pretty much does. He's a sweetie! :)

9. Do you have a chauvinistic streak? How does it manifest itself?

Yes, Hubbs does. I won't get into details, but I think his chauvinism is limited to me, and not women in general. I also attribute it to the fact that in his mind, he perceives me as a cute animated cartoon character, and not a full-grown adult woman.

10. What’s your favorite movie?

Hubbs says it's 300, Zoolander, and Driving Miss Daisy (don't ask).

11. What’s the dumbest, testosterone-inspired thing you’ve ever done?

Gone on a canoe trip hitching his canoe to one with a motor.

12. What quality do you think makes a good man good? Do you have that quality?

Integrity, and Hubbs has that in spades. He is also a big fan of honesty and faithfulness, both of which he possesses.

13. Toilet seat up or down?

Both.

14. If your wife/partner/significant other is away, do you cook for yourself or eat out of cans and boxes (or rely on local drive-throughs and delivery)?

He scavenges the fridge looking for already-cooked or easy-to-prepare foods, and then if Hubbs runs out of these, he'll inevitably find his way to a Subway or a Quizno's, as well as the local Save-On-Foods or Urban Fare for some emergency supplies. While I'm gone, the only pot he'll use is the frying pan. He might also use the grill. The rest of the pots will without a doubt remain untouched.

15. What societal expectation of being a man do you most resent?

Hubbs doesn't really subscribe to social "expectations." He follows Jesus Christ, and he does what the Bible says. So I guess he really doesn't resent any of these expectations since they don't factor into his life.

16. What’s the best part - societal-wise - about being a man?

Hubbs said that the best part is that he doesn't have to dress all skanky-like, or in skimpy clothing, to be appealing to the opposite sex, or to climb the corporate ladder.

17. Will you stop to ask for directions?

Hubbs would probably point to his head and say, "Internal GPS." Usually he relies on the GPS or on his map-reader (me) to navigate us to our destination. He will ask for directions, but very very rarely. As in almost never.

18. What’s the one thing you wish your wife/partner/significant other understood about how you think or behave?

Nothing, says Hubbs. He claims that I understand him pretty well. After all, I *do* have a degree in psychology ;)

19. What’s one thing about your wife/partner/significant other that you just cannot understand, no matter how hard you try?

Ooh...there are many things about me that are a mystery to Hubbs. Here's a list of just a few things:

-why it takes me so bloody long to put on make-up or why I wear make-up at all

-why I think certain outfits are "skanky" and "slutty" when he figures women are just trying to show off their bodies

-how I can be so intelligent and yet subscribe to eastern medicine and old wives' tales when it comes to medication and how the body works

-how I can switch moods at the drop of a dime

-why I wear sexy shoes that aren't comfortable to walk in when I know I'll have to walk even a few blocks

-how I organized our kitchen; he still can't locate a lot of our stuff

20. What do you need to have in the shower?

Body wash, several shampoos, a good conditioner, a mirror, and his razor.

21. Do you burp/fart/scratch in public? Do you do anything stereotypically male?

No, Hubbs is pretty polite about that stuff. Sometimes he'll burp but he'll keep his mouth closed so as not to belch and be offensive. I can't think of one thing that Hubbs does that's stereotypically male, although I'm sure he does do some things that somebody will think is typical of guys.

22. How big a part does porn play in your life? Your thoughts?

Maybe before he knew Jesus, as a young adult I'm sure he dabbled in it. However, nowadays Hubbs hates porn and he does not view it nor condone the viewing of it. It plays no part in his life, and to my understanding, he never thinks about it either.

23. What scares you?

Heights, mutilated stuffed animals and puppets, and really long escalators. Oh, and putting stupid people in charge of anything.

24. What’s your best feature (physical or otherwise)?

Hubbs thinks his sense of humour and his relationship with Christ are his best features. I think that in addition to those, his loyalty, trustworthiness, honesty, his smile, and his ass are among his best features.

25. What would you do for love?

He already did it. He married me! ;)

Wednesday Wants

2009-04-29T17:35:00.002-07:00

Even though it's absolutely gorgeous, sunny, and green outside, I'm feeling uber-b*tchy and not so gorgeous inside. I don't know why, Hubbs doesn't know why...it just is that way.

