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06.30.2005  "Recovering From a Very, Wide-load Wednesday"
I feel kind of gross today.  I think it might have to do with the fact that I ate out for both lunch and dinner yesterday.  Everything was delicious but I think I've had enough sodium and sugar for the rest of the week. 

Yesterday for lunch Farshad picked me up and we went to Fatburger on Denman.  It was so delicious!  Everything was prepared fresh, the fries were piping hot and the burger was very tasty.  Then Brent and I went to White Spot for dinner.  I ordered the chicken pot pie and was pleased that it was served with salad (I don't think I could have handled fries twice in one day).  I was still feeling a bit peckish when I decided to splurge and get dessert (hot fudge brownie).  Today I'm drinking tons of water (more than my usual 8 glasses a day) to help flush my system.  Egad, how do people eat like this all the time?

06.29.2005  "Retro Days"
Today at work, it's 'Retro Days'.  As part of a corporate team-building initiative, we're encouraged to dress like we did in high school.  How fun.  Below I've included a poster that was made for the event, and if you look closely you might recognize someone (but she looks a little younger and thinner, from Grade 8 actually).  Anyway, I realized that I had none of the Flashdance shirts or stirrup pants from days gone by.  But I still have a t-shirt from my first concert: Frankie Goes to Hollywood, when they performed at UBC back in 1985.

I tried the t-shirt on last night.  I can't believe I was about 14 years old when I bought this.  Now it's all threadbare and faded, but it still fits.  A little piece of history from my past, about to be resurrected.  I'm glad I held on to it.  It conjures up many memories for me.  I remember my mother dropping me and my friends off.  It was General Admission so we waited in line for the better part of the day.  When we finally got in, it was mayhem and a rush to get to the front of the stage.  The opening act was Belouis Some, and he sang his hits "Some People" and "Fascination". When Frankie came out, they were hardcore.  One guys was in full S&M gear, there was lots of sexual innuendo when they interacted with the audience, and they sang their risque hits like "Relax."   But I was mainly oblivious to all of this because I was so young and naive.  Then at the end of the concert Belouis Some was back on stage with the band and he got his pants yanked down and they poured flour over his ass.  I just thought it was all good fun and cool.

Anyway.  That's what "Retro Days" means to me.

06.28.2005  "What Am I? A Very Large, Stationary Object?"
I just remembered something from the weekend.  While we were taking a break from painting, we were sitting on the back porch stairs.  I don't think I was there for longer than 5 minutes when I happened to look over my shoulder and saw a small spider.  It was walking towards me on a very thin strand of web.  I realized it was starting to build a web between me and the porch railing.  That's crazy!  What the heck am I?  Some kind of large, stationary object?  Well, I guess to that tiny, little guy I was freaking huge.

06.27.2005  "Project Dresser"
I was so proud on the weekend.  After months of renovations at the house, I thought I'd try my hand at restoring some furniture.  We had this old, beat-up dresser (very simple 4-drawers, upright) that holds Robin's work clothes in the second bedroom.  It was unpainted and unfinished.  So I arranged for Brent to help out (since he took that wood-working class) and we set aside Saturday for Project Dresser. 

After scoping it out, we decided painting (not staining) and new hardware were in order.  Brent and I went to General Paint where I set about looking for a vibrant, funky green tone.  We both reached for the paint swatch card and to our surprise (and Brent's delight) the code number on the card was B21 (his initial and lucky number).  We decided on the Limeburst colour, and then I grabbed some trays and rollers.

It was a perfect day outside - warm yet breezy.  Brent sanded the surfaces then we set about painting.  The colour was certainly vibrant!  In the sun we needed sunglasses to even look at it.  We stopped for a Tim Horton's lunch, and took our time applying the 4 coats.

As we let it dry, we went to Rona and I chose some simple, brushed nickel knobs. After dropping Brent off at the skytrain, Robin and I put the new hardware on.  The dresser looked totally different and brand new.  What a transformation and such a feeling of accomplishment.  Good job.

06.24.2005  "Days Getting Shorter"
June 22nd has come and gone.  This was the summer solstice, or the day in the year with the most daylight.  Going forward, the days will just gradually become shorter and shorter.  But I take comfort in the fact that it won't be dark at 4:30pm for awhile.  I have the whole summer ahead of me to relish in the sunny hours.

Seasons are strange.  When I'm immersed in a particular season, that's the way it is for me.  All memories of other seasons are distant memories.  When I wake up now, I expect daylight.  When I leave the office at evening, I expect daylight.  I didn't wear a jacket to work today.  I haven't worn socks for weeks now.  I find it mind-boggling that in a few months I will be bundled up in scarves, wool coats and boots as I commute to and from work in morning and evening darkness.  Hmmmm.  It just made me appreciate my t-shirt and sandals a little bit more.

06.23.2005  "The System Is Down"
I was so unproductive this morning at work.  When I arrived, I discovered that the network and exchange servers were down i.e. no e-mail access, no internet, no intranet.  I literally had nothing that I could do.  I was helpless.  For 3 hours, I chatted with co-workers, had a meeting with my manager, tried to clean-up my hard drive, etc.

But it made me realize that if I'm to be employed in a useful capacity, I need to be accompanied with a computer that has access to these things.  My laptop is my extra, electronic appendage that allows me to navigate and interact with the computerized world.  And without it, I'm pretty useless at work.  A pretty scary realization.

06.22.2005  "My First Lasagna"
Growing up, lasagna was never one of my favourite dishes.  Not to knock my mom or anything, but I don't think I was fond of the recipe she was using.  And I really don't like ricotta cheese.

So recently I found a recipe for a Moroccan lasagna.  It wasn't the typical lasagna recipe that I was used to.  This one called for such things as paprika, cinnamon, ginger, lemon and feta cheese.  On Sunday evening I decided to give it a try.  It was so delicious!  I love trying new things, especially when they're a success.

