May: Bike To Work Day

I can proudly say that I participated in my 1st Bike To Work Day event this year. I couldn't do it without my girlfriend, M., who kept pushing me on with positive reinforcements!

Morning Commute

So for all who knows me, my hubby and I have a little thing for those corny Mastercard commercials...so here's my version and a little summary of my bike ride.

1. Waking up extra early and go without coffee to meet my girlfriend.
   
2. Wearing my helmet backwards causing co-workers to ponder & laugh.
   
3. Hearing people yell at us when we're on the bike lane and watching my girlfriend get hit with food from a drive-by.
   
4. Crossing the finish line together with riding partner within1 hour for a 11 mile bike-ride.... priceless!

Would I do it again? If I have a consistent riding partner, yes...biking is awesome. I got to see some ducklings in the canal. I got to hear the birds chirping early in the morning. I got to feel the crisp morning breeze on my face. It was very refreshing!

Lunch Rally

A small group of us (5) biked from our work place to old town of the city for a Bike Rally. This is where I became a true winner! My hubby and I did a last minute helmet bike decoration last night...and we came up with all kind of weird scrapbook stickers including the following:

• "Sweet things comes in small packages"
• "Do I Look Silly?"
• "I think I left my underwear"
• "555-Bike"
• "Tab Rocks" <-- My Personal Favorite.

At the bike helmet contest, I was going up against a pro. He had a creative genius on his side...his 7-year old daughter, who glued 106 multi-color cotton balls on his helmet. With 'thunderous applause' (quoted from Star Wars)...he was a true winner. But since we were the only TWO participants...I think they gave me something too to pacify me!! $10 gift certificate to a local restaurant.

Extra! Extra! Plus, I was later asked to be photographed by the local newspaper for the event. So who knows...I may become a poster child for First-Timers! hahahah!

I was also very appreciative of my friends staying with me all the time during the commute back to work. There was a big up-hill and man...was I down!...I was going sooo slow and panting sooo hard!! I thought I was going to faint....but my friends stayed with me...and kept giving me encouragement! :-)

Late Afternoon Raffle

So as I crossed the finish line this morning, I was handed a nice little raffle ticket for this afternoon's company prize raffle. Well, coming out from the company gym, I noticed a red raffle ticket on the floor. I looked around and saw nobody there that could be claimed....so I thought that when we registered, we had to sign in with our employee ID and figured this guy / girl would be showing up at the raffle anyways and I can hand it to him/her.

Well, afternoon rolls along...my friends and I gather at the cafeteria. ...and the MC announced the winning ticket for a Power Gel (4 packs) ...and who wins? The unknown ticket that I hold....I went up there and asked to see the other half of the ticket expecting an employeeID...and NO, I don't see any. So executive decision time...it is mine :-) hahaha

It's awesome to win something just by chance! I wasn't really hoping for the bike but was hoping for a nice cool looking helmet for my hubby. But it all worked out!

I think I may have to start biking on the weekends when the weather is good....it's wonderful!

Wardrobe Malfunction: It really does happen!

I was a victim of a 'wardrobe malfunction'. Don't laugh! I didn't do it intentionally like the way Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake did at the Superbowl. Nor was I as 'graceful' or as 'sexy'. This stressed me out!

It Started...
I visited the ladies restroom for a bio break then zipped my pants up and washed my hands. Nothing was too unusual. I made my way to my little cubicle of a desk and happily continued my work. A co-worker of mine stopped by cube and as I turned to face him, my hands brushed up my zipper (yep! the same one that I zipped up!) and then it dawned on me...um...I was unzippped!

Saving Grace
Thank goodness my dress shirt tail was long enough to cover partially of my zipper :-). As I strategically folded my hands across to cover any possible uncovered area, I hurriedly continued on my work conversation. After a very looooong 5 minutes, I quickly turned my back from my cubicle opening and check on my zipper! My mind was like...What the hell?! Of course, my husband was already on instant message...and I had to tell him I had a wardrobe emergency!

The Investigation
I looked down...and crap! My zipper was 'zipped' up but 1/2 of the zipper fell apart :'-(. Wah! I tried to squeeze the other 1/2 back together...but it was a lost hope! The other 1/2 fell apart too! I quickly stood up and straighten myself, making sure, my shirt covered the frontal opening and rushed to the ladies room, once again. In there, I tried again to fix the lost cause...after another looong 5 minutes, I gave up and decided this was an emergency and I needed backup right away. I rushed home and put on another pair of pants, hoping this one doesn't have any defects and rushed back to work!

