While I admit that I'm somewhat of a clean freak (my apartment is about 450-500 sq ft so it's tiny and thus needs to always be clean and impeccable), I also know myself. Once I'm tired, the only thing I want to do is read, read and read. I hate doing dishes and having to clean up. However, last night (if we consider this Wednesday morning) I felt extremely frustrated by the state of affairs.
Let me explain. I hadn't rented a movie in a long while. When I do, I usually rent either at Happy Bats Cinema or a very tiny local store. On Tuesdays, said store has the 2x1 special. I have almost never been able to make use of it as I almost never make it to the store on time to pick up a movie on a Tuesday.
However, last night I went home straight after Mark Jaccard's lecture (which I will discuss on my blog probably later today or tomorrow) and while tired, I felt still really full from having eaten curry chicken in the afternoon and a very late dinner. So I thought "well, instead of reading, tonight it's time to rent 2 movies". So for the first time in a long while, I have two movies to watch.
I've seen the first one (Sydney White - yes, I know - it's definitely a brainless movie) and I am waiting until later today (tomorrow) to watch the second one (Smokin' Aces with a number of good actors but the one I want to see is Ryan Reynolds in a completely different role to all the ones I've seen him in).
The title of the post relates to the fact that I am still awake after having responded to my cleanliness frustration and urges despite being so tired. While I wanted to just curl on my couch and watch the movie, seeing my apartment as messy as it was before I had this urge to clean up just made me not enjoy the movie. So I decided to do a full clean-up. The floors still need some moping, but I think the rest of the apartment looks ok. Hence the title of the post - sometimes, you just gotta do what you gotta do. I needed to feel as though my place was tidy, clean and livable. Now, if I could just get back to sleep... :)
Showing posts with label random thoughts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label random thoughts. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Small oooooops...
So I was very proud that I had remembered to write a post to celebrate International Women's Day, and raved about the women in my life, etc. But the small detail I forgot is that I am about four days early! Sorry about that. Since I'm attending a seminar today on the experiences of women researchers investigating gender issues, I seriously thought it was today. But it's not. Ooooops!
So, I fully deserve to have experienced the frustration I felt last night. I was a bit annoyed that, since I wanted to highlight IWD, I basically had to leave all my other ideas in draft form until the day was over (or half-way over) to start posting again. I usually follow this guideline because not everybody is subscribed in a RSS reader, so sometimes they check blogs in the morning, and thus this would be the first post at the top of the page.
But I had a few other ideas on the making (like reviewing the bar Library Square, the restaurant India Bistro) and I didn't write anything because I thought "well, if I do post something AFTER having posted the IWD thingy, the focus on IWD will be lost, so better not to post anything until mid-day". But reading today's Morning Brew I realized... it's March 4th, not 8th. So thus the title of the post... OOOOOOOPS.
:)
So, I fully deserve to have experienced the frustration I felt last night. I was a bit annoyed that, since I wanted to highlight IWD, I basically had to leave all my other ideas in draft form until the day was over (or half-way over) to start posting again. I usually follow this guideline because not everybody is subscribed in a RSS reader, so sometimes they check blogs in the morning, and thus this would be the first post at the top of the page.
But I had a few other ideas on the making (like reviewing the bar Library Square, the restaurant India Bistro) and I didn't write anything because I thought "well, if I do post something AFTER having posted the IWD thingy, the focus on IWD will be lost, so better not to post anything until mid-day". But reading today's Morning Brew I realized... it's March 4th, not 8th. So thus the title of the post... OOOOOOOPS.
:)
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Testing the waters I: From Blogger to WordPress
It's kind of ironic. Now that I've gained a more-or-less steady readership, and I'm on a few blogrolls (thank you guys for adding me!), I'm in the process of switching from Blogger to WordPress. A couple of days ago I imported my posts (it seems that even though WordPress says that only 500 out of my 622 blog posts were imported, I kind of can't see which ones weren't). And I can see most of the comments even though the converter says none of the comments were transferred.
So, go check my WordPress blog (it's pretty much the same content as here) and if you could, leave a comment or a trackback. I'm trying to see how it works. For the time being, most likely I'll be cross-posting (e.g. posting here AND there) to avoid potential surprises -- please don't change your blogrolls just yet, give me a few days to adjust. .
So, Matt Mullenweg and WordPress, here I come :)
So, go check my WordPress blog (it's pretty much the same content as here) and if you could, leave a comment or a trackback. I'm trying to see how it works. For the time being, most likely I'll be cross-posting (e.g. posting here AND there) to avoid potential surprises -- please don't change your blogrolls just yet, give me a few days to adjust. .
So, Matt Mullenweg and WordPress, here I come :)
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Upcoming events - BC Anti-bullying Day
Given that the Government of the Province of British Columbia has proclaimed February 27th, 2008 as BC Anti-Bullying Day, and a number of organizations (like CUPE) and public figures (including Christy Clark) are encouraging the public to wear pink (by the way, great website from the CKNW), I figured that, in celebration of BC Anti-Bullying Day, I'm should share with the blogosphere an intimate look at a part of my life I wish I had never had to endure, and how I dealt with it.
When I was in primary school, I used to be as tiny as a midget. For some bizarre reason, I started growing when I was 17. I am not kidding you. Nowadays, at a my 5'11" (6' on a good day) and 170 pds, it's kind of hard to mess around with me (well, my height/weight and my martial arts and street fighting training kind of help). Unless, of course, you're 6'7 and super strong... but I digress.
