The New Year Post

I've never been a big celebratory of a new year.  To me it's been something of what's all the hype about? It's another year of life (yes that is awesome!), but it is also another year of the same mundane daily activities.  Right after welcoming that new year in, life goes right back to the same daily activities of eat, sleep, work and repeat.  

On top of it people also think it's required to make these goals to self improve. Awesome! Though my melancholy and pessimistic side always tends to get the best of me and well the whole New Years resolution is honestly like this: what a crock.  Why do you need a new year to try to self improve and better yourself?  What makes it different from waking up one morning and saying you want to start exercising on a daily schedule? Or cut that bad habit?

Though last night while at church, my pastor was giving his message.  (No message notes this time so it was really on you to take notes) Though P.Francis had some really good quotes in his sermon, one quote stuck 'How do you become a fossil? Stay in the same place for a really long time' 

In trying to defeat this melancholy and pessimistic attitude, is maybe for some people they need that new year to try to self improve and have that chance to hit the delete button.  It is better then never.  Along with who really wants to be a fossil? I sure don't.

So on top of P.F.s message of four simple ways to get a fresh start here are some of mine:

1. Exercise at least three times a week, with the goal of doing a half marathon again.

2. Shopping less to save for those home improvements that are needed.

3. Don't take yourself too seriously.  You are not a Queen ;)

4. Have mercy just as God has had mercy on you.

5. Learn how to do one thing that you've been wanting to learn how to do.

P.F.s four ways to get a fresh start:

1. Communicate, leaning on the Holy Spirit.

2. Don't ever give up doing the right things.

3. See your life from God's perspective.

4. Forgive as much as you would like to be forgiven.

And here is a little rememberance of hubs and I on our second new year as mr.&mrs. May I just say everything is better when it is in bed.  A movie and a year old bottle of sparkling cider from our wedding in bed is my kind of celebration. And when I say in bed, get your mind out of the gutter.

                         

Macau

We arrived back to Hong Kong about four days ago.  The next day we went to Macau.  It was humid, not crazy humid, but fairly humid for someone not uses to humidity.  The culture is very interesting.  Parts of it feels like Las Vegas and other parts is definitely China.  The Portugese influence is pretty amazing. 

We took the TurboJet over, taking about an hour of travel time.  We were able to hit up all of the major touristy sites by 13:00.  The boat ride to, was definitely a boat ride where you can feel the waves.  The ride back was on one of the actual faster boats where in concept it's a hoover type craft on a ski, that allows it to go faster.  It was smoother, but a lot louder inside.

The Portugeses influence in food, culture and architecture is really interesting.  There's tile work everywhere.  I don't know why I didn't think to look at any shops for tiles to try to take back.  Maybe this calls for a trip to Portugal or Spain.  It was amazing to see these old buildings still standing.  It's interesting to see the little 'convenient' type stores that have a couple bottles of waters to sell.  The motor bikes over there are insane.  We took a bus, taxie and walked to see a lot of the bigger sites.  

The amount of portable ac units that everyone has is a big amount.  That is definitely something of a mandatory over here for everyone.  Must have ac.  I know it is nice to have that luxury with the heat and humidity. It is just everywhere you look there. are these big ac units that are turning black and cables running everywhere off of/ through it.  It is just off the hook in the abundance.  I am sure there is something I am missing here as into why ac wall units are used over here.

Despite the crowds of Asian tourist that have no concept of your personal bubble, it was a very interesting place to see and experience.  

You can't definitely feel the difference between Macau and Hong Kong.   When we wre on our way here and we spent a couple of hours in the Beijing airport, there was this odd feeling.  That something was off or not right.  That same feeling was apparent in Macau.  It's a beautiful place once you get away from the casinos.  The buildings, the tiles, the people and the daily life.  Trying to describe all of this is going to take time. 

As for this post of just words, more thoughts later.

Penang, Malaysia

Hubs and I have been waiting for this trip for a while.  When his parents and brother first said that they would be going we said no we couldn't go because we are trying to save to get the house ready.  We looked at our finances later on and in my old savings account we had enough to make the trip happen and we also didn't know when the next time we would be able to go to Hong Kong with his family and see where his parents use to live and all the family history.  So we made it happened.

We arrived in Hong Kong and were to head to Malaysia a couple days after.  However we had to delay for a day to get a new passport for Hubs since his expired at the end of the year and Malaysia is one of those countries that require a valid passport for at least six months.  So we went to the embassy that Monday since it was closed for the weekend.  Luckily while we were exploring we are across the embassy and saw a lady going in, told her our situation and she told us what to do.  It helped a lot and we were able to make our rescheduled flight that Monday afternoon.

Malaysia, Penang (the state), Georgetown (the city) was real.  It really gave me a realization of how blessed we are to live in America.  Life there is so different.  In ways it's very simple in other ways it's not.  I can appreciate the hawka centers that are the 'food centers'.  Where all the vendors set up around the perimeter of the outside center.  The people who run the court sit you at the table that is numbered.  You then go to all the food, drinks and dessert vendors place your order and they the venders bring whatever you ordered to you.  The ocean views, the mixed cultures that have all come together, the amount of fresh fish and what seems like the concept of just making things work are all something that is appreciated. Some things that I could definitely appreciate about the U.S. would be clean air to breath, regulation on automobiles in the amount of exhaust that is omitted and the cleanliness that everyone can seem to value to an extent.  When first arriving and throughout the main trip I kept coming to this comparison that Georgetown in ways is similar to Tijuana or Rosarito in this feeling.  

