Dec 22 - Grandma's b-day dinner

I've been home for a few days now.. and everyday i've been eating so much..

food is just so much better here than in ottawa... my god... i wish i can bring all these good food with me... why cant i?

i had teppanyaki the second day i came back for dinner... actually i treated my parents... it doesnt matter.. it was worth every penny of it... so goood .. yum yum... the chef's name was king.... he was so nice to us... we ordered a 3 person serving meal.. cuz.. we also ordered sushi and sashimi.. so.. we thought 3 ppl meal ok la.. cuz.. usually in the past.. we never finish.. so anyways... the chef end up giving us extra pieces of everything.. and more rice to make the fried rice... in the end.. we still had to pack stuff away.. it was just so good..

oh.. that day also.. we were at eaton center.. and in the center.. there was a big lovely christmas tree.. the most glamourous one i've seen.. its decorated with at least 10,000 swaroski crystals... so pretty.. sparkling.. everyone was taking pics... too bad i didnt ahve camera with me.. only cell phone camera... no pics to show u all

so.. yesterday... i saw alvin (dec 21st).. i picked him up from the airport... he's only stopping over on his way to shanghai... i missed him so much... we were just talking.. and the last time i saw him... was exactly a year ago.. at my christmas party...

i cant believe its been a year lor... anyways.. we had a nice chat... waiting till the next time we meet up again!!!!

so... finally today!!! big family dinner...here are some pics:

group photo

Baby cousin: angela

grandma's chinese style b-day cake

cousin: sheena, adrian, gabriel

It was a lovely dinner, more fun ahead this holiday.. so glad...

merry christmas everyone.. have a safe one!

Dec 16 - FINAL CRIT!!! - I MADE IT!

my god.. i made it to the end of the term.. and now i'm safe and sound at home...
so glad so glad..

it was such a stressful term... those who been through it with me will know and understand.... plus on top... all the things that happened... it all definetely made me grow up... anyways...
i would like to share with u all my masterpiece of the term... tada:

hehe... hope u guys like it as much as i do :)

November 24th ~ Exchange Student Food Bank Party~ $100 Laptop!!

The party at olivers was amazing... to all those who helped organized it... you've done a wonderful job... and special thanks to Fiona.. for getting me in :)

Heard of the $100 Laptops??
well.. i read about them a month or so ago.. and now.. i stumbled upon the website... have a look.. i think its good.. and for a good cause...

http://laptop.media.mit.edu/
http://news.media.daum.net/edition/econo_life/200511/21/etimesi/v10853649.html?&nil_profile=g&nil_NewsImg=1

the official website.. and a korean one...
not that i can read korean.. but they have some interesting images..

i so want to get one lor... but it says not for sale.. i dunno why...
well.. it is targeted to developing countries... so that every child can have a laptop..
its such a good idea.. and the stuff $100 can do... my god.. why did i pay $2000 for mine?

anyways... if anyone knows how to get one.. let me know

November 23rd ~ security card failure

after 3 months free of security card problems... it finally happened to me

all of my suitemates have been having problems since the first week... they've had everything done to their cards... from reprograming.. to issuing of new cards... and.. it still happens...

and.. up till now.. mine has worked perfectly fine... they've been jealous....probably just as puzzled as i am about what is wrong..

no one seems to know... my suitemates have gone out to buy new wallets.. just to safetly proof the demagnetization of the cards... but it has not worked...

and... me.. doing the same thing i 've always done... all of a sudden it didnt work.. just woke up this morning.. and tried to lock my door.. and it wouldnt work .. so weird.. cuz.. i was able to open my door last night to get in... and then all of a sudden.. it stopped working...

so.. i went to get a new card.. and lets see how long this will last me!

November 19th ~ Harry Potter Day

well.. it was originally suppose to be yesterday.. but tickets sold out and it became today...

3:30pm with all the kids/teens/parents... it was amusing...
but i enjoyed the movie... it was like re-reading the book and seeing things i imagined... some were as i imagined.. others more dramatic... some down played....
althought it was 2.5 hrs long.. i thought it was too short... they cut out too much.. the little details perhaps not so important for hollywood movie screens but important to the integrety of the plot...

oh well.. the yule ball was lovely... just as i imagined..... hermione and ron need more tension.. haha.. its too bad... but i suppose overall .. emotions were felt...

other new characters arent as good looking as i imagined... cho.. pretty.. but not as i imagined... quite contrary actually.. but it works...

cedric... and krum.. um.. could be better... like more of an eye candy... its too bad it wasnt... oh well.. cant take the attention off harry i suppose...

so... who else has seen it?