So back then, when I was short and wore glasses, I was bullied by taller, stronger young men. After all, "I was in an all-boys school and had to learn to fight" (their words, not mine). Many, many times, my brothers (particularly my eldest brother) had to intervene and calm some of these bullies. But I couldn't have my older brothers always protect me. I had to learn to do it myself.
I have always been privileged in that my parents have always been my best friends, so I needed to tell them what was going on at school. After careful deliberation we (my parents and I) decided that I needed to take martial arts training. Not because I enjoyed kicking people's butts, but because I wanted to be able to defend myself should I ever need to do so. As a young kid (and to this day), I always tended to be extremely sensitive, emotional and sweet. These were not traits that aggressive bullies would take in a positive light. But I didn't want to be a victim or a target. I wanted to empower myself and be able to break through to these bullies.
One day (several months after I had started my martial arts training), a guy who had bullied me for a long while started picking a fight with me (Gustavo was his name), right before school was over. I was faced with the choice I never wanted to face - "do I fight or do I run?" I decided it was time to fight back. I grabbed Gustavo's arm and applied a judo move on him. I threw him over the top of my shoulder and, strategically, forced him to land with his back towards a trash can. I did this purposefully as I knew that would immobilize him completely. He started crying on the spot and ran away from me as fast as he could.
My classmates were astonished. "How could Raul, the tiny little midget, defend himself now? What happened to him?" From that moment onwards, I never looked back, and never had to face another bully. The word was out: Raul was never going to let anyone else pick on him ever, ever again.
So, in celebration of British Columbia's Anti-Bullying Day, I am going to wear a pink t-shirt to the office tomorrow (Wednesday February 27th, 2008). I encourage you to do so, too. Because bullying is simply wrong, and because once upon a time, I had to fight back too. And if you know someone who is being bullied, there are resources out there that can help him/her deal with it.
When I was in primary school, I used to be as tiny as a midget. For some bizarre reason, I started growing when I was 17. I am not kidding you. Nowadays, at a my 5'11" (6' on a good day) and 170 pds, it's kind of hard to mess around with me (well, my height/weight and my martial arts and street fighting training kind of help). Unless, of course, you're 6'7 and super strong... but I digress.
So back then, when I was short and wore glasses, I was bullied by taller, stronger young men. After all, "I was in an all-boys school and had to learn to fight" (their words, not mine). Many, many times, my brothers (particularly my eldest brother) had to intervene and calm some of these bullies. But I couldn't have my older brothers always protect me. I had to learn to do it myself.
I have always been privileged in that my parents have always been my best friends, so I needed to tell them what was going on at school. After careful deliberation we (my parents and I) decided that I needed to take martial arts training. Not because I enjoyed kicking people's butts, but because I wanted to be able to defend myself should I ever need to do so. As a young kid (and to this day), I always tended to be extremely sensitive, emotional and sweet. These were not traits that aggressive bullies would take in a positive light. But I didn't want to be a victim or a target. I wanted to empower myself and be able to break through to these bullies.
One day (several months after I had started my martial arts training), a guy who had bullied me for a long while started picking a fight with me (Gustavo was his name), right before school was over. I was faced with the choice I never wanted to face - "do I fight or do I run?" I decided it was time to fight back. I grabbed Gustavo's arm and applied a judo move on him. I threw him over the top of my shoulder and, strategically, forced him to land with his back towards a trash can. I did this purposefully as I knew that would immobilize him completely. He started crying on the spot and ran away from me as fast as he could.
My classmates were astonished. "How could Raul, the tiny little midget, defend himself now? What happened to him?" From that moment onwards, I never looked back, and never had to face another bully. The word was out: Raul was never going to let anyone else pick on him ever, ever again.
So, in celebration of British Columbia's Anti-Bullying Day, I am going to wear a pink t-shirt to the office tomorrow (Wednesday February 27th, 2008). I encourage you to do so, too. Because bullying is simply wrong, and because once upon a time, I had to fight back too. And if you know someone who is being bullied, there are resources out there that can help him/her deal with it.
Monday, February 25, 2008
The politics of award-winning
Well, the Oscars have come and gone. I missed a large part of the ceremony because I had other social commitments, but when I heard that Julie Christie hadn't won Best Actress and that it had gone to Marion Cotillard, my heart broke into small pieces. I had been hoping they would give it to Julie Christie for her heart-wrenching performance in Away from Her, but the Academy didn't.
Not to say that Cotillard's performance wasn't good, because that'd be a lie. But I really believe Christie's work was much more worthy. This event made me reflect on the politics of award-winning, both in glamorous Hollywood and in my own professional life.
I'm a competitor, have always been. Ever since I was a little kid, my parents groomed me and my brothers to succeed. Don't be confused though. Mom and Dad never demanded me to be a straight 'A' student; the only thing they ever demanded was that I gave my very best, that I tried as hard as I could. If my best effort won me a "B+", then so be it, but at least I gave it my all. That has been my philosophy always, to live to the fullest and to try as hard as I can.
Of course, in the trials, you have to face other people and you have to try and win. That's why I said I had always been a competitor. I've been faced with lots of competition, academically, in sports, in art, and in everything I have done. I don't hate losing in and of itself, I hate losing AND knowing I could have tried harder. But when I try hard and I'm competent enough in an area, success has frequently translated into winning awards and trophies.
