this little life of mine...

aunty caffy loves you, elias!

2010-10-18T21:33:00.002-07:00

brew ha ha

2010-09-26T22:06:00.003-07:00

post fremont's oktoberfest brew ha ha 5K run - prost!

like a virgin

2010-06-24T21:49:00.002-07:00

can't wait until forbes and J 'tie the knot' in july. and to get the celebration going we had forbes' 'like a virgin' stagette last weekend and had one gay ol' time. at one point 'madonna' struck a pose with the straights on one side and then the munchers on the other.

thanks to the pix from tash - one of, if not the best madonna impersonator (next to forbes and the dude in drag).

thanks to a lovely night, ladies!

streefighter

2010-06-21T21:54:00.004-07:00

i was up in vancouver this weekend for forbes' stagette and took some time out saturday morning to take my brother's streetfighter out for a ride on the sea-to-sky - bad ass ride, that's for sure!

what did i do to deserve this?

2010-05-16T20:47:00.003-07:00

some punk a$$ thought it was a good idea to steal my helmet & gloves.

tickles my heart....

2010-05-15T11:45:00.001-07:00

a pleasant surprise....

2010-05-04T20:28:00.002-07:00

going for a ride....

2010-04-19T23:17:00.002-07:00

dolls, you made my day!

2010-04-19T00:08:00.005-07:00

keep 'em coming dolly! xo

Thinking of u
Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

mid life crisis?!?!

2010-04-18T23:34:00.005-07:00

an astonishing 5700 people came out to the key arena to watch us play. my folks came out and my dad has now confirmed that i'm 'crazy' and my mom couldn't bear to see me on the track. apparently she was screaming out my name (real name) when i was playing and i can only imagine the people around her thinking she's a nutbar, too! oh, how i love 'em so....

so here's to my mid life crisis?!? i was having a conversation with a friend in vegas and we were talking about women who go through mid life crises and i was questioning whether or not my adventures of the last four years have anything to do with my DB breakup or truly if i'm hitting that point in my life where i need to go out and buy a 'corvette'?

i did some research and i agree with the fact that not all mid life crises are related to the scary concept of aging, rather for me at least it has something to do with self-reflecting over a traumatic event. i still think of the 'seven year itch' and how i lost a sense of who i was and didn't follow my passion nor venture off into paths that i was quite interested in learning more about.

my life now is all about living it to the fullest and being surrounded by beautiful things. not necessarily material but people, objects and experiences that truly touch my soul and make me want to live a life full of meaning....

after watching this tv segment on necker island and the insane conglomerate business that richard branson runs while living this adventurous life is inspiring that creative/entrepreneurial spirit inside of myself.

i will do some soul searching on my trek to santorini this june/july and i'll have to devise my next plan in life.

hmmm....

wicked laser light show

2010-04-10T09:31:00.003-07:00

muse @ the key w/zapalac.

a bundle of joy

2010-04-10T09:14:00.004-07:00

joshua samuel - i'll see your sweet little face in june!

sweetness...

2010-03-23T19:20:00.001-07:00

Amazing

2010-03-15T00:38:00.001-07:00

2010-03-15T00:24:00.006-07:00

it's amazing....

i had a friggen fabulous weekend. i can't sleep right now and i'm fallin' from a happy buzz - cooking some french at home, a nice moto ride saturday morning, seeing dolls, nic & sweet elias and having a blast (diein' in stitches) at MG's 40th bday party. then i woke up to some fine cafe artigianno. but one of the highlights was meeting this 93yr old stranger who was lost in surrey. it was an eery encounter as she sat in my car and i was giving her a ride back to 'sunnyside manor'. we chatted, she complained about her 'mean' son and then i helped her return to her place. i sat in the car and just teared because for a moment there, i felt like i was blessed with the spirit of my grams. holy $hitballs.

and then to top it off, after a little bit of pinot grigio, some sips of basil and hayden to my new signature gin 'n tonic, i was happily groovin' to some great tunes last night.

what more could i have asked for this wicked weekend.

One eskimO - absolutely in love.

sweet dreams!

b*tches for life!

2010-03-09T00:25:00.009-08:00

one of the best things that ever happened to me was applying for a little ol' job posting at some power marketing firm called, 'powerex' in 1999. i had no idea what would be in store for me but i somehow managed to get hired after telling the recruiter that my nickname at bchydro was, 'the amphetamine queen'. i guess it was a match made in heaven!

but the best part of my days at powerex had to be the lovely angels in my life - kerry, kristie and kelly. to my soul sisters, my sista from another motha, my b*tches, my 'maxi-pad' roommates, my 'hamburger and bun' clan - i will cherish and love each of you, all the days of my life.

so in honour of our friendship and to capture a moment in our lives, i organized a little photo shoot called forever young. i wanted us to find the time to be in each other's presence, to feel pampered and to put our best face forward and to shine in our own little spotlight.

i love my b*tches and can't wait to see where our story goes.....

xoxo

kitty

believe in the underdog...

2010-03-08T23:52:00.007-08:00

OMG!!!

2010-03-07T20:35:00.006-08:00

last night was so fantabulous!

it's the weirdest feeling on the day of bout when you're racing around and trying to get your game face on. the queazy feeling in your belly that just won't go away and then the need to go to the toilette because you're so damn nervous. i wish i didn't have to go through the rigamarole each time but i guess that's what this game is all about. not to be intimidated, to play harder then you've ever played before, to believe in yourself and to believe in your team.

i 'heart' grave danger and was so proud to be a part of last night's win.

proud to be canadian!!!

