9.29.2009
Our Lips Are Sealed
Well, what can I say, I panicked; at that moment my mind was so consumed by that one thought (which was later shown to be false) that I just didn't know what to say or how to act. As I sat there, staring into blank space, I was actually laughing inside, both at myself & at how things have turned out. It was the scenario I'd hoped for all along, but the added twists made it anything but ideal...
For some reason though, I'm not deterred; a bit discouraged, maybe, but not deterred.
I know we'll get there.
Well, what can I say, I panicked; at that moment my mind was so consumed by that one thought (which was later shown to be false) that I just didn't know what to say or how to act. As I sat there, staring into blank space, I was actually laughing inside, both at myself & at how things have turned out. It was the scenario I'd hoped for all along, but the added twists made it anything but ideal...
For some reason though, I'm not deterred; a bit discouraged, maybe, but not deterred.
I know we'll get there.
9.27.2009
Altar Ego
I've already told a few people about this, but I think it's time to make the official announcement: I have been bestowed the position of best man at my God sister Julianna's wedding (!!). This was a pact made between me & her many, many years ago, even before we knew what dating really was, let alone serious relationships that lead to marriage. xP So I never really thought it was going to pan out, but apparently she's keen on keeping her word & who in their right mind would refuse such a great honour?? Since Jules lives in Victoria, I'll have to fly over & stay behind for a couple of weeks to fulfill my duties, & I CERTAINLY HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT, lol. In fact, I'm quite excited to visit her & her fiancé (whom I still haven't met in person) & spend some time under the beautiful BC summer weather. It would mark 10 years since I last visited the West Coast, would you believe that...
Anyway, I still can't quite grasp the responsibility that comes with being the best man. Just the other day, I was looking at wedding rings with Jules, & all of a sudden it dawned on me that I'll be the one who takes care of them until the ceremony. Instantly I felt such pressure I had to take a few deep breaths, lol. I'm also already freaking out over what to wear, what to get as a wedding gift, what to say for the toast, etc. etc. This is probably the most important wedding I've ever attend (aside from my own...& who knows if there'll ever be one LOL), so I want to make everything as perfect as possible to show how much it means to me. The wedding isn't until June of next year though, so I'll have about 9 more months to go crazy over it. Yay. xD
I've already told a few people about this, but I think it's time to make the official announcement: I have been bestowed the position of best man at my God sister Julianna's wedding (!!). This was a pact made between me & her many, many years ago, even before we knew what dating really was, let alone serious relationships that lead to marriage. xP So I never really thought it was going to pan out, but apparently she's keen on keeping her word & who in their right mind would refuse such a great honour?? Since Jules lives in Victoria, I'll have to fly over & stay behind for a couple of weeks to fulfill my duties, & I CERTAINLY HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT, lol. In fact, I'm quite excited to visit her & her fiancé (whom I still haven't met in person) & spend some time under the beautiful BC summer weather. It would mark 10 years since I last visited the West Coast, would you believe that...
Anyway, I still can't quite grasp the responsibility that comes with being the best man. Just the other day, I was looking at wedding rings with Jules, & all of a sudden it dawned on me that I'll be the one who takes care of them until the ceremony. Instantly I felt such pressure I had to take a few deep breaths, lol. I'm also already freaking out over what to wear, what to get as a wedding gift, what to say for the toast, etc. etc. This is probably the most important wedding I've ever attend (aside from my own...& who knows if there'll ever be one LOL), so I want to make everything as perfect as possible to show how much it means to me. The wedding isn't until June of next year though, so I'll have about 9 more months to go crazy over it. Yay. xD
The Other Side
Accidentally stumbled upon the answer to a question that I've always wanted to ask, but was too afraid to ask...& now that I know what it is, why am I surprised?? Did I really think I was still hung up in the past, that I was still unable to break away from that certain someone?? I've definitely thought too lil of myself, not giving myself enough credit for all that I've done in the past few years. Shame on me for not believing in myself more.
Thank you Mick.
Thank you J.
Accidentally stumbled upon the answer to a question that I've always wanted to ask, but was too afraid to ask...& now that I know what it is, why am I surprised?? Did I really think I was still hung up in the past, that I was still unable to break away from that certain someone?? I've definitely thought too lil of myself, not giving myself enough credit for all that I've done in the past few years. Shame on me for not believing in myself more.
Thank you Mick.
Thank you J.
9.12.2009
Rocking The Cradle
It's been almost a week since I came back from my trip to Boston, but I've only found the time to really sit down & write about it now, that's how hectic my life has been. =P To say this trip was much needed would be an understatement...
