Happy mom's day...

Always in my heart...and my thoughts...

City lights...

DSC_3324
Originally uploaded by Chewy823

View of downtown Vancouver at night. A nice reminder of home:)

genius?...

Just called a local hobby store to ask about a game a friend is looking for...here's the exchange

Me: Hi, I was wondering if you had ___?
Person: Uh, we don't have that in stock, but I'm sure we can get it for you.
Me: Ok, how long would it take to order it?
Person: Um, I'm not sure...
Me: Would you please check?
Person: Um, I don't think we can get it.
Me: Oh ok (spoken); why did you tell me you could then? (thought)

Enough said!

Back from the east coast...

Been back for 1.5 weeks now...it's been pretty busy. Well, to be honest, I have plenty to do...but am not particularly motivated!

Was out for 10 days on the east coast with my gf and her parents (and later, her cousin's parents as well!) to attend her cousin's wedding in Rockville, MD. In retrospect, it was an interesting trip...one where I had to exercise a great deal of patience:)

I bought a dSLR prior to this trip, as I figured I would be taking a lot of pics...and boy, was I ever bang on! After 10 days, 9 of them with two sets of parents...2600+ pics...many of them with the same backdrop, but different ppl...500+ at a wedding...and seeing most of the sights through my camera lens...I have to say...if I can avoid this in the future...I will!

It's not that the parents were annoying...it's just tiring to be the photographer...the navigator when the tour guide wasn't around...the food orderer...and the accountant. The first 2 - 3 days after I came back...I was exhausted...the time zones didn't help either:(

Ok, enough complaining! I am happy to say that I got a chance to explore Washington DC a little...see Niagara Falls from the Buffalo side (the Canadian side is much, much, much better!)...see the Corning Musuem of Glass...see NYC (will definitely go back!)...the Inner Harbour of Baltimore...and got to spend about 1.5 hours in each of Atlantic City and Philadelphia. The latter was simply to see the Liberty Bell. To that end, can I actually say I visited the latter two cities?!?

When we went to NYC...we actually stayed in Newark, NJ. The thing that I remember most from this city was the billboard that greeted us when we came off the freeway, near Newark International...


HELP WANTED
Stop the killings in Newark now!
Paid for by the Newark Teachers Union.

Sigh...welcome to America!

Do you believe in fate?...

Was thinking about this the other day...the logical part does not, but the romantic part does.

My gf and I have had our share of moments...some good, some bad, some we don't care to remember...but I suppose the only thing that counts is that we are still together:)

We met at a community centre a 10 mins drive away from where I used to live. It turned out that she lived on the same cross street as me...less than 3 blocks away. Soon afterwards, her and her family moved away...5 blocks this time...on the same street. Forget about the countless times, even after I have moved to Cali, we have called each other at exactly the same time...something very curious that we have both laughed about:) Now her parents are preparing to move back to China...so she has to find a place to live...b/c she was busy with exams, her mom found her a place...this time, 2 - 3 blocks away from where my roomie and I used to live. And the funniest thing...she just got a co-op job with HSBC across the street from where I worked for 4.5 years...interesting, eh?

;-)

My new toy...

Some pics taken with my new Nikon D40 with kit lens (18-55 mm)...hope you like them:)

Spencer, Owen and the Chan kid:P...

Wow, it's been an eventful week...

Spencer and Owen Dang...happy 5 days:) Congrats Tim and Kerri-Ann!

And the Chan kid (not sure of his name yet!)...happy "birth" day! Congrats Jen and Carlton!

You guys have great parents:)

Kudos to Putin...

I don't always agree with Putin...as he seems to have his own agenda (but which world leader doesn't?)...having said that though...it is nice to see someone on the world scene stand up to a bully...

[Link]

Perseids...

For the first time in a long while...went outside on Sunday night and stared at the sky. It was the night that the Perseids, as they appear to originate from the Perseus constellation, would be the most numerous.

The last time I went to look at a meteor shower at night...I still remember well...to see the Leonids...at 4 am in the morning...at my old place on Lonsdale. I remember waking up and going with my little sis to the neighbourhood park and staring at the sky...that was impressive! Made a lot of wishes that night...or perhaps, to be more accurate, made the same wish many times:) But that was a long time ago...many things have changed...some for the better: I no longer have to worry so much about money...whether there would be enough to buy food, pay rent, go to school, etc...some for the worse: not sure if my sis and I will ever do that again. In some ways, I have grown up and in others, away.

