[OK, for those who have been waiting for details on my weekend, here they are…]

Road Trip I - Vancouver
Starring: Irma, Joi, Irene, and yours truly

Guest starring: Grace (Irma's sister), Rohan (Grace's fiancé), Marcel (miscellaneous friend of Rohan)

Special appearance by: Leah, Louise (my kickboxing buddy)

What a weekend! Filled with laughter, adventure, laughter, site seeing, laughter, wacky moments, etc. Did I mention that we laughed a lot during this trip? hehehe. =P

I can't possibly go through absolutely everything that happened on this trip (because I'd be here for days), so instead I'll just list the highlights of the weekend:

FRIDAY

• The trip started in Calgary (we left at about 9:00 am) and we made pit stops in Lake Louise, Golden, Salmon Arm (I know, salmon don't have arms =P), before finally reaching Vancouver (at about 8:30 pm PST).
  
• Tagalog lessons/translations for Joi

  baka (cow – pronounced "BA ka") vs. baka (maybe – pronounced "ba KA")
  

  bundok (mountain)
  

  kotse (car)

  
  
• "mountains"
  
• "Technological" discussions (i.e. Palm Pilot v.10, hardware/software compatibility, anti-virus, etc.)
  
• Joi was going over the "Al Bundy" experience with Irene
  
• For a brief moment, I was the weather forecaster in the car
  
• "Are we there yet?"
  
• Hearing impairment started (and got worse the more we drove =P). We figured it was because of the altitude and lack of oxygen in the mountains.
  
• Irma and I "vibing" to Linkin Park's In the End. Now all we have to do is come up with a dance. ;-) Can you feel the vibe?
  
• Joi's salmon issue in Humpty's (Golden, BC) [you didn't have to eat it you know…]
  
• Irma has been classified as the "tense safety driver"
  
• Random Thought (during the drive): How can something be labeled as "new and improved"? If it's new, then it shouldn't have to be improved. And if it's improved, aren't you improving something that is already existing, therefore not new (i.e. old)? I actually heard/read about this somewhere before, but for some reason it popped into my head while we were on the highway.
  
  Weird Road Names
  
  During our drive, we passed by some unusual names of places/towns/cities/etc. Seeing how we were going to be on the road for a while, we decided to make a game out of it. It's amazing the things you come up with (especially with the crew I was with), when you're on the highway for a long period of time:

  • What[dot]com Road
    
  • Dead Man's Flats [pinisang patay na mama]
    
  • Redwood Meadows [pulang kahoy parang]
    
  • Sumas, USA ["they sure got Sum-ass in USA" hehehe. =P]

  
  Almost there…
  
  By the time we were on our final stretch of the trip (from Kamloops to Vancouver), Irma, Irene and I were passed out (sorry Joi). I guess we ran out of unusual places to pick out. Or maybe it was from that laughing? ;-)
  
  Arriving in Vancouver
  
  We finally got to Vancouver at 8:30 pm PST. Yay! At the time it was drizzling, but no big deal. Now it was a matter of finding our way through Vancouver to drop off Joi at his sister's apartment. We drove for another half an hour and reached Joi's destination. From there, we drove to Richmond for Rohan's birthday barbecue, which was being held at a friend's house.
  
  Navigating to Richmond
  
  Since Irma and I aren't familiar with the streets of Vancouver (we always had someone to drive us around), and Irene had never been there before, we somehow had to get ourselves to Richmond. At first we tried to get a hold of Grace, but her phone was busy. So we took matters into our own hands and decided to find the place ourselves.
  
  With map in hand, Irma was designated driver and I was the navigator. We had a minor setback in the beginning [because the night wouldn't have been complete without at least one circle. hehehe], but we managed to find the place ourselves. Are we good or what? ;-)
  
  We were so relieved when we got there, not to mention really hungry. Grace and Rohan came out and met us on the driveway. Upon entering the house, we were introduced to: Jordan (Irish dude that reminds me of a comedic actor, but I can't remember who); Sylvio (or Sly for short, but by the end of the night we were calling him Xavier/Frank/etc); and Richard (guy with heavy accent). Then we met Pirash (Grace's friend), Martino (very cute guy – Pirash's bf), Belle, Michelle, and a few other people who's names I don't remember.
  
  Towards the end of the night, we were all tiiiiiiiiired. I wanted to meet up with Leah that night, but I just couldn't drive anymore (sorry girl).

  Highlights of the BBQ:

  • "sexual tension"
    
  • "she's 12"
    
  • Marcel not being able to maintain a fire, therefore he'd be the first one voted off

  I don't remember what time we left the BBQ, but as soon as got back to Grace and Rohan's place, Irma, Irene and I went straight to bed.

SATURDAY

• The hearing impairment continued on…
  
• First thing in the morning, Irma's eye was numb [Actually, it was here thigh that was numb, but I didn't hear the "th" and only heard the "igh" so I thought she said her "eye" was numb. Then I thought that having a numb eye was not a good thing and might be a sign of a stroke or something]
  
• Taking the "scenic route" on the elevator
  
• Went to Milestones on Davie and Denman for lunch. I met Louise there (sorry for being late). The ironic thing is Louise is from Edmonton, we haven't gone for lunch in Edmonton, but we meet for lunch in Vancouver. Expensive lunch, huh? =P
  
• Shopping on Robson. After lunch, we decided to walk up and down Robson. The only problem was we parked WAY far from Robson [Mental note: Do not wear boots. Either wear comfy shoes or park closer!]. Points of interest included A|X, FCUK, BeBe, InWear, and a couple shoe stores (names of which I forgot). Halfway through our shopping trip, Joi left us to meet up with some friends. So Irma, Irene and I continued on. As we were walking along, we happened to pass by Eaton's. The only problem was I left my Eaton's card at home. @#$%&! How could the master packer possibly forget that?! Oh well, I guess I wasn't meant to shop at Eaton's then. [Hmmm, maybe I'll just visit the one in Calgary?]
  
• "I'm hot/sleepy" (Irma and I think Irene's menopausal. hehehehe)
  
• Irene and Joi are going to be business partners. The original plan was for them to be bums on the street and ask for spare change. Due to much competition, they came up with a brilliant plan – to open up a lemonade stand. LOL! =P
  
• Renaming the streets of Vancouver (sorry Leah):

  
  Howe = Howie
  Hornby = Horny
  Denman = Denmark
  Fir = Fuhr
  Trimble = Tremble
  Cambie = Comrie
  Homer = Homey

  
  
  Scrabble Match #1
  
  After we were done shopping (and walking for, what seemed like, miles and miles and miles in my boots), the girls and I headed back to Grace's apartment. We had dinner, then I played Scrabble with Rohan and Marcel.
  
  Scrabble has to be one of my favorite games to play. Of course, it helps if the people you're playing with know how to spell or at least know enough words without having to look up every single word in the dictionary. Oh, and I also don't like it when people try to use all their letters on each turn, subsequently inventing words that are not in the dictionary, but they look up them up anyway "just in case". I liked playing with Rohan, but Marcel… I'm not gonna go there.
  
  Night Out
  
  After Scrabble, we all got ready to go out to Voda's. It was a nice place and it kinda reminded me of Dante's/Overtime here in Edmonton. My feet were sore from all that dancing, but I had fun.
  
  One thing to remember: guy in pink/orange shirt with a couple other people attempting to dance to some R&B music, but it looked more like they were doing the Hokey Pokey dance [you put you're right foot in, you put you're right foot out, you put you're right foot in, and you shake it all about, you do the hokey pokey, and you turn yourself around, that's what it's all about….(yeah I know, I need help =P)].

SUNDAY

• "Good morning, good moooorning…" (tune from that Viagra commercial)
  
• IHOP for brunch (yes, we have one in Canada too =P)
  
• pit stop at Goldilocks
  
• site seeing/picture taking in North Vancouver, Jericho Beach, Capilano Suspension Bridge, and Grouse Mountain
  
• "You're 12!" (my comment to Irene on paying admission for the Capilano Suspension Bridge, because she could easily pass for a 12-year old. If only she had pig-tails and a Pokemon backpack)
  
• "I'm not hot/sleepy"
  
• Theme song for the day happened to be The Sound of Music
  
• Renaming Stanley Park to Stanley Cup
  
• "Hold it"; "Not yet"
  
• "Finish your sentence before you start laughing…"
  
  Dinner with Leah
  
  I was starting to worry that I wouldn't see Leah at all because we didn't get a chance to meet Friday night, or go out Saturday night, or go wall climbing on Sunday. I'm glad we were able to get together for dinner Sunday night though. I just hope you weren't traumatized by the whole thing. hehehe. ;-)

  Key points:

  • dancing in the washroom (because the sound was better in there)
    
  • Conversation between Leah and Irma on planning to go to Canada Place:
    
    Leah – "How about we [pointing to me and herself] go to my car, go to where you're parked, you guys follow me to Canada Place, then we [Leah and me] pick up Joi…"
    
    Irma – "What if you two [pointing to Leah and me] go in Leah's car, come to where we're parked, then we go to Canada Place, then you two [Leah and me] pick up Joi…"
    
    It all goes back to the hearing impairment thing…

  
  
  Since the girls and I had an early start the next morning, we called it a night at around 9:30 – 10:00 pm. We'll have to do it again, Leah! :-)

MONDAY

• Didn't get much sleep (played another couple rounds of Scrabble the night before). I woke up at 2:45 am because someone called me, but by the time I answered the phone they were gone. Then I woke up at 3:30 am, thinking it was 4:30 am because my alarm went off, but it was set to 4:30 am MST which is actually 3:30 am PST. I finally got up at 4:30 am PST to get ready, since we were planning to leave at 6:00 am.
  
• Before we left the city, we had to fill up the car. We went to 2 gas stations and both were closed. Huh? How can a gas station be closed at 6:30 am? The third gas station we went to was opened (thank god), so we filled up and got breakfast/snack for the road.
  
• Proposed drive back home: Vancouver-Kamloops-Jasper-Edson-Edmonton
  
• Watch out for that visor Irma (hehehe)
  
• Singing to Shakira's Underneath Your Clothes using the lyrics from The Bangles' Eternal Flame (they sound alike)
  
• En route from Jasper to Edson, Irene came to the realization that she "wasn't herself anymore". Hmmm, I wonder why? ;-)
  
• Made a pit stop in Edson to fill up the car and take a pee break. Irma and I almost left Irene at the gas station. Oops! I honestly thought she was in the car at that time.
  
