Grammar Rant - 'I' vs 'Me'

Those who know me well will tell you, "G is a serious grammar cop." With the rise of social media and useful tools such as spell check and autocorrect, proper use of grammar seems to be flying out the door. However, one grammar issue seems to have existed since I can remember ...

At one point or another in elementary school the and I rule is drilled into students' minds. Perhaps curriculum is reacting to some previous incorrect overuse of and me in certain situations. Well, now the reverse seems to have seriously taken hold. Late gen Xers and millenials alike are using and I in any and all situations. It's as though there aren't any other options. Oooh, but there is. And grown people getting this wrong really grinds my gears.

How do you know what to use? In which situations is I the correct choice, and in which other situations should me be chosen? It really isn't difficult to figure out. I honestly believe no one over the age of 15 should be getting this wrong.

Let's start with the one everyone actually seems to get right.

We are cooking dinner.

What replaces we in that sentence? In determining the I vs me problem, a method I always tell people is to eliminate the other person. What makes sense? Take the other noun/pronoun out of the equation. What's left?

Me am cooking dinner. (This clearly makes no sense.)

I am cooking dinner.

Ding ding ding ding ding! Now just add the other person back in, tack on the plural pronoun conjugation of the verb, and that's it!

So in this case:

We are cooking dinner. --> John and I are cooking dinner.

A good rule of thumb:

We always expands to be noun/pronoun + I.

Now let's tackle the one which actually seems to baffle the minds of otherwise intelligent people.

The incorrect tendency of so many nowadays is the following:

The drink spilled all over us. --> The drink spilled all over John and I.

No joke . . . hearing this actually makes me want to pull my hair out. This is wrong. Sooooo wrong! Employing the same method used above, let's eliminate the other person.

The drink spilled all over I. (Again, this does not make any sense.)

The drink spilled all over me.

As such ...

The drink spilled all over us. --> The drink spilled all over John and me.

Rule of thumb in this case:

Us always expands to be noun/pronoun + me.

Yes, and me does exist. And yes, you should use it.

If all else fails, think of the nursery rhyme that goes like this:

Patty cake, patty cake, baker's man;

Bake me a cake as fast as you can;

Roll it, pat it, mark it with a B;

Put it in the oven for baby and me.

If you think the final phrase is grammatically incorrect, you have poor grammar.

For a more technical explanation, go here.

"Lighten up, G. It's the internet. Who cares?" A couple other interesting reads:

I Won't Hire People Who Use Poor Grammar. Here's Why. [Harvard Business Review]

I Don't Tolerate Poor Grammar [Forbes]

Dishcrawl Kitsilano 2013 - What We Ate!

Last Wednesday night, I attended my first-ever Dishcrawl event in Kitsilano. Having been told beforehand the venues we'd be visiting would be newer establishments, I had an idea or two of where the group might be dining. I didn't have to wait long to see if my hunches were correct as we were told to meet at 7pm at Tractor Everyday Healthy Foods [they have a gorgeous website]. The remaining venues though, would remain a mystery.

Having never visited Tractor before, I was a little nervous about what I might find. I understood it to be the very type of restaurant one should expect to find in Kits. I arrived to the bright and cozy, yet comfortable restaurant surprised to see my friend Ed Lau of EdEats.com was there. I should not have been surprised. After quickly taking a seat with Ed, our group of about 30 diners was greeted by Executive Chef Ryan Mah, who coincidentally, I went to high school with [though admittedly he probably doesn't remember me as he is a few classes older]. Chef Mah previously worked in the kitchens of well-known Vancouver eateries such as Chinois, Goldfish, Joe Fortes, and Wild Rice.

