on shaky ground

it's quite an experience to be jostled out of deep sleep by the earth's rumbling. my first earthquake experience woke me up at 4:42am on friday morning. needless to say, i was rather disoriented and confused. why are the blinds moving? what is that noise? why am i awake? hearing voices in the hallway, i peeked outside my room to find other likewise inexperienced international students standing uneasily at their doors. an american well-accustomed to the tremors reassured us that everything was fine and we could all go back to sleep...

it was not until i returned home after work in the afternoon that i realized the magnitude 4.2 earthquake had shaken things off the shelf and opened some drawers. according to a seismologist, the quake had "put a lot of the strong shaking in Berkeley and north Oakland."

sometimes it takes a good shake to wake us up from our slumber.
now that i've been jolted awake, i feel like i need to get moving on a lot of things...

i'm official... sorta

it's been weird, being called "doctor." in the couple weeks that i have been working here at Berkeley, i've found that i often don't realize that people are talking to or about me because they use the title "doctor" in front of my name.

i know, i have my degree.
it just hasn't sunk in yet.

and now... i just received news that i passed the big bad Canadian boards. yay : ) i'm thoroughly relieved that i made it through both the American and Canadian boards relatively unscathed. but yeah, this "doctor" business is gonna take some getting used to.

sunny california

independence day, 2007: pet food store on chestnut street, san francisco

i have officially been in California for over a week now. currently in the process of settling in and getting used to my clinic schedule; hoping i'll get into the groove of things soon enough.

the Bay Area seems to be full of nooks and crannies waiting to be discovered. and i’ve already staked out a cute little ice cream parlor with delightful sweets here in Berkeley... all the more reason for people to come down for a visit : )

vino and good eats

cheese & cajun pepper puffs

in memory of a beautiful spirit.

the evening would not have been possible without the lovely people and a wonderfully talented friend. i am deeply grateful for their support.

mild summer weather, delicious food, mellow music, and the company of good friends and family... a perfect last night at home before flying away once more.



prosciutto e melone, ravanello

music divine

toronto jazz fest: june 22, 2007

chris botti.

WOW. even the bells chime for you.

i heart NY

yup, i do.

i wish we'd been there for another purpose entirely, but we made the most of what time we did have to explore the city. what is it about the big apple that draws my mind to it? is it the looming skyscrapers, the bustling sidewalks, and the countless yellow taxi cabs that flow through the streets like cells through a blood vessel? or the many unique neighbourhoods, the endless food choices, and the vibrant culture that pulses through the city? probably a mix of everything.

there's a nearly palpable heartbeat in the city, a continuous current that lies below the streets and the buildings -- like the alligators of urban legend (or, more likely, the subway trains that rumble underground).

but there are a couple things with which i was not so impressed:
1) trashy street corners - the accumulation of bags of garbage along the sidewalks and street corners was a disgusting sight. mounds of trash would appear at the end of each night. when asked about this situation, every new yorker i talked to replied ever so matter-of-factly, "but it's gone in the morning." there *must* be another solution, my friends! if HK can somehow hide it's trash, so can NY.
2) lack of street meat - i'm disappointed that we couldn't find any worthy street meat when we needed it most, at least around midtown manhattan... what is this "nuts for nuts" business? toronto definitely gets extra points for this one. (and i'm not even a hot dog person.)
3) dark subway system - yeah, so they've cleaned up considerably since the days of old, but the tubes underground could still use a good polish. i think i've been spoiled by HK's MTR, which is well-groomed, flanked by convenient little shops, and moves 2.4 million passengers a day...

but those are minor details, right? NY has much to offer otherwise. and even if an exam brought me there, the time spent exploring the city afterward was a big enough bonus to make the "pain" go away.

and now for some memorable moments:
1) meeting the lovely hostesses of herald towers
2) corner pizza parlor post-arrival
3) standing room only in Chicago
4) good food and great conversation with an old friend
5) friendly Egyptian taxi driver



apple in the big apple

spring chicken... geese

you know it's spring when the lawns of UW are dotted with waddling geese. their webbed feet squish through the soggy mud and grass. their incessant honking fills the clear spring air.

definitely not the most graceful creatures...
but they do provide some comic relief.

the end is in sight

a glimpse of waterloo / a reminder to look up

i think i will miss waterloo.
it's been quite a ride.

less than a month of clinic to go...
then it's time for the board exam x 2.

recently received confirmation that i'll be off to sunny California come June!
up until then i had very little idea of what the next step would be.
another clear reminder that He is faithful even when we're not.

time to fly

nathan road: at the intersection of one of the busiest streets in Hong Kong

once again, it's time to fly.
the bags are packed...

i'm not quite ready to go yet.

to remember...

a woman with a beautiful spirit.

a full house, filled with life, the buzz of family.
two sisters enjoying afternoon tea and pastries.
the clicking of knitting needles in the tv room.
conversations in the kitchen.
learning to eat "siu mai."

the smile of a woman who truly cared for those around her.

God only knows...