November 16th ~ NEWS!!!!

haha... sorry for not keeping posted...
as usual... i am in lack of sleep... so.. sitting down typing a few lines seems too hard... sorry...

so...whats new? SNOW!!!!... or is it just in ottawa? .. yeah.. i woke up yesterday morning... (tuesday) and it was white out... my god... i dun think i was cheering one bit... but my suitemates were so excited... i guess their first snowfall in canada!!

anyways... i headed to work... taking the tunnels.. haha

although i'm so busy all the time... i am finding time to relax.. and take things easy... spend more time with my suitemates... chat with people... care about others and what goes on in their lives...

mine isnt so important anymore.. helping others is actually much more rewarding... these are the things i'm learning this term... not that i didnt know before... but i'm realizing it more and more now... there is never too much compliments.. right?

oh... today i was in accounting... and a little mice kept sneaking in and out of this cupboard... it was so cute... grayish white in color... really small.. like an egg.. probably smaller... and... it just kept popping in and out... the prof got annoyed cuz no one was concentrating on the lecture... he tried to kill it... and he missed.. but i think he meant to miss...

anyways... it kinda made my day... no that i switched my accounting class to wednesday... i've got 11 hours of class on wed.... so.. why did i switch?... well.. i like this prof more then my tuesday class one... at least here.. i learn what i need to.. and i dun waste any time in class... although i do get a little sleepy...

so... this term is gonna end pretty soon... i cannot wait till christmas... one month.. i'll be done... my god... scary...

wish me good luck... and that i survive to see u all again!!!

November 4 ~ gloomy november

we have entered the month of november..
i think its the hardest month to get by... not cold.. not hot... not red not white... pretty much colourless, tasteless... can somebody suggests some taste to november?

its a month of rain perhaps... no snow yet... leaves have fallen, trees are bare... colourless... skies are gray... ground is gray... moods are gray...

what can we do to cheer ourselves up?
1. christmas is not far away
2. do some christmas shopping
3. nov 18 - harry potter comes to theatres... the best one (best book at least)
4. do a little dance?
5. http://graphics1.snopes.com/photos/arts/graphics/sofitel.jpg
6. anything else?.... i'm out of ideas

k.. .finish later...

October 22nd~ Interesting Riddle

I received this in an email message from Alexk, its a riddle... but sorry... chinese only... cuz its a play on chinese words...sorry janine (most who read my blog are chinese.. hehe)... but there are some lovely pictures as fillers u can look at!!!

Riddle:

日字加一劃你最先想到什麼字

動動腦來做測驗囉~~~

(可別偷看答案喔 )
日字加一劃你最先想到什麼字, 想一想再向下...

Pictures as fillers (pics of my site)

Shadow of Vincent, Peter and I

Vincent and Peter (chatting away... )

田：最好的人
目：最精明的人
由：最善的人
電：最惡的人 (電字 的簡化字)
舊：最毒的人 (舊字的簡化字)
甲：最狠的人
申：最狡猾的人
旦：最懶的人
白：最想做愛的人
巴：最刁鑽古怪、存心找麻煩的人

October 21st ~ Update

the past week has been nuts!!!!

list of things to do:
- studio (never ending)
- learn to sawder (like welding leh... i dunno how to spell it)
- accounting midterm
- peer helper training, continues
- commonwealth scholarship, deciding on schools in england
- go to "city of ottawa" for zoning info and building by-laws... (wasted time)
- groceries shopping
- wallacks (lifedrawing with color conte now)

well... not that i've reached the end of the week... some of those things still need to be done...
first of all... the peer helper stuff is interesting... i'm enjoying myself outside of archi...
as for studio.... sawdering is interesting... i'm killing braincells as i sniff up the fumes.... but thats ok... i probably have no more brian cells...

accounting midterm just finished earlier this evening... it was good... i think i did well... :)

happy things this week...
---i used the id shop to use their hot wire cutter to cut styrofoam... its a good machine.. just not very healthy... the fumes again... but.. while i was there.. i saw Q !!!! alex's suitemate last year... it was a pleasant surprise...
---and. in the tunnels.. i bumped into mike... u know.. engineering mike leh?.. that was a surprise too...

what else... um... sad things:
---bickering with alex... sigh.. lets not go into it... i call it the "FACT of LIFE" theory ... from grade 11 and 12 Cote math class... ..so this is how it goes... cos (squared) + sin (square) = 1
well.. i think alex and i are cos and sin... we live on different frequencies.. haha... one up.. the other down... anyways.. somehow...we add up to 1.. most of the time... BUT... there are instances... like now when i feel we're doing the "tan" graph... we never meet up... goes to infinity...
sigh.. this is what Cote does to u.... scar for life...
---other sad thing... um... kinda burned myself doing sawdering... ok la. not bad burn...
---bruised myself when heavy wood fall on me... sigh.. stupid mdf!!!!


other than all of this... life is good!!!! Maud's bf Francois (of Frank- en englais) haha.. is coming next week... she's going to montreal to meet him tomolo.. and they return together on sunday/monday... so jealous.. 1. get to see bf... 2. go to montreal

i just love havign guests all the time... because i have international suite mates... they always have ppl visiting them...so exciting... where are my visitors?

October 17th ~ Fiona's mom and dad~

it was such an honor to meet Fi's parents... they have been travelling for so many weeks now.. and finally.. they've made it here to see how their daughter has settled into Ottawa!!!

They were staying at Chateau Laurier... yes maddy... our secret hide out.. haha
it was such a lovely weekend... her parents were so kind... so generous... so friendly...
here are some pics of our lovely evening:


Kai and I (above)


Maud: eating chocolate fondue.. yum yum


Fiona: so beautiful


who's peaking from behind the champagne glass??? hehe
silly maud

The champagne glasses were so nice... here a pic of it:


well.. that's it... it was a lovely evening!!! Thx Fi!!!!

