. : . . : . . : .

Samoas

2011-01-20T23:31:00.002-05:00

Do you loooove Girl Scout cookie Samoas, and miss them all year? If so, try this.

http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2011/01/04/homemade-girl-scout-cookies-samoas-or-caramel-delites/

I haven't tried it yet, but I am expecting great things!!

studying

2010-12-19T20:50:00.013-05:00

I started studying for the CPA exam on November 29th. I'm using the Becker Review course materials, and the self study plan (as compared to classroom or online class). If I stick to my current plan (to.the.day.) and pass all four parts on the first try, I will be finished on 8/22/2011. So, realistically, I would just like to be finished anytime before 2012. After passing the first section, I have a rolling 18 month window to pass the other 3 or I lose credit.

I started with FAR (Financial Accounting and Reporting) which contains the most study material, and is supposed to be the toughest section to pass. After conquering that (hopefully - passing grade is a 75%) I will move on to REG (Regulation), then AUD (Audit), and finally BEC (Business Environment and Concepts.

The first week was ok, but now I'm several weeks in and I am already feeling discouraged - mostly because it looks like a mountain in front of me, and I've basically taken 2 steps. I've questioned why I am even putting myself through this, and I cleaned my apartment spotless just to procrastinate studying - I even ironed. The other day, I spent 20 minutes online reading articles about procrastination (yes, I was procrastinating). By golly, what do you think I am doing right now??

This is one of my Becker instructors (Peter Onlinto) giving a pep talk. HAH
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxurvsjFDMg&feature=related

As this endeavor progresses, I'm hoping I'll get into a study groove and just accept it as what I am choosing to do in life right now. Right at this very minute, though, I need another pep talk and something to look forward to.

funny!

2010-12-13T01:33:00.004-05:00

This is a video of Tim Hawkins talking about Hand Sanitizer - HAHAH

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wzxlv5vdN9I&feature=related

update

2010-07-06T00:02:00.002-04:00

An update on life is in order.

I did get a rabbit (see post below), and I’ll share a funny story. I bought cute matching ceramic bowls for his food and water, thinking it would make his cage look nicer. Unfortunately…rabbits don’t care much about aesthetics. He thought they were fun to tip over, and he had a ball knocking them over and scooting them around. I’ve resorted to a water dispenser, and an old cottage cheese container, which is pinned in a corner with two twisty ties. As soon as I set the new food bowl in his cage, and before I had even touched the twisty ties, he had the whole thing upside down, with food all over the floor inside and outside the cage. I was like, “you have got to be kidding, Woodrow” but he just looked up at me with his cute bunny ears, and little brown eyes.

Now that I have prevailed, at least for now, in the war against dumping the vita vittles, I will write about something else.

Nah.

I'm currently watching Woodrow take a nap (do rabbits ever shut their eyes?) in his litter box. Whatever, do what you want Woods’, it’s your decision where you want to catch some Zzs. I think that was my cue to stop with the blogging and go to sleep. Goodnight then.

Nom nom nom

2010-06-30T22:45:00.002-04:00

Say hello to Woodrow. He came home with me on Saturday, from the Tipp City Artisan Festival. He is a sweetie, and he loves kisses on the nose. He also loves running in circles on my screened/glassed in patio, and chomping on carrots like there is no tomorrow.

I'm not even kidding - Woods' is litter box trained! One of the corners of his cage has a triangle litter box, and he knows just what to do. He is a really curious little guy, and I'm excited to have him around!

desktop background

2010-04-09T12:23:00.004-04:00

I'm one of those people who changes my desktop background all the time. Here is the latest, just as a little memory for those who miss reading about my adventures in Hong Kong, and because it is a wicked awesome picture. yes, I just said that.

Jordan Hart -I am now talking directly to you - did someone take an infrared photo, you think? Or, is this the result of the shutter being open for a long time at night, and the city lights are glowing on the mountain...and someone enhanced the colors?

http://library.thinkquest.org/07aug/01297/index.html

Counting Down

2010-03-16T13:34:00.008-04:00

33 days of actual class left. 53 days until graduation day. Just sayin'

Spring Break was glorious. I hung out with my relatives, laughed a lot, and dissected a pig. I suppose I could explain myself on that last one, but I like the shock effect. It really did happen, though.

8 minutes

2010-02-11T21:07:00.003-05:00

So, I have this aerobics DVD. There are three different types of workouts, and each type has three ten-minute workouts. The idea is that you can mix and match any of the workouts into a custom routine. You get to create your plan, which is kind of fun.

The only problem is that I never make 30 minute workouts. I go to the custom option, and select one ten minute workout. Since the DVD lets me do what I want...I do. What is really great is that the first minute and the last minute are basically spent stretching to get ready for the exercise, and then cooling down. That means I actually get my heart rate up for about 8 minutes.

I've decided that it works for me. Typically, I pull it out when I feel like I've been sitting still for too many hours. Usually it's dark outside, so I can't go for a walk. If my goal was to burn calories, it would be pretty lame, but the 8 minute sessions work for me. One final note - I have no idea what compelled me to write about that in a blog, other than the fact that I just burned, like, 4 skittles doing a workout.

The MTR song

2010-01-26T00:00:00.008-05:00

I thought I'd add this to my blog - it's a good memory. My dorm was a 15 minute walk from the Kowloon Tong station...where the green crosses the blue.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_Stwb7KmfQ

My Masterpiece

2009-12-14T13:32:00.005-05:00

Thursday's essay test in my business capstone class? Bring it on! You can't tell from the picture, but every new topic begins with a bold title. All I need to do is draw some charts at the bottom, label topics in the margins, and maybe do some color coding with highlighters. Six point font is very readable..and I am happy that all I needed from 6+ chapters fit on my allowed "one-sided cheat sheet." Thank you, Dr. Pinto, for being nice to your seniors.

Now I just have to get ready for the other finals. All of this test taking really adds up...I have been evaluated by spitting information out on paper for about 15 years. I agree with a comment in my friend Liana's last post. To paraphrase what she said, I am thankful for the opportunity to get an education, and want to continue to learn throughout life, but I'm happy to be almost out of the cycle of (learn, hw, exam, project, exam, final)x5. Christmas break is going to be glorious.

What I want for Christmas!!

2009-12-05T22:50:00.004-05:00

A labradoodle!

Ok, maybe that wouldn't be the best choice right now, considering I live in an apartment where animals aren't welcome, aaand I don't have a job.