As I stood in the middle of the street (and later in the driveway)...I shielded my eyes from the streetlights (that may have seemed strange to the neighbours...since there wasn't anyone else out...or so it seemed). Looking up...I could barely make out the span of the Milky Way, but it was impressive, nonetheless...learned a few constellations...there were thoughts of happiness and regrets...but that's what life is about...but I couldn't help but think...what if things had been different?

And like the grains that bounce off or burn up in the earth's atmosphere...I realized how small I am...and how vast this universe is. I only hope that I too will be able to shine brightly (though I hope it won't be as brief:P)...even if to only one...I think that will be a great thing indeed...

Reign over me...

Watched this last night...was very impressed! I know some will have reservations about Adam Sandler delivering a credible performance in this type of movie...but to be honest, I hope he receives an Oscar nomination.

Very briefly, the movie is about a widower (Sandler) who loses his family to the 9/11 incidents. He loses everything...including himself. His college roommate (Don Cheadle, who is also excellent...watch Hotel Rwanda too, another great movie!)...he offers a glimpse of what life could have been...and this dynamic is evident throughout the course of the movie...to me, at least. Cheadle's character, seemingly living the life that many dream of, as he tries to help his old friend...realizes that Sandler's character has his own type of "freedom"...but it's clear that this came at a great cost.

I've always been a movie buff...in a sense, it offers an escape for me...(haha, no I don't need professional counseling)...movies (probably for most ppl) grant a brief respite from reality (whether that be good, bad or indifferent). Some, in their simplicity, make me think...long after their closing credits...

my pic...

Shot this a few months ago with GF's Nikon D80, using an 18 - 200 mm VRII zoom lens. He calls it my "award-winning" pic:) Unfortunately the focus is a little bit off...and the bee's colours seem a bit over-exposed:(...haha, that's my amateurish interpretation! Comments?

another day in paradise:)...

Well, it's been more than two weeks since I have flexed my (typing) fingers...at least in this forum anyways:) My trip home has come and gone...been back for 2 weeks...and been busy with work...which, in a sense, is good...it prevents me from being homesick or lonely...

Had a craving for Vietnamese food today...the cheapest place I knew of was in Van Nuys...30 miles away...just finished at the gym and the thought of a plate of food for 5 bucks was irresistible...although, when one factors in the gallon of gas it takes to go there and the gallon to come back...it's more like 11 bucks per plate:( But I refrain from doing math sometimes...haha:P The food wasn't as good as I expected...I shouldn't deviate from my norm!!! But I did manage to snag some snacks at the Chinese supermarket next door;-) That helped decrease my plate's cost:)

It's always interesting driving on the 101...Van Nuys, for those that don't know, is just off the 405/101 junction, close to LA. First off, I guess I am spoiled living and working in Camarillo and TO, respectively...it was maybe 26 C in TO and 23 C in Camarillo (don't ask me to convert to Fahrenheit...smoke would rise from my big head:P)...in Reseda, it was 36 C (according to my car's gauge)...and in Van Nuys, it was 34 C...when it was all said and done, the hot tea was quite refreshing:P J/K, haha!

Coming back was an adventure...I still can't get over this...every time I go to LA or its vicinity...I swear I am driving alongside some of the finest drivers on this fair planet! Perhaps, due to the short duration of my existence...these have to be the best!...ppl changing lanes to avoid others (who merge without looking in their mirrors), but doing so without looking in their own mirrors...and hence, I get to observe the near synchronous lane changing by two cars, in two different lanes...with one of them cutting me off at 75 mph! Gotta love that! Then there are the geniuses who believe they will get to their destination faster by zipping in and out of all five lanes on the freeway...it amuses me the most when I actually pass them while staying in one lane:P I could go on, but will refrain for fear to boring you to tears!

Till next time...cheers! ;-)

Some thoughts at 1:30 in the morning...

Maybe when one factors in the time...what I have to say...and what I am thinking is perhaps best left for another time...but will ignore conventional wisdom for the time being:)

Just some vague thoughts floating in my head...well, to be honest, they are not vague, but though I try to be honest in how I pen my thoughts, a part of me refrains from opening up totally...

When there is history involved...it appears impossible to change the misconceptions, ideas, perceptions...both good and bad, I suppose...(I know it's not impossible, but often it feels that way)...making mistakes is part of life...and learning from them, sometimes slowly, is one of the lessons... However, there are times this seems like a futile process! I had some reminders of this tonight...it seems the closer the ppl are...the more they cling to what was done and said before...at times, ignoring what happens now...and on occasion, using that past to, in essence, support and reinforce the "reflex" ideas about an individual. This frustrates me!