October 15th ~ Kosmic ~

KOSMIC!!!!

yeah... i went this year... i went with maddy, one of her housemates and her friend wheelock... i think thats how u spell it...

anyways... it was alright... not many ppl went.. quite sad actually... but here are some pics:



















yup... thats pretty much it... it was a good nite... i relaxed.. chilled.. go so tired.. haha

then.. trying to work on sunday... sigh... they locked up the studios lor... didnt open them till late afternoon... sigh...

October 14th ~ feeling better ~

thx everyone who drop me their "get well soons", i'm getting better by the day...
its probably just gonna take me till the end of this weekend to really be back in shape...
i'm already gaining my appetite back.. and eating so much everyday.. haha :)

just to back track a little and update on what happened in toronto... well. actually not that much.. just saw family mostly.. eat lunch... dinner...my cousin joanne came back from Atlanta... so sunday was the big family dinner ... and my cousin sheena brought a surprise guest... hehe :)
it made the dinner very interesting... which is good :)

we went to "hay fook lau"... i forget the english name... but the food was alright... the funny thing is... we had 13 ppl rite?.. and we ordered a 10 person meal... (couple weeks ago: 7 ppl for dinner.. also a 10 ppl meal)... we've come to conclude that our parents cannot do the math.. haha

anyways.. because we only ordered a 10 ppl meal.... and that the servings were small... plus we were all super hungry (weird... for the first time)... so.. there was not enough food to go around... as kids (although we're all adults.. except maybe adrian.. my youngest cousin) we complained and complained... in the end.. we ordered more noodles.. haha

but.. that was a good meal for me... cuz i finally had some appetite... and felt like eating a whole cow.. haha.. a little exaggerated.. hehe

so... the same day... i found a junk yard up on major mackenzie!!!! close to mcCowen, but between Kennedy and McCowen... too bad i didnt have camera... i really need to carry my camera out more... anyways... we just happened to drive by it.. my mom and i... and we pulled over to have a look... its like this run down farm house... in the middle of now where.. and there's just piles and piles of stuff...

i dug for an hour... and found some good stuff for "found objects" for studio project... but the happiest thing was finding a projector machine for my mom!!! its for all her 8mm video's from like 20 years ago... b4 my times... her old machine broke.. and alex and i both have been trying to find parts to fix it.. or a 2nd-hand working machine... and finally... we found it here...
the guy sold it to us for $20... which is an amazing deal... considering a lightbulb for some machines.. cost $30.. haha... old stuff is like this ga la...

so... when i tested the machine on monday... it worked!!! and i saw what my mom was like in her 2o's... in her bell bottoms... and funny glasses... long curly hair.. haha... the best part is.. these videos are soundless... haha.. so... my mom has to talk beside it...describing where she was and stuff.... i cant wait to see all her video's.. ahha.. and make fun of her :P

so... thats pretty much it for the excitement in toronto... coming back to ottawa was a drag.... i spent the last few days getting better... sleeping lots... now i'm alot better...

i've been working in the wood shop now... and wearing a mask... in the woodshop.. and in studio... just to keep the dust away.. so i dun cough as much... but.. ppl make fun of me.. haha.. say i have SARS... sigh...
oh well.. because maddy donated the mask to me... (thx hon).... thats why i got better... so i dun have to sniff up the dust...

so.. its kosmic this saturday... i still dunno if i will go... i guess only if i can get in (without paying).. haha... if not.. its a good rest day... :)

October 8th ~ Thanksgivings!!! ~

there are many things i give thanks to this year:

1. thx to the wonderful first 4 weeks back in school... all that resulted was a bad cold!!!
2. amazing benyln...(i think thats how u spell it)... that puts me right to sleep as soon as i take 10mL of it... (just took my 2nd dose)
3. vincent for driving me back this weekend.. really...thank you!! (this i really mean it)
4. thx to all my friends who understand why i cannot leave the house to see them... if only i could breath properly...
5. ...and i could go on about this cold bashing....

i really hate getting sick... all your plans to do things just gets killed over... i wanna be productive... but its not working... it seems i'm being unproductive...

i've actually been fighting this cold off for a few weeks now... its actually never gotten this bad.. like i guess it was dorment... now it has finally erupted... there's a saying in chinese " you're so busy that u have time to die and no time to be sick"... meaning when you're so busy.. sickness doesnt get to u... but once u relax and take time off... thats when it gets u...

and this is exactly the case... i've never slept so much...and been in such a relax mode for a month now... and what happens?.... nothing good.. this whole cold thing just started last night/this morning... right when i begin to enjoy my holidays... thx man

so... some things to be happy about.. um.. i had "steamed pork dumplings" today... so yummy... and then slept for ever... haha... oh... and i got the job for as peer helper for coop that i interviewed for earlier in the week... i had a great interview, i knew i had done well ... so happy...
it seems like an awarding position, good resume content type job, which is good :)

i'm home for a few days... leaving monday night.. hopefully i'll feel better to go out tomolo... sigh... call me at home and we'll chat (to all my friends)... my nose cannot stand crowded places... sorry... i like home :)