Sigh! So see?! Wardrobe Malfunction really can happen!! How can America have misjudged Janet Jackson? She must've been traumatized since she was 'exposed' to soooo many people! People...show some sensitivity!! Janet, I can relate to you now!! :"-)

Chinese Herbal Medicine vs Western Pill Oriented Medicine

I came across this odd little article about FDA's approval on 'Lizard Spit' as a treatment for diabetes. Article

....the immediate image for me is this has to be part of some 'Herbal Medicine'. As I was growing up, I've seen some pretty weird things that go into 'medicinal soup'...ask me about it person...and I'll be glad to go into gory details. However, many people regardless of ethnicity thinks its kind of weird and odd and a little hokey or even witch-like when people use 'herbal medicine' instead of taking miracle in pill.

I know a couple of my extended family members...definitely turns away from any medicine that are not part of the Western world. They reject everything that's not westernized, especially the 'herbal knowledge'...but all of a sudden, I see this article about 'Lizard Spit'...and I think back of all the 'brewing' my mom does in her kitchen when I was growing up...and um, sorry, hands-down, herbal medicine was way ahead of its time. Just because the FDA approves it...doesn't mean that all of a sudden this is something new and inventiv. It only means that it took a heck of a long time for the government to go through its process and hoops while everybody else in the other side of the world is already going through the next phase of treating diabetes.

The cynic in me just reads this article as...oh great...now the FDA is going to use the 'chemical formula' or its brand name as 'Byetta'. It's all about marketing....give a diabetic 2 person who grew up in the western part of the world a lizard and tell him/her to squeeze some spit out from it for medicine...the universal response would be like "EW...." [don't worry, I'll also have the same reaction]...yet give a person from the eastern part of the world....they'll be like "Hey, thanks for the freebie!".

Don't know where I'm really going with this...but just want to point out the differences in culture and I'm also tired of the 'Miracle Pill' society that we live in today. You have a problem? Take a pill. Whether it be a diet pill, depression pill, sugar pill, etc.

Sunday Brunch With Our Best Friends

Well, it is Sunday...bright and early I woke up. This time...the weather was a little cold and wet...sky was threatening to rain. But it didn't faze me a bit. Today, I have made a date with our longest and closest buddies and their 3 adorable children. Haven't seen them for only 2 weeks...but still. I like visiting with them and giving their kids lots of love and attention.

The Entrance
I ran the doorbell...then heard lots of little footsteps stomping away. Then I hear a girl's voice saying my name from upstairs. The door creeks open and I was greeted by their 5 year old son telling me proudly"everybody's naked and are taking a bath...that's why I'm opening the door" and steps aside to let me into the house...then proceeds to run back upstairs. I gave him a large smile...and demanded "where are my hugs and kisses?". He quickly turns back and ran into my arms and squeezed me tight...and then planted a loving kiss on my cheek. Sigh! Didn't really want to let him go...but he was already skooting back down. I set him free...and off he went upstairs to take his bath.

The Simple Request
As I showed myself to the kitchen...it felt just like home. These friends of mine have watched me and my husband grow from being a naive teenagers to hopefully...sensible and responsible adults that we are today. So much history are between us...and we share everything freely with no holds bar. While I was making our brunch coffee in the kitchen...their son shouts my name from upstairs and simply requests "Um...can you make breakfast for us?" in his boyish innocence ...I chuckled and replied with a smile "No....you are making breakfast for me today"....his simple response was "Oh"...then runs off to get changed.

One By One & More
They all bounced down the stairs...from their oldest son to their middle daughter to the littlest baby. All rushing towards me to give me hugs and kisses! Sigh! So cute and adorable! Then our friends came down and immediately started working on the brunch...it was delicous....Omelette and Hash Browns with bottlemless coffee..Mmmm! Just what I needed! Good food and good company!

As we were eating and gabbing...the middle daughter pulls on my sleeve to get my attention. Then shyly looks on the floor for a brief moment, as if to gather courage...then seriously looking into my eyes...and whispers a simple question asking when my husband will be coming back and why does he take so long. My heart just melted...the kids are definitely missing my hubby. He's the one they always cling to when we visit...his attention is the one they demand. Sigh! I simply replied...next weekend :-)...and he'll be back up here to play with you all. A smile crosses her face with that tiny reassurance that my husband will be back home soon and she bounces away with her brother to play.