Chef Mah explained the concept behind Tractor - healthy food that does not compromise on flavour. My curiousity was piqued.

kale and granny smith apple with radicchio and white balsamic dressing @ Tractor Everyday Healthy Foods

We started with a salad of kale and granny smith apple with a delicious balsamic dressing. I have a love-hate relationship with kale but in this case, the kale was done so it retained its texture without tasting too . . . healthy? I sound crazy, huh? The granny smiths gave the salad an interesting kick, crunch, and worked well with the balsamic.

order up your meal choices from the cafeteria-style bar @ Tractor Everyday Healthy Foods

After the salad, Crawlers were instructed to line up along Tractor's cafeteria-style bar and order our mains. We had a choice between lean turkey chili or curried butternut squash soup [vegetarian].

lean turkey chili with coriander and sour cream @ Tractor Everyday Healthy Foods

I went with the turkey chili which was perfect on that particular cold autumn night. I generally love soups. Asian soups, chunky soups, stews, chilis . . . love it all! This chili was like a hug in a bowl. I enjoyed how the flavours from all the ingredients had come together without having been cooked to a mush. I did not try the butternut squash soup, though it also looked great and my fellow diners seemed to enjoy it. Here's a photo for good measure:

curried butternut squash soup with yogurt and green onion @ Tractor Everyday Healthy Foods

Tractor also provided us with dessert.

double chocolate and pistachio cookies @ Tractor Everyday Healthy Foods

Knowing I had more savoury dishes to munch on before the end of the night, I stashed the cookies in my purse and enjoyed them when I got home. The cookies were nice and chewy [my preferred texture for cookies]. I have a sweet tooth, but not a please-give-me-a-cavity type love for desserts. These cookies were just sweet enough with plenty of rich chocolate-y yumminess.

The second stop of the evening was a bit of a surprise, as we were led to Vibes Japanese BBQ & Sushi Restaurant, one of Vancouver's only sushi AND bbq all-you-can-eats. After being seated, we were told the food would be 10-15 minutes away as the meats had to be marinated. A bit of a surprise as they were expecting our group and knew we'd be on a schedule. However, when the food arrived, I was very pleasantly surprised.

bbq beef short ribs @ Vibes Japanese BBQ and Sushi Restaurant

I usually shy away from AYCE establishments for two reasons. The first . . . I get full really easily/quickly so it's usually a better deal for me to order a la carte anyway. The second [and more importantly] . . . the quality and consistency of most AYCE places scare me. Biting into a piece of this beef short rib, I was thrilled by how tender it was. [Short ribs are pretty hard to mess up, but it has happened before.] Vibes has a house dipping sauce for its bbq items, but these ribs didn't need it. Crawlers were also given marinated beef slices and chicken to throw on the grill.

beef slices  @ Vibes Japanese BBQ and Sushi Restaurant

Also on the menu was Vibes' king crab sushi roll which was topped with avocado and masago. It was good but lacked uniqueness. I could taste the crab and appreciated their use of real crab meat, though it was overwhelmed a bit by all of the avocado. From the tasting we had here, I'd say go to Vibes for the bbq, but not necessarily the sushi.

king crab sushi roll  @ Vibes Japanese BBQ and Sushi Restaurant

Stop number 3 on Kits Crawl was The August Jack, a tapas bar that specialises in food and craft beer pairings.

rosemary polenta fries with basil nasturtium aioli and balsamic reduction @ The August Jack

First up with a deep-fried polenta dish with a balsamic sauce. The polenta fry itself was not bad, though, had I not known it was polenta, might have wondered if it was a potato cake. I found the sauce to be a little bit overwhelming.

truffle popcorn with truffle-infused oil and shaved grana padano @ The August Jack

This popcorn, surprisingly, turned out to be my favourite dish from The August Jack. I did wish the truffle aspect of it would've hit me in the face a bit more, but it tasted delicious and the grana padano was divine. This was so good, I brought my leftovers home and polished it off before the end of night.

leek and barley risotto with smoked cheddar and caramelised leeks, truffle oil, and red amaranth garnishes @ The August Jack

Our third dish at The August Jack was their risotto with leeks, barley, and cheese. I tend to like my risotto on the creamier side, but did enjoy the texture of this risotto even though it was more . . . intact. What threw me off a bit was the sauce, which was very very heavy-handed with the balsamic. I found it to be a bit much and a strange combination with the risotto.

