Being doped up on caffeine

TODAY'S SUMMARY
went out for hot and sour soup today..
one of the kids called me a "mister"..
just ate dinner with Steph and Erin..
learned Norman's dad's funeral was this morning..

I'll be having one litre of coffee bubble tea soon, too..
wonder how doped up on caffeine it'll make me?
it'll be a cool experiment ;)

Losing your balance

take this from me, kiddies..
losing your balance is never a good thing..
(especially when you combine it with being sick and not having the usual amount of sleep)
I wish I had good balance..
but perfect equilibrium is never to be mine..

(losing my balance twice in a week? aiya..)

Lo-fi day

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NICK.. I hope you have a really cool, awesome one today! :) Definitely have all these Band / lunch-related memories of you and Paul.. really liked Tchaikovsky, eh?

today's been pretty lo-fi..
but do I have anything to say?
nope.. guess it's been boring, too ;)
oh well.. at least I'm still around to bug you all..
(yes, even if you don't like it.. so too bad for you! :P)

Cancer-free for 15 years!

just got off the phone with Yazmine..
we had a nice three-hour talk..
which is what we usually have at least once or twice a month..
going to celebrate her 15 cancer-free years, too . :)

she said that her family got a wedding invitation..
but, the wedding isn't till September!
that struck me as more than a little early..
I have NEVER received an invite more than 1.5 months ahead of the actual event..
I mean, you KNOW the wedding's happening..
but you don't expect invitations THAT early!

sorta reminds me of Billy and Stella..
they gave out their wedding thank-you cards, all right..
but it was a year and a half later!
(Karen even said she wasn't expecting it by now..)
a great and much-appreciated surprise, though!

Eerie song predictions

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOHN.. I hope you have a really good one today! :) It's been great getting to know you, even though I'm still not sure what your last name is. ;) (I swear.. you keep changing it on me all the time, don't ya? :P)

Has anyone else out there had the experience of eerily predicting what song would be on the radio next, right before the song actually came on? Happened to me just half an hour ago, in fact. (no, I'm not psychic) I was listening to the Q (based in Victoria.. if it's static-free for a LONG time, that's good!), and I was trying to remember who did the song Stereo. (coz I'd heard it on that same station a few hours previously) Right when it clicked into my head ("oh, the Watchmen did it.. and it's going to come on again, I just KNOW it!"), lo and behold.. the song came on the radio again. Kinda weird, but at least it's all good. ;)

Thanks, Sean!

just got around to checking Kempy's site..
found this blog listed as "recommended reading" (May 15)..
wow.. thanks, Sean! :)
that really cheered me up..
(yes, even if you DID happen to misspell both my name and the URL for this site ;) )

his comment on this site?
"her daily rantings.. crap, she can type.. this girl ! "
cheers for that, dude.. see ya later!

"Jumping" from place to place

I was discussing dreams with someone earlier this morning, and the psychology of lucid dreams is pretty interesting when you get to think about it. Some dreams are hauntingly real, and others? Heck, you know when you're in it that it's just a dream (and you can fix things that seem wrong about it, kind of.. or totally make yourself wake up if it's something you don't want happening). Maybe it's just some kind of thing where your subconscious further straddles the line between dreams and reality, allowing you to be more aware of yourself and your dream surroundings.. even extending to the awareness that you're just in a dream, and things are definitely not real. (or maybe not, as I have no idea what I'm talking about here.. :P)

Kind of reminds me of an old library book of my brother's that I read a long time ago: the main character discovers that he has the ability to "jump" from place to place by visualizing where he wants to be in his head. (only works if he's been there before, or if he can visualize parts of buildings behind a security guard, for example) No, I can't remember the name of the book or its author.. but that premise has stayed with me ever since. It would be COOL to have that ability, though.. just imagine!

Late for an appointment / meeting / party? Just don't want to contend with the traffic / crowds / buses on your way to a friend's house? Want to get out of a tricky situation quickly and easily? Not a problem at all.. just close your eyes, visualize the place you want to / should be at inside your head, and *ZOOM*.. you're instantly there! For obvious reasons, this trick perhaps should best be attempted outta sight of other people.. otherwise they just might be traumatized by your sudden disappearance. ;)

Sounds rather like an infomercial, doesn't it.. "Only $19.95 in four easy installments on your credit card, and this power can be yours! We'll even throw in a book for free on how to disappear completely, and booklets describing exotic locations to jump to! This product is NOT available in stores, so act fast!" Bonus points to anyone who gets the reference in the previous sentence. ;)

It's really too bad that this amazing "jumping" ability isn't real (at times, anyhow).. no matter what they may say in the tabloids from time to time.. coz the tabloids ain't real, kiddies! Just remember that, and you'll be just fine.. believe me.