2010-02-28T18:59:00.005-08:00

i am so proud of my homeland. thanks to team canada they brought the entire nation together to celebrate a fabulous win in men's hockey. the women did just as great but what's with the 'in your face' champagne celebration? we're a far more humble nation, that's for sure.

i had the honour of being a part of the celebration last weekend as i caught a few hockey games and the men's aerial qualifying event. although we had more of a spring olympics, they managed to patch in enough snow for the events at cypress and the weather in the city was phenomenal. what a great way to showcase vancouver with crystal blue skies and the sun poppin' out in the daytime.

i wish i hadn't forgotten my camera (idiot, that i am) but anne managed to take this hilarious shot when i was at the switzerland vs norway ice hockey game.

i just love canada!!!

me jamming? wtf?!?!

2010-02-15T16:38:00.003-08:00

i must go dig deep within and find that inner fire and confidence to be a bad ass on the track. last season, i was always in fear of the jammer panty and was exhausted getting knocked down and having to quickly pull myself back up - it was like being tossed around in a washing machine - literally. so this season i will put my body and mind to the test and be challenged when i'm called upon to jam for my team.

this is going to be an interesting season.

wish me luck.

CHRIS BOTTI IN BOSTON | "Emmanuel" w/ Lucia Micarelli | PBS

2010-02-08T23:49:00.001-08:00

went to his concert sat night and was touched by all the performances....

i want to gobble you up....

2010-02-02T20:04:00.002-08:00

my secret life....

2010-01-24T22:06:00.003-08:00

my heart is smiling....

2010-01-18T13:34:00.003-08:00

i am sitting in this paradise bakery & cafe in surprize, AZ while my folks are having a 'gay ol' time at some active 50+yr community living space where they're playing golf with good friends. i'm glad they're having a great time even though i'd hate to think that i'll be at a place in my life where grass on steroids and a nearby community center with geriatrics exercise will do it for me. but life is about striving for happiness so if my folks are having a great time, i will encourage that however best i can.

i have a bunch of stuff to get done for our season opener at the key and will hit the ground running shortly but thought i'd share a few things with you that made my heart sing. i was killing time at a barnes & noble and finished off this great flick by sam mendes. if you haven't had the chance yet to see it, go rent 'away we go'. i loved the story, the soundtrack and the beauty of two people awaiting (yet scared) for the birth of their daughter and the interesting people in their lives. i adore the way burt loves verona. it made me think that instead of focusing on the unknown and my crazy little back up plan, that i need to be ready to love again. to open my heart to the possibilities that i will once again fall for someone and that i could be someone's verona....

anyways, upon finishing the flick and trying to figure out where to go next in the little town of surprise....this sweet pixt message arrived in my inbox. thank you so much for loving my little stinker and for taking care of him, uncle d. i literally went from this charming flick to seeing my little baby playing in what he would call heaven - aqua.

so on that note, i thought i'd post a bunch of pix that will forever keep my heart smiling...

elias maybe joining me one day....

2009-12-29T22:10:00.000-08:00

on the road!!! :)

merry christmas to me...

2009-12-27T19:11:00.004-08:00

so i backordered this off amazon and it didn't arrive in time to pass 'em out with my 'let it snow' cd. however, i managed to bake a bunch of pizelle cookies on christmas day and i think the little guy is now hooked.

until next year folks...

priceless

2009-12-16T22:06:00.002-08:00

poor little jackson doesn't look happy...

getting ready for xmas '09

2009-12-13T10:20:00.004-08:00

so the plan this year is to have my folks in town and i'll be roasting the bird....shall it be via cooks illustrated or martha stewart? i think i'll opt out of martha as i've been watching some of her xmas shows and she's too much of a spazz. i've made my annual selection for my mookie xmas cd - 'let it snow...' so some of you lucky folks will be receiving it in the coming days.

bye bye myrens

2009-12-12T22:44:00.004-08:00

i used to think kids hated me.

prior to meeting odinn, i had never experienced a kid running from across the room to give me a kid's version of a bear hug. it could be because at the age of three little odinn probably thought, me being asian, that i was the perfect target to use his karate kid moves. but in time, whenever i paid the family a visit he was always happy to see me and to show me his latest talent, whether it be flips on the sofa or high kicks in the air. and them came, thord....born on his own mother's birthday. i hadn't spent as much quality time with odinn's little brother but i could see the same little spunk in this kid and knew that the two would be great companions for life.

well, a few years have passed since brynja returned from iceland and her job at the us consulate and now she's decided to go back 'home' to pursue her business degree. i'm sad to see the myren's go again but i know that this will be an amazing opportunity for her and her family. and selfishly a good excuse for me to hit the blue lagoon and visit her in 2010.

good luck to you lady as you hit the books and struggle with exams and hard deadlines. and odinn and thord, be good to your mother and enjoy the amazing opportunities that a lot of little kids your age would never have....

love you to bits - xo.

sweet little ones....

2009-11-26T23:39:00.016-08:00

how could you not love his precious little face?

okay, so maybe this is only a face that a mother can love (?!?!) but i can tell you that i'm a proud auntie for sharing pictures of my girlfriends' darling little kids. after seeing ker's sydney bird pose for her first class picture, i caught myself giggling inside at how sweet she looked and felt the need to exploit some shots. i share with you a lovely little pose by sydney, an angelic shot of joshua and a regal shot of elias, who was dressed in a traditional korean costume (fitted for a one year old) which had been passed down by three generations.

a leap of faith....

2009-11-16T22:47:00.002-08:00

i was uploading some photos tonight and came across

this shot when we were camping on salt spring island.

this takes me to a happy place....

sweet little j

2009-11-05T22:08:00.003-08:00

drew's fun little commute

2009-11-05T22:08:00.001-08:00

hello, dolly!

