Inconsiderate people example #1: I came home from work to find one of my pumpkins missing from the porch. Who would steal a pumpkin, and even so, why not steal both of them? At least they were gracious enough to leave the large pumpkin which I plan to carve this weekend. But still. Pumpkins are NOT expensive. I bought a large pumkin, a medium one, a baby one, and a baby gourd from a pumpkin patch for less than $5.

Inconsiderate people example #2: I’ve been getting a flurry of spam comments on this website, which is why the comments now have to be moderated before they are posted. What is the point of spam? Why waste your time creating it, and why waste my time dealing with it? What do people get out of frustrating other people?!

Inconsiderate people example #3: I moved to a new cube on Tuesday, and in my cube is a large whiteboard where I write up all my current projects and their status. Along with that, I wrote a Bible verse and my favorite Thoreau quote (which is the title of this blog). When I went into work on the second day of being in that cube, I noticed that someone had wiped out a line right down the center of the quote (I wrote the quote vertical, with each word on top of another). I was totally surprised since none of my writings had ever been messed with at my old cube. And who would even do that? I suspected it was one of the cleaning crew, since none of my co-workers around the cube would have done it. So I rewrote the quote and dismissed the incident.

The following day, I went back to work–and someone had messed up the quote AGAIN! I was thoroughly peeved. This is World Vision, guys! I rewrote the quote, and before I went home that night, also wrote a little message for this inconsiderate person: “Please stop messing with this quote. Thanks!” Of course I had to be a little nice, but what I wanted to really write was: “Quit being a jerk and leave my whiteboard alone!” But, of course, I didn’t.

UPDATE: Monday morning, my quote was messed up AGAIN! I didn’t leave a note for the culprit on Friday since I assumed they got the message, but apparently they didn’t! Time to set up some surveillance cameras!

Inconsiderate people example #4: Yesterday on the way back from work, we were sitting at a red light behind a car in which two guys were sitting. They were obviously being hoodlums, moving around in the car, opening their doors, etc. They were still fooling around when the light turned green, so Matt honked, and they moved on. We stayed behind them until they turned right to take a shortcut. We continued on and turned right half a block later. We ended up in a lane to turn left, and to my right, that car had emerged from their shortcut and was in the far right lane. The light turned green, and Matt started turning left when that car cut us off and turned left! If you’re going to turn left, that’s what the LEFT TURN lane is for. If I were a potty mouth, I would have started spewing out obscenities right then and there, accented with a fist shaken in their direction. But that’s not me, so I just yelled out, “What the heck! What are they trying to do?!” Gggrrr…my co-worker says when she sees people doing stupid things on the road, she just pretends they have a special permit to act stupid, and it helps her to feel better.

I’ve been negligent of this blog (aside from deleting spam comments), so I’m cheating and doing a little time traveling back to the 24th to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my dear hubster. Happy 27th to you, Matt! Tomorrow is my birthday surprise to him, so I’ll report on that next week.

We went out to dinner for Matt’s birthday, and we had a little discussion about being carded and looking old/young. Matt no longer gets carded when he orders beer, even when he’s just dressed in casual jeans and a sweatshirt. I brought up how when we were in Vancouver with his family, the waiter asked me if I wanted juice (which I think I’ve mentioned here before). I’m used to being mistaken for someone much younger, but the waiter’s comment really annoyed me that night.

Later that night, Na called to wish Matt a happy b-day and she and I talked briefly. She mentioned how our cousins Eden (8) and Evan (I think he’s almost 5?) were talking about how other kids think they are young. Eden mentioned how toddlers (she said “babies” but she probably meant “toddler” since babies can’t really talk) say, “Look, mom, there’s another baby!” Eden gets really mad about that (and rightly so!). Evan responded, “You know what I would say? ‘Neh, neh, neh, neh, neh, I’m not a baby. I’m older than you.’”

It totally cracked me up that they get upset over these issues, too. Sure, we’ll be thankful for your youthful looks when we’re 40, but right now, that’s not a really comforting thought. :)

BTW, if any of you are in town on 11/11 at 11 a.m., you’re invited to my knitting party!