Harleen, Joanne, and Paul

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HARLEEN.. I hope you have a really good one today! :) Definitely have school bus-related memories of you.. those were some fun times, all right.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOANNE.. I hope you have a great one today! :) Bittersweet church memories, what with Uncle Mark's death and everything else that happened..
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PAUL.. I hope you have a good one today! :) All those Band / lunch memories with you and Nick.. those were very fun times..

I admit this freely..
I have NO idea what to put here now..
maybe I need to go to bed..
yup, that's the ticket..

I'm outta here.. seeya!

Getting together with Maisie

got together with Maisie for the first time..
we go to different churches now..
had sushi, then went to my place..
she liked my CDs and somewhat weird books..
(and the stuffed animals.. pooping pig, anyone?)

yep, that was a nice time out..
but now, I must rest..
picked up a cold over the busy weekend..
I just hope it's not Irene's bronchial infection (aieeee!)

Frustaci septuplets / Saddam Deng SARS

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LEE.. I hope you have a great one today! :) It's been good knowing you.. my sister's very excited about your and Lily's wedding. ;)

Today is an important day in the history of multiples.. the Frustaci septuplets were born in 1985. They were the first set where there were survivors in the world. Four died (Bonnie, Christina, David, James) and three lived (Patricia, Richard, Stephen). Their mother Patti later gave birth to a set of twins (Jaclyn and Jordan) in 1991 (Dec. 21), and then couldn't handle it.. so she ran away.

I just heard a story out of China.. some people have apparently decided to name their kid Saddam Deng SARS. Aiya.. that's a truly bad name.

I should go to bed, but I'm still buzzing on the bubble tea I had earlier.. passion fruit with pearls, which kinda tasted like lychee. Pretty good stuff.. we went to a place in Richmond that sells 'em in one-litre cups (with pearls) for only three dollars. We went there last about two years ago or so.. and they STILL haven't raised the price. Damn good deal, if you ask me. ;)

Answering questions

to answer some questions:

1. no, I do NOT keep records of the "crap" you say.. (your term for it, NOT mine :P)
2. HAHAHAHA.. I'm certainly not working on anything like THAT.. no way! (you so kwazy.. ;) )
3. yes.. I do indeed keep a journal (I have since 1990)
4. no, I do NOT have too much spare time! (despite what my brother and sister think)
5. no, I don't keep records of chats.. whether they be with you or anyone else (and the history files in ICQ / Yahoo don't count either :P).. I just have this memory for quirky stuff ;)
6. no, I don't know what I'll be wearing yet.. let's see if we can get a date for this first..
7. yes, I'm possibly going to be in a lot of trouble.. but I honestly forgot about it, I swear!
8. yes.. I definitely AM the queen when it comes to miscellaneous stuff and details.. as well as craziness ;)
9. nah.. not going to tell you that at all..
10. don't worry about it.. I ramble on about crap all the time.. and I certainly don't expect anyone to LISTEN to it..
11. yup, she IS damaging.. and I know it only too well..
12. if you want to know what Flami means, go here..
13. I've reached 3000 already (just a few weeks ago).. slower than you thought, I'm sure ;)
14. I dunno, really.. guess I just like forums ;)
15. don't ask me.. I know nothing about it..
16. an extremely LONG time, indeed..
17. now, THAT is certifiably none of your business :P
18. ICQ is weird, man.. that's my explanation..
19. yes, I COULD do that.. but it would mean a loud, long argument.. not sure I can deal with that..
20. perhaps.. you'll just have to see..
21. crap.. I don't know.. guess I'll have to check on it for you..
22. no, I have NOT seen the new Matrix movie..
23. eh? how am I supposed to understand you?
24. no, I won't be doing THAT again.. at ALL..
25. yes.. I do indeed love you (in a friendly affectionate way, to be sure).. now you know it to be true..

there.. satisfied now?!? :P

Supercilious / stress

Finally home (yay!), and I have a new gripe.. well, more like an intermittent ongoing one, really. Let's just say that I definitely do NOT appreciate being told to do stuff for my own good (smacks of being supercilious).. or being told what to do! Especially not by a certain source of stress in my life.. don't you dare try and tell me stuff about my hair or anything else! Sheeeeeeesh.

Master Hong's BBQ House / Floata

RESTAURANT DÉJA VU
I'm shortly going to go out to dinner with my family (yes, I'm STILL here..), and my grandma's treating us. That's all fine and dandy, but the restaurant we're going to.. is the very same one that we'll be going to TOMORROW night with a few other people. (with Justin's grandma treating instead) Now, while I'm not THAT opposed to going to Master Hong's BBQ House.. and I'm not really into the mindset of "But they'll recognize us from last night!" (cue whine here :P).. two nights in a row is a bit much. (although I do like the resto.. don't get me wrong there)

Reminds me a lot of the Floata experience I had during the last week of December. (it's a very good Chinese seafood restaurant) My grandma decided to treat us to dinner there on that Sunday to celebrate some Chinese festival we'd never heard of previously. That was fine with me, as long as we didn't go there again that week. (I had a wedding banquet there for John and Sophia's wedding on the Saturday) However, we DID go there again that week.. my parents decided to treat some friends of theirs to lunch on the Friday. Then there was the banquet, which was the crowning glory (ha) of the week.. and the one that I liked best. (I very narrowly escaped going there again for New Year's Eve lunchtime, too.. phew! (three times in a week is overkill, but four times in nine days is beyond that..)

