2009

The year Two Thousand and Nine:

Last day of the year, and I'm enjoying a precious moment of tranquility at a yoga studio in the middle of Mongkok. People rushing in and out, signing in, changing, and hurrying to class. Yet, here I am, sitting leisurely at the resting lounge, fiddling with my phone while music plays through the ear pieces. I just love this brief moment of nothingness. Of doing nothing in particular, of thinking of nothing in particular. Simply, just being. Just being here, being me.

There's just too much clutter in our daily lives. Obligations, errands, tedious things and useless thoughts, jamming up our minds, taking up our precious time. All that chasing, searching, and planning, but honestly, for what? Happiness? Security?

Hmmmm.... Am I not happy? Am I not secure? I can't help but smile when I type those words. Happiness, to me, is really just a simple choice of letting myself feel good, of being able to let go, and of being able to appreciate what and where I am today. And when that all comes into place, the sense of security, this feeling of completeness, will come naturally.

Hmmm... then what have I been doing this whole 2009 then?

Good question.....

-AM



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Happy bday Tinsel!

Dec 26, 2009:

1:40am in the morning and I am slouching on my chair with bday Tin slouching across my chest and belly. Tis Christmas again, and tis Tinsel's birthday again.

Her sixth. With many more to come.

It's just so amazing to see how much she has transformed from her old self into the new gal that she is today. In all fairness, she's still far from being the perfect dog, but she has came a long way, and no one could've imagined how bad she was back then.

I know I am quite long-winded, but I really have to thank Pete and Cindy for this. Pete for re-training us and for showing me that Tinsel is not the hopeless case that every other trainer claimed to be. Cindy for taking Tinsel in for her first and subsequent grooming sessions, giving her the chance to meet other people and dogs. Thanks to you both, for making it happen.

Thanks to Lolita for training Tinsel with me, and for being so persistent. It wouldn't be possible without your cooperation, you know!

And not to mention, another heartful thank you to all of our friends and neighbors for not turning your backs on Tinsel when she was still her growly self, for showing her love and patience, and for being here to witness the new her. Thanks, everyone, especially Belle Belle, Sue, Jessica, and Andy.

And last but not the least, hubby for being so patient, and Tinsel for simply trying.

Six years, six birthdays. Many, many more to come.

I love you so much, my dearest little Tin-Tin.

Big kisses,
Mommy


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Merry Christmas!

To all my friends, aunts and uncles,

Happy holidays with many many yummy dinners!

With licks and kisses,
Tinsel and Kimba






- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Pretty pretty

Grooming time for Mom..... I wonder what she'll look like when she gets home tonite....

Anyways, no matter how she looks she'll always be my no.1 super Mom!

Big licks,
Tinsel


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Finito!

Finally done with the "Xmas essentials" (aka Xmas shopping) and only two more days to go before our week long vacation starts.

Oh my, there will be so much wine and dine that I'm beginning to worry about my already diminishing waist line....or whatever that's left of it, at least.

;-P

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Home! Oh I missed the kids!

Sooooo much!

The warmth of Kimba's body alongside my thighs as I lay on the couch.

The sound of Tinsel snoring lightly on the floor beside us.

All in all, telling me that I'm finally home with my two babies.

My sweet home.

It's good to be home. But a tidbit sad to realize that I will have a full day of classes to teach tomorrow. It's going to be tough - I just hope I can stay awake!

Guess I'd better hit the sack now!

Nite,
Am


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Bye bye Vancouver

I will be back.

;-)



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Dec 13,2009: day 5 of TT II

And I was just wishing for some snow!

Our last day of our level II Anusara Teacher Training with Chris, and, voilà! The first snow.

Yes!

Not too much, and not too little either. Just enough to give a light sugary coating to the trees and the greens. Turning Udo and Erika's Japanese garden into a little fairyland.

Beauuuuutiful!

And most importantly, adding a touch of joy to our heart on this day of saying goodbyes.

Goodbyes and hugs to our dearest friends in Vancouver. For taking the time out of your busy schedules to see us, for extremely delicious meals and much cherished company.

Gratitude and appreciation to our teachers, Chris, Ozlem, Sjannie, Christine, and our awesome classmates for sharing this blissful part of our journey with us.