• Random Thought: Why is it that the closer you are to your destination, the longer the ride seems? As we were approaching Edmonton, the highway seemed to get longer and longer. I was even speeding, but that didn't seem to help much.
  
  More Weird Road Names
  
  Since we were taking a different route back to Edmonton, we came across a couple more unusual names of places:

  • Kawkawa Road [Kawawa Road]
    
  • Sowaqua Creek (Try saying that one a few times. If you say it enough times, you end up sounding like a duck =P)
    
  • Seba Beach [kilala mo Se Ba-Beach, diba?]

  
  
  Welcome to Edmonton!
  
  Yay! We made it! After a total of 13.5 hours of driving (including pit stops), it was so good to be back home. We returned the car rental, and I drove Irma and Irene home. The only thing I didn't like was coming home to COLD weather and more snow. Ugh. Isn't it supposed to be spring?! The snow was melting before I left for Calgary, but apparently we had a big snow storm on Sunday. Hopefully this is the last of the cold weather.
  
  So there you have it. That was the trip (in a nutshell).

== THE END ==

Acknowledgments (Thank you to the following):
ALDO (shoes), Transit (purse)
London Drugs (toiletries, film)
National Car Rental (Pontiac Grand Prix)
McDonald's (breakfast)
Humpty's (lunch)
CAA (Map of Vancouver)
Rand & McNally (Alberta-BC provincial map)
Denman Place Mall (parking)
Milestones (lunch)
Armani Exchange, FCUK, BeBe, InWear (shopping)
VODA (entertainment)
Denny's (late night snack)
IHOP (brunch)
Goldilock's
Red Robin (dinner)
Canada Place (for providing toilet services to Marcel)
Smitty's (late lunch/early dinner)

Finally made it home

Well, I actually got home about 2.5 hours ago. Had to drop off the car rental, drive Irma and Irene home, then chit chatted with my parents, etc, etc.

It was a long drive back from Vancouver, but we made it home safe and sound. I'm too tired to get into the details of the trip, so I'll have to do that tomorrow...*yawn*

[Calgary, AB - Joi's Apartment]

We finally made it!

The original plan was to leave Edmonton at around 6:00 pm (at the latest). Except that things came up. Isn't that always the case? Anyway, Irma had some issues to deal with, then we had to pick up some last minute stuff, and Irma had to buy a pair of shoes (the fastest purchase yet for her. hehehe), then we had to pick up Irma's cousin, Irene. By the time we left Edmonton it was 9:00 pm. So the ETA to Calgary was about 11:30 - midnight. [sidenote: I almost ran over a coyote. It wasn't my fault because it came out of nowhere.]

And here's where the fun begins. What was supposed to be a 2.5 to 3 hour drive from Edmonton to Calgary turned out to be 5 hours! Just when we were about half an hour away from Calgary, traffic was at a stand still. Cars were backed up for miles. The roads weren't that bad, but we found out later that there was an accident between Airdrie and Calgary. What made the trip longer, besides the fact that we weren't moving, traffic was being re-routed through Cochrane. Talk about taking the scenic route. But we finally made it! Thank god!

So now, I'm just waiting for Irma and Irene to get ready and it's off to Vancouver. I hope the roads aren't bad and there isn't much traffic.

I'm outta here!

Everything's done (well, all that needs to be). So it's off to Vancouver, with a pit stop in Calgary. Yay!

Done...

...bills are paid, and I have 40 minutes to spare. Now if I can just clear my "In Box"...

Time running out...

I have all these bills to pay before I leave. I have just a little under an hour and a half to get things done. Hopefully I'll finish it all by then...

And I still have to pick up some last minute things before I head to Calgary. Ugh! I don't know how I'm gonna do this...[remain calm, remain calm, inhale, exhale...]. Oh and I also have to go the bank, blah, blah, blah...

Ooooh, look at the time....gotta run...

It's Wednesday already?!

Where have I been? I've been so busy lately with work, kickboxing, blah blah blah, that I haven't posted. Mind you, I don't think anything worth writing down happened over the past couple of days, which is probably why I haven't written anything (duh! =P).

Actually, I should mention....

Hockey Game Last Night

I got free tickets to the hockey game last night. That's one of the perks working at this job - you get free tickets from your boss if he decides not to go. It was a pretty close game against Columbus and, of course, we won. Woo hoo! (And no Irma, I didn't get too involved in the game. hehehe. =P). My brother and I left about 3 minutes before the game ended to beat the rush to the LRT.

One more day...

...before we head out to Vancouver! Yay! Can't wait to see you again, Leah! :-)

Car rental is booked. And now all I have to do is pack. I can't believe I'm leaving this to the last minute. Hopefully I don't forget anything...

Where are my comments?

You're right Gary, the comments thing isn't working. You broke it, didn't you? hehehe. ;-)

I'm still behind...

...on posting that is. I've just been too busy, or too sleepy, to sit in front of the computer to jot down any thoughts. Now that I have a spare moment, I can finally transfer stuff from my brain to here. Then my mind won't feel so "full".

Let's see...After kickboxing class on Friday, I went to Irma's place to watch Sex in the City. I think it was the very first episode because all the characters looked so different. Then we went to Milan's Restaurant on Whyte Ave. It's quite nice and cozy and has great ambiance. We hung out there for a while, but lost track of the time because it was 1:06 am when I looked at my watch, the restaurant was supposed to close at 1:00 am, and we were the only ones left in the restaurant. Oops. =P

There's more...

Since I had the day off on Saturday, Irma and I went to the museum to check out the "Sixties" exhibit which featured the sights and sounds of the decade. Samples from the exhibit included the space thing (UFO's, etc), the "Leave it to Beaver" type household, influence of the Beat Generation, fashion (clothes, hair styles, make-up), The Beatles, and rock & roll leading into Woodstock. I noticed a few people taking a bit more time looking at the LSD and marijuana (a.k.a. grass, pot, tea, weed, boo, ganja, bhang, Mary Jane & joints, spliffs, reefers - as per the display) replicas. Maybe they had a craving?

Did you know?

Words/terms that were coined in the 60's included: UFO, brain drain, mod, kook, kinky, biological clock, biodegradable, and ambisextrous (no, not ambidextrous).

End Quote

Perhaps the best way to sum up the 60's would be:

"...A world of hippies, drugs, free love, metaphysics, and political activism." -- Elliott Landy

But it doesn't stop there...

We were getting hungry, so we went to the Outback Steakhouse (yes, we have them in Canada too. =P), since I had never been there before. And the weird thing is, there's one about 8 blocks away from my house!

After dinner, the plan was to catch a cheap movie then go to a sports bar/lounge to watch the end of the hockey game. But when we got to the theatre, there was a long ass line. So it was on to plan B - rent a movie and watch it at Irma's. Then Irma realized that instead of renting a movie, we might as well watch the hockey game and then go out afterwards. It was an exciting "Battle of Alberta" hockey game (btw, I have a bit of a sore throat from all that screaming. hehe). By the end of the game, I was tiiiiired! Maybe it was from all that cheering and screaming? The only problem was, I was hungry. So, we went to McDonald's for a quick snack and called it a night.

Highlights of the night:

• delirium-causing carbon monoxide (again)
  
• driving in circles (our specialty)
  
• discovering a new route (85th Ave to Calgary Trail)
  
• attempting to order pizza from The Funky Pickle because they have free delivery within 5 km, only to find out that they really don't deliver and it would take 45 minutes VERSUS actually walking to The Funky Pickle, which is 6 blocks away and would probably only take about 20 minutes when it's all said and done?

What are the chances...

...that there are people in the world who are friends AND have the same names as you and your friend(s) (providing that either your name and/or your friend's name is uncommon)?

The "view web page" link on my blog wasn't working earlier. For some reason, I couldn't "view" it, so I tried to do a search for my blog. When the search results came up, I came across this person's blog. At first I thought that Irma started a new blog or something. But it was a different Irma and the weird thing is, she too has a friend named Michelle! [Irma, some of the stuff they have in common included: "friendship/relationship experiences, picky clothes related shopping habits, "don't come between us and our food, or you'll be sorry," and being impatient. Does any of this sound familiar to you? hehehe. ;-)] How freaky is that? I mean, Irma is not a common name, but for someone to be named Irma and have a friend named Michelle is a bit twilight-zone-ish, don't you think? It would probably be really freaky if they were filipino too. But they aren't.

Time to empty out the brain...

Seeing as I didn't get a chance to post anything last night, I thought I better clear all this information (a condensed version) floating around in my head. Like certain files on a hard drive, it takes up space and I feel like my mind is all cluttered.

Anyway, I decided to hang out after work since my former co-workers arranged to have their office social at the Billiard Club. I was looking forward to seeing the people from the Phoenix office (they were in town for the week), especially Kristin since we always communicated on the phone but we never met each other. Until last night. It was good to finally put a face to a name. Most of the people from my old office were there. A couple of them I really didn't want to see (uh, like my former boss), but it was OK. I hung out with them for a couple hours, made my rounds and chit-chatted with most of them. I've said it before and I'll say it again - I'm so glad I got out of my previous job.

I think I'm having a Bern moment...

While I was chit-chatting with my former co-workers, I somehow managed to plan a lunch and yoga session for next week. And then sushi and a possible trip to Phoenix for... who knows when. All I know is that next week is going to be hectic. Between the usual work, gym, and kickboxing, there's also lunch, yoga, then it's off to Vancouver. I don't know how I'm going to survive next week? Although the trip to Vancouver will be a nice way to end things off. How do you do it Bern? Too bad you weren't coming... :-(

Back to Work

Although I enjoyed having the past 3 days off, I am glad to be back at work. I was starting to get a bit antzy, since I wasn't too busy. My day has been pretty good so far, and I finally got one of my reports to balance. Woo hoo! All in a days work... :-)

Day 3 of 3 Days Off

I had my hair appointment today to do something new with my hair. I was getting tired of doing the flip thing, so my hairdresser and I decided to go for this spring look. It's definitely different than what I've gotten done in the past, but I like it. For lack of a better term, it's quite springy. ;-)

Besides the hair appointment, today was not that productive:

• I wanted to go to the gym this morning, but didn't because I woke up too late and I was afraid that I'd be late for my hair appointment.
  
• Trying to find my new toy didn't happen either. Maybe I'll do that this weekend.
  
• I didn't get a chance to call around for car rentals this afternoon because I fell asleep and by the time I woke up, it was too late to call anyone. So I'll probably do that at work tomorrow.

You know you have too many clothes when...

