Random Thoughts of Tokyo part 1

• it is fast paced (people eat quick, things get done... sort of quick... slower than HK but faster than Toronto)
• even being here for more than a month now, I still bump into people... the rule is... you walk on the left side... yet it seems not everyone follows that rule... so I always get confused... which brings me to the next point
• There are A LOT of RULES... sometimes I find that some of them are quite unreasonable
• Not everyone follows rules... 
• believe it or not... Japanese are not as clean as I thought they were
• Japanese are not all that polite... as I thought they were (most are... but some aren't) 1. I have had a few guys who purposely coughed in my face... I had a WTH look on my face.... 2. Sometimes when I'm crossing major streets and I'm walking consistently on one side to the other, people would just walk in front of me forcing me to dodge them.... WTH...
• a few weeks ago, I read an article/Facebook post which claims that if a train is late, the train conductor would come to each passenger to apologize... FALSE! I get a train delay at least 3 times a week and not once have I seen a train conductor come to apologize... (this applies to both Tokyo Metro and JR lines)
• most service here is good... but it doesn't mean that bad service doesn't exist!
• Miscommunications among them and us: these usually happen when they are inconsistent with the way they talk: some times they are very direct and other times very indirect... it is still taking me time to read when they are direct and when they are indirect
• people are very inconsistent... one minute they are close with you, the next they can act like total strangers
• people are very shy... they don't talk or even show gestures when you walk towards them
• even in Japan, I feel I blend easier with the guys...

So there you have it... my random thoughts of Tokyo... I'm sure there will be more so this is only Part 1.

So much has changed...

For those who use fb (shift eyes... who doesn't :P) would notice for the past 5 months or so, Facebook has decided to do a "On This Day" where it collects all of your moments of that day from a few years ago and remind you of things that have happened... I like this feature... it reminds me of happy moments and lots of memorable moments during undergrad when we were struggling and complaining on Facebook... ahh... those were certainly the good times...

anywayz... today, I was given this....

First four words...

For those who missed it in 2009: Patient, Outgoing, Sweet and Passionate

What I see now... in 2015: Passionate, Insecure, Thoughtful and Love

They are all different!... I'm just glad I still got the passion! :P

Random thoughts:

• It's quite sad... when I read the old comments that people have made... more than half those people, I don't even talk to anymore... so much has changed... 
• people changed, I've changed, life stage has changed, environment has changed... sigh...
• I mean... change isn't a bad thing... just that I regret that the friendships that were once so strong... are no longer...
• But back to this "test"... apparently I am insecure now lol... X.x
• Lots have changed these past few years... I know I am no longer the same Stephanie as I was back then... I can't say I am MUCH BETTER... just a different side... I do realize that I am definitely less arrogant, more laid back and more adventurous then I was back then.... 
• I think back then, I was too uptight... and only went with the flow... 
• The Lord has broke me into pieces and I know He is building me to becoming a better version of me...

alas... what do YOU see?

Oh how the tables have turned!

A few of my friends were having a discussion about marriage and having kids.

What I always thought was it was extremely important for the woman to be younger so their kids would be more healthier... BUT... Turns out I was wrong all along... The man's age plays a much heavier role than woman's when it comes to reproducing...

So the example that my friend gave was:
a man (35) married a woman (40)  will have a much healthier child compared to a couple where the man (40) and women (35).

Our conclusions? If a man wants to have healthier children... He needs to do that much sooner than a woman...

And ... Should we ladies start looking for younger man? :O

What we learned? Man need to be more desperate than woman if they want to produce much healthier children.

Guys... you actually don't have that much time!!! 

