Interesting thought processes, and psyching yourself into not getting sick

Henry picked me up a bit earlier than I was expecting; we discussed Daniel Fellowship's noisy games program, his own Fellowship's coffeehouse follow-up program, spicy wings (his sister was tricked by SUICIDE WINGS in the fridge once!), the jalapeno sauce story, his never getting sick (nice in theory - but I remember a certain dinner where he was REALLY getting sick!), the movie CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS, UP, 3D movies in general, Gwyneth, Evelyn's birthday party, my birthday dinner, and more stuff on the ride to church. When I arrived at the fellowship hall, I said hi to Jordan, who gave me a vicious glare in return. SOME kids! Learned that Chrystal is going on a cruise to L.A. next week - still lucky! (I didn't make food jokes...)

Said hi to little Joshua, Rachel, Olivia, Ian M., Anne J., Sean S., Conor, Nicholas T., and other kids before I manned the Awana Store temporarily. Helped Golden, Chris, Bob, and Sabrina with some stuff - Sabrina was amused when I told her that Henry was trying to psych himself into NOT getting sick from his niece! Well, it'll probably happen to you anyway since you live in the same house! I was a nice smiling secretary to a bunch of the parents, and had a reminder that the parents could go through a typical day of Awana next week with their kids! Saw Maxine's niece Kayla again - it's been years, and she's maybe six? Sean S. actually talked to me about stuff from the Awana Store, heh. Chrystal and I were trying to figure out who some of the kids were - no clue over here, man!

Auntie Rebecca was asking everyone about the Thanksgiving Dinner - she says my dad will be there, so I should have a ride. Let's see what happens! Wished Auntie Vivian a happy belated birthday, which she certainly wasn't expecting! Michelle pretended to be a Cubbie, but I told her that she was a bit too tall to be a preschooler! Chris, Henry, Ada, and I were a bit bemused by Sean L.'s homemade "Come to Awana!" card - it started out with the lyrics to GIVE ME OIL IN MY LAMP, but then devolved into "because all day long" repeated a LOT / "the fumos is so fun" / "sing to hosanna." Maybe that gives us a glimpse into his thought processes, I don't know - ah, autism!

On the way to the townhouse, Sean L. directly called me by name for the first time ever while blabbing on about weird stuff. He and his brother Ian were making up silly nicknames for a crazy game, and then telling each other weird knock-knock jokes. Ada said that the kids' grandma was away in Hong Kong for a couple of months - hey, all the more power to her if she can travel at 80 years old! Discussed water bottles, "Fat Man / Cat Man / Giant / Lady / Princess," licking people's fingers, and more - these kids are interesting! Car rides are bound to be silly this year, but I don't mind!

Got to the townhouse to find that Erin and Ben had dropped in before going to Shabusen, so we joked about how they had a lot of family dinners. They go back to Ottawa tomorrow at 10:30, and there are China / Hawaii family flights too! Apparently, Erin's mom went through her suitcase while Erin and Ben were gone on their honeymoon, and of course now Erin can't find things like her bra! UGH, PARENTS! Then again, Auntie Brenda has been known to admit to reading her daughter's teenage diary to find out how Erin felt about stuff... you don't DO that! (at least be more discreet!) Hey, Amos finally added me to Facebook, haha!

"I'm immune to drugs, and I've been deprived of the high school experience!"

Figures that the computer would restart about twenty minutes after Teunis left to go to the storage locker and that pirate party! This is the last installment of the David Shaler Saga. There was some stuff on a Facebook discussion board for our high school, but he deleted it way back in October 2007. :(

We were talking through messages about his remembering everything...

For my memory, it is * A LOT* of information to store. It's a burden. I call it mind clutter. Can you just imagine the amount of energy I must be producing to have such an incredible memory recall. I wonder if that energy can explain the telepathy and visions of the future? We use 10% of our minds. Maybe I'm using 11% ... Who knows what the mind is capable of.

I'm also immune to drugs. I have gene duplications of CYP2D6 and CYP2C19; as well, my serotonin transporter is in the s/l form. I am what is considered an ultra-rapid metabolizer of drugs metabolized by CYP2D6. I thought this explains why I am immune to drugs; but, I've been doing some research and it seems that although I would require higher doses of some drugs, it doesn't explain how drugs don't seem to work, period! I can take 100 Tylenol with Codeine a day. I can take 12 tabs of Ecstasy, and it's like a cup of coffee. I can take 15 OxyContins and it's nothing more than candy to my body.

Marijuana barely works, and at 5'4" weighing only 120 pounds, I can drink everyone under the table. I tried magic mushrooms for the first time Sunday night; 4 grams did absolutely nothing to me. People think it's great I'm "immune" to drugs, that I don't even have the option to get high or stoned; but, I also don't have an option for pain relief. Morphine does nothing to me. Anesthesia doesn't keep me asleep. Mushrooms have no connection to CYP2D6 so I should have experienced something; 4 grams was more then enough and I've never tried those before.

Another thing I just learned is that Codeine works differently. The body converts Codeine into Morphine, so the faster the Codeine is metabolized, the higher dose of Morphine I am getting in my body. So, with my gene duplications, I shouldn't be able to take 100 Tylenol; half of one should be ample.

People can think whatever they want of me; but, I want the drugs for more than just pain relief. I have been in pain my entire life, I haven't been able to stop moving in 30 years; I deserve to be able to get stoned. As crazy as it may sound, what marijuana does to everyone else is the exact medicine I need.

There are nearly 8000 rare diseases, and 1 in 10 Canadians is walking around unaware that they are sick with an invisible illness. That's 1 in 10 Canadians chalking it up to being just how they are. It's actually very difficult to knock that wall down because you know no other way, and then you have to undergo a massive identity crisis as you come to terms with the fact that maybe you didn't have to be that way for so long.

You wouldn't believe the lectures I've gotten. Geez. I thought the world was more progressive than this. I was robbed of the high school experience and that's an open wound that will never heal. It's also so tough remembering everything like it was yesterday. I don't feel the passage of time. I'll bump into someone from way back, and they look so old, and it feel like I went to sleep and everyone was young. Then when I opened my eyes again, it's 17 years later. Not to mention I am physically 10 years younger than everyone else, so I feel this weird age difference that's not actually there.

What do you make of all this... any theories? I need something plausible to take into a doctor, otherwise I know where that will go. I can't even think of what to search for on Google.

I learned that drugs are drugs. It doesn't matter if they're illegal or prescription, if they'll do what you need them to do, then what does it matter? People can get addicted and just as messed up on prescriptions like OxyContin or Vicodin. I was using Ecstasy in January. I was in so much pain I wanted to commit suicide. Ecstasy, although it merely felt like a cup of coffee without the jitteriness, it helped keep those nasty thoughts away. You wouldn't believe the slack for that. Hahaha! It did what I needed it to do.

