Who: 鄭少，my family and I
Where: Mistral French Bistro (West Broadway)
$: $28
This is actually an early birthday dinner for my mom (since I won't be around on her actual birthday). The stuff is pretty good (Karen: "WHOA this pea soup tastes like there's MSG in it!") and the surroundings are nice. I had duck leg for my main course but to me it tasted like chicken anyways. However, maybe classic French food is really thick and rich (esp. their sauces) we were all kinda sick of our food by the last bites haha. AND they charged me $3 for my Earl Grey at the end of my meal. FYI, Gourmet only charges $1.50 for Orange Pekoe Tea.
Finally bought everything I need for my trip from Superstore today. Right now, there are small piles of things waiting for me to stuff into my suitcases tomorrow. Things like clothes, toiletry, water bottles (two of them actually), gifts for relatives, shoes, jackets, books, etc. It seems that I'll be packing my entire bathroom and 1/4 of my closet into my suitcases. I honestly hope I'm not missing anything but foreseeing 4-5 months into the future is not my forte.
Today is Chinese New Year but the only CNY-ish thing I did was get 利是 from my parents and my tutor student's mom. Hopefully I can make up for the lack of atmosphere when I'm in HK. I haven't been to a 花市 since forever.
祝大家：
心想事成！
新年進步！
(one year someone wished my dad 不勞而獲 and he thought that was a good one haha)
currently listening: 漣漪 - 陳百強 (makes me wonder why singers that sound good usually have untimely deaths)
不知不覺, 原來我只剩下四個晚上能夠在自己的床上睡覺. 今天下午午睡的時候, 想象如果自己已經在寧波, 躺在 dorm 裏面, 那種感覺會是怎麽呢? 結果就是覺得很不安, and a feeling of frustration knowing that everyone and everything i know will be on another continent and that even though you know where they are, there is no way for you to get to them. (會不會很誇張). Perhaps it's not that bad. I talked to my Chinese history TA from last year (who is a Caucasian female and went to China for exchange too). The advice she gave me was not to worry, relax and enjoy life. I hope I can do that. 始終是自己第一次自己一個, 不是幾天的時間, 而是幾個月的時間, 一定會有一點不安. 其實, 我早已經説服了自己要把這個 exchange 看待為一個悠長的假期. In the end, it was my own decision to go in the first place. 就當作是一個開給自己的挑戰吧. 我深信, everything happens for a reason. 都是時候 jump out of my comfort zone, 好好感受一些新的事物, 經歷一些新的事情, 更加認識自己.
因爲 exchange 以後的安排還未落定, 所以我已經把今天看作爲 Gourmet 工作的最後一天. 還記得小時候我跟媽媽說我一定不會再餐館打工, 因爲我一定不能忍受看著別人而自己不可以吃的感覺. But in the end, I must say that Gourmet was the best job that I ever had. 如果今天真的是最後一天, 我真的感到依依不捨. 很幸運能夠認識到一班非常可愛的同事們, 遇到一位那麽好的 manager/boss. 在 Gourmet 的回憶, 都是開心的. 我會非常想念芳姐的"待客之大道理", Jack 哥的笑聲, Stewart一流的茄牛麵, 呀能奇怪的廣東話, 叔記的 "北極熊 look", Kwan's great treatment to all employees, Aileen's caffeine addiction (hahaha), Elaine's 3-inch sneakers, Lawrence's insistence on hitting the bell even when I'm standing right there, etc.
謝謝鄭少今天為我炮製了牛扒午餐．辛苦你了！現在有四個多月的時間讓你好好把值70%的牛扒變成100%! And always staying up to wait for me to finish typing up my blog so that you can be the first to read them.
謝謝 Connie, Cheryl, Timothy, Bruce, Ruth, Ben, Ness, Wing Kit 今天為我弄了一個 surprise farewell semi-dinner. I was very touched by all of your presence...有住在 Burnaby 的, 又有生病，有趕著去 clubbing 的 (haha), 又有由不用上班變成了上班的．Thank you! I guarantee you all 手信． 哈哈哈．．．．
Thanks to Aileen for the BEAUTIFUL cake and treating my last day as a "special occasion". yum yum!
Special thanks to Cheryl for planning it all and the ice cream. 謝謝你對我的 care and love. Thanks for the prayer during Joshua. 你讓我覺得自己的離開不是沒人覺得不捨的． 你讓我知道我無論往哪裏去，做什麽的事，都是有人在為我禱告，支持我． 謝謝你的愛．(that's why you get not one, but TWO pictures on my blog today) haha
謝謝你們讓我不能不承認自己是一個幸運兒．
Currently listening： 魚 －陳綺貞 (from her MUCH AWAITED new album, 太陽).