On Saturday, Oct. 21, 30,000 people from 82 cities in 15 countries gathered together for the Gulu Walk.

We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful fall morning. The sun was out, the sky was blue, and the temperature was up in the high 60s. We joined a group of about 40 people at Greenlake, where a 2.5-mile trail winds around a lake. The event began with a short summary about the situation in Gulu, described by a man who moved to the States 15 years ago from Uganda. He then read an apology written by Adrian Bradbury, a co-founder of the Gulu Walk.

Then we walked. I’m not sure if I expected something more extravagant, but the group of us just walked around the lake led by two people holding the Gulu Walk sign. Because the path around Greenlake is narrow, we took up both lanes (and more) and caught the attention of everyone walking by. I heard joggers, dogwalkers, rollerbladers ask people in the group what Gulu Walk was all about. Other than that, it was a pretty uneventful, mellow walk.

On the way back to the car, Matt and I stopped another couple to take our picture. They asked about the Gulu Walk and we went into our spiel about what was going on in Uganda. It was actually hard to figure out where to start. As we were talking, I thought, “If I were in their [the people taking our picture] shoes, I don’t know if I would believe all this. It sounds so unreal.” Fortunately, it’s not OUR reality, but it sadly is the reality of the kids who we were supporting.

Anyway, I wish we had more exciting, interesting stories to tell you about our morning, but we don’t. We especially want to thank our supporters: the Lee parents; the Ip parents; Dorc Chung; Kris Kimball; Suzanne and Sichan Kanyavong; Krissy and Adrian Mak; Gina Shao; Mel Li; Jenny Louie; and another couple who chose to remain anonymous when sponsoring us.

Like Dorc’s blog says, “walk on,” and on Saturday, we will walk on! OK, it’s just about three miles, but I’m hoping there will be a large enough mass out there in orange to create some curiosity of passersby. Below is the recent press release from Gulu Walk. From what I’ve been reading, the peace talks have not been going well. Positive developments have not been made, and thousands of child soldiers remain in captivity.

Is this situation for REAL?! I say that not in disbelief that it could be all be fake, but I say it in disbelief that people elsewhere in the world endure such situations that we cannot even imagine. A co-worker of mine shared about her recent trip to Ethiopia and Kenya, where she talked to nurses and other people in the health care industry. She learned about young girls who are raped and impregnated at age 11, or where some teenager girls develop fistula and are shunned by their husbands and communities. It was really disgusting to hear her tell some stories, and I wanted to cry out, “STOP! I don’t want to hear about it!” but that would have been my spoiled, sheltered, comfy American perspective talking. For these girls, they can’t shut their eyes and ears. They can’t walk out of the room and forget about it. This is their reality. Same with the children in the Lord’s Resistance Army. We look at pictures of them holding guns or hear their stories about stoning other kids to death or being killed themselves. We’re saddened and fascinated all at once. But in the next instant, we’re back to our jobs or typing out e-mails to friends, talking about very trivial things. But to these kids, they see these images in their heads every day. They still remember the feeling of picking up the rock or chopping off someone else’s lips. It’s their reality.

What originally was an activity-free weekend turned into a quite productive and enjoyable weekend…so far. Last night, I finished knitting my pumpkin! It didn’t turn out like the pattern since I didn’t use wool yarn and wasn’t able to felt it, but that’s fine. The pumpkin looked like a basketball until I added the stem and vine.

I also added more decor to the front of apartment after being inspired by a window display. Leaves strung on fishing line…cheap (well, free, considering I already had the fishing line) crafts are the best!

This morning while Matt went off to run his errands, I walked to Sweet and Savory, a tiny bakery/cafe about a mile and half from our apartment. It was interesting to walk through our area (Central District) to the more upscale Leschi Park area. In the Central District, you’ll see more people walking out of necessity–walking to the grocery store, taking the bus, etc. As I approached Leschi Park, I saw more people walking their dogs or taking strolls with their babies in strollers. I enjoyed my walk, though, despite the grey sky and cool weather. Walking uphill most of the way definitely warmed me up and justified the mocha and apple tart from Sweet and Savory.