How can one counteract this? Cut the ties, and make new ones? Trying to repair, what were once, strong roots seems an exercise in futility...esp. when the other has no interest (or sees no reason) to feel the same way. Is it wise to do everything to appease that individual? Or ignore what cannot be changed? I am not sure...

sleeping in my own bed again... :)

Well, it's been awhile since I have written anything...it's been a long while since I have slept in my own bed. As an aside, though I am back in TO, it does not feel like home...I suppose that that is a function of time and people who make it feel that way...but I digress... ;-)

The past few weeks have been interesting...so lest I forget all the details, I will pen them down for your sedation:P Here are some of the highlights (and lowlights:P)...

Montreal, Quebec:
-Spent 4 days there, the conference was terrible, but the city was great. I still like Quebec City more, but it was really nice to be back in Montreal again. The locale for the conference was beyond reproach...in Vaudreuil-Dorion (on the 40 about 30 mins from downtown)...right on the edge of a lake...couldn't be better!
-I had attended another conference in Columbus, OH the week before (sponsored by the same company)...and it was light years ahead...this was a tremendous waste of time!...but who's complaining?!?:P
-In any case, enough about work:) Ma fan girl came out and we did a little sight-seeing...she loved Vieux Montreal...she went in and out of every shop (or so it seemed).
-Tried the best of Montreal's famous smoked meat - Schwartz's (for lunch) and Le Main (for dinner)...both on St. Catherine's...the former was much better...haha, but can't complain!
-And to top it off, on the last night in Montreal, we went to the top of Mont Royal...the view is pretty amazing...a bit of a hike, but on a clear evening, the view of the city is unparalleled! If you ever go, it's close to Le Lac de Castors (Beaver Lake, I hope I got the French right!:P)
-Almost forgot, we also drove to Ottawa to visit my uncle, aunt and their sons...they were very accomodating...and did the touristy stuff with us...the most memorable moment was when we were all in the elevator going to the top of the bell tower in the Parliament buildings...ma fan girl decided to take her sweet time photographing the stained glass windows, much to the chagrin of everyone in the lift:P She definitely marches to the beat of her own drummer:P

Omaha, Nebraska:
-Stats: approx. 500,000 ppl; known for their steaks; 2nd best transplant center in the US, 2 medical schools.
-Spent two weeks in a short course (Integrative and Organ Systems Pharmacology, ASPET) at Univ. of Nebraska Medical Center.

Interesting Tidbits
-Lived in dorm with 3 other students (total of 12 in course).
-Ate four steak dinners,
-Discovered Jimmy John's is pretty good
-Went down a giant slide in the middle of downtown at 11 pm
-Rode in the back (the very back) of an SUV for the first time (there were 7 of us, and only 5 seats)
-Drove my roomie's truck 3 times (all b/c he was drunk)...the 2nd time included us getting locked out of our dorm. Actually, we got in the building, but were stuck in the stairwell before we realized we didn't have our keycard). And to make a long story short, we had to throw stuff at our other roomies' windows...I was going to throw a rock, but thought better of it...threw bark mulch instead...my dumbass, drunk roomie, threw it at the wrong window on the wrong floor...and incurred the wrath of it's inhabitants!
-Saw tigers from 3 feet away, as we got the behind-the-scenes tour with the director at the Henry Doorly Zoo.
-On my last day, made reservations for a cab to take me to the airport at 530 am (710 am departure)...the cab was 45 mins late...turns out the driver had just left the police station, as he had just been robbed (and all the other cabbies went home, as the suspect was still at large)...then ended up being the last person on the plane...
-Midwest Airways is the best! Leather seats, extra-wide and I got to sit in row 1:) But they ran out of breakfast:( Now I am only a shadow of my former self...boo hoo hoo:P

However, my biggest thrill was the opportunity to work with an exceptional cardiovascular physiologist...he must be 65+ years old...however, his hands in surgery are more stable than mine (though that is not saying much, haha!). It was truly an honour...I did my elective with him (for 1.5 days)...and I have to say that I will remember that for a long time! If the opportunity presents itself, I would like to go back for an internship...I just have to convince the powers that be, that there is value in this!;-)

Enough rambling...time to get the clothes out of the dryer:)

Until the next time I bore you to tears...

soaked to the bone in Montreal...

