Lagerstatten

My New Address

2011-04-12T01:10:00.000-07:00

eaudevancity.tumblr.com

Preparing to Move

2011-04-10T20:22:00.001-07:00

Decided to switch to microblogging. Neither blogger or Twitter are right for me.

--
Have relocated to Posterous--so far so sleek and simple. Perfect. Will be using Wordpress for future blogging though.

Mirror, Mirror

2011-03-27T10:22:00.000-07:00

A list of all the attributes I'm working on hangs on the wall; it's titled, "The Woman I Want to Be". But my walls are so cluttered with artwork, photos, aphorisms and commandments. There is something to the axiom, "live simply and love generously".

"Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions." - Dalai Lama

Yearning

2011-03-25T21:19:00.000-07:00

The victory lap of my undergrad years wasn't as epic as I thought it would be but it's just what I needed. "Tuum est" never seemed to resound more loudly to me than this year. I can finally call this place my 'home away from home'. I've made a niche for myself and change comes sweeping through like the wind. Some days I'm overcome with nervousness and anxiety of graduating. The prospect of being in the world, finding a job and then a career is frightening to say the least. This last term has been a bitter-sweet reflection of my undergrad life.

What I've been yearning for is that peace that comes with stillness and solitude though. As sad as it is for me to graduate, I need this. I think I've needed this time to myself for a long time but didn't have the opportunity to take it. Vancouver has been my beloved home my entire life but I need to be elsewhere; my soul tells me so.

Back Again

2011-01-09T21:29:00.000-08:00

Wow. I've been out of commission for a while. It's only going to get busier too... A very inconvenient time to start any kind of relationship. This is lame.

Nippy

2010-10-26T21:05:00.000-07:00

Boy it's been chilly in Vancouver. Maybe I've grown accustomed to the nice warm summers we've been having but I thought I sensed a bit of Winter's nip in the air today. It's particularly disheartening when it's wet, cold and still dark out but it's already 8 am.

Yet all is well when I get my early morning cup of hot cocoa! I've weened myself off of coffee. In fact, I get far too jittery to concentrate when I'm cranked up on adrenaline, chronic cortisol and caffeine to top it all off. Right now I'm sipping a large mug of thick cocoa from Soma generously sprinkled with cinnamon. It also takes some of the stress away probably because it's so very comforting.

Lets backtrack for a moment back to the first day of school at UBC--Imagine Day. I bumped into my bioinformatics prof this year, Joanne. She's part of a the Terry Project and was telling everyone about K'Naan coming to the Chan to do a talk/spoken poetry. I went and to my surprise he was extremely humble and so honest that it was really funny. He even did a couple of songs for us. I'd like to quote/paraphrase what he said as he reached behind for his Starbucks, "Now I apologize. I feel like this is the 'justice crowd'," as he raises the cup, "Sometimes you're stuck between your ideals and shit that tastes good."

Watch K'Naan at Terry UBC here.

By the way, Dr. Allen Sens in the video is an amazing instructor and is much more engaging in class. I highly suggest taking ASIC 200. It changed my approach and perception of every socio-economic-scientific issue since then. It forces me to see the bigger picture at all times.

Weekend Birding

2010-10-09T18:13:00.000-07:00

As part of my ornithology class, we have to survey the bird population of 2 to 3 areas. While setting up our area at Pacific Spirit Park, we were lucky enough to spot a male Pilated Woodpecker.

*Apparently quite a few people we encountered at that particular park has seen it at one point or another. A few people have even tipped us off about the bird songs they hear that we haven't yet identified--like the Northern Flicker. If you see three girls standing around in a park with binoculars, please come and say hi.

Back in Action

2010-10-02T20:55:00.000-07:00

Gee, where did the time go? I swear I had been meaning to blog (and there was so much to blog about!) but I had been so busy. Believe me, I have a million post ideas written down and floating through my mind and it's frustrating not being able to put it all down. So expect a post where it's just photos with short captions.

I wanted to start blogging again with something witty, something catchy and something to set the tone for a new (school) year but that would have taken so much effort. And it's not because I don't have a lot to say, on the contrary, I have too much to say.

"The Unicorn"
-would love to credit the artist but I lost their name so if you know who it is please let me know

Yet instead I felt compelled to post this before it totally slips mind:

Unicorn:

Six Easy (Rainbow Colored) Pieces: Essentials Of Unicorn Physics Explained
by Richard Feynman

Publisher's Note------------------vii
Introduction by Charles T. Unicorn----ix
Moonbow Preface-----------------xix
Feynman's Preface----------------xxv

ONE: Unicorns In Motion (red)
Unicorns: how do they work?
Anatomy of a sparkle
Magic and happiness reactions

TWO: Basic Unicorns (orange)
Unicorns before the internet
Horn particles
The subatomic unicorn

THREE: Unicorns As They Relate To Other Species (yellow)
The lesser ungulates
The horned ungulates
Narwhals: a special relationsip
The pega-corn question

FOUR: Conservation Of Magical Animals (green)
Kinetic and potential unicorns
Unicorn states: full-on double rainbows and more
What happens to prismatic dung

FIVE: Unicorn Theory (blue)
Hoof motion and flight
Jewel's Law
Horn spirals as The Mandelbrot Set
The tapestry experiments
Rainbow Brite: the confusions

SIX: Unicorn Behavior (indigo/violet)
Mane mechanics
An experiment with giggling
An experiment with soft focus
An experiment with manga
First principles of total fucking awesomeness

Epilogue: They'll actually eat corn from your hand!

^ THIS being a comment for a blog post by Dave Ng who is beyond awesomeness. SOMEONE WRITE THIS BOOK!

Dave was my prof for ASIC 200 and it changed my whole university experience. Dave also blogs for the Science Creative Quarterly and has a wicked Twitter account(s). To top it all off, he's part of the Terry Project.

Appeal to your inner nerdiness and indulge in all these links -- I promise it'll be worth your time and you'll feel more intelligent, more socially conscious and wittier after reading.