One of the areas where I have always been frustrated with the politics of award-winning is teaching. A few years back, I was teaching at a high-end, upper-class high school and (as I usually do) I gave my students my very best. I tried so hard to help them in and outside of the classroom, not because I wanted a 'Best Professor' award, but because I felt that I should give my best.
Soon enough, a competition for 'Best Professor' ensued and, while I was nominated, I didn't win. The shock for me wasn't that I hadn't won, but that the professor who won was 'the sweetest one'. I thought "What the heck?!?!? Am I not sweet enough? Am I not dedicated enough?". I was devastated.
The Monday following the awards ceremony, three quarters of my classroom's seats were empty. My beloved students, the ones who totally swore for me, the ones who thought I was 'simply the greatest ever', were absent. Why was that? I wondered if they felt that they couldn't face me after having voted for someone else and not for me.
I couldn't let this go for a long while, so one day I actually attended a lecture given by the winner. I was quite unimpressed, but I could now clearly see why I hadn't won: I was too demanding. Yeah, I was sweet and always available to my students, but I pushed them hard. But this professor was so laid-back and care-free that his students liked him a lot. So much they wanted him to win. So he didn't win for being the most competent teacher nor the most skillful. He won because he was popular.
In more recent years, my teaching experience has been actually quite the opposite from previous stints. My students have loved me not only because I care for them but because I have pushed them hard. I have cared for their personal growth and their development, but I haven't made it easy on them. And I have been handsomely rewarded. My former students (the very recent ones) often write to me to ask for advice, ask for a letter of reference, let me know what they've been up to, or just inquire how I am doing and what I'm up to. Knowing that my former students respect me and understand that I pushed them to be better because I saw potential in them, and because I cared, is the best award I could ever win.
Not to say that Cotillard's performance wasn't good, because that'd be a lie. But I really believe Christie's work was much more worthy. This event made me reflect on the politics of award-winning, both in glamorous Hollywood and in my own professional life.
I'm a competitor, have always been. Ever since I was a little kid, my parents groomed me and my brothers to succeed. Don't be confused though. Mom and Dad never demanded me to be a straight 'A' student; the only thing they ever demanded was that I gave my very best, that I tried as hard as I could. If my best effort won me a "B+", then so be it, but at least I gave it my all. That has been my philosophy always, to live to the fullest and to try as hard as I can.
Of course, in the trials, you have to face other people and you have to try and win. That's why I said I had always been a competitor. I've been faced with lots of competition, academically, in sports, in art, and in everything I have done. I don't hate losing in and of itself, I hate losing AND knowing I could have tried harder. But when I try hard and I'm competent enough in an area, success has frequently translated into winning awards and trophies.
One of the areas where I have always been frustrated with the politics of award-winning is teaching. A few years back, I was teaching at a high-end, upper-class high school and (as I usually do) I gave my students my very best. I tried so hard to help them in and outside of the classroom, not because I wanted a 'Best Professor' award, but because I felt that I should give my best.
Soon enough, a competition for 'Best Professor' ensued and, while I was nominated, I didn't win. The shock for me wasn't that I hadn't won, but that the professor who won was 'the sweetest one'. I thought "What the heck?!?!? Am I not sweet enough? Am I not dedicated enough?". I was devastated.
The Monday following the awards ceremony, three quarters of my classroom's seats were empty. My beloved students, the ones who totally swore for me, the ones who thought I was 'simply the greatest ever', were absent. Why was that? I wondered if they felt that they couldn't face me after having voted for someone else and not for me.
I couldn't let this go for a long while, so one day I actually attended a lecture given by the winner. I was quite unimpressed, but I could now clearly see why I hadn't won: I was too demanding. Yeah, I was sweet and always available to my students, but I pushed them hard. But this professor was so laid-back and care-free that his students liked him a lot. So much they wanted him to win. So he didn't win for being the most competent teacher nor the most skillful. He won because he was popular.
In more recent years, my teaching experience has been actually quite the opposite from previous stints. My students have loved me not only because I care for them but because I have pushed them hard. I have cared for their personal growth and their development, but I haven't made it easy on them. And I have been handsomely rewarded. My former students (the very recent ones) often write to me to ask for advice, ask for a letter of reference, let me know what they've been up to, or just inquire how I am doing and what I'm up to. Knowing that my former students respect me and understand that I pushed them to be better because I saw potential in them, and because I cared, is the best award I could ever win.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Embracing destiny
While I was not able to sleep well from Friday to Saturday, I had a great night of sleep from Saturday to Sunday - although it was hard to get to sleep because I had tinga poblana and flan at AF's place (and while I love tinga and she is an amazing cook, it was heavy on my stomach - so I ended up feeling totally full until past midnight, even though we had dinner at 7).
It was quite an enjoyable evening, as SF was there too, and we joked, ate great food and enjoyed each other's company until about 9.30. They stayed to watch a movie, but I just wanted to go home and sleep. Was really exhausted. Brunch was also really fun, at The Nice Cafe, with C, B, J and L.
What I was meaning about embracing destiny on my post is that we should just go with the flow and not fight destiny. Let me explain. My upstairs neighbours, with their usual lack of regard for our sleep (my and my next door neighbour's), woke up at 7 am and started doing their usual rounds (stomping on their floor - my roof - and making noises). So instead of fighting it, I went along with it, and turned on my TV (as loud as I could possibly have it without being annoyed myself) and made breakfast. That has allowed me to be prepared for volleyball just in time. And I've had a chance to watch the news (which is rare for me, as I'm always super busy).
