Everyone who knew that I was going back to HK said this to me: "Buy more stuff! You are going back at the right time! They have tons of things on sale now!"
So in the first few days I walked around to malls and shops a lot (at least to my standard). Went to Cheung Kwan O, Tsim Sha Tsui, Tsuen Wan, Paradise Mall (in Heng Fa Chuen)... some of the stuff are quite a bit cheaper so at first I didn't mind buying... By the end of the 3rd day, I was already "tired" of the idea of shopping. If it's not because a friend was telling me how I should go to Mongkok to buy cheap stuff, I wouldn't even have gone. But I went and I couldn't really bring myself to buying stuff.
There are several things I don't like about shopping:
1) When things are on sale, people flock over there (esp. Chinese people). So places are extremely extremely crowded. I don't really like places with lots of people.
2) Chinese people all like deals. But they like choosing the best - so clothes are all over the places. If you look from afar, it's almost like a flea market out there.
3) After a while, all the malls look the same. They all say they have sale (up to) 50 or even 70%. Then I need to do conversions and see if they are really cheap. I'm also wary of WHERE I go shopping; the same thing in 2 different places would have a different cost.
4) Even if something is cheap, I still need to spend $$. Most of the things are what I WANT, not really what I NEED. Sometimes it's even worse - I buy something not because I really like it (sometimes I can't decide whether I like something either :P), but because I couldn't refuse the salesperson. I'm getting a little better at this now, but still not very good. For the same reason I don't like shopping by myself..........
Anyways, in the past few days I got grossed out with the idea of going to any mall. I still went to apm (another new mall) in Kwun Tong today, just so that I can tell others "I have been there". But I didn't buy anything at all.
There's not much to HK other than shopping...... so I think I'm pretty ready to leave HK now =)
Friday, December 30, 2005
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Ouch... my BACK!!!
The moment I found out I went to the wrong hotel after I arrived in HK, I knew it was trouble... the 1 hour of carrying luggage had pretty much reversed everything that my chiropractor did for the past few months.
In the past few days I have been suffering from major back pain... with all the walking around it has gotten even worse. Sometimes I have trouble even standing up straight, and I got scared of the pain I would experience before sneezing (I think I'm coming down with a cold as well). The worst thing is, it seems wasteful if I just sit at home the whole day - so I sort of *have* to go out. After the wedding day, I spent 3 straight days walking around. Each day I went to different places, but each day after about 2-3 hours of walking, my back started to scream for rest. I longed to sit down but I was always on the way to somewhere... so I never really got to sit down.
Yesterday was the worst. I walked around Tsim Sha Tsui for almost 4 hours - but I had to wait for my high school friends to get off work so that we could have dinner together. My friend called me and told me about the new building IFC in Central. So I took the Star Ferry back to go to Central. By the time I reached IFC, I was really really tired, and my back was hurting very badly. Normally if I am in a Vancouver mall, I would find the food court and sit down (I brought a book with me anyways)... of course I found out the hard way that most HK malls don't have food courts. So I walked and walked around w/o finding any seats. I decided to go to coffee shop, thinking that I would pay $5 CDN for a latte just so that I could sit down and enjoyed some reading... what I didn't expect was how crowded the place was. I bought the coffee, but I couldn't find a seat!!!! So I continued to walk around searching for a seat somewhere (I refused to sit on the stairs - don't know why :P)..............
Finally I really couldn't stand it - I went to McDonalds and ordered a Grilled Chicken pita (which, btw, is very salty!!)... even in McD I waited for a bit before finding a seat... and then I just sat and read for over an hour before my friend came to rescue me...
I tried going to the gym and stretch more. But it's not helping that much... looks like I'll be starting the new year with old back pain!
In the past few days I have been suffering from major back pain... with all the walking around it has gotten even worse. Sometimes I have trouble even standing up straight, and I got scared of the pain I would experience before sneezing (I think I'm coming down with a cold as well). The worst thing is, it seems wasteful if I just sit at home the whole day - so I sort of *have* to go out. After the wedding day, I spent 3 straight days walking around. Each day I went to different places, but each day after about 2-3 hours of walking, my back started to scream for rest. I longed to sit down but I was always on the way to somewhere... so I never really got to sit down.
Yesterday was the worst. I walked around Tsim Sha Tsui for almost 4 hours - but I had to wait for my high school friends to get off work so that we could have dinner together. My friend called me and told me about the new building IFC in Central. So I took the Star Ferry back to go to Central. By the time I reached IFC, I was really really tired, and my back was hurting very badly. Normally if I am in a Vancouver mall, I would find the food court and sit down (I brought a book with me anyways)... of course I found out the hard way that most HK malls don't have food courts. So I walked and walked around w/o finding any seats. I decided to go to coffee shop, thinking that I would pay $5 CDN for a latte just so that I could sit down and enjoyed some reading... what I didn't expect was how crowded the place was. I bought the coffee, but I couldn't find a seat!!!! So I continued to walk around searching for a seat somewhere (I refused to sit on the stairs - don't know why :P)..............