October 5th ~ studio goes on . . .

yes... its thanksgiving weekend... finally a small break!!! i'm heading for toronto this weekend.... so happy!!! anybody free?? janine, kristy, laura? how are u girlies doing???? i havent talked to u guys since last time we met... didnt seem that long ago actually... i'll give u guys a call when i come back :)

how's ceci and leone?? i wanna do the paper hot pot when i come back!!!

mabel.. cally? and gilbert... i havent seen him in ages.. did u guys go celebrate his b-day? if not.. we should do that... and good luck to mabel on her first job interview... way to go mabel...

did i miss anyone? oh .. mary.. i talked to u the other day.. haha.. have u seent he new sogo in TST?? ... haha.. my friend said its mostly cosmetics and food :)

yes.. karin.. thats u... remember to buy me lots when u come back to toronto to visit!!! i've came up with a new wishlist!!! i'll have to send it to u...hehe

i'm really starting to miss all of u ppl now that i start thinking... oh.. and alvin!!! hang in there.. you'll do fine... just like you always do... i have faith in you!

thats probably it... let me know if i missed you... hehe. i'm sorry if i did... ..now as for me... i'm still hanging on in studio... after 3 weeks of battle.. i'm back to where i started.. my first design... sigh...why didnt he say it at first leh? .. and made me go around in circles... take a big detour... and end up back at teh beginning... sigh.. the first thing is always the best... but .. at least i've dug myself away from a "F"... haha... so glad....

so... aside from studio... design economics is a joke... its useless.. absolute sleep class... i hate going to it... then there's accounting... i find it somewhat more useful than design econ.... so sad... the department should just make us take economics/marketing/accounting/finance instead of the design economics... or perhaps design management in engineering... the course needs to have more concrete business concepts rather than ramble on about past experience...

anyways... perhaps i dunno enough to make such comments... but i dun see how the course is helping us... anyways... enough rambling about that... lets see.. i wish i had other exciting things to say.. life has been so boring for the past month... the leaves are starting to fall off the trees... its funny how i reflect on these things when i sit in the cafeteria eating...

so thats all for now :)

September 26th ~ Recap of the last few days

I cant believe we're reaching the end of the month...(as Tom has said also) ... yes.. Tom is my prof this semester... so pretty much i have no life this term...just always have Tom's voice in my head... "this is a peace of S**T, what the F**K is this" etc... i've been working way to hard... today i'm giving myself a break...

actually we just finished our 2nd weekly crit... so thats enough of studio for one day.. i need a break.. haha.. time for my book "memories of a geisha" (yeah.. i'm still working on it)

so.. the crit went alright today.. we drew in such a big crowd in the pit... so funny.. like.. there's more ppl watching us then there are of us... but i think we're all just laughing at what tom had to say... we enjoyed it :)

so yeah... next week we will start building the model... i'm looking forward... i've had enough of drawing.. haha...

so... other than drawing.. what did i do that was fun? oh yeah.. last wednesday went to play pool with the chinese gang in our bay :P it was fun except for the stupid waitress that kept making us buy drinks.. stupid!

thursday was exciting too, first there was the Moshe Safdie lecture at museum of civilizations.. it was so good... he's just an amazing architect... for those who dun know him.. he's canada's most famous architect... of course.. like all canadians.. he was not born here.... but it doesnt matter... he built the famous "Habitat 67" for the 1967 expo in montreal... and the vancouver library.. and the salt lake city library... and the newest biggy.. the holocast museum in israel that just opened... anyways.. if interested : http://www.msafdie.com/

he has such a large portfolio of works... absolutely brilliant man :)

so.. after the lecture i went to Barrymore's for my roommate Kai's b-day and did some dancing and partying... didnt get home till 3 am... which is not good.. considering i suffered the rest of the weekend.. working way too hard :)

well.. enough said...oh... a funny thing happened this weekend... there was the IIDEX show in toronto this past weekend... and my school had a booth there.. and my prof was representing our school... so ... my sister was at the show.. and she happened to be with a bunch of ppl and looked through the booth... and yes.. my sister found my picture on the boards... (for those who dun know yet: http://www.carleton.ca/cu/programs/, click to see) so she was laughing with a bunch of ppl and then my prof came up out to see what they wanted help with.. and my sister just said "thats my sister!" and my prof is Sheryl and she said "yeah? selina leung?"... and my sister replied yes.. dadida... so they started chatting etc... so weird

but i talked to Sheryl today... and she said the same thing.. that my sister and i dun look alike.. but we sound alike when we speak.. haha :)

oh.. another thing... on saturday night, after i had dinner in the caf.. i was walking back to my rez when two old chinese ladies stopped me to ask for directions... they just yelled out trying to stop me from walking... i couldnt ignore them... so talked to them la... they spoke in mandarin of course.. .i'm glad they understood what i had to say.. but because it was too complicated to give them directions... i ended up walking them down to the other end of campus :P... that was my good deed of the day... so after that.. i ended up just going straight to studio.. and didnt go home till 11 ish 12...

thats it ... tata :)

September 18th ~ 2nd week

its been the end of my second week in ottawa... already it feels like i've been here for two months... in terms of workload... i guess it'll only get worse from here...

