Holy crap, there is a valid HTML 4.01 tag called “blackface” (used for double-weight bold text). Someone didn’t think that one through.

2 years, 2 months ago

Surviving Mooncake

A few weeks ago, I received a package wrapped in brown paper at work. It took me a few moments before I recognized the return address; from the woman who birthed me (I prefer not to use the term “mom” anymore). I didn’t want to open it, because my first suspicion was that it was a box of ears. Why ears? Well, I’ve seen Oldboy, and let’s just say that in the movie, the main character does something similar as an act of penance to someone he wronged.

This woman can also have a twisted sense of logic, and it wouldn’t me surprised if she cut off her ears, along with someone else’s, to show that she was trying to make up for the way she treated me by punishing herself, along with another poor, unfortunate soul who donated their ears to the cause. But it was heavy, and curiosity frequently gets the best of me, so I opened it, and discovered it was a box of mooncakes. Four mooncakes, to be precise, and the expensive kind with the double yolk. Then I realized it was the Mid-Autumn Festival, so this kind of delicacy wasn’t so out-of-the-ordinary.

My next thought was that they were laced with arsenic. Who knows what this woman is thinking; every now and then she goes fucking crazy. I told my office-mate, who said, “They aren’t poisoned! Your mom’s just trying to reach out to you.” I didn’t believe her, so she said she’d take one home and feed it to her family to prove it to me.

Unfortunately, my co-worker is only in the office once a week. So there I was at home on the weekend, with these delicious, though potentially poisoned, mooncakes on my counter, waiting to see my co-worker in six days so she could tell me if she started developing any signs renal failure.

Part of me was also thinking I should just throw them out. By eating them, I was accepting the gesture by this woman — in other words, forgiving her — which was definitely not the case.

The thing is, I’ve always had a weakness for mooncake. Those heavy, delicious little pastries that are only made more special by the fact that they’re only available twice a year (the other time being Chinese New Year).

So I told myself she was just repaying part of the debt she caused from mental anguish, and there went my pride. I ate just eat a little piece — an eighth of one cake — and waited a few hours to see if I started experiencing vomiting, nausea, or seizures. Then one piece led to another, and by the time I knew it, half a cake was gone.

This was supposed to be a picture of a box of mooncakes, but this is all I have left now.

I’m still alive.

Date November 20, 2009

Tags food mother

Categories Photos Random

Me @ Twitter

Thank you, skinny pants, for letting me know I have an ass.

2 years, 2 months ago

Me @ Twitter

What’s with all the truancy in small towns? These kids should definitely be in school and not smoking.

2 years, 2 months ago

Me @ Twitter

Even if you don’t believe in germs, wouldn’t you at least wash your hands after going to the bathroom out of sheer embarrassment?

2 years, 2 months ago

Amor Vincit Omnia

Your friends keep telling you you’ll do better. That you deserve someone who appreciates you, and won’t toy with your feelings. Their words have been keeping together the pieces of your mended heart.

But sometimes, you lose sight of that. Fairness, justice, pride, propriety. All of that goes out the window in a moment of weakness, when you’re sleeping on the couch, and the memory fades in of a time when she was lying where you are now with her hands on her arms to shield her from the cold, and you opened your hoodie to wrap it around her body, the two of your squeezed together in one piece of clothing. Or when you think of something that would be perfect for her, and wonder why you can’t just leave it on her doorstep. These moments of bliss you don’t want to forget, these habits of love proven so hard to break.

Who cares about history? All that matters is that you love this girl. Why can’t that be enough to call her? Does it have to be more complicated then that?

So you read her last words over and over again, to remind yourself it wasn’t your feelings that were holding things back. Maybe you can convince yourself of what everyone else seems to know.

Still, there are times when the memories override your logic and overwhelm your reason. It makes you question both her actions and yours, when you know it doesn’t make sense to contact her because nothing has changed, and nothing ever will. You’re the only one in the world who doesn’t seem to understand.

Love conquers all, whether you want it to or not.

Date November 18, 2009

Tags love

Categories Thoughts

Me @ Twitter

Also: balls feel like they’ve been put in a chokehold. #nowasoprano

2 years, 2 months ago

Me @ Twitter

Wearing my first pair of skinny pants today (well first since I learned how to dress in high school) and I can barely get my iPhone in them

2 years, 2 months ago

Me @ Twitter

Heather just gave me my first pomegranate. She said eating one is relaxating because of how slowly you consume them and each seed is a ruby.

2 years, 2 months ago

Birthday Weekend

I probably looked like this the whole weekend, cause it was non-stop awesomeness.

The Japanese Village

Last week, Aaron asked me if I wanted to go to The Japanese Village. I thought it was just to hang out, since we hadn’t had a guy’s night in a while, so I didn’t clue in that it was for my birthday until the day of. Aaron told me I could order anything I want, as it was his treat, but I ordered the only thing I ever get when I’m there; the filet mignon cooked medium rare, which I think is the best in the city. It was good to hang out with him and Trolley again.

And, of course, silliness is always present with these guys around.

John in town

John’s been working two straight months, without a weekend off. The last time was when he came to Ottawa to visit. Between all the activities, we only had enough time to watch one movie — American Graffiti — and between the two of us, we could sing every song that came from this film based in the 60s (me covering The Platters, him covering everything else).

I usually only get to see him once a year, so twice in two months was a special treat.

Cranium Party

I’d love to do games nights on a regular basis, but people aren’t available on the same days, so I used my birthday as an excuse to get as many people as possible together for a giant Cranium party. I told them that instead of giving me a present, they should just come to the party. It worked, and we had enough for four teams of three. Some people also brought snacks, like honey mustard pretzels, carrot cupcakes, and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.

It was the highlight of the weekend.

Dim sum with my dad

On Friday, my dad called me to wish me a happy birthday, and told me he was in town for 10 days. We made plans to have dim sum. John came too, which is always interesting to see his reactions to what food is as the token white guy. I had a phoenix talons for the first time¹, because I was feeling adventurous, and I have to say that they weren’t bad, but I didn’t care for them either. They’re too hard to eat, and the sauce wasn’t to my taste. It was strange to see both John and my dad at the same place, and in Ottawa instead of Toronto.

I told my dad he could probably sit and observe one of my Tai Chi classes, so he could see what I do, but he wasn’t interested, and I’ll admit that the indifference hurt a bit. Afterward, I asked John what he thought as a 3rd party observer, and he told me I had a good relationship with my dad. I’ll take his word for it.

I needed this

I needed this weekend so much. To recharge. To stop thinking about things. To get completely wasted. It felt like it was my birthday the whole weekend, and I wondered what I did to deserve it all.