Hello from Tokyo!

hmm... deja vu? Is Steph ok?

yup... Steph is fine... I'm back in Tokyo... would love to check in with you all... cause I miss you guys :(... I'm just writing to say that I am fine, alive and well!

it seems I can't escape "Shinagawa", last time I was living near Shinagawa Station, this time, I'm living in Shinagawa-ku... hmmm..... I guess I will forever be Shinagawa... whatever that means... :P

signing off now... so tired... ttyl :)

Bi-weekly updates

Steph's weekly updates

So before I begin let me first state that... This is called a bi-weekly update because I update more frequently now... NOT because these events have occurred within a 2 week period... For those who were wondering... My birthday was in September 😅

• Thanksgiving dinner with Turkey and Asahi beer! 
• Celebrating the time of pumpkins! 
• Seriously... Everything is pumpkin themed including Pillsbury's Halloween Sugar Cookies! :D
• I'm so blessed that I got to see a partial of the moon eclipse this year
• Had a wonderful birthday... And want to thank you all for your sweet Meg's and blessings!
• Did I ever tell you I have been attending a lot of weddings this year? 
• I love taking selfies :D
• Been going to Muji quite a lot! I think I am a little obsessed... Just a little >:D

That's it for this time! :D

Monthly updates

This is what happened... Pictures tell a thousand words

Ear worm of the... month: Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud

Steph's monthly updates

This has been quite a busy month... here's what happened:

• Vicky and Allan's wedding!
• rehearsing for worship team again :)
• had a few interesting birthday dinners/cakes
• still continue to go jogging!! Need to make use of the warm perfect weather before it gets replaced by cold (brrr)

I am... Straightforward?

I was at an interview today and the interviewer told me that I am an extremely straight forward and direct person... Interesting.... No one has ever said that about me ... in fact... I am often told I am quite the opposite...

Either the interviewer had a misinterpretation OR the "business" me and the "personal" me are exact opposites... XD either way... it's kind of good to be complimented for something I have never been complimented for :P after all... a compliment is a compliment! :D

Monthly updates

Here's what happened this half month... er.... last half month... sorry for the delays!

Steph's monthly updates! :D

in point form:

• it was my birthday month.... (last month... ooops... apologies for the delay in updates) I went to a few birthday dinners... thanks for celebrating with me!! <3
• I finally got to try Fiji water... the taste was nothing special though :(
• weddings wedding weddings... did I mention weddings? I went to a ton of them!
• weddings lead to make up... I learned that I am terrible at putting make up on my face :(
• make up also leads to terrible skin... sigh... why is it so hard to be a girl? ;( 
• I realized I am a much better "artist" when it comes to nails than face... 
• before the warm weather ends, I need to make use of the beautiful weather and go jogging ever so often... I try to jog at least 3 times a week

That's it for this time... more updates coming (I know I missed quite a few events here >.<)

What are you... Autocorrect (iPod)

So a friend challenged me to try this... Type "The" and keep choosing the first available suggestion till your sentence starts to repeat... See what you get... they should all be different...

(this is from my iPod, I'll do another one with my Nexus 6 later)

Here's mine:

The only one who is the best thing ever is when you get to see the point of view of the year of the day I will be a good day to be a good day for the first time in the world to me and my mom is so much fun and I have to be a good day to be a good time to get a new one is the best thing ever is when you get to see the point of view of the best thing ever is when you get to see the point of view of the best thing ever is when you get to see the point of view of the best thing ever is when you get to see the point of view of the best thing ever....

lol... either these are my frequent words or something....

What are you... Autocorrect (Nexus 6)

So a friend challenged me to try this... Type "The" and keep choosing the first available suggestion till your sentence starts to repeat... See what you get... they should all be different...

(this is from my phone, my iPod one can be found here)

Here's mine:

The only one of my resume and a few weeks and then delete the message was sent from the airport to pick it is addressed to our website and the other hand if I could not find it in a couple weeks and then delete the message and its yours sincerely Eric I am going on in your life in a couple weeks and then delete the message was sent from the airport to pick it is addressed to our website...

Thoughts:
1. Is it just me or does my phone seem to write about some confidential exchange shenanigan to be happening... at an airport?