although its a lot of work, i'm enjoying myself! getting back on the drafting table is definitely the thing for me... how i miss drawing.. :P
i can see how quickly this year will go by... i do miss all my old buddies who've all graduated.. but now i'm making new ones... ppl i've seen for a few years yet never really gotten to know... this is good :)
i'm really glad to have taken a year off... i'm coming back with new perspectives on so many things...towards school/career, life, relationship, friendships and more...

there are always new challenges to face and its just all part of life... for sure things are quite different this year... compared with previous years...but not to say this isnt a good thing...

having that extra someone all these years made memories to keep me strong and motivated... everyone is weak at certain point in time but believing in yourself and others will give your strength... long distance relationships fails only when one fails to believe... i hope i can remain strong and independent until we meet again :)

so... i finished orange day (jap. drama) and for sure i can connect with it... especially the ending... i think all graduates/soon to be graduates will feel the same way :)

oh.. i've also started a novel "memories of a geisha"... its very good.... i love the way things are described.. its so vivid.. so unique... quite creative and spontaneous... somewhat fantasizing.. hehe... those who like uniqueness.. this is good for sure... (i've only read 5 chapters.. ).. but i cant put it down... its been 2 nights in a row that i wont sleep... :P just wanted to read more. haha.. but i eventually did sleep.. haha

anyways.. tata for now..

September 14th ~ my suitemates

its been a while since i've updated... i guess i've just been so busy...
so... just to fill you guys up on things... the past week have been spent on drawing away in studio.. attending all my classes for the first time...

i have studio (no duh), design economics, and accounting!!!

ppl keep asking me why accounting?? really.. i dunno.. it isnt an easy course... they say 50% do fail... haha.. but i know that will not happen to me... as long as i do the work.. and attend class.. it'll be all good :)

accounting is really important to some degree.. you need it in any kind of business... and like they say.. its the language of business

anyways... just this past weekend... maddy and i went to the sunnyside area garage/yard sale... we coincidently stumpled upon a home selling many architecture books... we were kinda surprised at the number of good quality art/architecture/music etc books... so we began talking to the old lady selling her stuff... she said its her husband's books... and he's an architect... by the name of Ian Rankin.. haha.. so thats it! we had found the home of one of the owner's of ottawa's biggest firm :)

so the books went on sale for 50 cents each... the lady saw that we were architects.. and gave us a deal... so between maddy and i .. we got 13 books :)

thats about the highlight of things... it was such a good deal ... u dun come across one of those everyday... so.. its been a week now.... moving back to ottawa and such... i also want u all to meet my roommates:


from the left: Fiona (auzzie), Maud (french), me, and Kai (chinese)

they are all just the sweetest thing :)
i just love them

i wish all of u can come and meet them before they go back to their countries

now.. when i visit europe, or australia, or china.. i'll have a place to stay.. yeah!!! so sweet

anyways... today is my mom's birthday.. happy birthday mom :)

September 7th ~ Ottawa Days

i've moved back to Ottawa for a few days now... all settled in...
i've met my suite mates.. and i'm loving them... they are Maud, Kai, and Fiona
i have to take a pic with them later and show u all :)

so far i've managed to get in to Tom's bay... (get myself a truck load of work.. sigh)... got a decent spot in studio... moved in (with andrea's help, thx)... ran into a fire alarm at the library... bumped into johnson... found out peter's got a gf... and what more?.. haha.. loads...

oh.. ppl keep asking me for directions.. then they ask me if i'm in first year?... do i look that young? or are my directions so unclear that they dun believe i'm in fourth year?... perhaps i need to move around campus more... like check out other resources.. cuz. when ppl ask me things.. i'm like "um.. i think its like this".. haha

so .. today.. went to check out the site for the murray murray project... its an interesting site.. it used to be the place where they hung ppl... and buried ppl... its right behind the current youth hostel.. the hostel itself use to be the jail... anyways.. there's a lot of homeless individuals that hang out in the park.. this is because there are lots of shelter's homes in that area... they are very nice ppl.. they provided me with a lot of info on the land... they know all about its history.... yeah.. cylyna meeting homeless ppl.. sounds like something laura would do... haha (laura no offense) you're kind i know... they are nice ppl...

anyways... me start school tomolo... although i have no class.. i need to get things rolling :P
hope all of u is doing well... write me!!!

September 2nd ~ March of the Penguins!

oh my god.. so sad...
today i watched a documentary: "March of the Penguins"
http://wip.warnerbros.com/marchofthepenguins/

it was recommended to me by faemow... and since i had some time today.. i went to see it.. my god it was cute and sweet... its sad to see what the penguins have to go through... its the harshest climate on earth and their yearly ritual to reproduce is simply impressive :)

i recommend the movie 100%

i thought it would be a little boring at first... but it wasnt at all... the footages are just amazing... nothing i've seened before can compare... the shots and angles.. the antarctic landscape... and just the penguins themselves... my.. i'm speechless....

after the movie... mabel and i did a bit of shopping and dinner... didnt buy anything... but i saw this at swarovski crystal store.. and i really like it.. :) so cute!