So a couple weeks ago, my dad suddenly came up with the idea that we should join one of those Chinese tours & go away on the Labour Day long weekend. Since I didn't want to rain on their parade & that I haven't gone anywhere in years, I figured, why not. We quickly ran through the newspapers & thought the Boston whale-watching tour sounded good, & we also decided to invite my aunt to come along 'cause it would be more fun that way. Few days later, we were all signed up & ready to go. The week before the trip was rough; I worked 40 hours & didn't get much sleep, I literally didn't have time to pack until Friday night. Thankfully it was only 3 days so there wasn't much to pack, but I was constantly under the impression that I'd miss something under such a hurry. xP Either way, woke up at 5 the next morning, got on the bus at 6:45, & we were off to Boston.
The trip started off on a sour note, as I stupidly listened to my mom & had leftover congee for breakfast before boarding the bus. I ended up having to pee for the longest time, & due to time constraints, the tour bus wasn't going to stop anywhere for a bathroom break until we crossed the border. So for the next 3 hours, I was extremely uncomfortable, & I couldn't fall asleep 'cause I was afraid I'd pee my pants...xD Finally, when we were waiting at the customs 'cause a few of our non-Canadian tour mates had to deal with their visa issues, I couldn't hold it anymore & I asked the bus driver if I could use the bathroom at the back of bus. She was very nice about it, even though I knew that the bathroom was for emergency only. But trust me, THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE TIMES, lol. I tried to avoid eye contact with everyone else while walking to the back, but I could tell they were all staring. xD Finally I did my business & was able to start enjoying the trip.
The first day was pretty much just getting to Boston, & man, getting there on a bus was rough. It wasn't as bad as when we did our cross Canada trip years ago, but it still sucks for a tall person to be cramped into such a small seating space for 7, 8 hours. xP When we finally got to Boston, it was about 7 at night, & we immediately rushed to Harvard to sightsee. Harvard was...unimpressive, I'd say. You wouldn't think it's one of the most prestigious universities in the world if you weren't told explicitly that you were there. Even UofT is prettier. I was most disappointed with the fact that I didn't see any ivy on any of the buildings!! Lol. Next we drove off to Quincy Market, where we were to have dinner. There were SO MANY food stalls inside the market, I was in heaven...& most of them served Boston's famous seafood!! In the end, my parents & my aunt decided to have New England clam chowder soup that came in a huge bread bowl, & I ordered a haddock pie combo that also came with chowder from the same place. IT WAS DELICIOUS - the soup had just the right amount of sweetness & the clams were actually fresh clams!! Haddock pie was something that I've never had before, so when I saw it, I thought I'd try it out, & I'm so glad I did. Afterwards I figured I'd check out the place a bit more thoroughly to see if there were other foods that I wanted, & I found one that served raw oysters!! Despite being a bit pricey, I ordered half a dozen & THEY WERE ONCE AGAIN SO GOOD. I couldn't believe I was eating at a food court 'cause it really was one of the best meals I've had in a long time (yes, including Summerlicious). And you know nothing makes me happier than good food, hehe.
The next day was the headliner of the trip - whale-watching. Got up bright & early again, walked around the harbour & took a lot pictures of the Boston shoreline while waiting to board the boat. The weather was simply gorgeous; there was hardly any clouds in the sky & the temperature was cool. At around 8:30 we got onto the boat one by one & I immediately ran to the uppermost deck to catch the best view. I can't say this enough, so I'll say it again - THE VIEW WAS SPECTACULAR. I guess it was a combination of the fact that it's been a while since I've been out at sea & that the weather was perfect, but I haven't felt that sense of awe & amazement in ages. Once we were outside of the harbour, the boat started to speed up BIG TIME & it got REALLY REALLY windy. I'm talking about at least 100 km/h+, hurricane-calibre wind here, lol. My mom & my aunt just couldn't take it anymore so they went downstairs but my dad & I stayed put; I just wasn't going to give up my perfect spot!! Soon later though, not only did it get windy, the waves were also coming at us pretty strongly. The boat rocked back & forth, so bad that everyone had to use both hands to grab the rails to avoid falling. That was when we all kinda knew we wouldn't be able to make it farther out into the Atlantic, & minutes later, we were in fact told that we would be going back. I was a bit disappointed, no doubt, but it didn't matter much to me - I really had a fantastic time just being out there & looking at the vast ocean & all kinds of different structures. I've never felt so big & so small at the same time.
The free time we got from the aborted boat trip allowed us to roam around the city a bit more, & since Quincy Market was just down the block, we decided to go back there & check it out in more detail. It was nice to see the place again in the morning, where there was less people & we could really see things without having to push ourselves through crowds. Later on we had lunch at Chinatown, where we ate the world famous Boston lobster - just steamed, nothing else. It was, again, DELICIOUS, by far the best lobster I've had in my life. And I'm telling ya, I've had my share of lobsters (we have it pretty much every other week xP), so that's saying a lot, lol.
Next up we left Boston & headed for Rhode Island, where we were to see The Breakers, a summer house once lived by the Vanderbilts. The house was pretty, but I found the inside a bit too extravagant & its design a bit too random for my liking. It sure had a great view of the Atlantic though. Afterwards we left for MGM Grand at Foxwoods, Connecticut, a brand new casino hotel that's built in the middle of a forest inside a Native reserve. I was a bit disappointed when I got there...the hotel was, indeed, grand, but it was nothing compared to the MGM we stayed at in Las Vegas. And I really found it awkward that the place was really surrounded by NOTHING; it was trees all around & it felt more like we were stranded rather than isolated by choice...xP There wasn't much to see inside the three conjoining hotels either, & food selection was also very limited. We ended up eating at the foodcourt at MGM but surprisingly, the food was actually quite good. Seriously, not a single bad meal during this entire trip & I'm drooling just thinking about them again. xD
The last day was just about heading back to Toronto, with a midway stop at an outlet mall. Originally THIS was the part I most looked forward to, but by the time it came, I've had so much fun it just didn't matter anymore whether I bought stuff or not. In the end we only had 2 hours to spend at the place, which was far from enough, but with my efficiency I still managed to visit all the stores that I wanted to visit. The stuff wasn't especially nice or cheap, so I ended up only getting a sweater at Banana Republic & a pair of wool gloves from Ralph Lauren. I was more than content with them though, as they were both great buys...=)
This trip was a lot of fun, way more than I'd originally expected. Turns out, I really did need to get away & just break free from the routines of life, even if it was just a few days. To quote a cliché, I really do feel energized & ready to take on the world all over again...=)
Here are some of the many, many pictures that I took...since there were personal pictures this time around I've decided not to make my Picasa album free for all. You can ask me for the link if you want, but I'm sure by now everyone who reads this blog has seen it, lol.
It's been almost a week since I came back from my trip to Boston, but I've only found the time to really sit down & write about it now, that's how hectic my life has been. =P To say this trip was much needed would be an understatement...
So a couple weeks ago, my dad suddenly came up with the idea that we should join one of those Chinese tours & go away on the Labour Day long weekend. Since I didn't want to rain on their parade & that I haven't gone anywhere in years, I figured, why not. We quickly ran through the newspapers & thought the Boston whale-watching tour sounded good, & we also decided to invite my aunt to come along 'cause it would be more fun that way. Few days later, we were all signed up & ready to go. The week before the trip was rough; I worked 40 hours & didn't get much sleep, I literally didn't have time to pack until Friday night. Thankfully it was only 3 days so there wasn't much to pack, but I was constantly under the impression that I'd miss something under such a hurry. xP Either way, woke up at 5 the next morning, got on the bus at 6:45, & we were off to Boston.
The trip started off on a sour note, as I stupidly listened to my mom & had leftover congee for breakfast before boarding the bus. I ended up having to pee for the longest time, & due to time constraints, the tour bus wasn't going to stop anywhere for a bathroom break until we crossed the border. So for the next 3 hours, I was extremely uncomfortable, & I couldn't fall asleep 'cause I was afraid I'd pee my pants...xD Finally, when we were waiting at the customs 'cause a few of our non-Canadian tour mates had to deal with their visa issues, I couldn't hold it anymore & I asked the bus driver if I could use the bathroom at the back of bus. She was very nice about it, even though I knew that the bathroom was for emergency only. But trust me, THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE TIMES, lol. I tried to avoid eye contact with everyone else while walking to the back, but I could tell they were all staring. xD Finally I did my business & was able to start enjoying the trip.