But my parents didn't ask what I needed/what was practical, they asked what I wanted! :)

Anyways...I am thinking of blogging again. After I returned home from Hong Kong I took a 7 month break from it, because I didn't know what to say. My "travel blog" froze when I walked off the plane, but it's thawing out! I took the world clocks off, changed the picture, took off the cheesy name, and picked new colors. Ah, there we go, not all posts need to say "Fun week in Beijing" now, they can say "Fun week in BG." It's pretty much the same title, anyways...just a little abbreviated. :)

Christmas break is 12 days away, and I'm ready to bake some cookies, relax, and read some books. I'll also probably update my resume and think about getting serious about finding a job for when my education chapter closes this May.

That's all for now, I shall end with another picture of a labrador + poodle. These are images from google, btw.

Going Home

2009-05-17T11:38:00.005-04:00

Well then, I guess that about wraps things up on this continent--Finals are over! Between the library and a silent study area on the 19th floor of my dorm, I have been sitting still a lot lately!

Speaking of the 19th floor, what’s up with people leaving their stuff unattended?

I mean, more than just a textbook and binder….we are talking cups, snacks, bags, sweaters, calculators, etc. I saw a sign on the door to the room that said “Please do not leave items unattended for more than three days during the exam period.” Really? This is one of the many things this semester that has been so different from what I’m used to. I took this picture pretty early in the day, not many people, but the room really fills up from about 7:30pm to 1 am!

The view from my room sure has transformed during the last four months. I started out watching dump trucks carrying away dirt, and look at the progress! The bamboo scaffolding is going strong, and the crane is hard-core. Hearing construction everyday has certainly been a trial, and I’ve learned a lot of tolerance, but I’m happy that there is only one more morning of it! I think that the new building is going to be some part of the university, possibly a visual arts building…something like that. Bummer for the future kids who are going to lose the view! I know my roommate came in multiple times at night to find me sitting on my desk and staring out the window…I just couldn’t help it.

This morning was the last church service with the people I love in Hong Kong. I am sure going to miss this bunch, they made me feel so welcome. These folks are so sweet, and I will cherish the memories.

One more little topic to add…

My parents got an email from my home university, basically letting them know what I might act like as I “re-acclimate” to life in the USA. You know, wanting to make sure the memories live on by talking about them, feeling frustrated that my international experiences have no role in my day-to day-life, or being depressed that I am reverting back to my old self after a period of growth and change. Some students might even feel condescending towards norms in the US. I’m not a psychologist, but I certainly can see how students that go abroad might encounter these feelings upon return.

However, I don’t think it will be too much of an issue for me. I had a nice time, don’t get me wrong, but I’m ready to be home sweet home. I’m sure it will help knowing that the best friend I made will be in Cleveland all summer, and I can always go visit her and revive some of our stories. Hmm..Perhaps I will go on about how amazing the MTR is, or how I really miss all the tea options. Hahaha, we shall see. If I do, just smile and nod, maybe add a couple uh-huhs in there somewhere and all will be well. I don’t foresee there being too much of a reverse culture-shock in my circumstance, but if I’m wrong, don’t say I didn’t warn you. :P

THANKS for following my travels—sharing made me feel less far away!

Ocean Park

2009-04-29T09:49:00.012-04:00

The semester is winding down! In an effort to have one more fun day before studying completely takes over, Liana, Sophie, Anne, and I went to Ocean Park. It’s an amusement park, but the major lure is the Panda’s and ocean life. We had a really good day, and I took some fun photos of God’s AMAZING creatures. The colors were so vibrant, and I was especially captivated by the Jelly Fish exhibit.

Before the Ocean Park pics, two others need space in the bloggersphere...I Finally made it up to Victoria Peak on a clear night. It was quite a view!

My radiant friend, Liana!

It seems that all clown fish have been permanently named Nemo.

This was a four story, viewing aquarium simulating an atoll reef. Liana said all the fish are very well fed in aquariums like this, which makes sense so that they can coexist more peacefully.

Quote of the day: “He has fish in his purse”

the new home for the Panda's...opening soon.

Beijing

2009-04-19T13:29:00.016-04:00

After taking about 240 pictures while in Beijing, I picked my favorite 60 for facebook, and then further reduced them to 30 for blogger. So it’s safe to say this is just a recap of the highlights, and if you’re interested I have a bunch more pics that can be viewed at a later date! After a week off school for the Easter holidays, I am in Hong Kong for 4 more weeks and then it’s back to the USA.

So lets see where to begin…I went to Beijing with 5 other students from my home university. Dr. Bennion, a Bowling Green professor (who has been the overseer of our program) met us there and planned two days of tours for the group and a meeting with the American Embassy. Three of us opted to take an approximately 3 hour flight, and the other three chose to take the train for about 25 hours. My group included Melissa, Liana, and myself. To insert an interesting point, the stewardesses came around and collected all foreign newspapers before we landed, because they are not permitted in China. We got in pretty late and needed to change a small amount of Hong Kong money into RMB for the taxi ride to our hotel downtown.

I hope the next two paragraphs are not a bore, but I have to tell the money story, as it was my first experience in China. Here goes…None of us had notified our banks about our travels, opting rather to take sufficient HK$ and just exchange at the hotel for an almost non-existent fee. Well, all the currency exchange places were closed (after midnight) and we were about to just go ahead and get money out of an ATM and then call our banks when we spotted a currency exchange machine—woohoo, right? Well…turns out, after we stepped up to the machine and touched “English”, a guy in a blue suit stepped up and said he would help us, as he worked for Travelex (the company of the machine). At this point we didn’t really need the help, but he seemed determined. I was fishing my wallet out of my bag and he was clicking some things on the screen when he announced that it was temporarily broken. What, it was fine a minute ago??

The man said he would take us to a Travelex booth and exchange the money himself, and we decided to followed him back past customs (showing our visas and passports again) in desperation. Along the way he said there would be a commission fee. Being skeptical, I ensued a series of questions about why the machine quit working? Why we had to pay commission when the machine we wanted to use was out of service? Finally, after he said the machine charges commission too, I had to give up and just be thankful we weren’t going to be stranded at the airport for the night. Poor guy, I was definitely giving him a hard time and a suspicious look.

When we finally made it out of the airport we got a taxi and were on our merry way to the hotel. I have to say I felt extremely comforted driving on the right side of the road! It was an enjoyable 30 minute ride and traffic was really light so late at night. Ok, now for some pictures!

Noodles in the park..delicious.

Intricate designs on the ceiling..at all the temples and parks!

Outside the forbidden city--that mote is 3,800 meter long!

Scorpions and seahorses on a stick…the scorpions were still squirming. The guy would cook them up fresh for those interested. No thanks!

