Awana Hot Dog Day / SIN replacement

DANG IT! This thing restarted while I was out at Awana! Martin picked me up, and I thanked him for the ride - we talked about Dad, Jon, Steph, Harmony, the very rainy weather (and it was so sunny yesterday!), his family moving to Richmond from Vancouver in 2005, his brother being in Hong Kong, engineering, jobs / sun / rain in Hong Kong, the Public Market / Save-On (he lives nearby), expensive plane tickets right now, Jason the new Awana leader and his brother Daniel, Eric T., and more. Then we picked up Jason, and talked about Chris / Billy W. / Sarah / being late. When we got to the parkade, Benedict said that he could see Henry's car - what the?!

The kids seemed to enjoy Hot Dog Day - I gave Conor's drawings back to him, and noted that he was being too loud for his friend, who had to cover his ears! Chrystal said that she'd lost her ID before too, and had to pay a fee to have it replaced. For once, I don't mind it costing money (I don't think I ever paid for Korey's to be replaced after he thought *I* had lost it...), but still. It can be ANNOYING! I've just been reading that it costs $10 for the SIN card to be replaced, so that's okay-ish. Good thing there's a centre really nearby, if I can only find it...

Talked to Ian, Sean, Lanie, Midora, little Eric M., Henry, Angus, Danny, Jordan, Maxine and Tim (Felicity had called Maxine up to say "guess who is teaching your niece violin?!" hahaha - Jon had told us that he recognized her accent; "I know some people from South Africa!"), Keenan, Auntie May, and others: friends with your niece's teacher, it being a small world, Nicholas / Helen, vacations, Hong Kong, "missing kids," Ian and Gabriel being active and messy, chips, pubs instead of high tea, Felico's Greek food birthday stuff, wet chairs, chalkboards (squeaky sounds and nails scratching it - NO!), and more. I didn't get to give Henry his present because he left early, but did give John the present for his family - the kids seemed to like the idea of chocolate and candy canes, hahaha. Saw Dad a couple of times, and at least figured out the time they'd pick me up tomorrow. It was all right, but I only took one bag of chips for home - I'd already eaten a few leftover wieners and a bag of chips, though.

Stupid phone calls / Zoo selling reindeer poo necklaces / Buy Nothing Day

Tried finding my stuff at 2 AM, but it didn't work - if only I could remember where it was! TOO MANY STRESSFUL PHONE CALLS AND SUCH! Henry called soon after I got up to ask if I could get a ride from Ada since it's his sister's birthday today, and they have a celebration planned. Well, it might have been fine were I able to get an answer from her! Her husband John called me back to say that Ada was sick with a fever - he can't really pick me up because he has to get some medicine for her, but can give me a ride home if I can get there.

Henry was like "What the?!" and suggested I call Pastor Rebecca - SHE said that Martin lives in Richmond, which of course I did not know until now. And besides, I don't have his number in any event! Haha... maybe I should ask him for it next time I see him! Requested that she call me back after she got an answer from Martin, heh. She did, but couldn't get him on the phone. Maybe I just won't go... I hate waiting for phone calls and leaving the damn thing on.... *sad face* Martin himself called after I'd discussed stuff with Henry, and said that he could drive me at 3:10... he thought that Henry picking me at 3:30 or 3:40 was late. Sort of, but it's what I've gotten used to. Now to somehow eat, shower, and change before I have to leave...


This is from my Bizarre News newsletter:

----------- Zoo selling reindeer poo necklaces -------------

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Officials at an Illinois zoo said the facility's gift shops will soon be selling necklace pendants made from dried reindeer dung. The Miller Park Zoo in Bloomington said the Magical Reindeer Gem necklaces, which go on sale Friday for $15 each, were inspired by tree ornaments made from the same substance that went on sale at the zoo last year, The (Bloomington) Pantagraph reported. "We kept hearing from people who were buying the ornaments, 'Do you have any jewelry?'" said Susie Ohley, spokeswoman for the Miller Park Zoological Society. "We thought we would make them available for the big shopping day," she said of the launch Friday, the largest shopping day of the year. "It may be silly, but it not only brings in money and support to the zoo, (but) it brings people smiles." Ohley said the zoo expects to make as much as $16,500 from sales of the ornaments and necklaces during the holiday season.

You Are Walmart

You think people who don't shop at Walmart are totally crazy. Walmart is always your first (and sometimes your only) stop. Everything is so inexpensive there that you're really throwing your money away if you shop any place else. You like the convenience of being able to get all the items on your list at one store, at any time of day. So what if the lines are long and the aisles are messy? Shopping at Walmart is an adventure that doesn't tax your wallet!

Are You Walmart or Target?

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

You Should Celebrate Buy Nothing Day

Whether you've ever celebrated it before or not, you definitely know where Buy Nothing Day advocates are coming from. You agree that the holidays have gotten too commercial and materialistic. And all this debt is really hurting people. Besides, buying a ton of disposable holiday gifts and decorations isn't doing anything to help the environment. Or your wallet. This Black Friday, give yourself the option of opting out. Bake some cookies. Visit a friend. It feels much better than standing in line at the crack of dawn.

Should You Celebrate Buy Nothing Day?

Blogthings: Quizzes and Tests and Memes, Oh My!