All of your love and kindness have made us complete and whole.

Until we meet again,
Namaste,
Am

First snow:



Wish granted:



Udo and Erika's Enchanted Garden:


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Mornin'!

Day 4 of our 5 days TT. And this is the hardest day for most of us as we know that this wonderful gathering is coming to an end. Day 5 would be easier as we will already be there, the last day, the closing of this part of our amazing journey together. It's the we're-not-there-yet-but-we're-almost-there that's tough.

Fell asleep amongst my bags and clothing on the bed last night and woke up naturally at our usual time of 7:30 this morning without any alarms. Meaning: I really, seriously, take this very seriously. So seriously that no matter how tired I was, my mind will still maintain this faint sense of awareness of time even though I had already passed out in bed.

Physically, I am just a little sore. Mentally, I am totally challenged. Spiritually, I am buzzed.

Mentally challenged by this constant flow of information that picked every little crevice in my brain. Information that required so much contemplation that kept my mind running on full gear. Which led to this feeling of vast expansion of awareness, this spiritually enriching, intruiging feeling of completeness.

OMG, I think I sound a bit cuckooed. But hey, that's why I say I'm buzzed! This must be some form of spiritual natural high.

Anyways, I just want to jog down this complex feeling that I'm having right now, on this second to last day of our training. This excitingly longing feeling of "what are we going to learn/discuss today?" with a hint of underlying sadness that this amazing experince will soon be coming to an end.

Yet, I know that is is not the end. This is, in fact, the beginning of a life-enrching journey.

BTW, Vancouver, I'm not done with you yet, and you're not getting rid of me so easily. Chris Chavez again in 2010, back here in the great old Van---couver!

See you all, my amazing Vancouver kula, soon.







- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Cheapy cheap cheap

C$ 29 （HK$200) for 30 liters of gas？

You gotta be kidding me.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I'm so full...

....rubbing my belly....

Tea and sushi (again) tonite, takeout at 9059 - JP's joint.

Really happy to see JP and his place again - left so many memories there.

And friends like JP are hard to find. Very very hard, in fact.

And we have been blessed with not only one, but quite a few of them here. (You guys know who you are!)

Thanks again, to you all, for being such amazing and supportive friends. For letting us be ourselves, and, for being you.

Luv, me


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Back to work...

....or should I say, back to our old work place, the location of our headquarters when we had our wholesale and retail businesses.

It is now the showroom/manufacturing faciity for a gourmet food company that belongs to my dearest friend, JP. It's quite nostalgic to be back in that space where we've spent many nights and days, filling orders, making sales. Things feel somewhat familiar, yet so very much different.

How often does one move away from a place and still have access to it years after? It's a real trip down memory lane, I'm tellin ya.









- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Dec 11, 2009: day 3 of CCYTT II

A much more relaxed energy after two days of super fun and inspiring trainings.

Still another day of super fun and inspiring training and I'm loving every moment of it.

Om, shanti, shanti, shanti...





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Let it snow, let it snow...

Woke up to a powdery white film on the pavement and I was so happy - haven't seen snow for almost 2 years now and I'm beginning to miss it!

But - wait!! It's, not snow. Just a very light powdery blizzard that lasted for a few hours.

Oh please, let me see and feel some real snow before I go.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.......(I'm manifesting it now....)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Oh yeah, about Cin Cin..

We didn't get to eat there the other night as they were booked for a private party. Nevertheless, we had a nice meal of wine and pasta at their next door neighbor, Zelleferi's, and were still quite happy with it.

Oh well, who told me to pick Cin Cin instead of Il Giardino, Ciopinno's, or even, Al Porto!

Fate.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

King crab!

Super humongous King Crab two-ways at our favorite Kirin Restaurant with Jo, David, and Jo's parents last night left me feeling really fulfilled -and it's actually a Korean king crab and not the Alaskan one yet! Yummy yummy yummy.... I think I am putting on more weight then I'm losing despite the intensity of our practices!

Thanks J and D, for sharing such a lovely evening and meal.