The first day was pretty much just getting to Boston, & man, getting there on a bus was rough. It wasn't as bad as when we did our cross Canada trip years ago, but it still sucks for a tall person to be cramped into such a small seating space for 7, 8 hours. xP When we finally got to Boston, it was about 7 at night, & we immediately rushed to Harvard to sightsee. Harvard was...unimpressive, I'd say. You wouldn't think it's one of the most prestigious universities in the world if you weren't told explicitly that you were there. Even UofT is prettier. I was most disappointed with the fact that I didn't see any ivy on any of the buildings!! Lol. Next we drove off to Quincy Market, where we were to have dinner. There were SO MANY food stalls inside the market, I was in heaven...& most of them served Boston's famous seafood!! In the end, my parents & my aunt decided to have New England clam chowder soup that came in a huge bread bowl, & I ordered a haddock pie combo that also came with chowder from the same place. IT WAS DELICIOUS - the soup had just the right amount of sweetness & the clams were actually fresh clams!! Haddock pie was something that I've never had before, so when I saw it, I thought I'd try it out, & I'm so glad I did. Afterwards I figured I'd check out the place a bit more thoroughly to see if there were other foods that I wanted, & I found one that served raw oysters!! Despite being a bit pricey, I ordered half a dozen & THEY WERE ONCE AGAIN SO GOOD. I couldn't believe I was eating at a food court 'cause it really was one of the best meals I've had in a long time (yes, including Summerlicious). And you know nothing makes me happier than good food, hehe.
The next day was the headliner of the trip - whale-watching. Got up bright & early again, walked around the harbour & took a lot pictures of the Boston shoreline while waiting to board the boat. The weather was simply gorgeous; there was hardly any clouds in the sky & the temperature was cool. At around 8:30 we got onto the boat one by one & I immediately ran to the uppermost deck to catch the best view. I can't say this enough, so I'll say it again - THE VIEW WAS SPECTACULAR. I guess it was a combination of the fact that it's been a while since I've been out at sea & that the weather was perfect, but I haven't felt that sense of awe & amazement in ages. Once we were outside of the harbour, the boat started to speed up BIG TIME & it got REALLY REALLY windy. I'm talking about at least 100 km/h+, hurricane-calibre wind here, lol. My mom & my aunt just couldn't take it anymore so they went downstairs but my dad & I stayed put; I just wasn't going to give up my perfect spot!! Soon later though, not only did it get windy, the waves were also coming at us pretty strongly. The boat rocked back & forth, so bad that everyone had to use both hands to grab the rails to avoid falling. That was when we all kinda knew we wouldn't be able to make it farther out into the Atlantic, & minutes later, we were in fact told that we would be going back. I was a bit disappointed, no doubt, but it didn't matter much to me - I really had a fantastic time just being out there & looking at the vast ocean & all kinds of different structures. I've never felt so big & so small at the same time.
The free time we got from the aborted boat trip allowed us to roam around the city a bit more, & since Quincy Market was just down the block, we decided to go back there & check it out in more detail. It was nice to see the place again in the morning, where there was less people & we could really see things without having to push ourselves through crowds. Later on we had lunch at Chinatown, where we ate the world famous Boston lobster - just steamed, nothing else. It was, again, DELICIOUS, by far the best lobster I've had in my life. And I'm telling ya, I've had my share of lobsters (we have it pretty much every other week xP), so that's saying a lot, lol.
Next up we left Boston & headed for Rhode Island, where we were to see The Breakers, a summer house once lived by the Vanderbilts. The house was pretty, but I found the inside a bit too extravagant & its design a bit too random for my liking. It sure had a great view of the Atlantic though. Afterwards we left for MGM Grand at Foxwoods, Connecticut, a brand new casino hotel that's built in the middle of a forest inside a Native reserve. I was a bit disappointed when I got there...the hotel was, indeed, grand, but it was nothing compared to the MGM we stayed at in Las Vegas. And I really found it awkward that the place was really surrounded by NOTHING; it was trees all around & it felt more like we were stranded rather than isolated by choice...xP There wasn't much to see inside the three conjoining hotels either, & food selection was also very limited. We ended up eating at the foodcourt at MGM but surprisingly, the food was actually quite good. Seriously, not a single bad meal during this entire trip & I'm drooling just thinking about them again. xD
The last day was just about heading back to Toronto, with a midway stop at an outlet mall. Originally THIS was the part I most looked forward to, but by the time it came, I've had so much fun it just didn't matter anymore whether I bought stuff or not. In the end we only had 2 hours to spend at the place, which was far from enough, but with my efficiency I still managed to visit all the stores that I wanted to visit. The stuff wasn't especially nice or cheap, so I ended up only getting a sweater at Banana Republic & a pair of wool gloves from Ralph Lauren. I was more than content with them though, as they were both great buys...=)
This trip was a lot of fun, way more than I'd originally expected. Turns out, I really did need to get away & just break free from the routines of life, even if it was just a few days. To quote a cliché, I really do feel energized & ready to take on the world all over again...=)
Here are some of the many, many pictures that I took...since there were personal pictures this time around I've decided not to make my Picasa album free for all. You can ask me for the link if you want, but I'm sure by now everyone who reads this blog has seen it, lol.