The Northern Capital of BC

2010-08-18T18:12:00.000-07:00

I'm here in the "Northern Capital of BC": Prince George. I'll be staying on rez at UNBC until August 20th for work. Can't say it's my favourite place in the world but I'm slowly starting to see more of BC.

Pookie, my favourite bear in the world (sorry Yogi), is always attached to my duffle bag.

Fossil leather duffle bags are the greatest. It withstood a lot of wear and still looks smashing so I'd say it's well worth the price. Mine's a men's bag but no one knows and no one cares. It didn't break my bank, it suits my needs and it's just my style.

Been itching to travel some more but really can't afford the time or money at the moment.

YXS airport is quite small. It reminds me of Langley airport or Boundary Bay airport. That's one of the first things I noticed here. Immediately after that, I noticed the smell of pulp mill. The smell lingered for at least 6 hours before my olfactory cells decided to give up noticing it. This time my view isn't a breathtaking vista of rivers and valleys but of birch trees and dense forest. It's not displeasing to the eyes but I must say that I miss the mountains and the ocean--I've been spoiled by Vancouver that way. Speaking of eyes, my eyes are abnormally dry here.

Sand, Surf, Wind and Waves; Tousled Hair and Braids.

2010-08-14T13:09:00.000-07:00

Almost 30 degrees in Vancouver today! Can you believe it? I almost couldn't.

Woke up in the morning and went for breakfast with my bff who's back in town from Toronto. We grew up down the street from one another in a very small neighborhood when we were 6 and 7. Funny thing is, we're nothing alike. We're almost complete opposites of one another but we love each other to death. By the way, we stopped at Damien's Waffles in Steveston. They were fantastic! I suggest the Vanilla waffle to start.

I love the feeling of warm sand between my toes especially after getting out of the crisp water of the ocean. It's just an amazing feeling. I don't even mind the taste of salt water on my lips.

[via Kampiscines]

To end the day off perfectly, I went stand up paddle surfing with Windsure at Jericho Beach. Our instructor, Dale was awesome and was very encouraging. I'll fall "gracefully" into the water and he'll just paddle by and say, "You just did that 'cause it's hot." I love the ocean. Reminds me of the time I was on Long Beach and saw a wicked kite surfer do a back flip while migrating birds encircle him during sunset. What a sight and what an impressionable memory. How lucky am I to live in Vancouver!

Also back in town: Rae! She sends me postcards from places she visits. I love her doodles (mainly because they're of narwhals). She once sent me one from Malaysia with a 'tropical narwhal' sketched in the water. This time she picked up a Sand Dollar Cookie recipe postcard from Bamfield and mailed it to me.

As Promised...

2010-08-13T21:34:00.000-07:00

...Photos of the "new" office.

Thank goodness for Craigslist. One man's junk is another man's treasure.

the Tricky Part is to Come Back Home

2010-08-12T23:17:00.000-07:00

"And I ask why would you lead on, and you reply because I can and cause I can. Sure can start, sure can leave me alone. The tricky part is to come back home." Sure Can Start - Two Hours Traffic (Canadian)

Wow. It feels like a long time since I last blogged. After coming home from Kamloops I spent some time with friends I haven't seen for a long time and those who were leaving Vancouver. Did the whole Vancouverite thing, ya know? Beach volleyball, kayaking at Deep Cove, hiking the Grouse Grind, boutique shopping, dropping by a local dive to have your favourite milkshake kinda thing....

Taj and I both haven't done the 2.9 km 30 degree incline Grouse Grind (affectionately known to Vancouverites as "Mother Nature's Stairmaster") for years but we tackled it today. Although the hike isn't for the faint of heart or the 'really-out-of-shape' beginners, it seems like everyone in Vancouver has done it and ironically love it. Perhaps it's the sense of achievement when you reach the top or the fact that you can casually slip, "Oh yea, I just did the Grind yesterday" into a conversation and sound like you're hardcore; Whatever it may be people still like doing it despite the fact that they make lame complaints about how they're overworked or 'out of shape', curse and grimace all throughout the ascent. Personally, I was surprised at how much more in shape I've become! I was honestly the most positive and peppy person on the trail and that doesn't happen--ever. In retrospect, I must have been really annoying so I'll definitely keep my positive energy to myself next time.

Other than outdoor activities, I bummed around a lot the week before. It was raining for a little bit so to cheer me up I broke out my fuzzy bunny wedges -- adorkable & had many compliments.

Then came the saddest point in my summer where I spent the evening chilling out in my bed, bawling my eyes out watching PS I Love You (again) and eating an entire pizza on by myself. By the way I had the petite Mist pizza from Steveston Pizza. I majorly deviated from my health binge but I can afford to indulge once in a while ;) Speaking of food from Steveston, I just set an alarm for 9 am so I can go and try Damien's Waffles bright and early. I think I deserve them since after the Grind today I spent another good hour at the gym.

AND (sorry this is such a random post) due to the lack of budget for office renovations, Sarah and I spent every morning and night chained to Craigslist. In my bargain/free-stuff hunting craze, I found a vintage 1950's typewriter in good working condition and surprisingly, in good shape. I had driven to Pitt Meadows by myself just to retrieve this hefty item. It was well worth it. At least that's what I tell myself. It's both functional (I have an addiction to labelling) and decorative!

Ok. That's a really lame justification but whats done is done. All I can do now is enjoy it and hope to move into an indie home.

Since so much as happened within such a short period of time, my posts aren't quite in chronological order anymore. It's a jumble of things. I'll post photos of the reno'd Phrateres office next time.

I Eat Peaches Straight From The Can

2010-08-04T20:16:00.000-07:00

Phew! The last couple of weeks have been full of adventure and responsibilities. I wouldn't want to live my life any other way :) There's so much more to be done before the end of summer too!

Took mom to West Restaurant and ordered the highly recommended Pea Agnolotti. It was the first time I ate morels--they're mushrooms that grow after a forest fire. The CBC says that BC wildfires are eating up our firefighting budget. Perhaps they can pick mushrooms after the fire. Morels are worth a small fortune especially since they have to be differentiated from their poisonous counterpart, the False Morel. It was a delicious experience but I still prefer small cozy little dives like Sophie's or the Naam.

Speaking of food, mom and I got swept up in the excitement of cooking with our new cookbooks: West and Blue Water Cafe. So immediately went to Steveston to buy sable fish collars right off the boat. Then I decided to have an impromptu BBQ with a day's prep. I even made little flags on the fly and they looked fab (the photo up top).

Of course, we bought fresh salmon for the BBQ and smoked it on a cedar plank. It didn't turn out as well because there wasn't much convection cooking since we were cooking other things at the same time. We made everything from scratch but the most popular dish was our version of the Oroshi Japadog.

Descaled and filleted my first fish. It was so much fun! I'm trying to learn as many cooking skills as I can this summer.

Also spent a couple of days at the Phrateres office renovating. As it turns out, only Sarah and I were gung-ho enough to spend some time cleaning and painting the place. I gotta say that we did a spectacular job at painting for a couple of newbs who had absolutely no idea what they were doing. Currently the commons room is filled with our furniture so we left a bunch of notes on the wall apologizing to the War Gamers and UBC Security. Will have before and after photos later.

Saw this hilarious corner while paint shopping at Rona. It's a tiny mirror and a stake taped to the column. The note reads:

"In case of vampire;
Break red tape.
Aim for Heart.
Stab."

And written above the mirror:

"Also for vampire activity."

Me & You & The Washing Machine

2010-07-28T10:39:00.000-07:00

It was L's birthday over the weekend and she threw a BBQ-costume party. After food and charades, we strolled to the playground around the corner. How ridiculous we must have looked to be marching down the neighborhood, dressed up for no apparent reason as the runaway bride, paper bag princess, a life guard, a pirate, cupid and an 80's chick.

I missed all the Tight and Bright parties last year, so I decided to hunt for as many 'tnb' things as possible so I would be prepared this year. This costume party was my first 'test drive' as an 80's chick.

Swing! We were so surprised to learn that Tibs doesn't know how to maneuver a swing. It was cute to watch her boyfriend teach her.

Bustin' out all the dance moves. By that I mean, attempting to do the splits. It's been a goal of mine to do the splits (comfortably) again and I'm getting closer by the day.

But to top it all off, we spent a lot of time talking and playing with the kids there (adorable by all accounts).

I'll try to work on a video and post it here. I have a few video and photo projects that I need to handle first. The costume birthday party was a success! I got bitten a dozen times by mosquitoes and now my legs look messed it was worth it.

narwhals & bifurcations

2010-07-27T15:02:00.000-07:00

Consider this an homage to Joy Cho of Oh Joy! . She has an amazing design and food blog that I frequent often. There are regular posts where she draws attention to the similarity in design of two mutually exclusive items and they're titled "This and That".

Well here's my version of Joy's "This and That" but with a nerd-tastic twist.

Narwhal & Bifurcation

Speaking of narwhals, I'm about to release a new 'series' of posts called "addictions". I'm a collector of sorts and I'm very particular about my things. The posts will be about my attraction to various things. For example: narwhals. You'll see what I mean later ;)

I don't exactly know how I became a fan of narwhals. I suppose it's their connection to the mythical unicorn that draws me to them. I adore all things equine and that, sadly, includes unicorns and by association--narwhals. But it's not until my Chaos Theory enthusiast/friend who introduced me to this famous bifurcation graph that I realized that I started to see narwhals in very unlikely things. Hence my geek version of "This and That".

Once a Runner

2010-07-25T11:06:00.000-07:00

J recommended "Once a Runner" by John L. Parker Jr. for me as a source of inspiration. I'm not a runner by default and I used to loathe the thought of running for 15 minutes straight. But I have to say that it does wonders for my overall well-being and your progress is palpable. Can't say I love running but I'm certainly disliking it less and less.

Snippet from the book:

"There must be some mistake,"Cassidy said. "I have not yet attained that sense of euphoria commonly reported by runners."

"You are speaking no doubt of the fabled 'third wind.'"

"I'm not sure. I haven't read Runner's World lately so I don't know what they are calling it this month."

Praise for the book by Benjamin Cheever, author of Strides

"Part training manual, part religious tract, part love story, and all about running, Once a Runner is so inspiring it could be banned as a performance-enhancing drug."

Exactly what I needed...

Catch the Wind

2010-07-24T11:59:00.000-07:00

Just got home from Kamloops and went windsurfing the morning after with Nicky & friends. Did a 2-hour introductory lesson with Windsure on Jericho Beach.

Jericho Beach with instructor Melissa [via kampiscines]

Wetsuits, check. [via kampiscines]

I wouldn't really consider what I did today windsurfing. There's a lot of awkward falling into the water but eventually we got the hang of it. I'll call it an accomplishment anyways. I forsee more windsurfing to come.

The Days Just Keep Getting Better...

2010-07-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

Lucky number 33 :)

Vancity Allie is one of my favourite Vancouver blogs. She'll occasionally have contests for the sweetest and raddest things. This time she had a draw for a $50 certificate at West Restaurant, the West cookbook and Blue Water Cafe cookbook. And I won it!

Much thanks to Allie and Shelley McArthur, Communications Director of Top Table Restaurants! I'm so excited to try the dishes you suggested.

Radio Interview

2010-07-21T17:58:00.000-07:00

Justin, myself and a couple of the students were interviewed by Shelley from CBC Radio today. Less than half way through the interview I remembered why I loved doing this camp, why I got involved and why I did it in the first place.

