shameless self-advertising

if you want to check out a piece I did with my dad on the Parker Place food court, check out RCI's The Link.
My piece runs in Hour One, about 10 minutes in.

my mini existential crisis

so i've been doing a lot of philosophizing (sp?) lately.
been thinking about:
1) what does it mean to act justly? how does God define justice? how do I live in such a way that reflects that? in relation to this topic, i've been reflecting about how to eat, buy, treat waste more ethically. i'm very much in a developmental stage right now and just trying to learn more; especially in the realm of eating. been reading lots of michael pollan, and finally getting around to reading "bottomfeeder" by taras grescoe - which is about a man's quest to eat ethical seafood.

2) falling in love. what does it mean to fall in love? where does that desire come from? what is important to consider when you fall in love? how is it a developmental process vs. an immediate feeling/understanding?

3) compromising in career choices. it's a very difficult and never-ending journey in discovering what work is glorifying in God's eyes and what fulfills you (hopefully, these two are one and the same). how do I become more aware of God's voice while I'm busy with assignment after assignment?

4) friendship. how can I be a more accountable friend? how do I commit to a group of people in my life without being burnt out/doing it for purely selfish reasons?

maybe it's the impending birthday (although it's still pretty far away), or maybe it's the full-time job and stepping into the "real world"...but i've had dylan thomas' poem ringing through my head...

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

to the broken hearted

the capacity to love
is a blessing in itself
even if you encounter pain
loss
and find love unreturned

for you now know
that your heart wants to grow

give yourself the opportunity
the pleasure
the joy
of loving again

for it is truly a God-breathed gift

The Wackness

I've been reading about this film for what seems like forever...and now it's finally coming out! :) I feel this inextricable attraction to it - gotta be something about the 90s. (which leads to think...is it too early to refer to the 90s as an era? to be reflecting about it already?)

In another trailer, Josh Peck's character says to Olivia Thirlby: "I want to listen to Boyz II Men everytime I'm with you"...that just about made me crack with laughter. That and the Jason Priestly reference.

a panda rant

dear Dreamworks,

I have recently seen your new and hottest film, "Kung Fu Panda." Of course I was very intrigued to see this because the panda looked pokable and very cute. After sitting through the whole movie I absoloutely fell in love with it. I also developed an obsession over pandas. Lately, this obsession grew so much that I decided to study these pandas for real. (My dad makes me study random things since I have no school.) I was surfing the net looking at panda information and I realized that the REAL panda is nothing like Po (the panda in your film.) Real live pandas are vegetarian and most of their diet is consisted of bamboo. Why is Po the panda so unhealthy in the movie? He eats dumplings (MEAT DUMPLINGS) and noodles. There is not one scene where he is eating bamboo. That is wrong. Also, I am surprised that everyone else in the town/city/place whatever don't see anything special about Po. Is it everyday that these animals see an endangered species?! (And even more, an endangered species that cooks noodles?)

from iris chau
(panda lover.)

the single life

this morning, as I scrubbed dishes and prepped veggies for dinner, I tuned in to Sounds like Canada on CBC. they were having Debra DiGiovanni and Victor Dwyer on to chat about life for singletons in a world of couples. at one point, Debra said: "you get to a certain age when you realize that the world is made for couples".
for some reason,that really resonated with me.the chat was all in good fun (and intended to be comical) - but I couldn't help but think about the issue in all seriousness. (but of course! I am "Little Miss Serious")

perhaps it's because I've reached that age where I realize that the world IS made for couples. this rings particularly true for social events - everything down to the planning can be meant for couples. it's almost like it's easier to double date to catch up with friends vs. asking your single friends out for a coffee. it's kinda like being a couple gives reason to socialize...

I think it's almost like being in a couple gives one the confidence to get "out there" and organize/attend fun social events. as a single person, there seems to be no good reason to do the same.

as a single gal myself (who has many paired up friends), I've been in my share of awkward social situations where I am quite literally the only single person there. I'm definitely not at a stage where I'm bitter about it...but my journalistic/anthropological leanings do make me curious about the rituals of singletons vs. couples around me...

paper scrap (6.23.2008)

my mind is in a million places these days. work has been a blessing but I find myself very easily getting wrapped up in it. the older I get, the more I realize that we live in a multiplicity of realities.

My world is comfortable - I have shelter, food, access to health services, and live under the protection of Charter rights. although I am Chinese and a woman, I generally do not face discrimination of any kind (at least not of the overt variety). I can practice my religion freely. however, this isn't the case for everyone.

I couldn't help but realize this on Sunday morning as I met Donald again on the street. as we chatted, I couldn't help but be consumed by how obvious my privilege was in contrast to his lack of it. here I was, working a job that I love, access to health benefits and education...so concerned with success and my own career path....and Donald had just endured a cold night on the corner of Hamilton and Robson because he couldn't afford the $22/night at the nearest hostel. the space between us is so large, I cannot even fathom it. and the fact is - I am afraid to get closer...it is so much easier to distance myself and refuse to accept that our world is imbued with injustice and inequality - and although in my privilege, I do not see this ugliness, it is a reality for many.

how do I go about puncturing the wall that I put up between us? i think it begins with an acknowledgment of the humanity and the God's presence in each os us. it requires the development of selflessness...seeing life and the world outside of me - my hurts, insecurities, desires. developing a desire to extend my hand into another world - to connect and feel for someone that the world has forgotten and deemed worthless.