HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR!

HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR

YEAR OF THE DOG

Wishing everyone great prosperity, good health and much happiness!

The Dignified and Democratic Canadian Voting Process

I am happy to announce that my 85-year old grandma will be exercising her right to vote tomorrow. And I couldn't be more proud of that!

The fact she wants to vote is incredible because although she came to this country late in her life and her affairs are all taken care of by her family, she still has an interest. The fact that she CAN vote is a great honour for her because Communist Chinese didn't exactly allow for that when she was younger back in the village.

Now that we have her desire to participate in the democratic process taken care of, the logistics of her vote is the next issue at hand.

1) Can she make an informed decision about who to vote for? She does watch Fairchild TV several hours a day and aside from the Chinese operas and dramas, there is the occasional news program. I don't know how informed her vote is for but she announced at dinner on Saturday that she will be voting for "the one with the Chinese wife". Struck with bewilderment, we clarified that she hadn't made that choice due to cultural assimilation but rather by their political platform. OK, I'm glad to hear that...though I'm not exactly sure what type of influence the volunteers and staff at her Geriatric Care facility had when explaining the voting process at their Elections seminar last week. After my grandma made her declaration, we started a mini-debate between my dad, uncle and myself. My uncle responded, "Don't vote for him, he won't give you any money. Vote for Martin, he'll give you money."
"Don't list to him," my dad retorted, "they're not going to give you that much money. We pay for your things anyway." So with the prospect of getting more money, my grandma changed her mind and said she was going to vote for 'Ma-tin'.
"No, Grandma, you can't do that," I exclaimed, "If you vote for 'Ma-tin', my children won't have any money left, nor will my grandchildren."
That did the trick. She looked at me with a look that only a grandmother can give and as she patted my arm, said, "OK, OK, I want your grandchildren to have a good life too. I won't vote for 'Ma-tin." I WIN!!!

2) Next problem, and this is a big one. How will she know which circle to mark her 'X' in? There's no colour coding, to avoid subconscious colour bias and unfair discrimination against the colourless independents, so we can't couch her by colour differentiation. Surely even with her weakening eyesight, she could have distinguished red from blue from orange. So, I decided to look up all the candidates in her riding and coach her on the order in which the list of candidates will appear on her ballot. I'm glad she only needs to mark an 'X' because otherwise, literacy would definitely be a problem. Luckily, she does know how to sign her name in English and that does appear on her photo ID.

3) So how is she going to actually get out and vote? I guess one of us could take her but we don't need to cause the staff/volunteers at her home have made arrangements. I'm not exactly sure if they are going to be transported to their local polling station or if something will come to them. But if they are going to their polling station, that would suck for all of those people in line behind them as 200+ senior citizens slowly, very slowly, follow the voting process.

But however slow or complicated the accommodation or explanation necessary, I think it's awesome that it's happening at all. Some people, not only young, just don't care and are complacent. Well, part of the honour of becoming a Canadian citizen is the right to vote. I am so proud that my grandma wants to vote.

Grandma, we ain't in Communist China no more!

My Dancing Shoes

This season, my new hobby is going to be dancing. I signed up for Ballroom and Latin Dance classes (2 separate classes) starting this Sunday evening. I've never taken dance lessons before and have no clue what I'm getting myself into. I'm generally not too coordinated but I'm up for a challenge. It fits fairly well with my weekly schedule and at the end of it, I'll learn something new!

But you know what was the first thing I thought of after registering for the classes?

WHAT AM I GOING TO WEAR?

Not so much about the clothing but about shoes?!?! The class says to wear 'hard-soled shoes, heels optional'. Most of my hard-soled shoes are heels and although some may be more comfortable than others, not to stand and dance in for two hours! Well, there is this one red pair but then again, they're not hard-soled but rather lined with rubber hence their added comfort factor. I've got relatively comfy ones but they're point with a skinny heel, and I can fully seem myself trying on their pointiness. Oh, I do have these mary-jane style shoes so the strap can add stability but they are older and the padding may be worn hence less comfortable. Whatever will I do?