Every student is different. Every year, every class, every location has a different vibe and energy to it. When I was younger, I was lucky enough to be stuck in classes full of enthusiastic nerds such as myself. I loved it. It's not every day now that I find teens struck by awe of the fact that bacteria can indeed take DNA from their external environment and use it. If I was told that at their age, I would have been floored. In fact, I would spend hours just pondering the possibilities and smiling at the fact that it's even possible. I still lie in repose on the grass some days and just smile at the small but incredible things organisms are capable of.

Maybe I'm just weird.

---
Friday, July 23

Kamloops was an amazing camp. They certainly have a different quality to them than the Vancouver camp. Both were great in their own right :) I gotta say Kamloops was much more fun and easy-going.

In any case, I can't wait to get home today so I can get up nice and early for windsurfing tomorrow. After windsurfing I'll either be at the beach enjoying the fireworks or at the Pit Pub at UBC chillin' out to the smooth beats of our DJ friend, Greg.

Kamloops

2010-07-20T17:50:00.000-07:00

Currently in the 'Loops for a work trip and I'm staying at the Conference Centre at the TRU campus. Being here is more than just spreading the good of word of science and genetics, it's more than planting seeds of interest into the minds of the young and the bright, it's more than just work--it's a vacation for me (well, sort of).

To be quite honest, there isn't much to do here but that's exactly why I like it. It's my time to be healthy, sleep early and take care of myself. This is especially doable since my coworker/room mate happens to be a captain of a triathlon team and he's super enthusiastic about leading a healthy lifestyle.

Yet the first night we arrived, I met a guy in the commons kitchen and he asked for my number. I brushed him off for the next couple of days and then finally I agreed to come out for an hour or two. We chatted a little bit and he seemed pretty bummed that we'll probably never see each other again. I'm not really phased. I'm still hung up on a guy I met a few months ago and will probably never see again. I guess it's only fair...

But I digress, I have an amazing view of the river and the valleys from my room. I love waking up in the morning to streaming rays of light coming through the window.

Justin and I make gourmet dinners for cheap. We did a cedar plank salmon on the outdoor patio BBQ at TRU. Amazing, n'cest pas?

One of my favourite experiments that we do with the students is bacterial transformation. I think it has the ability to teach them a few important concepts about experimental design and offer insight into what microbi research is like. Maybe I'm extrapolating this idea too much but it's what I would have fantasized about in Grade 10 during a class like this (honest to goodness).

I've also started to run outside in Kamloops. The hilly terrain is much more difficult but it feels good. Justin took me to the tracks at the stadium. It was amazing. The view of the football players were great, oh and so was the vista ;) He told me to take off my shoes and run on the grass, saying "It's so liberating. This is my Wreck Beach." I'd have to agree. I ran a couple of laps and walked every surface at the stadium barefoot just to feel the difference in texture beneath my feet. It was insanely liberating.

Road Trip

2010-07-17T13:32:00.000-07:00

I'll be taking another road trip to Kamloops tomorrow for work. I'm totally stoked to be in the lab at TRU with all these bright and eager little minds! However, as usual, I have a lot to do the day before I take off. Also it'll be a good opportunity to focus on myself all week.

I also have this intense craving for Lee's Donuts. I don't even like donuts but these are delicious--way better than Krispy Kremes.

Hopefully the weather holds so I can throw a wicked BBQ some time soon. I've already written a 'menu'.

The Planets Have Aligned

2010-07-07T19:45:00.000-07:00

The planets have aligned and Vancouver is now blessed with still, hot, humid, gorgeous weather all week long.

FINALLY!*
* I acknowledge that blogging about the weather is beyond lame, but if you’re in Vancouver you know how major this is.

(via vanmega).

It's All Gonna Break

2010-07-06T19:11:00.000-07:00

Man, busy just doesn't even begin to describe it. Or maybe I'm just completely burnt out. I love my job. It's fun, educational (both for me and the students), experimental, full of opportunities and indescribably rewarding.

Rae.

Justin & science camper.

Daisy, Daisy, He loves me, He loves me not;

Enjoy the sun & hopefully the waves, this week.

Sunday Afternoon

2010-07-05T00:19:00.000-07:00

Strolled around the Steveston Farmer's Market again with Nicole. It was an overcast but warm afternoon. I absolutely adore farmer's markets.

Hungry Cat usually carries my card, cash and most importantly my camera but that means his whiskers get a little mangled. Well anyways, Nicole promised to bring Lego Chef everywhere so we introduced our two sidekicks.

Hungry Cat finds Lego Chef very delicious.

At the local toy store. This is for Rae's obsession with moose.

Bought this adorable ring from the market.

Hungry Cat peaks out of my vintage Dior bag.

I have difficulty concentrating on work at home so I went to Calhoun's at 10 pm (free parking after 10). Then I received this text from my mother.

"Time to come home. It is dark. Beware of vampires n werewolves. Real werewolves do not hv abs. Mom"

Thanks mom. It's good to know that I will never fall for a real werewolf then...

A Recent Re-Evaluation of My Life

2010-07-04T23:21:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a very personal post...

A close friend of mine had recently moved away and he was my shoulder, my comfort and someone who would listen intently. I hadn't really felt lonely until a few days ago. Generally I was pretty happy until I made the 180 degree flip.

Maybe it's the fluctuating thyroid hormones after my radiation treatment a couple of weeks ago that's throwing me off (my doctor warned me about this). Maybe it's the stress of my job. The big day comes tomorrow. Perhaps I'm just short on rest and food.

Or I'm just yearning for another relationship. In any case, I'm in a pretty foul mood come night time. I've been unreasonably upset, crossing my arms, pouting and whining.

--

Despite my personal experience with mental illnesses and working with Stand Up for Mental Health, I still feel the stigma of mental health affect me. What's worse is that I'm not only unable to admit it to my peers that there may be something wrong, I'm afraid to admit it to myself.

A couple of years ago I was diagnosed with severe clinical depression. There, I said it. It's not easy to admit it to anyone let alone announce it publicly on the internet. I'm afraid of what people would think of me given the stigma surrounding the issue.