Where the heck can my ID be?! / Dung Beetles

I can't find my ID... I am SO dead on Monday... o_O (it's not where I thought it would be... or in drawers / pockets, or even the back of the closet!) The last time I used it was probably in JUNE, if not earlier...

Poo nugget for this weekend: Dung Beetle - True to its name, this insect feeds almost exclusively on the feces of other animals. Aided by a strong sense of smell, the dung beetle has a discerning palate for poo, preferring the excrement of herbivores because it contains all the nutrients necessary for the beetle's survival.

Tapioca Express with Vanessa and Kyle - good times! / November 2009 BBT Tally

Kyle, Vanessa, and I went to Tapioca Express - it was good seeing them! Talked about my Santa hat and sparkly jewel shirt - like them, I don't really LOVE Christmas, despite Chantal saying she'll convert me, haha. Vanessa talked about her crazy roommate (as in "antibiotics and chemo are evil... can I put something in the rich people's air intake to kill them?!... oh, and I'll just leave diarrhea all over a shared bathroom!" crazy) - man, that person needs to get kicked out, and he IS! She discussed her upcoming practicum, her nursing classes and the people in them, the CROWDED ferries, Skype, her boyfriend, sailors, weird people (you can't put a finger on it), and her relief to be home for a few days away from stress!

I brought up Mr. Creep as an example of someone being "wrong," and gave them their Christmas cards - they thought I was sweet for doing so. At least I know they're okay for it, haha. Kyle tried helping by bringing up some humor - I find that he's an okay guy! Then I explained the "monthly visitor" Facebook status, first apologizing to Kyle. Talked about Great-Aunt, Grandma, my mother, Steph, insomnia, Fark, math, Facebook, addresses, and other things as well.

MONTHLY BUBBLE TEA TALLY, NOVEMBER 2009 (1)

pudding @ Tapioca Express (Friday, November 27) [good hanging out with Vanessa and Kyle!]

Procrastination results in a bubble tea hangout... YES!

Earlier tonight, I was procrastinating a lot and preparing a bunch of survey posts with tags and proper formatting / grammar / spelling decided not to do those. Left a message on Eric's cell stating that I was running late and didn't know whether I'd show up. (I didn't really feel like going out, perhaps because I knew that Vanessa H. would call me later) Lo and behold, she called me twenty minutes later to make Tapioca Express plans for tonight - meeting at 8 sounded good to me, since it gave us both time to eat some dinner beforehand. I didn't mind if Kyle came with us, since I could use up a couple more of the smallest Christmas cards I had for both of them! They didn't mind giving me rides, since it was way easier than my busing to Union Square! Procrastinating can be a GOOD thing sometimes, haha! I think I'll give them a preview of Santa Hat / Sparkly Jewel Shirt Time, as well. That's my ONE concession to the holiday season. *nod*

Not ten minutes later, Eric himself called me, apologizing that he had his phone off earlier. Meh, that's why I left that message! He figured that I wasn't coming tonight - that would be correct, especially because of my last phone call. When I said "Vanessa and I are going for bubble tea," he naturally got confused and thought that Vanessa would be going to Bible Study. Hahaha, of course I cleared things up! Then he thought that I was avoiding new people: maybe just a little, but Vanessa's phone call really did happen. Maybe I should keep any bubble tea receipt as proof, haha! At least I've discovered that Campbell's Creation soups are microwaveable, which is good. I'm lazy and don't want to cook it on the stovetop, heh.

Why must you always pick up NEW people?! Are you INSANE?!

Lamebook - the catalogue of embarrassing Facebook debacles.... HAHAHAHAHAHA!

THIS THING RESTARTED WHEN I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF CATCHING UP ON STUFF! Steph called me five minutes before I got up. Then I checked my email to find one from Eric about meeting at "my second-favorite intersection" at 6:40, because we also had to pick up Geoffrey from his place. Every time I see that name, I am reminded of Dawn's brother (who lives in Hong Kong) for obvious reasons! I replied to say that it SHOULD be copacetic since bubble tea with Vanessa H. probably wouldn't take THAT long, unless "Geoffrey" was code for Mr. Creep!

Also added that I'd call him later, and he was trying to get me into a car where a relatively strange man would be, AGAIN! (a reference to Mr. Potato-Head) I did not ask him why he always had to pick people up, because he doesn't ALWAYS have to... I like my routine! If I were a new person, I would appreciate that too. I just won't be too trusting of him at all - the very opposite of poor Christon! So I called Eric, who said that Christon had asked him to pick Geoffrey up - NOT AGAIN. My sense hasn't kicked in with this one yet, but COME ON!

Geoffrey lives in Richmond, at Garden City / Cambie - AND that he'd have to take him home, too. He's another Richmond person, but WHEN AM I SUPPOSED TO HAVE CRAZY TIME?!!!! Spent most of the phone call trying to figure out whether he'd go to Jen's party: most likely not because of hockey, so maybe I'll figure something else out. That, or I can keep the gingerbread cookies for myself. :D

At least Sheryll has a bunch of bookmarks! / Linda getting better / Dog Doo

Sheryll (sheryll) got my card with the bunch of bookmarks inside - odd that she didn't get it the same day that her daughter (Nyssa - giggles_19) got HERS, but at least she now has plenty of Richmond Public Library / Harry Potter bookmarks to use! Spent more than three hours tonight on my Christmas cards, which includes preparation of the $1 and $2 boxes I got recently: Henry, John / Ada / Ian / Sean, Cindy / Dianne, Dylan / Deb, Phil / Grace, Eric and his family, Auntie Ying, David / Evelyn / Amos / Arthur / Amanda / Esther / Conor / Margaret (Sunday School kids), Rachel's grandma, Jen, Jeremy, and Danielle all have cards now. As a result, I called Auntie Ying an hour and ten minutes later than I said I would, oops. Luckily, she was still up: she told me that she didn't play ping-pong with Uncle Peter tonight (for exercise) because she'd had a long day, what with a meeting about healthy food and such.

Said that she'd gone to see Linda (the twins' mom in hospital with a ruptured intestine), and Linda had seemed fairly cheerful. Good thing she's getting better, and David and Evelyn are at a cousin's house now - yay for local relatives! When Auntie Ying told Linda that I was praying for her too, she was heartened. We discussed the relative difficulty of the Sunday School materials for a few minutes: Auntie Bessy should be told, at least. This stuff is for ages 5 to 6, and we only have two of them in our class! (Amanda and Conor) Suppose we'll just tell them the story, discuss it a little, and then let them play! She thanked me for being faithful before we said goodnight - hey, it's what I do! Then again, she also cautioned me against staying up too late, saying that I could finish my Christmas cards tomorrow: I guess so, but I was on a roll, haha.


Poo nugget for Friday, November 27: Why Dogs Dig Doo - For the same reason that humans wear cologne or perfume, dogs also love to smell "good." However, a dog's definition of a fine fragrance usually includes poop or a dead animal rather than Chanel No. 5. Rolling in strong, rotten odors is thought to provide disguise from hunting animals, It is widely known that a dog's sense of smell is more sophisticated than our own, so the next time you turn up your nose at a canine playing in doo, just think! Feces may in fact smell better than perfume.

Jane and Leila got stickers! / Dream of control and Neil Young / US Thanksgiving Blogthings

Jane (justsurvive) sent me a message to say that she got my card, and thanked me. She's sure her daughter will love covering everything in stickers, haha. Oh, and I woke up about twenty minutes BEFORE they started mowing the lawn today, which is fine... it was almost 2 PM, though. Ah well... Corey says it took him two hours to peel 18 eggs for deviled eggs - yikes, that is insane! Speaking of insane, I almost put my multigrain tortilla chips in the freezer! o_O

Had a weird dream which involved my mom trying to control exactly what I wore outside the mall elevators ("you shouldn't wear sea green, but ORANGE!"), a young relative of Harmony's writing down what she wanted for her 12th to 19th birthdays, her slightly older sister complaining that some hair dye turned her hair almost WHITE, and Neil Young's FAREWELL album selling for $99 because he died suddenly. The funeral was delayed for more than a month while my sister and her colleagues paraded the coffin around the department stores in the mall. Helen Kwan was also there, and I accidentally took her change purse full of money! What the heck?!

You Are Flexible and Easy Going

You're the type of person who can get along with anyone. Like mashed potatoes, you mesh well with stronger personalities. In fact, you tend to prefer to hang with those who steal the spotlight. You were never looking for the spotlight anyway. You are appreciative of every thing you have in life, and you don't take much for granted. You enjoy life's small comforts. You are never picky, and you pride yourself on being low maintenance. You can always make the best of a bad time.

What Does Your Favorite Thanksgiving Food Say About You?

Blogthings: We're Not Shrinks, But We Play Them On the Internet

Your Thanksgiving Personality is Rebel

You detest Thanksgiving. All that family drama mixed with unappetizing side dishes? No thank you! You'll make an appearance if you absolutely have to, but you won't enjoy it. You probably don't even like pumpkin pie. Your ideal Thanksgiving would be spent completely alone... or with the few people that you can tolerate. You'd eat whatever you want - even in front of the TV if you felt like it. And there's a good chance you wouldn't be eating sweet potatoes with marshmallow. Gag!

What's Your Thanksgiving Personality?

Blogthings: We Have a Quiz for Almost Everything

This is so accurate (except for the pie part) that it's almost scary!

No Alibi Room for me tonight... Turkey Poo and Crude Oil

Called Jon and Harmony to see what they were doing tonight, but Jon was teaching earlier. Apparently, they were going to bus to the Alibi Room - fine and dandy, but I kinda wanted to avoid busing home in the dark if Aaron didn't make it, haha. Luckily, Jon said it was cool if I wanted to stay home too. After some thought, I said I'd do just that - not that I was opposed to meeting Harmony's cousins again, but it was best for me if I stayed here. I got some work done, haha. Karen Chan also added me on Facebook - yay!


Poo nugget for Thursday, November 26: Poo To Be Thankful For - A Kansas City plant gave environmentalists something to be thankful for when it began converting turkey feces into 300 barrels of crude oil per day. Neighbors were less pleased; the stench, reportedly, was overwhelmingly unpleasant, causing the plant owner to consider a move to Ireland.

At least the timing is right with this one... and I've finished my Christmas shopping!