06.20.2005  "Improving My Golf Swing and Other Things"
I got home Saturday afternoon after a lovely Japanese lunch with Aly in Deep Cove.  It was about 4pm, and Robin had recently emerged from a 2-hour nap (much-deserved).  We decided to go to the driving range.  Robin just bought some clubs and me - well, I was just tagging along.  I have only played pitch & putt and mini-golf (and I can count the number of times I've been on one hand).

It was crowded but we found a spot.  I grabbed the 7-iron (I think) and stepped on the little astro-turf square.  What the hell do I do?  I looked around me, particularly at the Japanese family beside me.  Father was coaching mother and daughter on their swings.  I paid close attention to their movements (because I couldn't understand a word).  At first it felt terribly awkward.  I didn't feel like I was following through. Robin gave me a few pointers ("Bend your knees.  Keep looking at the ball.")  That helped.  This may sound silly, but what really helped me was a line from "Caddyshack" - Just be the ball (or something like that).

After about  an hour, our bucket of balls was empty and my right wrist was hurting.  But I definitely feel like I improved myself somewhat.  And that makes it all worthwhile.

06.17.2005  "What, You've Never Seen a Trannie Before?"
Today as I was de-training at Stadium, I happened to notice a very tall and striking transsexual walking past me.  She was well over 6 feet tall, had long, black hair and was adjusting her short, denim skirt over her upper thighs (how did Tom Robbins put it in "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues"? - 'If her milky thighs were the face of a clock, her mini-skirt would read 5 minutes to midnight' - well, you get the picture).

Anyway, it registered in my mind, and I continued up the escalator.  However, I couldn't help but notice other passengers' reactions: staring, gawking, leaning out of the train to get a better look, stopping to turn around and stare.  Rather rude, I thought.  But then it kind of reminded me of my recent vacation in Dominican.  One of the vacationers happened to be anorexic.  She would swim and dine and drink and party and dance while everyone craned their necks to stare as she went by.  I have to admit I took a longer than normal first glance (just because let's be honest - it was a bit 'shocking' to see at first) but I made ensure that I didn't gawk and stare and point (!).

And going back to my skytrain experience today - maybe some of these people had never seen a trannie before?  Whereas I've seen them and chatted with them in clubs and hung out with them before since I was in my teens.  There you go.

06.16.2005  "Enjoying the Smooth Sounds of Jazz While the Place is Being Robbed"
l found myself at the TD bank at Burrard and Davie yesterday at lunch (running an error with my co-worker).  When we walked in, I noticed the music was unusually loud and robust for a bank (but not too intrusive, quite pleasant actually).  I was quite surprised to see two young gentlemen in suits.  They were tucked away by a window in a corner.  One was playing the upright bass, and the other was playing the saxophone.  They were playing some contemporary jazz, and it was energetic without being too offensive.

I don't know why it struck me as particularly unusual.  As I said, it was quite pleasant.  It reminded me of some other larger bank branches or department stores that hire classical pianists to entertain the customers.  I guess it's quite soothing and kind of 'classy' but is it really necessary?  Particularly in this small bank branch, it seemed a little out of place.  On the flip side, I recall recently being at Sears downtown and they were having some perfume/cologne promotion.  There were about a dozen women (most in their late 30s-40s) and they were standing around at entrances and corners, poised with their spray bottles and ready to douse you.  And all the while they were blasting music on the mall speakers (might have been Motown?).  Anyway, it was loud.  And combined with the overwhelming scents it was a recipe for disaster in my eyes.  I ran through the department as quickly as I could and dashed on to the escalator to make my escape (thank goodness Brent wasn't there with me - it would have been all allergies and angry threats).

So, I don't know exactly what I'm trying to say here.  If done wrong (perfume and loud music), it's really bad.  If done right (light jazz in banks), it's quite pleasant but it still seems a little out of place for me.  It's nice, but does the music really need to be in my face like that?  But then maybe it's because at work I listen to music all day on my headphones.  And sometimes some silence can be a nice break.  Yeah, that's probably it.

06.15.2005  "Yoga Challenge"
For the last year or so I've been taping various yoga shows off the TV and doing them in my living room.  I started out with one on Channel 8 at 6am but it was way too slow and meditation-oriented (I wanted something a bit more rigorous).  Then I found "Breathing Space Yoga" (with Dian Bruni) on the Women's Network.  I did that for awhile, then I decided to kick it up a notch and started following Kelly and Jason on "Flow Yoga" on Channel 8 at 8am.  I found this last one to be quite intense at first, and I'd be sweating and huffing and puffing when it was all over.  But lately I've found it to be a good pace.

Last week when I was sick, I took a break from my morning yoga routine.  Then I started to ease myself back into it, and chose to do the more mellow "Breathing Space" one all this week.  I'm finding it quite sedate and definitely not challenging enough.  Next week when I'm fully healthy, it's back to Kelly and Jason again.

06.13.2005  "My Weekend As a Single Woman Again"
I had the whole weekend (and the house) to myself because Robin left for a company fishing trip early Friday morning.  It was funny how I reverted right back to my single days immediately.  I was hardly home and I ate every meal at a restaurant.  After work on Friday, Farshad picked me up and we went to the Ukranian Village on Denman.  It was fantastic.  If you like quaint decor and perogies and schintzel, I fully recommend it.  Then I watched Farshad spend $600 on clothes at Club Monaco then we checked out Virgin.  Realizing that the cat had been all alone since 8:30am I jumped on the skytrain and went home.  I ran in, threw a load of laundry into the machine, fed Bud, then went to Save-On to do the grocery shopping for the week.  By then it was 11pm.  By 11:30pm I was back at home and I worked on my website until 2am.  Then it was off to bed, and I think I was snoring by the time my head hit the pillow.