During my days of depression, I heard a lot of "Just get over it," and "It'll blow over. You're just going through a tough time." I thought I wasn't strong enough. I thought I wasn't trying hard enough. I went through a long period of lows and I just couldn't shake it. It held me in a state of paralysis and sadness every moment of the day. Some of my friends were there when I had major mental breakdowns. Some of my friends saw nothing but my fake smiles.

It took the help of health care professionals, medication and cognitive therapy to carry me out of this rut. Since then I had been acutely aware of my emotions and thoughts.

But I've been extremely happy lately. I'm generally in a good mood. Then in a moment I would do a complete changeover into a brooding 12-year-old because of a small issue. This is not a good sign. Again, I'm not sure what the root of it is but I guess I won't be taking any chances. Depression was devastating and I refuse to go through it again.

One of the best skill that I had gained from cognitive therapy was the increased sensitivity to my emotions and thoughts. I'm aware of unusual mood swings that differ from your day-to-day changes in moods. There's an alarm that sounds when I have perpetuating negative thoughts that come out of nowhere. If I allow these to continue, I could be triggering a relapse into depression. I've been warned that it's more likely to reoccur after the first time and that it'll likely be worse. I can't imagine a life worse than what I had gone through.. especially with increased responsibility, the need for independence and other compounding personal issues.

I really hope that I'm able to find a solution soon.

The Underwear Affair Fundraiser

2010-07-01T20:14:00.000-07:00

I didn't raise as much as I had hoped but it was a fun night nonetheless. The BC Cancer Foundation had generously organized this fundraiser at Doolin's Irish Pub. The place was really fun and sweet. We all had a hell of a good time and even got free cover for the Cellar below! Some runners even stripped down to the underwear to raise money for the cause.

So after a good conversation, beer & burger we went downstairs to the Cellar for a night of dancing.

Did I mention that I got caught in a bidding war (only because my friend handed my a 10 bill) for this man, Clifford, at the fundraiser's auction? Good times.

Alright, I better get ready for another night downtown. Have a safe night everyone! Happy Canada Day

G-20 Protest Ramblings

2010-06-28T17:58:00.000-07:00

Does anyone even know what the G20 Summit is about now? The media has focused so much on the protesting that there is relatively very little news about what the summit is actually discussing. In fact, this post isn't even really about the G20 Summit. It's going to be about the 'hipster revolution'.

[via Philogynist]

Hipsters look like they're intellectual, artistic and well-intentioned individuals who strive to defy the mainstream trends. Yet we'll tell our future generations that back in the day, hipsters are just reincarnations of the 60's hippy and that people will never change.

Jasmin-O-Saur: fervent advocate of free speech and destroyer of the opposition's signs. File Under: Hypocrisy.

UBC's full of them. For instance: the infamous SDS' (Students for a Democratic Society) fervent and outspoken resistance to the university, campaign to rid Canada of the military [1] and hilarious bonfire next to the grassy knoll [2] which resulted in student arrests. They decried police brutality which is utter blasphemy. These over-privileged kids are so used to complaining that they forgot to propose an actual practical solution. They're so young (in fact, they're a couple of years older than I) that they still hold on to their glorious ideals of world peace. But I must say that these protesters are a step up from the G-20 riots which are not only violent but none of us have any clue what they're actually protesting about...

This reminds me of the protesters that hung giant "Free Tibet" banners across the Golden Gate Bridge. When asked to point out where Tibet actually is on a map, some protesters had no idea. If you have a cause and want to do good in the world, maybe you should spend some time figuring out exactly what the hell you are advocating for before you start making a fool of yourself.

Stop giving hipsters a bad rap.

---

[1] I actually attended the SDS public discussion at UBC about the 'evils of the military' and the 'conspiracy behind it'. Everyone seemed to be invited to this forum so I went with two of my friends who happen to be in the Canadian military. Obviously they didn't show up in uniform. We in fact sat quietly in the back of the room while we listened to them preach to the choir. At the front of the room was a table set up for SDS executives and speakers.

They started the meeting by appreciating the fact that we were on "stolen native land". They passed around a petition that was against the UBC underground bus loop. On the back were valid points on why we shouldn't have this new development. Yet when I watched the petition being passed around, I saw that no one had read it. They just signed--blindly.

As the speakers were talking, I can see heads nod in agreement. I wondered how much these people actually knew about the military and the topic. Then my favourite speaker, whom I affectionately called "Jasmin-o-Saur", stood up to talk. She was passionate but made very few arguments and spent most of her time complaining and accusing. I was infuriated and had to step out of the room to breathe. When I re-entered, she looked smug.

When it came time to ask questions, my friend bravely stood to ask a question. He wasn't angry and the question was valid but it was obvious he wasn't one of them. You can see one of the panelists look in shock and the first thing that came out of their mouth was, "Are you in the military?" It was an irrelevant question. After attempting to dodge the question, my friend eventually answered "Yes" The room was tense and awkward. Since then the tone of the forum had dialed down from extreme to moderate. That sucked. Then they were outraged that my friend had brought along a voice recorder to record this. We were stunned because there were shouts like "This is how the government gets you!" (By the way, these shouts came primarily from guests that were invited to come speak from the US). It wasn't until after the forum that my friend and I spent time emailing and phoning government groups about voice recordings. It turns out that it was ok to record the forum as long as it was a public forum. Well, that was an SDS fail.

Finally when the discussion was over, we all had an opportunity to speak to the guests and panelists. They're pretty chill when they're not all angry. They asked us if we liked the idea of war. No, none of us, not even my friends in the military, like the idea of war. Ideally war would be non-existent but the SDS was asking for a movement to abolish the military. Great; So Canada would be the first and probably the only country to rid themselves of military defenses. Smart move. Oh, and what about peacekeepers?, we asked. We ask our peacekeepers to stand in-between two countries that hate each other and don't give two sh*ts about the collateral.

This is when I legitimately started hating on the SDS.