2009-11-05T19:31:00.013-08:00

oh, dearest dolls - thank you for being my lovely friend...

we can be millions of miles apart and may not have the opportunity to converse on a more frequent basis but i want you to know that i think the world of you. remember that international relations class with the instructor that stuttered? i think that's the first time i met you and i was intrigued by this interesting asian gal who reminded me of my 'jocky' self who had this fun little spirit about her - perhaps the spirit of moose jaw?

well, much time has passed and many memories to look back on (and many that we can hysterically laugh at ie. ubc varsity basketball tryouts...aahhh hummm). and i thought this would be a great way to tell the few who tap into my blog about how wonderful i think you are and how grateful i am to have you as my friend.

after my short little visit this past week, i wanted you to know how happy i am for you. to witness you now as a mother, and to see this precious little being that is now a part of you and drew - joshua samuel- makes me realize how beautiful life can be.

i don't think i've ever told you this but that visit i made back in '06 did wonders for my spirit and put my life into perspective. planning our trip to the cote d'azur and taking that rental car through the streets of monaco to lake como, made us fearless back then. i laughed my head off, challenged myself for driving in unknown territory, laughed at your silly suggestions towards the handsome french captain, to eating fine foods and gelato galore. thank you for renewing the spirit in me and making me smile again. i will also never forget the night you and drew took me out to the wolseley for my birthday and for surprising me, not once, but twice with little blue boxes of sweet surprises. that night, you and drew touched my heart in ways that you will never know....

so move forward three years later, when we had lunch at 'bar des theatres' and you shared fond and intimate details of your childhood and stories about your father. it made me want to honour you for just being you and for realizing how much love you have for everyone around you. and when you made that comment about even having my brother stay with you in france? that's so typical of you dolls, always looking out for those that you love.

i will forever cherish our friendship and can't wait to see where the journey will go for both you and i. joshua is going to grow into being a fine young man, i guarantee it. and i will laugh myself silly when i see all the dolly-isms in joshua's character. you make me proud, lady!

until we meet again

love you to bits

hematoma

2009-10-11T22:20:00.005-07:00

DEFINITION--A collection of pooled blood in the thigh within a relatively constricted area. Thigh hematomas probably accompany all serious contusions of the thigh, but they are difficult to diagnose because of the large muscle mass in the thigh.

i heart water

2009-09-23T22:43:00.000-07:00

moto 2009

2009-09-13T21:45:00.002-07:00

pix will follow but until then take a look at this....

pat finally ties the knot...

2009-09-01T22:14:00.002-07:00

my baby

2009-08-01T08:38:00.001-07:00

thanks to miss kellbell for this shot....

2009-06-19T22:03:00.001-07:00

hahlmony

2009-06-19T21:58:00.001-07:00

To my ‘eupun hahlmony’

There so much I could share with each of you of how wonderful this woman was and the impact she had on each of us in the ‘kim family’ household. She was well known for her heart of gold and yet known for a will and strength that could never get knocked down – ever. I’m sure if you could recount your memories of her they all probably had to do with food of some sort, butterscotch candies, money being freely given away, her joy and devotion for the Korean United Church, the love she had for her children and grandchildren and how she just gloated at how good looking her grandsons were. Or how about memories of her when you got her upset? You can bet she had the last word and she was a fighter right to the very end.

I loved her so much for all the things she taught me. As a second mother to me, I truly attribute a lot of who I am because of her. She taught me how to love those around me and to be an honest and hard working woman. She taught me how to be resilient when you were weak and to firmly stand up for what you believed in. Though I had to battle the gender game with her growing up and all the favouritism she had for my brother, through the years I knew that she loved me just as much as she did all her boys….

During her last few years at the care home, she kept calling me ‘jong heh’ her one and only daughter, and I used to cry thinking she forgot who I was. And when she kept asking me where my kids were and how I wasn’t at home feeding them, my heart used to sink thinking she may never live to see any great-grandchildren. But in the last few days of her life, when she was surrounded by the people she so dearly loved, I knew that she was aware of each of us.

This past Saturday, even though she was weak without thirteen days of food or water, she found enough strength to sit up and she took her hand and tapped my cheek three times. It was a beautiful moment I had with her knowing that she had acknowledged who I was and as if she was telling me that it was all okay, she was fine and that she loved me. And at that moment I promised myself that I would live for her and try to follow her legacy of living for those you love, to provide for those around you and to live life so simply through food, hard work, a strong mind and body and the selfless act of giving.

Memories I have of her that I will never forget and that will live with me forever….
· Taking me everywhere by bus and vivid memories of being at the UBC loop when I was four years old so we could scout out a good patch of ‘kosardi’ leaves near the endowment lands
· Having her drag me into Teddy’s school when I was only in kindergarten to be her translator, interuppting a classroom because she was angry that he got kicked out of school for throwing a snowball
· Sharing a bedroom with her growing up and her telling me never to turn your back on someone when you’re sleeping with them because you should never go to bed mad
· Yelling at my dad with those fierce eyes of fire. Even he couldn’t win her over
· Finding used safeway brand butterscotch candies all over the house
· Just like alfred hitchcock’s sillouette, down the lane by battison street you could see her shadow looking out the window, waiting and watching for her family to come home and when saying ‘hi’, she always pretended she was sleeping.
· And I will never forget when I was in highschool, getting punished for the some odd twenty magazines I had under my bed and walking up the stairs to see my grandmother dragging the secret stash of magazines into her own closet – the box literally weighing over a hundred pounds
· Her always wanting to go home
· Feeding, cleaning and helping the nurses care for the seniors at the finnish home
· Her face lighting up whenever she saw us

One day I will make her proud. I will honour her and become a better cook. I will love my brother more and take care of my parents during their retirement years. I promise to visit each time I’m in town and will plant some beautiful flowers so that she knows how much i love her, we love her and will forever miss her.

