Zzzzz.. Laundry! Zzzzz.. Cook!

Procrastination can pay.  April landed and I still had winter tires on.  I started to worry about wearing down the tread due to the warmer temperatures, but then I woke up to this on Thursday:

There were a couple of guys who got stuck in the office parking lot that morning, but I had no problems thanks to my Nokians.  

I did, however, finally change them back to all seasons this weekend.  Hopefully the rest of April and May is fairly warm!  

I am currently waiting for my work lunch for this coming work week to finish cooling down.  It smells delicious, but I'm in no danger of eating any of it tonight.  I am so very stuffed from Easter dinner.  Thank goodness I had practice in the morning!!  It makes me feel less guilty for eating so much.  Must eat healthy for rest of the week.  Work lunch this week shall be steamed salmon with spinach, scallions and a special dressing.  The dressing smells so good!  I have been experimenting with vinegar these past few weeks and I still really cannot stand the smell of balsamic or apple cider vinegar.  The taste is fine, but the smell - UGRUGHGHRHGH!  My body instantly is repulsed and I don't know why - it's always been like that.  

I went a bit more "Asian" and I'm glad I did.  The Chinese vinegar smells great.  The mirin smells great.  Together with lemongrass, the dressing smells heavenly!  

This BTW, is my first intro to lemongrass in its natural state.  I love Vietnamese food and I seem to love any Vietnamese dish that has lemongrass.  I never really knew what it looked like until today.  Despite our mutual Easter bloat, the beefy one was kind enough to take me to Chinatown to pick up some ingredients.  It turns out lemongrass looks like this:

And it really does have a gorgeous citrus smell.  Mmmm :)

End result? 

I'll find out how it tastes tomorrow at work!

I'm kind of blogging to keep myself awake right now.  Food coma + tired muscles = high level of difficulty in staying awake for cooking and laundry.  I have friends partying right now, but tomorrow is a workday for me.  And that's okay.  Alcohol plus everything I already ate today would be very very very bad.

Mind Farts

-i read Room.  loved it.  Jack is SO beautiful.  how many out there are trapped and hidden against their will?  it's so cruel it makes me sick

-i also read Spartacus the Gladiator by Ben Kane (yup, still on a Spartacus kick).  adventurous read.. this is why i enjoy historical fiction so much.  it's such thrilling learning

-i'm not sure what to read next.  a guy on my team just gave away these amazing books.  delicious old school books.  but also very heavy old school books (my fault. i was greedy and grabbed so many).   it was a challenge to go up my stairs with already tired muscles.  but so worth it.  best Easter present ever

-tax success!!  

-purge success!!  

-fascinating National Geographic doc on Mary Magdalene.  i can dig it.  prostitute or not, it doesn't matter.  it's all about the message.  in my mind, she was obviously an influential woman for a reason.  and it couldn't have been a stupid reason.  she was intelligent and charismatic to have stood out despite all the strikes against her (especially considering how little rights women had at the time).  she deserves respect

Spring - I Think.

R.I.P Tito Boni and Tita Pinang.  One death is almost impossible to bear, but to have both within days of each other ... your poor kids and grandkids :(

Spring's supposed to be officially here, but there was a snowfall of several centimetres on its first day.  Earlier this month when I landed in Calgary for some training, this is what I saw:

This was past midnight after a bunch of cancelled flights.  Snowstorm!  I can't complain though, it was Canadian politeness at its best.  Numerous cancelled flights.  A bunch of people on business trips who had to wait and wait.  Did anyone throw an annoying adult tantrum?  Not at all.  We all patiently waited.  Even when we boarded the plane the first time and were told to get off because of cancellations.  Even though we all knew we had early morning meetings the next day.  I still remember being in Miami for work years ago.  There was widespread chaos and rudeness throughout the airport.  And that was on a NORMAL flying day without flight cancellations.  I hate to think what flight delays would unleash *shudder*

Mid-March brought my first wipeout of 2012.  Not on a ski hill but in my office parking lot.  Wiping out in office clothes is always an interesting wake up to start the day.  I hope the scab on my knee falls off soon.  It's going to be the time of spring dresses!

Yes, it is getting warmer and sunnier despite the occasionally wonky weather.  I think it will be time to change out my winter tires soon :)  Thanks Nokians!