2. I don't think I have interacted with any Eric's lately... Or within a few months ago... Not sure why his name came up... Lol...

Monthly updates

It has been quite some time since I have started these... So let's start!

Lessons learned (painfully):
1. This past month has been hectic... I did learn "don't trust everyone and anyone... Some can hurt you in the most unexpected ways"

2. The concept that... Your best friend is your best friend forever simply didn't exist... Usually the easiest way to break a friendship is when your friend gets into a relationship... Which brings me to the next point...

3. Don't expect your best friend's significant other to like you... They might not... Be careful... And when that happens... Don't expect your best friend to side with you... They just might not...

Update updates:
1. Started to attempt going back to fellowship... I think I have lost the passion to attend fellowship...

2. Received a post card from Ross from South Africa! :) really made my day... Er... Month!

postcard from Africa :)

3. Trip planning is exhausting... I think I used most of my energy for that...

4. I have attempted to cook Carbonara for the first time... Was impressed with the results!.. Note to self: use a stronger tasting cheese next time...

Carbonara in the making

5. I have been getting a lot of weird dreams lately... But... the moment I wake up, I can't recall what my dream was about... However, activities throughout the day gives me hints about those dreams...

That's all for now :)

Relationship thoughts

photo source: inner bonding

(I found this lying in my drafts and realize this post was never posted... :O... I wrote this post all the way back in September 2014... thought it is still worthy of being published!)

Not to get into any specific details, during the past month (Aug, 2014), I realize how tough it is being in a relationship....

Relationships take a lot of time and energy.... Long d relationships require even more... (as if time differences weren't already a real issue).

What I learned about myself in this "relationship":

• I can be quite selfish
• I am very defensive (extremely afraid to get hurt)
• I am not as considerate as I thought I was
• I am very oblivious to lots of signs
• I am clueless...
• I think I have some form or another of "princess sickness" (公主病)
• It is so easy for me to fall
• It is easy for me to gain and lose a sense of security
• I get jealous really easily
• I do not know how to flirt (I seriously SUCK at it -_____-)
• Simple and small things can make me very happy
• If problems happen... I get scared and hide... I avoid confrontation... and competition....

I think these are due to past crush relationships and "experiences"... I realized how fragile I am... relationships really expose your flaws and reveals your insecurities...

now what I gotta do... HOW to be better in a relationship! :)

Wake up Canadians!

photo source: www.truenorthtimes.ca

So while I was watching the news, I came across Stephen Harper's campaign and while I was listening to him talk about his "if I am re-elected" speech. I thought... Can't you do this now? You are our Prime minister right now... if you can't do anything... why rave you can and expect us to believe you? You had 8 years!

I can't speak for the other parties... since they haven't proven themselves... but for Harper... he had 8 years... if he let Canada slip so much... what makes him think he can convince us that having him as Prime Minister for another 4 years will be any different?

Wake up Canadians! We need to start doing things differently... and make Canada the way it used to be... or become better!

It is only 12 degrees?!?!

What!?!?

Why is it only 12 degrees outside? I am literally freezing... Freezing in August doesn't sound right... Where is summer? I seriously hope the forecast predictions are accurate this time... I want 30 degree weather!!

For now... I'll just try to stay warm under my blankets and bed covers... Brrrr 

a Random conversation with friend

Me: I love hk
Friend:... But...?
Me: there's no "but"... I just love hk...
Friend: ... Oh... Usually people who make these statements say something like "I love this... But... <reason preventing me to love this>..."
Me: you are too complicated

if you still remember and know who you are... just want to let you know... I miss you :'(

Xanga emoticons

It has been almost 2 years since I had to move to blogger/blogspot because Xanga was closing down... (Time flies!)

Sometimes when I'm writing I can't help but miss the Xanga emoticons... They really helped me enhance and display my emotions better... Some times I even type in the shortcuts but later realizing those shortcuts are meaningless... 