Hahlmony, kochung heh gimayo – chal jumohseyo.

my life in pix

2009-06-06T22:56:00.007-07:00

so i used to be the gal that went trigger happy with her camera and was always eager about posting stuff on my blog. what can i say? life has been busy and i went through a short period of being anti-facebook/anti-bloggin'. however, after visiting my gma today i realized that 'kodak memories' are a must. she's not really speaking and is nearing the end of her life. today however i've had a change of heart. the fact that i could entertain her and put a smile on her face while going through my lame-ass youtube videos made me realize how life is so precious and that we should always document it as you just never know what's around the corner....

Duncan being very 'jarlsberg' in France

Surprise! Surprise! My parent's retirement gift

Pebble Beach's signature trees
Mom & Dad

Strike First! Hit Hard! No Mercy!

Holy Shizer I made it into the SeattlePI

my very first cab ride
king of lake washington
i heart water elias & his sidekick
welcome to this world joshua!

sweet little sydney bird

me & sydney @ the pt bob

what'cha 'reckon?

sweet jesus - 10K miles!

3K rock

2009-06-06T21:50:00.004-07:00

it's been a while but thought this would be amusing to publish.

never let your inbred loco bullie alone in the backyard

because it may just cost you $3000!!!

my litle waterboy

2009-06-06T21:36:00.001-07:00

time flies...

2009-03-11T23:25:00.006-07:00

i can't believe how time just passes right before you. so much has happened since i last blogged back during xmas. i can't even remember if i posted the pix of mooks and his $3K rock in his belly. how i joined the rat city rollergirls makin' bacon derby camp and actually got picked up on the grave danger team - shocker!

oh i how i wish i could go on a little mini vacation....

i miss yoga but i'm happy to say that i have my little soulmate with me. mister mooks is now permanently back in s-town and we've found a cute little place in the wallingford area. i really should be heading to bed as i've been busy with late night derby practices. more to come with the odd ball events in my life....

here's to my new persona....

joyeux noel

2008-12-25T15:32:00.004-08:00

peace, warmth and joy during this lovely holiday season and may '09 bring you many blessings...

it's a winter wonderland!

winter wonderland

2008-12-25T15:29:00.001-08:00

bday moto ride '08

2008-12-04T21:59:00.001-08:00

my g5 crashed and i just got a new macbook. i'll definitely update y'all with pix and vids along the way.

what i wanna be when i grow up....

2008-12-03T22:40:00.005-08:00

who would of ever thought that i would be living in seattle and trading power by the hour, day-ahead or bal mo? if i had not been curious by this little power marketing company @ bchydro or that i thrived on the fast pace buzz, who knows where i'd be right now.

post the enron-esque cali crisis to the birth and implosion of financial banks trading west coast power, i've been thinking long and hard of what i wanna do when i grow up? though it comes in waves, corporate career vs entrepreneurial biz, i realized that the direction i would like to head towards is in the area of the 'green collar' world. i have no idea what this will entail but after watching this interesting documentary - fuel, winner of this year's sundance doc award - i have decided that i must move into the direction of a sustainable world. often i joke about moving to netherlands and working on a wind farm but who's to say that one day it might be my reality? but in all seriousness, i encourage people to check out this flick. i don't like to endorse sensationalized michael moore-like flicks but this made me think about the kind of world that i'd like to live in, or at least pass onto the world's offspring.

please see this film if you can - fuel - and check out this article.

now i'll go dream away of carbon trading one day or perhaps quading around some wind farm somewhere in this lovely world....

proud auntie

2008-11-24T23:59:00.002-08:00

i just had to share the cutest little pix ever! nic met up with her former prenatal yoga class. don't cha wanna gobble them all up?

crescent beach

2008-11-24T22:58:00.005-08:00

i was a bit reluctant to head to port angeles this weekend as i was sleep deprived for the past few weeks. my life has been crazy with work, a wedding in mexico, more work, a 'green' weekend in portland and then taking part of the rat city roller girl's makin' bacon boot camp. i so want a vacation!!!!

the RRR soccer gang organized it's annual kayaking/camp trip and this year they decided to head out to crescent beach and paddle through fives miles of the coastline to freshwater bay. though the boys were eggin' me on and telling me about the 11' swells every eight seconds, i was pleased to say that the approach looked nice and calm on sat morning. duncan was insanely crazy as usual and brought his campfire rotisserie and we cooked a duck and some mackerel on the grill. yummy!

here's a shot that babler took of me cupping the rainbow from canada before i flipped the kayak and scrapped my hand. bonehead move.

i'm alive....

2008-10-05T21:17:00.004-07:00

holy shizer - i feel like it's been ages since i logged onto my blog. hell, i even forgot my gmail user account. nonetheless, i thought i'd pass on the message that i'm alive and kickin'.

great news to share - nic had a beautiful bundle of joy named elias peleh munari and he's so flippen sweet. out of respect for his mom & pops, i won't post pix until they give me the green light....

for the meantime - pay homage to biggie smalls....

xo

shuksan arm

2008-02-17T17:37:00.005-08:00

omg - what a beautiful day it was! i had a fabulous time shoeshowing up shuksan arm, near mt baker on saturday. i met my mtn'eer mentor from bellingham and treked up the gorgeous mountain with a lovely group of people. duncan was gracious enough to provide lunch and boy was i surprised by the gourmet meal consisting of thai beef salad with fresh avacado and a smoked salmon bagel with chevre, basil and green bell peppers...yum scrum!

i am so excited about this course and can't wait to partake in a bunch more treks. it's so rewarding in the end to know that you can challenge your mind and body to take you to places you've never been before. it's also awe-inspiring to be surrounded by such spectacular views and being with such wonderful people that all have the same kind of attitude and determination. there's a lot that i need to learn along the way but i'm totally enthused about it and i'm ready for the challenge.

good morning sunshine

2008-02-17T17:35:00.001-08:00

mookie visits mamma in seattle

2008-02-17T17:34:00.001-08:00

forever twenty six...