Can I tell you about the rain and the humidity.  It is unreal. You never know when it is going to rain.  It will start to sprinkle then down pour as if there were no tomorrow.  Everyone carries an umbrella for moments like these.  Along with when it happens people just pull off to the side of the road and seek cover and wait the 30 minutes for the rain to stop.  There's also those that continue on as if it is not raining.  You still see everyone riding around on their motorbike rain or shine.

People work for whatever they can do.  There are some stores that have practically nothing to sell except for a couple bags of chips or bottles of soda.  It is interesting to find some first world country concepts taken, but it seems like it's not really understood as to why it's being done.

The U.S. dollar goes far in the Malaysian Ringets.  Typically we would go to hawkas centers and order each a plate that is slightly bigger the a tapas plate usually costing about 4-12RGK (divide by 3 to get the U.S. dollars). 

Some of the sites we saw were the Khoo House (which Anna and the King was filmed at), the Chew Jetty, the outskirts of the city which was more beach resort feel and just exploring the downtown center.

                         

Season of Change again

I don't have any pictures to post.  Don't know about you, but for me that definitely draws me to a blog and to obsess over the blogger.  But hey, this is me keeping things real. 

These past couple of weeks or should I say month has been well intense with ALOT of change for the good.  My uncle who has always been a father figure to me with my absent father being at arms length passed away a couple of weeks ago. There was so much going on at home that there really wasn't much capabilities to morn and be sad that I might not see my uncle again.

Well here's to change.  Here's to you unkle and enjoying life to the fullest.  Here's to don't worry be happy. Here's to being real.  Here's to just relax.

We will miss you, but most of all thank you for being there and caring, but not; and that's you.

Love,

Buffalo Testicles.

iPad

For our end of the year 'holiday' party at work, everyone received an iPad. For me this is my third apple product and I am very grateful for this.  It's definitely one of those things that Hubs and I would never purchase, so it is definitely an awesome gift. 

What we've been up to is well settling into our house.  We've been trying to condense down on goods.  Going from two fully furnished homes to one is quiet hard.  Probably more for me because I can't let things go (yes, I am a hidden hoarder).  We've managed to have a garage sale in January, donate a lot of things to Goodwill (I personally don't like donating to Goodwill, I'll save that for another day.), gave away a lot of things to friends who could use them and we still seem to have too much stuff.

Work has slowed, but is slowly stepping up. We've been trying to organize a lot, but while at the same time of living in the space things quickly become unorganized. We've had family visit and we've gone through a slew of baby showers! We are getting old when there are more baby showers than weddings.  Last night we had our one wedding of the year.  It was such a happy moment for them and everyone.  I've been to many weddings, but this one I just felt the love and happiness (#gabeandjustine). Hubs and I put up our photo 'booth' there.  The pictures were definitely fun! =) Photos will be posted later.

So the overall post is now with the iPad, hopefully I'll be writing more!

                                 

Why Hello there. I am alive!

It's been quiet some time since I last wrote.  There's been thoughts of ignoring this thing or trying to keep up with it.  I thought with the new season change, why not try to keep this up to date. Here we go.

I cannot really remember when the last post was.  I suspect sometime almost a year and a half ago.  When I was trying to get settled into this not so charming on the outside, but oh so charming on the inside house the Q-Tip and I were renting.

Now I can say, it's that time to move out.  It's been at least a year and a half, that was all we were set to lease it out for.  I can say it's been fun and I will miss this place, but there will be a few things I will not miss about this place.  The coldness, all of the cracks between the doors and windows, the spiders, the moths and all of the little bugs.

What else has happened, well I can say Bit's and I tied the knot almost three weeks ago! All of the advice I received and all of the blog post I read could not have prepared me for this day.  It was a wonderful moment, truly something I want to remember forever.  In time I will write you a detailed entry about the grand event.  From the smells to the feelings and foods.  Overall it was a fun time.  

Sorry for no pictures with this post, maybe I will come back and update it later with pictures.  Till then it's time for me to get packing so I can get moving to home making.  

I will have to say Q, I am gonna miss you soo dearly.  It made me cry when I REALLY (and I mean REALLY) realized we won't be living with each other.

Till then, cheers.

CIM

i cannot believe that it was two years ago, i ran a half a marathon.  i am very proud of it.  it was a lot of hard work and dedication.  some pain and my body is still recovering from it, but overall it was an awesome moment.  i remember last year only doing a quarter of it and after it all saying, i think i will do a full one next year.  well a year later and look who's sitting on her bum munching on chips.  

though i do believe that it will happen a year from now.  so starting january 2 official training of a full marathon will begin.  it's time to get off my bum.

till then happy running/jogging everyone and good luck to all those running it tomorrow, especially jen h.~!

http://www.runcim.org/