[2] Then there was the grassy knoll protest. It was the epitome of the 60's protests. People dancing as if they were perpetually high, horrendous live music (honest to goodness bad music), ribbons, tents and hippies that I never noticed on campus before. It was as if you took an old hippy film and have it regurgitate it's contents in the middle of our student space.

As a joke and a statement, some students came out and protested the protest. We were armed with signs like "10 Things Better Than the Knoll" and symbolic shovels. In fact, I had a lot of fun reading the discussion boards and wall of the FB group "Students for Reasonable Protest". Even Emporer Karl Palpatine got involved, srsly. The content of that group was both seriously thought-provoking and ROFL-worthy. Jasmin-o-Saur, who is obviously a big proponent of free-speech, also dropped on by to leave a few... encouraging... words behind.

But I digress. Back to the bon-fire. At night a giant bon fire was lit next to the knoll. I suppose it's some sort of hippy ritual to dance and sing around it. Oh, and did I mention that it was a giant bon fire that was right beneath some dry and very low overhang? When the fire department and police came to put out the fire, the protesters stood in their way (literally). So they arrested them and rightfully so. They were there to save the very knoll the protesters sought to protect. Why would you jeopardize the very thing you want to save?

My First Book

2010-06-26T16:20:00.000-07:00

Ok, no, it's not really my first book but I did co-author it with Mandy Chan. It's an educational booklet about the disappearance of bees.

Mandy has much more credibility than I do. She works with Dr. Leonard Foster at UBC on the life cycle of bees. We never actually met each other in the making of the book but we did lots of email :) You can check it out or better yet purchase your very own copy through genegeek.

Nicole also cowrote a book on the Mountain Pine Beetle for educational purposes.

Just thought I would mention that :)

Mounting the Chief

2010-06-25T18:59:00.000-07:00

The last time I attempted the Stawamus Chief was when I was a wee little girl. I didn't even realize that it was the Chief until I reached the balanced rock today where I almost slipped off the edge of the cliff as a kid. I went today with Jake and we reached the first peak. We spent a long time up there just eating lunch, chatting and screwing around with the chipmunks.

Foliage got in the way. Looks pretty decent, still.

I also wore my new Lululemon Ultimate Running Socks today. They were pretty great. My feet felt good throughout the hike and stayed blister free. However, when I got home I discovered that they wore out really fast and there was a small hole in one of them. Unfortunately I ended up handwashing them and letting them air-dry to prevent further wear. If they lasted longer, then it would have justified the $15 spent.

SMH and PACE Debut Show

2010-06-24T21:30:00.000-07:00

At the Firehall Theatre in the heart of the downtown east side was the SMH and PACE (the Prostitution Alternatives Counselling & Education) society debut comedy show. It was an unconventional comedy show put on by four incredible women who have such amazing energy and stories to share.

One of the most inspirational acts was by Cheryse. She has such enthusiasm about womanhood, freedom and the realization of her true self, it's honestly touching. She made me love the fact that I am a woman. Life is tough but women are tougher.

The SMH and PACE crew plus the very special Cheryse.

Look out for the documentary on the PACE program called "Humour Me" which will come out in about a year.

Dr. Hamish Nichol Memorial Benefit

2010-06-23T21:00:00.000-07:00

Dr. Hamish Nichol was the kind of compassionate and sympathetic psychiatrist everyone should have -- at least that's what Pat tells me. He taught Psychiatry at UBC and worked at the VGH Voice Clinic. He was also a man that gave to the community and the environment.

So in memory of Dr. Hamish Nichol, Stand Up for Mental Health put on a benefit for the VGH Foundation at the Yale Hotel.

It's such a small world! I had met one of the volunteers the day before at Lululemon Lab. She sold me those pants!

And that's Jim O'Hara, the Vice President of the VGH Foundation.

I'm continuing to volunteer with SMH to develop SMH Campus Days to dispel discrimination, stigmatism and prejudice of mental health illnesses through humour. Participants are those who are affected by mental health issues. They undergo workshops with SMH Founder, David Granirer, to create their own comedy act about their illness. David also suffers from depression, but he's also a counselor, an author as well as a comedian!

Intelligence Deficiency

2010-06-22T22:00:00.000-07:00

Have you taken your vitamins yet?

DNA and RNA are essential for life! There isn't a doubt in my mind (or anyone else's, hopefully) about that. But to take DNA and RNA supplements is nuts. Most everything you eat contains DNA and RNA.

Srsly?!

We're Always Running for the Thrill of It

2010-06-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

I've been training for the 10K Underwear Affair for the BC Cancer Foundation for cancers below the belt. Aside from doing training runs (an activity that I usually loathe), I've been reading books and stocking up on running gear to hopefully improve my stride. Oh, and Daily Mile has really helped!

Dropped by Lululemon Lab today on W Broadway and Cambie. It's a pretty sweet concept design lab.

I bought a few things including a pair of Women's Ultimate Running Socks ($14 CAD). They're pretty darn comfortable and cute. The socks claim to have arch support, reduce blisters and wick moisture while running. I'll make a review after a few runs with them on.

Bought this book: "Zen and the Art of Running". It's more about Zen than running but I'll also write a review on that later.

Easter Seals 24-Hour Relay for Kids

2010-06-20T15:42:00.000-07:00

Easter Seals is an organization that provides children with disabilities a chance to attend a camp to do things they normally aren't able to do. It's a wonderful opportunity for them.

Yesterday was the first day of the 24-Hour Relay at Swangard Stadium. The point is to run laps around a 4km course over 24 hours. We also signed up for bocce and volleyball. It's so much fun and I can't wait to do it again next year!

Brought our phriend, Quatchi, to the celebration.

My new Laurentian Chief moccasins. I could wear moccasins to most anywhere. They're amazingly comfortable and so adorable. My only concern is that they get dirty easily and don't add a lot of support for my feet. Anyhow, I love them.

Hanging out in the tent.