Saturday morning I woke up and worked out in the garage and did some light house-cleaning.  Then I met Marnie at the Hilton for a ladies' lunch (complimentary of EA). After clearing the lunch room (they were closing up), I headed back home where I promptly fell into a deep nap for 45 minutes.  Then I got ready again and headed downtown.  Brent, Mark and Marnie (again) went to the Kingston where I had an amazing steak and a couple of drinks.  Then we went to Virgin and I picked up LCD Soundsystem and Postal Service.  After a hot chocolate, it was close to midnight.  I went home and decided to organize my CD collection (genre and alphabetical).  It was 2am when my head hit the pillow again, snoring away.

Sunday was supposed to be mother-daughter day, but my mother was sick with a cold.  So I hopped on the skytrain and met Brent downtown.  We had brunch at Milestones then headed to Chinatown, where we explored all the funky, knick-knack stores.  Brent bought a buddha and I bought some ruby-red, Chinese slippers (so I can practice being an old grandma!), and on the way home we stopped off at T&T for some food supplies.  Somewhere along the way, I noticed something on the street: an "RY" symbol in a reflective material.  Of course I had to pick it up.  I suspect it had fallen off a Mercury car.  I thought it was kind of cool.

Then it was back home for another nap.  When I finally came to I finished off the laundry and made this sundried tomato and olive beef stew.   As I served myself a heaping bowl, in walked Robin (all 5 o'clock shadowed and cute and stuff).  At first it was a bit weird to have someone else in the house but it was so good to see him.  When we climbed into bed, everything felt back to normal.  I wonder what we'll end up doing next weekend?

06.09.2005  "A Wednesday Date"
Since Robin and I aren't going to see each other on the weekend, we've been spending the last couple of evenings together.  Last night we decided to go out for dinner.  I came home around 6pm and got ready.  Robin suggested, "Why don't we go to Wazzubee?"  I was pleasantly surprised - from our previous conversations I thought we were going to go somewhere local.  And if he was willing to drive to East Vancouver, that's cool with me.

So we drove down in his car (only took about 15 minutes) and he ordered the steak and I had the lamb foccacia sandwich (delicious).  Then we took a stroll down the Drive, bought some produce, and headed home.  I realize that during the week I usually have dinner at home with Robin some of the evenings and for the other evenings I/we hang out with various friends.  Having a mid-week date with my hubby is rare.  I like it, and I'd like to have them more often.

06.08.2005  "Poetry in Motion 2 - CSI: Yaletown
Okay, here's my second attempt at some poetry-on-the-fly:

"CSI: Yaletown"

The splatters of blood
Leave a trail on the sidewalk.
They tell a story,
But how does it read?

I see a young man
Full of endorphins and booze,
Staggering home
And encountering a fight.
Blood falls from his nose,
Or maybe from a stab wound?
I see him holding his face
Or clutching his stomach.

The evidence zigzags
In scarlet toonies,
And comes to an end
In a pool by the curb.
His buddy pulls up,
Or maybe it's a taxi.
But at least now he's safe,
Taken away in the night.

--Rena Yung, 2005

06.07.2005  "Take Care of My Girl!"
It was Dave that said that actually, after a lovely, high-fat dinner at Red Robin to celebrate Dave's brief visit from Ottawa.  We sat on the patio and talked about everything from fecal matter in inappropriate places (don't ask), crazy customer service, the weather (of course), cats as pets, etc.  Then we went back to Sheldon's and gorged a bit more on Turtles ice cream (yum!).  Dave and Sheldon walked Robin and I to the underground parking lot. We said our good-byes, Dave gave me a hug, and told Robin to "take care of my girl for me."

It was so sweet, and I was reminded of other people who have said that (Brent, Trevor, my mother, maybe Ivan too?).   I know I shouldn't give it more thought, but I can't resist.  Do I really need 'taking care of'?  Aren't I super-independent and don't all my friends and family know that?  Oh Rena, it's just an expression. And an endearing one at that.  And I think I'll leave it at that.

06.03.2005  "What an Idiot"
I am so HTML challenged!  In my efforts to revamp my website, I ended up deleting a bunch of journal archives (from September to December 2004).  Gone.  Completely.  Wiped from existence.  <sigh>  Oh well.  Farshad is going to try and see if he has a back-up but I'm not going to hold my breath.

I guess I can comfort myself with the thought that I never used to write about my daily thoughts before my journal, and they never really existed (well, only in my head).  So, those Sept-Dec 2004 journal entries will just have to be thoughts that existed in my head only.  Whatever.  Don't cry over spilled milk.

05.31.2005  "Transit Girl"
Yesterday I bought my first, monthly transit pass.  At a whopping $95, I can't believe it's still a good deal.  But I looked at the costs and the benefits and it's definitely an added value for me.  And it's not just the money savings.  I realize that the psychological warfare that rush hour inflicts on me is just not worth it.  I drove today because I'm going out for dinner after work.  Since it was raining, everything was slower than normal.  Plus there were numerous accidents and various road closures.  When I got to my usual parkade, it was full.  So I had to drive around a bit more to find another.

I'm very happy with my decision to choose the skytrain over my car to get to work.  It's way more relaxing, and I think I'll live longer because of it.

05.27.2005  "F*cking Cambie Is a Nightmare"
Yeah, the title pretty much sums up the recent traffic changes in Yaletown.  They've recently changed certain streets (Cambie, Beatty, Homer) from one-way to two-way streets.  On my morning and afternoon walks to and from work, I've noticed that traffic is now pretty backed-up whereas before it was a free-flowing movement.  This morning I passed a bicycle courier who was speaking into his cell phone, relaying the same observation to his office.