The last venue of Kits Crawl was O5 Rare Tea Bar, a beautiful tea house that reminded me of how an upscale tea specialty store would look in Omotesando, Asakusa, or Daikanyama.

O5 Rare Tea Bar

By this point, my fellow diners and I were felling pretty full and welcomed the light fare of a cup of O5's delicious hibiscus tea. We were told to help ourselves to the selection of sweet treats displayed gorgeously on ceramic spoons.

hibiscus tea and desserts served in ceramic spoons @ O5 Rare Tea Bar

From left to right:

• candied organic ginger rolled in raw cane and dark chocolate
• candied hibiscus flower with rich white chocolate flakes
• pumpkin spice cheesecake with gingersnap crumble

The clear winner here was the pumpkin spice cheesecake, and I'm not usually even a fan of pumpkin desserts. I think what won me over was how subtle the flavour was. The candied hibiscus was also fantastic. The white chocolate helped keep it from being too tart. Unfortunately, I did not get to try the ginger.

In all, Kits Crawl was a fantastic experience and I would highly encourage everyone go give it a try the next time around. It's a great chance to try new restaurants while meeting new people. I really enjoyed the social aspect of the experience.

As I mentioned in a previous post, these Dishcrawls happen in different neighbourhoods around Vancouver [and in fact, many many other cities], so just keep your eyes and ears open for an area you're interested in. For more information, head over to Dishcrawl Vancouver's Facebook page.

Restaurant information:

Tractor Everyday Healthy Foods - 1903 West 4th Avenue - 604.222.2557

Vibes Japanese BBQ & Sushi Restaurant - 1947 West 4th Avenue - 604.559.8423

The August Jack - 2042 West 4th Avenue - 604.428.0075

O5 Rare Tea Bar - 2208 West 4th Avenue - 604.558.0500






Disclaimer: I was invited to join Kits Crawl as a media partner and as such, received a sponsored ticket. Opinions on restaurants/food however, are completely my own.

Kits Crawl

It's funny how timing works sometimes. I've been struggling to get this blog up and running again . . . really wanting to be able to get back into the swing of things and write about topics I'm truly passionate about. Then I heard about Dishcrawl's fast-approaching dining event that takes participants through one of my most beloved neighbourhoods in Vancouver.

The itinerary for Kits Crawl features 4 restaurants, with a total of 12 tasting dishes. The locations will remain a mystery until the event, though hints may be dropped over on Dishcrawl Vancouver's Facebook page. Personally, I think it may be more fun to be surprised!

Like its sister events which brought diners to some of the hottest eateries in Yaletown, Main Street, and Commercial Drive, Kits Crawl will not disappoint! I hope to see you all there!

Event: Kits Crawl

When: Wednesday, October 23rd @ 7pm [rain or shine!]

Where: meeting location will be revealed to participants 48hrs in advance of event

Cost: $60 + tax + processing fee [food only]

Promo code: Use 'kitsreturn' at checkout for 20% off the cost of tickets.

For more information and to buy tickets: http://www.dishcrawl.com/kits/.
You can also find Dishcrawl on Twitter: @DishCrawlVan

張學友1/2世紀溫哥華演唱會 [Jacky Cheung 1/2 Century Tour Live In Vancouver]

If memory serves me right, I first saw Jacky Cheung live in a charity show he performed in during the 90s. But being probably my most favourite Asian singer, seeing Jacky headline a show has been on my bucket list for a very very long time. So when he announced his current tour would stop in Vancouver, I made every effort to be there in person.

Needless to say, he did not disappoint. In what he says was his 109th concert, he hit the stage shortly after 8pm and went on for three hours straight. Sure, I got a little restless when he sang several songs in a row in Mandarin. But I'm sure I would've loved it if I was a little more familiar with his Mandarin hits. And it was also too bad he messed around with the tempo and style of a few of his classic hits. But in all . . . the guy sang for three hours straight, dancing and even doing the splits! For a 50-year-old, what else could you ask for?