Relaxing at the beer garden with a few friends. Got a little sunburned.

A Day in the Life...

2010-06-18T00:25:00.000-07:00

I can't believe this is the last year of our UBC undergrad. Last year, in an attempt to make up for lost time, I did most of the events our campus had to offer (including Storm the Wall & Campus Chase). This is what university life should be: fun, challenging, soul-searching, sweat-breaking goodness.

Oh lab report. Rae's over at my place writing her's. She's accompanied by Quatchi.

Quatchi will also accompany us to Swanguard Stadium in Burnaby for the Easter Seals 24-Hour Relay. Last week we did our first Krispy Kreme sale for Easter Seals at Terra Nova Save-On Foods. Hopefully it's a first of many great fundraisers.

Speaking of fundraisers, come to Doolin's Irish Pub on June 30th for good times and bonus karma points. It's going to be a bar party to raise money for the BC Cancer Foundation's Underwear Affair. Contact me for tickets ($12. Includes a beer & burger) The proceeds go to charity.

Raddest Thing Since...

2010-06-16T11:03:00.000-07:00

...Since iced tea, mixed tapes and school buses: Stereo Mood . [via ham and heroin]

Who knows? How this feeling grows,

2010-06-16T01:09:00.000-07:00

Finally back from my mini hiatus. The last couple of weeks have been nonproductive and it just felt like a slow spinning blur in my mind. Things still do feel strange as if I were in the third person. I spent a little time indulging in taboo, a little time reflecting, a lot of time with family from out of town and a lot of time feeling numb.

Also I had my perm done at Chura. A week later and my hair went from curly to very loose waves. The photo above is a pre-perm. All following photos are post-perm. I guess I'm a little disappointed with the outcome since my hair refuses to curl under any circumstances. Hopefully this beach hair lasts else it'll be a waste of time and money.

Since the sun has come up a little bit, I've started to wear shorts whenever possible. Here comes the flurry of pictures to make up for my time away.

Hat: Garage ; Shirt: Flying Tomato ; Shorts: AE

Shirt: Modcloth ; Shorts: Hollister ; Shoes: Michael Kors

Then I spent some girl time with Rae. We had a heart-to-heart talk that ended up in fits of meaningless giggles <3 Oh, and spent a few hours sharing a sewing machine to construct our very own eco-friendly DIY t-shirts dress. I mean, when else can you expertly reuse an ex-boyfriend's tshirt?

I guess spent most of this post talking about superficial things. Next time I promise something ultra nerdy to make up for it. Ciao for now.

Perm

2010-05-31T13:12:00.000-07:00

My mother was 'blessed' with naturally curly hair but the I didn't win the genetic (or epigenetic) lottery. Next week I'll be going to Chura in Downtown Vancouver to get my hair digitally permed. I'm pretty lucky to have manageable straight hair but I spent years longing for wavy hair. Finally I have the courage to go through with it.

I'd really like to update this blogger template. I'll hopefully be missing in action for a short while to catch up on reading, work, sleep & this website.

I'll leave you with this adorable kitten...

2010-05-30T23:25:00.000-07:00

Wish you could see me now in my very most Carrie Bradshaw'esque mannerisms. How can the modern woman not connect with her? Mumsie and I just came home from watching Sex and the City 2.

Leather jacket: Mackage ; Belt: Celine vintage ; Jeans: Buffalo ; Shirt: Free People

These photos don't do the shirt justice but the delicate lace patterns in the front and in the back show just a tad bit of skin. It's sensual and so feminine. Great with messily braided hair.

Bag: Louis Vuitton ; Boots: Steve Madden

A couple of days ago I went to Moksha Yoga with my best Theresa. We also hit up Aphrodite's, an amazing organic pie shop. This little cozy shop has the delicious smell of pie permeating every inch of the place. Then hit up David's Tea to expand my tea collection with Organic Green Mate and Chocolate Mint Mate.

Tea and Organic Turkey Pot Pie - an unbeatable combo.

I've been stuck in Lala Land for a few weeks now & I'm neglecting work. Family stuff has been real tough to put it gently. I'm constantly tired and zoning out but I'm not able to get some good quality sleep. Wonder what's wrong...

Book Club of One

2010-05-27T12:08:00.000-07:00

I have yet to find a book club that is to my liking except for lit classes at UBC. I've been craving engaging discussions about literature & I truthfully miss the scratch of the pencil against paper as ideas stream from my noggin' to my fingers.

Above are just some of the books I need to read/finish reading. I have a terrible habit of reading half a book and then forgetting about it for a year. It hasn't happened yet this summer but I have a ton of half-read books to go through.

While in Kamloops a couple of weeks ago, Justin (my co-worker) and I took a trip to Chapters. Since then I've been devouring books constantly. In the day I'll carefully read a thought-provoking and inspirational book while at night I'll indulge in terribly written teen vampire romance novels. Although I've said that I'd never read a Twilight book, I'm currently reading "The Vampire Diaries" which probably isn't any better. Yes, I'm ashamed that I've been letting out sighs and girlish squeals as I read the Vampire Diairies series.

--

Sometimes I'll feel out of place here. Maybe it's because my room's really cluttered. It's organized chaos here and this room has more stuff than it could comfortably fit. I'm tempted to turn this place upside down so I can create a reading room of my own. Or at least turn it into the picture below.

Vancouver Farmer's Market

2010-05-26T21:19:00.000-07:00

I adore those lazy weekend afternoons at the local market. Smiling local faces. Delicious local food. Quality local handcraft. Did I mention that it's local? At the heart of every BC city there should be (if there already isn't) a farmer's market. These places are splendiferous!

Vancouver actually has several markets this summer so in addition to my "to-be-regular" visits to the Steveston market, I'll be heading out to Kitsilano Farmer's Market as well. However parking could be an issue and driving doesn't exactly fit the market's je ne sais quois.

It would be excellent if someone could risk their lives [what I meant was bike with me] from Richmond to Kits. Takers?