Outside the entrance to the Forbidden City. Most people use the other entrance, and it was nice going against the tourist crowd…smart tour guide.

Intricate carvings in stone between two sets of steps

The Forbidden City

The other entrance (our exit) with Mao Zedong picture…facing Tiananmen square.

Tiananmen Square

Temple of Heaven

Andrew and some ladies that wanted their picture with him. This happened sooo many times! People who probably hadn’t seen many westerners wanted pictures with us. Some even took our pics while we were weren’t looking. It was crazy.

Olympic Park from the window

We took a tour of a Cloisonne Pot factory, which I really enjoyed. Cloisonné, an ancient metalworking technique, is a multi-step enamel process used to produce jewelry, vases, and other decorative items. (from Wikipedia, of course :)

All of us and The Great Wall of China!! We were pretty excited.

Our tour guide Jamie

That was 454 steps, in case you were wondering :D

Our fancy restaurant dinner on Thursday. Peking Duck with Liana’s roommate, Sophie, and her mother. They live in Beijing and very generously took us all out to eat and taught us about all the dishes on the table. Sophie’s dad couldn’t make it due to work, but it was great meeting her mom (who doesn’t speak English) and a few of her friends.

The Summer Place. It is a huge garden/lake place where the emperor would retreat in the summer. Absolutely gorgeous.

Blurry, but for all my Troy readers—HOBART!! This company started in my hometown.

Well that’s it for the pictures. I can’t do the trip justice with a blog entry of course, but it at least shows a bit of the experience. We had great, clear weather for sightseeing, which Jamie said is not usually the case. One place I didn’t get a picture of was the silk factory we toured. It was interesting seeing how silk is made, starting with the silk worm, and moving through a series of phases. Did you know that the little strand of silk on one cocoon can stretch longer than a mile!

It was strange not having a working cell phone and Internet connection. For some reason calls to the US didn’t go through, even on Melissa’s calling card. I definitely realized how much I like being able to contact those I care for, and it was a long time without talking to my mom. :) We managed to get to an internet café to check our emails and let our parents know we had arrived safely, so we all felt a little better after that. It only cost 3 RMB for an hour! That’s about 44 pennies US$. For a little info, the Chinese Yuan is also known as Yuans, and RMB. It was weird getting “change” in bill form. For instance, if you pay with a ten you might get 2 fives back. The fives are smaller in size, and represent half a yuan, but it definitely had me confused at first, especially because coins are used too.

It was neat being able to recognize that the language is different in the Mainland than in HK. Granted, I still have no idea what is being said, but I could recognize that it sounded a bit different. HK has 2 official languages, English being one of them, so it's pretty easy to get around. However, in China, that is not the case. All of us felt a little more challenged than usual in the communication department. While traveling back to HK, we were excited to return to a place where we feel comfortable..or at least familiar.

Hmm, what else to share... I can’t think clearly because I stayed up way too late trying to finish this post. I may write a follow up blog if enough things come to mind that could be added, but I guess I’ll go ahead and call it a night. Thanks for reading!

Coming Right Up

2009-04-06T10:46:00.009-04:00

It will be weird missing Easter at home. It is a special time, and I'm used to spending most of it with my church. But rather than just sitting around campus (we don’t have classes all week), I’ll be flying up to Beijing on the 13th and returning to HK on the 18th! I picked up my mainland China visa at the Chinese consulate in Wan Chai a few days ago, and I’m looking forward to seeing the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. I’ll save the blogging for afterward!

I’ve reached a point where the end is in sight, but it’s still far away..43 more days. In an effort to put some of the thoughts drifting through my brain down on paper, I have started several lists. Keep in mind that some things are really random, and that the items are not in any particular order.

What am I looking forward to at home?
*Being with my family/friends
*Charlie- I always miss my favorite k-9 when away.
*Seeing grass instead of concrete
*Driving places
*Being inside a house, an actual solid house with a front door. I haven’t been in one since the morning I left Troy! (Only the really rich live in houses here, due to the high population.)
*Homemade Lasagna/homemade banana bread/random fruit smoothie concoctions in the blender…fooood in general.
*Being finished with dorm life forever (although this entire year has been free from kids being immature—still happy it’s over)

What will I not miss when I leave?
*Rice-at least for a while
*The construction outside my window
*Crossing the streets!
*Noise, noise, noise.

What will I miss?
*My new friends and acquaintances
*Hearing my roommate talk in her sleep, in Cantonese! haha..It always amazes me that people are dreaming and thinking in different languages.
*Hopping on the MTR and going places
*Pacific Coffee Company (I don’t know for sure, but this company may have more market share in HK than Starbucks)
*Church and fellowship with the Ralee family and others
*My potted plant (I don’t think customs would appreciate me bringing soil back)

Visitors in Hong Kong

2009-03-28T11:13:00.017-04:00

This past week has been quite different from the usual; Jordan and Luke were in HK!

On Sunday evening, Liana went with me to the airport to meet J&L. They got octopus cards for riding the MTR, and then we headed to their hostel in Tsim Shau Tsui so they could get checked in. They stayed in the Chung King Mansions on Nathan road, near quite a hustle and bustle of activity and a few minutes walk from Victoria harbor. Liana and I went inside with them, and lets just say we both vowed to never set foot in that place again! I’m glad Luke and Jordan felt safe, and I’m glad they made it through the week without getting anything stolen. I’m sure they will include some more detail about their hostel experience in their blogs, so I’ll just mention that there were hawkers on the lower level harassing people to buy tailored suits or handbags, and crazy packed elevators that only hit the even floors or the odd floors. eek. My roommate, Yuen, lent them an extra phone for the week (since the bandwidth is different here) and they just had to pick up a local sim card at 7-eleven, so that worked out great.

On Monday, I decided to skip my international business class and go to Lantau Island with J&L. I hadn’t missed a single class, and it is a lecture class that sticks closely to a power point, so I wasn’t too concerned. The big Buddha was hiding in the mist, but he said hello for a few minutes here and there. While on Lantau we hiked the wisdom path, and it was one of the coolest things I’ve done so far in HK. The wooden poles are laid out in the shape of an infinity symbol, and it seemed mysterious with the fog. We also stopped by the Po Lin monastery (pictured above), and then took a bus down the mountain to the fishing village of Tai O. There were stilt houses, old bridges, and some great views from the pier!