This evening I'm sure we are going to be watching the Oscars. I've got my bets on Julie Christie for best actress (despite how much I do like Ellen Page). Most people think Daniel Day-Lewis will win best actor. What do YOU think?
It was quite an enjoyable evening, as SF was there too, and we joked, ate great food and enjoyed each other's company until about 9.30. They stayed to watch a movie, but I just wanted to go home and sleep. Was really exhausted. Brunch was also really fun, at The Nice Cafe, with C, B, J and L.
What I was meaning about embracing destiny on my post is that we should just go with the flow and not fight destiny. Let me explain. My upstairs neighbours, with their usual lack of regard for our sleep (my and my next door neighbour's), woke up at 7 am and started doing their usual rounds (stomping on their floor - my roof - and making noises). So instead of fighting it, I went along with it, and turned on my TV (as loud as I could possibly have it without being annoyed myself) and made breakfast. That has allowed me to be prepared for volleyball just in time. And I've had a chance to watch the news (which is rare for me, as I'm always super busy).
This evening I'm sure we are going to be watching the Oscars. I've got my bets on Julie Christie for best actress (despite how much I do like Ellen Page). Most people think Daniel Day-Lewis will win best actor. What do YOU think?
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Ah the paradoxes
I'm usually a night owl. Love staying up late and work my way through stuff. Only problem - I love waking up late too. But I've been awake on and off since 3.45 am. ARGH! Why, on the only day that I can sleep in (I can't on Sundays as I have volleyball), why can't I just sleep my way through the night? Frustrated.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Putting this beautiful day to good use
Normally, I work from home on Fridays (I used to do this to avoid being dragged out for a pint, but then I caved in and it has become a nice tradition). Anyhow, I'm working from home today as my building is not going to be well-heated and thus I preferred to be here. While I can't complain (I'm getting lots of natural sun light through my windows), I think it's a waste of a beautiful day to work at home. So I'm going to take my laptop and go somewhere to do work (and take this opportunity to take some nice photographs).
Suggestions for good locations to work? All I need is wifi :) Was thinking of hitting the Lonsdale Quay (I know of a fairly secluded spot where I read lots of research papers related to work). But other suggestions accepted. I'll have online access so I'll know what you suggest :)
Suggestions for good locations to work? All I need is wifi :) Was thinking of hitting the Lonsdale Quay (I know of a fairly secluded spot where I read lots of research papers related to work). But other suggestions accepted. I'll have online access so I'll know what you suggest :)
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
On randomness
Very quick pre-sleepy time post, just to answer a question that was raised at today's Green Drinks, and at last night's Third Tuesday. The question was - what do you blog about? And my long winded answer is always "well, I'm interested in environmental issues, so it started like that, but now I blog about very random things".
The general response I got was (with the exception of a few individuals particularly at Third Tuesday) ... "so, say you wake up thinking about something, you just blog about that?". That got me thinking about a shorter way to respond. I blog about what peaks my interests, what I have on my mind or what I want to articulate for future reflection. That may be a very complex issue, or just a song that I want to find and keep here.
So, for example, I got very light-hearted and non-reflective pieces like the 'music reviews', but I also have some fairly complex analyses of Vancouver-related or environmentally-related issues. For example, I think one of my best pieces is the discussion around Al Gore/IPCC winning the Nobel Prize. Another one that I liked was my comparison of Vancouver's and Mexico City's transportation systems. Ah, and lest we forget... my discussion about the meaning of 'forever' in relationships.
So, in short - my blog is titled "Random thoughts of a student of the environment" for that reason: because I want it to reflect whatever random thoughts cross my mind. I am still interested in environmental issues, and I can write reflective and analytical essays. However, that's not the end of it all. I am here to have fun, and hopefully, so are you.
The general response I got was (with the exception of a few individuals particularly at Third Tuesday) ... "so, say you wake up thinking about something, you just blog about that?". That got me thinking about a shorter way to respond. I blog about what peaks my interests, what I have on my mind or what I want to articulate for future reflection. That may be a very complex issue, or just a song that I want to find and keep here.
So, for example, I got very light-hearted and non-reflective pieces like the 'music reviews', but I also have some fairly complex analyses of Vancouver-related or environmentally-related issues. For example, I think one of my best pieces is the discussion around Al Gore/IPCC winning the Nobel Prize. Another one that I liked was my comparison of Vancouver's and Mexico City's transportation systems. Ah, and lest we forget... my discussion about the meaning of 'forever' in relationships.
So, in short - my blog is titled "Random thoughts of a student of the environment" for that reason: because I want it to reflect whatever random thoughts cross my mind. I am still interested in environmental issues, and I can write reflective and analytical essays. However, that's not the end of it all. I am here to have fun, and hopefully, so are you.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Third Tuesday quick recap
So I went to Third Tuesday Vancouver (brilliantly organized by Tanya and Tod) which was held at The Network Hub. The gracious hosts at TNH offered wine to all attendees and were extremely personable and sweet. The venue was phenomenal. TNH provides office space (all the back end for new technology-based startups) and they also may be able to fund some entrepreneurial ideas.
