Isaiah 40:28-31

²⁸ Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

³¹ but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

lesson of the day #3

sometimes the smallest things let you know who your true friends are.

The holiday mood

today i woke up at 9:22am when i was suppose to be at work at 9:00am.

Ahhh now I know I am definitely in the holiday mood.

21嵗

i used to get really excited about my birthday: dinners, gifts,　利是, friends, cakes. But to be honest, in recent years (perhaps the past 2 or 3 years?) i would get really upset about my birthday. Of course, I still enjoy the presents and the company, it's just that when i really sit down and think about it, I am not all too excited.

Birthdays sometime seem to serve as a reminder to me of the fact that I'm 'aging': that time is slowly slipping away and that I haven't done a lot of things that I think are worthwhile, that I have wasted a lot of time committed to things that don't really mean a lot in the long run, and that I am not where I want to be. Maybe I am paranoid, but time is so important to me. After all, this is suppose to be the prime, the time where everything happens and new experiences are everywhere and yet, in the past few birthdays, i have always felt that i've missed out on some things that are meant to be mine by now and all the while doing a whole bunch of things on the side that probably won't mean much ten years down the road. I've felt mediocre at best and I hated that word.

But this year, I feel differently. Maybe because in the past year (while I was 20 years old), I have finally done some things that I'm really pleased with and proud of myself for accomplishing: going to China, living independently for 6 months, traveling solo, meeting new people that are from different cultures, working a 9-5 job at a law firm (albeit only an internship but still, i finally got to fulfill my childhood fantasy of working at 中環), really finding out who I am. Of course, I am not completely satisfied yet (I have yet to join a full-scale musical production) but I know I am getting there somehow.

And this birthday, this 21st year of my life, I am challenging myself to make this year even better than my 20th. I know that as May rolls around and I graduate, nothing will look like what it had looked for the past four years or even for the past 17 years that I've been in school. Next year, as I sit here and write my blog to celebrate my 22nd birthday, I would not be anticipating my final grades like I am now. Maybe I will be working a 9-5 job. Maybe I will be filling out grad school applications. Maybe I will not be in Vancouver. Maybe I will be unemployed. Who knows. But if anything, this 20th year of my life has taught me that I should not be afraid of the unexpected, that i should be ready to make life more exciting.

Next year has to be as rewarding as this. Cheers to being 21.

Joint Birthday Dinner 2009

For our annual joint all-out birthday dinner this year, 鄭少 and I decided to go back to the Cannery. If you're looking for great seafood, great service, lovely ambiance, a great view of the Port of Vancouver, and have a bit of money to spare, you should totally check this place out. Unfortunately, it's also closing down after the Olympics (their location is right at the Port of Vancouver and after the Olympics, they won't be able to renew their rent). So if you haven't been to this Vancouver establishment of 38 years before, do go take a look before it becomes history!

As for me, I've already made reservations to go back in less than two weeks for a Sunday brunch. =)

Today we ordered Lobster Bisque and Grilled Mussels for appetizers, Salmon & Mahi Mahi Duo and Salmon Wellington for entrees, and Creme Brulee and White Chocolate & Blood Orange Cheesecake as dessert.







Two other things of note: 1. We saw Princess and the Frog too. I am glad that Disney "went back to its roots" but honestly, the story isn't that great especially compared to the really great ones recently (i.e. Wall.E, Up!, Nemo, etc.) 2. I have finally busted out my last resort to fight really dry and cracked up winter face skin - the big tub of Vaseline.

First They Came...

"First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak out for me."

- Pastor Martin Niemoller (1892–1984)

I saw this quote on the wall of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum when I went there seven (?) years ago. Of course this quote is applied to the Holocaust but I guess it applies to our everyday lives too in how we deal with people and situations.

I guess it's really normal for the traditional Chinese to not be 多管閒事 but I think there is a really fine line between that and standing up for others who might not at the current moment be able to speak for themselves. Because I am sure that we all want someone to help us and speak up for us when we can't for ourselves.

Eventually, someone has to do the dirty work and say something.

好稍息

Today, after a long break from the shopping scene, I bought two pairs of new heels.

This is my mid-exam period reward haha