Below is his setlist, with some of my personal notes:

花花公子 - didn't expect this, one of his earliest hits
小姐貴姓
初吻
你是我今生唯一傳奇
妳的名字, 我的姓氏 - first goosebumps of the night here
情願 - and here begins the string of Mandarin songs
一滴淚
人在雨中
三分拍
如果·愛 - goosebumps again, my favourite Mandarin song of Jacky's
天氣這麼熱
吻别[ROCK版] - wish he had performed the original version
當愛變成習慣
我應該
肥姐 - this was unexpected, a tribute to Lydia Shum
愛網[JAZZ版]
情人的眼淚
我真的受傷了 - love love love
Life Is Like A Dream
Double Trouble
李香蘭
每天愛你多一些[粵語版] - this is when I started feeling like a kid again
她來聽我的演唱會
心碎了無痕
心如刀割
餓狼傳說
頭髮亂了
這個冬天不太冷[粵語版] - this is what everyone had been waiting for, a series of the old songs
分手總要在雨天 - at this point, you could tell people were loving it, cell phone lights exploded in the round in lieu of lighters
遙遠的她[粵語版]
一千個傷心的理由
只想一生跟你走
祝福[JAZZ版]

Not a bad way to spend a Friday the 13th, eh?

#1: Project 366

A new year's Steveston, a photo by gloomybb on Flickr.

One photo a day for all of 2012.

Why I'm Boycotting Threadless

Hello blogosphere, it's been awhile! Unfortunately, the reason I'm taken to the blog this time is not the most positive. But read on and you shall understand . .

I love graphic tees. The wit and creativity that can often be found on graphic tees make my life a little sunnier. I love supporting independent artists. So how could I not love Threadless - purveyor of all tees graphically delicious. And I did love them. Until now.

Earlier this week, Threadless had a major sale on their merchandise - $9.99 for selected shirts - and I wanted to take advantage of this. My cart quickly filled up with these shirts, amounting to almost $100 worth. And when I came across one particular shirt that was not on sale, I decided to go for that too. This shirt would be a special order "Lab" item that would need 2-3 weeks before shipping could occur. I was really excited about the things I'd selected, as a couple of shirts I'd been lusting over for months would soon be mine!

Now, while I'm not what you'd call an environmental crusader, I do take it upon myself to try to be green. So imagine my surprise upon checking out. Options for shipping speeds and prices, but where was the little checkbox to combine shipments? Nowhere to be found.

I turned to Twitter to find the answer. [exact transcription of my conversation with them]

me: I want to get 1 special order tee w/my order. Is there a way to make it so everything ships at once?

It took them so long to respond that I cancelled my $100+ order.

12 hours later . . .

them: Nope, sorry! :( Those will ship separately.

me: I wonder if it might be something you'd consider. More economical AND environmental.

Another 10 hours later . . .

them: Consider it considered! Sorry again it's not an option now.

Wait . . . what??? Is that really how you've trained your social media team to communicate with customers? "Consider it considered"??? By whom? The social media team? I know Threadless is one of those young hip companies, but I did not expect them to just dismiss my concerns like that. I'm down with colloquial and casual internet language. But to be so downright flippant about it is uncalled for and rude. They would have been better off just not responding at all. Or y'know, a simple respectful response would have sufficed.

Unfortunately our current shipping policy does not allow that. We're sorry for any inconvenience.

Is that so difficult? I came up with that in about 5 seconds.

Forget the extra shipping cost - it's a few bucks. But I'd expect any company to try to minimize their carbon footprint and shipping materials needed. Needless to say, I am extremely disappointed by Threadless and will not be purchasing anything from them for now.

Update: To their credit, a response from Threadless was left in the comments of this blog within an hour if its posting. While I appreciate this effort to reach out to me, I'm still going to think twice about ordering from them again.