Tuesday rolled around and I went to class, and then Liana and I met up with J&L to head to Sha Tin and see the temple of 10,000 Buddha’s. Overall, that place was weird. Too many statues and too many Buddha’s--strange indeed. Next we went to Diamond Hill to see the Nan Lian garden and Chi Lin nunnery. I mentioned in a previous post that I missed the nunnery last time. Well, funny story, I got a little closer this time by reaching the area out front with lily pads, but the nunnery closed at 4:00 and it was 4:30. Maybe next time—third time’s a charm?

Liana and I parted ways with J&L and headed back to campus for a group project meeting, and then scheduling classes for next fall in BG. The minute my time slot opened up I added 3 with no problem. I had to email the head of the accounting department back home and request that he have his secretary add me to my fourth class, since I’m in the last pre-requisite right now and it isn’t registered in the system at the moment. To send some good PR out about Bowling Green, he responded to my request and had me enrolled in the class within 45 minutes of my email. Sigh of relief! I’m really looking forward to the layout of classes next fall. I start every morning at 9:30 and then I’m finished with class at either 11:30 or 12:45. It doesn’t get much better than that!

Ok, next day…Wednesday. After my class I met J&L at their MTR stop and we took a bus to Aberdeen and then a ferry to the Jumbo Floating restaurant for dim sum. This is a must for visitors, and we had a fun time trying to figure out what food corresponded to what we actually ordered. With the way “dim sum” works, basically 3-5 small portions come for each item that is ordered, and then everyone at the table shares the food…very traditional style of eating in the eastern parts of the world. After Jumbo, we went to Central and ended up getting visitor’s passes and going up to the 55th floor of the International Financial Center 2! It was pretty funny getting into the elevator we were directed towards, because the only buttons to pick from were G and 55. Apparently that is the only option for people not in business attire =). The view was towering over most of the other buildings around, and there was a little library and lots of info about the money and banking system in HK…pretty interesting stuff.

I'm the last door on the left..

Wednesday was an eventful day. After the IFC2, we headed to my campus and Luke and Jordan checked their emails in the coffee shop, and then we left for Kwun Tong and dinner with the Ralee’s. I’m glad they got to meet my HK “family”, as I have come to think of Bro. Rodney, Sis. Grace, and the kids. We got extreeeeemly authentic food, as Sis. Grace actually went out in front of the restaurant and pointed to the live seafood in buckets, which eventually ended up on our table.

What day comes next? Thursday? J&L spent most of their morning traveling around and visiting places like Stanley market and the Jade market, and I stayed around campus and did some essential schoolwork and went to class. Liana and I met up with them and we saw the Light show from the harbor, and then my friends Brendan and Kelly met us and we walked to Ebeneezers—my favorite Indian restaurant here…(well the only one I’ve been to).

Neither Liana or I have class on Fridays, so we all met up fairly early and went to Lamma Island for a good hike. We took the ferry for about 30 minutes and then started hiking with a loop from Sok Kwu Wan. When we got back to where we started we took the path towards the other side of the island--Yung Shue Wan. It was sprinkling for the first half of the hike, which was kinda nice, but then the rain picked up! I’ve never had a problem hiking in my Chaco sandals, but I now know that hiking for a long period of time when they are completely soaked can lead to a blister on the top of my foot...that’s gonna last for at least a week.

toxic tide from algae or dinoflagellates. I Learned about this in Marine Bio, don't eat the shellfish!

We finally made it to the place where a ferry runs back to HK, and we were completely drenched! Liana was the only one with an umbrella; the rest of us just had “water resistant” rain jackets. We were famished so we decided to stop at McDonalds after the ferry ride (they had already experienced enough traditional food at this point). When Jordan was waiting in line a worker came right up behind him and put a “wet floor” sign up by the small pool of water that he was creating. Oooops…hahahahaha, what are ya gonna do.

We all met back up later that night for a trip up the Victoria peak tram to see the city at night, but all we saw was mist…again, what are ya gonna do. I have to admit, I was a little jealous saying goodbye and knowing they would be in the US a day later. I enjoyed having company, and I know they got a cultural experience in the city where the east meets the west!

Bank of China on the left

Peak Tower

Westerners and Diamond Hill

2009-03-15T11:43:00.010-04:00

Say hello to my friends! Jerusha is seven and her brother, Joshua, is six. They speak English with each other and their dad, and Cantonese with their mom. (She speaks wonderful English, too) We can’t forget Mandarin though, Sis. Grace’s cousin is teaching the both of them this third language! To clarify--Mandarin is the official language in the PRC (People’s Republic of China), and Cantonese is the Chinese dialect used in Hong Kong. I’m impressed by all the bi-lingual/ tri-lingual children and adults.

The Ralee family (I go to their house for church) asked how I felt about being so different in appearance from most of the other approximately 7 million people in the city. It is interesting, and the curious looks definitely come my way, especially when I am farther from a tourist attraction or the college campus. How do I feel about it? Hmm..nothing really defined. The only time I even think about it is if I'm alone, which is basically only on Sundays. I catch mostly older people eyeing me inquisitively, and they have every right to think, “Huh, wonder what she’s doing here.”

To throw in a bonus fact, since this post is leaning towards the details--Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world, with an overall density of some 6,303 people per square kilometer. (Taken from the US Department of State) Wow.

Ok, back to the original topic. The family has been to the US, Ohio actually, and Jerusha has good memories and a pen pal. During our conversation over lunch she sighed contently and said, “I love westerners.” Her dad was cracking up, we all were, it was just so funny the way she said it.

minibus stop after church

I stopped at the Nin Lian garden in Diamond Hill on the way back today..and apparently managed to completely miss the attached Buddhist nunnery. The pamphlet I picked up was in Cantonese, and by the time I actually looked at it I was around a couple bends and twists in the path. I knew there was a nunnery from a sign near the MTR, but I didn’t know the bridge at the top of the "picture" led straight to it until after returning to campus. Go figure. So that ones back on the list.

very man-made but still serene

Ebeneezer's Kebob

2009-03-08T04:53:00.016-04:00

For starters, Indian food is delicious. Amar India and Jeet are my favorite restaurants. For those not from around the Dayton area/not familiar, both of these restaurants are owned by the same family and are equally delicious. So, that being said, I was happy to read reviews of Indian restaurants in HK, and try something new. Ebeneezer's Kebob may be the best food I’ve had since arriving in Hong Kong…except it was a little spicy!

Liana and I got off the MTR at Central, took exit D2, and turned left. It only took a few minutes to find the open front, hole in the wall, Indian restaurant! I ordered my favorite, chicken tikki masala, and Liana ordered a “wrap” something or other. She is extremely intelligent, and she fit the word “mild” into her order. I, on the other hand, was expecting the spiciness to be bearable. Now I can’t remember whether I order a level two or three spiciness back home, on a scale of five. Hmm, probably a two..