陳綺貞, 你的音樂 speaks to me in ways that others can't.
今日上班嚴重失手: 下班的時候手上竟然多了四個 papercut. 好討厭. to make things worse, i'm working at gourmet tomorrow, which means i have to be in constant contact with things like water, sweet and sour sauce, heat, pop, etc. What a great way to "marinate" my cuts. 鄭少話如果對手太 dry 的時候就會容易得到 papercut. 都是時候好好的 invest in some hand cream. Actually, I have a gazillion hand creams in the washroom storage but I'm just too lazy to ever take them out or even if they are out, I don't bother with them (actually, I think I have a hand cream in my bag...) 或者始終找不到一種牌子的 hand cream 香味我是很喜歡的. 總是覺得 crabtree and evelyn 那些 hand cream 香味太濃, 太多花花味. 不是花花味的那幾種又好像怪怪的. Or maybe I'm just too cheap to invest in anything like that. I always think that by the time I'm 30 I will be more 人老珠(豬?)黃 than the other 30 year olds because I never bothered to take good care of myself (at least in terms of appearance) when I was younger. I'm just praying that by then they have technology that can erase the results of my prolonged laziness. Either that, or plastic surgery will have to become affordable and acceptable by Chinese society.
(無葯可救).
不知道今天吹什麽風...竟然聼一首很被遺忘了很久的歌 (and it's not even a good song...都幾難聽)
currently listening: 男朋友 －古天樂
歡樂今宵
作詞：黃偉文 作曲：黃丹儀 編曲：黃丹儀
從夢裡伊甸 來到我枕邊
夢與真之間 就只差一吋
要是留著你 真實地糾纏
怕沒權利 以後留戀
情愫與相思 如最愛的書
未了那一章 沒翻開的勇氣
故事何樣美 終極是分離
不敢好奇 沾污結尾
猶如 無人敢碰
秘密 現在被揭起
明日想起 我們
其實承受不了
歡樂今宵 虛無飄渺
再沒餘地 繼續纏繞
談情一世 發現
願望極渺小
留下一點 距離
回味獨自心跳
歡樂今宵 虛無飄渺
那樣動搖 不如罷了
一首（我心目中）超經典的金曲。 也是（我個人意見)古巨基's best song to date. Nothing comes close to it. 每一次聼都是感受到一份心疼 (雖然與我無關 haha). 今日 Irene sent me a link of a JSG performance of 愛是懷疑 by Eason, which led me to a fairly recent rendition of 歡樂今宵 by 古巨基 himself and G.E.M. (some 17 year old HK singer who, surprisingly, actually can sing and, even MORE surprisingly, makes me want to listen to her music and, EXTREMELY surprisingly, I might end up buying her cd). If you even care remotely about the HK music scene, the link is here. 我已經由頭到未聼了多過八次. 真是不錯.
另外的就是,今天的計劃本來是 9-3 上班 (at the clinic) 然後去 Michael's (the craft store) to buy a dove/cross stamp for this week's fellowship event. 點知去到的時候發現原來 Michael's has an extremely limited stamp selection and they all cost upwards of $8 (inkpad not included). so i ended up going to the dollar store at coquitlam centre. not only are the stamps much cheaper (only $3, inkpad for $2) i also ended up finding the PERFECT stamp.
Hence, lesson of the day is: don't look down on your local dollar store.
currently listening: 歡樂今宵-古巨基 G.E.M.
Ｉ celebrated Inauguration Day by watching it on CBC at the clinic and stuffing myself with as much chocolate as I possibly can. The really cool thing about working at the doctor's clinic is that during Christmas, we receive TONS of chocolates from patients (I'm talking around 40 boxes of different types and brands of chocolates) and there's bound to be something for everyone.
Going against my political science major instincts, I did not wake up to watch the inaugural address live on television this morning. I joked with 鄭少 last night that the only presidential inauguration that I would wake up for is if the president in question is me or him. 對我來說， 我覺得十一月的 Election Day when Obama's victory was confirmed 的意義遠遠比今天還要重要， 因爲十一月四號就是美國人決定了讓一位美國黑人當總統。 Today is but the follow through and result of that historical decision. 不過今天在 clinic 看電視不同的畫面，看到很多的 festivities and celebrations 都感到開心。感到很 honoured to be able to witness this during my lifetime. 還記得讀 History 12 IB 的時候，Ms. Herzog (the best 歷史老師 i had, she further convinced me that I love history haha） 讓我們聼 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. "I Have a Dream" 的時候，我眼睛裏都有淚水 (of course I was so scared that someone would see...its SO geeky to be teary over a historical speech). Dr. King's speech 令我覺得只要有信念，什麽都有可能的．That it is important to stand up for what is right despite the odds and the norms of the times. Today's events ratified this belief and further realized Dr. King's dreams. America has shown itself to be a nation where people are "not judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character." And even though time might prove Obama to be a not so ideal president and expose his shortcomings, the very fact that a black man became president during our own lifetimes shows us the importance of activism. Even though it might be a tough uphill fight, over time, change does happen. For the African Americans, it was 144 years after the 13th Ammendment to the Constitution, and 45 years after MLK Jr's famous speech.