I'm reading Confessions of a Wall Street Analyst right now.  Partly because anything titled "Confessions of a.." usually intrigues me.  Partly because I admit to not knowing enough about this stuff.   I'm just a commoner who tries to have something put away in company stocks and mutual funds for retirement purposes.  Now that I have a better idea, I can't believe the sums of money involved in the financial investment world.  At the right time and place, I could have become an investment analyst right out of engineering school and swimming in millions.  I acknowledge that as a big "what if" of course.  In the process I also could have become an overweight workaholic, working too hard to take time to be physically active or even dance.  Or I could've lost everything in a stock crash.  Or sent to prison for unfairly making those millions.

Fortunately I have a job I enjoy that still allows for a conscience and life balance.  Dancing and workouts have resumed despite the lingering cough.  As a consequence, I am currently suffering from Zombie Friday due to another fun night of Thursday salsa.  So worth it!  Even if tonight is relegated to laundry and napping with Wall Street.

Mind Farts
-i've been using coconut oil.  it adds a lovely tropical vibe to my food
-my sister introduced me to Spartacus.  it's like 300, but with a plot that is more distracting than the bodies! i love that i've been to Greece and Italy before watching this.  now i want to go to the museums and the ruins again
-i did my taxes on my own! yayyy
-truffle oil truffle oil truffle oil *drool*
-i saw Hunger Games!  the movie did a pretty good representation of the book :)  the casting was great.  and many of the scenes were just as i imagined!!!  i love it when that happens
-went to a random ingredient dinner party a few weeks ago.  great idea.  everyone brings random stuff and magically a dinner happens.  fortunately we had men who knew their way around the kitchen!  check it:

men who cook win!  glazed chicken (didn't eat that) ... peppers stuffed with salmon (definitely ate that) ... salad and wine :)

Ahem, Cough Cough.

Winter is here with a bang!  I'm sick yet again with an attack of the phlegmy coughs and have missed out on dancing and pilates but that's okay because my grandma is doing much better and has just celebrated her 90th birthday!! How does someone look this great at 90?

Kickass genetics and being surrounded by an amazing huge family.  That's how :)
If only the Philippines were a train ride away!
Yay for internet and phone updates though :)

Right now my sleep-deprived friends are in the midst of the Vancouver salsa congress.  Lucky bastards!  I didn't go this time (need to boost up savings) but it's probably best that I didn't or else I would just be making myself even more sick.  Or worse, getting the whole international congress sick.  Whoops.

When my body throws a tantrum, I have no choice but to listen.  My fault (again) for not sleeping and resting enough.  One day I will learn.  Maybe my New Year's Resolution should have been to get more sleep.  Oh well, more time to read and write!  I've been checking out some Roald Dahl lately, author of The Witches.  As a kid, I read the book and saw the movie.  The story haunted me for a while.  I think it was one of the first stories I read at that age that didn't have a happy ending.  It will be interesting to read it again as an adult.

Our strange extremely late winter has brought so much snow.  Check what needed to be scraped off my car before going to practice last weekend:

My winter tires are being put to use, finally.

I have a gassy feeling that this vegetarian/pescatarian thing is going to need some tweaking.

Mind Farts
-who knew that Edmonton is the capital of one my late night greasy Chinese dish favourites?  the very creamy peaches and shrimp must be our guarded treasure.  it's not in Vancouver.. it's not in Calgary.. and it's not out east!
-Up was surprisingly good. ok, correction - i knew it was going to be good.. but i love it when things blow away my expectations :)
-luxurious toilet paper is not your friend.  i will no longer buy anything thicker than 2-ply.  yes, n-ply (n>2) feels great when you use it but plunging the toilet at 4am after getting home from the club is not my idea of fun
-i have gone from sweater dress girl to belted cardigan girl
-i am attempting to do my taxes by myself for the first time this year (yup, boosting savings = avoiding extra money for accountant this year) - wish me luck! 

Extra Long Weekend.

There was a fire at the restaurant near my office last last night, and the power's still out at the whole commercial complex.  If it weren't for two junior police officers driving by, the fire would've gone unnoticed for much longer that night.  So thank you, junior officers, for noticing and keeping the fire from spreading.