It was really casual dining, where they call numbers and you return to the counter for the tray, and sit on a stool at one of the high tables. I think most people choose the take-out option. For a split second I thought, “wow—this tastes exactly the way I expected it to.” And then it hit me, I am burning…Aaaahhh! After putting out the initial fire, I cautiously tried again..

Here’s the part were things got out of hand. I was wiping a tear from my eye, when Miss Liana said “Oh No.” She sticks her shoe out from underneath the table and says, “Look.” Her lovely white tennis shoe had a new decoration, an orange spot. These shoes have a history, and in the middle of the new spot, there is already a smaller brown mark from another mishap this semester involving chocolate ice cream. At this point I was crying, trying to swallow rice, and laughing hysterically. She needed a tide-to-go pen.

Since we were already at Central on Hong Kong Island, we decided to kill some time at the IFC Mall, and stay for the eight o’clock Symphony of Lights show from another perspective. The skyline is more impressive when looking towards HK Island, but it was neat to see what the Kowloon side looks like across Victoria Harbor.

Here are some pics from the day:

This is called a junk

Thai fruit carving

2009-03-03T09:44:00.003-05:00

Every Tuesday night there is a Thai fruit carving class right in my dorm. Basically, it is equivalent to a "residence life program," as we call them in Bowling Green. I didn’t make it last week for the tomatoes, or the week before when the apples transformed into swans. When I saw a picture of the swans, I decided to show up for class!

Here is what we did--carnations out of carrots. It seemed that the people with the thinnest slices of carrot had the best results. Mine sort of fell apart after I took a picture, but it was a hoot!

home away from home...

2009-02-27T23:50:00.005-05:00

under the south tower, looking towards the north tower

north tower-dorms

view from south tower-19th floor balcony

“A tree trunk the size of a man grows from a blade as thin as a hair. A tower nine stories high is built from a small heap of earth.”
Lao Tzu

Upgrade

2009-02-24T11:37:00.012-05:00

I took these pictures on my way to pick up my student Octopus card for riding the MTR. Students get every single fare for half the price, which really adds up, and we have picture identified cards. I don’t mind if anybody knows I went from Kowloon Tong to Tsim Sha Tsui, but it's interesting how much data in general could be tracked. Seeing the MTR headquarters (which was a different occasion) made me think about IT on the planet Camazotz. A Wrinkle in Time sure was a great book. Hehe, food for thought.

It has been really hazy here the last few days..and it sure is getting humid!

The case of the yuanxiao dumpling

2009-02-19T10:48:00.013-05:00

Not too much new to report here...I was a little lethargic last weekend due to feeling a bit sick and a book that sucked up my attention. It all started after eating a sesame filled dumpling in red bean soup--called a yuanxiao dumpling or 粽子. We had a floor party celebrating a holiday for the mainland students, and this was the traditional snack served.

Basically, we’re talking black sesame powder inside of sticky rice flour, all floating in a bowl of red bean soup. Here is a photo I found online...looks appetizing, huh?

Here is the recipe if you actually think so:
http://chinesefood.about.com/od/chinesenewyear/r/yuanxiao.htm
(sorry, dear reader, I tried and failed to insert the link properly)

Thankfully, both the nausea and the book are history..hahaha. So maybe this weekend will yield greater returns. Oh no, that phrase made me think of accounting--midterms in 2 weeks!

Well, there are two new photos to share:

Inside Kowloon City Plaza

I know I already posted a pic from my room, but the sky was purple!

Macau

2009-02-08T02:00:00.012-05:00

With the weather still being cool, and a free day to make plans, Liana and I decided to take the one-hour ferry to Macau and see what we could see. Technically speaking, we left Hong Kong (passport stamping involved). Upon arrival we found a tourist information center and picked up a few pamphlets to browse though and plan our day. I’m pretty sure half of Liana’s info ended up being in Portuguese, which was humorous.

We decided on 5 spots that looked interesting, and got on bus 28C. This one looked like it would go near the Templo Kun Iam, which was the first place on our list. Here is the thing about the buses. Even if you know where you want off, it’s basically impossible to know the number off stops the bus will make first, and when is the right time to ring the buzzer and get off in the desired location. Only the main stops are listed, and there are tons of little stations everywhere. We basically just guessed and got off. After lunch at an unnamed restaurant franchise that is the epitome of globalization, we found some street signs and navigated our way to the temple. I was surprised to walk under the incense coils and see that they were actually burning on the ends.

We decided not to brave the bus again, and walked to the next destination, Jandim Lou Lim Ioc. This was a lovely garden in the city, and certainly a haven for those who live in the hustle and bustle every day. I saw several people meditating and making the most of the atmosphere. This was my favorite stop of the day!

Next, we walked to the Guia fortress, near the center of the city. The view was spectacular from the top. We sat down for a minute to look at the map and decided that the next stop looked a bit far away, and that some of the streets were not labeled. We decided a taxi ride would be nice, and I proceeded to hail a taxi for the first time ever. The map I had was nifty because I could point to the destination in English, and the Cantonese version was right next to it. The driver took us to the Ruin’s of St. Pauls Cathedral. This was an interesting stop, and there was a room underneath called the Museum of sacred art that struck my fancy.

View from the ruin's of St. Paul's

Liana and I were able to continue on the walking journey, and we arrived at Senado Square, a very popular tourist attraction! I bought a tea (no idea what it was called) and it tasted like rose water, which surprised me…I think I liked it? A group of kids asked if they could interview me for a class project, and we had a little chat about the Chinese New Year festivities. Will I celebrate the New Year back home?? Well yes, but I doubt I will get any red packets…

The light was fading and the twinkle lights over Senado square where pretty grand. I have always been a fan of twinkling ambience. We stayed for a while and then decided that we were ready to find our way back to the East side of Macau for the ferry terminal. This meant another bus ride, but we picked the right one and our location was really easy to spot, so everything went fine. A very enjoyable day!

Kung Hei Fat Choi!

As an addition to make this post even looonger, I enjoyed going to Bro. Rodney and Sis. Grace Ralee’s house for church last Sunday. My friend Wendy (from HK and currently living in Ohio) knew them and gave me the contact info. Hong Kong is surprisingly safe, and I knew I would be just fine on a Sunday morning with angels by my side, but it still took me a while before I felt comfortable enough to travel there alone. I rode the MTR and then took a minibus to get there. Bro. Rodney told me in his email where to get off, and I searched online to see exactly what stops I would be skipping (a bit easier in HK), and the approx. time of the drive. You can never be too prepared, right?