List of discontinued Ben & Jerry's flavors.


Vanessa says she doesn't get off the Victoria ferry till about 3 PM, so it should work. Unlike the last time I saw Auntie Ruby, the Canada Line is now running, so it should cut down any complications other than JUST missing the bus which I did TWICE! UGH! SO NOT GOOD IN THE INTENSE RAIN!

The appointment went all right, and was very short! Then I went to London Drugs: I couldn't find a Quatchi postcard for Kirsten (jambosana), so decided to give up the one I had at home. Discovered some on-sale Garden of Eatin' multigrain tortilla chips, so bought those for my processed cheese dip. I know Steph told me yesterday that I could use crackers and such for it, but since the chips WERE on sale.... Since I was in the store anyhow, I decided to see what I could give to Henry, John / Ada / Ian / Sean, Auntie Ying, and Rachel's grandma. Lo and behold, the Almond Roca / Cashew Roca was on sale - the bags had a little more than the boxes for the same price! (140g vs. 105g) I bought three of each kind (reserving two for myself), as well as on-sale Rademaker chocolate sticks in milk chocolate / cappuccino / extra dark (72%), another box of 99¢ candy canes (for Ian and Sean), and an on-sale bag of Lebkuchen Allerlei gingerbread-covered chocolate with sugar on top JUST in case I ever got invited out anywhere. (I saw some with plum / apple / orange, but didn't think those might be too good...) The man sitting next to me on the bus smelled of butterscotch, which made me think of rum! MMM!

When I got home, I discovered that I must be psychic (har har) because Jen had sent me an Evite to a Christmas party at her mom's place in a couple of Sundays! She's inviting Eric, so I should have a ride there. I also decided to regift the hard candies that my parents gave me to his family, after trying one first to confirm that I really don't like them. (I do this every single year...) Jen's also inviting Dawn, Jon, Harmony, Danielle, Jeremy, Dylan, Karen Choo, Karen Lew, Vivian, Sheena, Steph, Vania, Christon, Connie, Randal, and a couple other people that I don't recognize from the Evite names.

Teunis got my card! / Pumpkin Pie

Teunis got my Christmas card, which is good! Feeling a LITTLE better, but no less tired. I don't feel like eating after yesterday's extravaganza, but I guess I should before I leave.

You Are Pumpkin Pie

Even though you are a bit unusual, you are one smooth character. You are subtly and delightfully complex. During the holidays, you make sure to remember everyone you know. You think this is a great time to reconnect, and you wouldn't want anyone to feel left out. Your ideal holiday is busy and filled with friends and family. You like huge holiday gatherings, but you aren't opposed to going to a few of them to make sure you see everyone. You believe that this is the time to make amends and bury the hatchet. No one should be feuding during this time of the year.

What Holiday Pie Are You?

The First Rule of Blogthings Is: You Don't Talk About Blogthings

Quit mowing the lawn when other people are trying to SLEEP!

The computer restarted at like 4 AM, and the management started mowing the lawn at 9 AM when others are still trying to SLEEP! WTF?! I'm glad my sister gave me $10 back last night, though.

Edit at 11: And of COURSE they stop when I can't really get back to sleep again because I'm awake! UGH!

Edit to the edit at 1125: The computer restarted AGAIN! WHAT THE.

what makes you beautiful? by willyouholdmyhand?
your personality...	positive
your eyes...	glitter like diamonds
your lips...	are delicious
your body...	is AMAZING!
your laugh...	is adorable
your smile...	is welcoming
name...

Gudrun at Steveston was good, and so was time at Harmony's parents' house...

Had to get a rant out of my system before I blogged about tonight's dinner at Gudrun. It was pretty good, and I tried La Fin Du Monde, plus a couple new beers - meat and cheese on a platter was a slightly different experience, although I've had similar stuff at the Whip at least once. I'm not saying this to discount the Gudrun experience (although my mom and sister were criticizing it pretty hardcore prior to dinner), but it's what it was.

Gave Jon the GARFIELD FAT CAT THREE-PACK (Steph gave me $10 for it right in front of him), and we discussed various characters in that comic: Mom was NOT impressed with Liz the vet, hahaha. We confirmed that there would be no Christmas gifts between the three of us at least - like Jon was telling Harmony a couple years ago, that's how we are! We discussed CSI and Jack Bauer / Horatio Crane / Morris / Chloe / 24 / deaths / Kim, my being red (Sunday will be interesting!), diarrhea (Jon, Harmony, and Mom all had food poisoning from a Long's Noodle House meal yesterday), RCMP hoodies, expense cheques, Grandma, church stuff, and more. Jon said that it was his birthday tomorrow, so the owner brought out a free little dessert cake - how cute and thoughtful!

I did ask Mom what "ma-cheung" meant - she had NO idea what I was saying, so Steph wanted me to add context. Then she got it: I kinda thought it could have something to do with intestines, but I don't know why. It's not like my Chinese is THAT good, haha. Apparently, it means that your intestines ruptured - AIYA, POOR LINDA! Jon told me that he'd be inviting Mr. Creep to Jeremy's dinner on Sunday - I hope the vegetables will give him pause! According to Harmony, he was scraping the vegetables off his plate at Honolulu Café when a bunch of them went there recently after Fellowship. I told Jon that it would be AWKWARD! Steph has actually never been inside Jeremy's apartment - only outside the building to pick us up / drop us off. She figures she has to go for the ugfart's birthday, heh.