Here is my walk recorded in a couple of snapshots. You can view the full collection in the “Our World” folder in the gallery.

1. A view of a typical sidewalk in our area
2. A glimpse of a park on 31st Avenue on the way to the bakery
3. Foggy view of I-90; on a clear day, you can see the floating bridge across Lake Washington
4. A Japanese maple changing its colors
5. This view looked much better in person. If you look closer, you can see different colored trees in the distance.
6. Sweet and Savory–finally!

I also visited the renovated library about 10 minutes walking distance from our apartment. It just reopened today! I checked out a couple of CDs, DVDs, and books–I would have checked out more had I not remembered that I would be walking and carrying back everything in my arms.

What a great weekend so far, and it’s only halfway over!

In a life not so long ago, I lived somewhere called the San Fernando Valley in Southern California. I lived there for a little more than three years. Sometimes it seemed much longer; other times, it felt like I had just arrived. Looking back, it was a difficult time. I feel like I morphed into a different person…not someone completely unrecognizable from my past…but someone who was more uptight, more demanding, more temperamental, and more needy. I was not someone that I liked.

I bring this up today because of some e-mails exchanged with my buddy Kevin “Not-My-Uncle” Wong. Amid Kings/Lakers bashing and wedding talk, we discussed how sometimes people change in relationships, and how sometimes friendships change because another person is now in their life. He said he never felt like Matt cared any less for him because I was around, nor did he feel like Matt didn’t have time for him.

When he said that, I felt guilty. My mind flashed back to many times when I made Matt feel guilty for wanting to hang out with his friends. Maybe they didn’t know this, maybe they did, but I probably held Matt back from hanging out with his friends more than he wanted, although Matt–by nature–is a hermit (or Hobbit, as he once said by mistake). But it was also my doing. I cried all the time, and I was lonely all the time. I was a mess. I think part of me was jealous that Matt had his crew around. I had friends from church AT church, but I didn’t have any consistent friends OUTSIDE of church for a long time. It wasn’t until the latter part of my time in LA when I developed friendships with a small handful of people where I would feel comfy calling them up to hang out for no real reason.

Anyway, it was hard–but also a good reminder–to be brought back to all these memories through the dialogue with Kevin. It’s not a pleasant memory, but I know it’s a part of who I was…and a factor of who I am today. Fortunately, I can already sense a difference in my attitude after moving to Seattle. The Indy Chick is emerging (I hope), I have more of a desire to go out with new friends and to pursue my interests, and I feel like I really belong here. The move also has taken Matt and my relationship down a new road where we are learning more about each other through these new experiences.

Sure, there are still tears, like when I drop beloved visitors off at the airport after their visit (though never in front of them, of course), or over more lighthearted things (like the “Friends” episode where Chandler and Monica got engaged, which was just on for the millionth time), but there are definitely more smiles here.

Today’s public service announcement is brought to you from my friend, Nadia, who is competing in an online singing competition with her sisters, aka Jazmin.

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We just got tickets to see the Sonics vs. the Kings in two weeks! Our Entertainment book allows us to get up to 50% off of game tickets. Unfortunately there are restrictions such as to which games this discount applies, and to which seats. You can get discounts on nosebleed seats or super-nosebleed seats. The nosebleed seats are behind the backboard, and the super-nosebleed ones are along the sides; we went with the latter which are higher up, but present a better view. I highly, highly doubt the arena will even be half filled, so maybe someone nice will let us sneak into a lower area?? With my Kings shirt on, I doubt this will happen. :P

I think it’s extra fun to watch a game where you dislike the opposing team, like Kings vs. Lakers. I love Seattle and therefore, don’t hate the Sonics–I actually feel sorry for them–so I might feel a little bad cheering so loudly for the Kings. Also, now, a lot of the Kings players that I liked are now gone. The team is so…non-international like it seemed to be before. Now it just looks like your typical American basketball team.

Anyway, it will be fun nonetheless. The game is a day after Matt’s birthday, so I told him it is his b-day gift. hehe.