When You Smile, The Whole World Stops & Stares For Awhile

Just The Way You Are - Bruno Mars

Anyone else feeling the buzziness in the air? While most people look forward to summer, the sun, and hot weather . . . that's not the case for me. Nope, I have long been a champion for autumn and winter.

September - a new start [to the school year?], the end of mozzies biting me.

Truth be told, I was starting to get sick of all the sun. Call me crazy if you want! I have things to look forward to: Halloween, my birthday, Christmas, New Year's Eve!!!

Another thing to be excited about? My Canucks of course! This past summer, I was happy to join up with the good folks over at the Canucks Fan Zone, so I am looking forward to helping them out and spreading the [social media] word on Canucks events and contests happening around town.

That being said . . . come out and see us on Wednesday, October 20th at Joey's on Broadway for the first official Canucks tweet-up of the year. These events started up last year and have only gained momentum. Join follow Canucks fans, bloggers from the Canucks Hockey Blog, and the Fan Zone when the good guys take on their nemeses from the past two years, the Chicago Blackhawks. Joey Kenward of Team 1040 will have hosting duties and rumour has it, Fin will make an appearance.

Hope to see you all there!

I Long To Fly Away

I'm Like A Bird - Nelly Furtado 

Posts are long overdue. Sit tight kiddies. They're coming.

I've Counted The Days, Day After Day

I Have Waited So Long - Foreigner 

Can you believe THE announcement was almost seven years ago?


*video courtesy Rogers Sportsnet
Yes, that was back in July 2003 and I remember sitting in my shoebox Japanese abode late at night - staying up to find out whether my hometown had won. That bid video set to the voice of Bryan Adams still gives me chills. We've waited so so long and as of today, the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games are a mere month away. Yes, 31 days. Are you excited?

At this point, I feel comfortable divulging some news I've had for a while. I have accepted a position to work with NBC during the Olympics! I have been a lifelong Olympics junkie and when the opportunity came, I just couldn't pass it up. It's very much a dream come true. NBC always does a bang-up job of broadcasting the Games and I hope so badly to be able to meet Matt Lauer, since The Today Show will be broadcasting from atop Grouse Mountain the whole time.

Finally, a step in the right direction. Back to media, journalism, and a job that really gets my blood pumping. It also means I'm packing up my bags and moving back home to Vancouver.

I found out I'd landed the job back in August and it's been hard to keep it only to family and close friends. Back in the summer, I thought February was still so far away. And now, I'm moving home in four days.

In other exciting news, I've hooked up with an ambitious little start-up called Define Magazine. It's Vancouver's newest lifestyle online source and our aim is to draw on the abundant amount of writing talent we have internationally, to provide informative and entertaining articles for readers of any demographic. The launch was a mere week ago, so please check out our website and show some support! I'll be contributing articles to them starting late January, so keep your eyes peeled for that.

Anyway, with all that said, I am feeling anxious about the move. It always happens before I make a big move. Have I packed everything? OMGImusthaveforgottenSOMETHING! This time, I just have to keep reminding myself that even if I do leave something behind, it's just in my parents' place here and they can bring it for me in a few months when they return to Vancouver. Chill G, chill.

Let the Games begin . . .

Santa Saw A Rabbi & Gave The Strangest Remark

Santa Baby - Reverend Run & The Christmas All Stars 

The Reverend Run version of Santa Baby has always been one of my favourite non-traditional Christmas songs [click here to see the video, courtesy of Yahoo! Music]. On this Christmas Eve afternoon, while helping my parents clean and prepare their new apartment for moving in, I was jamming to what is probably one of my favourite Christmas albums of all-time.

There are always the never-failing standbys. Mariah Carey's Merry Christmas, Michael Bublé's Let It Snow!, and of course, the Very Special Christmas series . . . but what about those of us who crave some R&B-flavoured yuletide Christmas jams?