...you haven't ironed in so long and you come across pants/shirts/skirts that you forgot you had because they had been buried at the bottom of your "to iron" pile. No wonder my closet seemed to be missing some things. And I couldn't figure out what was missing. I guess that means I have to go through my closet again. Of course, it is time for spring cleaning. :-)

Day 2 of 3 Days Off

I'm getting used to this time off. The first stop on my agenda was Sport Mart to take a look at snowboarding pants for an upcoming ski trip. I wasn't planning to buy anything (but that would all change later) because I just wanted to see what's out there. They didn't have anything, so my next stop was Sport Chek to check out what they had. I noticed that now is the time to buy stuff because everything is on sale, except the selection is limited. I saw a couple of boarding pants that I liked, but didn't buy them because there was another place that I wanted to check out first. Plus I didn't have time to try anything on since I had a lunch date with Edna. It was good to see Edna again as it gave us a chance to catch up on what's been going on. It seems that nothing has changed since I left, but that's not my problem anymore. I'm so glad I left that place.

After lunch, I went to United Cycle to see what they had in stock. They didn't have much to choose from, but something did catch my eye. The pants I saw happened to be the last ones in my size AND they were on sale, so of course I couldn't pass them up. And seeing as the outfit wouldn't be complete without a jacket, I ended up buying the matching jacket (again, last one in my size AND on sale).

I went home briefly, took a power nap, then headed to the gym. After the gym, I went to kickboxing which was a pretty good class. I'm almost back into my routine. Now if I can just get my workout program in order, maybe I'd start seeing some results.

Day 1 of 3 Days Off

I didn't do too much today. Went for breakfast, came home, watched a bit of tv, went to the mall and came back with 3 shirts, came home for dinner, then went to watch a movie. Pretty slow day for me, but that's OK since I'll be doing more running around tomorrow and Tuesday.

It's Showtime!

I saw Showtime with Robert De Niro and Eddie Murphy. The movie wasn't bad, but I prefer to see Robert De Niro in the mafia-type movies.

Adventures with Irma - Part...(I lost count)

Irma and I went out for dinner last night to Billingsgate Fish Co/The Lighthouse Cafe. We were in the mood for seafood, so we figured we'd try this new place. The food was awesome! I had the salmon and Irma had the atlantic char. Yum! We were so stuffed after, but it was so worth it. It also helped with my clinical depression.

Clinically Depressed?

I was feeling a bit down last night, hence the term. OK, so I'm exaggerating a little, but that's how I felt last night. I thought back to these 2 online tests I took a while ago where my results confirmed that I was clinically depressed. The weird thing was, I took 2 separate tests at different times.

I need a drink...

That was the underlying theme last night. So to help me, I figured I needed a drink to calm my nerves. Or maybe I was just in alcohol withdrawal? Great, now I'm a clinically depressed alcoholic. That can't be a good thing. But the drink kinda helped... hehehe. =P

Next Stop: Urban Lounge

After dinner, Irma and I went to Urban Lounge. We hadn't been there in a while, so we thought we'd check it out. Plus we (more like Irma) wanted to watch the rest of the hockey game, and they had this St. Patrick's thing going on. We stayed for a while [you know you're getting old when you leave before midnight], and then headed to Keegan's for a snack.

Highlights of the evening:

• "Do you need help"
  
• irritating girl in the denim skirt
  
• 2 ladies trying to give each other a high five, but missed
  
• bride-to-be with bunny ears constantly pulling her skirt down; and her and all of her friends were wearing plaid skirts (it looked like a Britney Spears school girl video thing)
  
• weird guy dancing to this alternative song (I forgot which song), using some kind of kung-fu/tai-chi technique
  
• stoned-looking girl dancing like a statue
  
• evil thoughts
  
• Irma actually "wishing she had a laptop" (yes, I finally succeeded in brainwashing her. lol! :-) )

Random Thought

Have you ever had thoughts about beating someone up because they just annoyed the hell out of you? Now, whether or not you actually carry out that plan is another story. Well, that happened to me last night. No, I didn't beat anyone up; I just had the thought. Irritating-girl-in-the-denim-skirt was just getting on my nerves for some reason (I think it was because she was in my space), and I had this step-by-step image in my head of how I would proceed to beat her up. Perhaps I'm having a delayed reaction to PMS. Or maybe it's one of the effects of the full moon a couple days ago. I know it sounds bad, it was just a thought. And I'm not the only one with "evil thoughts" (hehehe). I'm not sure if I would ever have a fight with anyone. Then again, I've never been in a situation where I had to fight someone. Maybe the purpose of having the thought is to "live the moment" in your mind, so you don't end up actually hurting someone. Yeah, I need help...

End Quote:

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step"
-- Lao Tzu c 531 BC

3 Days Off

Yup, as of now (well, actually about 2 hours ago), I officially have 3 days off (well, actually 3.5 days off but who's counting? =P). With all this time off, I'm not sure what I'm going to do to keep myself busy. I'm sure I'll find things to do. There's always running around and doing errands and stuff. Hmmm, I could probably book a lunch with someone on Monday. Anyone interested? Oh, Monday lunch is booked. So far my schedule is quite open. I'll most likely hit the gym Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. There's also kickboxing on Monday. Then an appointment on Tuesday afternoon. What to do on Sunday and Monday during the day is still in the air. Maybe I'll look for my new toy?

Back to Class

I made it a point to go to kickboxing, seeing as I missed the last 5 classes. But technically I only missed 2 because my instructor was sick all of last week so class was cancelled. Who am I kidding?

Anyway, it was good to get back to class and see some of my kickboxing buddies again. I finally saw Jane (I haven't seen her for months), and of course there was Louise, Mercy, and Ken. The weird thing was, as I was talking to Louise I mentioned that I was going to Vancouver at the end of the month (Leah, here I come...), and she's apparently going to be there that weekend as well. So we're going to try to meet for lunch or something. The ironic thing is that we have to go all the way to Vancouver to have lunch when we're both from Edmonton? Oh well, I'm just excited that I'm going. :-)

Random Thought

Don't you hate it when you eat a bowl of soup and burn the roof of your mouth, which in turn throws off everything you eat thereafter? Not a good thing. And eating a grapefruit doesn't help it either. Ugh.

Christmas in March?

We've been getting a lot of the fluffy white stuff over the past several days, and there's still more to come for the rest of the week. I'm so not liking this weather at all. Although this is perfect weather for snow boarding. And to think spring is next week. Hmmm, what are the chances that all this snow will melt by next Thursday? Wishful thinking, I know, but I like to be optimistic. :-)

What a weekend - Part 2

OK, so now we're on Saturday...

After work, I went to Irma's to have lunch and the plan was to go rock climbing with Joi at Vertically Inclined. Irma and I sat around for a while, and after eating pasta and tiramisu (which is the second best dessert I've had next to the white chocolate brownie thing at Moxie's), I was starting to feel a bit tired. Plus I was going on 5 hours of sleep from the night before. Mike and Joi came over and we were trying to figure out if we were going climbing or not. Mike couldn't go since he had to drive back to Ponoka. The rest of us finally decided to go climbing at 4:30 p.m.

A climbing we will go...

Since the 3 of us have never climbed before, we took a 30 minute crash course on the techniques and terms used in climbing - climber, belayer, "on belay", "climb up", "take", "down", "gotcha", etc. We even learned a rhyme for the technique used to bring a person down (rope over the lip, hand on the hip, loosen the grip - to all the people with messed up thoughts, get your mind out of the gutter! =P). It was so much fun! We managed to reach the top of some of the walls, but there were a couple that I had a bit of trouble with. Partly because the little rock things were out of my reach. There was one wall where I only got half way up. I think I tried climbing the same wall 5 or 6 times, but by the third time my forearms were getting fatigued and my hands were getting slippery. I was so determined to reach the top, but I just couldn't do it. Hey Irma, maybe we should start climbing on a more regular basis. ;-) After 2 hours of climbing we decided to call it quits. Joi left and Irma and I went out for dinner.

Theme song: Spiderman, Spiderman, Friendly neighborhood Spiderman... hehehe. :-)


Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
All that climbing made Irma and I really hungry so we went to Doan's Vietnamese Restaurant for dinner (salad rolls to start, then Combination D for Irma and #63 with crispy noodles for me). The food was not bad (a bit on the salty side), but it was good. [mental note: cute guy with glasses ordering take-out]. After dinner, it was back to Irma's apartment to watch Sex in the City, and we were kinda in the mood to watch an old movie, so we watched Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.


What a weekend - Part 3

I was supposed to go to the gym this morning, but that didn't happen. Instead, I went out for coffee, which didn't wake me up, then got ready to watch a matinee with Irma and Joi. We planned to watch 40 Days and 40 Nights but Joi, being the "sensitive" (I could put something else here =P) guy that he is, backed out at the last minute because he was sore from climbing. So Irma and I went without him. You have to make up for it next weekend. =P

All in all, I'd have to say that I haven't had a fun weekend like this in a long time. Let's do it again guys! :-)

What a weekend so far...

I've been so busy running around and stuff that I haven't had a chance to write this stuff down. And if I don't get it out of my mind soon, I think I'm going to go into brain overload. =P

Let's start with Friday night. Irma met me at my work and we headed to the mall to go shopping. The mission was for her to get a pair of jeans (and whatever else caught her eye), and for me to get a pair of jeans as well. First stop was Jacob. We briefly walked through the store to see what they had and I ended up buying some underwear they had on sale. Then it was off to Forever XXI. Irma had never been there before so I told her I'd take her. I gave her some tips when going through the store and then we were off. We kinda did our own thing, but when I saw her again she had an arm full of clothing! Good job! hehehe. I had a few things myself, so with about half an hour before the store closed, we headed to the fitting rooms to make sure everything fit right. Irma ended up with 2 tops and a skirt (what happened to the jeans?), and I ended up with 1 top and 2 pairs of jeans (I was only looking for one pair of jeans, but then I saw this other pair, and it fit right, and it was in my size, and it was reasonably priced, so I had to get them. =P). I was surprised that we only took about 45 minute to go through the store (my ETA was approximately one hour - minimum). But Irma was a little...overwhelmed [I don't think you were really traumatized considering you still wanted to go shopping today. hehehe]. With 15 minutes left before the mall closed, we quickly went to look for some shoes, but nothing really called out to us.