We sang Amazing Grace and a few other songs, and Sister Grace played the piano beautifully. The Ralee’s 6 year old son sat in the front and changed the power point words while singing with enthusiasm, and his 7 year old sister sat beside him and kept looking over at me. It was cute. During the sermon, Brother Sam stood off to the side and translated into Cantonese.

After church everyone was sweet and hospitable and they said typically they serve lunch, but the kids had a Tae Kwon Do performance that afternoon. After fellowshipping for a while, Bro. Ralee walked me back to the bus stop and waited till I was safely on my way, which is always a good thing. The Ralee's are currently out of town for two weeks, but now that I know how to get there, I want to go back!

Lantau Island

2009-01-31T10:31:00.026-05:00

Yesterday, Liana and I decided to explore Lantau Island and finally see the “Big Buddha.” We got all the way to the Island riding the MTR and then headed right around the corner from the station to get in line for the Ngong Ping Cable Car ride. This was a 25-minute ride over beautiful scenery up into the mountains. (Your computer screen isn't dirty, it was the glass window =)The 85-foot high Tian Tan Buddha statue appeared in the distance and we were soon back on solid ground and ready to explore. After some spaghetti, which was delicious by the way, we followed the crowd and started ascending Buddha’s steps.

My final paper in a “history of architecture” class entailed researching "ascendance" in both the ancient and modern world. I was definitely aware of the effects of such a grand staircase while I was the little tourist climbing up. Besides the function of being stairs, there was aesthetic and religious meaning embedded in the journey.

The view from the platform at the back of the statue was stunning. The South China Sea was in the distance, and little islands appeared in the haze as the horizon faded into the sky. I had one of those moments where everything sort of stops, and I just stood there and took it all in. Truly Beautiful.

We also went to the Po Lin Monastery and checked that out, but I can’t really think of anything to blog about for that stop…

When we were ready to return to Tung Chung on the cable car, the line wrapped through the street and a sign at the end said, “approximate queuing time from here to boarding--60 minutes.” We got in line and pretty soon after a guy walked by with a sign for the express line, where you volunteer to stand up for the whole ride. The wait time was 5-10 minutes!! After a wee bit of coercion I convinced Liana that it would be totally worth it, and it was!

We didn’t get a chance to go to Tai O, on the NW side of the island. This town is famous for being a fishing town with a bunch of stilt houses. So, we have a reason to go back to Lantau Island!

As a small edit to a previous blog...there are no llama's on Lamma Island. I spelled it like the animal =D

The year of the ox

2009-01-27T10:14:00.016-05:00

My friend Celia is one of the student ambassadors for HKBU who picked international students up at the airport, and helped us feel welcome. She sent a text to some of us yesterday, and it reads:

Happy Chinese Lunar New Year! “Kung Hei Fat Choi” is a phrase that we use to say to each other most frequently in the new year, it means “Hope you can be rich in all aspects”, now I give this phrase to you with my best wishes =)

So there you have it, “Kung Hei Fat Choi.” If you fold your hands together in front of you and raise them slightly up and down while saying the phrase, you can pull it off. Traditionally, little children are given small red packets with a newly minted coin inside. I was given two!! Although, my coins were chocolate=)

Last night I went to the Chinese New Year parade. I read online that a front row viewing requires a 2-hour early arrival! My group got there about 1.5 hours before the parade, and I was in about the fourth row, give or take some elbows. By the time the parade started, there was a sea of people and I had been standing on the same little square of concrete for what seemed like a very long time. My last memory like this was when our 43rd President stopped in the Troy square and said hello during his “four more years” campaign. After an hour and a half of parade viewing (we are at 3 hours here folks) Whitney was ready to call it a day AND talking about herself in third person. Crowds have never been her favorite way to pass the time.

The parade started from the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and ended up at the New World Centre, which she was directly across from. Ok, ok, I’ll stop that. There were some cool drummers that marched by, and quite a few interesting floats and such.

Tonight continued the festivities with fireworks near the harbor. Again, there was quite a crowd, but not as crazy as the night before, since people weren’t pushing to see. I am still not used to the aggressive ways of the city. People walk straight towards me and I feel like I am always getting out of their way. Some has to yield or there will be a collision!

The rows behind me at the beginning of the parade.

Herding into the MTR station after the fireworks.

The museum and the black hole

2009-01-23T08:35:00.008-05:00

There are no classes this coming week due to the Chinese New Year holidays! I’m hoping to do a bit of traveling and go on day trips to Macau, Lantao Island, and maybe Ocean Park to see the pandas!

Today marked my first museum visit in HK. The Hong Kong Museum of Art had collections of Chinese fine art, Chinese antiquities, Contemporary Hong Kong art, and a gallery of Chinese painting and calligraphy. After getting in for the student price of about 3 US quarters, Liana and I headed to the fourth floor and worked our way down. It was interesting to see things from the Tang, Qing, and Shang dynasties. This art museum was very different from ones I have been to in the past. There were no impressionistic paintings and no Mark Rothko or Picasso to be seen. We enjoyed soaking up this different sort of history and culture.

I must admit we weren't all that thrilled by some of the modern art. Sometimes, it takes a special kind of person to really appreciate strange sculptures, and a dark room with eerie music and a film of a tiger walking around on all four walls. Oh goodness. There was one room in the modern art exhibit that really struck me though. The walls, floor, and ceiling were white, and there was a bit of a “black light” glow in the room. The only thing on a wall was at the far end, and was a dark tunnel looking sculpture that extended inward past the wall, ending in a small dark hole. I felt like it was sucking me in--a rather strange feeling. Plus I wanted to stick my hand in the hole; I wonder if any museum patrons have tried.

Check this out--I am getting technologically savvy and putting titles right by the photos =)

The Museum-go figure..

A street view-notice the 7-eleven, they are everywhere!

Decorations for the Chinese New Year

Labels

2009-01-19T08:49:00.000-05:00

My brother inquired about a photo I took of some citrus fruit on Llama Island, and I didn’t know what it was. Well, at the store I saw a package of them (labeled Kam Quat) for sale. I figured I would try it for $11.3…and before you think I am an extravagant spender, remember this is HK$. It’s equivalent to about $1.46 US after conversion. I still have sticker shock--$100?!! Oh, that’s about 13 bucks.

The interesting thing is that a friend told me to eat the peel. Apparently, it is so thin that it doesn’t have that strong taste like an orange peel. After washing the fruit in water we are allowed to brush our teeth with (but are advised not to drink) I gave it a try. I can affirm that eating the entire thing is pretty good. As far as the water situation goes, there is a purifier in the lounge on each floor—so I’m set for liquidation.