Last night before bed, I had a total brain fart and had to ask Matt if it was Monday. For some reason, it felt like a Tuesday or Wednesday (maybe because I got together with the girls to practice breakdancing??), but it just felt like it couldn’t still be Monday. I had an almost sinking feeling that we still had four more days to go until the weekend.

Then this morning while putting my pajamas behind my pillow on the bed, I felt this sad realization that this morning is just like yesterday morning, just like tomorrow morning, and every morning to come. I wake up, force open my sleepy eyes, brush my teeth, change, put my clothes behind my pillow, eat breakfast, and then head off to work. Every day is the same routine–and it just seems scary that for 95% of us who work, our days are routines.

An artist friend showed us some of his drawings of “The Greys,” a family of robots who go through mundane activities, thinking they’re humans like everyone else around them. But they’re really robots going through the routines. As I looked at the pictures, I realized, “That could be me…I wake up, I drive to work (fortunately not in traffic), I sit at my cube, I eat dinner, and then I sleep.” Sure, somewhere in the middle, I knit, I go to classes and try to stay active, I hang out with people. And then on weekends, I try to break any resemblance to the weekday and do something fun, active, and outdoors. But I also don’t want my “real life” to exist on the weekends. Every day should be a celebration of real life.

It’s interesting that I think of this now, when I’m in a job that I truly enjoy and imagine myself in for who knows how long. I think the commute and early rising has something to do with it, though. I think of people who have been working in the same place for 10- to 20+ years and how each day is a routine for them. But somehow, many of them still find a way to make each day special.

I don’t want to become a Grey, and I definitely don’t want to see my job or my home life as just part of the routine. I already feel as if each day is slipping by me. It’s already October, which soon gives way to November, December, and then 2007. Another new year to hopefully be productive, which reminds me, I still have some goals left on my “To do before I turn 30″ list.

P.S. Is it just me or does the title “Day by day” remind you of the DC Talk song, which then conjures up an image of Josh Wong moshing around to the song at a concert somewhere??

P.P.S. A few pics from our visit to the pumpkin patch are in the photo gallery! Here’s a preview…

I know I seem enthusiastic about almost everything that comes my way, but can I tell you how much I love this transition between summer and fall? The sun is out again this weekend after a week of overcast skies, and I think the temps will be up in the 80s mid-week (a bit hot, if you ask me). But with the colorful trees, piles of leaves on the sidewalk, crisp air–I never want to be inside. Yesterday, I walked around our neighborhood and took some pictures that I believed symbolized “autumn.” Today, I jogged around Greenlake and couldn’t stop smiling over the weather and the surroundings.

Weekend is good so far. I’m especially psyched about our trip to the pumpkin patch tomorrow. Pumpkins and gourds galore! Last night, I got a used Celine Dion CD–the one with “Beauty and the Beast,” “If you asked me to,” and “Water from the Moon.” (I know, I know, CELINE DION?!!) The latter is especially special to me because it reminds me of a Footworks piece from my junior year. I can’t believe I even remember a lot of the moves, so last night, I was dancing in the bedroom while Matt was in the shower. No way would I let him catch me doing that. I was so tempted to get U2′s “Achtung Baby” CD, too, which was only $2!!! But before we walked in there, Matt had said, “Now, don’t go buying out the whole store, which seems to happen every time we go into a used CD store.” So I resisted buying the U2 CD but was beating myself up over it on the way home. “Why didn’t you just buy it then?” asked Matt. ARGH.

I also saw a Geggy Tah CD. That band sings a song called “Whoever you are,” which it seems Dorc and I are the only two people in the world who remember it. If you know it, let me know. The song goes, “All I wanna do is to thank you, you who let me change lanes, while I was driving in my car…” and I can’t remember the rest. Anyone? Anyone?

A cool thing happened on the way home today from Greenlake. Aside from “Tennessee” from Arrested Development being on the radio, I saw Matt on the road! He was across a large intersection, and I only noticed because I thought I saw a hand waving out of the car. I almost didn’t recognize his car since he got a hard top for it. I thought that was cool to run into him in the city, though, esp. since neither of us were anywhere near the apartment. Small world.

Now I will leave you some “Autumn in Seattle” photos…