Finally I really couldn't stand it - I went to McDonalds and ordered a Grilled Chicken pita (which, btw, is very salty!!)... even in McD I waited for a bit before finding a seat... and then I just sat and read for over an hour before my friend came to rescue me...
I tried going to the gym and stretch more. But it's not helping that much... looks like I'll be starting the new year with old back pain!
Cat lover in-training
I have always liked dogs more than cats. I don't even know why - I think it's because I always thought that dogs are more loyal and friendly and can be "trained" more (well, but I don't know how many dogs will still bark when strangers approach a house). Some of my friends in Vancouver have dogs and I like playing with them (most like playing with me as well).
However this trip certainly changes my viewpoint on cats. I never really have any feelings (positive or negative) toward them. But since two of my friends who moved back to HK after graduation got cats (both were single and living by themselves), I had a chance to actually "live" with cats. (I'm staying at both their places in my trip)
The first one doesn't play with people much. The moment you try to touch him, he runs away. And boy does he like eating. Whatever you place in front of him--he'll just eat till there's nothing left. (Apparently the cat doctor said that he is overweight and should be on diet--I guess not surprisingly.) I like this cat even tho it's a bit big as a cat :) One more thing that's very cute about him - he is scared of blowdryer... the moment the noise of blowdryer comes on, he runs away like crazy....
The second one is an absolutely adorable one. This one is a she. Boy she is SOOOO cute. At first when I arrived at my friend's place (who actually just left for Vancouver), I was a little worried that the cat would be scared of me or wouldn't like me, etc. etc. But the moment I entered the apartment, she came out and was making a noise in her throat (later on I found out that this is "purring" and that means that the cat is happy). And then she wouldn't leave me... her behavior is sooooo cute - always trying to lure me into playing with her and always like to roll around with the head facing upwards... on the first day she only wanted me to play with her and was very restless (wouldn't sit still). By the second night when I got back home - after playing with me for a while she just sat quietly beside me... and i ended up falling asleep with her on my lap).
Even as I'm typing now, she's leaning on the side of the laptop with her eyes half closed - once every min she'll be using her paw to touch my hand gently... (it took me a while to get her to not touch the keyboard or the monitor tho) I'm quite amazed how still she can stay--on the desk or on my lap (sometimes I think that the typing sound makes her sleepy)...
I don't know - Pookie almost makes me want to get a cat myself. She's very easy to take care of. She will eat when she is hungy (and most importantly won't overeat!)... and she apparently comes pretrained and kept herself quite clean. During the daytime she'll hide somewhere (sleeping?) and only comes out during the night. And her behavior is toooo cute - it's almost impossible to not want to play with her!!! I'm thinking - if I live by myself (like my 2 friends) and if I have enough $$, I definitely will get a cat!
There are many people in my company who have cats... when I return to Vancouver I have to tell them that I got converted to being a cat lover!! :D
Oh btw, before I always thought that people who do baby-talk with their pets are really weird - but I find myself doing the same thing in the past 2 days!!!
"Pookie.... awwwwwwwww.... miao miao... You're a bad girl!!!... NO pookie did you hear me, NO!.... Awwwwwwwww Pooookie you are so cute do you know??"
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! ^_^
However this trip certainly changes my viewpoint on cats. I never really have any feelings (positive or negative) toward them. But since two of my friends who moved back to HK after graduation got cats (both were single and living by themselves), I had a chance to actually "live" with cats. (I'm staying at both their places in my trip)
The first one doesn't play with people much. The moment you try to touch him, he runs away. And boy does he like eating. Whatever you place in front of him--he'll just eat till there's nothing left. (Apparently the cat doctor said that he is overweight and should be on diet--I guess not surprisingly.) I like this cat even tho it's a bit big as a cat :) One more thing that's very cute about him - he is scared of blowdryer... the moment the noise of blowdryer comes on, he runs away like crazy....
The second one is an absolutely adorable one. This one is a she. Boy she is SOOOO cute. At first when I arrived at my friend's place (who actually just left for Vancouver), I was a little worried that the cat would be scared of me or wouldn't like me, etc. etc. But the moment I entered the apartment, she came out and was making a noise in her throat (later on I found out that this is "purring" and that means that the cat is happy). And then she wouldn't leave me... her behavior is sooooo cute - always trying to lure me into playing with her and always like to roll around with the head facing upwards... on the first day she only wanted me to play with her and was very restless (wouldn't sit still). By the second night when I got back home - after playing with me for a while she just sat quietly beside me... and i ended up falling asleep with her on my lap).
Even as I'm typing now, she's leaning on the side of the laptop with her eyes half closed - once every min she'll be using her paw to touch my hand gently... (it took me a while to get her to not touch the keyboard or the monitor tho) I'm quite amazed how still she can stay--on the desk or on my lap (sometimes I think that the typing sound makes her sleepy)...
I don't know - Pookie almost makes me want to get a cat myself. She's very easy to take care of. She will eat when she is hungy (and most importantly won't overeat!)... and she apparently comes pretrained and kept herself quite clean. During the daytime she'll hide somewhere (sleeping?) and only comes out during the night. And her behavior is toooo cute - it's almost impossible to not want to play with her!!! I'm thinking - if I live by myself (like my 2 friends) and if I have enough $$, I definitely will get a cat!