Well, am attending a symposium in Vaudreuil, just outside Montreal right now. The location is really nice, with my room overlooking a lake, but the conference sucks! If I had known it would be this terrible, I would have stayed in LA! Incidentally, am writing this as the last few talks are going on...I skipped out early...that, perhaps, angered the gods...so they rained on me:P

********

Flew in late last night...no gps in rental car...had to take 3 highways to get to hotel, but got here in one piece! Am driving to Ottawa on Saturday, hope Google maps (and my ma fan navigator) are good:P

It was kinda interesting...I normally don't talk to ppl when I am on the shuttle or on the plane, as it would ruin my reputation!:P But as I was picked up from work during morning rush hour, the trip to LAX took a bit longer than usual...in the meantime, had an entertaining conversation with a guy about drifting (apparently they have competitions in the LA area)...why V-8, rear wheel drive Impalas from the early 90's were the best police cars (as the guy used to work for GM)...and more importantly, why I should test-drive a Cadillac CTS-V (as it has a Corvette engine in it, with similar brakes, etc.). Haha! Actually, I quite enjoyed it! Maybe it's a guy thing...or maybe it was a nice brake (er, break...excuse the pun!:P) from the things I usually think of!

On the plane, I was seated next to a guy who, on paper, seemed like one of the usual ppl who went to LA to strike it rich. He was originally from Montreal...moved to LA...he has a band...ended up working as a software tester, repo man (some pretty cool stories!), light bulb and fixture changer (he developed a system to maximize his efficiency), tow truck driver, auto mechanic, etc. Seems like the typical story of someone who didn't make it, eh? Well, he did all these to put his gf (and later, wife) through physiotherapy school at USC! He, himself, never went to university...but would like to go one day...he simply made some choices...to support his wife...and to pursue what he loved...but to be honest, he's one of the smartest ppl I have met in a long time! Street smart, definitely...but from some of his stories, he clearly had something between his ears. I explained the physiological basis of an electrocardiographic wave to him (more on that later!)...he had a better grasp of it than most ppl would...b/c he understood the principles behind electrical conduction...from his various jobs, from his wife...he understood the ideas behind positive and negative displacement within the waveform...and it certainly wasn't due to my ability to teach:)

The sad part...and the reason we ended up talking...he saw what I was reading...and it turns out the only reason he was heading home was that his younger brother's 1.5 month old son had a heart issue (it sounded like a conduction defect...he had found out the night before, drove up to LA that morning and was on stand-by)...that the little boy had had a recent episode where his heart stopped (and was defibrillated). Now, doctors are recommending a heart transplant. He was equal parts nervous (to see his family under such circumstances) and a bit angry (as he felt that it was unfair that such a thing could happen to someone so small and innocent).

But in a way, it made the 5 hr flight seem much shorter...we talked about hockey...he grew up in Quebec, so he followed both the Habs and the Nordiques...and I am a Canucks fan (and I used to cheer for the Nordiques b/c they were always huge underdogs...Ron Tugnutt's 70-save performance against Boston stands out!)...how to set up a entertainment system in our house...the best hole-in-the-wall places to go in Montreal...family...yada, yada, yada!

It showed me something...I know I am guilty of this...I sometimes judge ppl too quickly...and sometimes, ppl will surprise you...IF you give them a chance!

Off to take a nap! ;-)

happy mom's day...

On this day, I remember...

hanging out with a kid...

Spent part of this weekend tutoring my landlords' kid...he's 9 years old...his parents asked me to help him with reading comprehension, as he's not doing too well in some of his schoolwork. Reading comprehension? Moi? Well, it was kinda interesting...I hope I taught him something, but I think I learned something as well...

Actually, on Saturday, I was almost a babysitter since I spent much of the afternoon and evening with him...his parents work long hours (5 am - 9 pm, 7 days a week), his grandmother was out and his older brother is never home (...to be honest, even when his grandmother is home, she spends most of it watching tv...so the cable company is his real babysitter). I ended up spending a few hours before dinner helping him go through his homework...and to be honest...I was a little bit frustrated...his attention span was poor...as a result, he ended up reading each section multiple times...he didn't seem interested in trying to understand each passage...if he didn't know the answer, he simply made one up!