I don't really understand city planning, so I feel I'm not really in a position to judge or criticize.  However, when I see these changes having a detrimental effect on things, I have to scratch my head and wonder....

05.26.2005  "This Time, I Observed It Happening to Someone Else"
(*This would be a continuation from yesterday's journal entry).  So, this morning on the walk to work, I turned the corner of Mainland by the Yaletown Market.  The sidewalk was blocked by two, youngish gentlemen (I'd say about 28?).  They were standing with their backs to me, and I heard a bit of their conversation e.g. "Well, take a look at that!"  As my eyes looked past them further down the sidewalk, I saw what was holding up 'traffic.'  They were ogling a young, Paris Hilton clone.  She had a clingy, black and white print dress and a large Fendi bag with matching sunglasses.  She stood poised and balanced on one strappy sandal with the other leg jutting ever so delicately out behind her, a kind of flamingo pose.  Her blonde hair was pulled back in a meticulous ponytail and she seemed deep in concentration as she was plugging the meter for her Bentley.

"Excuse me," I said to the 2 on-lookers as I tried to squeeze past them on the sidewalk.  I almost felt like I had 'busted them', as they made profuse apologies to me and immediately jumped out of the way.  Then as I approached 'Ms. Hilton', I had to smile to myself as I saw her head through a door - the Botox Center.  I'm sure she didn't mind being checked out in the least.

05.25.2005  "The Right Way and Wrong Way to Check Someone Out"
Oh gross, it happened again this morning.  Someone 'checked me out' but it was totally non-flattering and not appreciated.  I was walking up the stairs to the Metrotown skytrain station, feeling all happy and perky in my bright, yellow t-shirt from Banana Republic (which shows off what little tan I have left from Dominican Republic).  Then this old man (oh, about 70?) with a ratty jacket, dirty baseball hat and serious tooth issues (i.e. some key ones in the front of his mouth were missing) thinks it's perfectly acceptable and appropriate to stare at me, up and down, up and down.  He looked almost cartoonish, with his mouth hanging open (think of Homer Simpson salivating).  I felt like saying, "Quit being such a letch, Jack-o-Lantern!"  Instead I scowled and shot him a nasty look and kept on walking, but I still felt kind of gross.

Now if he had been a young, 25-year-old David Beckham look alike instead, I'm sure my reaction would have been a bit less harsh (oh, let's face it - I'd be flattered).  But still - come on!  If you're going to check someone out, I think it's way more classy if you're a bit discrete about it.  You can make your intentions and actions visible, but at least make an effort to not be so invasive.  Get some dark sunglasses.  Try 'stealing' a glance instead of staring and gawking open-mouthed for as long as you feel like it.  How about a quick, little smile? (and even then, maybe consider visiting a dentist beforehand and getting caps on those gaping holes).  Anyway, that's my 2-bits for "Checking Someone Out 101".  But I'm sure you all have your own strategies and maneuvers.

05.24.2005  "My First Sunday Night Dinner"
Actually, contrary to what the title says, it was Monday night.  Robin's mini-golf game was moved from morning to late afternoon.  And that left me in charge of dinner.  We had planned to have roast and all the fixings - something I had never prepared before on my own.

But it was pretty easy.  The mashed potatoes were straightforward.  I basted the asparagus with balsamic vinegar and some seasonings, and tossed the zucchini and carrots in olive oil and salt and threw everything in the oven.  I put the roast in a covered dish and baked for 2 hours as per the meat cooking guidelines, and made sure to pull it out a couple of times and baste it in its own juices.  When Robin came home, he helped me out with the gravy but beyond that I had basically done everything on my own.  And everything was delicious, especially the roast (each slice was moist). But the sense of satisfaction and accomplishment is what made the meal especially tasty.

05.20.2005  "A Grown-up Dinner"
I met with Farshad last night for our weekly dinner-date.  We went to the Eatery and were entertained by Randy and his crazy, new hairstyle (picture Astro-Boy, but with multiple spiky protrusions) and his stories of partying with Thievery Corporation.  Then Farshad and I ordered sushi and Nabe Yaki Udon and talked about politics (the recent election results, the STV referendum, benefits of a dictatorship), our busy schedules, and job satisfaction.  Of course we also touched base on new artist favourites (Fischerspooner, New Order, M.I.A.) and other club-related news.  But overall the conversation was very grown-up and thought-provoking.  Wow, next week we'll have to invite a guest speaker or something.

05.18.2005  "Oh, Now That's Gross"
I was walking to the Metrotown skytrain station.  As I was crossing the street, I noticed a crow in front of me on the ground.  It was pecking at something, but then it flew away as I approached.  As I walked past I saw what the crow was chewing on: a dead mouse that was squashed and split open.  But it was clearly identifiable (long tail, little ears, etc).  Oh, that's so gross! 

05.17.2005  "I Don't Care If They're Free"
There has been a recent explosion of free, daily newspapers in Vancouver.  All you locals know what I'm talking about: the Metro, 24 Hours, Dose.  They're all smaller than normal newspapers (about 20 pages in total?), some are newsprint, some are glossy, but all of them are pretty weak (gossip-rags, full of spelling errors, etc.).  But if I had to choose, I'd say the Metro has the best content.

Anyway, that's fine that they exist and people can read them on their daily commute or whatever.  But the thing that bugs me is that every time I enter or leave the skytrain station, I am accosted by about 4-5 people all trying to push/promote their respective newspapers.  And every time I walk into a skytrain car, the floor and seats are littered with discarded papers.  Thank goodness the city has the common sense to now put large recycling bags in the stations.

But this morning was the last straw for me.  On my walk from Stadium station to Yaletown, I encountered about one 24 Hour box on every block.  Seriously.  Often it looked out of place, this little orange box situated almost as an after-thought in the middle of the city block.  Bizarre.  As I said, I think they're great in concept, but I think it's overkill in waste and space.  I wonder how long they'll last until people start complaining?

