Archive for Experiences
August 13, 2008 at 9:35 am · Filed under Experiences
On Sunday I hiked up Alouette Mountain in Golden Ears Provincial Park.
I made the mistake of thinking that since it was sunny and clear in Vancouver, it would be the same 50km away from Vancouver and on a mountain no less. Ha. Luckily I was with some generous people who knew what was going on and had rain jackets to spare.
Actually, it didn’t rain too much. It was never pouring. But at times the path was narrow and low hemlock branches were waiting with lots of water to slap you with. It kind of felt like walking through a car wash.
The bright side (heh heh) of being soaked was that the bugs for which the trail is notorious were not too much of a bother. They only started swarming a few times when we stopped to admire murky ponds and tall tall trees spooky in the fog:
I heard there was an amazing view at the top. We were far from being rewarded with that but the atmosphere had its own sort of beauty:
It felt movie set surreal and cut off from the rest of the world.
August 2, 2008 at 4:27 pm · Filed under Experiences
This wasp had been sitting on the kitchen window for two or three days. It looked dead but would change locations between my visits to the sink.
This morning I decided to take a picture of wasp friend and, forgetting I had turned it on the night before, took a photo with the flash. If he had been having a 2-3 day nap I think I woke him up. He immediately started moving around the window. I took more pictures. Then it seemed like he was becoming perturbed. His abdomnen was moving up and down and I wondered if he was wanting to sting. Then he flew away.
I felt a little bad. Why was he there? Was he sick, resting, being lazy and hiding from other wasps? Later I was biking down Discovery St. and a large bug collided into my face. It reminded me of kitchen wasp friend and I wondered about his fate.
July 24, 2008 at 10:14 am · Filed under Experiences
I’ve been biking to and from work since a few weeks after starting. It’s about 16km each way so I know I should be somewhat equipped with tools and replacement parts in case something breaks. My to-do list for a while: get tools, patches, inner tubes, a small pump, and a nice little kit to store it all on my bike to always be prepared. Also - learn how to use all of that. Maybe I’ve been avoiding this learning part.
But then this morning, halfway to work, I’m riding along a path that runs under and then onto a bridge going into Richmond. I see a few small boulders on the path ahead and a litter of beer cans. Kids :P It makes me think about my to-do list again, “maybe I’ll do that this weekend…”, and I kid you not, 5 seconds later I hear “ptfffffffffffffffffftt”.
Luckily a bus stop was near and I got to work but I’m currently feeling a little bad for my bike. I’m probably not taking care of it as well as I should. It does so much for me, carries me so far, and then I come home complaining how tired I am and leave it hanging in the basement to only get attention next time I need it to take me somewhere.
Now I have learned and I will try to learn how to take better care of my bike. A coworker gave me a very useful crash course on bike tires and how to fix them. Already understand so much more and I’m excited to get home (but not the taking a bus part) and try fixing my tire!
February 19, 2008 at 7:39 am · Filed under Experiences
Kim, being the wonderful person she is, chose black as a colour for the bridesmaid dresses. We were also lucky to have her aunt who owns a dress shop in Regina give plenty of useful advice and suggestions. After tossing some ideas around we all settled on what you see below. It is an amazing dress, the best that I have ever worn. Immediately after first putting it on I wanted it to be the one. It is beautiful and so comfortable. I don’t have a picture of the back, but there are also two long strips of train. If the dress is still up on the Bagley Mischka site, you can see the back view there.
I don’t know what else to say about it but, given how much I have been talking about this dress for the past 4 months, a picture post is due.
Now plotting where and when it can be worn again…
February 18, 2008 at 10:29 am · Filed under Experiences
February 18, 2008 at 9:46 am · Filed under Experiences
Friday we met Kim at the hotel for manicures. Jemma and Steph were making the women working on their nails laugh so hard that it was quite challenging to get those french manicures straight. We were talking about “drunkles” - every wedding has one - the drunk uncle. I guess that could be “druncle”. I don’t think spelling has been established yet.
Following was champagne in the prime minister suite. The charter of rights and freedoms is framed on the wall in the dining room - just in case he forgets. Kim’s mother left gifts for us in the bedroom. The first time for me to receive a heart-shaped box of chocolates. It filled me with glee and sometime in the future will fill me with chocolate.
February 15, 2008 at 10:32 am · Filed under Experiences, In the Kitchen and Foodstuff
Twenty-two bobby pins were just pulled out from my hair. I am close to resting after a day and a half celebration in the sask hotel. Jumping before that, I was trying to write something but never had a chance to finish. Here’s what I started…
I can’t promise that I’ll manage to continue with entire sentences. I feel like taking a break from writing for a while. But still, there are important events to document so, to expand on the previous post a little…
I arrived in Regina late Wednesday night. Kim’s wedding is on Saturday - everyone must know this by now - and I am E-X-C-I-T-E-D. The world will be a better place once her and Jeff are married. More on the wedding later.