After dinner, we all went to the townhouse for dessert... I checked my Facebook, and it turned out that Billie got my card! Of course, Mom wanted to give me / Jon / Harmony a bunch of stuff - it was some sort of cookware plus other random things. After my siblings lifted me and Harmony up in the air, they decided to have a weigh-in RIGHT after we ate: I protested that as not being fair, but at least it was true of everyone. We figured that the Ngs would win over the Hos in a weight contest, even with Brittney and Varley the dog thrown in! (dunno if Peter would tip the balance) On that scale, Dad was the heaviest at 187... then Mom was 173, Jon and Steph were tied at 164 for some reason, I was 152 (and I'm not that active OR watch what I eat!), and Harmony was 107. (Jon / Harmony / I tested the Ho scale later on because the Ng computerized scale might be inaccurate, and it was only a pound off!)

Later, I left with Jon and Harmony - I didn't mind coming into her parents' place for a bit! Their house just "feels" different for some reason, haha. Lots of cars around, but an academic conference of some sort was being held there. I was a bit surprised when Uncle Joe HUGGED me hello, but that was fine. Said hi to Peter and a sleeping Holly on the couch, and also to Myles when he came downstairs. Auntie Wing didn't see me at first since Jon was blocking me in the hallway, haha. We told everyone to try some yam cheesecake (not the lemon cake), and they liked it - yup, Mom IS a good cook! We tried out the Ho scale, and told everyone else to do so as well. Uncle Joe was surprisingly lighter than we thought he might be, haha. Holly had been making scarves till 3 AM, so no wonder she was tired. Talked about steak, eating a lot, and NOT playing computer games, haha. (Myles and his studying habits...)

Peter and Holly wondered if they could give me a ride home, but Jon said that he'd be faster - besides, my stuff was already in the car! We checked out Harmony's "awesome" parking job - only inches away from her parents' bumper! Jon casually invited me to the Alibi Room tomorrow - Aaron lives in Richmond, they said. We'll see! I was glad to get home, for sure - good thing I had that fifteen minutes or so to counteract the vibe at the townhouse! Noticed that Auntie Ying had called me about an hour earlier, so I called her back: she just wanted to update me on Linda's condition. Said that the twins (at two and three-quarters) were so mature and cute when they saw their mom being taken to the hospital by their landlord: "It's okay, Mommy - don't worry about us!" I reminded her to include a get-well card for her, and to sign it from me... not sure I'll visit, but I may. We'll see. Linda's husband is in CHINA, but a family has taken the twins in for now. Apparently, she knew that something wasn't right when she started experiencing a lot of pain - I would go to the hospital too, in that situation!

Auntie Ying said something about prayer (for sure!), said that the "Hope your Christmas is perfect" Christmas cards were fine since we could explain to the kids and their families that Jesus makes everything perfect (um...), figures she shouldn't prepare snacks for the kids right now because of flu season (makes sense), thinks she should prepare refreshments for the Sunday School crowd in the fellowship hall, and said that we should prepare for Sunday School on Thursday - guess I'll call her then! Auntie Bessy, Uncle Peter, and Pastor Edward had been by to see Linda today, and apparently she was quite impressed with it, haha.


Poo nugget for Wednesday, November 25: Doo You Know? - Poo in Public Sandboxes - There is no way to keep cats and critters out of public sandboxes, and they WILL consider it a public litter box. Therefore, these sandboxes are breeding grounds for bacteria, and children are at risk if they stick their fingers in their mouth after playing in sand soiled with animal feces. This can cause infection with parasites such as pinworm and roundworm, which can lead to fever and stomach pains.

Julie, Nathan, Janina, Deborah, Linda in hospital with PAINFUL stuff, holiday Blogthings

Julie S. (julie709), Janina (mrshannibal), and Nathan all got my Christmas cards! Nate says it was a nice surprise to spot my card in his mail, and says that I rock. Well, good... I was hoping he'd get it before he went to Hong Kong to spend time with his family and Chinese Eric! I also got a Christmas card from Deborah (devils_sidekick), too... she included a grasshopper LEAP perforated "Want to know a secret? I think you're terrific." thing as well.

Auntie Ying called me to say that David and Evelyn's mom Linda was in the hospital, with something painful which she couldn't explain to me in English. Since I think it's "ma-cheung," I'll see what my parents might say about that when I see them later! (intestines?!) She also mentioned that Linda was conscious - YIKES! When she told me that Margaret's mom had called her, I was thinking of either Margaret Kwan or Margaret Lee - oops! Of course she means the little kid Margaret J., whose brother is Alan! Apparently, little Margaret's mom and the twins' mom know each other - well, thank goodness for that! Auntie Ying says she's called Auntie Bessy (who's on her way over right now), Wai-Mui (who can't get away), Uncle Peter, and Pastor Edward. Says that if I can't go over to VGH (she gave me the room number and name), I should pray instead... I think I'll take that option right now, heh. Now I should get ready to leave by 4:50, which includes showering and eating stuff while talking to Corey about getting the NFL's permission for EVERYTHING! (Sleeping and waking up?! Yeah right...)