So, to cheer myself up, I thought I'd compile a little wishlist of stuff that I want. These are not essentials, they're not necessary, and my mother would tell me that anything on this list is unreasonably excessive and wasteful. However, the best way to get over the blahs is to shop, and when one cannot go shopping, a good alternative is to make a wishlist of stuff one would shop for if one could.

If I could tell the genie to grant me infinite wishes for "stuff," here's what I would want:

1) A white Pur Minerals eyeliner (do these exist?) and the 4-in-1 in Medium Golden.

2) An off-white leather sectional with clean lines in its design (I have yet to find the one in my head).

3) Nutella - although truthfully we already have a jar at home that I've been enjoying with my whole grain cranberry raisin bread...SO good...

4) Sushi every day of the week

5) Gladiator sandals with soft soles and proper arch support

6) A big wide black belt, and another big wide brown one too!

7) Designer sunglasses

8) New eyeshadow (the creamy kind) in a huge palette of colours

9) A short white summer dress that isn't see-through and is flattering on my round body

10) Wedge shoes that are also comfortable, supportive, and fashionable

11) A second glass display case for Hubbs' Transformer collection

12) Laser eye surgery

13) A Blu-Ray DVD player (or a PS3, which does the job and costs about the same)

14) New bedding for our bedroom; I want to change the colours into more neutral brownish tones

15) Short black bookshelves so that we don't have to keep all of our books in boxes

Hrmmm. That was a way shorter list than I thought it would be. Of course, some of the items cost a lot more than others, making them less likely purchases in the immediate future. Still, you get the picture. I'm feeling greedy. Spring is making me greedy. Not sure what that's about, but hopefully I will get over it (and this funky mood I'm in) stat. I work almost all of the next week and the last thing I want is to be cranky to the kids.

Strange, but that did not make me feel any better. BAH!

Pur Beauty

2009-04-25T13:18:00.003-07:00

In case you didn't know, I am not a natural beauty. ;) Shocking, I realize. I rely on the assistance of a full case of make-up each and every morning to help me look as radiantly gorgeous as I do, and even then this case of make-up isn't always adequate for the task.

Well, my little sis, Superstar Jo, introduced me to the world of mineral make-up. She's a Bare Minerals girl. After piquing my interest, I headed to my local Shoppers Drug Mart and picked up some mineral make-up, but not the BM kind (which they do not carry in their Beauty Boutique). Instead, I got me a fancy schmancy Pur Minerals starter kit and began my journey into the world of mineral make-up.

Well, fast forward a week and a bit, and I am a changed woman. My eyes have been opened and I wonder how I could have lived without Pur Minerals. In fact, I'm so enamoured with the stuff that I plan to pick up their mineral duo eyebrow compact and another shade of their 4-in-1 foundation (my current shade is a bit dark for my not-yet-tanned state) as soon as it comes in (they've run out of the stuff).

This mineral make-up is magical; I use their 4-in-1 on my face and it evens out my blotchy colouring, and then I use their very light blush and their subtle bronzer to give my face a bit of sun-kissed glow. The make-up is lightweight and is buildable, meaning you can add layer upon layer of powder to your face until you get the coverage that you want. It is also very clean-feeling, and it doesn't seem like I have foundation on my face when I'm done applying it. In fact, I'd say it is even lighter than the compact powder I used to wear (L'Oreal True Match Pressed Powder). I have also had zero break-outs.

Upon doing some post-purchase research on the product, I've discovered that many people prefer Pur Minerals to some of the other mineral lines out there. Pur Minerals is also fragrance-free, oil-free, and chemical-free. It is bound together with the ever-moisturizing ingredients of Shea Butter and Vitamin E. Oh, and it offers SPF15 protection from sun damage.

Testimonial: today, I even went out without any make-up, save for the Pur Minerals foundation. For those of you who've known me since forever ago, you know that this is *huge* since I'm always wearing lipstick and eyeliner, if nothing else. Not today, however. I was fresh-faced and I still looked okay! :) That is the magic of Pur Minerals make-up.

I am *so* turning into a mineral make-up junkie. But don't stage an intervention just yet - I still have some beautifying to do and there is more to the Pur Minerals line that I still need to investigate ;)