2008-01-27T19:39:00.000-08:00

i've been the biggest procrastinator but i finally found the time to upload a bunch of pix to my bday trek to eastern washington and down to austin for the ACL festival - good times! everyone makes fun of me for being camera happy all the time but how does one document their life and capture kodak memories? i felt blessed this september for being surrounded by all my loved ones and for having mother nature being so good to me. it was on my beautiful ride back through mt. rainier that i made the revelation that seattle will be my second home. i was flirting with the idea of removing myself from this wonderful place so that i could escape and start my world all over....but it was on that magical day that i realized that there is so much beauty in the pacific northwest that i've never had the opportunity to tap into. plus, i have the freedom to explore and live while it would only take me 2.5 hours to go 'home' if i had to see fam & friends. so with much thought, i pulled the plunge and made my decision - i've started the whole green card process and i just got accepted to an intro climbing course where i will continue my journey and explore...

2008-01-27T19:37:00.001-08:00

beer, chips and salsa!

2008-01-23T21:28:00.000-08:00

so pat convinced me to go on a quick little getaway to a warm destination. i figured i had to use up my companion pass so we worked it out and booked flights to loreto, MX for the new year. called the 'aquarium of the world', by jacques cousteau and 'beer, chips and salsa' by our flight attendent ... we made our way to the baja california sur region for a six day trek from loreto, la paz to cabo san lucas and back. much fun was had as we lay by the pool at the loreto bay inn, explored the underwaters near the lovely island of espirtu santu, picked up canisters of jalapeno pringles, checked out local taco stands throughout town and drove through the insane roads of mexicali. if i ever get the chance to go back, i'd love to camp out on the island of espirtu santu and check out the pacific coastline of rancho nuevo....it was so breathtaking as the sun was setting on our way to cabo.

see pix to baja california sur.

much thinking was done while i was away and as much as i hate to use the word 'new years resolutions', i made a few solid decisions while i was away as a part of the enriching my life plan. in pecking order....green card, happy home, mister mooks, creativity, yoga, sit still and read, basic climbing course, vancouver half marathon, ride charlie all summer long, biz planning and creating unique moments in life!

a few noteworthy things to mention. matt & allison's reception @ xmas was lovely as our entire familes were brought together to celebrate the festive holiday and their marriage. lori's visit was a riot as always as we chatted about anything and everything and reconfirmed our friendship of well over two decades. the births of chloe, natalie, haaken, lauren and soon to be gunnette. ted & jana's engagement. grant, jinah & kids paid a visit to my 2nd home and i was blessed by the presence of mimi & tae - such darling kids. seeing taos the movie and how it inspired me to live with imagination and creativity and to just go for it! and then the best xmas gift ever...from imee & pete - custom made mister mooks note pads that put a perma-smile on my face.

2008 is going to be an amazing year! i have this uncanny feeling in the pit of my stomach and sometimes this weird glow in my chest - good things or momentous life changing events are going to happen to the loved ones around me. i can't wait to see how it will all unfold....

si's sweet fish

2008-01-10T14:55:00.001-08:00

i had the chance to check out simon's travel pix to hawaii and japan and was blown away by this lovely underwater shot he took while scuba diving in maui. if only pat and i had a camera while we were in la paz - oh the sea lions wrestling. enjoy this gorgeous pix and i hope it brightens up your day!

children learn what they live

2008-01-07T18:30:00.000-08:00

i just got off the phone with my dear sweet cuz, nic and she read this wonderful little blurb that made me think about my family and the person i've become today. admist all the chaos and drama, i'm sincerely grateful for my family. i'm thankful for having a feisty little grandmother who had a heart of gold and a head of steel. i'm grateful for having a mother who was calm, open and so well balanced and for teaching me to always look at the bright side of things. and i would have to admit that there is a part of me that needs to thank my father. he challenged me in so many ways that most people couldn't fathom, but what it instilled in me was the beauty of resilence and to push myself in ways that i could only surprise myself.

so thanks for teaching me the things that i live by.....

Children Learn What They Live
By Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D.

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

twin cities

2007-12-17T17:29:00.000-08:00

just got back from my cousin's wedding in minneapolis with the kim clan. it was so lovely to see matt marry his one sweet love and to see how perfectly suited they are for each other - talk about future braniac children. allison is only twenty-nine and she holds her phd in mechanical engineering. it was quite funny as we sat at the family table and were all interwined with the suh family clan. who wasn't a doctor at the table? from a cranio-maxio facial surgeon, general surgeon, medical professor, dental student to opthamologist....it was foreign for me to be surrounded by shop talk conversations that i couldn't really participate in. nonetheless, i had a great time chaffeuring my aunts and uncle around and just tuning into their convos about our family and unforgettable memories. oh what good times!

here's to our furry friend...

