From 2008 into 2009...

Every year, I look forward to reading Felicia's end of the year post. The last post of the year is always full of insight and reflection of the "old" year and hope for the "new" year. At the end of the post, she invites readers to answer the same questions by leaving comments on her blog. I prefer to write my responses as my own blog entry since I'm a very sporadic blogger as it is already. This year, her "Top 5" asks readers what they are grateful for and maybe what they look forward to in 2009.

Here are my responses... (in no particular order):

1. I am grateful for generally a healthy and happy year for my family and friends. Though we have our aches and pains as well as bouts of colds and flus, we have managed to stay away from any major medical concerns. We find joy in each other's company. I've been back home with my parents for 2 years now and am still enjoying it. It's great that we take care of each other. Big sis and jeh fu have visited us several times this year...and I have been able to get time off from work (from banked overtime) to hangout with them.

2. I am grateful for all the friends I have. Friends that have made it through the tests of time, distance and differences. There are friends that have been here for me through thick and thin (though thankfully this year, I have not had as many ups and downs as some previous years). And although we may get busy with all the different things that are happening in our lives, I know they are only a phone call/email away. I met alot of new and interesting people through friends and through work in 2008. Some of them have moved up the friendship ranks faster than others.

3. I am grateful for all the visiting / travelling I was able to do in 2008. I enjoy travelling to visit and spend quality time with good friends. I visited C and her family 3 times this year ... which is quite the improvement from visiting every 2-3 years. I went out to visit big sis for her birthday. Travelled to Paris with friends in the spring and went to visit a friend in Australia in the fall. In some ways, it was unfortunate that I had to cancel a trip to visit friends in Toronto and Montreal in the fall, yet it all turned out to be a smart idea... since I was sick as a dog after returning from my Australia trip.

4. I am grateful for all the opportunities that, over the course of this year, have come my way at work. I remember starting off 2008 and wondering if my career was becoming a little stagnant. I wasn't exactly unhappy at work but yet I could feel that I wasn't enitrely happy or satisfied with where I was. There wasn't any other section (at my current classification) that I wanted to move to because I didn't forsee it making me any happier (but rather more likely, unhappier). While I was still pondering my options, I was presented with an opportunity to try something different. The support, encouragement and assistance of many people provided me with the confidence to perform to the best of my ability and to have positive results to show. I continue to take up new challenges and look forward to growing from each additional accomplishment or setback. I hope to be able to provide support and assistance to others.

5. I am grateful for the balance that there is in life. No matter how bad some previous years may have been, things balance out in the end. You win some, you lose some... but from each gain or loss there is always a lesson that can be learned.

What do I look forward to in 2009?

I'm hoping that family and friends will continue to stay happy and healthy.

I'm hoping that friendships will continue to grow and prosper over time and experiences.

I look forward to spending quality time with family and good friends.

I look forward to travelling more in 2009 to visit friends and attend special functions.

I hope to be able to provide consistent and "quality" work while doing the back-up / vacation coverage. (Don't want to disappoint those who believe in my abilities...)

I look forward to the new job duties for the upcoming year as I temporarily work at a different location.

I hope to, by the end of my temporary assignment, be able to determine which career option I would like to pursue.

I hope that there is peace and stability in the world.

I look forward to another year of happiness and healthiness.... and of course, good friends, good food, good times.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It's a blizzard again!

It's a good thing that I've never been a fan of Boxing Day shopping. I woke up this morning and looked out the window to be greeted by more whiteness falling from the sky. Did not make plans to leave the house today and definitely will not even attempt to go outside. Watching the snow fall can be quite beautiful...but only if I'm sitting in the warmth of the indoors.

The weather forecast indicates lots and lots of rain in the week to come. In fact, it's supposed to start raining this evening. At least it's a long weekend right now and getting to work is not high on the list of worries. I do have plans on Saturday and Sunday but hopefully the rain will clear off some of the snow. I do wonder how much mini-flooding will happen when the snow melts at the same time that the rain is beating down on us.

White Christmas

As kids, we always looked forward to the snow and to having a white Christmas. Watching big flakes floating down from the sky was a simple fascination. Walking through the snow (to get to and from school) was not easy but if it meant being able to go out and build snowmen or imprint an angel, it was all good.

By the time secondary school and university rolled around, snow became an inconvenience. Public transit was "available" when it snowed but the buses were packed, routes were changed and delays were inevitable. To make things worse, there were times when the bus could not make it up/down a hill and passengers were dropped at the side of the road to walk. With even just an inch or two of snow, the whole city seemed to shut down.

In the past week, we've just had snow dumped on us like there is no tomorrow. Of course, my friends that are east of the Rockies will probably say, "Welcome to our type of winter" ... but there's a reason why I've never moved out there or even visited during specific months of the year. (Calgary was a major exception that one year.) I have been very fortunate - getting too and from work these past couple of weeks have been manageable despite the snowstorms. Although it may have required an earlier start time (and getting up way too early!) and a longer travel time, the commute has been relatively decent. I know it could be much worse.

They say that this snowfall has achieved some record-levels... have to admit that I don't pay much attention to that. I do know that this snowfall looks very pretty around my neighbourhood. In fact, it's the white, fluffy, powdery stuff that I love - so clean, so peaceful and so serene. Leaving way too early in the morning meant that I got to put the first footprints in the fresh layer of snow. I was almost ecstatic trudging through the (almost) knee-deep snow. Suddenly, I felt like a little kid again - excited and blissful while walking through the fresh snow as light fluffy flakes continued to fall from the sky. I didn't even mind standing and waiting for the skytrain on the uncovered section of the platform. So content. *sigh* Downtown, on the other hand, doesn't look as good...except for the "christmas tree" outside the Vancouver Art Gallary. The rest of the snow seems dirty, slushy and just very yucky.

It's Christmas Eve as I draft this blog post but by the time it is ready for posting, it will already be Christmas Day. Even though it stopped snowing earlier this evening, the 30 centimetres of snow that has already accumulated over the last 24-48 hours has guaranteed us a white Christmas. There are probably alot of really happy kids out there!

And... since it's now a 4 day long weekend... it's all good. I just hope the snow melts by Monday so that I can get to work with minimal hassle. But for now... it's time to enjoy some home time and Christmas time with my parents.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Congratulations, N & J !!!!!

Despite the wild and wintery weather conditions (snowstorm?) out there, we braved the roads, the snow and the crazy drivers to attend N and J's wedding. The wedding ceremony and banquet was held at Seasons in the Park. While we thought that we might even have to park at the foot of the hill and hike up, we were very impressed with the road leading to the restaurant -- it was much, much better than the city roads.

The wedding format was simple yet cozy and comfortable. The ceremony was short, simple and sweet... and very personal. I had the honour of playing a very special role in the ceremony. We had a few good and memorable laughs during the ceremony.

The dinner was delicious. The appies were great and the salad was tasty. The entree was just perfect. Maybe some food photos eventually if they ever get uploaded from my camera.

While the snowstorm continued outside, it made for a perfect backdrop and definitely added to the romantic feeling of the evening.

This is the only wedding that I've attended this year but definitely one of the coziest ever.

Congratulations N and J! May you enjoy a lifetime of happiness together!

Sick at home (again!)

I can't believe I'm stuck at home... sick...again!

I guess the Cold-FX medication that was being taken wasn't strong enough for my purposes. Or perhaps, I didn't act fast enough. Regardless, here I am, stuck at home again trying not to feel self-pity for having to miss a day of work and a bunch of pre-Christmas gatherings for this weekend.

On a positive note, I was able to sleep in (except getting up once to attempt to get ready this morning and a second time when I had to call in to work). Food-wise... it's a good thing I like eating congee, because that's pretty much what I've been eating for the past 5 days. Congee and Veggie, what a fabulous combination. Maybe I won't need to worry about losing weight after Christmas but instead, I might have to eat lots to compensate for what is being lost now.

Must get well before big sis gets into town next week .... lots of eating to go on.

For now, I should probably just go back to getting more rest .... *sigh*

Shrimp Dip

In one last attempt to prepare something different, I dug up a recipe that a former coworker had given to me -- Shrimp dip. My friends first thought it was a dip for eating cocktail shrimp, but actually it's a layered dip (for chips) with chunks of shrimp in it. Ingredients were pretty simple. There was sour cream, cream cheese, tomato, cocktail shrimp dip, green/red peppers, shrimp and shredded cheese. It took some time to prepare but was reasonably presentable.

I did learn, however, that when they suggest a shallow glass plate/dish, there is good reason for the recommendation. It's more than just a visual aspect... it's hard to eat dip when you have an inch of sour cream and cream cheese mixture at the bottom.

Has it been that long ....?

I happened to be looking up the egg tart recipe today... and stopped by. Wow! Has it really be almost half a year since I last wrote? Must be... since the last posting says that I'm on my way to Paris! It's amazing how quickly time flies by (and not like anyone was diligently checking this site anyways...).

Paris was a one week trip at the end of May... since then, so much has happened. Mainly work keeping one busy and not cooking or crafts. Somewhere in there, I managed to slip another vacation in to go to Australia. Came back sick as a dog but had a thoroughly fabulous time.

I like getting away for trips every so often... It helps recharge and refocus on me. Being stuck at work with the same things happening over and over again can make one easily lose sight of all the other things around. I decided, while on one of the flights during my Australia trip, that I will get back into doing more than just work and overtime. Since then, I've picked up my knitting again and may try for a bigger 2-D project (still not confident enough to work on a 3-D project yet...). I may go back to taking beginner vball lessons again in January. I might try to remember a few ballroom dancing steps. I've even thought of taking some part-time studies of some sort - undecided on what and when though. I was also thinking of taking some cooking lessons.... but that's just thinking. Haha... I will spend more time with my parents and friends (though most of them have much busier social lives than me). Maybe I'll even go visit my sister a couple of times next year so she can stop nagging me about not visiting enough. (Once a year is already pretty good....)

But for now, time for me to get ready to go to my friend's place for the potluck party. Egg tarts are my usual contribution (for now).