While blogger/blogspot has provided me with lots of conveniences... I still do miss Xanga... I miss the layout options and just the WYSIWYG inspires me to write... I think blogger's is too plain and doesn't inspire me the same way...

I miss Xanga... a lot....

An itchy relief

So while I am scratching an annoying itchy mosquito bite, it got me thinking... Isn't the feeling of relieving an itch one of the best feelings in the world?

But at the same time I wonder... If I haven't had that itch in the first place... I wouldn't have to relieve it at all...

which do you prefer? the ability to scratch an itch? or to never have an itch in the first place?

btw... did I ever tell you? I hate mosquitos!!! T_______T

Inspirations

"To inspire, you must first be inspired..." - Steph, 2015

For those who follow this blog... I sincerely apologize for the lack of updates... For the past few months I have been struggling to write in this blog... Perhaps it is due to my reviews blog... I have grown wary of writing and more specifically... writing in any blogs at all... 

Luckily, a few days ago, while browsing through my Facebook I discovered a bunch of imported notes (from Xanga, the predecessor of this blog) and as I read the posts... I realized how much I used to enjoy writing blogs (that passion has been slightly burnt out lately)

God speaks and reminds us in amazing ways... And for me, after reading those posts... I feel determined to find that passion again... I realized what a carefree writer I used to be and no matter how pointless a topic would be... I would still write... That was what made my posts so interesting... and that was how I had gained a faithful and loyal readership. But in contrast... lately... I have stopped writing... There is something wrong... I can't tell whether I write to please people, to make my blog more appealing or simply... I have forgotten how to write...  or I want to write too well.

I will be back... and when I return, I will be better and strong... and of course... a MUCH BETTER writer!

Stay Tuned! :)

Do not read

A second home filled with God's love? Yuck...

The way they make pretentious smiles disgusts me, the way they speak of love grosses me out... They are NOT living out God's word, they are just a bunch of losers who have found a place to pick on others and show self worthiness.

Relationship and friendships are all a display of selfishness and power. There is no love there.

When I see those, who used to be my best friends at one point, and try to reach out, yet, they make it seem as if I do not know them... We used to be friends, we used to share our struggles, achievements... But they do not want to talk to me... Their eyes show no love...

What is Love? What is friendship?

Pride week

Those who support Pride Week should realize that we all have a voice too... Everyone should not be afraid to express what they believe in... Isn't that what Pride Week is all about?

Ferry ride from Kowloon to Hong Kong

Central Pier

I was on the Ferry! One of the most touristy and relaxing things to do in Hong Kong is to ride the ferry.

It is extremely cheap and doesn't take a lot of time. I would say the ride took less than 10 mins!

I enjoyed riding the ferry so much... I loved the feeling of the breeze when it hits my face and I love the smell of the ocean. Speaking of the Harbour, I was extremely impressed by how clean it has gotten over the years! Hong Kong has definitely gone a long way to keeping its water cleaner!

I am always fascinated by how a ship works and every time I ride the ferry, I get to see how the crew operates the ferry.

I would suggest that you opt for lower deck so you can be closer to the water and feel the breeze and you can also stick your head outside... Upper deck is indoor and I find the seats to be too luxurious for riding a ferry. 

Fascinating Lights @ Element

lights... what is art and display?

Today, I spent the day at Element Mall. I know that it is filled with luxury brands but I am intrigued by their window displays... There are quite a number of stores there that are not so "luxurious" too.

While I was looking for a place to grab some lunch, I found a cafe/sandwich bar... It was a weird place because the whole "store" only had one table for everyone to sit in. (There were 2 booths but let's just talk about the main sitting area). I found that quite interesting... It felt like a cafeteria to me... Minus the bad bland food :P. This wasn't what caught my attention though... 

What caught my attention was their lighting display. It was a simple design yet it created an intriguing effect. All the lights seemed to be hanging to different levels and all were of different sizes and shape. Without this lighting the store would be no different from the others but because of this artifact, it has given the store an arty feel making the store stand out among the others!