2007-12-09T03:27:00.000-08:00

happy 40th miles federspiel! it was a delight to have your worlds collide this evening and to share the celebration of your birth oh....so long ago! though in your head you may see us as acquaintances but i know in your heart we are in some form or another - your bosom buddy. cheers to this day and may you give birth to that dancing star!

see pix to the moto europe '07 trip.

euro moto 2007

2007-12-09T03:13:00.001-08:00

biggie smalls

2007-12-01T12:10:00.001-08:00

how could you not love this stinker?

asian nanny

2007-11-18T11:53:00.000-08:00

i've already volunteered my services to some of my good ol' friends. exciting times are to come for ker and the p and to the myrens. i stopped by the hospital to pay a visit to mister haakon - an absolute angel who was brought into this world on his mother's bday.

so here's to the future gunnette and thord haakon....

the best birthday ever....

2007-11-07T20:36:00.000-08:00

in every day there is a magic moment waiting to be created - adele basheer

i've been so behind in updating my blog and posting nonsense (as feds would say). i'll be working on it over the rememberance day long weekend. but to start off i just wanted to post this shot of the lovely ladies who came down for my bday and helped set it off with a big bang!!! thanks all for being in my life and i appreciate and cherish each and every one of you....

my little pot belly

2007-09-04T18:36:00.001-07:00

pork-o-rama

2007-09-04T18:30:00.000-07:00

had a fabulous time over @ duncan's place for steve & duncan's 2nd annual pig roast. i heard it was a blast last year and knew i had to check it out. i can't wait till i get my 'i found jesus in my pork chop' t-shirt - tres cool! enjoy the pix and the viewing pleasure of mr. mooks porkin' out.

WTF?

2007-08-31T16:12:00.000-07:00

guess what arrived in the mail yesterday? i thought the days of photo radar were over and now i have to make a stink about this one. have a nice laugh!

giggle giggle

2007-08-19T21:46:00.000-07:00

friends leave footprints

2007-08-19T21:21:00.000-07:00

i just had a lovely evening with hanadi and her sister and i realized that i will truly miss this amazing women. the thought even crossed my mind that had i not moved into the villagio we would of never of crossed paths and i wouldn't of been blessed with her friendship and her kindred spirit. so in the next few weeks we'll be in the hunt for some inspiration on our quest to find the perfect tattoo - something simple, symbolic and a forever reminder of who we are and what we want to become. on that note, i thought i'd post this wonderful quote that nic had on her fridge. if only i could summarize all of these words into a little tattoo....

“Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends leave footprints in your heart. To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart. Anger is only one letter short of danger. If someone betrays you once, it is his fault; if he betrays you twice, it is your fault. Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people. He who loses money, loses much; he who loses a friend, loses much more; he who loses faith, loses all. Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art. Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t life long enough to make them all yourself. Friends, you and me…you brought another friend…and then there were three…we started our group…our circle of friends…and like that circle…there is no beginning or end…yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That is why they call it a present.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

cat riding charlie

2007-08-17T13:37:00.001-07:00

i'm having so much fun tootling around town!

charles in charge

2007-08-12T17:10:00.000-07:00

charlie, will be the name of my new little baby! i made my way down to portland this weekend to partake in the ducati northwest event @ the portland international raceway and thanks to the wonderful guys @ eastside motorsports, i landed my new little motobike - a ducati monster 695 dark, of course!

my goal for the next few weeks is to get more comfie with my bike in preparation for my bday ride through eastern washington. i was inspired by a woman named liz, and her journey through the interior of BC, eastern washington, oregon & the gorge in hopes of learning more about power generation in the pacific northwest as well as soaking in all the natural beauty.

i was blessed yesterday riding back to seattle through the mt. st. helen's area - absolutely breathtaking! thanks b for leading the way and challenging me on my first official ride back on good ol' charlie! named charlie for many reasons - sounds fitting to say 'charles in charge', 'ready to take charlie for a ride', 'charlie's angel' and to the connection to charlemagne.

on i ride....

i wuv u!

2007-08-06T21:40:00.001-07:00

beer boy bry!

2007-07-27T08:27:00.001-07:00

had such a wonderful time @ sinc's wedding in napa and it's always great to reconnect with your childhood friends and to this day i still find bryan to be one of the funniest guys i know - you kill me!

y's & the w's

2007-07-26T21:22:00.000-07:00

long live good friends and let's never forget our night @ fuel and the $10 bottle of water from new zealand - oh good times!

moto europe 2007

2007-07-15T22:14:00.001-07:00

i'll be posting a video of my lovely moto trip after i compile all the pix and videos. i faced a few issues after accidently formatting my memory card one morning and feeling like the biggest fool in the world. but for the mean time here are just a few of my fav pix but i'll re-blog after i get my work laptop set up as bloggin' from my apple just simply doesn't work! hope all is well....

moto europe 2007

2007-07-15T21:45:00.000-07:00

oh - he misses me so!

2007-07-09T17:17:00.001-07:00

so i went back home for a quick visit this weekend and got a little lovin' from my dog. i think this seperation anxiety is gonna get the best of him. enjoy!

yeah!

2007-06-11T22:12:00.001-07:00

my camera sucks

2007-06-11T22:09:00.000-07:00

at concerts that is....
nic took these fab shots from brandi carlile's show in vancouver.

eyes wide open

2007-06-04T21:59:00.000-07:00

forbes & i just outside of the moore theatre to catch brandi carlile ... don't we look like b.o.d.'s? here's to living our lives 'eyes wide open' (and i'm still on the hunt down for some crazy bikini shot of you that i will post for the world to see ;)

here's to classy friends!