This is my second day off.  I know I always appreciate free time, but I feel so bad for the restaurant owners :(  Hopefully insurance takes care of everything!

Well, I'm glad I went dancing after class last night!  It's Zombie Friday, but at least I can nap and read in bed whenever I feel like it (it feels so weird two days in a row!).

Mind Farts
-new thing i'm sampling wherever i can: falafel wraps
-good valentine's day present: tickets to a comedic play
-still on the short stories.  my Kobo is waiting!
-it's time to stop telling abrasive drunk guys that i salsa
-starfruit is delicious!

Go, Library!

I was having trouble tracking down a book.  Out of stock at Chapters.  No E-Book available.  Patience is not my best virtue with books, so I decided to check the public library website.  Yes!  Available.  Trouble is, I haven't renewed my library card in years.

I went to the library after work yesterday and tried to renew my old card.  No go.  The library system has been revamped!  Instead I was rewarded with a bright new, bright red "I'm an Information Ninja" library card and a bright pink tote bag:

Sweetness.

Plus, there was a book sale in the basement (1 dollar books! ACK!) but I resisted buying any more books.  It was a commendable show of will power.

Time to finish laundry, do some homework and hit up a birthday party.  Today was a lovely day -  I got more than 5 hours of sleep - finally :)

Mind Farts
-R.I.P. beautiful ms. houston :(
-i am so loving short stories right now!  it's like a variety platter!
-oh dear.  you'd think farting on your dance partner would be mortifying, but it's a hilarious bonding moment (depending on the partner).  and gives him a free pass to do the same.  eep!  well, at least i was contracting my abs during the lift
-i ate out with some coworkers for Chinese New Year and there were these magical "hair" mushrooms.  did they look like something from my bathtub drain?  kind of.  what do they taste like?  pungent, mushroomy heaven.                                                                                                                                                                  

Oatmeal Delight.

This is how I feel.

Along with my 40 hour workweek I've logged around 20 hours of dancing/writing/reading.

I'm tired but giddy that I've managed to squeeze so much in.  Oatmeal for dinner.  It required the least amount of effort.

Now off to bed, because my contact lenses are screaming at me.

P.S. I love being in a classroom again.

It's the Year of Dragon!

So far, this description has been quite fitting.  2012 has been enlightening and uplifting for me already.

Half a year later it is still a wonder for me to actually look forward to going to the office and feel like I am doing something useful.  I've learned so much and I've barely scratched the surface.  Plus it's good environment to be a sponge.  It is a treat being around competent non-draining people.   I leave work with my battery still at 80%, which leads to wonderful things like workouts and socializing and salsa dancing on weeknights (like last night).  I always pay the price of Zombie Friday the next day, but even after working a full day I'm still mentally energized right now (although extremely sleepy).  I've rediscovered salsa again!  My New Year's Resolution is to social dance as much as I can.  

I even did it last month with girlfriends in Vancouver. Vancouver salsa folks are super friendly :)

Salsa nights caress my sanity.  Social dancing is what caused me to fall in love with salsa in the first place.  It's time to go back to the mentality of being a salsa newbie - all wonder and thrill and fun.

I'm also in love with my Kobo.  My last read on it was Watership Down.  A very rich and haunting story that takes place in the secret world of rabbits.

Now I'm delving into some non-fiction.  I've discovered something about non-fiction.  It lets me have a life!  It doesn't swallow me up as much as fiction does.  The Blank Slate says to stop the denial of human nature.  I agree.  The older I get, the more I realize that there are just some things about me that are built-in.  It might be better not to ignore them (hence the late night dancing and the devouring of fiction). 

Mmm.. sleepyhead mode.  I think I'll make Friday nights my new Sunday afternoons.  Laundry and dishes with intermittent napping and reading sounds good to me.  

Mind Farts

-i have been a social "pescatarian" and eating sushi with friends.  i can't eat things with feet though.

-i am godmother to a baby with the best hair ever.  some people just magically make beautiful babies!

-eggplant.  so versatile.

-i hope my grandma is feeling better.. i can't believe she's 90.  she's genetically gifted though ... she doesn't look her age and from her letters, she's still very sound of mind.  there was recently some severe arthritis going on :(  this is what sucks about being half a world away from most of your relatives.