The speaker was Jeff Young, an intellectual property lawyer with a great personality and a fantastic wit. He made the evening absolutely enjoyable. Some of the familiar faces I saw, in addition to Tanya and Tod, were John Biehler, Monica Hamburg, and in addition, some new friends were made (shout out to Vern, Chris, Dario, Ryan, Rastin, Jennifer)
After the event a smallish group moved down to Century (pretty much next door to TNH), a very nice restaurant that I'll have to check next time. I was somewhat surprised at the Mexican food choices that their menu presented, so I'll have to see how well they work. It was a very pleasant evening, and I learned lots about intellectual property (and actually Jeff would be proud of me, as the post previous to this one makes a political opinion, yet it is within the proper boundaries of IPL!)
UPDATE - Oh my God, Warren and John were faster than I was in blogging about it! Click on their names for their recaps of this evening.
The speaker was Jeff Young, an intellectual property lawyer with a great personality and a fantastic wit. He made the evening absolutely enjoyable. Some of the familiar faces I saw, in addition to Tanya and Tod, were John Biehler, Monica Hamburg, and in addition, some new friends were made (shout out to Vern, Chris, Dario, Ryan, Rastin, Jennifer)
After the event a smallish group moved down to Century (pretty much next door to TNH), a very nice restaurant that I'll have to check next time. I was somewhat surprised at the Mexican food choices that their menu presented, so I'll have to see how well they work. It was a very pleasant evening, and I learned lots about intellectual property (and actually Jeff would be proud of me, as the post previous to this one makes a political opinion, yet it is within the proper boundaries of IPL!)
UPDATE - Oh my God, Warren and John were faster than I was in blogging about it! Click on their names for their recaps of this evening.
Green shoes, green taxes, green hypocrisy?
One of the things that really irks me is the announcement of a new budget, because it usually brings the associated element that the Finance Minister wears new shoes. Nobody really knows the origins of this tradition, but I've seen the BC Minister of Finance unveil new budgets and wearing very expensive shoes. As noted in local newspapers, the current BC Minister of Finance, Carole Taylor, will be wearing 'green shoes' to go with her new 'green budget'.
There are several ironies here. First, shoes are very expensive (particularly in Canada). Wearing new shoes when you are about to hit taxpayers with new taxes or to speak about budgets doesn't really reflect very well on you. Second, shoes' manufacturing process is not really environmentally friendly (I do know this for a fact, and if you want to challenge me on this particular area, I dare you). Therefore, to say that you're wearing 'green shoes' is somewhat of a contradiction (yes there are more environmentally-friendly materials for shoes, but I saw a photo of Taylor's and they don't seem to be manufactured in that way). Third, shoes are often the commodity that homeless and poor people can least access. Thus, it's somewhat ironic that Taylor spends a few hundred dollars in a new pair of shoes that could very well be spent on feeding a few homeless people.
Wouldn't it be better if (even if just for PR purposes), every time a new budget was tabled, the Minister of Finance actually auctioned his/her shoes and all proceeds went to charitable causes? Or that the actual money that they were supposed to spend on new shoes goes to those charities? Oh, no... That might actually require to have some degree of sensitivity for the poor and marginalized, something that it is clear, politicians in this province, city and country don't seem to have that much of.
There are several ironies here. First, shoes are very expensive (particularly in Canada). Wearing new shoes when you are about to hit taxpayers with new taxes or to speak about budgets doesn't really reflect very well on you. Second, shoes' manufacturing process is not really environmentally friendly (I do know this for a fact, and if you want to challenge me on this particular area, I dare you). Therefore, to say that you're wearing 'green shoes' is somewhat of a contradiction (yes there are more environmentally-friendly materials for shoes, but I saw a photo of Taylor's and they don't seem to be manufactured in that way). Third, shoes are often the commodity that homeless and poor people can least access. Thus, it's somewhat ironic that Taylor spends a few hundred dollars in a new pair of shoes that could very well be spent on feeding a few homeless people.
Wouldn't it be better if (even if just for PR purposes), every time a new budget was tabled, the Minister of Finance actually auctioned his/her shoes and all proceeds went to charitable causes? Or that the actual money that they were supposed to spend on new shoes goes to those charities? Oh, no... That might actually require to have some degree of sensitivity for the poor and marginalized, something that it is clear, politicians in this province, city and country don't seem to have that much of.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
I'm normally very smart, but...
In general, my planning background comes handy when I have social engagements in my calendar. The past few days have been lovely in regards to having some opportunities to spend time with friends (although I have not had a chance to see others). Thursday was a wonderful Valentine's with dinner and a movie.
Friday was JH's birthday which we celebrated with dinner and a movie as well (HZ, ML and myself). Now, this is when I explain what's behind this post's title. I generally do not disclose that I am lactose-intolerant as I love ice cream, yogurt, milk and other dairy products with the exception of cheese (which I, luckily, hate to the bottom of my heart).
Whenever I go on a dairy binge, I start taking my medication well in advance so that my tummy can take it. Well, stupid me, I did not take it on Friday (nor early in the week) even though I figured we might end up ordering pizza in at HZ's apartment. Quite obviously, the logical result is that my stomach gave me cramps all day today, and they got to the point tonight where I am in pain right now.