I bought new equipment for my camera for photography class. I bought new cleats for softball cause my old ones were all worn. Can I buy new shoes for dance class? MUST RESIST THE TEMPTATION.

Darn it, I am going to Eaton Centre after work...must avoid the shoe stores. I've bought so many darn pairs of shoes in the past 12 months, it's freakin ridiculous! I guess I could always be fair to my body and my wallet by trying out a week with one pair, and the the next week with the other. See how I feel and then decide...that would be the only responsible thing to do, right?

WHEN DID I BECOME A SHOE PERSON?

Feeding on my Obsession and Neuroticism...

I'm a giant loser cause I went out and spent full price at HMV for the soundtrack to Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (see previous blog). I knew it was good from the movie and although could've been cheaper if bought online, I just couldn't wait. I paid cash and threw away the receipt at the nearest trash receptacle to eliminate any opportunity for a refund or second guessing. I've been listening to it non-stop ever since - at work on my PC and in the car on the way to and from work. Am I sick of the 12 tracks yet? NO. 10 tracks are in the actual move and 2 are bonus tracks...probably inspired by the movie, but they do seem to fit right in so they very well could've been inspired.

But seriously, the pants are magical. They are working on me. I was doing some negative self-talk in the car today regarding my future job prospects and pending decision making and felt very deflated. So I put on track 2 - Natasha Beddingfield, Unwritten - and repeated it 5 times. I mean, the song was a good one before but now, it flat out inspires me. I listened to the lyrics, sang along in the 10 minute car ride up the street and by the end of my journey, felt like I could conquer the world and felt there was so much excitement ahead of me, as uncertain as it may be, it is mine to take and mine to experience and mine to enjoy. The future is unwritten and I can help write darn right exciting chapters in my life and the song reminded me of the confidence that I do have inside myself but had temporarily lost under a pile of dirty clothes to kick ass in this world. I am S.M.R.T. I can do it. I want to be in the sisterhood...it's not just for 16yr old girls. There is coming-of-age at all stages in life and I'm going through one now. We all need those pants.

And besides, wanting to fit into the pants, although magically conforming, will also motivate me to continue exercising and challenging my body to get every last endorphin it can. It's not about losing weight. It's about pushing my body and mind to see what it can do, and being healthy enough to kick ass in the world. If my legs are weak, I won't be able to kick down any doors or stubborn jerks...So bring on the lunges and squats!

Wow, that was a rant.

Things that make me go ummm.....

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

I haven't read the book, but I plan to. But in the meantime, if you haven't already, rent the movie. It's a full week rental at Blockbuster but with their no late fee policy, the length of the rental is irrelevant cause it's still the same price as their 2-day rentals. Anyway, or do what I did - buy it on previously viewed for $12 so you can watch it endlessly.

It's a lovely story about friendship and life. The actresses are fabulous. Touching moments with a silly premise but it works. For anyone who has a friend in their life who can liven the saddest day, lift the lowest spirits, humour the ordinary and simply understand, you will understand the movie and fall in love with it as I did.

There are four main storylines that follow the summers of four best 16-year old friends but the lessons are applicable to all ages.

It's also one of those movies with quite a female-led soundtrack so I shall be listening to these tunes in my car feeling oh so empowered.

Oh, and did I mention that one of the stories is set on Santorini and involves a hot Greek boy?!?! Perhaps.... that connected me to the movie too!


This is the view of the caldera that Lena's room opens up to. One of these homes probably was used as the setting for the grandparent's home...




By the way, that isn't me on the donkey, in case you were confused :) The donkey was probably wandering through the same laneways I wandered, walking up the same steps I explored.



This is a faraway view of the harbour where the fishy action took place, the old port of Fira. If you look really closely, you'll see some of the same building in those scenes down by the harbour.


I do gasp and giggle with excitement when I see the familiar scenery of Santorini on the screen, that's just part of the appeal of the movie. Plus the story is romantic...what can I say, it strikes a soft spot in my heart.

Note to self: I should have spent more time down by the harbour and less time at the cafe and bar...