All the symptoms that can be categorized as weird have to be connected to one cause or illness. I wouldn't have all these random things that were so weird. I'm accepted into the genetics program at UBC; but, it could be a year before my appointment. The purpose is to find out the type of Ehlers-Danlos that I have. I just don't want to wait that long to start inquiring. I want to get drunk, damnit! Hahahaha! Where's House when you need him?

You know... of all the problems I could have ever dreamed of having when I was younger, not being able to get drunk, high, and stoned was definitely not something I ever could have imagined in my wildest dreams.

... and Mr. Chapell freaked out about Bart Simpson t-shirts. LOL! Who'd ever imagine going through puberty at 26? Sometimes I think I'm just not destined to live a normal life.

There's nothing I have worked harder for than to be normal and to have a boring mundane life. But, as for someone who saw a kid go splat like a bug on the windshield of a minivan in front of Palmer, I have a feeling the cosmic forces of the universe won't cooperate. That was 1998. Some kid who just graduated high school did a jump off the curb on his bike and flew strait into a minivan.

If the dresscode banned blue bowling bags, then there'd be problems, eh? Remember we both went back to visit Palmer the following September at the same time. We saw Ms. Tijman.

But, why? I don't remember a school dress code in grade 10; I probably just wasn't paying attention because it didn't affect me. I do remember the last few months of grade 10, they started renovating the school; they started painting, and they were testing out a new intercom system with all these silly ringing sounds, and there were all sorts of glitches.

Bare shoulders being riskee is so funny because it's just so tame compared to today. I remember in the mid 90s when the big thing was to have your jeans hanging halfway down your waste with your boxers showing. Now, *THAT* was fashion! I didn't join in. I decided to show my age, and keep my underpants hidden.

No wait... I'm beginning to remember something. I don't remember the dress code; but, I remember sitting in homeroom thinking that I didn't like what I was hearing and if this is was a sign of things to come, I was glad to be getting out of there when I was.

Arabic noodles, pirate costumes, UK Nathan, Chinese Youtube

Teunis and I discussed showers, his boxes of stuff, no sound on computer, EVE Online (space RPG) economics, Talk Like A Pirate Day, WOW, dating, Krista, Tom Smith, good coffee, instant noodles, storage, breakfast, Eric, couscous, Arabic noodles with Mexican refried black beans as travel food, money, returning things to other people, pirate costume with a sword belt for tonight's party at Kaili's, and more. Nathan wished me a happy belated birthday, so Teunis said hi to him - haha, I'm sure he appreciates it in the UK! Finally checked Our Place again to find out that Kelly L., Debbie, Carol J., Marie S., and Sarah G. had wished me a happy birthday too... sweet!

I even got a couple of Youtube videos as birthday wishes...

Happy Birthday in Chinese and English




Happy Birthday Chinese Way

Well, it's a good thing Eric understands Linux code... yay for Front on Main!

I had to call Eric to figure out where he was, and we were out in a couple of minutes. The ride over was filled with geek talk about Linux, Eric's work, and chips. Later, Teunis told me that it was a good thing he didn't have to "mask" what he did - hey, I guess Eric understands that stuff. Good thing, because then I could just zone out! Got to the church, and did my usual reflective walk to the front doors, heh. Saw Phil and Dylan on their way upstairs - I wasn't taking the elevator, but I was waiting for my friend! Greeted Vivian, and adopted a very even tone of voice in telling Teresa to get her offering money off a chair since it needed to be used for its intended purpose! Deliberately hung around near a perfidious blackguard since he wasn't going to prevent me from saying hi to my sister-in-law or Deb! (Deb and Dylan got back at 4 on Sunday from Bellingham, and got ID'ed at Costco, of all places!)

Played some confusing game called "Four On The Couch," and the girls won! Saw that dodgy-looking Peter Yeung guy again... I'm not talking to him too much, I guess. Did some group sharing, and then just chilled. Cindy and Deb wished me a Happy Belated Birthday (and so did Denise on Facebook), and I talked to Richie / Jon / Harmony / Christon / Janette / Wesley about morbid Psalms, FRONT on Main (whimsical gifts!), real estate / mortgages, Steph / Martin / money, tomorrow's dinner, the Olympics, Dragon Boat, chivalry, yesterday's dinner, and other such things. Told Jon that I had seen a list of Modern-Day Slavery Resources (copied in my last entry), so I'd email it to him - and I have. Went downstairs and bantered with Cordia and Mike - for some reason, Mike had a broom. Much fun was had, oh yes.

On the way home, we discussed the cheerful church community (a double for his parents' one up north?!) / a healthy happy couple (Jon and Harmony) / "man-eater" comments / Teunis' friends Cat (34F boob size?! OUCH!) and Krista / Psalms / more stuff. I had to apologize to Eric for even bringing up boobs in the first place, har har. Yes, I bet now Harmony knows that Teunis has a lot of stories and things to tell. As Jon said at the mead night, Teunis can out-Jeremy Jeremy, hahaha! At home, we discussed keys / Krista / certain people / remembering stuff / wood glue / routers / Facebook games that take over your news feed or requests page / comics / pretty pictures. Good times, for sure. Eric has agreed to drive us on Sunday, so that should be EXCELLENT.


Poo nugget for this weekend: Butt Bark - It is critical when wiping up after a poo to make sure the job is complete. Butt Bark consists of the stubborn pieces of turd that cling to the anal hairs and often refuse to let go. While the rocking maneuver and pinch technique are favored strategies for dealing with Butt Bark, if an additional wipe is warranted, it is best to wipe in a front-to-back fashion to guarantee the greatest degree of sheer force and to avoid contamination of the genital area. SYNONYMS: Grundle Weeds, Clingers, The Lone Ranger, Crap Crumbs, Hanging Chads.

Modern-Day Slavery Resources, via Amanda

I forwarded this list to my brother, with the caveat that the "local" resources were only local to the Seattle area, since that is where Amanda (zuridea) lives.

Books, Films, Etc.

Disposable People by Kevin Bales
Understanding Global Slavery: A Reader by Kevin Bales
Ending Slavery: How We Free Today's Slaves by Kevin Bales
Not For Sale by David Batstone
Terrify No More by Gary Haugen
A Crime So Monstrous by E. Benjamin Skinner
The Road of Lost Innocence by Somaly Mam
The War on Human Trafficking: US Policy Assessed by Anthony M. DeStefano
What is the What? By David Eggers
Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan
Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen
The Bottom Billion by Paul Collier
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
Creating a World Without Poverty by Muhammad Yunus
Common Wealth by Jeffrey Sachs
Nicholas Kristof's blog (NY Times)
Human Trafficking - miniseries
Trade - film
The Silent Revolution: Sankalp and the Quarry Slaves - Documentary by Free the Slaves
Freedom and Beyond Bal Vikas Ashram - Documentary by Free the Slaves
Dreams Die Hard - Documentary by Free the Slaves
Cargo: Innocence Lost - Documentary
Not for Sale: the Documentary - documentary through Not For Sale Campaign
Invisible Children - Documentary
Fields of Mudan - Documentary through Indie H Flicks
Sold - Documentary through The Sold Project
The Day My God Died - Documentary
Born into Brothels - Documentary
Call and Response - Rockumentary


Important Websites

The Not For Sale Campaign
Slavery Map
Free To Work
The Polaris Project
Free the Slaves
Anti-Slavery International
UN.GIFT, the United Nations
Call and Response
Human Trafficking
The International Rescue Committee


Local organizations

Youth Care
The Tronie Foundation
Children of the Night
Rapha House
Washington Anti-Trafficking Response Network
Seattle Against Slavery
Asian and Pacific Islander Women & Family Safety Center
Refugee Women's Alliance

Squeezing armpit protuberances to make people die! / Eagles are not Negros!