Steveston

2010-05-23T22:06:00.000-07:00

Super kitty!

Steveston is almost my second home. It's my place of refuge, inspiration and joy. I spent an inordinate amount of time there just doing nothing, really. Spent most of my day strolling around Steveston with a few of my friends and then spent the rest of it napping in the sun. For whatever reason, I'm really burnt out and exhausted.

Was going to post about the Farmer's Market but something came up. That and I'm about to collapse into my bed. So I've left you with a photo of my favourite hot dog from the market. They've been MIA for a while but I finally found them! Check it out :) You must try Blondie's special garlic mayo with it.

Raise Your Hands...

2010-05-16T00:29:00.000-07:00

... and receive the music radiating from the temporary demi-gods: Our Lady Peace.

I've never been more compelled by any other artist than OLP. It's their songs that resonate with our daily experience and struggles that move me so much. Their music remains relevant for years because they sing of humanity and the human condition.

Our Lady Peace performed at Vogue Theatre. It was just a phenomenal performance that just got better and better as the night progressed. I was completely captivated by the lead singer, Raine Maida. I'm never usually moved to such admiration and especially not by musicians but tonight was the exception.

Oh, it was not only nostalgic but refreshing. It definitely called for the mandatory band shirt.

10, 000 Hours

2010-05-11T19:05:00.000-07:00

Malcolm Gladwell's book "Outliers" tells us that 10, 000 hours is the magical number of hours you need to accumulate in order to be an expert at anything.

That's total dedication to one thing. I've been thinking about what I would dedicate myself to: yoga, genetics or literature? There are endless possibilities and it all comes down to time and practice. Knowing me, I wouldn't know where to start. I guess I can live with mediocrity in some areas like fencing, skiing or horseback riding. As long as I'm proficient, that's good enough.

What would you dedicate 10, 000 hours to?

Long Beach, Tofino

2010-05-08T18:39:00.000-07:00

A sunny Monday morning, a long winding highway and marshmallow cumulus clouds. Even the drive out to Tofino was breathtaking. Vancouver Island has got to be my favourite place on Earth. There aren't enough adjectives in my vocabulary to describe the intense amazingness that is Tofino.

Long Beach Lodge was spectacular. I fell in love with their famed 'Great Room' which is a dining room/lounge with an unbeatable view of Cox Bay. The lodge has their own private access to the beach and behind that frosted glass door is what I quite literally thought was Heaven (or at least what I think heaven would look like).

Rachel and I stopped by Eagle Aerie Gallery that features Roy Henry Vickers' artwork. The colours are intense, stunning and reflective of Clayquot Sound. You'll see hidden symbolism and animal spirits subtly appearing and disappearing in the background. I currently have two blockmount reproductions of his art; Digging Clams and King Pacific Sunset.

Don't forget to visit Tea Bar. A small but delicious selection of teas in a cozy little corner. My favourite is the Lavender Mint tea.

My favourite place to eat there is The Wildside Grill. It's not a restaurant but it's a small take-out eatery that is supplied with fresh seafood by local fisherman. I highly recommend the Seafood Gumbo. It's well priced and good eats.

Then the highlight of our trip: a trip to Hot Springs Cove with Jamie's Whaling Station. Our guide Marcelle knows a lot about Clayoquot Sound. He'll take the little boat and weave in and out of islands of rocks. We hiked 1.5 Km to the natural hot springs and it was phenomenal. On the way there we saw black bears and on the way back we spotted a Sea Otter, Grey Whale, Dunlins, Dowitchers and Oystercatchers. It was more than I had hoped for.

The local area is a delicate balance of modern colonization and biodiversity. It saddens me to hear that they're going to mine out half of Catface Mountain, that salmon farms are effecting the local wild salmon population, that most of the area has been forested at some point in the last 100 years which leaves very few untouched old-growth forests. It's impossible not to fall in love with the area and it's history.

If you're heading out there please consider dedicating your money, effort or time to preserving those local untouched islands. Check out Friends of Clayoquot Sound to see what you can do to help.

Inaugural Post

2010-05-01T21:02:00.001-07:00

It has been years since I last blogged & it feels so good to be back!

Here's a little about myself:

I'm a born and raised Vancouverite. If you ever meet me and asked where I'm from that's exactly what I'll say with no exception. Being a Vancouverite is a point of pride for me. It's not an actual achievement but I must admit that I'm a bit smug about it. I'm proud to say that this beautiful city is my home.

I've always been a big fan of the great outdoors and adventure travels. It's difficult not to be since Vancouver is THE place to cultivate that kind of lifestyle. Connecting with nature has always been a passion of mine. This whole love of mother nature was really what led me to biological sciences and there's a whole other story that leads me to my love of genetics.

It's pretty simple to describe me : Jack of all trades but truly a master of none. I'll dabble in everything. It's quite tough for me to choose any one thing since I take an interest in most anything! I've done horseback riding (English style), fencing, watercolour painting, guitar lessons, and air cadets just to name a few.

--

In a couple of days I'll be at the Long Beach Lodge Resort in Tofino. There's just something about Vancouver Island that I'm inexplicitly drawn to and I'm not the only one.

This morning I was at Raintree Day Spa in Steveston and had started talking to Barbara Bell, owner and incredibly helpful person. When she heard that I was going to Tofino, she instantly recommended a bunch of restaurants and a few activities we could do there. Her entire spa is designed with Tofino and the west coast in mind. I have got to say that Raintree Day Spa not only has excellent service but it also encompasses all that is west coast. They focus on wellness, sustainability and they even give back to nature through charity. I've tried to go to other spas but it just wasn't the same. So if you can't escape to the island any time soon, check out Raintree but remember to book early since they're pretty busy.

Oh and I'm a pretty meticulous person when it comes to travelling. I've created an entire itinerary for the trip. I want to take in as much as I can on my trips but still have it be lax and flexible. I'm beyond stoked. After Tofino, I'm heading out to Kamloops for work!