05.16.2005  "Website Renovations"
I've decided that I really want to renovate my web site.  So, I started looking at it last night.  Suddenly it didn't really seem like a simple, fun project.  Instead it looked like quite a bit of work.

Oh well.  But I was looking for a challenging, new project anyway.  Right?

05.13.2005  "Amaretto Sour"
My drink of choice is an Amaretto Sour.  It was first introduced to me by Ashley and Jonesy.  According to drink guides, an Amaretto Sour is:

1 oz Amaretto liqueur
1 oz Sour mix
1 Maraschino cherry

Pretty basic, one would think.  However, I've ordered this drink in multiple establishments and it's been served differently in each one.  I recall the Boathouse in English Bay served an amazing one (served in a tall glass, with the perfect balance of sweet and sour).  I also had good experiences at Fiction (served in a tumbler glass with a sugar rim).  Bad experiences include Wazubee awhile ago and the Odyssey (WAY too sweet and strong!).

And I can't remember exactly where I was, but the waitress said the bartender had no idea how to make it (and this wasn't a little dive place either).  I think it was that quaint little Italian place on Davie that was there before Vera's Burgers?  Anyway, I told her to check the bartender's guide and it was pretty straightforward.  She returned with a great tasting Amaretto Sour.  When I told her it was perfect, she commented that she liked it too (she had poured some into a separate glass for some taste-testing), and she was going to remember it for next time.

Funny enough, I've never made them at home for myself.  Maybe part of the appeal is the journey into the unknown that I experience when I order an Amaretto Sour in a restaurant/bar/pub. I never really know what I'm going to get.

05.12.2005  "Urban Boo-Fay"
We decided to go to the Urban Buffet in Yaletown for dinner last night.  None of us had ever been and had always been curious about it.  We walked in and I immediately noticed the cleanliness, the large windows, and the mainly Asian clientele (one sign of authentic cuisine).

For our first helping we each ran excitedly around the steaming trays and commented on the wide variety.  This was no Yic's or Golden Dragon or any other cheesy Chinese buffet.  There were crab legs, oyster motoyakis, fried smelt, cuttlefish and other not-so-run-of-the-mill offerings (but of course these were amongst the sweet & sour pork, California rolls and egg rolls).  For our second helping we were more discriminating, but still came back with heaping plates.  We barely had room for dessert, but who can resist mango pudding, coconut jelly and soft ice cream machines?

Surprisingly I didn't feel too gross.  I thought I would be a bloated greaseball for the rest of the evening, but I was not.  The next time I'm downtown and feeling really hungry and wanting to eat my weight in food, I know where I'm going to go.

05.11.2005  "Another Opening Act Kicks Ass"
Farshad scored me a ticket to the LCD Soundsystem concert, with opening act M.I.A. (but we call them 'Mya').  It reminded me of the Ladytron with Mount Sims concert I saw awhile back: the opening act (which I knew nothing about) kicked supreme ass.  I was all over that.

How would I describe M.I.A.?  I'd say imagine some hard African/tribal beats with some bangra-pop and throw in Missy Elliott with a vengeance.  Man, that chick can groove and move and rap and bring the house to their feet.  Loved her.  I can't wait to get her music.

05.10.2005  "What's Next?"
So, life is back to normal post-vacation.  I'm continuing to work hard, and I'm going out and socializing with my circuit of friends.  Tonight I have a concert (LCD Sound System), and tomorrow is Hump Wednesday with the guys, and I'm looking forward to the weekend as usual.  I continue to do my yoga 3-4 times a week and I'm ramping up the free weight regime.  But, what's next?  What's the next big thing on my horizon?  I don't know.  As Ivan says, sounds like it's time for a new project.

I'd say it's time for something artistic.  I want to re-do my web site but that shouldn't take too long.  I saw in a magazine this woman who does this really detailed-rock painting.  At first I thought that was really cool (and I could help decorate the garden in the meantime), but when I revisited the thought it seemed kind of corny (well, Ivan and I had a good laugh about it).  So, what to do.....

05.09.2005  "Mother and Daughter Day"
My family doesn't make a huge deal out of Mother's Day, but we don't totally ignore it either.  This year, I took my mother out on the Saturday before the actual 'holiday'.  I bought her a card and some high-end Ginger cookies from Yaletown ($8 for 6) which she loved. I picked her up and we went to Milestone's in Yaletown where we had a fantastic brunch.  Of course, she tried to pick up the bill (saying that spending time with me was enough of a present) but I didn't let her.

Then it was off shopping on Robson.  My brother and I had bought my mother a $200 gift certificate at Christmas for the Levi's store since she had mentioned that she needed jeans.  So the first stop of the day was jean-shopping, something that I knew could be time-consuming.  Sure enough, she tried on almost every pair in the store, trying to find the 'right fit'.  When she finally found a flattering pair, I looked at the price tag.  Only $50.  I told her to get another pair, and maybe also a shirt of something (got to spend that $200!).  But her response: "Oh no, I don't need another pair.  Why don't you try something on?"

So we left the store with 1 pair for her and 2 pairs for me and the gift certificate more than used up.  Then we went to Sears and the Bay where she was ecstatic to purchase 2 more pairs of pants.  We stopped off for a Booster Juice (which she bought of course) then we headed home exhausted.  We crashed on her couch, chatting a bit more until I had to leave at 5pm for my hair appointment.  But as usual, I left her place with armfuls of groceries and goodies (cranberry juice, flavoured tofu, wildberry waffles).  Seeing me makes my mother happy, and buying me things has always been a part of our relationship.  It was great to spend that mother-daughter time together.  You can't put a price tag on that, and you can't replace it with a bouquet of flowers or a phone call.