After we were done shopping (because the stores were closed by this time), we went to Sherlock Holmes for a drink and a snack. Plus we were also waiting for a phone call from Joey to see what the plan was for the evening. Seeing as Joey didn't call, we were ready to call it a night, but Irma decided to call Mike since he was in town for the weekend. Mike was at The Druid so we decided to meet him there. We weren't anticipating a line up with the cold weather, but unfortunately there was one. Good thing we didn't have to wait that long. Plus it helped that Irma and I were chatting with these guys in line, Jeff and Chui (pronounced "chewy" but I'm not sure how it's spelled?). The funny thing was, as the bouncer opened the door to let us in, he closed the door on me. I'm thinking "WTF?! I'm with her..." While Irma and Jeff made inside, I was left on the other side of the door with Chui. But the bouncer must've realized that we were all kinda together so he let me and Chui in as well. What a dork.

Now that were finally inside, we headed straight to the bar to get a drink. Then Irma and I walked around to look for Mike. Once we found him, we all just hung out and had a great time.

Key notes to remember:

• "I've trained you well"
  
• it's all Joey's fault
  
• carbon monoxide poisoning may cause you to become delirious
  
• "Excuse me, have you heard of a bar called Fantasy something?"
  
• I didn't recognize Mike with his hair
  
• "fire marshall" guy asking if I was a teacher?

And that was only Friday night. I still have to write about Saturday's adventure. But I'll have to continue that tomorrow since I'm tired. *yawn*

Farewell Lunch for Lynne

I went out for lunch with some former co-workers (probably 90% of the office) since it was Lynne's last day. It was good to see some of my old co-workers and catch up with what's been going with them. Not so much with what's going on at work (because I really don't need to know that), but more about the social aspect. I was quite flattered when they said that I "looked great" as opposed to when I left three and a half months ago, which wasn't that great.

No work to do...

...which is why I'm actually able to get on the internet and blog. Everything's done and there's nothing left in my "IN" basket. Gotta love it when you're caught up on your work. :-) I would go home early, but Irma is meeting me so we can go shopping.

Deep Freeze

It's DAYUM COLD!!!! BRRR!!!

Oh, and I happened to be thinking of you when I was looking at the weather forecast:

Currently we are sitting at a temperature of -19C under partly cloudy skies. The northwesterly wind of 5 km/h is creating a wind chill of -24C, and the barometric pressure is steady at 102.7 kPa. Tonight, there is a 40% chance of scattered snow flurries and the temperature will be dropping down to -30C. Tomorrow, we will be under mostly cloudy skies with a high of -14C and a low of -22C, with a light south-southeasterly wind. For Saturday, expect some precipitation with a high of -10C and a low of -14C. Our long range forecast looks like this: more snow flurries on Sunday and Monday with highs between -2C and -4C and lows of about -13C. The average temperatures for this time are highs of 1C and lows of -8C. So we're definitely below the normals for the period, but hopefully we'll get some warmer weather by early next week. Back to you Bern [Thought I'd do some ad libbing on the last part. If you ever need a weather person, let me know. hehehe. ;-)]

Yeah, I know I need a life. =P

Happy Birthday Oreo!

90 years ago, the Oreo cookie was introduced. And since then, they've come out with a few varieties - original, mini, reduced fat, and chocolate creme. Why am I talking about this? I had a plate of Oreos on my desk this morning (well, they weren't all for me) with a note saying that Oreo turned 90 today. No, the cookies on the plate weren't 90 years old. =P

Just thought I'd share a tidbit of historic information, that's all. But the real question is, do you dunk? ;-)

Pre-Spring Cleaning

I decided to go through some of my files and stuff and shred them. Old credit card statements, bank statements, etc. It's amazing how much stuff you accumulate without really knowing it. And I'm not sure why I kept all this stuff?

Hockey Game with Irma

Irma and I took the LRT to Skyreach Centre to watch the game between Edmonton and St. Louis. Unfortunately, Edmonton didn't win but at least they tied the game. Maybe next time guys...

One thing I should make note of is the determined fan who insisted that everyone do "the wave". He got his whole section to start things off, but the rest of the coliseum didn't really participate. I guess they weren't really in the mood? Even one of the "CBC guys with the afros" moved to the other side of the coliseum to get the crowd going. Talk about hardcore hockey fans.

After the game, we went to Ceili's, had a couple drinks and a snack, and just enjoyed the entertainment.

Random Thought

Have you ever seen a person that was so intriguing that you couldn't stop looking at them? Regardless of whether or not you know them, it's very rare (I think) to see a person and not get "bored" of the way they look. I mean, sometimes when you come across attractive people, they're fine to look at at first, but after a while they just seem to blend with everyone else. There was just something about the singer at Ceili's that was captivating (right Irma?!). He just had that you-could-stare-at-him-forever-and-not-say-a-word kinda look. Maybe it was his dimples. Or his cleft chin. Or maybe I just had one too many drinks. =P

Slowly making my rounds

Even though I've been back from PI for a while now, I still haven't seen all my friends. It's just so hard to coordinate with conflicting schedules, y'know? But I was finally able to meet up with my friend Mhae and her family. We actually haven't seen each other since last July, so it was good to get together and catch up. And it was also good to see my godson again.

Mini reunion?

Just as Mhae and I were chit-chatting, we ran into Jon and Pam (who I haven't seen in a really long time) at the mall with their baby, Ivan. He's so cute, but he was sleeping at the time.

Speaking of babies...

...they were all over the place! Everywhere I turned, there would be a baby buggy going by. It was like an invasion of babies or something. My friends asked me when I'd be having a baby. Uh, gotta work on the man situation first before I can think of having a baby. Unless, I go to a sperm bank and get a donation, or adopt, or have an immaculate conception. Hmmm, I think I'll just stick to working on the man situation for now, and think about the baby thing later. ;-)

Power Nap

After hanging out with Mhae and Dennis and the kids, I went home to take a power nap. Only instead of napping for half an hour, I slept for two and a half hours. Whoa, I guess I've been missing out on some sleep. But I feel refreshed and ready to go. Plus I'll need this energy for the hockey game tonight.

It's already March?

It seems like the last 2 months were a blur. Where'd the time go??

Update on Side Job...

I don't think it's going to work out. Although the meeting with the guy went well, he left a message on my voice mail this morning, saying that he wanted me to work for them, but the money thing was an issue. According to him and his partner, they had budgeted to spend half of what I was asking for and were firm on their number. So, I called him back and told him that I wouldn't take the job. Simply because it wouldn't be worth my time. Even though I'd only be working every couple of weeks, the travel time is just not worth it. It's too bad, because I was looking forward to making some extra cash so I could by myself a new toy. Oh well. I guess I'll just have to save up.

Running Around the City

This is the first time that I've spent most of my working day on the road. And yes, I was working. =P

First stop was the west end location. Then it was down the freeway to the southside location. On the way there, I made a pit stop at the printers to pick up a print job I had dropped off yesterday. After the southside location, I drove a co-worker to Staples to pick up some paper. And finally I made it to the office. Did a bit of paperwork, entered some stuff into the computer, then it was off to the bank. After the bank Tara and I went to the other south location, then made it back to the office. Oh, but it doesn't stop there. I walked back to the southside location (good thing it's only half a block from the office) to drop off some paychecks, came back and had a quick bite to eat. I did a bit more stuff on the computer, then it was off to downtown for a meeting for this potential side-job opportunity (which I think went pretty well). After the meeting, I went back to the office, did a bit more paperwork, and then I was called back to the southside location to fix their ATM machine. By the time I was done, it was already 4:30 p.m. *sigh* And it still didn't stop there...

Happy Belated Birthday Jenn!

I picked up Jenn and we went to Ceili's for her belated birthday dinner. Sorry it took a month, but better late than never right? :-) We had a lot of catching up to do, since we hadn't seen each since I left for the Philippines (that was 3 months ago!). After dinner, we went back to my place and hung out for a while.

Now that I think of it, it's so true what was said to me earlier: "isn't it great to be a passenger?". Uh yeah, especially with all this driving.

LOL LOL LOL!

Irma invited me (and my brother tagged along) to go to Yuk Yuk's with her co-workers, since they had extra tickets. It was amateur night, so some comedians were funny and some were well...not so funny. But you have to give them credit for having the courage to go up there and attempting to make the audience laugh. The headliner, Jay Wendell Walker, was hilarious. We couldn't stop laughing, and I was almost in tears from laughing so hard. It was a lot of fun! :-)

Side Job

I might have an opportunity to do some accounting work for this new real estate company that's just starting up. Not really sure what it entails, but from what I've been told, I would be working a couple days a week. Hmmm, if it's worth it then why not. I wouldn't mind making some extra cash. Then maybe I can buy myself a new toy...;-)

Slow day, but busy...

Ever get those days when it seems like you're not doing a lot, but at the same time the clock is racing? That was my day today. It didn't seem like I was doing a lot, but the time was going way too fast. By the end of the day, it seemed like I "caught up" to the time, but I don't think I accomplished much. Oh well, tomorrow is another day.

Another Gold for Team Canada!

Woo hoo! In addition to the gold medal for the women's hockey team, we also got the gold for men's hockey. It's the first time that both men's and women's hockey teams won the gold. Mind you, women's hockey has only been in the past two Olympics (I think), but still. Just the fact that both teams won the gold medal was just awesome. What a way to end the Olympics. I must say, I don't watch sports that often, but this game was so exciting. I was watching the game by myself, screaming at the tv and then laughing at myself for what I was doing. hehehe. =P

The cool part was that the ice maker (who happens to be Canadian, and from Edmonton), buried a loonie in centre ice and they're going to put it in the Hall of Fame. I kinda wanted to watch the closing ceremonies, but then Irma, Joi, and I decided to go to Café Select instead.

Episode ? (I've lost count) - Another Outing with Irma and Joi

Seeing as we hadn't been to Café Select in a long time, we figured it was time to make an appearance. ;-) Only this time, we sat next to the "gay" picture (which resembled k.d. lang and the lead singer of Counting Crows?) and the person in the picture was giving Joi the look. =P

Key points to remember:

• "Don't touch me"
  
• Joi has no blood
  
• the other picture [Joi, I won't write it down here but all I'll say is "got milk", so you should know what I'm talking about ;-)]
  
• caffeine overdose (Joi's cut off)
  
• my seizures
  
• what color is my sweater?
  
• balance

You know, even though Joi said it was "all about Irma", I think tonight was more about Joi. Don't you agree Irma? hehehehe.

We have communication...

Since my old cell phone died about 3 months, I finally picked up my new one today. Yay! I thought I'd be able to live without one, but it does come in handy when people are trying to get hold of me, or if I get stuck on the road, or something. I really like how it's compact and light. Now to test it out...