For now, yesterday there were wedding-related errands to do and I was happy to spend the day with Kim as I felt like I had been in my own little thesis bubble for so long. We drove around the city which is currently blanketed with mounds of beautiful snow and managed to finish everything at a reasonable hour to continue with one of the main plans that day…cupcakes.
Kim and I share a love for baking. Particularly the visual appeal…
…then my ride came to do pre-wedding bridesmaid errands. So much has happened between then and now (Saturday night) that I think I have to skip complete telling of the cupcake party. Instead, cupcake porn:
Did everyone get that?
February 12, 2008 at 1:50 pm · Filed under Experiences, Theeeeeeeeeeesis
early
nervous and hiding
forgetful
practicing
defense
and I passed! yay! now waiting to get off this campus, back home and into bed.
January 19, 2008 at 10:56 am · Filed under Experiences, Karate
What a great day for a swim. This was the view outside when a sleepy me woke up this morning. A special day because it would be my first beach practice with the shitoryu seikokai karate club.
But snow?? It seemed like such freak weather. I knew it was going to be cold and ugly outside, but there was no forecast for snow! Luckily, it was only really snowing in neighborhoods at higher altitudes and when we arrived at English Bay (near downtown Vancouver), none of the white stuff was in sight. It was still a bit cold, and wet, but my excitement kept me going. That and raking the beach:
Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures of the actual practice. My camera was safely tucked away while I got sandy. But some people will put photos somewhere and there will also be a blurb on CBC Vancouver news tonight between 23:00 and 23:15 (in case you happen to be in Vancouver and read this in the next three and a half hours).
We had an hour of practice starting with a short run up and down the beach, stretching, basic techniques, a brief bit of basic kumite and then kata practice. Then we ran down the beach a second time, this time further and onto the road. But I ran on the grass. The cement was like daggers in my icy bare feet. Did I cheat? The mud was so soothing…
The final highlight was after coming back from the run, lining up on the shore, doing charging punches into knee deep water, coming back out again, and then running in fully. I love being in water and despite the temperature, was itching for it so I went quickly. With all the adrenaline from running it didn’t feel that cold but of course, it was, and my heart started thumping overtime to tell me so. I was actually really scared for that first 10 seconds. Could I have a heart attack? I had forgotten about that whole shock reaction thing. Possibly on purpose so that this morning wouldn’t be something that I dreaded. But my body settled down quickly enough. We came out of the water and headed to public washrooms to change into warm clothes. They had given us much advice on what to bring beforehand so the whole wet, freezing, and sandy thing was manageable.
After changing, everyone headed over to Tanpopo on Denman for all-you-can-eat. I’m not normally a fan of the all-you-can-eat but this time…it was so satisfying.
Before today, our sensei told us that we do beach practice in January because it is a challenge that, if taken on and overcome, makes all the challenges of the coming year seem easy. You can greet them with enthusiasm.
The thing that has stuck with me since the practice: life has big limitations but you should take on challenges anyway. Even if the limitations (frozen fingers and feet) decrease your performance (kata means form?), you will still be successful.
I came home, napped, had a hot shower, and am still feeling a little rough but…well it’s time to get back to that thesis work and I don’t feel like my physical discomfort will stop me.
November 26, 2007 at 10:02 am · Filed under Experiences, In the Kitchen and Foodstuff
Saturday was thanksgiving dinner #2. A month-and-more-delayed thanksgiving with friends but conveniently for us, there is American thanksgiving and we were able to eat our turkey with some spirit of orange and brown and other earthly fall tones.
I made my mother’s yam casserole. I was a little scared that it would fail but it turned out just like hers. Someone commented that it was a little too sweet for their tastes. Yes, it probably is. Maybe next time I can hold back on the brown sugar a bit. But, I like sweet. I might just keep it the same but serve it in a pie crust.
Speaking of pie.
Sunday’s colour was green and white all down the list of Facebook friends. Yes the Roughriders finally won and though thesis work stopped me from watching the game, my sister emailed me updates and I caught a few minutes of the tears during a trip to the living room. I am really happy for them. This is really good for Saskatchewan because, well, I just want the province to have some glory, even if at the expense of another province that could also use some glory.
November 20, 2007 at 1:46 pm · Filed under Experiences
Quick one crap I’m busy. Shouldn’t spend the time to write but this is a major life event.
The day Meghan got glasses. Sunny morning in Vancouver at Broadway and Trafalgar and I walk out the door of the optique shop viewing a new, crisp world.
I take a step and feel weird and off-balance. I’m shorter! These glasses make me shorter!
No they don’t but the ground is that much more detailed that it looks closer and I feel a foot less than I was 5 minutes prior.
But the glasses felt comfortable. I wore them all the way to UBC and then to the lab without noticing them too much.
Though now I am feeling a bit conscious as I see people I know and I know they know or I think they know that there is something new and purple on my face.