There are many people in my company who have cats... when I return to Vancouver I have to tell them that I got converted to being a cat lover!! :D
Oh btw, before I always thought that people who do baby-talk with their pets are really weird - but I find myself doing the same thing in the past 2 days!!!
"Pookie.... awwwwwwwww.... miao miao... You're a bad girl!!!... NO pookie did you hear me, NO!.... Awwwwwwwww Pooookie you are so cute do you know??"
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! ^_^
Observations about HK... Days 1-4
1. There are MANY buses in HK. They are all over the place. If you take a random picture on the road you'll most certainly catch one.
2. It's very easy to see what is "in style" (clothes fashion wise) even if you only walk around in HK for one day. Everyone wears similar things. This year it's boots with shorts/capris (or even just jeans) folded-up.
3. People in HK have amazing ability to withstand heat. At 18oC to 21oC I see people with down-fur coat/wool coat with scarf. Even watching them makes me sweat.
4. Many people in HK wear jeans to attend wedding banquets. Apparently my friend said that this is so because they get invited to too many weddings. Also it seems that for many HK weddings the ceremony and the banquets are on 2 different dates (this completely surprised me because I didn't know until 2 weeks ago that I would be missing my friend's wedding ceremony!).
5. Many malls in HK do not have food courts. (I couldn't find a single seat in IFC where I could sit - even the coffee shops were all full).
6. Most working single people do not go home for dinner. It's too convenient to go out and people work till too late.
7. If you are good you can bargain even in expensive chain stores --I thought before that usually people only bargain when they go up to China (With the help of my friend, I bought a pretty good coat almost in half price.)
8. There are many people who wear masks on the street. Must be the pollution or the fear of getting infected or spreading the flu... or the consequence of SARS a few years back....
... I'm sure there are more but I can't think of any now. Should have written it down on the road...
To be continued...
2. It's very easy to see what is "in style" (clothes fashion wise) even if you only walk around in HK for one day. Everyone wears similar things. This year it's boots with shorts/capris (or even just jeans) folded-up.
3. People in HK have amazing ability to withstand heat. At 18oC to 21oC I see people with down-fur coat/wool coat with scarf. Even watching them makes me sweat.
4. Many people in HK wear jeans to attend wedding banquets. Apparently my friend said that this is so because they get invited to too many weddings. Also it seems that for many HK weddings the ceremony and the banquets are on 2 different dates (this completely surprised me because I didn't know until 2 weeks ago that I would be missing my friend's wedding ceremony!).
5. Many malls in HK do not have food courts. (I couldn't find a single seat in IFC where I could sit - even the coffee shops were all full).
6. Most working single people do not go home for dinner. It's too convenient to go out and people work till too late.
7. If you are good you can bargain even in expensive chain stores --I thought before that usually people only bargain when they go up to China (With the help of my friend, I bought a pretty good coat almost in half price.)
8. There are many people who wear masks on the street. Must be the pollution or the fear of getting infected or spreading the flu... or the consequence of SARS a few years back....
... I'm sure there are more but I can't think of any now. Should have written it down on the road...
To be continued...
The wedding... Day 2
This is the third time I'm being a maid of honor (so I think I can't be one anymore or I'll never get married myself :P)... because I had it easy in the previous 2 times (the first one I flied down to LA 3 days before wedding; second time the bride flied up to Vancouver 2-3 days before the wedding), I really didn't know what to do this time... and of course because I'm flying back to HK the day before the wedding banquet, I couldn't really do much anyways.
This wedding in HK is a little different from the ones I attended before. Because the wedding ceremony has already been held 2 days before (and I missed it!!! :( ), the whole day is basically all the "chinese traditions" stuff. Apparently it's now becoming more common that people will stay in the hotel the night before the wedding; so all the games we played for "getting the bride" were actually in the hotel room (the guys were very good at not crossing the line). The games were the standard ones, but they were quite fun... the one thing that we sisters forgot though was to actually get the "red pocket $$" from the "brothers" (the reason for us to not let the groom sees the bride in the first place)!!
I find that in this wedding I really didn't do much... after the first part, the bride and the groom went to the groom's family's apartment... even though I was the maid of honor, I didn't have to follow them (the bride was being very nice; she thought I would have jet lag having just arrived HK). So I helped check out the hotel room and followed the bride's parents to her place... I even had quite a bit of time to do my own stuff and looked for luggages and other things!!
We didn't take the MTR to the banquet place (same hotel; the Chinese restaurant occupies one floor) until 5 something at night... We arrived at around 5:45pm... then we had almost 3 hours of mingling before the banquet actually started (that's another thing very different from Vancouver weddings - the waiters normally start serving dinner by 7:30pm at the latest!). By the time dinner started (~9pm) all of us (including the bride and groom) were starving!!
The food at the banquet was very good... I wasn't supposed to eat seafood (and many other food) because of my skin condition (which got worse because of the flight + the 2 hour adventure to get to the hotel on nite of arrival). However I didn't want to look odd, I still ate most of the seafood stuff that got served in front of me.