My album of choice is surprisingly little-known considering the star power it packs into 16 tracks. The Soul Train Christmas Starfest boasts artists ranging from Boyz II Men to Kirk Franklin and everyone in between. This 1997 release catches groups such as Az Yet and Immature at the top of their games and even features Rome taking a wonderful turn at Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.


Don't bother looking for it on iTunes though, as it is not listed. I originally had a cassette copy of this compilation. When that was lost, the only way I could get my hands on a CD copy was through Amazon.com . . . Definitely worth the effort and perfect for lovers of pre-millenium R&B.

Take a listen:
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Immature

Oh Come All Ye Faithful - Az Yet

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Rome
Every Year, Every Christmas - Luther Vandross
It's Christmas [All Over The World] - New Edition
Give Love On Christmas Day - Johnny Gill

When The Cold Wind's Blowing Snow Drifts Through The Pine Trees

All That I Want - The Weepies 

There's something in the air. Can you feel it? It's that tingling buzzy buzz feeling I get every year at the end of November . . .

It starts with my birthday, followed the week after by American Thanksgiving. Then you walk into a mall and boom! Trees! Ornaments! Twinkle lights!

Because guess what? In a few short weeks . . . it'll be Christmas - my most favourite holiday of the year. The atmosphere in the city becomes electric. Mix that in with family gatherings, get-togethers with friends, the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships, and feeling like you're on the verge of something.

Then a short week after that? The New Year.

This year, the feeling will last even longer. You better believe it will. Six weeks into the new year, Vancouver will play host to the whole world at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

I, for one, am looking forward to this winter like none other before. Here's to winter!

Stopped Dreaming Of Your Face, Now I Don't Dream At All

Somedays - jacksoul

Heard some news from the Canadian music scene today and it made me very sad. And unfortunately it happened on my birthday.

Haydain Neale, frontman for Juno-award winning R&B/soul group jacksoul, passed away at the age of 39 after a seven month long battle with lung cancer. Like many Canadian musicians, jacksoul kind of got lost in the shuffle, trying to compete with their counterparts from our neighbours to the south. How could they compete with acts such as K-Ci & Jojo and all of their financial backing?

Luckily, because of CanCon, jacksoul got a decent amount of airplay within Canada and some of us were privileged to know their music. When thinking about the type of male voice I find attractive, Neale's was always amongst the ones I'd pick out. What a strong, masculine baritone he had. But unfortunately, Neale has passed just a few short days away from the release of a brand new album.

jacksoul's song "Somedays", from the 2000 album Sleepless, was the particular song I had on repeat when dealing with a certain heartbreak back in the day. It's still one of my favourites. For your listening pleasure:



If you don't know jacksoul or had forgotten about them during their recent hiatus, I urge you to take a journey into their world. They just might touch your soul.

Rest in peace, Haydain Neale
09.03.1970 - 11.22.2009

Stacks On Deck, Patrón On Ice

Whatever You Like - Anya Marina

It's officially the DAB [day after birthday] and this particular birthday did involve the nasty Mexican evilness called tequila. And if you're going to have tequila, you want it to be Patrón.

Makes me think of this song I discovered while watching a recent episode of Gossip Girl. Apparently Anya Marina had wanted to cover a hip hop song for awhile and when she heard TI's chart-topper, she knew she just had to do this particular song.



She has an interesting voice with an innocent quality to it, which makes for an interesting juxtaposition with the subject matter of this song.

I actually prefer the work she's done in her own genre. Reminds me a bit of the popular-after-Apple-used-it-in-an-ad song "Bruises" by Chairlift. Her latest full length album is sophmore effort Slow & Steady Seduction: Phase II, released late '08/early '09, depending on the source.

Take a listen:
Vertigo
Two Left Feet
Waters Of March [Águas de Março]
Cowboy

You'll Make Me Work So We Can Work To Work It Out

Haven't Met You Yet - Michael Bublé

I am failing epically at keeping this blog updated. Apologies . . . though I'm sure I've lost a few readers with inconsistent posts.