On a different note, I learned today in International Business that Coca-Cola translates in Mandarin into two symbols, which mean “delicious” and “makes you happy.” The sound is roughly ho-how, ho-low. This was a fantastic brand name to choose and a great marketing scheme when created. Most brands get lost in translation.

Symphony of Lights

2009-01-17T09:47:00.000-05:00

Last night, I went with a few friends to the Avenue of The Stars promenade, on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront. At 8:00 PM every night, there is a laser light show across Victoria harbor called Symphony of the Lights. I really enjoyed being by the water, seeing the twinkling lights on the buildings, and watching the show. Plus, we stopped and got coffee, which is always delicious.

This morning, I got up at 8, packed a lunch, and got on a bus with a group to Central, where a boat took us to Llama Island. Don’t get my wrong, I love roller coasters, but the rocking of the boat from side to side messed with my equilibrium. I was feeling a bit nauseous, but was soon distracted by the beauty around me, and feeling better. We perched on some rocks near the water for a while, and then hiked over to the south side of the Island. It was only about 50 minutes of hiking, and the views out over the water were simply breathtaking. God sure has a knack for beauty.

It was nice to see a different side of Hong Kong today; there are a lot of “faces” to experience. I’m referring to things such as the college campus, crowded and busy city streets, the fancy upscale malls, the financial and business district, AND the nature. I’m assuming you know me if you are reading this, so you’ll know that the crazy “nightlife” is not on my list.

On a different note, I am excited to learn how to knit mittens. I can follow patterns with crochet, and knit pretty basic stitches, but mittens?? That’s for the pros. Fortunately, Liana is just that. We went to a shop on the 14th floor of a building the other day, and there were rows of “ceiling to floor” shelves of yarn. My Grandma would love this store. I have purple yarn sitting on my desk, just waiting to fulfill it’s calling.

Lets see, the photos include Llama Island, the symphony of lights, and the yarn store.

Photos

2009-01-14T05:37:00.000-05:00

Here's a picture of Jackie Chan's studio, and a picture from a footbridge near campus!

Let the semester begin

2009-01-12T07:16:00.000-05:00

Culture shock is setting in. I got up super early to add a class in Academic Registration, all the way on the other side of campus. Before this, though, I needed approval from the dean’s office of the business school. I got there at 7:55, and found out the office opened at 9. Finally, at 9:07 they told me to turn in my papers and come back in an hour. I replied “I’ll wait right here.” After that whole fiasco, I was told it would be ok to walk in late on the first day, so I headed to class and sat in the 2nd row, to the sound of a professor speaking in Chinese, and a room full of students that went “ooooh (because of the language thing)”

Mr. Wong asked if I was in the right class, switched to English speaking, and asked if I had the notes off of “moodle,” which is like blackboard back home. I said no, and some kind person passed an extra copy down to me. Cost accounting then carried on to a review of production budgets and direct materials usage..blah blah blah. I liked the class, but I didn’t have my calculator when we did examples. During the break (3 hour class) he asked if I would mind switching to his Tuesday section, since other international students would be there. I didn’t mind at all—as long as he force added me, because there were no spots left. He seemed to think it was worth it, so he could speak in Chinese on Mondays. This means I get to re-do the entire class tomorrow.

Ok, so class number two. This was international business, and others from my home university were enrolled as well. We sat near each other, and tried to pay attention to the professor, with the overwhelming sound of murmuring coming from ALL the rows behind us. Apparently, people here don’t mind whispering during the entire class. I thought I was coming to a culture that would pay attention and be quiet during lectures. I rested my hand over one ear, and turned the other to catch the lecture. We were all getting frustrated, to the point where I was about to laugh. I had to dig my fingernails into my palm to counteract the “laughing in a socially unacceptable situation” feeling. (Just like choir back in high school =) Anyways, I will be migrating to the first or second row for the rest of the semester.

As you can tell by this point, absolutely no exploring took place today. I am collecting things I will laugh about in the future.

First day on the MTR

2009-01-10T09:08:00.001-05:00

Today was really fun. Liana and I (we are pals now) ventured out into the city in search of power adapters. She had researched a place on HK Island that sells a bunch of computer/technology type stuff, and let me tell you, there was a bunch! We hopped on the MTR after hesitating because it looked full. Well, let me tell you (again), it was not full yet. After us, at least 5 more people jammed in. I felt like a sardine. Fortunately, we were off soon to transfer to another line. I have decided that underground transportation systems are the niftiest thing ever. Whoever engineered the first one was a genius.

After purchasing a second adapter, we went to Kowloon, where we stumbled upon a beautiful park in the city. There was a man wading around in the pond, and fishing leaves into his net. It looked like a fun job.

Classes start on Monday, so I am sure these posts are going to appear less frequently. I’m only adding one class in the drop/add period, which will bring me to a total of 12 credit hours. I had hoped for 15, but it will be nice to feel less stress while in such an incredible location. (Yes, I could add a random class; No, I don’t want to). Most accounting classes here are too “China specific” it seems. This means that my final semester will consist of 18 hours, 12 of which are accounting classes. I suppose it will be neat to see all of the subject matter run together. I’m trying to think positive here. Maybe I will sleep on my textbooks and hope for some osmosis.

Anyhow, I am going to call it a night. There are no textbooks yet!

Photos include Kowloon Park, a city street(can't remember which one), and the Wan Chai MTR station.

Tour of HK

2009-01-09T08:18:00.001-05:00

What a day!

All the international students met this morning at 9:15, boarded 3 busses, and headed to Wong Tai Sin Temple. We were told that many people go to the temple twice a year, once to ask the gods for something, and once to thank the gods for granting their requests. There were people carrying incense above their heads, and kneeling in the temple. My friend Kelly and I were a bit concerned that someone was going to light our hair on fire, but that crisis was averted thank goodness.

Next, we went to the jade market, which was really neat. I bought a bracelet for about $5 US after practicing my bartering skills. It was crazy seeing rows and rows of booths selling jade products. Everybody was ready to sell something, and sharing the price on their calculators. It kind of caught me off guard when one guy just said hi and sat there. I wanted to buy something from him, but I’d already made my purchase.

We left the jade market and headed to the peak, which was quite a view. I will most certainly be going back to the peak for an evening view sometime. (not alone--don’t worry =) It’s so nice being in HK for a few months, because I don’t feel rushed to get all the sightseeing packed into a week. After snapping a bunch of photos we were off to Aberdeen, to take the restaurant shuttle boat over to the Jumbo Floating Restaurant for Dim Sum. I believe this is the largest floating restaurant in the world. It was amazing on the outside AND inside. Again, I want to see this place at night.

