Twilight Night With The Girls

Tonight was Twilight Night! Two of my girlfriends and I got together and we watched the first two Twilight films so that we can refresh our memories (and geek out) before we watch the third one coming out soon. I know, I know, you're shaking your head and wondering why I've gone and lost my mind like this, but it was really fun!

We've all watched the movies before so we could chat and comment about the different scenes and actors throughout and no one minded one bit. You can't do that in a real movie theater - people would stare you down and yell at you! Instead, we chatted happily and nibbled on nachos, veggies and dip, chicken strips, wings, sausage rolls, tea cakes with homemade jam... (I've GOT to learn how to make some homemade jam of my own, it was so good!) Oh, and I made Shirley Temples!
I was looking for a red, Twilight-themed drink, but I came across Shirley Temples and they looked so cheery that I couldn't resist making some for the party. I'll post the instructions for how to make one soon. We did a lot of experimenting so that we could get the look and taste of it just right :)
Heh, and I made some Twilight-themed matchbook notebooks. I thought it would be nice to have a little treat/present for each of them since they were so nice to geek it out with me. I do love the Twilight series so much!I hope you're having a lovely weekend with your dear family and friends.

Cheerio!

A Day At The Fair And Soccer Pitch

In addition to meeting up with old friends, I have been eating good food and hanging out with my awesome cousin from out of town. Here are some pics:
This is the yummy pulled pork sandwich I had at the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE). It was affordably priced for fair food, and quite filling! Mmmmm!My sweetie brought me a cherry margarita with an umbrella. He knows I like those umbrellas.
Yes, and then I ate this hen and her chicks... alive. No, no, just kidding! These cuties were hanging out in the barn area. I found them too irresistable to not photograph. Ah, I love animal babies.

I did eat a half chicken roasting on an open charcoal pit though. They have that at the fair every year and it's soooooo goooood! That chicken is totally overpriced, but it's a tradition. (And traditions must be obeyed when they smell so good!).
Later on that night, we went to a soccer game. I was trying to snap a picture of the pitch when the mascot noticed the camera-happy fans around me, and began to strike sexy poses for us. It was very amusing.I like the way the soccer pitch looks when it's partially lit by artificial light and twilight. It's nice.

So here I am back at square one in the job arena, but advancing quickly in the living life section. The anxiety of not having a job anymore is catching up, I'll admit. I don't really know what to do with myself regarding that. However, I am valuing the opportunity I have to take a breather and catch up with all the friends and life experiences that I've been missing out on.

I hope you have a good day!

It's Good To Be Yourself

I had a great conversation the other day with my dear friend, Jo. We were looking at a video of one of my recent music favs, Marie Digby. I think Marie Digby is totally adorable, and I wish I could sing like her, be cute like her, and just be brave the way she is in pursuing her love of music. Unfortunately, I am none of these things. Both Jo and I were praising her virtues, but Jo stopped and said the above quote. And, for some reason, I thought I should share it.

I admire that she sees flaws in herself, but is still glad to be herself. I think that's an admirable trait to have. I don't think I'd be comfortable being someone else either, and I hope we can all realize our own potential and value ourselves too, just the way we are.

Have a happy day!

The Merriest of Birthday Weekends!

I had the most delightful of birthday celebrations with my friends this weekend. We had a grand dinner at a Korean restaurant with half of the table having BBQ and the other half having hot pot. In between was a grand helping of smoked salmon salad, ahi tuna salad, jellyfish salad (!), seafood pancake, kimchi noodles, jap che noodles, and more! There was a lot of food! After the dinner, I gave my dear friends some treats (because don't you ever wish that goodie bags were for grown-up parties too?) including my Unloved paper doll kit, some strawberry Pocky, and some yummy Japanese gummies (those things are so fragrant!). Then I opened all my cards and gifts. Some highlights are the ever-so-lovely pink roses that my honey gave to me, and the gorgeous bouquet of tulips that my best friend brought. Tulips are my favourite flowers! I love how they bend so gracefully out of a vase. See the pretty little buds that accompanied them? I can't stop looking at them. On the weekend, I went for a stroll with my sweetie and we found the most delicious treat at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory - a bouquet of chocolate dipped strawberries. Each luscious, juicy strawberry is on a long wooden stem and dipped in dark chocolate. It's soooo good, and the strawberries were so fresh and sweet (and big!). I would highly recommmend them for anyone looking for an ideal Valentine's day gift. Our bouquet was gone in seconds!
Oh, and this comic cracks me up!

Happy Friday!

I'm so glad this week is over. It's been a rough one, what with the death of my friend's mother. I dreaded going to work every day as it meant putting on a brave face and pretending everything was okay. Meanwhile, my friend was busy planning funeral arrangements and grieving. I really wanted to be there with him instead. It felt wrong to be apart from him when he is going through such a difficult time in his life. It seemed like I was being a very bad friend.

There was not much to be done, however, as it was his family's wish that the funeral and following ceremonies be as private as possible. Who was I to intrude on their family's private suffering? I could not force that upon them.

Thus it was that I was left to my own form of grieving - respect for the family's wishes, and burying myself in poetry and wishful thinking. Ah, sometimes it is hard to be a good friend.

But yesterday was a pretty good day. Three of my aunts came to town and we had a grand family dinner with them. We chatted over some really yummy Korean food, and I felt so welcome and happy. I hadn't seen them in a while and it was great to do some catching up. Sometimes I forget about how warm and friendly my relatives actually are. It really feels like family when they're around - one big happy (and noisy) family! My aunts have notoriously loud and cackling laughs, and they laughed a lot! I was relieved that we were tucked away in a corner of the restaurant in our own room with a semi-closed door :)

There will be some more family dinners coming up to celebrate Chinese New Year and I'm looking forward to them. I'll get to see my 91 year old grandmother (I can only hope to live as long and as healthfully as her!) and my uncle who used to live in our house when I was little. I think it will be a good time of eating and sharing stories.

I wish you all a wonderful weekend, filled with happy times spent with family. Whether you're grieving, missing someone, or perfectly happy, time with family is a blessing.