Teunis let me borrow A Tale of Two Shamans (Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas) - it's SO weird! Oh sure, let's just squeeze armpit protuberances which are round, and make people fall ill and die! Hahaha, oh my! (not to mention urinating on otter skins...) Discussed noodles / vermicelli, vegetable flakes, Facebook / Twitter, Talk Like A Pirate Day (NO!), flavors, Sidekicks, soy milk / milk, cake, ice cream, Winamp, Grandma, brothers, Jazmin, Erik, Jordan, scanning an instruction book, Alicia, Scott, and more.

Apparently, you only have to own a house and a Harley to get into the Hell's Angels, oh my! There was a set of identical twins at the condo contest today, and they had rhyming names: Arlene and Darlene... WHY?!!!! Yes, I know... because their parents named them that way. But still. :P

One weird mishearing from yesterday: Steve Miller's Fly Like An Eagle was on the radio while Billie was over. She misheard "I want to fly like an eagle" as "I want to fly like A NEGRO." HAHAHAHAHA!

Dream: Baby Cory crying in ice / Planning a lie / Friday Five on appearance

Had a dream that involved it being cold and icy outside a fairly large cabin, where Helen K. had to go somewhere. She left her baby Cory in my charge, but didn't say where her other son Nicholas was! Baby was all right, except when he started crying a LOT and wanting to crawl in between rows of seats. Then we gave him baby crackers and coddled him - things were FINE then! Not sure why I had it, haha... I just saw Helen and Cory on Sunday, but my subconscious can be weird. (yes, we were discussing extreme cold yesterday, but still...)

Kaitlin left belated birthday wishes on my wall; how sweet. Decided to do some laundry today, too. Since Eric is going from home today (as per yesterday), then that should be fine if Teunis also wants to go. For Sunday and church (if he wants to go), I figure I'll just lie to my parents tomorrow about having Eric drive us, but I should clear it with him tonight first. Hope he remembers if he has anything to do on Sunday morning, haha! Trust me, lying to my parents is better than having them freak out in this instance. :P

Friday Five
1. If there was one thing about your body you could change, what would it be? Hmm... there IS the matter of these stupid inherited scars... :(
2. Would you rather lose ten pounds or ten points off your IQ? Ten pounds, man. Anyone who says "ten points off my IQ" is a moron!
3. When you look in the mirror, are you happy with what you see? Meh, not really?
4. Have you ever dyed your hair? No.
5. How often do you weigh yourself?


Facebook quizzes taken from Jennifer L. and Veronica:

Leslie completed the quiz "What Cute Love Quote Are You" with the result "If I Can Only Be With You In My Dreams, Then Let Me Sleep Forever." You feel that you have the fairytale relationship. You may even find yourself scribbling his last name with your first name. Sometimes you turn on the radio just to find songs that make you think about them. Perhaps you have a long-distance relationship, or just don't see them as often as you would like. Don't forget that having some space isn't always a bad thing. Distance makes the heart grow fonder. Keep up the fight, and be who you are. Love lasts a lifetime. If it's the real thing, you'll know.

Leslie just took the "Which philosopher are you?" quiz and the result is You're Paul Henri Thirry, Baron d'Holbach. You see all things as determined by outside causes and nature. There is no free will for you! We are all pieces of existence pushed hither and yon by events. Are you that way because you choose to be or because you were made to be? Hmmm!

You Should Be With an Air Sign

Your best match is a Gemini, Libra, or Aquarius You crave excitement and playful banter. Only an air sign can match your wit. An air sign will keep you on your toes and keep you interested. Your air sign will bring you fun, excitement, and surprises. Sounds like your perfect playmate!

What Sign Should You Be With?

Blogthings: If Quizzes Are Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Take Quizzes

Polished gems are quite the cool thing / PAGAN?! / Water Closets

Teunis showed me gems and other things - yay, polished rocks!

Facebook quiz taken from Karla:

Leslie completed the quiz "What is your Spiritual Personality?" with the result Pagan. You value the personal approach to a spiritual life, and have your own opinion on who or what God is. You have a world of opportunity available to you, regarding how you pray, if you choose to partake in rituals or cast spells. You are an eccentric individual who values other people's religions, that is until they try to infringe on your own free practice. You believe in doing the right thing according to your own personal ethics. (Oh gosh... WRONG ANSWER!)


Poo nugget for Friday, September 18: Doo You Know? - The W.C. - W.C., short for Water Closet, is the common term for the toilet in parts of Europe. It is usually referred to in abbreviated terms. In France, it's pronounced "le vay say." If you were in the Netherlands, you'd pronounce it "way say." The pronunciation in Germany is "vay tsay."

Butt rot and bottom gas, eh? Why am I not surprised?

Candy had to call me JUST when Billie and I were going to leave the apartment, so I told her that I was on my way out. She wished me a happy one, however. Steph called me pretty early at 6:30, so after introducing her to Billie, we decided to kill time at London Drugs - no car wash for us! Discussed swearing, Austin, Michael Jackson's death affecting Iran news, forgetting stuff, dangerous traffic maneuvers, and other things. Looked at various food items, Burt's Bees, clothing, ARCHIE comics, various magazines, and other things for an effective time-kill, hehe.

Jon and Harmony showed up late, Christon and Jeremy were already there, and Eric / Teunis showed up a little later than we did. The table was ridiculously big - I TOLD THEM ONLY TEN PEOPLE when I made the reservation, man! (but they HAD to upsize it... sigh!) Discussed Brent / Danielle / hockey pools, "DRUNK! / OLD!" teasing, beer, Rickard's Red, splitting a martini, ice wine / mead, Mom being a cheap drunk (and what she did at Megan and Andy's wedding!), haggis, real estate, offers, salad, wing nights on Wednesdays, a facilitator and jalapeno sauce in a little cake, teachers, Sean Connery, and more. Apparently, Steph went out to Kelsey's a lot in Regina - she also recounted the FREEZING conditions there!

Christon and Steph got me the same thing, only in slightly differing denominations - yay for Chapters gift cards, which I could use to totally offset the cost of An Echo in the Bone x2 (Diana Gabaldon) next week, haha. Jon and Harmony got me Butt Rot and Bottom Gas: A Glossary of Tragically Misunderstood Words (Eric Groves, Sr.) and one I Must Be Allergic To Idiots mini pack of Kleenex. It was an interesting dinner - salads, hearty pastrami sandwiches, burgers, apple / blueberry crumbles, chocolate desserts, and more! On the way to my place, Steph and I discussed Grandma's sister coming to visit from October 5 to 7. Mom apparently assumed Steph was free to drive them around - good thing Steph checked, since she can't! Maybe it's fine that I don't drive, otherwise I'd have to do it...

