Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Common, you lookin' gooooooood


~Common feat. Lily Allen "Drivin' Me Wild"

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Time of My Life

I've learned a few things these past 6 weeks since my parents have been on vaca and Mel and I have been totally on our own.

1. Although I've never been away from my parents for this long of a time, I honestly think 4 weeks is my limit. After the 4th week, I kinda started to 'lose my cool' and these past 2 weeks have been a little insane and disorganized (especially with housekeeping. I think I've personally used the washing machine only once in the past month and a half. Luckily I have a big closet with alot of clothes).

2. My friends are a bunch of freeloading gamblers with nothing better to do on a Sunday-Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday-Friday-and especially-Saturday night. However, I honestly don't mind the freeloading (what can I say, I like to cook and entertain!) and we all know I love a game of Poker now and then and again. It was nice having friends around a lot, especially when it got a little lonely with just me and Mel.

3. I'm in no condition to ever, ever, own or take care of plants. Don't ever ask me to house-sit (for the sake of watering your plants) and there is really no point in ever giving me a potted plant or flowers. I guarantee you that I will neglect it the minute I put it down. Geez, I was so neglectful with the 'planting responsibilities' that I had to choose between the grass or the garden to be watered daily these past few weeks because I really couldn't be bothered doing both (that is, having to move the sprinkler around). Sorry, grass, maybe next year.

4. Living on my own may not be as much freedom as I had fantasized. Sure, you have your own space and no one to tell you what to do, but the downside is there is no one sharing your space and no one telling you what to do. Like, I have to actually be reminded to take the garbage out or to take in mail and I would have to do this all by myself! It is a wonder how I have to be reminded of tedious little things like these when they're right in front of me or right under my nose. It really goes to show just how 'responsible' and 'adult' I am.

5. Male friends are easy to commission to do stuff around the house and they are happy to be paid in food! Dishes, yard work... I wonder how far I can push the limit...

The last few days have been a little crazy. It seemed that time sped up really fast and before I know it, I have one day left to get the house organized before my parents come home.

This past weekend, fellow ex-communicated ChinKL-ette Katie, stayed over for the weekend from Oshawa. Mel and I planned a jammed-packed weekend for her so she wouldn't be bored and wouldn't have to be stuck in the 'house where time stand stills' whenever she didn't have to.

On Friday night, people came over for Poker (againnnnnnnnn). However, this weekend I refused to stay home on a Friday night for yet another game of Poker. I had to go out. I had to go clubbing. Even if it meant having to drive myself downtown to do it. Bunch of us girls made it a Girls' Nite and we went to Metro, half-intentionally there to see some guy (that guy will have to be anonymous for now because of discretion). Metro was alright. I realized that any club that plays house music is gonna attract 'certain types' of guys I'm not totally attracted to. Oh, yes, and that night was 'memorable' too because I got my very first traffic ticket. I don't even wanna go into the details because I'm still so miffed (and a little stressed) from it, but I will be putting 4 years of post-secondary education into getting rid of it.

On Saturday, I had the intent to go to the beach at 9 am. Am I stupid? Yes. We woke up around noon and took Katie to the CNE. 6 hours of shopping later, 100 lbs of clothing and 4 pairs of shoes later, we left the Ex in awe of the sales and about $200 lighter. Actually, I was pretty 'good'. I restrained myself from going buckwild with the sales. I limited myself to only tees with funny slogans (and they had to be really funny and/or true), 'work clothes', and anything else I needed to buy in order to help out someone get a deal (i.e. I'd get the third item needed in order to get the 3/$5 deal).

Later that night we went to Paul's for a little soiree in his new digs downtown. I really liked it. It was nice and cozy. We played Kings (and we all know where that game takes me -- to the floor) and played Scene It - Movie Version. I can honestly say I don't remember a good chunk of it because I quite literally passed out for a good couple of hours (1 part exhaustion from walking around all day, 2 parts too much Banana-7). I apparently missed quite a bit because I don't remember being conscious during the time most of the pictures were taken. Megan crashed at my place. I remember that much.