That was a very stupid idea - I should have planned better to just not eat dairy, period. Or simply take my medication. Better luck next time, because right now I am in pain. I'll have to deal with this tomorrow. For now, I'm just going to go to bed very happy as it was a lovely evening at JH's (cheese fondue - which I did NOT touch - and chocolate fondue - on which I binged on). Come to think about it, maybe there was some dairy in the chocolate fondue as well, because my tummy really got in extreme pain right after that. Oh well, who cares. It was a great evening, in my books.
Friday was JH's birthday which we celebrated with dinner and a movie as well (HZ, ML and myself). Now, this is when I explain what's behind this post's title. I generally do not disclose that I am lactose-intolerant as I love ice cream, yogurt, milk and other dairy products with the exception of cheese (which I, luckily, hate to the bottom of my heart).
Whenever I go on a dairy binge, I start taking my medication well in advance so that my tummy can take it. Well, stupid me, I did not take it on Friday (nor early in the week) even though I figured we might end up ordering pizza in at HZ's apartment. Quite obviously, the logical result is that my stomach gave me cramps all day today, and they got to the point tonight where I am in pain right now.
That was a very stupid idea - I should have planned better to just not eat dairy, period. Or simply take my medication. Better luck next time, because right now I am in pain. I'll have to deal with this tomorrow. For now, I'm just going to go to bed very happy as it was a lovely evening at JH's (cheese fondue - which I did NOT touch - and chocolate fondue - on which I binged on). Come to think about it, maybe there was some dairy in the chocolate fondue as well, because my tummy really got in extreme pain right after that. Oh well, who cares. It was a great evening, in my books.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Curry chicken with basmati rice
Rice is tough. Rice is very tough. It's hard to make rice the right way the first time around, I find. So when I score and end up having a great bowl of basmati rice with curry chicken, I feel like I am in heaven. The only drawback is that when I save the rice for later, I need to add more water and microwave it for 3-4 minutes before it has the same consistency and texture.
And this is so wrong on so many levels, but as soon as I tried to modify the code for the caption of my photograph, it hid it (see what it did to my Mount Pleasant clock photo). I am not keen in having my own photographs captioned as "Originally uploaded by Raul". Those are MY photographs, not only did I UPLOAD them but I also TOOK them!
Grrr... I think I'm going to get serious about the Blogger to WordPress transition.
And this is so wrong on so many levels, but as soon as I tried to modify the code for the caption of my photograph, it hid it (see what it did to my Mount Pleasant clock photo). I am not keen in having my own photographs captioned as "Originally uploaded by Raul". Those are MY photographs, not only did I UPLOAD them but I also TOOK them!
Grrr... I think I'm going to get serious about the Blogger to WordPress transition.
The things I hate the most
I am a very loving guy, and most people would agree that it's really hard to make me angry or mad. That being said, I was over at Meg Fowler's blog, and with my newfound freedom, I proceeded to take the time to actually reflect on the things I hate. All my friends know that I hate cheese and Chinese food, but ... did you know I also hate this rainy weather?
So, without further ado, here is a list of the things I hate. You may find some surprises, you may share the same hate for some things, or you may actually love the things I hate. Everything is fair in love and war! By the way, the list has expanded from what I commented on Meg's post ...
The original list of the things I hate...
So, without further ado, here is a list of the things I hate. You may find some surprises, you may share the same hate for some things, or you may actually love the things I hate. Everything is fair in love and war! By the way, the list has expanded from what I commented on Meg's post ...
The original list of the things I hate...
- Cheese
- Chinese food
- Celery
- Rainy days
- Pushy panhandlers
- Idiotic people
- Bureaucracy and red-tape
- People who aren’t flexible
- People who only follow rules
- Stubbornness without respect
- Improper attribution of ideas
- Drivers in Vancouver (generally speaking)
- Politician’s lies
- People who talk out of their … pretending they know something they don’t
- My upstairs neighbours
- … and their kid
- … and his tantrums
- … and their callousness and lack of respect for my and my next-door-neighbour’s sleeping patterns
- Telemarketers
- Arriving late
- Having lost my cell phone
- Sleep deprivation
- When someone stands me up
- When someone changes pre-existing plans without consulting with me first (and those are our plans)
- Not being able to blog when I want to
- Not having good ideas to blog about
- Self-pompous people who think they’re all that and a bag of chips
- Living in a different country than my parents and my brothers
- Forgetting friends' birthdays
- Double-booking myself
- ... and triple-booking
- ... and booking myself multiple times
- ... because I don't have a Palm Pilot to keep my Google Calendar organized
- Missing wonderful Christmas and New Years parties because I spent mine 6,000 miles away from my dear Vancouver friends
- Not being fully fluent in French (even though I'm fairly conversant)
- The smell of cigarettes
- ... and second-hand smoke
- Having some people take me for granted
- Dry martinis (I know - shocker! I should get my bartender license revoked)
- Not being able to leave trackbacks in WordPress-powered blogs because I am still with Blogger.
- Running for a bus only to have it leave me behind for a fraction of a second
- Buses filled with drunken kids who tend to grab my derrière
- Losing a block on the net because I was too distracted looking at how cute the power hitter was (despite the fact that I did indeed have a good position to block the spike!)
- Missing serves (both in tennis and volleyball). My serve used to be my best weapon.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Happy Valentine's :)
I know that some people hate this Hallmark(TM) day, but at least in the case of my close friends, Valentine's is a reminder of how lucky we are to have the friends and loved ones that we do. I have used every opportunity to rave about my friends and family (wherever the country they live in may be).