Stopped to get gas, and then she dropped me off. Teunis then spent some time dragging ALL his stuff to my door - four tubs, clothes, instruments, food, books, computer stuff, and more. I find it quirky that his friend has the same name as the Fleetwood Mac song that I'm listening to right now. Got online to find birthday wishes from Auntie Susan, Adam, Vanessa, Alicia, Julie, Wesley, Hien, and Karen. It was a good night out, for sure!

Deep and Delicious cake with Billie, Nun name, LET'S BE PERVERTS! (uh, no thanks...)

Billie was running later than I was, but we made it to the anime store! I looked in the Body Shop for a bit, then we browsed the anime store (Sakura Media) for a while. Weird titles: The King of Debris, Let's Be Perverts, Too Long, Chicken Princess, INVU, and more! Her mom called her after we stopped by Staples so I could pick up some replacement pens, and said that she'd have got me something if she'd known it was my birthday - that's fine! Got home and had some Deep and Delicious cake while talking about parents and paranoia. Gabriel, Mary, Olivia, and Vania left me birthday wishes, too. :D (hey, Billie called her grandma, and even SHE wished me a happy birthday - sweet!)

Stevie Wonder's version of HAPPY BIRTHDAY, via Wendy A.

Leslie completed the quiz "Where will Kanye interrupt you?" with the result Childbirth. You love children. The best feeling you've ever had or will have is childbirth. Your kids won't even make it in the world without Kanye being there to try to overshadow the moment. "Yo yo... Imma let you finish pushing in a whole minute, but you know... Jennifer Hudson had the best childbirth of all time." (.... WHAT?! HAHAHAHAHAHA! Well, if he shows up, there's another person to shoo out of the delivery room! Or he can help with the proceedings, but I doubt he knows anything about childbirth and labor!)

Leslie's just got their Warrior Hero Name from Name Generators. I just got my Warrior Hero Name. It's Luckystar.

Leslie's just got their Tarot Card Name from Name Generators. I just got my Tarot Card Name. It's The Star. (what a coincidence with the one above, hahaha)

Leslie's just got their Nun Name from Name Generators. It's Sister Theresa Filia.

Leslie's just got their Strawberry Shortcake Name from Name Generators. I just got my Strawberry Shortcake Name. It's Coco Calypso.

Leslie's just got their Mystical Name from Name Generators. It's Faye.

Birthday wishes, Teunis, North / South / East / West, random photos

Got up to a bunch of birthday wishes from my friends and various forums - so good! (Vicky, Charlotte, Silvester, Eric H., Kaili, Chrissy, Jemima, Candace, Sharlene M., Billie, Alan, Andrew L., Danielle, Teresa, Barb S., Diane S., Candy, Kathy T., George M., Mel, Shannon, Steph, Jen, Harmony, Julie S., Our Place, Carol B., Steve B., Julie, OK Cupid, Rock 101) Seems Teunis is coming tonight, which I guess is okay - I was forewarned, after all. Candy tried to call me, but I had my usual "phone off as default," muhahahaha. Called Steph to see if she'd pick me up, and after some discussion, she agreed. Picking me up now won't work since I have to eat ostrich meat noodles / vegetarian lasagna, shower, and meet Billie at the mall. Left Jon a message to let him know, then figured that at least I have a ride back!

You Are East

Like many Asian cultures, you tend to be reserved and conservative. You don't believe that your internal emotional life is anyone's business. People admire that you are together and responsible. You're the type of person who seems to be living a good life. Sometimes you come across as a bit cold and humorless. You only show the easygoing side of yourself to people you know well. You make a good judge of ethical issues. You see right and wrong easily, without letting emotion color your opinion.

Are You North, South, East, or West?

Blogthings: Take a Quiz. Annoy Your Friends.

Steph tagged a couple of random pictures of me:

My brother and me at the Blackberry Bistro last week, being normal for us:




Brian, Jen, me, and Michelle with a mouth full of... pearls? at Dragon Ball on Sunday night at Nathan's farewell as he's going to the UK:

My bodily death processes will be greatly accelerated, starting NOW!

I have now reached the age where my bodily death processes are greatly hastened. Yikes! Called my brother earlier, who says that Kelsey's is in Coppersmith, one plaza over from Ironwood - oops. He gave me advice, so we'll see how THAT goes!

I threw away a bunch of pens that weren't working anymore, and saw a police officer at the front door of the complex while doing so. Of course, I saw his backup in a car in the parking lot. Corey's advised me to flush my crack rocks down the toilet... as if I had any to start with! Now he's also called me an old geezer, or older than dirt. Aiya!


Poo nugget for Thursday, September 17: Golden Poop - A golden poop cellphone charm is creating quite a stir in Japan. Made by Ryukodo, the 24-karat gold poo is a bestseller (over 2.5 million sold), and is shaped like a dollop of soft serve ice cream. Where did this idea come from? In Japanese, the item is called Kin no Unko (The Golden Poo) - it's a name that plays on the fact that the Japanese word for poop (unko) starts with the same "oon" sound as a completely unrelated word that means "luck." (I wonder if Melissa has seen any of these... and if she'd be willing to bring one back for me, hahaha...)

Calling Jeremy, Disney twin, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Jesse James

Mike B. and Bexy B. wished me an "early" happy birthday, and Sharlene sent me a Growing Gift - I don't even use that application anymore, but thanked her all the same. Rosenda also wished me a happy one on a status - hey, that works too! Shelley also left me some, hah. (and so did the Crime Library Message Boards) Called Jeremy to see if he was coming tomorrow night - confirmed the location, reminded him what was going on, and learned that he was still delivering furniture from the warehouse Labor Day sale! But he says he will, although there's a small chance he'll have to stay late at work - we're hoping not, for obvious reasons! So then I confirmed the reservation, which is still good.


Facebook quizzes taken from Leigh, Darren, Shelley, and Scarlet:

Leslie took the quiz "Who is Your Disney Twin?!!" and got the result: Belle! You are very intelligent person who loves learning and getting to know people. You can look past appearances and see people for who they truly are. You stand out in a crowd because popularity isn't important to you, and you don't need to be cool. You make friends easily because of your kindness and acceptance. You take care of your family and will sacrifice yourself to keep them safe.

Leslie took the quiz "Which Anime Character Are You? (Female)" and got the result: Rei Ayanami (Neon Genesis Evangelion)! You do not make the first move when it comes to making friends, and may even try to distance yourself from others. But once you make friends, you do your best to help them out, even making sacrifices for them. You rarely show your emotions, and conceal your thoughts (which are quite deep), but that is only because you feel more mature than those around you. You try to keep yourself from falling in love when you know it won't work, but you fall anyway.