On Sunday, there was just so much shit to do that we had to somehow cram it into less than 12 hours on 5 hours (for me) of sleep. Before Mel, Kathy, Katie and I went downtown (Katie to catch her bus back home and the rest of us for the Lem Si Scholarship Award and dinner), we went out for brunch with Nam. We ended up going to this place that's been across the street from me for like, a decade, and I had never once eaten there. What a waste of 10 years of shitty brunches at Ikea. Shitty, compared to this place because the food was so delish that price was not even a factor. I don't know how long we spent having brunch but by the time we finished we realized we had less than an hour to the award ceremony! Luckily good ol' Nam volunteered to drive us downtown and we made it just in time! Whew! Almost didn't get to accept my money. Almost. The dinner was uneventful to say the least. Same ol' boring speeches, same me hungry as fuck waiting for then to start serving the food. The weekend was pretty busy. I didn't really get time to do much in terms of preparing for my parents to come back (i.e. clean out the house and fridge, making up excuses about my traffic ticket) especially during the week. On Monday, I tried to commission Alex to do my lawn (which became an overgrown jungle in the past 6 weeks) and bribe/pay him in food. Instead, him and Nam just came for the food (asses!). And then on Tuesday we went out for Kathy's birthday for Pho and movies (Superbad was super good). Alex finally did do the lawn (thanks, BFF!) on Wednesday and other people came over and somehow I ended up making dinner for all. Ho hum, I'm really going to miss this.

It's really occurred to me now that summer is definitely ending very, very, very soon. I hope to end it with a bang, though. I'm sad I can't go to the Spanish River trip with Iljya, etc., but alas, the worklife le sucks. However, the last long weekend of the summer is soon approaching. Does Montreal beckon my presence again? Oui, oui?

Friday, August 17, 2007

Monday, August 13, 2007

Just Marred (no, that's not a typo)

This past weekend, it was my cousin's wedding. I would say it was a long time coming. And I'm not talking about the wedding. The wedding itself took 3 months to plan (long story) but my cousin marrying his wife, was a long time coming. Like, since they were in middle school-long time. Don't you just love unrequited love that eventually becomes... requited? Actually, don't get me started on that. Ha.

The ceremony was lovely, even in the air conditioner-less church. Mel and I barely made it for the 'I Do's' but thanks to my fantastic Hwy. 401 driving from the West end to the East end, we made it just in time for those mandatory family pictures.

After the ceremony, we went to the Best Man's crazy huge house, er, mansion. It was a pretty fantastic house, I must say it was quite extravagant and real estate drool-worthy. The wedding party chilled there for even more pictures (as if there couldn't possibly be more pictures, there were photogs e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e). It was paparazzi madness. I guess everyone's automatically a photographer if they have a $400 camera.

I was so in love with the dress I wore to the wedding reception. I found this lovely Nicole Miller number from Holt's that was originally tagged at $800 and I got it for $60 (hellooooo, Last Call).

For once, I actually had a role in the wedding: taking attendance and making sure people signed the guestbook. :) The wedding reception was your typical Chinese reception: 10-course meal, embarrassing games for the newlyweds, me kicking myself getting choked up over the speeches.

The wedding was pretty good, even though there was a lot of last-minute planning involved. And as much as I am not a real believer in marriage, I've come to realize that I really do like weddings. There's nothing to really not like about weddings: free food, a chance to dress up, the planning, the pre-parties, presents, booze... all that stuff to distract you from realizing that singledom ceased the moment you said 'I Do'.

P.S. They didn't play Etta James' "At Last", but they really should have. I should be a wedding planner. F'realz.

^In lieu of air conditioning
^My cousin trying to be all GQ
My cousin, after taking this picture: "Wait, why am I holding the flowers?"
^Cousins-in-law!
^Stupid photographer ruined all my good amateur shots
^If noone tells them to sign, who will?
^Me and the worst groomsman ever

Thursday, August 09, 2007

Balenciaga Whore

Upon seeing Ashley Olsen's bag, no one is allowed to say I have the 'bottomless' bags.

Saturday, August 04, 2007

Whatever I like, right?

Another weekend is before me. Another long weekend, at that. Ya to the hoo!

Of course, that merely means more time to lounge around my house. I don't know if it's my house ("the house [besides the Lams] where time stands still"), the mattress I've set up in my living room for the summer months or the people who come over and temporary live in my house. Whatever it is, I don't believe I've spent so much time at my house for a real long time. And it's slightly annoying. Sure, I'm resting and just chilling but I'd rather do something outside my house. Even it's just burning gas or causing trouble. Just something.

I wish I went to Kincardine with Iljya and Kathy as suggested, but of course, that was unfeasible. I can't wait for my next weekend get-a-way, whenever that can be.

So far I started off my weekend with a little shopping spree (3 pairs of shoes obtained this week, including a pair from my boss), so I can cross shopping off my list of options of things to do. Last night a bunch of us saw Bourne Ultimatum and it was quite good, I must say. However, I hope it's the last movie of the series. That's all I'm going to say.

We went out for midnight Pho and then came home and Alex and I finished that documentary we started last week which ended in a heated dispute. Luckily we were so tired that we fell asleep during the first 5 minutes and just argued in the morning. HAHA.

Right now, I'm pissing myself off because I can basically do whatever I want, but... I'm more content sitting on my mattress watching a Seinfeld marathon. Sad, y/n?