05.06.2005  "Seaquest Adventure"
How much fun can one have at work?  Well, let me tell you.  Yesterday our work division (about 20 of us) celebrated a release milestone by driving out to Horseshoe Bay and partaking in a Seaquest Adventure.

Teams were 3-4 people, and each team had their own motorboat.  We were given maps of the area and a series of questions e.g. what does the orange ferry sign (south of the terminal) say at Snug Cove?  We had to drive around and write down our answers, and of course the goal was to complete the questions the quickest.

The sun was shining and the temperature was perfect as we barreled along, dodging the Bowen Island ferry and navigating our way through sometimes choppy waves.  One of the highlights for me was seeing all the beautiful houses scattered across the various mini-islands.  Clearly the residents liked their privacy (since you can't access these houses via car).  One very cool house was perched by itself at the top of a rock cliff and we saw that the entrance was a tunnel dug into the side of the island.

As I sat in the boat watching the trail of white foam that we were creating, enjoying the cool breeze and basking in the afternoon rays, I realized I was getting paid for this.  Much fun indeed.

05.05.2005  "The Old Apartment"
Last night as I lay in bed before falling asleep, I started thinking about my old apartment on Cambie and my 7 years there.  Suddenly I found myself reminiscing and all these memories were bombarding me.  I thought of all the people who had walked through my door, dined with me, sat on my couch, slept on my couch, slept in my bed.  I remembered Jason living below me: our late-night visits (after a courtesy phone call of course), how he used to surprise me as I passed his door in the morning on the way to work and hand me a mug of tea, and how I used to let myself into his apartment and put freshly made bean dip in his fridge.

There was that total sense of freedom and independence associated with 3885 Cambie.  I remember rearranging furniture to my own personal liking, sometimes at 3am if the mood struck me.  I recall going to an outdoor rave in Squamish with Brian, and returning at 8am the next day.  I threw my dirt-covered clothes on the floor and jumped into bed without washing up and slept until 3pm, waking up feeling refreshed and indestructible.  I recall one of my favourite things was to drive home from a long day at work on Friday and get sushi take-out down the street.  Then I would just stay in, curled up on my couch, talking on the phone and watching TV and being perfectly content.  Most days of the week my apartment door was a revolving door.  I would come and go, back and forth, one outing after another.  Then at night I would collapse into my bed and fall asleep, exhausted from the day's bustling activities, but there would always be a smile on my face.

As I lay in bed last night thinking of the apartment days, I looked over at Robin. He was fast asleep, and I felt so comfortable and cozy and safe.  I fell asleep and had an awesome dream about my apartment, and it put things in perspective.  But you'll have to check out my dream log for that....

05.04.2005  "So Much Music"
There is so much music out there, and it's so accessible.  At work, I have access to a seemingly unlimited number of streaming radio stations.  And there are so many genres to choose from, some that I have such little knowledge about e.g. bluegrass, ska, Americana Folk to name a few.

In a way it's frustrating.  I want to learn and absorb so much.  There's so much music out there to experience, but too little time.  It's only 10am in the morning, and I've already flipped through a Show Tunes station, some House and now a Motown broadcast.  I wonder what I'll be listening to by lunchtime?

05.03.2005  "What Is It With Me and Shoes?"
I'll never forget it.  I was in some training session at Motorola with my then co-workers.  The instructor was trying to break the ice, and asked all of us to introduce ourselves and also share a little tidbit with the rest of the class.  When it was my turn I said, "Hi, my name is Rena.  I own over 50 pairs of shoes."  Oh, the scandal that caused.  From that day on at Motorola, I was known as "Shoe-Girl" or something like that.  Everyone from Testing to Management would comment on my choice of footwear.  It didn't bother me, but it made me think.

Why did I need so many shoes?  Well, I certainly didn't need them.  I had a great deal of discretionary income (well, I still do) and the consumer ability was just there.  I would see something, I would buy it.  Shoes to me were almost like trophies.  I would display them on my large Ikea rack in my apartment.  People would always comment and gush: "Oh, look at those adorable lime green Hush Puppies!" or "Where did you get those red Simple loafers?" or "How many pairs of Fluevogs do you have?".  And did I ever tell you about the time John Fluevog sent me a limited-edition store watch to thank me for my patronage?  Yeah, crazy times indeed.

But as I grew older and shoe trends changed, I started to change as well.  Throw into the mix the fact that I was moving (and needed to downsize), and there I was - going through my shoe 'collection' and evaluating each one.  Do I really wear them?  Do I still like them?  Are they still fashionable?  I made numerous trips to the donation box.  Some lucky recipient had hit the jackpot (if they were fortunate to be a size 8).  And that's another thing: I had lost some weight, and my foot size actually shrank as well.  I went from an 8 to a 7 or 7.5.  Another reason to purge.

Now I have about 20 pairs.  I still have various categories for my footwear: winter vs. summer collection, dress shoes, everyday shoes, runners, etc.  I still have a pair of shoes for every occasion.  But I'm much more picky when I purchase them (just because they're regular $189 on sale for $159 is not a good enough reason).  And Robin still 'complains' about my shoe collection taking up the front closet.  Oh, if only he had seen me in my heyday....

05.02.2005  "What's New, Buddy-Cat?"
We have a new edition to the Yung-Lemay household.  Bud, Robin's family cat, has moved into the second bedroom.  He's quite the chatty-Cathy, so thank goodness I wear earplugs to sleep.  He's not allowed in the master bedroom, so of course he's always trying to sneak inside.  Yesterday we briefly let him outside in the backyard but then we panicked when he took off.  So for now he's restricted to staring at the outside world from behind the living room window.

This morning I went through my yoga routine with him roaming under my belly during the downward dog sequences.  He's always underfoot, but that's ok. He talks to me, I answer.  I feel quite comfortable with him.  The household feels cozier already.