All in all - I think the day went quite smooth. There weren't many games at all (only one that involves naming baby names, very mild) - so the banquet is kinda like a photo-taking session + dinner... I guess from the organizer's point of view, this is a best arrangement...
After attending so many weddings in the past few years (and knowing that quite a few friends are getting married next year as well), I do wonder what kind of wedding I want to have myself... to tell you the truth, I don't really know. One part of me wants to share my joy with everyone - the other part of me wants a very cozy little wedding with only family and a few good friends...
Oh well, I guess I don't have to think about it now...
This wedding in HK is a little different from the ones I attended before. Because the wedding ceremony has already been held 2 days before (and I missed it!!! :( ), the whole day is basically all the "chinese traditions" stuff. Apparently it's now becoming more common that people will stay in the hotel the night before the wedding; so all the games we played for "getting the bride" were actually in the hotel room (the guys were very good at not crossing the line). The games were the standard ones, but they were quite fun... the one thing that we sisters forgot though was to actually get the "red pocket $$" from the "brothers" (the reason for us to not let the groom sees the bride in the first place)!!
I find that in this wedding I really didn't do much... after the first part, the bride and the groom went to the groom's family's apartment... even though I was the maid of honor, I didn't have to follow them (the bride was being very nice; she thought I would have jet lag having just arrived HK). So I helped check out the hotel room and followed the bride's parents to her place... I even had quite a bit of time to do my own stuff and looked for luggages and other things!!
We didn't take the MTR to the banquet place (same hotel; the Chinese restaurant occupies one floor) until 5 something at night... We arrived at around 5:45pm... then we had almost 3 hours of mingling before the banquet actually started (that's another thing very different from Vancouver weddings - the waiters normally start serving dinner by 7:30pm at the latest!). By the time dinner started (~9pm) all of us (including the bride and groom) were starving!!
The food at the banquet was very good... I wasn't supposed to eat seafood (and many other food) because of my skin condition (which got worse because of the flight + the 2 hour adventure to get to the hotel on nite of arrival). However I didn't want to look odd, I still ate most of the seafood stuff that got served in front of me.
All in all - I think the day went quite smooth. There weren't many games at all (only one that involves naming baby names, very mild) - so the banquet is kinda like a photo-taking session + dinner... I guess from the organizer's point of view, this is a best arrangement...
After attending so many weddings in the past few years (and knowing that quite a few friends are getting married next year as well), I do wonder what kind of wedding I want to have myself... to tell you the truth, I don't really know. One part of me wants to share my joy with everyone - the other part of me wants a very cozy little wedding with only family and a few good friends...
Oh well, I guess I don't have to think about it now...
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
My first business class flight - Day 1
Can't believe I have already in HK for 3 days!! These 3 days really have been quite eventful... the trip started when I was checking in at the Vancouver airport, when the person at the flight counter told me that they have a Christmas present for me: because the flight is very full, they will upgrade my ticket to business class. At the time I didn't think much about it (because I was too sad to leave Vancouver :P). But I quite quickly turned grateful when I found just *how* comfortable business class is!! the size of seat is one, but also the meals and service are excellent. For me it was much needed, because I had no problem sleeping on the plane (and still enjoyed 3 movies + 2 documentaries)... it was really an enjoyable flight (even tho we arrived at the HK airport 1/2 hour late)...
After I arrived to HK, I went straight to airport express and took the free shuttle bus to the hotel I thought I was supposed to go (where my friend's staying before her wededing). Little did I know - no one apparently knows that there are 2 hotels with similar names, and the one that my friend gave the transportation direction to is actually not the one that I was supposed to go to... so I ended up walking through streets and streets with a heavy luggage whose wheels didn't work in order to take MTR back to the correct hotel. The worst is that I couldn't even take a taxi because there was road blockage with all the Christmas events that were going on in Tsim Sha Tsui. By the time I arrived in my friend's room, my back and arm and shoulder were ALL sore!
Still all in all I was very grateful that I finally arrived safely - and I knew I had to rest right away because the next day would be my friend's wedding...
... to be continued
After I arrived to HK, I went straight to airport express and took the free shuttle bus to the hotel I thought I was supposed to go (where my friend's staying before her wededing). Little did I know - no one apparently knows that there are 2 hotels with similar names, and the one that my friend gave the transportation direction to is actually not the one that I was supposed to go to... so I ended up walking through streets and streets with a heavy luggage whose wheels didn't work in order to take MTR back to the correct hotel. The worst is that I couldn't even take a taxi because there was road blockage with all the Christmas events that were going on in Tsim Sha Tsui. By the time I arrived in my friend's room, my back and arm and shoulder were ALL sore!
Still all in all I was very grateful that I finally arrived safely - and I knew I had to rest right away because the next day would be my friend's wedding...
... to be continued
Saturday, December 24, 2005
3 hours to go
Couldn't sleep last night. For me who really have NEVER suffered insomnia, it's really a torture... I don't even know why it feel so different this time going back to HK. I mean, I don't even know what I'm feeling... a very mixed one... I'm sort of excited going back to see different things, etc. but then HK is a place I grew up in, so it's not exactly "new" to me either.
