Sai Kung Public Pier

I am here.

Exploriversity!

Apparently, I'm blending right back into the student culture. Sipping a mocha from a flimsy plastic cup and Facebooking from my Mac. Sounds about right.

Honestly, HKUST's campus-life-feel isn't too far from being at Waterloo at all-- disproportionate number of Chinese people v.s. Non-Chinese people included! (haha)

Of course the campus is FAR superior, with a mountain view of the water, and islands and eagles. There's a dim sum restaurant here. And everything looks far newer and prettier. But the right-most side past the sundial is suspiciously reminiscent of a certain Davis Centre look-- Waterloo architecture grad at work?

I need to get out of here if I'm going to finish exploring the residential areas I need to see, but I'm leaving behind this blast from the past:

I'd forgotten until my sister posted this photo, that 15 years ago, I was right back here in the same spot -- minus the mocha, and dressed head to toe in burgundy under the hideous vest that my fifth grade counterparts told me they wouldn't be caught dead wearing (even if it WAS Calvin Klein). (hahahaa..) Welcome back, subway kid.

She could make alone look pretty

I'm really starting to learn to embrace my solitude.

It's not that life doesn't give you a choice in the matter, but sometimes it's important to take steps away from companionship in order to better yourself or better others. Or to allow life to take its course and develop a better situation-- at least, I hope so. I've learned that things change, I guess. That I change. And that change isn't always negative-- not that heartache is never involved.

Vague much? ha...

I'm learning to enjoy my own company very much, though. Besides not having to compromise/wait/consider, it allows for a great deal of music-listening, and a lot of walking around in my own mind, and I consider this time to be a blessing even if it's sometimes lonely.

At the moment, I'm sitting atop a crowsnest at Life Cafe in SoHO, on a pile of pillows patterned suspiciously like our couch at Regina/Erb (a little gift of home?), and I've just finished a huge bowl of pumpkin-carrot soup with sunflower seed bread and a delicious organic smoothie called "Sunshine Shake". There's a little latin music playing overhead and below me are many British guests chattering away. The cheers of sports (soccer? rugby?) fans in pubs on the streets below occasionally erupt through the large open windows. Light for my soul!

Here is a little visual (Thank you, Photobooth.)

Flash Fiction

At work today, a student came in with an assignment from school to write a Flash Fiction story. I didn't actually even know what it was, but basically it's a very short short with a twist at the end. I decided to secretly give it a go too, partly because I find sixth grade homework fun (apparently) and partly because it's more fun than typing out a pdf.

My story is inspired by the nasty curry I had for lunch in which I found a piece of ginger shaped suspiciously like a finger. It's actually a bit long (it's only supposed to be 100 words)-- but I've already pared it down 50 words.

Mystery Meat

"You cut too smoh! Customa comprain! Must eat eet all!"

"Aiya, big enough, la!"

He chopped the pieces bigger now though, slicing with the white grain of fat-lines, each chunk subsequently seared in a nearby pan. The heavy bones, he pushed into a grubby garbage bag.

"Curry done yet?"

It was. The pot bubbled, thick and coloured by the fragrant yellow powder with a smattering of bright vegetables. In slid the meat, bobbing momentarily before sinking into the mixture.

The scowling woman ladled it into styrofoam containers of steamy white rice.

The last box was consumed by a hungry businessman after work, considering himself lucky to find such a cheap meal-- what a deal!

It was dark now and the perfect time for the last step. The woman hastily checked the garbage bag.

"Good," she nodded as the two silhouettes carried the loot into the night, "deedun fohget hees head. Teach heem cheat on me!"

Another quickie brought to you by Tony Chan

28 degrees today, thickest fog I've ever seen up on the 33rd floor. 

Normally, you can see mountains and the harbour from here... today, just white. Crazy!

And I have to go back to work tomorrow... le sigh. 

Wireless Wins

Tony Chan has not one but two wireless networks-- one titled Tonyhome and one called Tony Chan's Guest Network. The generous bastard's guest network is within range from the right most seat on the living room couch by the bay window. True, the guest network is secured by a password but I've cracked the code-- tonyguest. Mastermind, I know.

Thanks Tony! :)

This morning as I left behind nine dragons
on my way over to an incense filled harbor,
my gaze fell on a middle-aged wife counting her rosary beads
which reminded me of the rhythm of my sneaker soles thudding
against night-chilled sidewalks
and stiffened fingers stuffed into sleeves--

When I would listen to Jewel.

In a kingdom oceans away.

All to deafen the achey thumps

(waves?)

in my chest.

A religion in and of itself.

I laughed at myself then,
because I remembered that I'd promised (for the most part)
not to be so affected.