2007-05-21T21:46:00.001-07:00

i had the girls down this weekend for a quick little bitch fest - sans ker :( - and we had a fab time just playing catch up. i am so grateful that these bitches are a part of my life...they add so much technicolour into this world i live in and i know that i will cherish them always and forever....

here's to pink bits, chargrilling it, being mingey, hamburger & buns, green clouds and ensuring that you wash your produce at all times....

happy m-day

2007-05-13T22:21:00.000-07:00

“For the hand that rocks the cradle - Is the hand that rules the world”
William Ross Wallace

oh, happy mother's day to all (and that includes mothers of four legged creatures)! i had the pleasure of having my parents and mr. mooks down this weekend for a lovely family reunion. mr. mooks was overwhelmed with joy to be reunited with his mama and it took him nearly twenty mintues to cool off before we shipped him off into my room and grabbed a quick bite to eat. on sunday morning i surprised my mom with her new hiking gear and we made our way over to north bend to hike up rattlesnake trail. i'm thrilled that my parents are becoming more active as they age and being more aware of the importance of staying healthy while enjoying the beauty of this earth. i'm so proud of them - my dad hikes the grouse grind twice a week and my mom participates in a weekly hiking group @ the lynn canyon trail. and now, much to my liking, mister mooks may join them and keep them company (or perhaps, lead the way) on their weekly jaunts. oh - you gotta love him!

so today of all days, my mom said the sweetest thing to me, "whenever i'm with you i feel like a millionaire". i'm pretty sure it had a lot to do with coming off of a high (post hike) but it was how she said it and when she said it. i think she was muttering it to herself as she was looking out the window of the truck and i could see her smile through my rearview mirror. it's genuine moments like that when i realize the importance of family and how we should all savour every little moment we have.

thanks to the bizarre turn of events last year, i truly follow my motto, 'this is the only one life you live - so live it". and despite the worries of my parents of not settling down (in the traditional sense), my mind thinking a mile a minute and friends wondering why i can't sit still, i want the world to know that i'm in such an amazing place in my life as i've learned to let go of a lot of things....to be open and fearless, to be curious and spontaneous, to not have a care in the world of what people think of me, to allow my heart to sing, to enjoy moments of solitude, to laugh at myself always, to be open to new experiences, to bring beautiful people into my world, to inspire and to be inspired, to listen more, and to smile and say 'hello'. to sum it all up, i must thank anya for saying this to me about a month ago - "life is short & days are long". now that really made me think...

so now onto getting me some ginko and playing sudoku!

enjoy the mother's day pix.

mooks hiking

2007-05-13T16:11:00.001-07:00

thanks to the jacksons

2007-05-12T20:08:00.000-07:00

ok so there wasn't an action shot to prove that i got up the first time but at least i was documented in the bumblebee dry suit (post face plant). i was invited onto a friend's boat last week to go wakeboarding on lake washington and was a bit apprehensive to step foot into the water because a) it was cold at night and b) i wasn't sure if i'd be able to get up. with some inspiration after seeing a few of the guys rip it up on the wake and seeing duncan do a back flip i realized that i had to step up to the plate.

this is where i have to thank annie & jeff for being so patient with me last summer at their lake cabin in maine. it took two days for them to coach me on the art of getting your ass out of the water and by some freak of nature last wednesday it all just came back to me.

i'm telling you - nature is my new religion.

take a hike

2007-05-07T20:04:00.000-07:00

thanks anya for being ms joe hikestress and taking us for a lovely trail walk up rattlesnake park. think i'm gonna take my mom up there for mother's day and surprise her with a nice little picnic on the rock.

hawaii 5-0

2007-05-01T09:26:00.001-07:00

miles thinks i'm an absolute dork for wanting to post this.

kitcat: so what did u think?
kitcat: dorky if i upload to blog?
miles: with that music? at that volume? for that long? miles: YES
kitcat: oh gawd...
kitcat: seriously
miles: i dont joke about dorkness
kitcat: i think i'm still gonna do it
miles: doesnt surprise me

whatever miles!

boardin' pix

2007-04-30T22:35:00.000-07:00

here are some shots from this weekend. enjoy!

going up hortsman tbar

2007-04-30T22:32:00.001-07:00

good times up @ blackcomb. can you believe it? they're going to be opened until june 3rd!!! opey, cheri and i managed a quick trip up and were blessed with knee high powder at the top. oh, heavenly!

take a bite outta bart

2007-04-30T19:37:00.000-07:00

i took part in a quick weekend getaway to oakland, california to partake in an annual musseling weekend that's been held for over twenty years. imee, pete & josh were nice enough to invite me and the anderson's were gracious enough to host the festivities and house over twenty some-odd seattlelites in their lovely home in danville. i had no idea what to expect but i must say that the company i was with made it very memorable. it's so great to be surrounded by such solid, fun-loving and zany people who know how to have a good time. we all slept in the living room and were packed in like sardines - poor josh was curled up against the wall and when i woke up in the morning i had about three feet of space beside me - doh!

on the morning of the event, there were some clouds in the sky but that didn't stop us from driving down to santa cruz to make way for the big day. we all hiked down to the beach with our pails in hand and began digging and yanking away for the perfect mussel. with some fresh baquettes, red wine and herb/lemon melted butter ... our shellfish cookout turned out to be a delightful affair. and to top it all off, the sun came out and we managed to set up the net for some beach volleyball action.

oh, what good times!

mom & mooks visit

2007-04-26T21:42:00.001-07:00

so my mom and mr. mooks came down for a short visit to hit dr. sullivan's office for a post op-follow up. turns out his eyes are healing well but it seems that he's got some seasonal allergies and possibly atopic dermatitis (takes after his mother). and to boot' he had some strange growth coming out of his side rib cage. worried that it was a tumour, it turns out that it's nothing serious. perhaps the little bonehead took an aerial fall and knocked himself silly somewhere. nonetheless, i love him to bits and took my mom and mooks out for a stroll around greenlake.

go canucks go!