I haven't really planned much for the trip - even for packing I didn't start doing it until late last night. Wanted to pack all my clothes and then every one of my friends is asking me to just go back to HK to buy. But I'm not much of a shopper either. To have to shop for every day clothes as a supply when I'm traveling is sort of a new thing to me. Heck I don't even know if I like shopping in HK. Didn't remember buying much at all last time when I went back...
Sigh... have a headache now. This morning I came out from showering to discover that all my family has gone to Dim sum. It just made me feel like I'm an invisible part of the family. I always blame myself for not spending enough time at home... but ultimately I know that it's lack of communication. Funny thing is that it's just between me and the rest of them. My brother has no problem (and I'm supposed to be a better communicator).
I don't know - I feel lost about not being close to my family. I think esp. at Christmas time it hit me harder. Sort of dampen the anticipation of this HK trip.
aiya. Hopefully I can enjoy the trip... most importantly, no puffy eyes at my friend's wedding... :P
I haven't really planned much for the trip - even for packing I didn't start doing it until late last night. Wanted to pack all my clothes and then every one of my friends is asking me to just go back to HK to buy. But I'm not much of a shopper either. To have to shop for every day clothes as a supply when I'm traveling is sort of a new thing to me. Heck I don't even know if I like shopping in HK. Didn't remember buying much at all last time when I went back...
Sigh... have a headache now. This morning I came out from showering to discover that all my family has gone to Dim sum. It just made me feel like I'm an invisible part of the family. I always blame myself for not spending enough time at home... but ultimately I know that it's lack of communication. Funny thing is that it's just between me and the rest of them. My brother has no problem (and I'm supposed to be a better communicator).
I don't know - I feel lost about not being close to my family. I think esp. at Christmas time it hit me harder. Sort of dampen the anticipation of this HK trip.
aiya. Hopefully I can enjoy the trip... most importantly, no puffy eyes at my friend's wedding... :P
Monday, December 19, 2005
Christmas is coming?
For us Christians, Christmas is a time to remember the birth of Christ, to remember God's love and humility... and in the This year for some reason I don't feel like Christmas is coming. Heck I don't even feel that I only have 3 days of work before I don't have to drive to Langley for THREE whole weeks! I don't know... perhaps because of the anticipation of going for the HK/China trip... or perhaps because I am not going to be spending Christmas in Vancouver, it just feels different from previous years...
People talk about commercialization of Christmas or the Spirit of giving during the season, etc. etc. I don't have much feeling to all these. (But yes I refuse to go close to any mall). I don't have a lot of people to give gifts to, so I don't have to worry about the former; we ought to give with or without Christmas anyways - so I don't normally do special thing for the latter (though I am always glad to participate if others organize).
Anyways, it still feels very weird to be spending Christmas on the plane... I'm not really sure how to take it...
People talk about commercialization of Christmas or the Spirit of giving during the season, etc. etc. I don't have much feeling to all these. (But yes I refuse to go close to any mall). I don't have a lot of people to give gifts to, so I don't have to worry about the former; we ought to give with or without Christmas anyways - so I don't normally do special thing for the latter (though I am always glad to participate if others organize).
Anyways, it still feels very weird to be spending Christmas on the plane... I'm not really sure how to take it...
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
To help or not to help
These days there is a lot of talk about how sad our world has become. A guy tried to help a woman who was being assaulted (by her boyfriend) and ended up being beaten almost to death--and the woman never thanked him and instead claimed that her bf never hit her. Another recent story about a homeless person being unconscious on the street for hours before someone took him to the hospital... there were a lot of passer-bys who never bothered to help because they thought "it's just a homeless guy".
So then the question becomes: do we have to be so careful these days as to choose who to help (or not help)? When do we know that we should help? I was always taught to lend people a hand when I see a need - but I was also told tons of horror stories about good samaritans who are being cheated/hurt. I remember a friend asking me before: if I am driving and I see a parked car with a guy opening the front hood trying to do something (and it looks like the car is not starting or something is wrong), do I stop... My honest answer was... it depends. I have actually done both. But I have also been at the receiving end - you have NO idea how grateful I was when someone pulled over to shoulder of Hwy 1 and offered to change the flat tire on my car... yet I'm also told always to be cautious about helping others. Sometimes I do wonder what our world is coming to.
Christmas is coming - some friends are thinking about organizing/making/handing out sandwiches to people in downtown - for me tho, even tho I know it is a good idea and gesture, I always wonder if the money collected can be put into better use. One thing that keeps bugging me is the thought that this year it will be a cold winter in Vancouver. With the sleeping centres not being open unless it's -4oC or under, I think a lot of homeless people will have to endure the cold.... but how do you judge whether blankets or food are more important? The need is everywhere... I suppose as they always say in fundraising campaign--"every cent helps"
Now these days I keep on hearing on the radio that all the disasters that have happened in the past year has really thinned out people's enthusiasm to donate at end of year. The local food banks are getting record low cash... I am always of the opinion that if there is a system in place (non-profit organizations, etc.) that is already focusing their effort into helping the needy (local or global), then I'd almost rather give them money... of course provided that I can trust the organization(s).