http://shop.swarovski.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en_ZW/-/EUR/SW_DisplayProductInformation-Start?ProductSKU=99839027&CategoryName=990104027

well.. thats today.. i managed to finish harry potter and the half blood prince 2 days ago.. for those who dunno.. its book 6...i think book 6 continues in the direction of book 5.... at least in its long descriptions.. and mysterious clues left behind... its sad what had to happen.. but i have to say i kinda saw it coming...

now.. i just wanna re-read 5.. and then 6 again to really pick up all the clues and absorb them to predict book 7 :)
i was really scared of finishing 6 cuz.. there's parts when i just cant make myself continue reading.. its like.. if i didnt read it.. in my mind it wouldnt have happened.. haha.. but of course.. its like watching scary movies.. u're scared.. but u wanna watch.. so i finished it.. sad.. but i did ... for those already done....there's some really good harry potter sites out there that have sections on things people may have missed while reading.. like me... and is awakening.. haha...like for example.. what R.A.B is... if u wanna know... here:
http://www.mugglenet.com/books/things_missed.shtml

well.. now that summer is over.. harry potter is finished... movies are watch.. trip is over.. school begins next week... and i'm moving to ottawa on sunday.. see u all :)

August 28 ~ hanging with the girls... and their guys

hehe... today was a good day... got to see my girlies... (and their guys)
yeah.. me the odd one out... yes.. only me... haha.. next time i'll find a guy :)
7 isnt really a good number... i'll make it 8!!!

so.. we met up at yonge and finch... laura was on time... way to go!!!! and surprisingly... janine was running a little late.. i know i know.. parade on yonge st...

so.. we went to pizza ..., at pizza hut.. stuff crust.. yummy...
then we sang k at twister (yonge and finch)... not bad.. they've got songs of all languages.. quite impressive.. the music quality was good too :)

to our surprise... tom really enjoyed himself.. haha.. we'll do it again someday...

then we went to baskin robbins and got ourselves a tub of jamocha almond fudge ice-cream... yummy yummy... although my tummy wasnt feeling well.. i couldnt resist :)

enjoy our pics!!!... so.. where's alex? haha... he's here.. surfing :)

August 27 ~ 1 week left ~

um... havent updated my blog since monday... i guess nothing much has happened.. at least nothing more amazing then visiting little sylvie...

i spent most of the week doing this and that... cleaning up some more... my god.. only really went out for fun yesterday for a movie with ceci, leone, cally and jon... hm... where has all the time gone to?

today... working on the house... fixing some concrete stuff... cracks.. etc... making it pretty... spent a whole day doing it.. its gonna take another day or two.. sigh..

so.. here's something new:
http://www.google.com/talk/index.html
googles lastest gadget... messenger/skype... but still beta... i havent tried it yet.. maybe later ... i still prefer the phone :)

thats all for now :)
school starts in a little more than a week... back to ottawa i go!

August 22nd ~ little sylvie is here!

the highlight of today was going to see stanley and ivy's little precious :)

she's so adorable... here.. u can see for yourself... she's only 10 days old and counting... :)

i cannot believe i'm an auntie la... i feel so old... why did u have to do this to us stanley/ivy? haha... but i'm very happy for you guys... i think it will be the best thing that has happened in your lives...

me.. on the other hand... cannot take all of this yet... i mean.. even marriage sounds a thousand miles away...perhaps millions... but ppl around me are getting married....and having babies... i dunno whats going on... i'm only 23.. and so are these ppl... i guess age does not matter... but finding that special one to be with... and having the perfect timing .... sigh.. i still need to live out my single life... (well..not single like that.. but for now... physically single) ... be alone.. do things my way... think independently... i need that... and thank you for letting it happen!

good luck sylvie... best wishes!

August 20th 2005 ~ personality test from mabel ~ in chinese though

Personality test in chinese:
http://tw.starq.com/newstar2/okstarq.php

my result:

整體性格
Cylyna小姐，體貼關懷，愛好和平；開朗親切，委婉圓融，懂得享受生活；也有古怪精靈，神秘性感，堅持原則的一面。

待人性格
Cylyna小姐待人：合乎情理；相當感性；很容易融入團體；保守內斂虛懷若谷；有親疏觀念但不過分；既開放也尊重隱私。

處世性格
Cylyna小姐處事：很有主見樂於助人；非常有彈性；容易妥協；大處著眼小處著手；不喜歡太現實；隨性自在隨機應變。

性格缺點
Cylyna小姐性格的缺點為：拐彎抹角不夠乾脆；有時候容易妥協不能擇善固執；偶爾會只會自掃門前雪不管他人瓦上霜。

價值觀
Cylyna小姐重視的價值觀為：和諧的人際關係；愛情的滋潤；親密的感情；較不擅長：與眾不同；追逐功利；冒險犯難。

愛情性格
Cylyna小姐在愛情上喜歡從容不迫的進展，懂得製造浪漫，不會緊緊控制對方；較常表現：溫柔體貼，氣質優雅，古怪精靈，神秘性感。

金錢性格
Cylyna小姐的金錢觀：花錢有分寸不浪費也不小氣，用錢會有妥善的計劃；容易把錢用於：家居生活，崇尚唯美，求新求變，紓解壓力。

hehe... true ma??? i dun really know.. yes and no ba.. these tests always ga la... but have a look and try try... kinda interesting... :)