Catching Up

My last 'single' Saturday night was spent at my good friends. I met the wife through work and also through exercise classes....and I met the hubby through the wife :-) . They are one of the most genuine and generous couples I've met and since I haven't seen them since February...it was due time to meet up again....so they graciously invited me over for an evening of gabbing and home-made clam Linguine.

What did I contribute to the extravagant dinner? I baked a chocolate lava cake (thanks to Betty Crocker!) hee hee!

I arrived at their house promptly at 5:30pm so that I have enough time to talk and chat with my girlfriend thinking dinner and stuff would be over by 8:00pm at the latest. Her poor hubby was working out in the yard all by himself...doing their vegetable garden. Wow! He also laid his own flagstone path on both sides of their house. It was such a nice backyard! Something that pops out from HGTV! So while the hubby slaves away...us girls stayed inside and chatted to catch up with what's new and what's going on.

With us girls gabbing...time really flies. Little before I know...it was already past 10:00pm and both of us were turning into pumpkins....we have been talking for over 4 hours! Wow...so much to catch up on!

So...I guess for my temporary single life, I was able to have time to spend with my girlfriends...just to see how they are doing and vice versa. I'm just so lucky to have a such a tight group of girlfriends that care about each other a lot!

Friday Night Dinner @ Home with the girls

Well, this is my last 'single' weekend before my hubby gets back from his vacation. I can't believe how the time has flown....time goes by so quick. Since my roommies were staying in and also one of my ex-roommie / good friend was driving a good 45 minute just to hang out with me. It was only fitting to have a girls nite dinner at home where we can all enjoy each other's company and some girls' silliness.

The Dinner
I did a little Rachel Ray with some store bought Chicken & Apple sausages, Broiled Potatoes, Asparagus, Corn-on-the-cob, and a little side Spinach Spring Salad with boiled eggs. Dinner for four was easily made within 45 minutes since it's just heating, baking, and pan-frying. Nothing too bad, yet it was so nice and comfy since everybody was at home. I set out our table cloth, set out our plates...I was being a good hostess, at least I think I was ;-).

The Gab
The four of us gabbed about everything from the latest entertainment gossips to the art of 'writing left-handed' to relationships and plans. My goodness, it was such a girls night chat! Oh Yeah...we we all sober...I only served water! So we were just being our silly selves....one even did a little shaking and dancing! ;-) hahaha!

The Movie Review
Well, after dinner and chatting, my good 'out of town' friend and I already made plans for movie & dessert afterwards. The other two girlies decided to stay in since one was still sick and the other had an extra early day with work. Yuck! We watched 'Fever Pitch'....it was such a cute cute movie...kind of slow when it was talking about Boston Red Sox. For us two...it was just a little too much baseball. But I'm a fan of Drew Barrymore and think she's just adorable!

The Dessert
Ahhh, saving the best for last. I have been wanting to try this local dessert joint for ever. It's in downtown and it's really a 'hole' in the wall type of old-style dessert. However, it was ranked and rated by a couple of my friends as one of their favorites. So we drove out to downtown ...and oh my goodness! These cake slices were GIGANTIC! One of their slices was worth at least 2 - 3 x as much as my favorite european bakery! We decided to each get a slice and do a little sharing of tastes. I got the Frambois Cake and my friend got a little Strawberry Chocolate. It was delicious!!! I can't wait to take my hubby over there when he comes back...it's definitely a different type of place. It opened until very very late...it was past 1am and people were lining up (almost outside the shop!) for desserts! However, I think I would rather take my dessert home and enjoy instead since the seatings were small and crowded. We sat at the counter but still...I had a great time catching up with my girlfriend!

Horoscope Freaked Out!

So as I was scanning my excite.com home page, I scrolled to the bottom for my little horoscope report. And here it is....

"Speaking of finances, you've been on a bit of a shopping roll lately, haven't you? Things for the home, gifts for your dear ones and maybe just a couple of treats you've been dying to have. Well, good for you. But it might be time to wind things down just a tad. Try not to get too carried away -- you'll thank yourself later. Wasn't it you who was just telling a family member last week to plan for a rainy day?"

This is freaking me out! When my hubby left for his one-month long journey to home...the horoscope reported that someone you love dearly is away...and you're missing the person. Right on target! A little weird...but still right on.