Well, I guess I have this weekend to figure out where I'm going to make my donation for this X'mas.
So then the question becomes: do we have to be so careful these days as to choose who to help (or not help)? When do we know that we should help? I was always taught to lend people a hand when I see a need - but I was also told tons of horror stories about good samaritans who are being cheated/hurt. I remember a friend asking me before: if I am driving and I see a parked car with a guy opening the front hood trying to do something (and it looks like the car is not starting or something is wrong), do I stop... My honest answer was... it depends. I have actually done both. But I have also been at the receiving end - you have NO idea how grateful I was when someone pulled over to shoulder of Hwy 1 and offered to change the flat tire on my car... yet I'm also told always to be cautious about helping others. Sometimes I do wonder what our world is coming to.
Christmas is coming - some friends are thinking about organizing/making/handing out sandwiches to people in downtown - for me tho, even tho I know it is a good idea and gesture, I always wonder if the money collected can be put into better use. One thing that keeps bugging me is the thought that this year it will be a cold winter in Vancouver. With the sleeping centres not being open unless it's -4oC or under, I think a lot of homeless people will have to endure the cold.... but how do you judge whether blankets or food are more important? The need is everywhere... I suppose as they always say in fundraising campaign--"every cent helps"
Now these days I keep on hearing on the radio that all the disasters that have happened in the past year has really thinned out people's enthusiasm to donate at end of year. The local food banks are getting record low cash... I am always of the opinion that if there is a system in place (non-profit organizations, etc.) that is already focusing their effort into helping the needy (local or global), then I'd almost rather give them money... of course provided that I can trust the organization(s).
Well, I guess I have this weekend to figure out where I'm going to make my donation for this X'mas.
Monday, December 12, 2005
Weird reactions to exercise!
Lately I find that my body has been reacting to any exercise routine I have... afterwards I just feel a bit itchy and I have red rash on my upper body (which goes away after a while). I probably shouldn't have but I have been ignoring this for a couple of weeks, until yesterday...
Yesterday afternoon after a long absence my friend and I decided to go to hot yoga. Because I haven't gone for a long time, this particular session was very exhausting. I haven't felt that tired - even though I didn't feel that the room was _that_ hot, I couldn't do all the poses. Anyways, afterwards I discovered those red dots in my body again - but this time it's alll over the place... it was quite scary because the red dots are very very apparent. I mean usually after people exercise they can appear a bit red, but for me it was like red bumps all over. It's particularly surprising because I have been doing different kinds of exercises and going to the gym for a long time, and this never happened to me. I really don't know what changed...
A day passes by and I'm still seeing red marks on my body... (lighter now though but still can be noticed) - So disappointing!! And I'm ITCHY!! Exercising my strongest will not to scratch myself (I'm already having scratch-marks on my neck - which I vow not to touch until it's healed!) but it's admittedly very difficult.
I talked to a friend who experienced similar things before (hers was more serious than mine I think). She had to stop all exercises for more than a month (any sweating could aggravate the condition) and had to go to chinese medicine... Normal doctors didn't help at all (I don't recall whether she actually saw a dermatologist). In addition she had to stop eating any kind of food that might aggravate skin reactions (beef, seafood, etc.etc.)... she told me that her doctor said that it could be due to stress as well. Another friend said that it could be hormones... Anyways, I sort of did my own due diligence and searched on the web...seems like the symptoms are mostly that of heat rashes.... if it's just heat rashes, then I'm not as worried... but then the human body is still a mystery and you never know....
Well, I figure that if her chinese doctor helps, I am going to him. I need to have these all disappear before I go back to HK for my friend's wedding! Yikes!! The worst thing is that I feel so uncomfortable not exercising but I am so scared to exercise! And I haven't even tried on the bridesmaid dress yet!!! >_<
Yesterday afternoon after a long absence my friend and I decided to go to hot yoga. Because I haven't gone for a long time, this particular session was very exhausting. I haven't felt that tired - even though I didn't feel that the room was _that_ hot, I couldn't do all the poses. Anyways, afterwards I discovered those red dots in my body again - but this time it's alll over the place... it was quite scary because the red dots are very very apparent. I mean usually after people exercise they can appear a bit red, but for me it was like red bumps all over. It's particularly surprising because I have been doing different kinds of exercises and going to the gym for a long time, and this never happened to me. I really don't know what changed...
A day passes by and I'm still seeing red marks on my body... (lighter now though but still can be noticed) - So disappointing!! And I'm ITCHY!! Exercising my strongest will not to scratch myself (I'm already having scratch-marks on my neck - which I vow not to touch until it's healed!) but it's admittedly very difficult.