August 19 ~ weird weather ~ hail in august?

yeah... hail...today.. weird huh? ... there was even a tornado... and i was in it...

well.. its not like a real tornado...but it was the start of one.. because u could feel the wind... the rain.. and the huge hail ...no.. more like ice chunks... blocks that came down...

i was on my way to my aunt and uncle's house.. when it started to rain... when we arrived at the driveway it was pouring with rain that we decided to wait till it slowed down...

then... the first hail storm came down... little ice pellets.. we thought it was cute.... and we waited... and waited... more rain came down... worst than b4... with wind... and the rain just seemed to pour down... gush down... non stop... and we waited some more...

the funny thing is... we called in to my uncle.. and said the rain seemed to be slowing down... we'll be in any moment...

then just as i hung up... ice pellets started to fall... the second hail storm.. yet.. it was hail anymore.. it was ust ice chunks falling... literally... ice falling... these chunks were sizes of strawberries... and mind you all... we're still inside the car... we dry and all... but the noises of these things falling on metal... man.. it was loud... loud like nothing i've heard b4... crazy man..

i thought our van would collapse... at least the sun roof would... and it just seemed to get worse.. the ice getting bigger and bigger... outside our car was flooded... water wouldnt drain out.. and it was becoming a pond around us... the ice dancing on the water surface making such splashes feets high... its just nothing i've seen b4...

and.. we were scared.. and excited... then.. finally.. it slowed down... when we opened the car doors... we saw water every where... leaves fallen every where... flowers dead.... seemed dreadful... but it was still raining... the rain had not stopped... so we rushed in... and on my way... trying to save my sister tangled in roses... i got rose vines stuck on me.... ouch!!!!

haha.. what a day! i've got pictures... share with u guys later!

August 19 2005 ~ returning home ~ thoughts

i have finally returned home after my long 2 month vacation...yet it didnt seem that long at all... it is funny how time loses itself when you're kept busy and enjoying it... the longer i seemed to want it to last, the shorter it becomes...

anyways... after all i have come back to this freezing canadian weather... why is it so cold? coming back with a 30 degrees difference and a 12 hour time difference really kills all good thoughts about home sweet home....

i am not adjusting very well to the two different climates... it is way too cold here... i hope i can survive the winter... yikes...

so.. its actually been 4 days now... how long it seems... 4 days of mixed up day and night... mixed up schedules... flipped body mechanics... nothing seemed to make sense... at least to my friends only my body returned.. my "KA" is lost somewhere between time and space.. haha

when will i find my "KA" again.... is the question?

the good thing is a lovely group of friends i have who's kept me entertained...away from thoughts of fluffy pillows, warm bed, and deep sleeps... in the middle of the afternoon.... going out of the house certainly helps... i think i do need to get out...maybe i'll find my "KA" there... who knows

as a result of entering into the realm of things... connecting --> i saw:
1. all the unusual has happened while i was away...
2. what is love?
a) "我不知道愛是個什麼東西?" - quoted by a friend
b) if loving/trying to love is so painful, why do it?
c) to love or not to love... that is the question?
d) what is more painful? to love and not be loved, or be loved and not able to return such love?
e) or... falling between life and love? which do u rescue?
f) how to love ... if its in the mind? timeless, spaceless and empty...
g) "同樣是深愛著一個人，有些人選擇給予對方幸福；有些人選擇默默祝福。有時候，不甘心放手不代表愛得深，先放手的人也不代表不在乎。"
3. is marriage the answer? the beginning or the end to all the above?
4. are we growing up too fast? afterall...arent we still too young to discuss all of the above?
5. where is my "KA"?
6. i need to find my "KA" to be sane again...

see ya all... back to reality...

July 20-26th ~ last week in Taiwan ~ recap/pics

after the typhoon attacked us.. we returned to taipei safely...
there wasnt much options left but to stay in taipei.. and tour the city...
without a car.. we couldnt go to some further places.. so we stayed pretty much in the city.. but there was still lots to do

there's too much to say here..i just decided to post some pics.. and let you guys guess.. haha :)

August 6/7/8th ~ Moving ~

moving moving moving

i've spent the whole weekend working on packing up.. and moving out of our house... its moving day today (8th)... i've never seen our house so empty... so clean... so big.. haha...

without all the furniture the little apartment seems so much bigger... today... everything cleared out... and now.. i'm at a hotel across the street from the apartment.. so still in Wan Chai... called: Hotel New Harbour (chinese: Sing Kwong) ... its not all 5 stars.. but its really nice already...

the last few days.. in between packing.. i've been updating my blog... and putting up some new pics... do go have a look:)

i'm starting to miss home a lot... home as in toronto... i miss my home... my friends... one week from today.. i'll be home!!!