Back to Cold Weather

Not liking this at all. We were having such nice weather last week, and now it's dropped to -13C with a windchill of -21C. Brrrrrrr... I think the theory about the groundhog is totally wrong. Since it didn't see it's shadow, we're supposed to have nice weather until spring. Uh, I don't consider this nice weather.

Speed Shopping

No, not for me. Irma wanted to get a pair of shoes and we only had 25 minutes before the mall closed. And successfully, she came out with a pair of shoes that she liked. I'm so proud of you. hehehe. =P

Brain Food

After the speed shopping, we headed to Moxie's to grab something to eat, since I came from kickboxing and was SO hungry. Plus, we were craving the white chocolate brownie thing, which is the best dessert ever! Yum!!

Confused and Lost

Progressing from the little itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie step... And forget about the reverse psychology thing. Not sure what to make of it. Thinking one thing, but it's actually something else (like something out of left field). I'm confused and completely lost...

Oh, and this just in...

I'm hoping this isn't going to have a snowball effect.

Making some progress...

Taking little itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie steps, but we're making some progress (I think). Don't know why the whole reverse-psychology thing has to be involved, but so be it.

Back to Kickboxing

I finally made it back to kickboxing. Yay! And I'm so glad I went. I felt so good afterwards. There's nothing like going to class and feeling all revived. The class itself was not bad, and I managed to keep up with everybody. I'm a bit rusty with my technique, but I know in time I'll get back into the swing of things. Plus it was good to see my fellow kickboxers. :-)

Running Around

It never seems to fail that whenever I have a day off, it's usually spent running errands. Had my dentist appointment earlier this morning, then my hair appointment. And after that, I continued running around and did some shopping with my brother. I came home briefly, but then it was back on the road again for me. And there's still a couple of things I have to do yet. *sigh*

Finally made it to the gym...

Woo hoo! During all this madness running around the city, I did manage to get to the gym. I've been feeling a bit blah lately since I haven't done any physical activity in a while. Hey Leah, too bad we couldn't workout together. I need to start eating healthy again too ;-) Not to mention lose 3 pounds. It may not seem significant, but to me it is. Especially when certain clothes aren't fitting right. And as much as I'd like to find an excuse to go shopping, I'd rather not spend the money. Plus, I'm trying to save up for something else.

And Blogger is temporarily down...

...so I can't post this just yet...

No Cavities

Just came from the dentist and I have no cavities. Woo hoo! The only thing I don't like about going to the dentist is that you have to wait half an hour before you can eat or drink because of the fluoride. The wierd thing is I always seem to be hungry after I visit the dentist. OK, 15 more minutes and I can have lunch...

Solicitors/Telemarketers, etc...

You do your best to avoid them, but there's always the off chance that you get stuck talking to them for at least a few minutes. Case and point - I just got off the phone with some customer service rep from my bank (because my brother answered the phone, therefore didn't screen the call), offering me some kind of accident insurance "for the low price of $5.95 per month, and the bank will pay the first month's premium". It was obvious that she was reading a script, but what gets me (besides the fact that she got a hold of me) is that she couldn't speak english that well. She had this heavy accent and I had a bit of trouble understanding.

Message to all solicitors/telemarketers/people who have nothing better to do than call people at 8:00 pm, etc: If you must hire someone to try to promote your product/service (and annoy the people they contact), at least get someone that can speak english!" Ugh. =P

I'm so tired

Part of it's from lack of sleep (singing too much the night before =P), part of it's from work, and I think part of it's also because of the fact that I still haven't gone to the gym, so I'm feeling sluggish. Ugh. I don't feeling like this. Tomorrow is my day off though so I have no excuse not to hit the gym. *yawn* I think I'll take a nap...

My cousin is SO cute!

I hadn't seen him since last August and he's grown so much already. He's only 7 months old, but he's getting really big. He has the cutest facial expressions and you can't help but laugh. There's the serious look, the "who are you" look, and the "you're weird" look. He not that comfortable with me, since he doesn't always see me so I think I'm going to try to spend more time with my cousin.

Dinner with the family

Our family and Shelley's family (my brother's fiancee) went to Moxie's for dinner. The food was good, I ate too much, but was feeling a bit "happy" after a bellini and a couple glasses of white zinfandel. The best part was dessert. 4 of us shared the famous white chocolate brownie thing, and it was SOOOOOOOO good! I swear, that has got to be the best dessert ever.

It's not over till...

...someone sings. After dinner, we all came back to our house and Mike, Shelley, Laura, and I decided to play with the karaoke machine. What is it about singing that's so addictive? I guess it's because we all have so much fun singing (even though we don't sing that well), that we just keep belting out the tunes. I think I'll sing one more song before I go to sleep. ;-)

Sex in the City

I think I need to upgrade my cable package so I can get the channel that this show is on. Last night's episode was the second time I've ever watched the show, and I must say it is very...different. I totally agree with Irma when she says that it resembles her, Jo Anne, Christine, and I. Hey Irma, maybe I should just hang out at your place on Friday nights? :-)

Early Start to Another Tradition

Our walks down Whyte Ave have started early yet again. I swear Irma, if we keep this up we'll be walking during winter too. ;-) It was a nice evening and the plan was to walk until we felt cold and then go into the nearest pub/coffee shop that was on the way. [sidenote: almost walked through a "don't walk" signal; I waved at someone driving a red car who waved at me first?]. We managed to get to O'Byrne's pub, but there was no place to sit. Next stop was Second Cup but they were closing in 20 minutes. So we ended up at Tim Horton's to warm up and grab a snack. We continued our trek and then went to The Next Act pub, where we had another drink and some munchies. I was craving something, but wasn't sure what (don't you hate that?).

It was good to be outside, especially since I haven't done any real form of activity since I got back from PI. Although I was a bit disappointed that there weren't that many people walking around too. I guess they're not as dedicated as we are, right Irma? =P

What to do?

Since I had the day off, I figured I'd take advantage of it and do some stuff. Only I had no idea what I wanted to do and I couldn't remember if there was anything really important. I went to the mall (no, I didn't buy anything; and yes, i'm feeling alright =P), walked around (passed by La Senza and there was this girl standing at the entrance wearing a bra and panties underneath a sheer kimono, and I think she was promoting their new perfume or something? all the guys walking by did a double-take), then left because there was WAY too many people. Then I went to the gas station and then to the car wash. Yup, quite the eventful Saturday isn't it? Not.

Reunion?

When I read Leah's blog about her 10 year reunion, I knew mine was coming up as well. The weird thing was, while I was at the mall I ran into Mark, who I went to high school with (I've actually known him since junior high). He's in town till tomorrow and just came up from Calgary to hang out with some friends. We talked briefly and he mentioned something about our 10 year high school reunion. Ugh. I knew it was this year, but I hadn't heard anything about it so I wasn't sure if there was going to be one. Apparently there is one, but Mark didn't know when. I don't think I would go simply because I already keep in touch with those people I want to keep in touch with. And as for the other people from my graduating class, I see them around anyway. I suppose it would be interesting to see everyone in one room together and find out what's happened to them over the past 10 years. I just don't think I'd be up for it.

I also ran into a girl I went to college with (Chrissy). We somehow run into each other every year and a half or something. But we always manage to catch up with what's going on with each other. Talk about being a reunion type of day...

There was something wrong with my previous entry...

...so I deleted it. I got this message from Blogger saying there was some error with the link or something? And for some reason I couldn't edit it. So the quickest way to solve the problem - hit the delete key.



[what I was trying to post earlier this morning]

3 4
The number of times I've tried posting this entry (was experiencing all that technical difficulty earlier)

5.5
Hours of sleep I had last night.

811
The time I woke up this morning. There's definitely something wrong with this picture. I thought I was going to be able to sleep in, seeing as it's my day off. Either my body is getting used to my morning schedule during the week, or I completely passed out last night and got enough sleep?

Quite the eventful day

First, I got up late. But it's no biggie because I still managed to get to work on time. Plus it's not like I have a set schedule anyway (yup, gotta love the flexible schedule thing). Then, I got to work thinking "today shouldn't be so bad". Uh, yeah (hello, valentine's day yesterday remember?!). I had a bit of an issue with one of our locations, but it worked out in the end. Whew! But then the other location was giving me grief. I checked, double checked, even triple checked the numbers, and nothing was balancing. Argh! I even took a break, did something else, then came back to it just in case I missed something the first three times. Nope. The numbers still didn't balance. So we a/r'd (accounting lingo) the person working that shift. Don't think he's going to be too happy with that, but oh well. And while I was doing all this balancing, I got 2 phone calls in a span of a minute and a half. Huh? I'm thinking, who could possibly be calling me here, when no one knows how to get a hold of me? Anyway, the second call was from a friend of mine in Phoenix. She got my work number from my brother (because she initially called my house) and wanted to talk, but I couldn't because I was in the middle of doing my reports. I told her I'd call her back later. Once the reports were done, it was off to the bank.

The trip to the bank was easy, then it was back to the other location to drop off some stuff they needed. As I was walking back to the office I was debating on whether or not to call my friend back in Phoenix, since I planned to have lunch (with a select few of my former co-workers) at 12:30 pm. And by this time it was already 12:25 pm! I figured I'd make a "quick" phone call (10 minutes max) thinking the people I'd be meeting would be fashionably late anyway. Of course, that wasn't the case. My "quick" phone call ended up being 20 minutes, so I was late for my lunch, and they got there on time. Go figure. But it was OK. It was good to get together with them again and "catch up" so-to-speak.

After lunch, it was back to the office to get some real work done. It seemed like I hadn't done anything all day, and I was feeling a little guilty. I managed to accomplish quite a bit of paperwork, which was good. I have to say, I am a bit pooped. One thing's for sure, I'm so glad I get the weekend off. Yay! :-)



Random Thought
[As Tara (my co-worker) and I were on our way to the bank]

We were commenting on how we've been having nice weather lately. It's almost spring weather. And that's when we started talking about Groundhog's Day. How did Groundhog's Day come about? I mean, how long have people been studying the behavior of groundhogs to come to the conclusion that if they see their shadow, on February 2nd, that we're supposed to get another 6 weeks of cold weather (or vice versa)? Why February 2nd? And how many of these groundhogs are there? I know they're all over the place, but it's not like it's the same groundhog year after year. So what, do the groundhogs pass on this tradition to other groundhogs? OK, so I'm being a bit facetious. =P Hey, as long as the groundhog in Edmonton didn't see his shadow, which means we get an early spring, that's all that matters. I don't like the cold weather.

[all part of the adventures of driving down the back alley. hehehe.]