Leslie took the quiz "What Disney / Marvel Super Hero Are You?" and got the result: Incredible Carl! You are a grouchy old man by day, and a raging giant green beast by night. Your superpowers include near-limitless physical strength, ability to heal most wounds within seconds, and uncanny talent in making millions of helium balloons.

Leslie took the How old do you seem / look? ♥ quiz and got the result: 63. Your age guesstimation is 63! (... just because I don't like clubbing, and picked some of the "safe" answers on the quiz... I am NOT older than my parents! :P)

Leslie completed the quiz "What American Outlaw are you?" with the result Jesse James. Of all the world's legendary characters, few have attracted worldwide fascination like the outlaw Jesse James. Some call him America's Robin Hood, while others see him as a cold-blooded killer. Perhaps he was all of these things. Jesse Woodson James was born in Kearney, Missouri on September 5, 1847. His father, the Rev. Robert James, was a Baptist minister who helped found William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo. Some people say it was the cruel treatment from Union soldiers that turned Frank and Jesse to a life of crime during the Civil War. Certainly during the war years, they learned to kill while riding with William Quantrill and Bloody Bill Anderson. After the war, Jesse was wounded while surrendering. Within a year, Frank and Jesse are believed to have pulled off the first daylight bank robbery in peacetime. They made off with $60,000 from the Liberty, Mo. bank not far from their home, and one man was killed.

Hot and sour soup, spring rolls, ostrich meat noodles, and chewy cookies

I was determined to go out for lunch today (since it had cleared up - it's raining now!), so spent some time looking for my debit card just in case I didn't have enough cash. Eventually found it on the floor in plain view, even if it was flipped over. While I was on the bus, I decided to see where the 410 bus stop was in more-or-less broad daylight. It was indeed where Eric thought it was - oh, the humanity! Good info for Fridays in the future, though!

Decided to go to Specialty Chicken and Wonton House, which was cash-only in any event. Got a large bowl of hot and sour soup, and a little bowl to go with it, unlike last time! Found out that a large is the equivalent of three bowls - nice. Was still hungry after that, so ordered some spring rolls. Those were enough, so I also ordered some ostrich meat noodles to go; I was about to order beef, but I figured I needed to treat myself for my birthday, haha. (my sister and Terrence would call this being "Lady Sarne with Highest Honors Bestowed" :P) The noodles came in a foil takeout container, so I asked if they could put it in two Styrofoam containers instead. (for microwaving purposes... but then I ended up dumping everything into a bowl at home!) If it's too big for one container, make it a double! Hope I didn't earn any spit or anything for that, hahaha.

Since I was right by Save-On, I decided to get some on-sale vanilla soy milk (for cooking / drinking purposes), and some on-sale Chewy Chips Ahoy for myself or the kids. I did not go to the liquor store like I did seven years ago on this date for Silent Sam vodka, heh. (but it would have been for Scotch this time!) Then I walked to the bus stop (yay for it being in front of London Drugs again!), and then was delayed for five minutes because of the bus waiting for something. Two people asked what the delay was, and two others just walked off the bus using the front door since the rear doors were closed for some reason!

I should tell Auntie Ying that I have snacks in reserve, so maybe I'll call her later for that. I need to call Jeremy to confirm that he's coming, and call Kelsey's later to confirm the reservation that I made two weeks ago, too! Got home to find that Steve L. had left "early" birthday wishes on my wall - yup, there's another one with a time difference! The Ubuntu forums also emailed me to wish me a happy birthday, heh. Now I have some more washing to do, but I'll get to it later.

Dream of pitch darkness and yelling at HAPPY BIRTHDAY wishes / Early wishes / Birthday color

I found it really hard to get out of bed this morning! Among other things, I dreamed that there was an intense storm and it was pitch BLACK outside at 1:36 in the afternoon. I also dreamed that Billie and others were at my place to wish me a HAPPY BIRTHDAY, and I just yelled at them! :(

In other news, I've revised yesterday's emo thoughts: It's better to be single than to be with people like my ex! *nods vigorously* Vivian's also sick like Andrea is (cold or flu?!), so may not make it out tomorrow. Sonya has left birthday wishes on my wall a day early, and so has Chantelle... hey, C has a time difference since she's in Australia! I figure Sonya wanted to do that before she forgot or something, haha. ;)


Facebook quiz taken from Barb:

Leslie completed the quiz "Which famous stoner are you?" with the result Snoop Dogg. You like getting crunk, and have been a bad ass since you emerged from the womb. As a result, you are permanently banned from England. You speak softly, accentuating your S's, and like to end your words with "izzle." When asked why you carry an umbrella, your response is "Fo drizzle." (No, I don't smoke pot or anything else!)

Your Birthday is Pink

You are the dreamy type. You can't help but be an idealist, even if your dreams get crushed from time to time. You have a vision of how the world should be. You work hard to make life easier and better for people. You are generous. In fact, you give until it hurts and expect nothing in return. You are sometimes disappointed. It's discouraging to have such high hopes when things don't work out.

What Color Is Your Birthday?

Blogthings: Free Quizzes for Everyone

I really don't like the color pink, but the quiz's timing is sweet since my own birthday is tomorrow!

Your True Blood Guy is Sam

You tend to fall for the lone wolf, especially if he's the sensitive sort. You like to be pampered. If a guy treats you well, then you're hooked. You're not likely to judge a guy too harshly on his past or secrets. You are the type of woman who is likely to fall for a friend. You are usually attracted to the sweetest guy in your life. You don't like much drama in your love life. Being happy is as simple as finding someone you're content to sit still with.

Who's Your True Blood Guy?

Blogthings: Our Quizzes Weren't Written By Bored 12 Year Olds

SO not like my LAST relationship! UGH!

Disliking Gym Says You Are Thoughtful

You are thoughtful, philosophical, and downright cerebral. For you, gym is too intense and competitive. You aren't always in the mood for playing hard. You may or may not be into exercise - but any physical movement you do is under your own terms. You don't get your happiness through thrills or adrenalin rushes. Your bliss comes from quiet reflection.

What Does Your Least Favorite School Subject Say About You?

Blogthings: Our Quizzes Weren't Written By Bored 12 Year Olds

You Are Protein

You are a strong person who can be relied on in times of trouble. You are a rock. You seem to get through life with fewer problems than most people. You have a lot of power and energy. You are happy, healthy, and balanced. You don't have a lot of mood swings or outstanding issues in your life. You are driven, successful, and always on the go. Whenever you feel tapped out, you can dig deeper and carry on.

Are You Protein, Carbs, or Fat?

Work is Hard. Time for Blogthings!

This quiz made me hungry, so I'm going for lunch now...

Ice cream making things better / More engagements and RSVP / Celiac sprue and gluten

Dawn says she can't make it on Thursday. Just learned that Emily is engaged to Mike now, too. More weddings! :P I had some of my free Foremost ice cream - yum, Neapolitan! (which Corey corrupted into "nipple," OF COURSE!) Wasn't feeling so emo after that, haha. Also talked to James R. for a while, so that was good.