I'm glad I bumped into this display today :)

Random conversion with friend

Me: I love hk
Friend:... But...?
Me: there's no "but"... I just love hk...
Friend: ... Oh... Usually people who make these statements say something like "I love this... But... <reason preventing me to love this>..."
Me: you are too complicated

Note to self

If he likes you... And he is worthy... He will come back...

Shinagawa district

Shinagawa Station @ 8:00pm

I'm at Shinagawa district... So I guess it is my temporary "home" while I'm here in Tokyo!

Prior to coming to Tokyo I had no idea what was the significance of Shinagawa... to me... it was nothing more than a name. Of course, I did SOME research, only to learn that it was a newly developing business district. 

When I got here, I realized just how convenient and significant it is and how conveneient it is for travelling to different places.

I seriously regret not stopping to take a clearer photo

When I got here I was quite shocked at how busy it was, it was nearly 4:00PM when I first set foot there... my thoughts were 1. this station is HUGE... 2. There are so many people... . You might be wondering... why didn't you take a picture inside the station with all the people... my answer is: you can't... it is simply too crowded... I had to avoid getting run over by those people... 

It seemed that everyone at the station had something to do or somewhere to go... but for me? I just want to experience this city!

I got a purse!

If you have ever shopped with me... You will know just how picky I am... But I finally managed to find a purse... That I like... A lot!

It's actually quite funny how certain brands you can't find at the origin country but they are popular in Hong Kong, Koji accessories is one of them... It is a Japanese brand founded in 1984... Yet, when I was in Japan, I couldn't find it... Hmm...

Anyways, back to the purse... It is small, which means I do need to think about what to bring with me every time I use it...

Hello Japan! :D

view from my hotel suite

The purpose of my trip to Tokyo was not to do tourist things, instead it was to observe and enjoy the city without a real agenda. It's been quite a while since I have had a real trip where I can really relax and not think about things that aggravate the mind.

half an hour later

Over the years, due to being in the same environment, I have ended up building stress upon myself... Sometimes, even just being around certain people or even going to the same social places cause suffocation and nauseating feelings... I know I must escape... I need to start doing things differently... I had hopes that this trip will answer some of my pending questions (I'll talk about these questions later... Perhaps on my wordpress blog).

mosquito bites

how many times do I need to tell those Mosquitoes? I DO NOT TASTE GOOD!!... I thought I would be less of a target in HK... but NOOoooOOOOOOOO.... I got 15 mosquito bites in 2 days... sigh... :(

why am I always being targeted? there are 5 people in our house... and I was the only one who got targeted :(

SOGO 30th anniversary

SOGO's 30th Anniversary Mascot

SOGO has always been my go to department store every time I return to HK. I love what they sell and their prices are usually quite reasonable.

It literally survived all the economic disasters and competition.

It is currently one of the last remaining Japanese department stores* in Hong Kong. There are 2 stores: 1 in Causeway Bay and 1 in Tsim Sha Tsui.

Sogo from a far

I had the opportunity to go to both stores this time. I was glad the Causeway Bay store was able to remain "a department store" but am sadden by the fact that the Tsim Sha Tsui store has given in and became a tourist store (more specifically, main land China tourist). 

They have moved to a more convenient location and has a very nice looking interior (because it is new), unfortunately, as nice as it looks, it looks nothing like a department store. They have revamped the mall (which used to be in it's current location) and changed it into a store where all you can buy are cosmetics, skin care products, designer purses and some jewelry... When I asked the concierge where the clothing, grocery and lifestyle sections were, the staff told me that there weren't any... I immediately had a look of disappointment on my face so they told me that there "might" be a possibility that these sections/departments will soon be added to the store later. (I sure hope so... I miss their clothing and grocery sections :( )

It's so sad to see one of these older stores change to become something else. It had gone from being a nice traditional department store to a "I want to make lots of money off of Chinese Tourist" store. It hurts to see that more and more Hong Kong stores are taking this approach.