There have been good times, and not so good times, and in moments of despair, I have always had close friends near by to remind me of who I am and where I am headed. I have had my family and my friends to stand by me, to help me along the way and to keep me sane. For always being there for me, I'm forever in your debt. I love you guys.
And the great thing is that, through the blogosphere (and volleyball), I've made new friendships... how cool is that?
There have been good times, and not so good times, and in moments of despair, I have always had close friends near by to remind me of who I am and where I am headed. I have had my family and my friends to stand by me, to help me along the way and to keep me sane. For always being there for me, I'm forever in your debt. I love you guys.
And the great thing is that, through the blogosphere (and volleyball), I've made new friendships... how cool is that?
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Different methods of relaxation
For the past two years, I've been super stressed with work, and in particular, have put a lot of pressure on myself to succeed. So, as an important deadline nears (and since I already have the product ready), I am in the extremely rare position of actually enjoying myself without any guilt or pressure.
While I haven't written weekend reviews in a couple of weeks (I should do that one soon), I can't say I haven't had a chance to relax. Went to a movie recently with Nomade Moderne, did dinner with C, B, J and M (sushi), but still had to do a lot of work. But today, as I arrived home from work, I just prepared a pot of English Breakfast tea, took my bag of Chipits (mini-kisses from Hershey's) and just curled on my couch to watch TV.
I ended up (not surprisingly) having a fairly long nap, but the most interesting part of it all is that, despite how much I brag about getting really drunk with lychee martinis, I end up having a much more mellow approach to relaxation. I actually do have some vodka at home (and some Kalhua) and I didn't even want to make myself a drink.
How do YOU decompress? What is your idea of a relaxing, chill evening?
While I haven't written weekend reviews in a couple of weeks (I should do that one soon), I can't say I haven't had a chance to relax. Went to a movie recently with Nomade Moderne, did dinner with C, B, J and M (sushi), but still had to do a lot of work. But today, as I arrived home from work, I just prepared a pot of English Breakfast tea, took my bag of Chipits (mini-kisses from Hershey's) and just curled on my couch to watch TV.
I ended up (not surprisingly) having a fairly long nap, but the most interesting part of it all is that, despite how much I brag about getting really drunk with lychee martinis, I end up having a much more mellow approach to relaxation. I actually do have some vodka at home (and some Kalhua) and I didn't even want to make myself a drink.
How do YOU decompress? What is your idea of a relaxing, chill evening?
Friday, February 08, 2008
Definitely, Maybe - Well, I'm definitely lucky!
I *never* win anything. Other than tournaments, of course, when I play a sport competitively. What I mean is that I never win raffles or any kind of contests. Well, recently, the Vancouver-based gossip doyenne Lainey (from LaineyGossip) held a contest for advanced passes to the movie "Definitely, Maybe"
Everyone and their mother know that I really like Ryan Reynolds. Not only he is from Vancouver, he is funny and good looking and has some really cool movies. This one is a pretty sweet one, so I'm quite excited about the prospect of seeing 'Definitely, Maybe'. Well, lo-and-behold, I ended up winning some sweet swag from LaineyGossip, so I am headed to an advance screening on Monday. I can't tell you how happy I am!!! If only Ryan was at the advance screening, hehehe... just kidding!
I'll do a movie review after I've seen it. In the meantime, thanks so much to Lainey for the swag, and keep up the great work with the celebrity gossip site!
Everyone and their mother know that I really like Ryan Reynolds. Not only he is from Vancouver, he is funny and good looking and has some really cool movies. This one is a pretty sweet one, so I'm quite excited about the prospect of seeing 'Definitely, Maybe'. Well, lo-and-behold, I ended up winning some sweet swag from LaineyGossip, so I am headed to an advance screening on Monday. I can't tell you how happy I am!!! If only Ryan was at the advance screening, hehehe... just kidding!
I'll do a movie review after I've seen it. In the meantime, thanks so much to Lainey for the swag, and keep up the great work with the celebrity gossip site!
Focus on Vancouver: Cold Squad and Canadian actors
I had previously written about Canadian content policy (Cancon) and how the fact that Cancon had been implemented as a national policy. In particular, I think that it has allowed me to gain a better understanding of Canada as a multicultural nation. Sure, we do see Canadian actors in American television, but I really enjoy watching Canadian actors in Canadian TV shows.
One of my favorite shows was (and still is) Cold Squad, even though it's been cancelled. The show's premise revolved around the Vancouver PD Homicide Squad, tasked with solving cold cases. The main character, Ali McCormick, is played by actress Julie Stewart. It was a good show, with a smart premise, excellent writing and great filming. But the best part is that it showcased Vancouver.
In many episodes you could easily recognize landmarks or elements of Vancouver (such as Commercial Drive, or the Downtown Eastside, Cordova Street, or the bus 20 Victoria). I feel such warm fuzzies about Intelligence as well, DaVinci's Inquest, and Robson Arms, all shows that depict the day-to-day life of Vancouverites as we know them.
Of course, I'd like the depiction to be realistic yet not so grim. The fantastic movie Mount Pleasant (which I reviewed here a couple of years ago) does have a lot of location work done around the area near Fraser and Kingsway, but it still paints a sketchy neighbourhood, which is getting better and nicer through time.
Perhaps one idea for a new show would be to film something on Mount Pleasant or South Main. Trust me, there's enough action and day-to-day drama to fill a new soap opera!
