Archive for August, 2007
August 27, 2007 at 10:00 pm · Filed under sponsored
Dave and I spend a lot of time at the beach, especially during the summer. While we used to take our bikes there on the weekends, we are still planning on it again in the future. The weather hasn’t been so good here lately — not good enough for us to go cruising at the beach. Plus, our bikes aren’t very good in beach environments because they’re sort of bulky and a little too high-maintenanced for it to work properly sometimes. What I would really love is if we got beach cruiser bikes. Since we only live about 2 minutes from the beach (two beaches, actually!), I think it would be better if we have bikes dedicated for just the beach. It would make more sense, and on top of that, it would motivate us to go to the beach more often if we have bikes dedicated to it. Haha. They are so reasonably priced and inexepnsive too, that there is really no excuse to at least get a beach cruiser bike for short trips and joy riding. They look so much fun and they add such life to a regular bike ride! If you peruse through the women’s catalogue, you’d see so many cool ones too. I like the bright colors — made perfectly for the beach, of course. They look so much fun, I want to go out and get one now and ride it to the beach everyday, at least until summer ends!
August 27, 2007 at 9:15 pm · Filed under heart, thoughts
The place I grew up in. It is so familiar in my mind that it is almost like looking at the back of my mind. The skin and the wrinkles morph into the neighborhoods where things used to look so tall and big because I was so short and small. The street corners, the houses I walked by, the trees and even the smell — all so familiar in my head. I remember when Dave used to come to California to visit me — way before we moved in together — and I would repeatedly and excitedly show him around the cities I grew up in. I anxiously talked about each teacher and each classmate I remember as we pass by my elementary school. I pointed out the driveway of the rented home where I learned to ride a bike. Over and over again, as if he hasn’t seen it all or heard it all before (which he has — apparently I showed him almost every time he visited). So eager to share a part of me to him, so desperate to showcase the way my life has been, the way my life was.
I know what it feels like to want your legacy to continue, and I’m only 26. Worse yet, at the time Dave was visiting me all those years ago, I was about 20. I know what it’s like to want so desperately to show the people you love where you grew up, how life rocked and swayed you into existence everyday, the things that made you who you are, the memories that you have to hold onto so tightly.
The very reason why Gabriola Island is so special to us is because it is where Gran spent her teenage years, back during the war. She lived there from the time she was 12 until she was around 18 or 19. Each time we go there, each time the family spends a week of summer vacation there, she shows us around the island. This year, I had the fortune of driving Gran around the island, while she pointed each spot where a memory lived. The little school house she went to school in, which is now The Women’s Institute. The little house she and her parents lived in, which is now a “guest house” in the back yard of a huge front house, overlooking the beach. The home we stayed in — camped at — is the very home her father built. She pointed each house that was there for more than 70 years, and who used to live in each. She described having to walk 3 miles to and from school everyday, rain or shine or snow (barefoot, in freezing cold, etc. etc.). She told stories of how she used to call a male friend who had a crush on one of her female friends, “Tom Hug-and-Kiss-Her!” because his name was Tom Huggins. She pointed out what the fire department used to be, where the museum was back in the day, what the convenience store was before it was a convenience store. It was touching. It was like I saw her in a new light, young again, age 13, just starting life, with so much ahead of her. It was even before she met Grandpa, who together they would give birth to Sylvia, who would later on give birth to my darling husband.
History in the making. Without Gran, my husband wouldn’t be here. Without my husband, where would I be?
August 27, 2007 at 8:25 pm · Filed under interests, sponsored
While we were at Gabriola Island this past weekend, we hung out a lot outside. It was so very comforting, and at the same time it made me realize that I wish we had a bigger porch, or a viable back yard where we can have some cool teak outdoor furniture for our summer outdoor living. I think besides a garden, our potential new home will have to be able to hold outdoor furniture so that we can have barbecues and picnics with friends and family from time to time. I would love for our kids to run around outside during the summer — the whole picket fence nine yards, yo! — while we relax and read, or chat and drink some long island iced tea together outside while we watch them. It would be the life. Perfect scene to come home to every evening, and perfect weekend to look forward to every week.
August 26, 2007 at 12:34 pm · Filed under daily
We’re over at Gabriola Island right now (which is off of Vancouver Island over here in lower mainland, B.C.). So gorgeous! The weather is picking up. Dave and I pitched our 5-person tent last night and we were warm and cozy here. It rained and poured and the wind was very very hard and loud, yet we were able to stay warm. We have an awesome tent. Actually, the tent was a wedding gift from my best buddy, Will. Thanks, Will!!
This morning I did yoga on the beach, and Dave took a few pictures. The zen is a thousand times maximized when you’re on the beach while doing yoga. Yoga just seems so much more effective when you can hear the ocean waves and smell the sea air. It’s beautiful. Everything is so relaxed here. Nick and Reilly, the kids, are out lookin’ for sea creatures and they’re having lots of fun. I took lots of pictures, so I will be posting them when we get back (too lazy right now). Currently, as I type this, I’m in our tent and we’re both on the computer. Haha. Nerds! 
Hope your weekend is as awesome as ours.
August 24, 2007 at 8:48 pm · Filed under interests, sponsored
I think I will have to start looking into online file sharing for work because my computer there keeps eating my files while I am working on paperwork. Last week, I had to re-do the same progress note sheet for a client about 4 times because it wouldn’t save, and then when it did, it would give me an error when I tried to open it later or the next day. So then I had to re-do the whole file — writing all the session notes from scratch from the last month. It was painful, and it pissed the hell out of me. With Driveway, I will be able to save large files and share with my coworkers (particularly Jen, who is really the only one who reads my service logs anyway — poor girl!), and be able to edit right then and there instead of having to re-submit or re-email all over again. I’ve been rackin’ my brain about how to make this easier on me, and I think I’ve found the perfect solution! It’s free too!