Then today...as I was looking back my 'single' life without Chhimi (while driving back home from Costco and Home Depot)...I have been splurging just a little bit to keep my entertainment going. As in eating out with my buddies / colleages...or shopping for myself (hey...I needed some basic undergarments! Chhimi could vouch for that ;-D ) but I was already thinking to myself...hmm...maybe I shouldn't be spending so much for the next 2 weeks (until Chhimi comes home)....and BAM!

What hits me in the face? My horoscope telling me to 'back off' in my shopping spree. Omg! Is this a coincidence again?! Or should I really pay close attention to my horoscope now? Gosh! This is freaking me out! For all those who knows me personally, you know how cheap I can be. I'm as stingy as Ebenezer Scrooge [hey, at least I'm honest!]....and for a temporary time frame, I was spending on myself....I get a guilt trip from myself...then from my horoscope. My goodness...is somebody really watching over me? Yikes!

Sunday Brunch With A Girlfriend

I woke up mid-Sunday morning...kind of groggy...but my mood immediately changed when I felt the cool Sunday breeze on my skin and hear the birds chirpping away with their morning meal. Outside my window, I hear my neighbors getting ready for their Sunday chores (lawn mowing). I smiled to myself...and said, it's going to be a good and relaxing Sunday.

I met one of my girlfriends at the local midtown cafe. It was supposedly one of the places to be on a weekend. I've always wanted to try it out but just never had the chance. As I walked up to the entrance, I noticed the lines and waits of people outside. I thanked silently to my friend for having such good common sense to go a little early and grab us a nice quaint table in the back.

We don't see each other too often (and that's unfortunate) but its still a blast to see her and catch up no matter what. We talked about everything from relationships to families to jobs...you name it...we talked about it. It was just great to hang out on a Sunday with a little warm mocha and some crab cake benedict. ...Gosh! The food was sooo yum! When my hubby comes back...I will have to take him here ;-) Not sure if he'll like the 'yuppy' atmosphere...heck, not sure if he'll even wake up in time for weekend brunch. Hahaha!

Movie Premiere and Buddy Reunion

Well, it was my first 'movie premiere' ever...even though it was only local and it was a B-rated movie, it was still great to see all the actors and actresses in the movie. One of my colleages / friend was in the movie as the 'evil assistant' so I had to attend to cheer him on. The movie scared me a couple of times at the start...but majority of the time, we were just laughing away. It was great! The theater was about 85% filled and had a local band during the beginning.

This was also a great opportunity to catch up with my old college buddy. We haven't really seen each other since we graduated from college and saw each other once when we were back at the university for recruiting. So we met at the local pub...had some appetizers...had a couple of beers and just catch up with each others' lives. So much as changed...yet so much remains the same.

It made me miss our university days of being stressed-out, study camps in our own special study lounge...not knowing if we were going to pass our classes or not. We were a pack of 6 or 7...and went through the same classes and same difficulties. It was an amazing time when I felt I didn't fit in...they were there to let me know that I do! When I felt I was in the wrong major, my buddy was there to help me through.

This type of friendship is hard to come by and it made me realized that even though we are all 'grown-up', we should still remain good friends all in all, despite the work schedules, personal lives, georgraphy distance,etc. I look back and I do treasure those days.

Toast To Good Friends

Yesterday was one of the extreme days of work hectic, drama filled, chaos. I walk away for a one-hour meeting and I had over 9 emails come though to my Inbox for the same exact issue! I had voice mails then instant message going all over the place.

As I complained to my friend (who has left my group to join another one), he and his wife immediately invited me over to dinner just so we can gripe together, especially when my other-half is half-way around the world. Hahahahah! At first I worried that it may be a 'couple-thing' they were looking for...and I would feel kind of left-out....but nope...it was just dinner ;-).

It was a relaxing evening to be at their house...very warm and easy-going. Got to play with their 18 month old daughter for a little bit. Very cute & adorable! Dinner was excellent...pork chops, potatoes, and apsparagus (Mmm! Yummy!) and I even had 1/3 glass of white wine with it....something Blanc (meaning white...hahaha). I brought a lovely Just Desserts cake to their place...and I was so stuffed after dinner that I couldn't even eat dessert!

Just feels good to know I am surrounded by good friends! It was a very nice & relaxing evening.