One of my favorite shows was (and still is) Cold Squad, even though it's been cancelled. The show's premise revolved around the Vancouver PD Homicide Squad, tasked with solving cold cases. The main character, Ali McCormick, is played by actress Julie Stewart. It was a good show, with a smart premise, excellent writing and great filming. But the best part is that it showcased Vancouver.
In many episodes you could easily recognize landmarks or elements of Vancouver (such as Commercial Drive, or the Downtown Eastside, Cordova Street, or the bus 20 Victoria). I feel such warm fuzzies about Intelligence as well, DaVinci's Inquest, and Robson Arms, all shows that depict the day-to-day life of Vancouverites as we know them.
Of course, I'd like the depiction to be realistic yet not so grim. The fantastic movie Mount Pleasant (which I reviewed here a couple of years ago) does have a lot of location work done around the area near Fraser and Kingsway, but it still paints a sketchy neighbourhood, which is getting better and nicer through time.
Perhaps one idea for a new show would be to film something on Mount Pleasant or South Main. Trust me, there's enough action and day-to-day drama to fill a new soap opera!
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
QUESTION PERIOD: How has Citizenship and Immigration Canada touched your life?
As my readership has increased, I had begun to think about how my blog would evolve. I figured I'd start a new series of blog posts, asking a broad question for people to discuss. I know that more people read my blog than comment on it, so this is your chance. You can comment anonymously or leave your name. So, on to the first Question Period...
Considering that I have many, many friends here in Vancouver who are not originally from here, it's not surprising that Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has touched my life. What do I mean by that? Well, that I have had to deal with it at least once, if not more times. Now, how has CIC touched your life? Feel free not to give too many details, but I'm just curious.
Of course, the question is not as much targeted to Canadians who have to wait in line for long for their passports. I am hoping it will be a much broader question. For example, did you immigrate to Canada? Are your parents/friends/family immigrants? Do you have any stories to share on, for example, lost citizenship due to being a war child? Are you sponsoring a loved one to move to Canada? That's the kind of question I am trying to pose. Looking forward to the responses.
Considering that I have many, many friends here in Vancouver who are not originally from here, it's not surprising that Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has touched my life. What do I mean by that? Well, that I have had to deal with it at least once, if not more times. Now, how has CIC touched your life? Feel free not to give too many details, but I'm just curious.
Of course, the question is not as much targeted to Canadians who have to wait in line for long for their passports. I am hoping it will be a much broader question. For example, did you immigrate to Canada? Are your parents/friends/family immigrants? Do you have any stories to share on, for example, lost citizenship due to being a war child? Are you sponsoring a loved one to move to Canada? That's the kind of question I am trying to pose. Looking forward to the responses.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
And then it's done!
One of the motto's of my good friend Nomade Moderne is "just get it done", referring to the idea that one should just focus on the task at hand and finish it. Coincidentally, one of my sisters-in-law's motto is a complementary (and rather cheerful) phrase: "... and then it's done!" (usually uttered with a joyful smile).
So if you were to combine their motto's in one sentence, you'd say "oh come on, just get it done... just finish it and then it's done!". I can almost hear their voices in my head. Well, this morning I applied their motto to a particularly unpleasant task. I hate doing dishes, I really do. Having been totally busy this week and weekend, I managed to accumulate two sinks full of dishes.
Now, it is indeed a rarity for me to have so many non-washed dishes in my apartment, but I just couldn't bring myself to separate from the tasks at hand to just focus on washing them. Finally, this morning I broke down. Since I had to make breakfast, I needed a frying pan. I had none, all of them were dirty. Guess where they were? Yes, you guessed right... in the sink.
So, I figured "well, I can just wash the frying pan, make breakfast and then wash all the dishes this afternoon when I want a break from work". However, I thought to myself the phrase I just wrote above, and I figured "I might as well just get them done". So I can happily report that my dishes are all clean :)
Despite the fact that this could be just a waste of three minutes of your life, I think that there is a lesson to be learned here. The initial push to start a new project or to just complete a certain task may be really difficult to overcome. But once you've started it, you should just focus your attention and get it done. If you are able to sustain the focus, you can gain momentum and finish sooner than you actually may have estimated. And then, it's done! :)
So if you were to combine their motto's in one sentence, you'd say "oh come on, just get it done... just finish it and then it's done!". I can almost hear their voices in my head. Well, this morning I applied their motto to a particularly unpleasant task. I hate doing dishes, I really do. Having been totally busy this week and weekend, I managed to accumulate two sinks full of dishes.
Now, it is indeed a rarity for me to have so many non-washed dishes in my apartment, but I just couldn't bring myself to separate from the tasks at hand to just focus on washing them. Finally, this morning I broke down. Since I had to make breakfast, I needed a frying pan. I had none, all of them were dirty. Guess where they were? Yes, you guessed right... in the sink.
So, I figured "well, I can just wash the frying pan, make breakfast and then wash all the dishes this afternoon when I want a break from work". However, I thought to myself the phrase I just wrote above, and I figured "I might as well just get them done". So I can happily report that my dishes are all clean :)
Despite the fact that this could be just a waste of three minutes of your life, I think that there is a lesson to be learned here. The initial push to start a new project or to just complete a certain task may be really difficult to overcome. But once you've started it, you should just focus your attention and get it done. If you are able to sustain the focus, you can gain momentum and finish sooner than you actually may have estimated. And then, it's done! :)
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