Excitement around the corner. My nearest and dearest know what's up. But I can't quite announce the news yet. Though if you pay close attention, maybe you can figure it out? I'm in a countdown, you know. Less than 100 now.

In the meantime, my nephew Colby has started hockey lessons. Regular skating wasn't really working out for him. He's now enrolled at the Hong Kong Academy Of Ice Hockey, which is run by Vancouver native and former NHLer, Barry Beck [LA Kings, NY Rangers].

He's just in beginner lessons for now and it's only him and another little boy named Justin. Two of them to one instructor is pretty good. Halfway through his first lesson he came off the ice whining that it was hot. My sister had put him in jeans under his hockey gear. I don't know what she was thinking. Colby seems to like it though. I will nickname him CoHo and try to score an endorsement deal with Koho . . . Draft class of 2023?

I will see you soon . . .

And The Rain Turned Into Tears Upon Your Face

Lost - Michael Bublé

This is breaking my spirit.

- mobile post from my iPhone

There's No Winning This, The Battle's Just Begun

Where Do We Go From Here - Deborah Cox

I keep setting deadlines for myself. And they keep passing.

I fail. Epically.

Show Me That Smile Again

As Long As We've Got Each Other - B.J. Thomas & Jennifer Warnes

Alright . . . time for my first real post of this year. I can't believe it's already May! Where has the time gone? I haven't written in five months. That's got to be a new record or something for me.

But I guess there's a good explanation. There really hasn't been anything significant to write about lately. Same place, same job, same people . . . I'm getting so bored of it all. I actually have half a mind to just pack up and move back home. It's what I've wanted to do practically since I got here. But there's a complication.

Life hasn't been kind to be lately. And I know it's mostly my own doing too. But I'm having hard time figuring out how to dig myself out of this one. I've started to . . . but it's not enough.

Thing is . . . if I'm not happy where I am, how could I ever be expected to put in as much effort as I should? Part of me really thinks that I've used up all my good luck. I went from university straight into my first post-grad job. Then from that job straight back into school. Everything has always transitioned so easily. Now what?

Most people would just say, "If you want to be back in Vancouver so badly, then just go." I see their point. What's holding me back?

My friends have been great lately . . . tons of support and encouragement . . . they've really helped me keep my head above water through all of this. The old reliables . . . and one I thought I'd lost forever. It's good to have you back. After all, you probably do know me better than anyone out there. My friends are the ones keeping me smiling.

[It's a lazy night in for me . . . for some reason I've been reading my old blog. In some ways I'm still the same . . . but in other ways . . . geez I'm so happy not to be in that place anymore.]

Your Heart Is True, You're A Pal And A Confidante

Thank You For Being A Friend - Cynthia Fee

Earlier this week, Bea Arthur passed away at the age of eighty-six. I hadn't paid much attention to her career after the heyday of The Golden Girls, but last night I found myself heading over to Youtube and looking up that old familiar theme song.

Then for the next half hour, I ended up linking to all these different clips . . . of theme songs from the past . . . and I'm talking the ones from shows in the early to mid-80s . . . ones you might not remember until you hear them. I was pretty young when most of these shows were on . . . I guess I have my sister to thank for exposing me to them. =) Sit back and take this journey back with me, would you? I bet you can't help but sing along!!!

Perfect Strangers [also came across the Dance Of Joy - a comment said "Balki was like an early Borat . . . hahaha *high five*]


Silver Spoons [Who would've thought little Ricky Schroder would grow up to be NYPD Blue? I always wanted his cool train.]


Gimme A Break


Punky Brewster


Facts Of Life


Charles In Charge [Starring a pre-Baywatch Nicole Eggert!]


Who's The Boss?


Mr. Belvedere


Head Of The Class


Family Ties [I *heart* Michael J. Fox!]