04.29.2005  "Advice for 15-Year-Old Me"
Dan Savage had some really great articles recently in his "Savage Love" section in the Georgia Straight.  The first article was advice for 15-year-old guys on how to get girls.  But the one that really struck a chord with me was the readers' advice for 15-year-old girls.

So, naturally I asked myself: what would I tell a 15-year-old female about attracting the opposite sex, and life in general? (note - I realize that not all 15-year-olds are boy-crazy, and may in fact be girl-crazy.  But this was not my experience, so I can only write about what I know :-).  Where to start? First of all: read, do research.  There is so much information out there.  Read and understand female and male anatomy, menstruation, pregnancy, STDs, the many types of orgasms you can have, BDSM, whatever floats your boat.  Once you understand how everything works and what to do, you will enjoy yourself more.  Knowledge is power.

The next bit of advice following from this is: masturbate.   Learn how to get your rocks off, so you can show future partners if you need to.  Try different things when you're getting yourself off.  Don't be embarrassed about your body.  Use props if you need to.  If you understand how your body works, sex will be as pleasurable as you imagine it to be.  Again, there's so much reading material out there.

Make sure you have a passion about something and pursue it.  Whether it's reading or archery or painting or playing the piano.  It will help make you well-rounded and confident.  Also do something physical on a regular basis e.g. volleyball, yoga, jogging.  It will also add to your confidence and make you feel good physically, and will help you get in tune with your body.  Take a self-defense class.  Not all guys are creeps, but sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures.  And again, it will make you more confident.  No one can build up your self-esteem like you can.

Don't give in to peer pressure.  If all your friends are in a rush to lose their virginity but you don't feel comfortable, then don't do it.  Wait until you're ready.  Then your first sexual encounter (and future sexual experiences) will likely be more relaxed and enjoyable, instead of awkward and unsatisfying.  Remember, your virginity is yours to share not for someone to take.

People (guys) might try to lie or coerce you at times e.g. the 'we don't need a condom' thing.  Don't listen to that garbage.  If you're uncomfortable at all, you have every right to voice your opinion/concerns/needs and walk away from the situation.  And if someone does end up 'messing around with you' e.g. cheating on you, misleading you, then it's not the end of the world.  Don't take it personally.  Be angry and then cope, and realize that it is inevitable that some people will just do shitty things to you.  But you will always have your dignity and self-respect.  Don't let others chip away at it.

A good lover and respectful partner is someone who treats you well and wants to enjoy and please you. If he is selfish or disrespectful, then it's just not worth it (even if he's the star football quarterback or whatever other stereotype for 'popular' guy there is out there). It's not necessarily 'who' you're sleeping with, but instead it's the quality of the experience.

So, did I know all this stuff when I was at a young dating age?  Well, pretty much, and I also learned over time of course.  But take it from me: if you follow this advice (and the rest of the column), your sexual and personal relationships will be mind-blowing and everything you wanted them to be.

04.28.2005  "Poetry in Motion: Window Shopping"
I used to write poetry.  The serious kind.  Now the only poetry I write is the occasional 'funny' one (rhyming couplets, etc) for someone's birthday or something.  I still count my on-line journal as a form of writing (e.g. I'm expressing my thoughts), but I'm going to attempt to take various journal entries and transform them into poems.  I've got to keep flexing those creative muscles, or they'll wither away.  So here goes:

"Window Shopping"

As I pass each window
On Mainland and Hamilton,
I steal a glance.
And every time I look,
There she is.
With a confident gait
And the hint of a smile,
Her playful, black hair
Breathing with each step.
Her eyes lock with mine
Each time she strolls
Through a different landscape.
She's surrounded by shoes
And then embraced by flowers.
Next she's enjoying the French aromas
Of croissants and lattes.
It appears innocent enough,
Just some window shopping.
But in fact I'm intrigued
By the woman staring back at me
From the shiny black glass.
I wish I was her,
Living amongst beautiful things,
Existing only
For a fleeting moment....

--Rena Yung, 2005

04.27.2005  "Psychology 101 Driving Lesson"
It's strange how your memory works, how certain events can trigger things.  I was at a traffic light waiting to turn left.  One foot was on the clutch and the other on the brake.  Suddenly I was reminded of something that my Psychology 101 professor said in university.  I can't remember the context, but he used the example of driving a standard car to illustrate something.  All I recall is he explained that when you initially learn how to operate the clutch and stick shift it can be quite challenging.  Then over time it becomes second nature.  But if you stop and think about what you're actually doing, you might confuse yourself.

And that's what happened this morning.  A momentary lapse at the light when I suddenly started to actually think ahead - which foot goes on which pedal now?  But thankfully I remembered my professor's advice, to just not think about it and do what comes naturally.  And it worked.

04.26.2005  "Hair Today, Gone In Two Weeks"
This is so typical me.  I decide to grow my hair long, as long as I can tolerate it.  Everything was going well.  But now it just feels dull and lifeless.  There's no bounce to it.  It just hangs there.  But of course this is something I knew would happen.  So now I'm just dying to get it cut.  I can hardly wait to run out of the salon, feeling my new shortened locks blowing in the wind.  I called my hair stylist.  The next available appointment is 6pm on May 7.  I have to wait almost 2 weeks??? Well, I guess I'll be wearing my hair in ponytails until then.

04.25.2005  "Assimilation Begins"
Yesterday we had my mom over to the house.  She brought about a dozen bags of groceries over because we were making wonton.  As she prepared the ingredients, I wrote everything down (so one day I can make it on my own).  Then the three of us sat at the kitchen table and made two heaping platters of wonton.  We teased Robin, that he was 'becoming Chinese'.  We mocked his overstuffed wontons, called him a rookie.  But of course he took it all in stride.

