family is best!

here i am, at 1:38am, sitting in Summit, NJ.  I spent the weekend here with my sister and her awesome other half, Mr. D.  I can't help but be amazed at how quiet it is here in suburbia... it's not that i miss the blaring sirens, the chinese drums, medical helicopters, barking dogs, angry car horns and occasional drunken screams of Chinatown, Philadelphia... but i strangely have found that i can't fall asleep here because it's just ... too quiet.  ironic.  i don't have my usual lullaby of fire engines, cop sirens and septa buses to lull me into my city-sleep. 

i've done nothing this weekend but eat. korean bbq. fresh japanese bread with black sesame spread. pot roast with potatoes. biscuits and gravy. artichokes. heirloom bean and vegetable stew. couscous. ice cream.  yum.  and my thighs begin to expand.  

eat... and watched the 3rd Lord of the Rings, which i actually never saw.  AMAZING!  all 4 hours of the extended-extended-super-long version.  

family is the best.  doing nothing but eating and having fun with family is even better. 

on an unrelated note; it was finally determined that my last day of work would be March 21st.  2 years at Penn, with this last year as a senior coordinator -- finally over!  2 years of working has passed surprisingly fast.  Done with the job on march 21st.  First week of April -- moving all of my stuff out to a new and fresh city.  Second week of April, saying my goodbyes and moving out of Philadelphia for good.   

it's all been so fast. 

The Asian Fit

Do your sunglasses or ski goggles never fit correctly? Are your ski goggles seemingly too curved for your face, so that they hit on your cheeks, allowing ice cold air to rush into your eyeballs and blind you while you're hurtling yourself down a mountain? Because that's exactly how i feel. Recently, a friend told me that Oakley now makes their glasses and ski goggles in what's called the Asian Fit. Basically, the bridge is a little lower, and the face of the glasses/goggles is less rounded; made to fit the flat Asian face that we all have, and fit better too. Some people think it's racist, blah blah blah blah. shuddup. truth is, we do have flat faces. and if these ski goggles are going to fit better than the many pairs that i've fruitlessly tried over the years (none of which have fit my face correctly), then i'm totally SOLD!!

now if only i could walk again... maybe i could ski again.
On a totally unrelated note.... i was out taking more pictures for my freelance project last night. Yes, that's right... i went out and took pictures during the horrendous ice storm. Today i realized that it was stupid and i could have totally snapped my ankle back in half, especially since crutches don't provide much support, or traction. ANYWAY... i took this picture and i think it's hilarious:

he looks so angry!!! i was trying to get his face in between the ducks, but i didn't think he was going to look so angry. haha!

happy chinese new year!!

it is officially the year of the rat now. i was born in the year of the rat. but according to those thin paper place mats you find at mediocre chinese restaurants that cater mostly to unknowing innocent non-chinese people, anyone who is born in the year of the rat will seldom make lasting friendships. how sad! don't believe in that gibberish!!

and maybe on that line of thought... i've been spending a lot of time alone these days. going on photo outings, eating by myself in restaurants, watching movies, and reading by large windows. all by myself. i even went to the philly international auto show by myself, and marveled at concept cars, the acura, audi, and mercedes displays. then i drooled over the new 2008 Honda Accord, which i am 95% sure i will buy, and is the only car in that price range that i think is droolable over. it's amazing.

all in all... i feel like it's been a great time of loner-ism. maybe i'm especially reflective and nostalgic, as i'm about to leave philly for good very soon...

i'm on a roll!

1. today, i filed my tax returns. Early, i know, but for financial aid purposes, I had to file them. i sat down and started them, anticipating a nice return, just like last year. my flat screen TV was the result of that return last year. THIS year, i planned on buying a nice new flash for my camera. i happily filed my taxes, only to find that i OWE $600+ dollars to the stupid IRS. I then filed my state taxes, and was appalled to see a return of only $6. blast!!

2. recently, i was asked to do a freelance photography project for the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation. Although I have a suspicion that they won't pay me... it works out because i like going on photo outings anyway. Today, on a gloomy, rainy day, i went out with my crutches on a .... slow photo shoot.

i ended the photoshoot sitting in a bakery, with a hot strawberry pastry and a cup of steaming hot Horlicks. i love living in chinatown.

i like fried eggs.

i love eating eggs , fried sunny side up. they're yummy, especially with a few pieces of toast and some soy sauce.

my fingers hurt from sewing.

so much to do, so little time.

these days, i'm coming closer and closer to being able to walk again. it's so weird to think that it's already been over 3 months since i last walked... but yet i've managed to live a pretty normal life, even without walking. i still manage to vacuum, to cook, to swiffer, to do laundry, etc. even when i do walk again, it's not going to be me tearing through philadelphia on my usual explorations, mind you, it's going to be a few steps at a time; a hallway, a block, 2 blocks, then maybe even the stairs.... but i shouldn't get too ahead of myself.

the prospect of me walking has me.... burning with a desire to do all these crazy things...seeing people jogging in the city has me both envious, and stupidly angry at random strangers, just because they can run and i can't. and it's frustrating to know that it will be months or maybe even years before i can do them again. this morning, i gingerly took 3 steps (without my crutches) from my bed to my desk. i was SO HAPPY that i wanted to cry. but again, i shouldn't get ahead of myself. it was only 3 small, halting steps, and it was quite painful.

felt companions!

So, I have recently decided that instead of watching TV after work, I would put my hands to use and create some new friends :) As much as I want to keep these new friends, They will be going to some of my dearest friends, as goodbye presents before I leave Philadelphia.

First, let us meet Mr. Cookie. My inspiration was the Japanese cartoon Domokun, and these felt stuffed animals/creatures that were selling on South Street for like THIRTY dollars?!! heck no!! So I thought, Shoot, this is easy. I'll just start creating my own brand of stuffed felt/sock creatures. In about an hour, this is what resulted. I should charge $30 for these too.

Mr. Cookie is coming! Rarrrrrgh.

YUM!

he also has other friends, including a white radish (luo-buo) a.k.a. daikon, and a sock monkey. Anyone else have any suggestions of food items or anything cool that i could make? I am unfortunately not taking any orders. haha. if you want one, make your own. i should sell these for a hefty price in Taiwan this summer.