Now listening: Wall.E OST (超正！)
As January 29th slowly but surely approaches, I cannot help but be overwhelmed by the seemingly unlimited amount of tasks I have to do. Photocopying documents, packing, arranging financial matters, phoning Rogers to put my cell phone number on hold, contacting the university in Ningbo, trying to "forsee" what I might possibly need for 5 months in Ningbo etc. It all seems very endless and mundane.
And to make it worse, my Ipod decided to go back to its previously wacko-ed state today. I cannot sync my new music into it and it is now frozen. Please God, don't let me go on a 13-hour plane ride without my music =(
By the way, 今天的挑戰 (i.e.公司三文治) 非常成功. 鄭少把這份分量十足的 lunch 全部吃完. Even though that doesn't say alot, at least he seemed energized, happy and full.
Gym night 有一種神奇的力量：能夠讓人還不到一點就已經想睡!
I always say that Sundays are totally my busiest days and today was no exception:
靠主的力量, 我順順利利地把我這幾個禮拜的心頭大石放下了: 領詩. 雖然不能說得上是十全十美 (我爸問我點解"無拉拉"唱唱下歌要祈禱) but i think 這份神給我的差事總算有一個神應該滿意的交代. 雖然早堂崇拜的時候,看到台下的會衆好像不太投入,令到我有點 disappointed, but at that moment I know that what other people choose to do with the chance to worship is their business. As long as I am worshiping God, I've done my part. 起碼到午堂的時候,看到大部分的會衆也蠻投入, 跟我和 band 一起敬拜的時候, 都覺得花過的心機, 應該是沒有白費的.
今次的領詩,有三大感恩的地方:
1. 查查 - i think it enhanced the worship quite well. And according to Brian, "tambourines are quite Biblical"
2. 今次其實都是 Joanna 第一次做我的和音. 雖然我看不到她的面部表情,但是眼角看到她都是在敬拜的時候,我就覺得很被鼓勵. (why is 鼓勵 and 孤立 the same pinyin anyways...it's like opposite meaning words sounding EXACTLY the same!)
3. 唱奉獻詩的時候看到坐在大堂後排的 Joanne 好開心,笑眯眯...雖然不知道她在笑什麽,但是看到她笑,令到我都忍不住笑...haha
下午跑了去幫 Grace Melodia 搬家. 雖然幫不上什麽的忙 (我又沒有車,而且他們昨天已經搬了七七八八), 我都有紀念品...就是.....GM 新出的 CD 兩張! ! 第一時間回到家就是聼那 EsC 的 CD (I guess I'm kinda her mini fan 哈哈 LOVE her music. its so straightforward in an artistic but non pretentious fashion) 覺得好好聽. 最大的驚喜就是聽到第八首的時候，聽到一把很熟識的聲音．taking a look at the book that comes with the CD...原來那和音就是自己!! wow so shocked hhahaha...有點覺得自豪．．．so i called my mom and Karen in to listen. They had to strain SO hard to hear me.
me: HEAR IT? the AHHHs!! that's ME! and the OOOHs?!?! thats me too!!
Karen: ...
At night went to my 1st dine out of 2009 (don't worry, there's only 2). Fish House at Stanley Park. Don't go. It's crappy. Thank God I had considerably entertaining company...haha. The funny (somewhat dumb) jokes and Edward's english totally made the dinner worth 34$ =)
明天的挑戰： 公司三文治 ！
Now listening: 福杯滿溢 - Grace Melodia
Lately, this the one question that I'm constantly being asked. 有點像預産期快要來臨的大肚婆,常常被問 "你幾時生得呀??" or 大學生成日被 D auntie uncle 問 "你幾時畢業呀?" etcetc.
多謝大家的關心. 我一月二十九號就會先回香港，然後二月十一號再上寧波．
That's right. You still have more than one week to take me out to dinner =)
無錯。 領詩其實是一大難事。 又要挑選一些大家都比較認識的詩歌，但又不可以太死板，太無新意。
Even though, everyone knows that God is the centre of our worship, the ultimate Leader and Inspire-er of all our praise that goes on during the service, if I (in my role as the earthly inexperienced worship leader who doesn't know any better) don't think of ways to further enhance the pieces, or various possibilities to interpret difference pieces better, or to use the full potential of the band to encourage the congregation to worship with us, I feel as if I'm not doing my job and not fullfilling the awesome responsibility that the church and (more importantly) God Himself has given me. 每一次大家能夠一起敬拜其實都是一份十分之難得的機會.....and as a worship leader, i should never take it for granted and waste everyone's time.