Valentine's Dinner

Being the single people that we are, Irma, Jo Anne, Christine, and I went to Symposium for dinner. We decided to make it a "traditional" thing to go out for dinner on Valentine's. It's not that we're depressed that we're single or anything, but who said single people can't celebrate Valentine's day as well?

The food was really good, but the service sucked. You'd think that they would have anticipated a busy night, hence have more staff on duty, but that wasn't the case. We waited a long time for our food (too long), but we did have some interesting conversation while we were waiting (underwear under the wetsuit? week-long pedicure? lol!).

I have to say this day doesn't phase me one bit. The whole romance thing - dinner, wine, flowers, candy, blah blah blah - I think is over-rated. Don't get me wrong, I do like the romance thing, but why should it be concentrated on this day? I mean, why should your love/affection/feelings for another be known on this day alone? Shouldn't that be celebrated everyday?

Anyway, although it is late, I just wanted to wish everyone Happy Valentine's Day!.

Shafted!

That was the headline on the newspaper yesterday about the pairs figure skating competition. Now, two days after the competition, people are still talking about the "scandalous" event. What should have been an obvious gold medal for the Canadian team, did not turn out that way. I'm not an expert on figure skating, but I thought the Canadian team skated a flawless performance. Although their artistic component could've been a bit better, their technical portion was, in my opinion, perfect. The Russian team, who were very artistic in their presentation, clearly had some trouble with some of their jumps and they should've been penalized accordingly. But they weren't. Instead, the Canadian team suffered at the hands of the judges and ended up settling for the silver medal.

I'm not sure why this is bugging me so much. It's not like I'm a skater myself. I guess what bothers me is the whole fairness issue when it comes to competitions like these. I recall during the opening ceremonies there was a representative for the judges who took an oath, saying that they would "abide by the rules and evaluate fairly...blah blah blah..." (or something to that effect). But here you have a situation where there's talk of the Russian and French judges making a deal to score in favor of each others skating teams, in hopes of bettering their chances of getting a medal. So what should the IOC or ISU do to prevent this from happening again? I figure the panel of judges should not include judges from countries who have a team participating in the event. As in this case, there shouldn't have been a Russian or Canadian judge on the panel. In that sense, the judging would be unbiased. To an extent. The only problem with this is that you'll end up with judges who have no knowledge about figure skating. Not to mention there's still the chance that there'll be "deal-making" to fix the scores. So where does it end?

I must say though the Canadian team has, and probably will get, more publicity now than if they had won the gold medal to begin with. But really, with or without the medal, the Canadian team skated a gold medal performance.

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

And Sun Nin Fy Lok! (that's Cantonese for: Wishing you prosperity! and Happy New Year! :-)

Here's a fortune cookie for you!

It's definitely Monday

I had quite the day today. My morning started off OK, until I tried balancing some numbers. Nothing would balance, so I headed to the main office to fix the problem there. Later, I realized I had a dyslexic moment. Ugh.

On my way to the office, everything was going fine on the freeway, until I hit some traffic. Huh?! Traffic at 10:45 am? Everyone's supposed to be at work, so there shouldn't be traffic at this time. I figured it was an accident. And sure enough, it was. Apparently, a truck lost his tire? which caused a huge problem on the freeway. So to help pass the time, I sang to myself in the car. Hey, had to keep myself in a good mood somehow. ;-) After being stuck on the freeway for 45 minutes, I finally made it to the office. The worst part was that the roads were muddy, so I wasn't too happy with the fact that my car was dirty after I had just washed it yesterday.

So now it was time for me to fix the problem I had earlier with balancing numbers. That took no time to figure out (I just missed a zero, oops!), but then the reports weren't making sense. Argh! We finally decided that some of Saturday's numbers got mixed up with Sunday's numbers, so we left it. Overall, we were out $2. Not a big deal in the big picture, but it might create some questions when analysed in detail. I hope not.

Then we went for lunch. Not that bad, but my clam chowder was too salty. After lunch, it was back to grind to work on payroll. We worked on payroll for the rest of the afternoon, and by the end of the day my head was spinning. I took in quite a bit of information, and by 4:30 pm I wasn't processing anything anymore.

But my evening ended OK. I went home, had dinner, then went to the mall. Did a bit of shopping and bought 2 shirts. :-)

Another Evening Out with Irma and Joi

The evening started out with a movie. We were supposed to watch something else (i am sam, I think?), but it wasn't playing at Eaton Centre [Irma, maybe there was a typo in the paper? ;-)]. So we decided to watch Black Hawk Down instead. We had about half an hour before the movie started, so we went to Elephant & Castle for a drink. Yup, drinking in the middle of the afternoon. ;-) But Irma was a bit in withdrawal, so we figured it would be good for her (just kidding! hehe). We had our drink and headed back to the theatre. The movie was not bad. Lots of action and quite graphic. Blood and guts all over the place, but then what do you expect from a war movie?

We had dinner at Red Robin's, and then went to Ken's house (Joi's friend) to continue drinking. We're really not alcoholics. ;-) Irma and I shared a bottle of white zinfandel, and Joi opted for Crown Royal. Really, we're not alcoholics. We hung out there for a while and then decided to go to Dante's for some dancing. Only when we got there, for some reason they wouldn't let anyone in unless you were on the guest list. Huh?! Yeah, whatever! So that meant Plan B.

Plan B was to check out Rum Jungle. We had no problem getting in, but the place was packed. The music was OK, but the crowd was too young. Joi left early, and Irma and I hung out there till about 1:00-ish?

Which brings me to my next point...

I'm getting too old for this...

Irma and I decided that we're getting too old for the club scene. Maybe if it wasn't so crowded, and maybe if the crowd wasn't so young, then maybe we wouldn't have come to this conclusion. But obviously that wasn't the case. I guess we've reached the point in our lives where we've outgrown the club scene. I mean, once in a while I do like to go dancing but the whole atmosphere has to be right (i.e. not too crowded, people in the same age group, etc.). Hey Irma, now that we're getting "older", maybe we need to take up another hobby. Oh, I don't know, something like wine tasting perhaps? LOL!

Highlights of the Evening (can't forget these! =P)

• characters from Blues Clues
  
• who's the green teletubby (as Irma hums the song...)?
  
• ultimate lasagne and the dry carrot
  
• Irma's fishbowl drink
  
• getting too mellow in the comfy couch

Come to think of it, why didn't we just do our traditional Café Select thing instead?


Random Thought

"Age ain't nothing but a number". To an extent. I don't think this phrase is true until you hit a certain age. Let's say there's 3 years difference between 2 people. When you're younger, 3 years is such a big gap. For example, when you're in elementary, kids in grade 6 don't associate with kids in grade 3. Part of it is the "un-cool" thing, but mostly it's because they're at different stages in life.

Here's another example. When you're 18, dating someone who's 15 seems a bit weird (not to mention illegal). You have one person who's hit the age of majority and going into the stage of adulthood [at least we hope they become adults ;-)], and one who has a long way to go so-to-speak. Of course, it is possible for them to date, but I'm not talking about the dating scene.

In my opinion, I think the "age ain't nothing but a number" thing doesn't hold true until you're in your mid to late 20's. At this stage, people seem to be more on the same wave length. Sure it all depends on the person's maturity level, etc., but the "gap" isn't as big as when you're younger. The way I see it, the older you get, the closer the gap becomes.

The point of this is merely an observation based on what happened this weekend. Being that I'm 28, going into a club where the average age of 95% of the people is about 21, just isn't right. You can't relate to anyone there. I guess I'm just at a point in my life where I'm done with the party scene. Going out once in a while is OK, but not every weekend. Could it be that I'm ready to settle down?...That's another topic for another day. ;-)

2002 Olympic Winter Games - Salt Lake City, Utah

I just finished watching the opening ceremonies and I kinda wish I was there. It just reminded me of when I was at the 2001 World Track & Field Championship last August. Of course it's not the same calibur as the Olympics, but I still would've liked to have been there to experience it. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to settle for watching it on tv. At least this way, I don't have to experience the cold weather they're having. ;-)

Random Thought

Why is it the tiniest (that doesn't look right) cut hurts so much, or in my case bleeds a lot? I have the smallest cut on my finger and it won't stop bleeding. If this doesn't stop soon, I might run out of blood. Oooh, I'm starting to feel a bit faint. No wait, I'm just getting sleepy. hehehe. G'nite! =P

Short Work Day

Seeing as I worked on Tuesday, which was supposed to be my day off, I was able to take the afternoon off today. Hmmm, I think this is something I could get used to. ;-) But I wanted to take advantage of accomplishing some of the stuff on my to-do list. Although I didn't check off as much as I'd like, I managed to do quite a few things this afternoon. Just have to figure out when I can tackle the other stuff. Maybe I should plan another afternoon off next week? =P

A Great Idea

I got this email from a friend of mine, and it's almost something that I'd actually do (keyword is almost):

When you get ads in your phone or utility bill, include them with the payment. Let them throw it away. When you get those pre-approved letters in the mail for everything from credit cards to 2nd mortgages and junk like that, most of them come with postage paid return envelopes, right? Well, why not get rid of some of your other junk mail and put it in these cool little envelopes! Send an ad for your local dry cleaner to American Express. Or a pizza coupon to Citibank. (I especially liked this!) If you didn't get anything else that day, then just send them their application back! If you want to remain anonymous, just make sure your name isn't on anything you send them. You can send it back empty if you want to just to keep them guessing! Eventually, the banks and credit card companies will begin getting all their junk back in the mail. Let's let them know what it's like to get junk mail, and best of all THEY'RE paying for it! Twice! Let's help keep our postal service busy since they say e-mail is cutting into their business, and that's why they need to increase postage again!

Makes sense don't you think? ;-)

2 Weeks...

I've been at my job for 2 weeks! Happy Anniversary to me! Everything's still going well and I'm having fun at work. I haven't felt like this in a long, long time, so I'm feeling pretty good. Now the goal is to get everything else in my life in order. I'm sure it will all fall into place in time...

Random Thought

Don't you wish you could rip out your lungs and clean them so you weren't so congested? I know, maybe a bit extreme but you get my point. I am toughing it out though...;-)

What else do I need to do...

...to get rid of this cold. ARGH! I've been taking all the drugs, drinking calamansi juice (because they say it helps), and getting enough rest. Now I feel all achy and stuffed up. HELP.......

Forever XXI

So I ended up shopping and went home with 3 tops, a skirt, and a pair of pants. The best part was they were all very reasonable! I think I may have found my new store. =P The place itself was quite big and I spent an hour in there, but there was a lot of cool stuff. There were so many other things I wanted to get, but I had to hold back. I'll just have to make another trip.