Christon officially did an RSVP, and Mike thanked me for the congratulations while saying he couldn't make it. Hey, I understand if he's very busy that night! Billie says she'll be later than expected to my place on Thursday, since she now has an afternoon class. That should be fine as long as she has enough time and money to use her anime coupon, since university textbooks are RIDICULOUSLY expensive! We'll meet at the anime store at about 4.


Poo nugget for Wednesday, September 16: Dr. Stool Says - Glutton for Gluten - Celiac sprue, an intolerance to gluten-containing foods, can cause persistent Soft Serve Poo symptoms. Gluten is a component of grains such as wheat, rye, and barley. Ingestion by susceptible individuals causes an immune reaction that damages the small intestine. Crampy abdominal pain, watery diarrhea, and the eventual development of an iron deficiency are common adult manifestations of this condition. Diagnosis can be made by blood tests and upper endoscopy. An upper endoscopy is an exam in which a tube with a camera is inserted via the mouth into the stomach. Treatment requires the elimination of all gluten from one's diet.

I thought I'd thrown away my cougar shirt, but I guess not...

This thing restarted again. NOT SURPRISED. Although I have now been reminded just why I don't play CDs and DVDs on here... the computer freezes every time I try opening Winamp, Windows Media Player, or something similar!

I found that one of my long undershirts had a red stain on it, so I had to throw it out. Also found my yellow COUGAR ROAR shirt, which I thought I'd thrown out already when the breakup happened. Evidently not, so I had to rectify that. Found a purple "Act Now BC" T-shirt, so I kept that - not sure where I got that from, but probably my mother had a hand in it.

You Scored as Elizabeth Bennett Like Elizabeth, you're both complex characters. You're intelligent, witty, independent, loyal, and thoughtful. On the downside, you can be prejudiced, proud, and blunt. You're both wonderful people, though. Mrs Bennett 69% Lady Catherine de Bourgh 69% Elizabeth Bennett 69% Caroline Bingley 63% Fitzwilliam Darcy 63% Mr Collins 56% Jane Bennett 50% Mr Wickham 44% Mr Bingley 44%

Various RSVP housekeeping and lasagna: orientations, spinach, cauliflower, and more!

I know now that Daniel and Michelle aren't coming to my birthday thing, which is fine. Eric is going, and Danielle was wrong about her schedule being free that night. Apparently, she forgot that she has to give a talk that night - she DID tell us on Sunday that her brain was disorganized, so that is understandable! She apologized, and so did Jen - SHE has to attend a volunteer orientation that night, which I was forewarned about on the weekend. Andrea's fighting a nasty cold, and doesn't want to spread germs around; she hopes to come if she feels better. Fair enough! Saw Eric M. online last night, so of course I sent up a quick prayer for him. Poor White Kid, haha.

Was going to go out for lunch, but decided it wasn't worth it - I'll wait for some hot and sour soup! Besides, I have to save money for AN ECHO IN THE BONE x2, most certainly! I'll have at least some of the eight-vegetable lasagna with multigrain pasta, and I won't be lazy and leave it IN the microwave! Among other things, this slab has carrots / green and red Bell peppers / spinach / zucchini / cauliflower / broccoli / black olives. Definitely can't share the lasagna when Teunis is around as it has tomato, haha. The bag of frozen cherries which I was going to share with Billie was sticking to the freezer, so I had to throw it away... along with the mildewed red towel. Yikes!

Celtic vines / Poop machines which are also apparently artwork!

Facebook quiz taken from Kaitlin:

Leslie completed the quiz "What's your Celtic Zodiac sign?" with the result Vine - The Equalizer. September 2 – September 29. Vine signs are born within the autumnal equinox, which makes your personality changeable and unpredictable. You can be full of contradictions, and are often indecisive. But this is because you can see both sides of the story, and empathize with each equally. It is hard for you to pick sides because you can see the good points on each end. There are, however, areas in your life that you are quite sure about. These include the finer things of life like food, wine, music, and art. You have very distinctive taste, and are a connoisseur of refinement. Luxury agrees with you, and under good conditions, you have a Midas touch for turning drab into dramatic beauty. You are charming, elegant, and maintain a level of class that wins you esteem from a large fan base. Indeed, you often find yourself in public places where others can admire your classic style and poise. Vine signs pair well with Willow and Hazel signs. Sign: Vine. (Muin) Symbol: The White swan. Ruling Planet: Venus - Gwena. Celtic Gods: Branwen, Guinevere, Etain.


Poo nugget for Tuesday, September 15: Poop Machine - A machine called the Cloaca, which has been on display at such venerated establishments as the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York City, actually takes water and food... and turns them into poop. By grinding up food particles, and then mixing them with enzymes and fluids that are normally secreted by the human body, this machine can replicate this most basic of human functions. Supposedly useful for the study of human digestion, this contraption is also apparently considered by some to be a work of art.

Bring on the houseguests and visitors, even on my birthday week!

Well, it seems as if I am going to have visitors / houseguests from Thursday to Monday. It won't be too bad, as I know and love both of them! Billie wants to come over after 11 on Thursday so she can use the anime coupon she got from Richmond Centre in August when she slept over. It would be good if we got a ride to Kelsey's in Ironwood after that (and if Billie got a ride to transit later), so we'll see! Yay for birthdays! Last night when I got home, I saw via FB status that Teunis needs a place to stay from Friday to Monday, so I offered my place. If he comes to the Ironwood bash, he can even start staying over from Thursday night onwards! This has a definite end date, which is good for Hester (apartment manager) if she complains about the car parked in the visitor parking for a few days running.

It won't have the bitter outcome of the previous time I decided to be hospitable to someone who needed a place to stay! (stupid exes!) Corey's noted that the LAST time I did that, it got me into a whole crapload of trouble. Yes, but this is different: I've known Teunis for a few years now, and I trust him. He definitely won't throw a fit if I ask him to do simple things, for one!

Doesn't matter to me if Teunis brings his stuff, since I've certainly had other people's stuff here, like Dallas' for two summers running now. He has stuff to do with Kaili on Saturday (Talk Like A Pirate Day?!), so it's a good thing that I have spare keys! I myself have Awana and then the family birthday dinner. Maybe it's best that I don't have to explain Teunis to Mom, even though my siblings can both vouch for his being a GOOD GUY! I well remember what she said to my sister once when she wanted to invite a "starving student" type over for a meal. NOT GOOD. Let's just say that Steph was rightly disappointed over that one!

Gotta remember to RSVP to the Church Appreciation Dinner which is in a few Sundays, too. This time, I don't care if certain stupid idiots attend, haha. I'm almost sure I'll get a ride home, but it's the transit there that could be the sticking point - we'll see! Should also confirm my reservation at Kelsey's on Wednesday night, as I'll have final-ish numbers then. I know AN ECHO IN THE BONE comes out next Tuesday, so I should get two copies... one for myself, and one for Billie for the NEXT time I see her! Possibly that should be at her house for a sleepover before the horrible fall / winter weather hits, hahaha. No extreme rain or snow in almost any amount for US! I'll certainly talk to her about it on Thursday, if not before!