I talked to a friend who experienced similar things before (hers was more serious than mine I think). She had to stop all exercises for more than a month (any sweating could aggravate the condition) and had to go to chinese medicine... Normal doctors didn't help at all (I don't recall whether she actually saw a dermatologist). In addition she had to stop eating any kind of food that might aggravate skin reactions (beef, seafood, etc.etc.)... she told me that her doctor said that it could be due to stress as well. Another friend said that it could be hormones... Anyways, I sort of did my own due diligence and searched on the web...seems like the symptoms are mostly that of heat rashes.... if it's just heat rashes, then I'm not as worried... but then the human body is still a mystery and you never know....
Well, I figure that if her chinese doctor helps, I am going to him. I need to have these all disappear before I go back to HK for my friend's wedding! Yikes!! The worst thing is that I feel so uncomfortable not exercising but I am so scared to exercise! And I haven't even tried on the bridesmaid dress yet!!! >_<
Friday, December 09, 2005
Count down to HK trip!
Finally, 2 weeks before I take off to HK.
I have known about this trip for so long (>4-5 months), yet I really haven't thought much or planned much. It's partly because of the reason that I am going back: to attend my friend's wedding. It's the main purpose and as long as boxing day is over, my "mission" is done.
That's why once I found out I didn't have a traveling companion to the trip, I really lost a lot of interest to plan the trip. Me not being that much of a traveling-alone person (I just don't like traveling by myself), I really didn't know how I could spend 14 days in HK just meeting up with all my friends and acquaintances from the past. The thought was dreadful--I would be eating out EVERY DAY with different friends and probably saying the same thing over and over again (telling them about my job, my life in Vancouver, etc. etc.) and I'll be wandering around doing nothing! There are probably people (esp. relatives and my closer friends from before) who I really want to meet, but there are also people who I don't really care much about... but out of courtesy I would probably call up everyone...
Anyways, I was originally thinking about going up to China for a week's trip, but ever since W decided he wasn't going to HK with me (he has legit reason), my enthusiasm dropped about 80%. Still, I emailed my excoworker who's living in China now that I am considering going to China and ask her for suggestion--now this is about 4 months ago--she told me that she would be interested in traveling with me... So I was sitting on the idea for a long time without any action.
Last week after my clinical research course, I started remembering that I never emailed her back!! And this is when I debated what I want to do. I really didn't want to spend so much time in HK (not much of a shopping person either) - so I finally decided to email my friend again. Luckily she hasn't got any plan yet!!!
So now with a 5-day trip in Yuannan in first week of Jan, my time in HK suddenly become very precious. I'm going to have to make a list of people who I'm meeting up with and just check them off the list (breakfast, lunch, dinner...! 3 groups a day! :P)............. but I want at least 2-3 days to do stuff by myself, go pay respect to my grandparents and go visit my elementary/high school...
I don't know - As the trip approaches fast, I am actually starting to look forward to it. I think I need some time away from Vancouver anyways, to think more clearly and to really face myself and find out what I really want in my life and my relationship and my future (I have my career goals set now, just not my personal ones).
They all say that it's only when you are alone that you can search from within to know yourself more. I pray that God will help me to quiet myself down and face myself while I'm on the road.
I have known about this trip for so long (>4-5 months), yet I really haven't thought much or planned much. It's partly because of the reason that I am going back: to attend my friend's wedding. It's the main purpose and as long as boxing day is over, my "mission" is done.
That's why once I found out I didn't have a traveling companion to the trip, I really lost a lot of interest to plan the trip. Me not being that much of a traveling-alone person (I just don't like traveling by myself), I really didn't know how I could spend 14 days in HK just meeting up with all my friends and acquaintances from the past. The thought was dreadful--I would be eating out EVERY DAY with different friends and probably saying the same thing over and over again (telling them about my job, my life in Vancouver, etc. etc.) and I'll be wandering around doing nothing! There are probably people (esp. relatives and my closer friends from before) who I really want to meet, but there are also people who I don't really care much about... but out of courtesy I would probably call up everyone...
Anyways, I was originally thinking about going up to China for a week's trip, but ever since W decided he wasn't going to HK with me (he has legit reason), my enthusiasm dropped about 80%. Still, I emailed my excoworker who's living in China now that I am considering going to China and ask her for suggestion--now this is about 4 months ago--she told me that she would be interested in traveling with me... So I was sitting on the idea for a long time without any action.
Last week after my clinical research course, I started remembering that I never emailed her back!! And this is when I debated what I want to do. I really didn't want to spend so much time in HK (not much of a shopping person either) - so I finally decided to email my friend again. Luckily she hasn't got any plan yet!!!
So now with a 5-day trip in Yuannan in first week of Jan, my time in HK suddenly become very precious. I'm going to have to make a list of people who I'm meeting up with and just check them off the list (breakfast, lunch, dinner...! 3 groups a day! :P)............. but I want at least 2-3 days to do stuff by myself, go pay respect to my grandparents and go visit my elementary/high school...
I don't know - As the trip approaches fast, I am actually starting to look forward to it. I think I need some time away from Vancouver anyways, to think more clearly and to really face myself and find out what I really want in my life and my relationship and my future (I have my career goals set now, just not my personal ones).
They all say that it's only when you are alone that you can search from within to know yourself more. I pray that God will help me to quiet myself down and face myself while I'm on the road.