August 5th ~ Hong Kong ~ Alex left lu!

i saw this actress this afternoon at causeway bay!!! i dunno her english name.. but she's quite famous.. either u know who she is.. or u dont...i love her dress!!! lovely green colour!

after a long marathon of travelling, alex and i finally departed and ended our travels...
he's returning to taipei tonight, while i... still have 10 more days in hk till i return to toronto...

i'm already so tired from all my travels... these next few days would be for resting... i'm moving to a hotel this coming monday...cuz grandma sold the apartment...and thats it... so for our last week, we will move to hotel...

its good to pack up early... dun want to wait till last minute...

anyways..there's something i have to tell everyone....i was on the mtr (hk subway) this morning.. and as the train was moving... outside the window was suddenly a commercial playing...i was shocked? a tv window?? that cant be....then ppl beside us started saying its actually a series of pictures (like a flip book) along the train track walls... and when the train moves at such speed, it plays like a movie... it was so cool... but i was too amused to realize what it was advertising for.. but i think it was a commercial for then discovery channel...

i think only in a place like hk would ppl be so crazy to have to invent new ways to advertise!!! haha... anyways.. now .. when i'm on the mtr.. i will pay more attention to whats outside the windows.. haha

August 3rd ~ Squid Fishing HK ~

Squid Fishing!!!!

We went to Sai-Kung rented a boat and went squid fishing... its my first time.. its so exciting...

you wouldn't believe how many i caught!!! alex and i both caught 3 each... everyone else got 1 or 2 only.. but together .. you can see we got quite a lot... the old lady who rented us the boat caught as much as all of us together... she's the real expert...

the only bad thing is... i got squid juice all over me... :P
its black like ink... i thought it would never come out... but with my grandma's old techniques.. it came off.. what is the technique??

ok... first.. wet the inked area with water and a little bit of soap... then with "cooked rice" ... rub the area together... continue rubbing the area with rice until it comes off.. it works... i dunno why.. but it does...who would have known.. cooked rice can absorb the ink :)

so.. after the caught.. we went back to the harbour.. and found one of the restaurants to cook for us... so yummy!!! all this.. plus a meal... only $100 Hk each... about $15 CDN... so good!

August 2nd ~ HK Sing K ~ Bird/Flower Street

today we met up with andrea, mary and robin in causeway bay to sing k... lunch k... they give u lunch... and can sing k... very good deal.. very nice place too.. huge room.. but air condition too cold!!!

after sing k.. we went to mong kwok again!! haha.. to see bird street and flower street... the bird street is filled with birds and bird cages... the flower street sells flowers of all sorts.. very good prices...

oh.. after that we even went to the gold fish street!! this street is filled with stores that sell all kinds of fishes.. we saw so many nemo's and dori's... haha .. a very fun street to browse...

then we departed with the group and met up with karin for dinner at Tsim Sa Tsui... we had shanghai food... really good and cheap... then we had dessert at Haagan Daaz... so expensive.. but so good too.. my current favorite flavors.. lychee w/ginger.. and honey dew melon... both so good...

August 1st ~ Big Buddha ~ Tai O

this first pic.. taken at Tai O... its our shadow... can u see what we're spelling?? haha..



We went to so many places today... first took a boat to "Mui Wo" where we visited a nice beach... and then had lunch... then we took a bus to the "Big Buddha"... i havent visited it for a long time.... and its worth going.. so i took alex there...

then.. from there ... we took another bus to "Tai O" a fishing village... they call this place the asian venice.. haha... its a very nice place... we took soooooo many pictures... so many... its totally worth seeing if you visit hk... i 100% recommend it!

we took a boat cruise... similar to the gondolas in venice.. but the boats are more like fishing tourist boats... but still.. we cruised down the river along side the houses... very nice... cheap too!!!

then.. from "Tai O" we took another bus yet again.. to the nearest mtr station "tung chung".. where we ate dinner.. then took the mtr home!

July 31st ~ Lamma Island ~

me eating "Tofu Flower", a dessert made from tofu... very smooth and sweet.. yummy yummy... the best i've ever had!!!

the first image is us having a seafood meal before we left the island...

the 2nd image is us trekking across the island from one harbour to the other..

lamma island is another fishing island... used to be full of fisherman/fishing villages... now... mostly white people live there... i'm not sure why.. but maybe because its more peaceful compared to the busy city life of hk...

although lamma island is tranquil.. it is only 1/2 hr away from hk central by boat... not bad for a commute!!!

it takes me over 1 hr to commute to downtown toronto.. and its not even that convinient... so.... maybe i can see why ppl would live in lamma island... plus.. i think its a lot cheaper to own a nicer more spacious place :)

July 29th/30th ~ Dolphin Island Tour and HK Architecture Tour

July 30th - Architecture Tour, visiting I.M Pei's Shanghai Bank Tower, then dinner with relatives




July 29th - Dolphin Tour, but didnt see dolphins.... too bad... just visited some island... interesting though...nice fishing villages












its too bad about the dolphin thingy... the dolphins are endangered... near extinction actually... their numbers have severely dropped in the past few years... now only 20 something left... so sad... the chance of seeing them are so slim... sigh...

but the architecture tour.. offered by the architect society of hk and the hk tourism board... is pretty good... two registered architects took us around central area and explained the development of hk... showed us old colonel buildings... to new skyscrapers... this is a free tour... did i mention?

they have a list of many other free tours.. for tourists with a foreign passport... so.. be sure to visit the tourism office and see what there is to offer!!!