August 24, 2007 at 8:40 pm · Filed under heart
Ode to really good books. Currently, I am reading Iris and Ruby by Rosie Thomas. It’s a relatively new book, and I’m about halfway through it (it takes me a while these days to finish one book). I am captured by the alliteration and the writing style. The first page was so beautiful written, I couldn’t put it down for at least a few more chapters. I knew I was hooked when the language described veins of love captured in human ribs, like a caged bird. The imagery is so beautiful. I am so impressed. It makes me want to get my paper and pencil (or rather, my laptop) and start writing, the way I used to write before I became a boring old married fogie. Heh.
I miss the days when I was more imagery-focused in my writing, versus just getting words out there, versus just making myself known. I miss the days when each word was like a newborn child — the feeling of being able to capture a feeling, a notion, an idea so vividly that it feels like you are giving birth to something beautiful, something meaningful — something original. How beautiful the notion of being able to write something that means something as well. I am going to capture those days again, and make them mine again. I am going to chase them, and hang onto them like trying to fly across the desert with sandy winds in my eyes. It’s painful to try to capture something that you’ve lost so much.. like grasping for air, and letting it slip through your fingers because you don’t know exactly what it’s supposed to feel like once you’ve held it. You only imagine it.
Words were like air to me. They crippled me into desperation and necessity, yet they became the crutch I can’t live without, the buttress I was anxiously laying on. Before I had anyone, I had my words. Before even Dave the Husband, words were the zen to my anxiety. They were my suicide, my rebirth, my growth. Before there was Happy Helen, there was Wordy Helen. Happy Helen wouldn’t have been around if Wordy Helen was never born and taught.
And now, I holler and beg for the days when words become my savior again, except this time it will be different. This time, it won’t be through desperation, nor will it be through neediness. This time, it will be because of pure joy. This time, words will not be my suicide, words will be my love.
August 24, 2007 at 8:10 pm · Filed under sponsored
I feel like I’ve been talking about luggage and traveling for the past few days. Understandably so, since it’s summer and we’re thinking about making several trips abroad, and little trips away over some weekends. The biggest trip of all, of course, is our honeymoon to Hawaii. We’re thinking of probably staying in Maui, and aside from staying in a hotel or something, perhaps we can consider vacation rentals. This one in particular is pretty cool. It’s a one-bedroom with lots of remodeled furnishings and appliances, such as a new bathroom (I’m so into bathrooms these days because we’re getting ours renovated in the next month). It’s by the water and it’s relatively cheap to rent for a couple of weeks. Only $69! I mean, seriously, that’s as much as a hotel stay, isn’t it? We’d have our own kitchen and our own sitting room too. It’s kind of like staying at a bed and breakfast, except without having someone else there watching over you like a hawk. Nice!
August 24, 2007 at 8:02 pm · Filed under daily
We’re just trying to get ready and packed for Gabriola Island for the weekend. Not too bad, since we’re only going for two nights and three days, so it’s not like we’re packing up everything. Dave and I are wondering if they have wireless internet there. I’m guessing probably not, but we’re bringing our laptops just. in. case. 
Hehee. Yes, we are big nerds. Most definitely.
Poor Tink won’t know what hit her. That’s the only thing about going away — you gotta remember your animal friends who are going to be left behind. With the whole family going away, there’s not anyone able to check in on her, so she’ll be alone in the house for two nights. We’ll put out plenty of food and water to hold her out, but still, she’s going to get so lonely, poor thing. I even toyed with the idea of bringing her with us, but she wouldn’t enjoy herself one bit over there at this new strange place. It will be hard for her. Probably harder for her to come with us than to stay behind and be alone for two nights. We’ll have to give her lots of cuddles and “I love you”s when we get back. Poor thing.
August 24, 2007 at 7:26 pm · Filed under daily, sponsored
Speaking of addictions, there is another one that is really weird. This time, it’s not entirely mine — it’s my mom’s. I don’t know if she still has them, though, but I reckon she does because every so often she’d tell me she got a new luggage and if I wanted it. Yes, my mother’s strange addiction is buying luggage. I don’t know if she has a particular brand that she likes, such as travelpro or something else, but she does love luggage. I don’t understand it either.
Speaking of luggage (my English teacher would’ve loved these awesome transitions I’ve been able to make in these posts ;P), I can’t wait to go on our honeymoon. We’ve decided (about 95%) on Hawaii. We just have to know when and how much we need for it, and we’re still saving up money, but I’m looking forward to Hawaii. Yaayyy. I’m looking forward to going away, but particularly going away with Husband. 
August 24, 2007 at 7:20 pm · Filed under sponsored
Among one of my shopping sprees for furniture since the wedding (seriously, it’s been like a disease, almost!), I’ve been looking for a new coffee table and even browsing office desks. I don’t know what it is about office desks, but I think it stems from my love for school. When I went to uni when I was 17, I was so excited that I got a new desk in my dorm room (hardly “new,” but new to me!), imagining how I was going to set everything up and decorate it and where my computer would best sufficiently fit. And then when I moved out of the dorms, I was excited to get a new computer desk and do the same thing. When I moved in with Dave, I was excited when we got matching His-And-Hers corner computer desks. We still have them, even though we don’t use them anymore (laptops are so much more efficient when it comes to being able to computer anywhere we want — like, in front of the tv in the computer room on the couch ;P). I have an addiction for computer/office desks even when I don’t need any. Weird, huh? Is that strange? I think that counts as strange. Eh well.
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