2007-04-26T20:47:00.000-07:00

make us proud, canucks!

courtesy of my talented friend maurice ...

aqua baby

2007-04-25T12:14:00.000-07:00

just heavenly...

living in the 90's

2007-04-08T20:05:00.000-07:00

it was absolutely gorgeous on friday! i took a nice little trek out to the westside and picked up some sushi to go and bladed along the burke gilman trail. you always seem to fall in love with a city when the sun is out and the warmth of the rays tickles your skin. i realized as i was blading that i'm so living in the 90's. there were so many people walking, running and biking along the trail and i only passed by one fellow blader who actually signaled and gave me a quick 'hello'.

pat, her sis and her mom came down after a treachourous three hour delay at the bcus border - insane in the membrane! we hit the university district and did some shopping and then made our way to ballard to dine @ volterra. we attempted to get into La Carta de Oaxaca but the line up was far too big so we ended up going there for lunch the following day. delish - if you want to try a bunch of yummy mexicano dishes.

late friday night we met up with some friends @ the ibiza lounge. pat and i were so damn tired and just wanted to go to bed but i had to show up and check out my buddy's new lady. let me tell you, the nightlife in seattle sucks! though i confess to being a closet hermit, of the few times that i've gone out to meet up with friends i've been sadly disappointed. what's up with this city?

so i delightfully started off my easter sunday with a killer hot power yoga class and thought it would be nice to check out an easter service. i made my way over to mars hill in ballard and carefully scoped out the crowd to spot out any overzealous, hands in the air, potential tongue speaking attendees. much to my satisfaction the service was pretty good and the place was large enough that i could just go in, do my thing and mosey on out of there. i'm still trying to figure out whether or not the church is my thing but i can definitely tell you that i'm constantly searching for new ways to feeding that little ol' spirit inside of myself.

i know your going to get peeved pat but i thought i'd post this picture. i miss being steam rolled

that's my boy...

2007-04-03T08:50:00.001-07:00

so once again the little one has turned into a conehead. he came down with my mom last week to get some work done on his entropion eyes. poor little guy, eh?

enjoy the show!

wspp

2007-03-29T21:27:00.000-07:00

white powder, baby!

i was up in banff last weekend for a work conference and took a day out to hit lake louise. it was great meeting up with a bunch of folks and brokers and seeing some good 'ol friends. good times! against my wishes, i downed a few shots just so i could amuse a few fellas'. i'm telling you after this trip and watching spence buy a case of some fabulous wine from portalis, i'm really thinking that some pharmaceutical company could rake in some big $moolah$ by inventing the asian drinking pill. sign me up!

oh and a few congrats to pass along....pat and matt got engaged - yippeee! and so did my cousin nelly and tyler. and then i finally i got the story straight....i was told that bryan got engaged and i sent him a congrats email but it turns out his big bro will be getting hitched this summer. sweet-oh-lah!

enjoy the pix of banff!

happy six-oh, mom!

2007-02-27T08:28:00.001-08:00

paying homage to my mom on her 60th birthday!

wishing you nothing but the best and hope that one day i can aspire to be as amazing as you.

love you to bits!

out with the old, in with the new

2007-01-18T21:43:00.000-08:00

can you believe it? it's my last night working on the real time desk and i'll be moving into my new digs next week. i figure now's the time to figure out my master plan for the new year...

ok...so that's what i had written back in january and it stayed in my draft box for how long? it's been a while since i've blogged. heck...it took me a while to finally get a new digi cam battery so i guess that will be my only excuse for now.

nothing new to report other then i've been bogged down with the new job and having to get up early in the morning with very minimal sleep. went to the india arie concert last night. it was quite funny because it felt like my summer last year was the main theme for her show - from 'private party', 'back to the middle' to 'heart of the matter' - made me think that i've definitely moved into the right direction.

let it snow...

2007-01-10T11:24:00.001-08:00

this little life of mine...

aunty caffy loves you, elias!

brew ha ha

like a virgin

streefighter

what did i do to deserve this?

tickles my heart....

a pleasant surprise....

going for a ride....

dolls, you made my day!

mid life crisis?!?!

wicked laser light show

a bundle of joy

sweetness...

Amazing

b*tches for life!

believe in the underdog...

OMG!!!

proud to be canadian!!!

me jamming? wtf?!?!

CHRIS BOTTI IN BOSTON | "Emmanuel" w/ Lucia Micarelli | PBS

i want to gobble you up....

my secret life....

my heart is smiling....

elias maybe joining me one day....

merry christmas to me...

priceless

getting ready for xmas '09

bye bye myrens

sweet little ones....

a leap of faith....

sweet little j

drew's fun little commute

hello, dolly!

hematoma

DEFINITION--A collection of pooled blood in the thigh within a relatively constricted area. Thigh hematomas probably accompany all serious contusions of the thigh, but they are difficult to diagnose because of the large muscle mass in the thigh.

i heart water

moto 2009

pat finally ties the knot...

my baby

hahlmony

my life in pix

3K rock

my litle waterboy

time flies...

joyeux noel

winter wonderland

bday moto ride '08

what i wanna be when i grow up....

proud auntie

crescent beach

i'm alive....

shuksan arm

good morning sunshine

mookie visits mamma in seattle

forever twenty six...

beer, chips and salsa!

si's sweet fish

children learn what they live

twin cities

here's to our furry friend...

euro moto 2007

biggie smalls

asian nanny

the best birthday ever....

my little pot belly

pork-o-rama

WTF?

**giggle giggle**

friends leave footprints

cat riding charlie

charles in charge

i wuv u!

beer boy bry!

y's & the w's

moto europe 2007

moto europe 2007

oh - he misses me so!

yeah!

my camera sucks

giggle giggle