You Are Mashed Potatoes

You are reliable and steady. People know that they can count on you each year at Thanksgiving, and you are never a disappointment. While you may seem simple, a lot of work goes in to who you are. You are a bit of an under-appreciated masterpiece. You are both decadent and indulgent, while still being accessible to the common thing. In some ways you are all things to all people. You get along well with other people, but you're also good all on you're own. The bottom line is that you're easy to love.

What Thanksgiving Side Dish Are You?

Work is Hard. Time for Blogthings!

You Are Thanksgiving

You don't need a lot to make you feel happy during the holidays. You already feel very blessed. It is easy for you to be thankful. You think the holidays are the perfect time to express your gratitude. You are definitely not a materialistic person. If anything, you feel like the holiday season has been infected with greed. An indulgent meal in a warm home surrounded by those close to you is more than enough. Anything extra is just whipped cream on your pumpkin pie.

Are You Christmas or Thanksgiving?

Blogthings: We'll Tell You The Truth... Someone Has To!

Dry-Docking / Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup

Poo nugget for Tuesday, November 24: Dry-Docking - Dry-docking is the diabolical act of turning off the water to an acquaintance's toilet, flushing once to drain the remaining water, then taking a dump in the dry bowl. The end result is a skid mark of massive proportions.

Farrah (lilaznffairy421) says that her dad called her today, and told her that she got my Christmas card - yay! She's actually going home this weekend, so she'll send mine then - sounds good! Christon also finally emailed me a link to a cream of wild mushroom soup recipe for Janina, apologizing that he didn't get back to me sooner. If he gets around to it, he'll write out his own version, but that's fine.


Ingredients

5 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms
5 ounces fresh portobello mushrooms
5 ounces fresh cremini (or porcini) mushrooms
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1/4 pound (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 carrot, chopped
1 sprig fresh thyme plus 1 teaspoon minced thyme leaves, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Clean the mushrooms by wiping them with a dry paper towel. Don't wash them! Separate the stems, trim off any bad parts, and coarsely chop the stems. Slice the mushroom caps 1/4-inch thick and, if they are big, cut them into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

To make the stock, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large pot. Add the chopped mushroom stems, the onion, carrot, the sprig of thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Add 6 cups water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Strain, reserving the liquid. You should have about 4 1/2 cups of stock. If not, add some water.

Meanwhile, in another large pot, heat the remaining 1/4 pound of butter and add the leeks. Cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the leeks begin to brown. Add the sliced mushroom caps and cook for 10 minutes, or until they are browned and tender. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the white wine and stir for another minute, scraping the bottom of the pot. Add the mushroom stock, minced thyme leaves, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the half-and-half, cream, and parsley, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and heat through but do not boil. Serve hot.

Lip piercings, December dislikes, swearing, and more! (survey)

Have you heard a song that reminds you of someone today? Possibly.

Have you ever made out in the backseat of a car? No.

Are you feeling cuddly? I guess.

Name something you dislike about December: THE SNOW! Well, trying to get around in it...

Is the last person you kissed a virgin? He SAID he wasn't, but WHO KNOWS. Certain things he did made me believe that maybe he was just making up those "sex" stories!

What are you currently listening to? Steppenwolf, Born To Be Wild.

Have you ever thought about getting your lip pierced? Nope.

Do you think you would lose some friends if you gained 100 pounds? Maybe.

Do you care if people swear around you? Nah, unless they're kids.

Are you happier now? Or were you happier four months ago? I guess I'm happier now that I know who ELSE is a fake friend! (Raymond)

Are you highly attracted to anyone right now? Not really.

Are you currently looking forward to anything? My brother's birthday dinner.

Did the last person you kissed have any piercings? No. (why is KOREY the last person I kissed?! UGH!)

Do you break things when you're mad? Sometimes.

Is your hair clean? It sure is!

What are you doing tomorrow? Church, teaching Sunday School, hanging around at lunch, then going to Jeremy's for my brother's BIRTHDAY DINNER! :D

How many piercings do you have? None.

Would you ever get a tattoo in a "naughty" place? No.

Is confidence cute? Meh, I dunno...

What was the last beverage that you had? Green tea.

Do you like dark or light jeans better? Either is fine.

Do you think the last person you kissed is nice? Definitely NOT. He's a DOUCHE!

The last person you kissed calls you. What are they calling you for? Probably for MORE money! NO WAY!

Do you remember who you liked in grade 7? Not really.

Last bed you slept in other than your own? Er... my parents' bed, probably!

Do you own a pair of skinny jeans? HAHAHAHA, no!

Would you be able to date someone who didn't make you laugh? No.

Are you happy with the way things are going? Meh, I guess so.

Do you sleep with your door open or closed? Closed... don't want the mice to get in, yo!

Do you believe that teenagers can be in love and stay in love? Possibly.

Would you kiss the last person you kissed again? Definitely NOT!

How many girlfriends / boyfriends did you actually love? Maybe one.

Have you ever kissed a friend's boyfriend / girlfriend? No!

What were you doing last night around 3 AM? Trying to find my ID, or sleeping!

Where do you think your #1 is right now? Billie's online on Facebook, but she could be anywhere! Ah, she answered my FB Chat message... she's home!