After dinner, I had him try some of the exercises by himself...however each time I checked on him, he made little progress. I was frustrated...then my gf reminded of something...he's a kid...if I am going to teach him, I must make an effort too. It was a little bit of a kick in the pants. So I decided to change my strategy...I challenged him...I turned one of his exercises into a game...I sat with him...and know something? His homework became more than just work, it was fun! At the end of the day, he owed me 5 ice creams...but lo and behold...when we went to go get them, he forgot his money...so I bought!...smart kid:)

These few hours made me think...as an adult, we aren't that different. Sure, we can cover up many things...hide behind our facades...use our words and actions to compensate for our inadequacies (real or perceived). But at the end of the day...this weird, little 9 year old kid made me realize something...we all like someone to sit with us...to listen to us...to not judge us...to really engage our imaginations. And the biggest thing that became obvious to me...it really matters when someone acknowledges that we exist...and that we matter. It's funny...sometimes I think I know a great deal...but then I realize how little I know...

;-)

imagination...

"I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."

-Albert Einstein

US CBP sucks...

Another day, another rant about the US government...this time about the US Customs and Border Protection...

Finally, today...after calling 25-30 times over the past 5 weeks...I finally spoke to someone live. You see my difficulty with getting through has little to do with getting a busy signal...in fact, I rarely get those. I suppose, with the service center being closed randomly...even during their business hours...it would be difficult to get a busy tone. Almost without exception, I hear a message that claims the center is open from 8 am to 5 pm, eastern time...and then "if you are calling during these hours, the service center is not available." Well, today, I got through...and my conversation went like this...

*************

Me: Would you please send me a copy of customs form 7501, as I would like to register my vehicle with the California DMV and obtain the title to my car? (form 7501 is usually given to the shipping company, but even the CBP admits that this is not absolute)

Agent: You should get this from the shipping company.

Me: I already spoke to the company, they did not receive this from the customs agent.

Agent: Are you sure your car was imported?

Me: Yes!

Agent: How do you know this?

Me: Well, I am driving it in California right now...have been doing so since January.

Agent: But it may not have been imported properly...you may not have the necessary EPA forms.

Me: Ok, but in order for my car to cross the border AND be registered with California DMV, I need to have documentation from the US manufacturer stating the my vehicle complies with all US federal standards of emission and safety. And since it was allowed across the border by the CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION and subsequently registered with the DMV, doesn't it mean that it satisfied all regulations?

Agent: Well, if that's the case...I still think it wasn't imported properly...you should call the port of entry.

Me: Would it be possible for you to check for me?

Agent: How am I supposed to do that? (Perhaps with a modern invention called a database...though maybe the 21st century skipped certain parts of the govt.)

Me: Would you please give me the numbers that I can call?

Agent: Go to the website and find them yourself.

Me: Oh, ok...well thank you very much (for nothing!).

*************

Ok, perhaps my logic is faulty in this conversation with another esteemed member of the US Govt. workforce...but this blew my mind. I'm going back to my village in Canada!!!

things not to do in an interview...

Esp. if you want to get the job...(alternatively, the following are means to ensure the contrary!)...

Have been involved in interviewing candidates for the principal scientist (Ph.D.) position in my group at work...the most remarkable thing about interviews is the consistent normalcy of the process...but my ideas were shattered late last week...

I have to qualify what I have to write next with the following...I have no doubt this individual is very knowledgeable...and he is definitely a very nice person. So Thursday night, my supervisor, a coworker and myself met this individual for dinner...then I attended his seminar the following morning...and was in the group that had lunch with him...and what follows...I swear there is NO embellishment!!! So here's the list of things you should NOT do at an interview:

1. at dinner...if the hiring manager is a bit round and is obviously enjoying his dessert...you should not ask if they exercise...this is almost akin to asking an overweight lady if they are pregnant...

2. when you present data at a seminar...it is good to review it beforehand..."hot off the press" data is great...if, and only if, there are NO holes big enough to drive a bus through...

3. you should never make a statement that one of the interviewers looks like a mass murderer (apparently yours truly looks like the Korean guy at Virginia Tech...good thing I have a thick skin and didn't take it personally)...and when others give you repeated hints to drop the matter...you should NOT continually re-assert your point by mentioning the various rationale for thinking a certain way...(to be honest, I think his prescription must have been a little off, but I digress...)

4. it is bad form to negotiate "work from home" days on the interview...particularly when you are told that the company does not have this policy...he spent 10 minutes further discussing the merits of doing so after being told this...

5. when asked "why do you want to work for the company?"...it's best to say something that is attractive about the company...even if it is not true...of course, no one ever fibs:P Stating that you turned down the offer for an interview the first time HR approached you...and the ONLY reason you came, is that they were persistent...(and that it is hard to find a good HR dept these days)...probably not adviseable! But what do I know ;-)...