After this, we went to Repulse bay and walked on the beach for a bit. I snapped a photo of Jacky Chan’s house on the side of a mountain! The last stop was Stanley Market, a must for tourists. I got a red and gold Pashmina (scarf) and a change purse for the mass amounts of change that seems to be accumulating in my bag. My friend Ao Siqiao from Mainland China wanted an English name, so Kelly and Brendan suggested Austin and it stuck.

I’m gonna call it a day on the blogging, because this is getting rather lengthy!

Oh, tricked you, I have one more thing to share! So, supper tonight was interesting. Liana and I ordered food, and I picked fish filet or something similar to that. Little did I know I would get A FISH-scales and all. We could not stop laughing because Herb (the fish) was staring at her across the table. This required the use of a fork rather than chopsticks, but he was pretty tasty! Ok then, that is all!

Photos uploaded in reverse order...Bay by Stanley Market, a few of us at the Jumbo Floating Restaurant, Shuttle boat, View from the peak (note the IFC2 where batman appeaered), and Wong Tai Sin Temple!

Fuji Apple flavored mentos

2009-01-08T10:01:00.001-05:00

That's right, I picked up fuji apple flavored mentos AND grape mentos at the store today. Who knew such a thing even existed!

The flight to HK was pretty uneventful, which is a good thing. A bunch of Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU-commonly referred to as BU) students picked our group of 9 students up at the airport and took us to "BU." We've been in orientation for the last 2 days, and tomorrow is a tour of the city-woohoo!

Last night I went to a supermarket with a few other students, and that was definitely a new experience. As soon as I picked out a pillow and pillowcase, a woman gave me a slip of paper and took my stuff away! (I think they get commission) Then I had to pick a bedspread, and I knew it wouldn't match the pillowcase that had disappeared to the counter. I proceeded to the counter intending to take the case and go find a new one--that was plain confusing. After much description using gestures and made up sign language (on my part) she relinquished the pillowcase into my hands. I can now rest in peace (pun intended =) as everything matches.

This evening I went to a mall called Festival Wok with my new friend Liana. All I can say is wow. The walk was about ten minutes from campus, and the mall was incredible. We were on a mission to get Octopus cards for riding the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) and cheap cell phones and a sim card. Our mission was accomplished pretty smoothly, with the sim card coming from a little 7-eleven booth on the street. I also got a sweet denim skirt from H&M out of the trip. The mall was massive with seven stories and a gazillion escalators. We finally got used to the escalators going up on the left, until one of them was randomly the opposite. Whoops, we nearly had a crisis!

The first pic is of the crazy escalators, and the second was taken from my bedroom window.

The Angel

2009-01-04T00:28:00.000-05:00

This little angel is making its rounds! In 1998, Laura Smith gave the angel to Allison DeHart before she left for studies in Cambridge. Allison gave it to Beth Beane before she went to Yellowstone for a summer, and Beth passed the angel on to Dana Voris (now Leonard) when she studied in London. Next, Dana gave it to Amy Beane when she studied in New Zealand, and Amy gave the angel to Rachel DeHart when she did an internship in Washington DC. Just tonight, Rachel passed it on to me with a sweet note of encouragement about my travels. Thank the Lord for wonderful family, friends, and the presence of heavenly angels in my life. I’m leaving early Monday morning for Hong Kong. I’ll update when I get all settled in.

Oh happy day--final Monday

2008-12-15T15:39:00.000-05:00

Massive wave of holy-cowness (you have to look in the special dictionary for this word)…Hong Kong and myself are exactly three weeks away from seeing each other for the first time. I’m thinking we will have a semi-long relationship lasting 4.5 months. I’m good with predicting these things..hah.

Karyn (my roommate) and I were just talking about how we could call it quits and go home tonight, kidding of course. I have 1 exam down and 4 to go! I am studying until I hear the cuckoo bird.

I am not much of a multitasking person when it comes to concentrating. I generally prefer silence or music without words. The following is a list of music that is particularly good for studying:

Enya (easy to not listen to the words)
LotR soundtrack
Afro Celt Sound System
Classical music!
Ever After soundtrack
Fernando Ortega instrumental
Ian Anderson
Lord of the Dance
Samite
Eddie Vedder-Into the Wild (again, easy to not listen to the words for some reason)
Emma Soundtrack
Spyro Gyra (thanks Dad..I probably got some of the others from you too)
String Cheese Incident
Vieux Diop-Afrika Wassa

That exhausts my list..any other ideas let me know!

The opposite of oblivion

2008-12-07T00:42:00.000-05:00

Well, I was recently consumed by a project, but I came out alive! After 3.5 months letting this “work” loom over me in the most odious of ways, I was dreading it. Then, I finally got started and three nights later, the project was basically done. Simple really. Funny thing is, in a few days span my thoughts went from dread to satisfaction. This applies to all those things in life that get put off for days and weeks, which is way worse than just diving in and getting it over with. The little thing (marketing plan) is up on a pedestal in my mind now. Or maybe it’s more of a proud momma kind of feeling. Regardless, it’s done, and I can move on to other things. For instance, studying for exams…

I was thinking today about the way to deal with stress. When there is something pressing that needs done I first vacuum, wash dishes, start laundry, take out the trash and recycling, and make coffee. Keep in mind all of this can be done in about five minutes. The vacuuming is a relatively small rectangle, the dishes are basically “the dish,” laundry is on the first floor, the trash is a short walk outside, recycling is right down the hall, and coffee is “voilà.” Now, after I have created this atmosphere, my mind is ready to work. You could also argue that I have run out of productive ways to procrastinate. Sounds pretty good though, huh?

I thought I had it down, but it seems that I can only control the stress so much. If life is crazy or full of change (e.g.-now!) it takes me at least an hour to fall asleep. I can think about everything under the sun except drifting into oblivion, and then I look at my watch and the hour is way into the single digits. Hmm..wish I was more like my roommate--she can fall asleep while still holding a book in her hands!

One last thing--A dog named faith Ooohh what an inspiration.

Namaste

2008-09-10T16:11:00.000-04:00

Well, here we go. I thought this might be fun to update, especially next semester while I am in Hong Kong. The quote at the top is actually longer...

"We shall find peace. We shall hear the angels, we shall see the sky sparkling with diamonds."
Anton Chekhov

That is all I have to say right now, but give it time. I'll be back!