Getting Organized

I finally put away the clothes I brought back from PI. Yeah, I know I got back 2 weeks ago, but I just wasn't in the mood to clean out my closet (again). I was getting sick of seeing this pile of clothes in my room, so I finally put them away. At the same time I took out clothes I don't wear to make room for the new stuff. Only there were more new clothes put in the closet, than old clothes taken out. Oh well, I'll probably clean out my closet again in the spring. Now I gotta organize my shoes...uh, maybe I'll do that tomorrow.

Day 9

Everything is going pretty well at work. I'm doing things on my own without a whole lot of questions. And the best part is I only had to work half-day today. Woo hoo! Yup, I think I like this schedule. Now to figure out what to do with the rest of my day. Hmmm, maybe I'll go shopping. ;-)

The first day of February

Where has January gone? It seems every year, time goes by faster and faster. With this being a short month, March will be here in no time. If only there was a way to pause time...


Highlight of the Day

Irma, I wish you were there. I was stuck at a back alley intersection. Now what are the chances of that? My co-worker and I were on our way to the bank, going through back alleys (yup, I'm telling you I'm getting to know the back alleys of Whyte Ave. hehe). So, picture this -- four cars facing each other, each wanting to go a different way. One car finally made the first move and then everyone took their turns. One driver was freaking out and getting upset, and the funny part was that after the car passed, a pedestrian made this "catty" gesture, and we were all just laughing. You had to be there...

Just when I thought I was back on schedule...

...workout schedule that is. I'm coming down with something. What started out as a sniffling-sneezing-runny-nose head cold, has now become a tickle-in-my-throat-coughing-congested thing. Ugh! I was thinking of toughing it out at the gym, but I didn't want it to get worse. I've done the chicken soup thing during lunch already, so I guess I just need to pump up on the vitamin C and drink lots of liquids. Or I could just take some drugs. =P *sigh* I hate being sick.

Random Thought

I can't help but wonder
if what was told to me before
is becoming a reality...

Amazing, what certain comments can do
The harder you try not to think about it
the more it occupies your mind
It wanders
and you wonder
if what was said
foreshadows what's going to happen...

Movie with Irma

Since it's cheap Tuesdays, Irma and I went to see The Mothman Prophecies at Eaton Centre. The movie was...well...weird. Don't know what else to say about it. But I do agree with Irma in giving it a 2.5 stars out of 5.

Slowly getting back to normal

I actually did a couple things today. Did some banking, filled up the car (gotta love full service especially when it's cold out), and went to the gym. Yup, I finally made it to the gym. Woo hoo! And I'm so glad I went. There's nothing like going to the gym and feeling so revived after. Granted I had a pretty easy workout, but hey I have to slowly ease my way back to my schedule. Don't want to overdo it after not doing anything for 2 months!

Day 5 -- What a Day!

I was a bit overwhelmed yesterday with the workload. I didn't realize how busy it could get, but then we were processing stuff from the weekend. I managed to get through it though. Took me a little bit longer than I would've liked, but I'm sure when I finally get the hang of this stuff it won't be so bad. Now if only I can get myself on some kind of schedule. Since it's my day off today, I think I'll be able to attempt that. Hmmm...now where should I start?

3-way calling...

... the alternative to our traditional Café Select thing, only without the café. I had quite the conversation with my confused & delirious and hyper-menopausal friends (yes guys, we're back to the name/status thing again. hehe). And during our "insightful" conversation we decided to come up with a rule book for 2002. So, here goes:

Rule Book for 2002:

1. Get with the program (this applies to all confused people);
   
2. No hitting below the belt;
   
3. Do not get others confused with you;
   
4. No more rules;
   
5. [OK, maybe one more] No swearing (I won't mention any names)

The first offense constitutes a warning; the second offense results in "probabation" [no, I'm not dyslexic and I don't stutter either =P]; the third offense is means for punishment (to be determined by the secretary)

Key notes:

• Q: So that's $15 for sex? A: Yes, and that's with 2 girls and a surprise bonus. For $2 more you can get the one that loves you the most. Plus, you get free shipping and handling. And if you sign up right now, you receive a free pen! LOL!! =P
  
• Someone's "fermenting" in their room
  
• 2 months -- IP3

Just another one of those "you-had-to-be-there-in-order-to-understand-moments" with my whacky friends. hehehe. :-)

Cold Night Out

Although it was -28C last night, I still went out with Irma, Irma's aussie friend Matthew, and Jo Anne. [sidenote: throughout the night, Irma had her seizures. hehe =P]. We all met at Montana's for a quick bite to eat then headed to Gateway Lanes for 10-pin bowling. Before we got our lane, we did a bit of car racing (which gave me a headache), and Jo Anne and I played a bit of golf. Then it was off to our lane. I think I got one strike, but it wasn't enough to win. ;-) Jo Anne played really well on the last game. After bowling, Irma, Matthew and I went to Keegan's for tea and then called it a night.

Highlights of the evening:

• Q: What did you do to the door? A: It had a seizure
  
• I was bowling the wrong way AND broke a nail
  
• Irma fell off the wagon and is drinking again (hehehe =P)
  
• being "haunted" with memories

Something I picked up from my cup of tea:

To see a world in a grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour
William Blake (1757-1827)

Weird Scheduling

I went to work today only because I'm still getting used to the procedures at my new job. Apparently, we get Sundays and Tuesdays off. Which is different. In a way, it's kinda good that I get Tuesdays off because it breaks up the week. But at the same time, I get Sundays off, then work Mondays, then off again on Tuesdays. Not sure if I like that. Oh well. It's only the beginning. Once I get the hang of the systems used here, I'll probably be able to change up my schedule. One thing I like about this job is that the hours are flexible. As long as I work 40 hours a week, that's good enough. I don't have to work a typical 9 to 5 shift. From what Larry told me, I could work in the morning, take off in the afternoons, and then come back in the evenings. But I don't think I'll do that since I'm trying to get back into my work out schedule, which will take up my evenings. Unless of course I do my workout in the mornings. But that would mean I'd have to wake up really early. Ugh. I need to figure this out...

BRRRRRRRR!!!!!

It's f-f-f-f-freeeezing!! It's days like these when I wish I were still in PI. What really sucks is the fact that my car won't heat up properly. As I was driving home from work, my car barely got warm, the inside of my windows were frosting up, and I had the heater on high. Ugh. I think I need a new car. Just need to save up a bit of money. Hmmm, maybe in the spring/summer? Hopefully the weather won't get any c-c-c-c-colder than it already is.

Day 2 at my new job

It went pretty well. Learned a lot of things, some of which were similar to my previous jobs. Only the systems used were a bit different. I was a bit dizzy this morning from all the driving though -- from location A to location B, then to the bank, then back to A, back to the bank (because we forgot something), back to A again, then finally back to B. Whew! My day was going OK until I had a "run-in" at the bank. I ran into a former co-worker's wife which made my day. I didn't appreciate the comment she made about me working for this new company. Plus she made it sound like I made a bad mistake taking my current position. I could've made a scene right there, but I held back. It just wasn't worth it. Despite the minor annoyance, overall I had a pretty good day. I'm just hoping that I can get the hang of these systems pretty soon.


Shopping

Seeing as I just came back from PI with a bunch of stuff, I wasn't really anticipating on shopping here. But since it's so warm in PI, and all the stuff I bought were spring/summer clothes, and the fact that it's COLD here means that I can't wear them just yet. Plus I got some Christmas money from my uncle, so I decided to spend it. OK, maybe I'm making excuses but there was also a sale going on. =P I didn't get too much (only 2 shirts and 2 skirts). But I think it will be a long time before I go shopping again. What, you don't believe me?! ;-)

First day at my new job

It was pretty laid back (only worked half day). Didn't get into too much stuff, but so far it seems pretty straight forward. One thing's for sure, the work environment here is TOTALLY different than my previous job. The people I've met so far have been friendly and easy going. And one thing I like is the fact that I don't have to dress up. I can wear jeans to work. Woo hoo! Can't really say anything else since my first full day of work will be tomorrow. So we'll see what happens then.

Feeling sleepy...

...and it's only 7:45 pm? Maybe i'm still on Philippine time (it's 10:45 am there). Or maybe it has something to do with the fact that I took Tylenol (nighttime formula) for my headache. I think I need a nap...

I have a job!

I went for the interview yesterday and it went well. I was left with the choice of whether or not I wanted to accept the position. After thinking about it, I decided to take the job. It's a bit different than what I was doing before, but different is always good. Plus I'll be exposed to an entirely different industry, which will be a good learning experience for me. The hours are flexible (not as flexible as Gary's =P), I get discounts on stuff (sometimes free), and it seems like a fun work environment (totally different than my previous job). The only thing is I'll be taking a pay cut and there are no benefits. But at this point, I can't be too picky. I've been out of work for 2 months, and I have all these bills to pay. From what they tell me, this is somewhat of a new position so I'll be able to "set the standard" in a sense. There is potential for growth within the company, and they may even expand into Calgary. The way I see it, it doesn't hurt to give it a shot. Worse case scenario is I might not like it and end up looking for something else. And should that happen, I'm not too worried about finding something else. But I like to be optimistic about things. Who knows, maybe this will end up being a good thing for me.

Still not quite in the groove of things...

I set my alarm for 8:00 am thinking I'd get a head start on my day. Also to adjust my sleeping patterns to Edmonton time. I heard my alarm, but I felt really tired. It also didn't help that my head was pounding. So, I went back to sleep. Seeing as I'm unemployed (but not for long), it doesn't really matter what time I get up. But I don't want to get used to waking up at 10:30 am. Plus I REALLY need to hit the gym. Something I so missed while I was in PI. I was thinking of joining the fitness club near our house, but my mom didn't want me walking around by myself. Understandable since the people could tell I wasn't from there, so you never knew what people would do to you. Trying to get back on track is a bit harder than I thought. My motivation level is on the low side and it doesn't help when my to-do list is getting longer and longer. Argh!! But really, I am glad to be back.

I can finally publish this now...

Just got back from Irma's and did we ever talk each other's ears off! hehehe. But it was all good though. It was good to catch up on things and I'm sure I missed a few details, but there'll be plenty of time to fill you in. [mental note: coffee guy].

Well now that I can finally post this, I think I better get to sleep since I have a meeting tomorrow morning. *sigh* I didn't think it would be this hard to adjust, but my sleeping pattern is still whacked out. Then again, I was gone for 2 months so I'm still on filipino time.