When will you next see your #1? I don't know! Maybe in January when her birthday strikes!

Was the first person you talked to today male or female? Henry is a male.

What was the last thing you had to eat? Chips!

Do you wear contacts? No.

Is anything bothering you? Mr. Creep!

Are you craving anything right now? Not really.

Does your bedroom need cleaning? Perhaps.

Do you like horror or comedy? Comedy.

Whiteout saves the day! / Rite-Aid chewy candy mix

I actually found six artsy postcards which I originally got for FREE, so I can send one to rubbished_chico (Torey), which will be good. Tomorrow, I can probably get a Quatchi postcard for Kirsten (jambosana) at London Drugs before I go to pre-eat at the townhouse! (plus maybe a better gift for Auntie Ying, and others?) Actually, I wasted one postcard because I put the wrong thing on it ("Happy Birthday" in felt?!), and thought I'd wasted another (WITH a stamp) because I was a ditz and addressed it to the wrong person. I was unwilling to waste the stamp, so my whiteout saved the day! :D

True to my OCDL nature, I'll list off what my Rite-Aid candy mix contains: raspberry toffee (5), Necco's Mary Jane (2), Bit-O-Honey (3), ordinary toffee squares (7), Tootsie Rolls (4), vanilla toffee (3), Goetze's Bulls-Eyes Caramel Creams (3), chocolate toffee (3), and rum toffee (2) - all acceptable, except maybe the Tootsie Rolls. Good thing I know a bunch of teens who could have those, haha.


Edit: Nyssa (giggles_19) got my card and bookmark today. Wonder what happened to her mom's (sheryll) stuff...

Hawaii Aloha Christmas cards / "Charles Manson may be my father!"

Today, I took care of necessary things at the hospital... then got home and found that Shi (mypetconcubine) had actually mailed me a "Season's Aloha! From our hale to yours..." Hawaii Christmas card - much better than last year, hahaha! Jennifer L. (tehgreenfairy) just got my card that I mailed her, too! (Why is my phone on?! I thought I'd turned it off on Saturday after Henry called me... oh well, at least it's now safely OFF!)

Imagine if you discovered that Charles Manson may be your biological father!

You Are a Hip and Artsy City Dweller

You love that the city is always changing, and you're always on top of the latest trends. You don't try to deliberately keep up, you're just naturally curious. And because of your curiosity, you discover hidden gems just before they get popular. You truly love the city, and you're inspired by the urban landscape every day. Living in the middle of the hustle and bustle keeps you creative. Even if you aren't an artist, you can't help but take pictures, write, make art, or play music. All of the energy around you is contagious!

What Kind of City Dweller Are You?

Blogthings: Quizzes and Tests and Memes, Oh My!

Vanessa, Chuck, My Chemical Romance sleepover, and wiping with rocks

Talked to Vanessa H. briefly on Facebook chat - she's back this weekend for a few days, is busy with school in Victoria, and wants to go for bubble tea or something. Hopefully I get to see her! Chuck sent me a Facebook message, thanking me for both cards. He said that they were very nice and lovely, and hopes I keep well till Christmas and the year ahead. I'll see him before his and Andrea's wedding, which will be good!

Poo nugget for Monday, November 23: Let's Hope They Were Smooth Rocks - Ancient Greeks wiped their backsides with rocks and pieces of clay.

Another HILARIOUS (sexy) MCR sleepover! by Mychemfan
Name
Age
The day you want it....
Where it's at......	Gerard's house
What Gerard does....	Gets you in bed
What Frank does....	You and he gang up on Mikey (Attack!)
What Mikey does...	You and Mikey get revenge on Frank
What Ray does.....	Paints your nails
What Matt does....	Writes a song for you
Who's the surprise guest....	Eminem
How you wake up....	Gerard telling you how much he loves you

Jose is NOT Ollie! / Got a pew all to myself today! :D

At least I had time to catch up on most things before I left for church today, unlike LAST week! Steph went with my parents to church, so at least I had a foil, heh. After hearing some interesting stories about drivers (and talking about charcuteries...), I told her that Shally and Jose are dating now. Mom's response: "Isn't he the guy that got married?!" My sister and I looked at each other in puzzlement until we figured that she meant OLLIE! Dad doesn't know that Shally's the best ever, but then he DID try to put Christian shame on me because Raymond and I still aren't really talking to each other. Hey, HE started it! Not to get all grade-school or anything, but do you honestly think I am going to talk to someone who thought I was OBSESSED with him?! HA, NO! I should have said that Christians aren't all perfect, and we have human flaws! HA HA HA! Saw baby Mattias and Chung Yan - baby looked tired!