And it was fitting that the table we used was once my grandmother Ruby's.  She taught my mother how to make wonton, and now my mother was teaching us.  Recipes are wonderful things to pass down through the generations.  With every dish you cook, you share a little bit of your family history.  And they tasted delicious, by the way.

04.22.2005  "Return From Paradise"
For those enquiring minds - yes, the Dominican Republic vacation was fantastic.  It was everything I wanted it to be. 

Some highlights:

• Going to bed later and later each night, and waking up later each morning (i.e. having our internal clocks dictate our schedules, not an alarm clock).

• Unlimited food and booze (first drink of the day was typically around 11am, right after breakfast).

• Swimming in the pools and the ocean (my first time in the Atlantic-side, believe it or not).

• No clean-up! (no dishes, maid service every morning, etc).

• Lounging around in a bathing suit, even when it was overcast, and not getting cold.

• Dancing to crazy club music (Latino pop mixed with 50 Cent), and then stumbling out at 3am and straight into the late-night burger joint for food before heading back to our room.

• Working out every day in the air-conditioned gym that had an ocean view (got to burn those excess calories!).

• Reading my book while sprawled out on the barca-loungers, and realizing that my only concern was when I would go get some more food/drinks.

• Spending almost every minute with Robin and not getting sick of each other, and in fact feeling closer to each other.

It's strange to be back and settled into my old routine.  But we're already planning our next vacation....

04.11.2005  "Coo & the Gang Part 2"
I keep telling Ivan he needs to write about his on-going pigeon saga.  It's crazy.  After becoming a 'daddy', the little babies finally grew up and took flight.  Relieved that he could finally have his patio back (and start the laborious task of scrubbing through 4 weeks of bird excrement) he was horrified to see mommy return and lay 2 more eggs.  How long will this cycle last?

My response: get rid of the eggs.  Throw them off the balcony if you have to (camera pans to Brent's look of disgust and horror).  But really - you gotta do what you gotta do.  I was actually quite surprised to hear that Ivan got rid of the eggs and then covered up the planter box so mommy pigeon would get confused and leave.  But after Ivan's trip to the island, he returned to 4 adult pigeons taking roost on his deck.  Next solution: purchasing a fake owl to scare them away.  Their response: indifference.

Oh, Ivan.  I can't wait to hear the update next week....

04.08.2005  "I've Had Better (But It's Also Been Worse)"
This week has not been very pleasant work-wise.  So, when my co-worker asked how I've been doing, my response was, "I've been better."  And his smiling response was, "And I guess you've had worse, too."  I like that.  He's totally right.  I've been in way worse situations.

But last night I woke wide awake at 3:30am thinking of work.  It was actually quite cool, because I remembered something that I had totally forgotten about.  But then I had trouble getting back to sleep, and that's never fun.  I also had to wake up early because I needed to get some blood tests done (and this required me to fast for 12 hours, so I was really missing breakfast).  I followed my directions that MapQuest gave me, and they turned out to be totally wrong.  It wasn't worth it for me to drive all the way to the lab North Burnaby.

I decided to go to the Hornby Street lab.  At 8:50am, I was on the skytrain (my usual time - so much for an early start).  But there was the cutest little Asian girl there with her mom, and she kept smiling at me.  I smiled back.  Suddenly, I felt so much better.   To my surprise, the lab was empty - no wait!  That's so rare.  Then the technician was able to find my veins with minimal poking (again, so rare!).  As I walked to work in the sunshine, only 20 minutes later than normal, I realized that it could be so much more worse.

04.05.2005  "Trauma In Living Room 1"
I had completely forgotten about what happened Saturday during the day.  I was dusting the large fish tank in the living room when I noticed some paint flecks on it (spatters from our paint-fest the weekend before).  So, I applied a little more pressure to try and wipe them off.  I guess my actions were shaking the tank a little bit and startled the inhabitants, because the next thing I knew I saw something fly out the back of the tank.  I watched this foreign object fly through the air and land with a splat on the hardwood floor.  "Okay, which fish was it?" I asked myself, hoping that it was one of the small guys.

I looked down at the struggling, flopping grey thing on the floor.  It was the arawana, the biggest fish in the tank.  He had somehow managed to cleanly jump out the small hole in the roof of the tank.  My instinct was to pick him up and put him back in the water, but the thought of wrapping my hands around his squirming, scaly body just stopped me dead in my tracks.  So I ran into the kitchen and grabbed the tea towel. I threw it on him and he went quiet.  I reached down and grabbed him wrapped in the towel and he started to struggle and thrash again.  I was amazed at his strength. 

With one movement I lifted him from the floor and into the tank.  Suddenly he was back in his natural environment.  My heart was still beating a mile a minute, as I'm sure his was too.

04.04.2005  "Watching Time Fly"
Daylight Savings Time.  "Spring Forward".  Losing an hour.  Yes, that's what happened on Sunday (or Saturday night, if you're a keener).  I always dread this time of year (okay, maybe I'm being a tad overdramatic).  Aaron and I used to always joke about what would happen if we decided to reject Daylight Savings, and how it would bring chaos into our lives.  When I woke up on Sunday, I went about the laborious task of changing all the clocks in the house (it's amazing how many there are!) and my car (I can never remember how to change it on my stereo).  I know that I don't need to adjust the computer or my cell phone (since their time display is controlled by a network).  But I noticed that the VCR had the correct time.  It must be part of its programming.  How smart.

Then I realized that I've never witnessed the actual time change (at 3am?).  I've either been out clubbing, or in bed (last couple of years).  Just for once it would be kind of trippy to be watching the clock on your computer monitor or cell phone display jump from 1:59am to 3:00am (or however it happens).  Instant time travel 1 hour into the future.