Okay, I'll stop whining / acting like a spoiled brat. ;)

Farts and diarrhea

here's another name for a fart, courtesy of my sister.. an "anal burp".. niiiiiiice one :)
and here's another name for diarrhea.. "anal technicolor"..

yup, this entry stinks to high heaven....
wooooooooeeeeeeee..... ;)

No freewheelin' time!

my parents are home from their retreat now.. um, yay?
(what sorta cruise ship retreat lasts only 56 hours?!?)
there goes my freewheelin' relaxed time here..
at least I'll be home in a matter of hours..
I can FEEL it! :)

oh, and here are some additional family nicknames:
"(you) ug" / "ugfart" (these two mainly applied to my brother) / "Molixed" (Mum) / "Blaard (ine)" (Dad) / "(you) lard" (interchangeable, but mostly applied to our parents)

there.. now you know more than you ever needed to.. ;)

Blueberry syrup, barbecued chicken hearts, haggis, nicknames

Okay, so no one is really keeping tabs on these.. but here they are anyhow! ;) No, I'm not using the ones from the wedding and banquet yesterday.. they were good, but not blog material.

HILARIOUS QUOTES OF THE WEEK (2)

"I want Spoz on the UB.. he needs some blueberry syrup!" -- lel, discussing her shtick for the UnaBoard "newbie welcome thread".. and mentioning how great it would be to have Spoz there. (Wednesday, May 14) [for the record, he said no.. coz he posts on some other forums already, and adding another message board would seriously cut into his actual life]

"I find it interesting that you'll have barbecued chicken hearts, but you won't have haggis.." -- Jon to Steph, while we were eating a late meal at Richmond Sushi. (Wednesday, May 14) [they tasted all right, I suppose.. ]


NICKNAMES AND SUCH
It's been a good day so far.. not having to go to any meetings is definitely a plus. ;) Definitely nice outside now, but where was it this morning? Oh well.. not much you can do about the weather.. at least it's warming up!

On the way home, we were discussing nicknames.. Danielle found it hilarious that the family calls Grandma "Big G." Grandma may not understand much English, but she DOES understand "grandma". Whenever we use it, she thinks we're talking about her.. even when we're not. Most times we are, though. ;) (she'll say: "Grandma what?" in English) So Mum made up "Big G" one day to save us from the endless circumlocutions of "your mother," "the woman who gave birth to you," "your mother-in-law," "the woman seated beside you," etc.

Then Steph called me "Sarne".. Danielle wanted to know what it meant. Let's just say it evolved from a series of other names (and leave it at that).. somehow, this one stuck. Jessica and Rachel call me that exclusively, as do my sibs. (they say it sounds strange calling me by my actual name) When we mentioned Jon's nickname of "Flime" (dunno what that one means, really), and that the interchangeable family nicknames include "fart" and "chub".. Danielle thought we were all crazy. That part is actually true.. though we're not psychologically crazy. (at least, not most of the time) It's just a general sort of insanity.. my friends will definitely know what I'm talking about, here! ;)

We also call Jon "ug" or "ugfart," haha. Good times. Mom is "Molly" or "Molixed," and Dad is "Blaard" or "Blaardine."

Thanks, Ollie!

Hey Ollie, thanks for what you said last night.. you're a great friend and you rock! :) I definitely believed you pretty much straight away when you said I was talented and that this site was very good.. dunno if I should write a book, though!

Warren and Lauren's banquet

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, VERNON.. I hope you have a really awesome one today! :) You've been a terrific friend, and I have all these memories of you.. luv ya lots, SuperVern!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SAMUEL.. I hope you have a really good one today! :) All those church memories.. it's been a slice watching you grow up.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RUTH.. I hope you have a great one today! :) School / PJ memories.. man, those were the days.. hope that wherever you are, you're doing A-OK.

I had a good time at the banquet.. had the normal kinds of food: rice, noodles, abalone, fish, mushrooms, veggies, cold cuts, lobster, Chinese desserts, etc. Sat with a bunch of my friends from church, and we talked about a lot of things. There wasn't any dancing, otherwise I'd still be at the restaurant. Oh, and I only consumed one glass of beer. (Billy and Mel both said the champagne was very strong, whether it was XO or Remy Martin) So no.. I did not become an alcoholic. ;)