Got to church late, but I managed to snag a pew ALL TO MYSELF - YAY! Wrote Jon a note on my bulletin to say that we were having lunch at Tsui Woo - he wasn't really impressed, haha. Spent the latter part of service transcribing information about the toddler Sunday School students on some forms for Auntie Bessy, and drinking my hot water. Briefly stopped in at the fellowship hall (avoiding Mr. Creep) since I had to see Chuck before he left! Gave him his small-group card (figures that Raymond and Randal hijacked the "this is ONLY for thoughts of how Chuck is dealing with his mom having cancer again" purpose to wish him a happy birthday when it's not till April *rolleyes*) and my own personal Christmas card... he thanked me, and wished me a Merry Christmas. Good thing I actually checked to see what people wrote in the small-group card, so I could write a note explaining its REAL purpose! (told Eric that the Committee should look to see what they wrote in it - see what happens?!) I also took a minute to give Zoe and Natalie two huge Ziploc bags of candy - yes, it's true that my mom gives me a lot of the stuff, for sure! Then I headed upstairs after Gabriel told me not to listen to Stanley about there being a McDonalds at the church - I'm sure Margaret never really believes what he says, either! Steph told me to give a BBT hangout photo to Maxine if I saw her next week - sure thing!

Then I went upstairs to the toddler room - Amanda and Esther were already there, and Amos / Conor / Arthur came a bit later. Saw Maxine, so I gave her the picture - said hi to Anita and little Allison too! I was lazy and just let the kids play and draw, while I listed a lot of crayon colors, haha. Conor had little glow-in-the-dark frogs, which he marched over EVERYTHING, including me. Rachel's grandma was there too, teaching Esther about numbers and such. I heard the kids talking about dungeons, killing people (er...), spicy bananas (NOT a good idea!), and other stuff. Amanda wanted to know if I was over in October... um, I don't know what she was talking about! Talked about frogs, eggs, stairs, houses, the sun, flowers, and more! Rachel talked to me about the sticker on the window ("please close and lock the windows"), her new Bible that the Sunday School teacher gave her ("the words are so small!"), and other things.

Went downstairs to find that Sunday School was still going on, so I had to mill around for a bit - when it was done, I talked to Jon / Harmony / Chrystal (it smelled like PIZZA!) / Christon. At least the weather cleared up for the Culture Crawl plans, woohoo! Sheets of rain would NOT be fun to walk in, and Jon confirmed this since apparently he was doing just that yesterday. I thought I heard Mr. Creep call my name (he was asking people about their lunch plans), but I ignored it and pretended I needed something in the kitchen. Went to Tsui Woo afterwards for lunch; talked about trips, Grandma staying at our places for a week each (uh, what?!), Steph's new place, pre-eating chicken wings on Tuesday evening, renovating, Mom already buying food for when I'm over in December (Steph would be at her place when she's working), trusting the food that Christon cooks, my possibly staying out all day next week, and more. I'm not going to help clean up at Steph's new place tomorrow since I wasn't invited, AND my sleepiness would NOT be helped! My mom gave me a bag of stuff containing a Christmas mug with a penguin, two light bulbs, a can of mushroom soup (as I requested, to make my can numbers even :P), two cans of chicken noodle soup, some processed cheddar cheese dip, a container of old-fashioned hard candies, a "chewy mix" of candy from Rite-Aid, a six-pack of chicken Top Ramen, Chewy Lemon Heads and Friends fruit candy from Ferrara Pan (lemon / grape / orange / cherry / apple), and some Bright Starts Energizing Body Care Revitalizing Lotion and Shampoo. Got home, and found out that Jon Hui unfriended me from Facebook - that's okay, I guess. :P

List of 24 Prang colors: black, dark blue, green, blue, yellow-green, brown, turquoise blue, gray, melon, white, yellow, red-violet, dark red, magenta, orange, blue-green, yellow-orange, blue-violet, violet, pink, dark yellow orange, red, light blue, red-orange.

List of "64 Crayons" colors: bittersweet, raw sienna, salmon, cadet blue, maize, sepia, pine green, burnt sienna, ultra blue fluorescent, navy blue, olive green, lavender, yellow, silver, gray, orange yellow, apricot, lemon yellow, mahogany, maroon, orange red, orchid, cornflower, peach, green blue, thistle, forest green, green yellow, violet red, plum, blue violet, sky blue, spring green, magenta, green, melon, cocoa brown, gold, sea green, midnight blue, rose pink, white, red orange, burnt orange, blue, turquoise blue, brick red, mulberry, goldenrod, Indian red, raw amber, red, aquamarine, blue gray, yellow orange, orange, violet blue, yellow green, black, brown, violet, blue green, red violet. (only 63 - I can't find the crayon list on the Net, as all the results are for CRAYOLA!)

You Are the King

You may not move quickly, but you move with purpose. You take every decision in your life seriously. You don't think that most risks are worth their potential downsides. You try to protect yourself at all costs. Some people may consider you an egomaniac, but you're simply self-interested. It's perfectly natural to want to put yourself first. You have a lot of responsibility, and a lot of people depend on you. If you were taken out of commission, those that depend on you would be doomed.

What Chess Piece Are You?

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

HA HA HA! ALL YOU MINIONS MUST BOW DOWN BEFORE ME!

You Are a Vampire

Right? You seem like a vampire. Pale? Check. Strong? Check. Nocturnal? Check! There's a good chance you even like the taste of blood, and that's just downright creepy. The funniest part about you being a vampire is that you haven't seemed to notice it yet. You must have some pretty weird habits to let the news slip by you like that. Stay out of the sunlight, and avoid Italian restaurants (too much garlic). And if you have to feed on a human, please be gentle!

Are You Secretly A Vampire?

Blogthings: A Fine Line Between Insight and Stupidity