I always knew some black people were arrogant D-bags...

Part of a conversation between me and Corey just now:

[00:10:58] Flami: learning about martyrs: I thought I'd be original
[00:17:54] Corey: but what does that have to do with anything?? :P
[00:19:32] Flami: I was being random.. you know that
[00:23:08] Corey: well, randomly tell Iron Storm to download faster, I want to go play it on my real Sega Saturn, but it got to 82% and stopped.......... there are two people in the torrent with the rest of it, but one is going at 0.01k/sec, and the other person is in Japan and it only connects sporadically!!! I have the game (I am playing it right now in an emulator... it's too slow and choppy, though)
[00:24:05] Corey: but someone ripped it with Alcohol 120%, and that program messes up Saturn games... the music is out of sync when you use that program.. so if I'm going to burn it to disc, I want a proper copy... SO HURRY UP AND FINISH!!!!
[00:26:35] Flami: I think I'll ask you about what happened with Kanye West and Taylor Swift earlier tonight... I get home to a few posts on my FB feed about how Kanye West is an ass
[00:26:55] Corey: why the hell would I know about them?
[00:27:10] Corey: except I did see an article and Youtube clip of it, so FINE...........
[00:28:31] Corey: that chick won and Kanye West, who is an idiot who is always whining about people hating black people or just hating him (if he doesn't win awards, he throws a public fit about it) got up on stage and took her mic away in the middle of her acceptance speech to say that Beyonce should have won. I'm sure later he'll have a speech about how it's the music industry holding black artists down or something
[00:29:09] Corey: he does shit like that all the time. I've never even heard a song of his, but he's in the news all the time for acting like a baby / idiot, so I have seen stuff about that :P
[00:30:18] Corey: black people probably should get together and tell him to shut the fuck up, since the way he acts, he'll do nothing but harm to black people in general :P
[00:30:45] Flami: "why the hell would I know about them?" <--- that's what I thought, but I also figured that asking you would be much faster than waiting for people to get up and answer their status comments :P
[00:30:52] Corey: the clip cut to Beyonce, who looked mortified that he was mentioning her while doing this
[00:33:25] Corey: during Hurricane Katrina, there was some fundraiser thing, and he and Mike Myers were on to talk about stuff and get people to call in.. Mike Myers did a normal "people need your help blah blah" thing, and then Kanye steps up and says "George Bush does not care about black people" and goes on and on for a minute or two about how all this is designed to hurt black people or blame them for everything
[00:33:52] Corey: so then it's Mike Myers' turn to talk again and he's like "uh... yeah.... well, if you want to donate money, here's the number!"
[00:34:30] Corey: aside from all his public complaining I've seen articles about though, I don't know a thing about him
[00:35:45] Corey: it's always inappropriate, or just him acting like a baby. he just goes around and messes things up, so he can say whatever he wants. if he wasn't a big star, he'd probably be taken out back and beaten for doing any of that :P by now, I wouldn't doubt it if they just stop inviting him to events
[00:38:16] Flami: what the heck. that's TERRIBLE. from what I heard, Beyonce won something later, and then graciously gave part of her spotlight to Taylor
[00:39:25] Corey: well, it sounds like you know more about it than me, then :P
[00:40:48] Flami: no, that's only what I saw on a comment... didn't give context like you did :P
[00:40:57] Corey: in the clip though, Taylor Swift gets the mic back from him and then they cut it off and just start playing some video, so she never got to finish... so I guess that was nice of Beyonce if that happened

What the heck. He sounds very arrogant! Sounds just like my ex, and he was only officially half-black. Yikes!


Poo nugget for Monday, September 14: Horse Poo - Horses poo ten pounds worth of dung a day, often without breaking stride.

Farewell, Nathan... you're going to the UK, so we went to Kishu Star and Dragon Ball for you!

Ugh... this thing restarted right when I was going to start this update! What the heck! Jon finally showed up at his place when Christon had finished playing some Grade 9 repertoire on the piano, and we discussed Megan, her parents, the South African hermaphrodite athlete, Harmony and Slavonic dances, exams, a story involving condoms from Dylan's wedding, and more. After leaving for the restaurant, we discussed Jeremy's homemade soup / Christon taking his brother's car / Eric showering at hockey / sharing a closet / Deb and Dylan / being easy on your stomach food-wise.

Met Calla, Stanford, Daniel, Michelle, Jen, Nathan, Danielle, her new boyfriend Brent, Steph, Brian, Isabel, Eric, and Jeremy at Kishu Star after we found parking. Very enjoyable time! Talked about fishing, growing your own food, babies, Harmony's whereabouts, digicam pictures, fires, work, Europe / Asia, Remembrance Day holidays, Dad thinking that Stanford's name was "STANDARD," hockey pools, movies, DUMPLINGS, Dad saying the V-word to me and Jon at lunch (Jen saw my status update), Mom's ideas on "roommates," having lunch at Tsui Woo ("three guesses, and the first two don't count!"), food envy, my birthday thing (not MY fault people decided to have their weddings in September!), sushi, edamame, ramen, interesting work stories, Dylan's wedding, and more. At least I got verbal RSVP from Christon and Dallas, haha. Jeremy, Jen, and Danielle have to double-check their schedules... darned mid-week birthdays!

Steph agreed that Grandma was most generous, oh yes! A little later, the restaurant shushed me and my siblings since we were being typical loud NG people, hahaha. I gave Nathan a farewell card, which he thanked me for. Later, we all decided to go to Dragon Ball, which was kinda crowded. Lots of weird flavors were (not) mixed, such as guilinggao, peppermint, black plum, papaya, starfruit (second only to black plum for its DESTROYING POWER!), peach, blueberry, pudding, Chinese pear, and more. Jon noticed mixed grain on the menu, while Jeremy noted that fresh taro had been taken OFF - guess it wasn't a big seller! Had a good time rehashing grad banquet roasts of years past (Homestar Runner / Teen Girl Squad!), figuring that bubble TEA wouldn't be available in the UK, and wondering when the next EPIC roast would be... maybe in two years? Steph drove me home after we hugged Nathan goodbye - she'd heard that Grandma's sister is coming to visit, which should be okay. We'll see what happens!

Spooky things, vegetarians, cutting open a pregnant woman's belly to get a baby

I talked a bit to my grandma this morning in the car on the way to church. She gave me a lucky red envelope for my birthday, and it contained $50, more than what I was expecting! Grandma said that Steph had shown up at the Walkathon, which is what I'd heard from John yesterday. (Dad later said that she'd dropped by for about 45 minutes) Mom asked who was on parkade duty when we got there - luckily, Dad knew, because it was RAYMOND. At least he put his money where his mouth was, and volunteered himself for it! (and asked the Fellowship to help out too - I felt like heckling him)

Saw Helen K. and baby Cory in the elevator at the parkade after greeting Alysia, which was cool. Sat by Jeremy, who was discussing beer with Jon - apparently, a big Labor Day sale had the effect of making furniture deliveries that much busier. It had been a couple Sundays since he'd been at church, but a busy work schedule and family trips will do that. I liked how the Walkathon was still being advertised in the bulletin as an "upcoming event," although it happened yesterday! Noticed Auntie Brenda almost push past a couple of people to take a seat near them - nice, nice. (turns out she knows them, and they know Richie!) Resolved to not become too much like my mom, but we shall see.