I also just noticed that as I was typing I was looking under my frames to see the blurry characters that I’m used to.
Old habits. New accessories. And they fog up when I sip my tea. New events.
November 9, 2007 at 10:05 am · Filed under Experiences
Last Tuesday when we during push-ups during karate practice warm-up, the coloured belts or only black belts are often told to do them on their knuckles. It helps for strength and to deaden the nerves inside. I admit to a sense of relief at these times, being in my white belt safety zone. It almost makes the push-ups easier. On Tuesday we were all told to get on our knuckles. My head was screaming “dekinai! dekinai!” (translation: “I can’t” but “dekinai” expresses the panic better) and I really couldn’t all that well. It hurt so much to support myself on these bony little knobs. They were still red the next day. But…I’m happy I tried. I don’t know if I can say it’s character building, maybe, but I know it’s something that one I’ll be able to show my mother - “look mom, look what I can do”. (Note to self: last time you did that you were in a cast for 6-8 weeks.)
Last night we did a more fun-painful exercise for the abdominal muscles - laying on ones back we went through the letters of the alphabet, writing each letter in the air with our legs (and legs straight although I’ll admit to bending my knees on a number of occasions). My penmanship was horrible and I wrote in lower case cursive style but it was fun and amongst the groaning people were laughing a little.
October 31, 2007 at 1:06 am · Filed under Experiences, Travels
To finally get to the tournament…Sunday in Campbell River at a highschool gym. I was registered to compete in women’s kata, white belt, over 18. “Kata” is a choreographed pattern of movements. In competitions you can choose to do any kata that you would like, and there are many, but I chose “kihon kata go” or “basic kata #5″. Keeping it simple for the first time. What I didn’t muster up the courage to compete in was “kumite” or sparring. Maybe next time.
Anyway, I was nervous enough already. Not so much because of concern over high scores but more because I knew there would be many formalities and this being my first time competing, I knew little. Indeed, to jump ahead, I was like that little kid who starts walking off the stage in the middle of her line. Her parents are standing at the side of the stage mouthing her next words and waving their hands “get back there!”. Well, not completely like that but, I had some things to learn and this was the chance to learn them.
And I got second place!….in a two person division : P (How can I not use that statement ordering to joke about my second place-ness?) Only competing with another girl (and a friend) from my club helped cure the nervousness but…I hope I get the chance to compete with people outside of the club soon. I imagine you can learn a lot from it.
On a note not completely related to the tournament - it was so interesting to travel in BC. I guess I have not done that so much. It’s easy to stay inside the big city walls and start to think that IT represents the province. But there is so much else around and strikingly different too. I do need to get out more.
October 27, 2007 at 9:18 am · Filed under Experiences
In the past week I’ve heard “where have you been?” a few times. Both in relation to physical me and computer mediated me. I guess I brought busy back with me from Japan. I guess before going, my activities tended to be solo. I could do them as I pleased and this often involved decided not to do them and staying home and surfing the Internet and feeling guilty.
In Japan I became involved in clubs and I did things organized among groups of people. To back out is to not just back out on yourself but on others involved. But I never saw this as “obligation” - more like “support”, and I really liked it.
Here, I have also become involved in activities with group participation and it has been great. But it does keep you busy. For example, this weekend I am going to the island for a karate tournament. I don’t think I would have gone if I didn’t have the elbow of one of the club members in my rib. Now I am excited!!
But that’s not what I came here to write about! I was going to talk about our babies:
Yes that’s right, last Wednesday we had a pumpkin carving night at the Kommune.
My pumpkin has a wide smile and tongue sticking out. I don’t know what I was going for totally but, I had this slanty-shaped pumpkin and there was something comical and grinning about it. I also felt that its personality was more canine than human like.
Though in the end, there was nothing really dog-like about it. The guys showed me the technique of not carving all the way through so that you can make highlights and shading. I tried this in a number of areas but I think next time, I have to carve a little deeper.
And here is our family in front of the house. They had already taken their first victim but luckily, he resurrected…maybe because he’s filled with Halloween spirit.
October 16, 2007 at 12:37 pm · Filed under Experiences
My excitement yesterday: coming home to find a wee bird in our kitchen. It was flying from one window to another, trying to find a way out. I felt a little bad taking time to get a picture before letting it out the back door but…it was such a sweet thing. A little brown ball with shorts legs, a beak, and feathers.
Another picture, blurry, but you can better see its little legs. Gn’aww!
It’s weird how this was a really special moment for me. Late afternoon, no one else was home yet so the house was dead silent except for the humming of the fridge and the occasional frantic flapping of wings and beak tapping against the window pane. I think prior to this I might have been having a small bout of missing Japan, nothing to deep, just a few sighs walking home. Then the bird snapped me out of it and made me forget feeling sorry for myself.
Bird - I know it must have sucked being trapped for who knows how long so, thank you.
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