一件事我覺得十分困難的就是picking songs. Having a very limited knowledge of Chinese hymns (traditional or contemporary; Mandarin or Cantonese) I'm already feeling like I've exhausted my knowledge of hymns only after leading worship twice (strictly speaking, once, because my 2nd time is this Sunday). 其實我認識的中文詩歌來來去去就是Jodie唱過的那些. This is really sad. For someone like me who's been to church all my life. And a choir member. And a worship leader now. I bet 80% of the congregation knows more hymns than I do. It just so happens that to me, all the hymns in the Hymns of Life sound the same (except for a select few like Amazing Grace). It seems that Chinese lyrics don't really talk to me. I can easily sing a hymn in Chinese on Sunday and then totally don't know what I just sang about.
Another thing is...領詩的時候，因該祈什麽的禱，讀什麽的經文？！ Like how do people know what to say and read without sounding extremely cheesy and rehearsed?! obviously they look and prepare before hand, but how can you actually do it without people going "omgdness this is SOOO canned!" I just try to avoid talking, but Jodie is right. Sometimes talking is important because it prepares the people for the next song and allows them to fully realize what the song is talking about. It just that everytime I feel like i have to switch back to English before I can say what I truly want to say. Especially when it's spiritual stuff.
Worship practices are also the ultimate test to one's ability to work as a team and to lead a group of extremely talented people. And I kid you not. The worship band is seriously a "crouching tiger hidden dragon" kinda place. You have people who have NEVER taken lessons before but can play like ARCT (i.e. Samuel and Si Mo). And then you have those who can play without looking at music (Leyond) and others who can make perfect transitions from the most bizarre key to the next most bizarre key. And then theres me. 學了差不多十年鋼琴還是對音樂不太認識. Can't improv. Can't change keys. Can't make up bridges or introductions. 有時候,真是要問神一句: WHAT AM I DOING HERE?! Who am I to lead this bunch of geniuses??!?!?!? I should be in my own little corner doing my own random harmonies, NOT standing up and telling them what they should play and how they should play it. 其實應該是他們告訴我每一段應該要怎麽唱, not the other way around. But I think this is God's way of making me 醒定 D: to never fluke a practice or to think that I can wing it. To never lead a practice unprepared. To never assume that I can just bs my way through a worship practice because I'm working with knowledgable people. People who know what music is about. People who are experienced. People who know better than me. 神要告訴我，因爲我對音樂還是不認識，我就要給別人付出多一點的時間，努力，去了解每一首歌. I must go to practice prepared, having an approximate idea of what I think is good. Even though in the end, my ideas may prove to be faulty and not good enough, at least I did not go into practice relying on others, all the while claiming to be the leader.
In terms of leadership, worship practices make me realize just how inadequate I am. Yes, an extremely inadequate leader that needs all the help she can get. During practices, I notice that I keep begging for input and ideas from the musicians because I know that mine are never the best. Knowing my own limited ability and creativity in music made me realize that the amount of resources that are available in the band for consultation. Knowing my own inexperience made me realize how important the team is as a whole to the whole worship experience. And being painfully aware of the incompleteness of my musical ideas, my insensitivity to sound, and my ignorance of spiritual experiences, made me realize that God placed me in this role not so that I can lead, but so that I can learn.
Currently listening: 神，你伴我行
(haha maybe God will one day let me write something as beautiful as this for Him)
Yesterday, 鄭少 and I went to the Vancouver Aquarium and saw some real cool sea creatures. I was particularly amazed at how the sea turtle (as seen above) can coexist with at least five sharks, a few sting rays AND a few smaller fishies in the same tank (I was amazed by that last time I went too). How come they don't eat each other or chase each other around? The fish in my dad's fish tank at home ALWAYS chase each other and bite at each other's fins. Amongst the thousands of various fish, mammals, reptiles, etc that we saw, i think the sea otter (who was constantly cleaning/rubbing/scrubbing/flipping himself in the most hilarious manner) shares a striking resemblance with Dude.
According to the information sign thing at the aquarium, sea otters spend hours daily to clean their fur because only clean fur can trap air bubbles which in turn, keeps them warm from the cold sea water (the water they live in at the aquarium aren't heated - just like how it would be in the wild). One thing Dude really needs to learn from the Sea Otter is hygiene.