Monday, December 05, 2005
Reward!
These days at work I have been working partly in clinical and partly in project management. Apparently I have always been known by my manager who can type fast. So when they had some backlog of data that they needed to enter urgently, my manager (who's new to that dept) thought of me.
She called me at 5:30ish Wed evening and started asking me what my "schedule" was like in the next few days. I knew she wanted to ask me to do something for her, but I couldn't figure out what (and she wouldn't tell me for the longest time!). So I said, just tell me what you want me to do and I'll make time for it! She finally told me how they had this backlog of data - and that this data usually should be entered by the lead CRA, but then they really needed to clear the backlog urgently for internal purpose, etc. etc. I was like, Ahhhh you want me to type. Sure!
So then Thurs came (I esp. started the day with Tim Horton's coffee--first time actually after I started working)... and I was set up with a laptop computer, and I started typing away (almost non-stop for 8 hours, as I missed my stairmasters routine at lunch as well). Because I'm the type that once I start concentrating on doing something, I can't stop until I finish. And I wanted to finish everything in one day... By the time I finished, my hands were actually quite sore. But I seriously didn't mind it, because just by reading what I was typing, it gave me a greater understanding of what clinical research is and different processes/systems in it... so everything was cool. Apparently the lead CRA was so happy how much I got done she said I was hired =)
Anyways, Fri I did more data entry stuff... I told the CRA that whenever she needs my help, just let me know and I'll work around my schedule... (I really wanted to do more clinical stuff, however mindless it is right now!)
This morning when I was having my weekly meeting with my manager, she handed me a red envelope. $100 gift certificate at Spa Utopia!! That was a shock to me! Apparently I really helped them a lot and they wanted to tell me that the company appreciates me.... it's kinda funny - I didn't know I was THAT useful. But well, I am of the type that if others recognize my work and shows appreciation, I really can commit A LOT of time--and I can definitely stay very very late at work haha. I don't need big raises - little gesture keeps me happy.
My manager is quite cool =) I think she knows how to use me hehe.
Sunday, December 04, 2005
A good daughter?
I never had the illusion that I'm a good daughter. From a long time ago, this "wall" seemed to have developed between me and my parents. I always feel like a failure as a daughter.
It's a lot of different factors. The past I don't remember much (I probably have done and said a lot that hurt them) - but I certainly can see how over the years we have gotten more distant. I never really know what they are up to, and the reverse is kinda true as well. I don't really know how to fix it as well. Perhaps I have such a erratic schedule, and I'm not home often enough. They don't ever call me on my cell, and I am scared to call them on their cell (in case I bother them--so I imagine they could have the same feeling as well). Sometimes even when I want to be home and want to spend some time with them, they would not be home... and when they're home I have to go out...
In the end, I know it's communication (lack of). I don't know why - I have no problem communicating with everyone - my friends, my coworkers, even the teens at church, etc. etc. but there's something between me and my parents that I cannot seem to break thru and get closer to them. That's why I envy people who chat and talk heart-to-heart with their parents, joke with them, etc. I long for it so much...............
My brother always says - it's one family... why can't I be honest and why do I have to be so scared about saying things, etc. etc. The truth is, I KNOW!! But I honestly don't know how to convert this "knowledge" into action. I'm proud, I guess. I almost feel like it's easy to make them mad - and I haven't been around (i.e. make the time commitment) enough to show them that I care about this family... I know my parents love me, and I know I love my parents... but to them it probably doesn't show. To think about how I even have trouble asking to treat them out for dinner because I will think about all the excuses they will have (too expensive, too much oil)... in the end, it's my own fear that I need to conquer.
Fear of rejection.
It's a lot of different factors. The past I don't remember much (I probably have done and said a lot that hurt them) - but I certainly can see how over the years we have gotten more distant. I never really know what they are up to, and the reverse is kinda true as well. I don't really know how to fix it as well. Perhaps I have such a erratic schedule, and I'm not home often enough. They don't ever call me on my cell, and I am scared to call them on their cell (in case I bother them--so I imagine they could have the same feeling as well). Sometimes even when I want to be home and want to spend some time with them, they would not be home... and when they're home I have to go out...
In the end, I know it's communication (lack of). I don't know why - I have no problem communicating with everyone - my friends, my coworkers, even the teens at church, etc. etc. but there's something between me and my parents that I cannot seem to break thru and get closer to them. That's why I envy people who chat and talk heart-to-heart with their parents, joke with them, etc. I long for it so much...............
My brother always says - it's one family... why can't I be honest and why do I have to be so scared about saying things, etc. etc. The truth is, I KNOW!! But I honestly don't know how to convert this "knowledge" into action. I'm proud, I guess. I almost feel like it's easy to make them mad - and I haven't been around (i.e. make the time commitment) enough to show them that I care about this family... I know my parents love me, and I know I love my parents... but to them it probably doesn't show. To think about how I even have trouble asking to treat them out for dinner because I will think about all the excuses they will have (too expensive, too much oil)... in the end, it's my own fear that I need to conquer.
Fear of rejection.
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