Sorry Irma...

...but I couldn't resist. It may have seemed like I toured most PI, but I actually didn't. I did go to those places mentioned before, but I was stuck at home most of the time. So you can understand how I came up with the plan to pull that prank on you. I had all that time to "conspire." I even had hold off on posting my previous entry just in case you happened to be online (had to cover my tracks y'know). And sure enough you logged on. hehehe. Sorry man. But chatting with you online made things a bit easier for me. At least you weren't be able to hear me laugh. I'm sure you'll get me back, but just remember...LUV U... ;-)

Guess who's back in town?

Yup, I'm finally back from the Philippines after being gone for 2 months (65 days to be exact), and it feels good to be back home. I actually got back 2 days ago and would've posted something then, but I had other things to do, like unpack and SLEEP (it feels good to sleep in my own bed)! After getting the rest I needed, my mind feels more refreshed to post something.

Let's see, where do I begin? From the beginning I guess, duh! =P I was thinking of writing what I wrote in my journal, but 65 days worth of events would take too long. So, I'll just have to summarize my days' events, observations, etc.

The trip to the Philippines
Very long. After a total of 10 hours waiting in airports and 17 hours of flying time, my mom and I finally made it to PI. Although it wasn't as hot as when I went in May 2000, it was still hot. It didn't take me too long to adjust to the humidity, and in no time I was sweating.

It's different
Anyone who visits a foreign country says that "it's different." The way of life in PI is much different than our technologically-advanced-somewhat-high-society way of living. Sure there's technology and wealth in PI, but it usually denotes social status. Just driving through the neighborhoods depicts the classes of the people -- you're either rich or you're not. While one building may be this high-class hi-rise condo, right next to it is a shack which is home to another person. There are also a lot of people driving BMW's, Benz's, etc. You have to wonder how the people can afford these things when the Philippines is considered a third world country? So with that in mind, I would say PI is the "richest" third world country.

Traffic
The streets are filled with vehicles which have transformed a 3-lane street into a 4 or 5-lane freeway. There's no speed limit (that I noticed), and even though the drivers don't follow the "rules of the road" they are very skilled. With only inches between the cars, people are able to maneuver through traffic without getting into accidents. Makes you wonder how people who take driver's ed still turn out to be crappy drivers?

With all the vehicles on the road, they also have this traffic reduction program where you can't drive you car on a certain day (until 7:00 pm) if your license plate ends in the specified number for that day. But even with this program, there are still all these cars on the road, besides the buses, taxis, jeepneys, etc.

Pollution
With driving comes pollution, especially from the black smoke-belching buses and jeepneys. I remember when I was in PI in 1982, most of the people covered their noses with panyô. But I noticed that not many people use them now. Maybe they got used to breathing it in? Yuck.

What also adds to the pollution is that some people burn their garbage in front of their houses. Maybe they don't want to add to the accumulation of garbage. Yet at the same time they're adding to the pollution. It's a no-win situation.

Depending on where you are, there's definitely lots of garbage in PI especially on the streets. The only area that I went to which had absolutely no garbage whatsoever on the streets was in Marikina. And it's because they have a good mayor. Anyway, in some areas there are even signs that say "bawal mag tapon ng basura dito." And ironically, garbage is placed right underneath the sign. I think part of their garbage problem is due to excess packaging. It seems everything is wrapped in either plastic or paper or both. Even magazines are wrapped in plastic. Not to say that PI is the only place with garbage problems, but trying to cut down on packaging would be a start. Come to think of it, this problem is everywhere to a certain extent.

Creepy Crawlies and Other Critters
I was welcomed by my biggest fans in PI -- the mosquitoes. =P They just love me. I guess it's because of my "imported" blood (hehehe). But towards the end, they stopped bothering me. Uh, perhaps it's because I don't have much blood to give in the first place?

Then of course there were ipis in the bathroom, butiki on the ceiling, and a mouse in the house. Ayyyyy! There were also 2 tiny baby snakes (the size of big earthworms), that we noticed in the kitchen. Ugh! Just thinking about it gives me the heeby-jeebies.

Food
One thing I will definitely miss about the Philippines (besides my relatives) is the FOOD! There always seemed to be way too much food at our house. And you're constantly eating (try 6 times a day).

I did eat out a few times with my cousins. A few key places were:

• The Okavango (on the Riverbanks) in Marikina was really cool. It's a 3-level patio with an African theme to it. Awesome margueritas!
  
• Cloud 9 (reminded me of Bern) in Antipolo which was on top of this hill overlooking Metro Manila. And right next to it was another restaurant called 7th Heaven.
  
• Don-Don Japanese Restaurant in Robinsons Galleria had good food and was really cheap. P75 for a combo meal (approximately $2.50!). Can't go wrong with that.

Nightlife
Ano ang gimik? (slang for what's the plan?). My cousin, Lawrence, took me to a couple night clubs. One was WherElse in Makati. We went on R&B/Hip-Hop nights, so it was cool. Lawrence pointed out the types of people that went there. There was one specific table where the escorts/call girls sat. And there was one girl who was notorious for her "business." During the evening, she seemed to be expanding her clientele. Then there was the table next to the DJ booth where the groupies sat. On the second floor is where you'd find the ballers, high rollers, etc. Speaking of ballers, it was kinda weird to see black guys there (basketball imports) towering over everyone. One thing I have to say about this place is that the girls were so maarte. Maybe it was just that night that I went. But I did have this funny experience in the bathroom. As I was waiting to go into a stall (I didn't have a buddy with me), I noticed these girls fixing their make-up and making sure everything was in place. OK, nothing wrong with that. But then out of nowhere 2 of them stood in front of the full-length mirror and started bustin' a move as if they were practicing or something. Hehehe. Maybe they just wanted to make sure they didn't look like dorks on the dance floor. Uh, too late. They were already dorks in the bathroom. =P (and for the record I'm not like that. =P).

Another club we checked out was Orange (also in Makati). They played house/progressive music (not my cup-of-tea), but it was OK. It was Lawrence's friend's birthday so we went. Plus they had free drinks so I was definitely up for that. ;-) I remembered some of the people there, since I met them on my previous trip to PI. And I was surprised that a couple of them remembered me. Lawrence introduced me to this one guy (I think his name was James?) who's a dancer (no, not a stripper). We played a trick on him and I had to "pretend" that I didn't know how to speak tagalog. It was funny to watch him try to communicate with me. I mean, he knew how to speak english, but since he was already drunk he had a bit of trouble spitting out the words. Not to mention he kept asking me what my name was. I couldn't help but laugh. He was fun to talk to but I didn't like how he kept holding my hand like I was with him or something. Uh, I don't think so.

I was also able to see a concert while I was there (we got free tickets). My cousin and I went to Greenbelt Mall in Makati to watch Weekends with Pops. Ironic how I watched Martin Nievera last year and Pops Fernandez this year. Anyway, it was a pretty good concert.

Entertainment
Movies in PI are cheap (P100-120). And the theatres in Glorietta are much better than any I've been to in Edmonton (comfy bucket seats, lots of leg room between rows, etc). I watched:

Harry Potter. I liked this movie. I'm not a big fan of wizardry and stuff, but I enjoyed watching this one. I did notice that some of the parts were different in the book than in the movie. (For the scene with Hagrid's dragon, in the book, they gave the dragon to Ron's brother Charlie in Romania. But in the movie, Hagrid said he gave it to Dumbledore. And some parts were missing (the part where Harry and Hermione were supposed to do that logic puzzle with the potions after the chess thing to get to the trapdoor being guarded by the 3-headed dog).

Monsters Inc. I thought this movie was really cute. Would definitely watch it again.




Lord of the Rings. I didn't really like this movie. Maybe it's because I didn't read the book in school when I was supposed to, but some scenes dragged on and I didn't like the ending.






American Adobo. This was a funny movie. Check out the site for a showing near you.

Shopping
Of course, what would my trip be like if I didn't go shopping? And if you know where to go, it's really cheap. My mom and I made several trips for Virra Mall/Shopsville in Green Hills because it was close by and they had tiyange (bargain market). I got a pair of jeans, a Ferragamo purse, and some other stuff for a great deal. We also made a couple trips to Sari-Sari Store (also in Green Hills), and after the second trip there, the sales lady knew us. Oops, perhaps we shopped there one too many times? But it's a cool store.

I also enjoyed shopping in Makati at Glorietta Mall (Ayala Center). They have a lot of cool shops and the prices are reasonable. One thing to definitely avoid is the department store. It's just way too big, with too much stuff to look at, and the people that work there don't seem to be too helpful (at least at the department store I went to).

Security
One thing I did notice while shopping is the amount of security they have. I don't recall there being this much security last year? Or maybe I just didn't notice. Almost every store/shop had a security guard at the door. The banks even had 4 guards. I realize it's a bank and they need tight security, but 4 of them? They all looked bored out of their minds, opening doors for customers.

Family Reunion
As much as I wanted to have a family reunion in PI, it didn't happen. My cousin Alex was organizing the whole thing, but it was tough getting a hold of all our relatives. We have quite the extended family, and I was able to meet most of them (cousins, 2nd cousins, etc). Alex and I started forming the family tree, so it will be interesting to see it once it's finished.

The trip home
Again, very long. 11 hours waiting in airports, 15 hours of flying time (somehow it's faster going home). The flight from Hong Kong to Vancouver was not pleasant. Just when I thought I'd get some sleep (because I didn't sleep the night before because Lawrence and I went to WherElse again), I didn't. I was sitting beside this 10-year old kid who was totally restless, constantly moving around in his seat. And just when I was about to doze off, he'd "accidentally" elbow me because he was using my armrest. ?@!#$?$?$!! After a while, I didn't pay any attention to him. Since I would only get a couple hours of sleep here and there, I was able to watch bits and pieces of a few in-flight movies (Jurassic Park III, Captain Corelli's Mandolin, The Score, and Lady and the Tramp).

When my mom and I finally made it to Edmonton, the weather was a bit of a shock to my system. Here I was coming from 25-30C heat to -7C weather. Although it's not considered that cold, I was freezing. But it's great to be back. Now it's just a matter of getting back on track with my life here. New year, new things to look forward to, new things to try.

So that was pretty much my trip. Yes it's a long entry, but hey I've been gone for 2 months and I'm making up for it. Hehehe. =P There seems to be so much to catch up on. Leah, I was reading your blog and you mentioned a trip to SFO? What are you talking about? Oh and by the way, Gary, you can take me off your blog slacker list now. ;-)