Rewind, Unwind and Ramble along

Two weeks of go, go, go
Now is time to rewind and unwind

My upper chest and left arm still suffer from stinging pain
as a result of shingles
unfortunately, not the kind one puts on the roof.
My mind is scanning for moments from last week
that left imprints on the trail I trotted along
as if I'm trying to pick the fruits
dangling from the tree of memory...

(Sunday, March 25th)
We walked from table to table savoring vegetarians/vegans' imagination at the VegeFest. Tofu turned out to be the key ingredient for anything that attempts to imitate the meat flavor. Why do we have to have vegetarian sausages/hot dogs - vegetarian food names tinted with meat flavor? Don't vegetarians/vegans pride themselves on their purity and their principle of "no-kill?" Yet, they can't seem to stay away from the meat lovers' lingo. Then, there was a table displaying caviar made from seaweed. Quite a creation - I have to say - the shape, the color, even the taste. It was sold as vegetarian caviART. Again, this naming strategy resembles that of the "vegetarian hot dog." Maybe it is just a way to lure meat lovers away into the vegetarian/vegan utopia and give them an alternative of loving "meat" without killing the beast. We walked away with a bag full of "freebies" at the expense of us spending $20 on becoming a member of the Washington State Vegetarian Association.

With all kinds of VegeFest samples still lingering in the stomach, we found ourselves in the buffet line at the Il Fornio for the Jewish Film Festival Closing Night Gala. There was a long line curving along the buffet table with multiple arms reaching into different beautifully displayed plates. The inviting smell filled the air, recharged our appetite and expanded our stomach for more food. We jumped the line thanks to H&G who were at the front end of the line. We ate, chatted, and drank. Good food, good dessert, good tea and good company. Then, we were off to the last film of the Festival, a documentary about a photographer whose passion is documenting the terrorist activities, conflicts and wars in action in areas such as the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The documentary is like the photographer himself - very intense and passion-driven. I admire someone who purses passion so exuberantly. It's a blessing to know what exactly you want to do in your life.

Another week went by. The details escaped me without visible traces.

Last Saturday, we had friends (T & J) and family over for dinner. It's fun to sit around a table of food and chat.

Sunday, we drove over to Ballard to see about renting a Tuxedo for a Black Tie event that we will be going in May. After a quick peek around the Tuxedo shop, we strolled down the Ballard ave and explored shops that I have never been to before. There was so much creativity seeping through the doors of these shops/boutiques: furniture made of bamboo, bags made of recycled materials, vintage furniture, green engineered floors etc...The whole street is brimming with entrepreneurs spirits.

This week, the Baseball Season started. I know what that means for me. M will be in his halo zone with his eyes/ears wide open for anything that's Angels-related. I will feel compelled to send some good mojo to his team and mimic the commentator say "Just another Halo victory!" So, Monday he went to the first game of this season while I planted some ground-cover plants next to our sidewalk.

The days are really getting longer. I love biking while it's bright outside. And yesterday (Friday, 4/6) we had another weather-related record, 78 degrees! Many people had their summer outfits on - miniskirts, shorts and sandals. I was still wrapped in my cardigan and didn't feel the heat at all. Guess what - today we are back in the 50s! Ah, or ghurr, Seattle's unpredictable weather!

Selective Memory - Don't Worry, Be Happy!

"What did I do in the past couple of weeks?" I asked myself, but I couldn't remember anything at first try. Then, as flashbacks started to play in my mind, it's funny to see what actually stands out in my memory: the meals I had, the errands I did like exchanging a water filter, lunches with co-workers and M at CJ's, John's Wok, Pike Place Market and Uwajumaya's food court on different days, watching "Lost" on TV and a quick excursion to the Curiosity Shop with M etc. - basically little trivial things that make up the bulk part of one's daily life. Other bigger events seem to have been pushed to the back of my head - rushing M's passport renewal and visa application, getting ready for my interview, getting ready to leave for China. Maybe I just mentally didn't want to deal with these headaches, so those somewhat stressful items were unconsciously being suppressed. Looking back, all those worries were so unnecessary - "hey, it's all good! and selective memories help too!"

Now that small details are emerging from my memory, I, however, have lost all the enthusiasm to recount what I did. I'd rather highlight every body's favorite subject - weather. The weather has been unpredictably good for almost three weeks now. The forecast was off almost everyday. Instead of rain as forecasted, we've had a pleasant weather pattern: drizzly rain or misty fog in the morning, then the sun would come out late in the morning, and the warm sun made lunch outings more pleasant too, then the glorious sunset would accompany me on my walk to M's office every day.

Here is a little sweet weather-related story that added an extra gallon of positive fuel into my life. Last Wednesday, while taking a walk during lunch hour at Myrtle Edward Park and pausing to enjoy the view of snow-capped mountains in the Olympic National Park, a guy cheerfully chatted up with me about his open heart surgery, and told me how thankful he was for not only the new pig valve he just received, but also the good weather we've been having.
"Can you believe, at age 67, they found out that I was born with a defect on my heart - 2 valves instead of 3. And that explained why I was never and could never be a good swimmer. And all throughout my youthful years, I'd been this little fat kid. Now I feel normal again. I'm going to follow Doc's suggestion and walk every day when the weather allows."

I was moved by his optimism and zeal in embracing a heart with new pig valves. He is full of life at the age of 67!