*There is also YUTA, Uny and Apita remaining.

K11 mini Concert

Podium at K11

There was a mini concert/music show at K11 today! I was super excited. I love how K11 gives an open space for performers (especially musicians) so they can go crazy... 

Today was a nice day... I got to feel the Ocean breeze and enjoy lovely music.

One of my favourite things about HK is being able to feel the Ocean Breeze <3

Standard Charter weird looking building

Standard Charter's "new building"

After lunch, I decided to take a small walk around Central. It was such a nice day... To my Canadian senses, it felt like summer... Though I think most did not agree (as they were wearing down jackets)

I have been hearing about Standard Charter's new building for quite a while now and today I finally got the chance to see it! (and no, my camera wasn't lopsided... the building is really slanted like that!) 

It is indeed a weird looking building... My cousin told me that before the building was built, it used to be a podium where people can eat lunch and just hang around during lunch and breaks. It seems quite unfortunate they have turned this place into another building :S.

other buildings nearby

Back to the building... I find that the architecture is good... but it doesn't really fit the landscape... or surroundings. Buildings in Central are usually more traditional looking... so it really does stand out... I hate that the height... I hate how it isn't proportioned with the other buildings and the colours do not complement the other buildings...

what are your thoughts?

K-11 Piano Display

K11 is one of my favourite malls in Hong Kong... (Not for shopping though)... For those who do not know, K11 is an art mall... The story behind is to combine art with shopping. What else is better than to be able to enjoy art while you are shopping?

every time I return to Hong Kong I try to spend some time at their patio and enjoy and immerse myself back into my artistic roots.

To my luck, one of their themes is pianos... more specifically "Music Everywhere – Piano Performance" although I might be missing out on their event on Sunday where they invite local pianists to come play music... I am glad I did get to see these pianos :)

website: http://hk.k11.com/en/Home.aspx

CNY @ Element

So... I have finally taken initiative and made my first visit to Element today!

I was quite surprised they still have their CNY displays up considering how CNY was more than a month ago!

In a way I am glad... I loved their 桃花 and 羊 display! I especially love the creativity and thought they had put into the sheep and clouds... This picture might not be able to show the details clearly, so I should definitely explain.

1. The rainbow above the sheep is actually made by the sheep... 

2. The sheep knits from a ball of yarn (the yarn is it's body)

3. Although there really isn't a mouth, I find that the sheep is smiling

I'm so glad I got to caught a final glimpse of this sheep... And may all the best things happen this year!! <3

proud of myself

so as you already know, I have a reviews blog... since I am in Hong Kong I want to tweek my views so that "HONG KONG" reaches a higher rank... but guess what? after attempting for 2 weeks... I realized I can't...

in a way, this is a good thing, it means my audience exceeds my expectation... I can no longer tweek my views at all. :)

something learned...

to make any relationship work... both members of the party must be on the same step... or those who are further ahead need to have patience to guide the other party to the same step.

good thing I have a blog

So I was telling my friends (who are not in Toronto) about the -40 C temperatures we were getting and when they asked how often we get these temperatures, I told them "once every few years"... BUT... turns out I was wrong... the other day I was browsing through old posts in this blog and found some old entries I have written... turns out... I said the same thing last year... we also had -40 C temperature days... sigh... 

1. why is my memory so bad?

2. why is Toronto so cold?

Traveling

Saw this quote and wanted to share with you

The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.

Sacrifices

This so true...

If you aren't willing to stay for me... Why should I give up my freedom for you?

#singlevstaken

dear someone,

yesterday, a friend was asking about an ordeal we had many few years ago... and yet... I can't recall what exactly happened anymore... I have forgotten it all... but you know what? I don't even want to remember anymore... some things are best left forgotten...