'09 Reflection

Moving...

Year 2008

Year 2008 have gone by like the wind.  I'm quite surprised that my previous post was in January or something in the beginning of the year.  Let me list a few highlights of this year that are memorable.  But before I do that, this reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend not too long ago.  He was talking about how I'm blessed with the gift of forgetfulness.  He came for a visit from Edmonton around summer time this year and he was reminding me of all the places I brought him to and the things I said to him during the phone call.  I actually couldn't remember most of the things I did with him.....even though it's only 5 to 6 months ago.  He says forgetfulness is a blessing and shares with me how he can remember most of things that has happened in his life.  It is the sad and negative things that really bugs him.  I'm not sure if it's really a blessing, but I'm trying very hard at this moment to come up with the list and to try not miss anything.  Here goes...

- helped Josh plan/execute proposal....and was successful

- watched my very first live NBA game where the team at this point no longer exist

- went to Las Vegas...won some money and lost it all to a speeding ticket

- got to work at Health Canada on a short term contract

- found another job right after the contract ended, my first permanent job

- moved once again

- spent close to 3g to fix my GGRW

- had a very memorable birthday planned by the kids of James Fellowship

- met the Jamaican bobsled team in Whistler

- starting MF at church

- lost more than half of my investment in a months time

- losing a friend and a coworker

I think I'm still missing things here but that pretty much sums up my year.  I just realize how this is the most appropriate time of the year to write this up...it's Christmas Eve (silent night).

Life Hack -- Marriage

So my cousin called me today to see what my avaliability is to tutor her daughter.  The first thing she asks is "are you dating?  If not then you will have lots of time to help me."  She got me there...but I'm inexperience so I'm not too sure about the seriousness of dating eating up all your time.  This reminds me of something I read off someone's Stalkerbook site.  It is a survey to help you estimate the age that you will get married.  Kind of interesting....but time is running short for me to make that happen.

[X] You know how to make a pot of coffee
[] You keep track of dates using a calender
[X] You own more than one credit card
[] You know how to change the oil in a car
[X] You do your own laundry
[X] You vote every election
[X] You can cook for yourself
[X] You think politics are exciting
[] Your parents have better things to say than your friends

Total: 6

[X] You show up for school/college/work every day early
[] You always carry a pen in your pocket/purse
[] You've never gotten a detention
[X] You have never smoked a cigarette
[X] You have never gotten completely trashed
[] You have forgotten your own birthday at least once (HAHAHA)
[X] You like to take walks by yourself
[] You've watched talk shows
[X] You know what 'credibility' means without looking it up
[] You drink coffee at least once a week

Total: 5

[X] You know how to do the dishes
[X] You can count to 10 in another language
[X] When you say you're going to do something you do it
[X] My parents trust me
[X] You can mow the lawn
[X] You can make adults laugh without being stupid
[] You remember to water the plants
[X] You study when you have to
[X] You pay attention at school/college
[] You remember to feed your pets

Total: 8

[X] You can spell 'experience' without looking it up
[X] You work out on a regular basis
[X] You clean up your own mess
[] The people at Starbucks know you by name
[] Your favorite kind of food is take out
[] You have gained weight since middle/high school (Yes I know so don't bother saying anything)
[] The first thing you do when you wake up is get caffeine
[X] You can go to the store without getting something you don't need
[X] You understand political jokes the first time they are said
[X] You can type quickly

Total: 6

[x] You have realized that the weather forecast changes every hour
[] Your only friends are from your place of employment
[] You have been to a tupperware party
[] You have realized that no one will take you seriously unless you are over the age of 25 and have a job
[] You have more bills than you can pay
[] Most of all your friends are older than you are
[X] You can say no to staying out all night
[X] You use the internet every day
[X] Your wardrobe hasn't changed in a while
[X] You can read a book and actually finish it

Total: 5

Total added up: 30

Add up all the x`s and title subject with the sum as "My marriage age is 30".

******

Working with Mr. Burns

"I'm feed up with this" is the common phrase that Mr. Burns would say on a regular basis.  What he refers to is the work that he is doing and which I am trying to pick up and learn to become an expert at.  So who is Mr. Burns?  He is a old man that has been working in the same lab doing almost the same thing for the past 26 years.  His name isn't really Mr. Burns but because he looks and moves and acts like him, I have nicknamed him so.  I think it's the stare that he has that really reminds me of Mr. Burns.  Oh, when I refer to Mr. Burns, I'm refering to the one in The Simpsons. 

His head reaches half way of mine.  He has this funny walk...as if he has polio.  He is a very soft spoken man, but when he speaks, it's to the point.  Another line that he often says is "what the f".  Throughout these 2 weeks, he has shared many life stories with me.  He is a chemistry graduate of UBC and seems to know his chemistry very well (unlike me).  He has a wife and 2 girls.  He would share lots about his girls.  One of them is 20 and going to college and the other is 12.  He would complain about the 20 year old being immature while the 12 year old being overly mature.  He explained to me how frustrating it is too be a parent and also a husband.  To deal with the wife is enough he explains, but he also mentioned how when you marry a woman, you don't just marry a woman, but her entire family as well.  He didn't really mention about his wife until we started to discuss about the car that he drives.  He owns a Mazda 3 and he explained to me that his wife just recently purchased a CR-V and we would discuss about these 2 cars.  I especially enjoy his stories about his time as a grad student at UBC.  Although he walks like he has polio, he tells me that when he was at UBC, he was in the swim club.  I was very surprized to hear that he was actually fit....because he looks like a frailing old man.  He told me that he had this lab prof that he bugged a lot especially of the prof's fittness level.  He would bug him and tell him to go try swimming every time he had a lab in his laboratory.  So finally, the prof decides to go swim one day after much persuasion by Mr. Burns.  The next day Mr. Burns goes to the lab....he finds out that the prof died of a heart attack at the pool...because of the death of that prof, a need prof replaced the dead one...and apparently....I also had that prof at school.

On my first or second day of work, I think Mr. Burns said something alone the lines of "no body really talks to me anyway" .  I thought I heard wrong, but now that I'm in my 3rd week of work....I realize maybe I didn't.   He has really opened up his life to me and shared some really personal things.  I really thank him for being such a genuine person with me.....and with my plans to out living my friends, Mr. Burns for sure has taught me many things that I can't learn any where else.  Yeah, so who cares about chemistry anyways.