Saw Elaine and Matt, just back from New Hampshire - they leave for China tomorrow, actually! Of course they need an extended support network, so I'll continue praying for them. Talked to Jason H. for two minutes about his cousin Erin's wedding, plus an Alaska cruise that he was going on later - always nice to see him around, especially since he lives in Edmonton! Hailed Eric from a few feet away, and asked if he'd seen a certain Evite reply - it was obvious from the big grin on my face whose reply I was referring to, hahaha. I know, it's not nice to gloat or whatever, but it's a bit of joy. Eric joked that he'd tell a certain person about it, but he probably won't. I didn't even bother to check where he was or keep my voice below simmering NG level, haha!

Baby Mattias was crying and wanted his grandpa's jacket, so I distracted him with my shiny keys. However, I wasn't letting him hold onto them since he had sticky hands from food and drool. His mom Karen said he'd throw them on the floor if he ever got a hold on them - sounds like what babies do with food and stuff, all right! Talked to Andrea, Jeremy, and Jen about my birthday party too. Andrea asked me about Saturday's lunch - I can't make it anymore, and I'm not going to the lecture as 9:30 AM is a bit early for me! Oh well, at least it's good that I don't need to change plans with Henry!

Confirmed with Jon what time to go over to his place later (5-ish with Sunday Canada Line schedules?), then asked Andrew what he'd do for his birthday. Booking off four days in a row for possible party plans sounds cool to me! Got distracted by the sound of loud crying in the foyer, so went outside to discover that it was Billy's son Noah, who really wanted his mom! Went back inside to talk to Hien for a bit, then grabbed some watermelon and some shortbread cookies. Said hi to Helen C.'s kids Nathaniel and Abigail - Nathaniel hid his face from me with a yellow balloon. That wasn't working as well as he thought, I told him! I can still see you, haha - how cute!

Went upstairs to help with the toddlers RIGHT before my dad yelled at everyone to go into the fellowship hall since it was Sunday School time - the setting up hadn't even been halfway done, haha. Auntie Ying wanted me to actively help her, so I tried my best, knowing that she was a first-time teacher. Rachel's grandma was there as well, and now I finally know her Chinese name. Not that I would call her by it, but it's fine. Amos, Anne (who talked to me), Conor (really rambunctious), Esther, David (crying a lot because Conor hit him and we didn't see it), and Evelyn were all there. Asked various parents what their kids' last names were, since I thought it would be nice to know for the attendance sheet that I now have custody of. It might be an idea to do something to recognize the kids' birthdays as well, so I'll get on that next week if I remember! The kids talked about ghosts, spooky things (do they know Halloween is coming up?!), tickling me, sheets, and other stuff - cute!

After that, I went downstairs to see what was going on in the fellowship hall. Jon and Jeremy were talking to these two girls Sarah and Caroline, and Ivan joined the group later. He told us that Joe is reportedly engaged - good! Discussed pharmacy degrees, lunch plans, reasons for being vegetarian (Caroline is one), and other things. Dad came and got me later, and Jon said he'd join us for lunch at Tsui Woo. Yup, we got that forwarded email from Steph: Polly had emailed my mom asking if they could resume eating a meal there before Fellowship meetings, and Steph was laughing her head off. HAHAHAHAHA, they ARE obsessed with it! Said bye to Darren and a few other people first, of course. Ivan's brother was apparently the elevator doorman, heh.

I asked Mom what she was doing later, and she said she had to go home and call Grandma's sister in Hong Kong to try arranging a visit in early October. She thinks I would remember my "cousin" Eric, who visited while we were still in the house on Rosehill - nope, I don't! Dad said that his and Mom's trip to Hong Kong for Gordon's wedding is pre-Christmas and New Year's... I'd had visions of a holiday season without them, but I suppose this is fine too. Discussed Dylan's wedding briefly, plus the difference between the two forms of "wife" that we know of.

Then someone brought up an interesting Hong Kong news item: this woman with mental problems really wanted a child, so she befriended this pregnant woman. When the baby was almost due, she cut the woman's stomach open so she could have the child! The husband came home soon afterwards and took his wife to the hospital - they lost the baby, but the wife survived. I said that I'd read about similar cases, but they always involved the person taking the baby after it was born, and not before! Dad said that babies can't even breathe until after it passes through the vagina - while he was terming that "God's magic button," I was musing that it was the first time I'd ever heard him say the V-word!

Stopped by Jon's place briefly so the parents and Grandma could see it in its more-or-less finished form. Jon and I entertained ourselves by telling Grandma that we didn't know various things which we SHOULD, and Jon brought out a picture of Jeremy with a redhead wig and beard. "So much hair!" was her reaction, haha... we told her that it was Wu-So-Lo, as well. Mom attempted to check her email from Jon's laptop, but wasn't having much success using the touchpad - I bet it was her first experience with one, so that was cute!

She was also a bit nosy and looked at photos and a notebook that were around - not even *I* am that curious, man! Then she told Jon that he shouldn't have so many tabs open on his computer, and blamed that for her not being able to get into Hotmail - um, no. The site itself can be finicky, from what I understand. Since the parents wanted to leave at around 3, I decided just to stay here since I'd have to leave at 5 anyway from Richmond. Not too bad now, but might as well save the trip. Jon went out with Phyllis for coffee, and bantered on the phone with Christon too. (who's just come over) Always good, for sure! Briefly talked to Dallas by phone when he called the house, and confirmed that he's coming on Thursday, or that's what he said anyway.

More fun at Kishu Star has just been enabled - yay for a FUN evening!

What do you know... this thing restarted! Aiya!

Talked to Jamie for a bit, which is always interesting! Yay for adding each other on Facebook, haha. Pizza rolls and Word Twist are cool, heh. I checked the Evite for Nathan's farewell, and was VERY pleased to discover that a certain person can't make it - YES! YES! YES! (now this makes me think of the Herbal Essences commercials, or of very naughty things, hahaha) Nathan is MY friend more than his, I'm sure! :D


Facebook quizzes taken from Jessica:

Leslie took the What branch of Science are you? quiz and the result is Physics. You are Physics! You have a working knowledge of the Universe, and strive to unravel more mysteries. You feel the need to have an explanation for anything, and although you are amazed by enigmatic things, you are somewhat perturbed by them if you don't have them figured out.

Leslie took the Dream Job quiz and the result is Chef. You are bold and full of flavor, just like your famous food. You've always had a thing for how food tastes, and opened your own restaurant to prove it.