Growing Pains [darn, couldn't find the version with Leonardo DiCaprio in it . . . the younger Alan Thicke picture looks EXACTLY like Robin Thickes does now]


The Greatest American Hero


The Hogan Family [Josie Bissett pre-Jane Mancini on Melrose Place and Josh Taylor before he was Dylan McKay's father on 90210!]


Out Of This World


Empty Nest


Quantum Leap [Can't find the proper visual for this, poop.]


A Different World [Dwayne Wayne - just saying that name makes me laugh.]


Hanging' With Mr. Cooper [Wow, all En Vogue stylez.]


They don't make theme songs like that anymore. Bet some of those put a smile on your face!

Let's Give It Up For The New Year

Resolution - Motion City Soundtrack

2008 is quickly drawing to a close and like so many around the world, I like to take a minute . . . first to look back at the past year and then to look forward at what's coming up. I've never been one to make resolutions, joining those who write them off as things you always say you'll do, but never actually accomplish. And I hate not keeping my word.

However, this year is a little different. I feel a need, not so much to make resolutions, but more to set some guidelines for myself in the upcoming year. And so . . . here goes.

1. Don't Settle - Get A New Job
I was having a rather rough Monday this week when my broworker emailed me two words - "Don't Settle" - followed by the text to Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford Commencement Address. He had no idea what was going through my head on that cloudy morning, but the timing of his email was just spot on. He's known that I've been struggling with my identity at work for a couple of months and a few weeks ago said to me, "Did you go to college to do this?" This question has been on my mind for awhile, but that was the first time it had been articulated to me in this particular manner. The answer is clear as day. Hell no. Need to get back into media. Time to get off the hamster wheel. Move on. Things have gotten stale . . . and I long to "stay hungry, stay foolish."

2. Explore Every Avenue Possible To Get Myself Home
I tried. Hong Kong is not home. Especially over the past week . . . I miss it. Yes, I have family in Hong Kong . . . but the longer I'm away the more I realise that my fantastic group of friends back home comprise a large part of what I consider my "family." Living is not living when you are constantly longing to be somewhere else.

3. Stop Getting Worked Up Over Other Peoples' Shit
I have to get better at evaluating what/who is worth sticking my neck out for. What grinds my gears is when I put myself out there for people and it is either not appreciated or I was misled to begin with about what the endgame was. Then it gets me all upset and stressed . . . and it's just not worth it.

4. Speak Up For Myself More
'Nuff said, really. And kind of similar to #3. This includes not letting myself be put into a position of enabler. If you do shady shit, I will call you on it.

5. Be Bold.
The paradox that is my persona . . . outspoken and outgoing as heck amongst friends . . . but wallflower shy when it comes to my pursuit of romance. In the presence of potential, I need to find a balance between fading into the background and coming off as overeager.

Okay. That's all. Thoughts? What are your resolutions?

With You Is Where I'd Rather Be, But We're Stuck Where We Are

Long Distance - Brandy

In any recent year, this song would have been a poignant portrait of my thoughts and emotions. Admittedly, the first time I heard this track, memories came storming back . . . but not in the heart-wrenching way I thought they would. No . . . this time it was swift . . .

Yup. Okay. I remember feeling that way.
Oh well. Moving on now . . .

Maybe this comes at an interesting time. You see . . . he and I have made amends. And only with the past couple weeks and conversations with him, has it been apparent to me that I've grown out of what we had been. So now, whenever I do feel that little bit of sadness tugging at my heart, I know that it's simply because I miss being in a relationship . . . and that longing will cease to be associated with him.

I haven't felt much like writing lately . . . but in fact it has been quite the month kicked off with an adventure at Hong Kong Disneyland with my girls, highlighted by a birthday visit by one of my best friends, and recently wrapped up with visits from more friendly faces from Vancouver. I always get excited around the end of November . . . because once my birthday's done with, in comes all the Christmas tingles that demand to be felt.

This will be the best Christmas in nearly half a decade. I'm okay. I'm content.