Next time it will be our turn, Hong Kong or Japan? Just name the place and time!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Dec 9, 2009: day 1 of TT II

So excited to be back on board the "Love Spaceship" again! (I know this sounds corny, but that's what some of us calls it, this Chris Chavez/Anasura kula. And if you're part of it, you'll probably agree that this feels like one big and growing spaceship that's loaded with love and support).

Anyways, back to my recap of day 1. It's just so good to be back on the boat! Big hugs and warm heartful mornings to some of the most beautiful people that we've met only a few weeks ago. The vibe was just amazing. And the moment when Chris and Ozlem came into the room, everything just came together as one strong energy. All became one.

The day simply flew by and before long, we were sealing our first day together this December with our one Om. Unbelieveable.

My much dreaded/love-hate part of the training - the actual practice, was a bliss. And! No soreness in my shoulders so far!

All-in-all, day one has been great, and the days will only get better!

Time to freshen up for dinner - Cin Cin, here we come!

*slurp* *slurp*



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Oh yumm....

Hirame Usuzukuri, one of my all-time favorites.

Ajisai, I will be back.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Ultra-super-duper True Carnivores

The place for the best doggie goodies - just 10 minutes walk from home again (when we used to live there)....ultra knowledgeable people with super wholesome foods and duper four-legged customers.

I'm sure both Tinsel and Kimba will agree that they've left their hearts at True Carnivores....


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Super-duper Ajisai

Our all time favorite Japanese sushi bar in Vancouver - Ajisai in the back alleys of Kerrisdale -a mere 5 minutes walk from home when we used to live here.
Oh, those good old days...

Freezing cold Vancouver...

....warm and cosy hotel room.

Thought we had misread the weather forecasts but it is really, I mean, really, cold here. Lucky that Lolita managed to pull out an old down jacket for me at the very last minute! So silly of me to have thought that I could do with just a thicker fleecy jacket!

Anyways, it is still a treat to be back in Vancouver again. We have a much more relaxed schedule this time around, which really helps to ease out any stress from travelling.

Jet-lag. Hmmm....hard to say how bad it is yet as we both couldn't sleep during the flight and crashed the moment we checked into our room. Went out for a midnight dinner (yummy hotpot!) and now all tucked in in bed again. So far so good as I could feel a little sleepiness sinking in. Don't know about hubby though, coz he's already all absorbed by some Japanese tv show, which may last anywhere from a few hours to throughout the night. But u know what? If he couldn't get up early tomorrow, then I can go shopping all by meself - which might not be such a bad idea afterall! ;P

Hmmmm.... Time to plan tomorrow's itinerary now!

Shhhhhhh......
AM

Hotpot....yummmmm....






- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The "Gang's Nite Out"

The CC Gang in action - BBQ on the beach!

Everyone, including both two and four legged ones, had a great great time. Good venue, great food, and even greater company.

And on top of all that, a stroll on the beach in the twilight - a wee bit eerie but also very intruiging for the kids.

Followed by a nice comfy ride home and a hot bath for the trio - Spike, Kimba and Tinsel - all the way till 4 in the morning.

A bit wild, wacky, but defnitely, fun.

Let's do this again sometime... :)

-AM

Dead dogs

Aftermath of all the excitement of welcoming Lolita home and a midnight walk/run with mom, Lolita, Spike, Auntie Sue, and big sister Belle Belle:

Two dead dogs.

Sweet dreams!






- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The dust is finally settling

Finally. Feeling a bit more settled in, now that we've taken possession of the new flat, and have decided to move there for the time being while we look for a slightly larger flat in the neighborhood. Also, feeling so darn relieved now that Lolita has safely landed back at home.
The end of housewifery for me for a long while, I hope. I'm just not game for it, I'm tellin ya. I'd rather be working my butt off in some office than to housewife the house, simple as that.
And now, time to start thinking and planning for our trip back to Vancouver next week.
Oh, life is just so full of experiences - loving every moment of it!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Always something new

Wednesdays are always a day of discovery and exploration for me. A full day out in town, in the middle of the financial district, amongst a busy, rushing crowd. Yet, I remain, aloof, somehow detached, like a by-stander, watching, observing.

And today, as I was walking back to the studio, a glimpse of beauty - perfect marriage between the new and the old.

Always loved those quaint old baconies.

Nice.





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone