..my midlife non-crisis..

not much happening lately, aside from an odd dream where i was a 40-year-old single parent of a teenage boy named Gareth, and we went to a support group picnic at the botanical gardens.

funnily enough, it seems that the prospect of being 40 does not faze me in the slightest.

You Know You're Asian If..

(Thanks to my cousin Jus for this marvelous distraction!)

1. [x] Your mother has or had a short-haired, curly perm or dyed.
2. [ ] Your dad is some sort of engineer.
3. [x] Your parents still tried to get you into places half-price saying you were 12 when you were really 15.
4. [x] You ask your parents help on one math problem; 2 hours later they're still lecturing.
5. [x] You have a 40 lb. bag of rice in your pantry.
6. [ ] You shop at 99 Ranch. (what the hell is 99 Ranch?!)
7. [x] Everyone thinks you're "Chinese" no matter what part of Asia your ancestors were from.
8. [x] You've had a bowl haircut at one time in your life.
9. [x] Your parents enjoy comparing you to their friends' kids.
10. [x] You've had to sit through karaoke videos with scantily clad, ugly Asian women attempting to dance and walk around a temple, forest, or library. (haha, oh, man, the horrible horrible "Fitto" mtvs!!)
11. [x] Your parents say, "Don't forget your heritage."
12. [x] You or your parents drive mostly Japanese cars.
13. [ ] You've learned to keep bargaining even if the prices are rock bottom.
14. [x] You've had to eat parts of animals they don't even put in hot dogs.
15. [ ] At least once, you've started a joke with "Confucius say...." (Dude, no. That's horrifically lame.)
16. [x] You know what bok choy is.
17. [x] You've gotten little red envelopes around February.
18. [ ] Piles of shoes tend to make it hard to open the front, back, and closet doors.
19. [x] You hear (your name + eee (optional) + yah!) every time someone calls you (e.g. Joy - ee - yah! or Joy - yah!).
20. [x] You have no eyelashes. (haha, practically nonexistent, anyway!^-^)
21. [ ] Idiot people try to impress you with pathetic imitation Asian languages, like the ever-so-popular: ching chong woo bok chi, etc?
22. [x] Your parents say leaving rice in your bowl is a sin.
23. [x] The Bio lectures on marine life (seaweed, sea cucumbers, and octopi) were last night's dinner.
24. [ ] Your ancestors 1000 generations back invented the back scratcher.

26. [ ] Your parents hover over your tired, caffeine-drugged body at 12 midnight to say, "In Korea (or other native country), we studied even more." (Are you kidding?! My mother sticks her head in my bedroom door at 9pm demanding to know why I'm not asleep yet!!)
27. [ ] Your parents expect you'll be best friends with anyone off the street in any given area as long as they are Asian.
28. [ ] An Asian woman comes on campus and people ask: "Is that your mother?" Well then, "Is it your sister?"
29. [x] Your relatives' houses smell like incense, mothballs or both.
30. [x] Your parents say, "Calculus? I took Calculus in 8th grade!"
31. [x] Everyone thinks you're good at math.
32. [x] Your parents' vocabulary is filled with "ai-yah"s, and "Wah"s?
33. [x] You like $1.75 movies.
34. [x] You like $1.50 movies even more.
35. [x] Your aunts and uncles bring you back adorable clothing from Asia with fuzzy bunnies, vinyl ducks, and English words that make no sense, in great colors like yellow, pink, magenta, orange, and the ever popular lime green. (Thanks, Auntie 4.)
36. [x] Your parents insist/suggest you marry within your race.
37. [ ] You never order chop suey, sweet and sour pork, or any other imitation of oriental food.
38. [ ] You either really, really want to go to UBC or really, really want to stay away from it. (Dunno what UBC is..)
39. [x] Your parents have never kissed you.
40. [ ] Your parents have never kissed each other.
41. [x] You learned about the birds and the bees from someone other than your parents.
42. [x] "You want a stereo?! When I was your age, I didn't even have shoes!!"
43. [x] People see a bunch of scribbles on a chopstick and ask you to translate.
44. [x] You have to call just about all your parent's friends "Auntie and Uncle".
45. [x] You have 12+ aunts and uncles.
46. [ ] At expensive restaurants, you order a delicious glass of water for your beverage and NEVER order dessert.
47. [x] Your parents simply cut the green/black part off the bread and say "Eat anyway. It's still good." (haha, well, Dad does, Mum would be horrified!!)
48. [x] The vast majority of the people related to you wear glasses.
49. [ ] You will most likely be taller than your parents.
50. [x] Your parents have either made you play the piano, the violin, or both.
51. [x] You get nothing if you do well in school, but crapped on if you don't.
52. [x] When going to a friend's house, you always have to bring a gift.
53. [x] Your dad still pulls his socks up to his knees.
54. [x] Your family owns a tennis racket, golf clubs, or both.
55. [x] Your family always cheers for the Asian athlete on TV. (once again, Dad.)
56. [ ] The furniture in your house never matches the wallpaper, the carpet, the decorations, or any of the rest of the furniture.
57. [x] You have rocks, sticks, leaves, and strange-smelling, unknown substances in your pantry for use as medicine. (and soup.)
58. [x] You own a rice cooker or two.
59. [x] You buy soy sauce by the gallon.
60. [ ] Your family owns butcher knives bigger than your head.
61. [x] Your parents tell you about how long it took for them to get to school, how horrible the weather was in their native country, and how much they still appreciated going.
62. [x] Your mom buys you clothes and shoes many sizes too big so you can "grow into it" and wear it for years to come.
63. [ ] Your parents believe in feng shui.
64. [x] Your parents are very conservative and think that tank tops/halters/spaghetti straps shows too much skin.
65. [x] Every time your parents lecture you, they always make up excuses that relate to everything you've done in the past.
66. [x] You eat rice almost everyday.
67. [ ] You like JIN. (eh? what is JIN?)
68. [x] When you were little, your parents punished you with sticks and stuff. (feather dusters and back scratchers and wooden spoons.. ah, the memories.)
69. [x] The adults fight for the bill when you go out for dinner. (Uncle 4 never fails to crack me up with his new and crafty ways to get the bill ^-^)

49/68 (#25 is missing)
= 72% Asian.

..oh gawd. *cringe*

..a psychoanalysis based upon the picking of pretty pictures.

So I did another one of these quizuzle-type things, courtesy of Jo ^-^ http://dna.imagini.net/friends/

Imagini Visual Profile :: Carolithe

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

PERSONALITY: MOODS
DREAMER
You're an adventurous person with a limitless imagination. Calling ground control? You are a complete dreamer, you like space to think, you see beauty even in the most inhospitable environments. When it comes to art, you appreciate natural beauty. You take time to soak up the nature favouring the coastline and countryside to the city galleries. As for music, you're a focused listener and always on the lookout for something new. Your music collection is your treasure. Your choice of treat reveals either real exhaustion, or maybe a bit of laziness? Either way you're never happier than when you are rugged, and snuggled up, eyes shut.
[DREAMER: Always drifting off, their imagination takes control. They have big ideas, and a cool calm manner.]

PERSONALITY: FUN
ESCAPE ARTIST
You really value your 'quiet time' - to recharge, and reconnect with yourself. You're not afraid to take yourself away from people and explore your imagination. For kicks you like to indulge in your great passions. You are probably happy spending time alone, and your drive and curiosity will take you all over the world. When it comes to holidays, you like to be immersed in a completely different world. It's a chance to explore activities that you don't have the time for in day-to-day life. What grosses you out? You favour the natural look and can't stand a pumped and plumped, plastic appearance.
[ESCAPE ARTIST: They are forever slipping off, getting away from the rat race, and recharging those batteries. Independent, and thoughtful - they know themselves well.]

PERSONALITY: HABITS
JUNKIE MONKEY
Your choice of drink shows that on the whole you care about your health and make sure you're putting the right stuff in. As for the home, style is not top of your list - you're too busy with other things in life. You collect and store - you can be a hoarder.
[JUNKIE MONKEY: They don't have rules, and they don't like restrictions. They make their own choices, and do as they please. For them, pleasure always comes first.]

PERSONALITY: LOVE
HOME SOUL
You're a real home soul. You care deeply about family life and all that comes with it, the love of a child very special. When you think of freedom - you think of technology providing you with the links to communicate wherever you are. Opening more doors.
[HOME SOUL: Their heart is always at their nest, they place real importance on friendships. They are family minded, and forge strong relationships.]

froggie.. froggie?! T_T

Uwaaaah, taking a brief break to find a Cute Animal Quiz that my brother told me about the other day.. and this is what I got.

Carol is.. *drumroll*...

... a frog.

Yup. I am amphibious, small, rather damp, and have a terrible, terrible singing voice which I choose to only display at night when normal people are trying to get some sleep.

You Are A: Frog!

Independent yet still part of a large community, frogs are unique creatures known for their distinctive sound and ability to hop. As a frog, you spend your days sitting on lily pads or climbing trees, searching for delicious insects to eat. While there are some frogs that aren't exactly cute, you are certainly not one of those!

You were almost a: Mouse or a Parakeet
You are least like a: Puppy or a LambCute Animal Test!

But I was very nearly a budgie, so that comforts me somewhat.

..flipper flashbacks and juicy tropical goodness. *snort*

So I had this dream, right. (As you do.)

And there was nice clear blue water and a sort of coastal town built on the water like a tudor-hawaiian version of Venice or something.

And there were dolphins. Oh, yes, there were dolphins. At the water's edge. Making lots of frantic random dolphin noises at us - "What's that, Lassie? What's that, girl? Oh my god! Timmy's stuck down the well? Is that it? Timmy's stuck in the well! Aaaaaaaah!!!"

Next thing we know, BWOMPHHHHH! Tidal wave. But just, y'know, little ones. The kind surfers like to get at the beach. Just enough to get the streets wet.

Well, dolphins, that was a bit of an anticlimax.

But the dolphins are still going cuckoo. Huh. Here comes another wave, bigger and.. wavier.. and with dolphins in it.. kind of like those plastic bugs people put in fake ice cubes to freak you out. And it sweeps people off their feet and along the streets..

..and I broke an inn's kitchen seaview window with my ass.

Thanks, dolphins.

..tectonic plates..

possibly further developments ahead for the swiftycar.

yes, he is named Caboose. shall i further compound my geekiness by getting him numberplates that say CABOSE? (yes, you read right, CABOSE. with one "o". once again, for RvB reasons.)

i checked out the vicroads website, and currently the numberplate combo of CABOSE is open and available for the taking.. for the small price of $395. which i currently have sitting in my bank account.

..should i do it? should i totally geek out?

..because i was bored. eeeyup.

heh, sometimes it seems like my blog and karen's are something of a tag-team game.

so here's one she did, and I decided I'd give it a burl, out of curiosity. My results? nothing I didn't know already, but it's still just enough to keep me from doing anything.

yay me, the big chicken wuss.

Dating Strengths	Dating Weaknesses
1. Financial Situation - 84.6% 2. Sense of Humor - 71.4% 3. Spirituality - 61.5% 4. Adventurousness - 58.3% 5. Friendliness - 56.3%	1. Shyness - 62.5%

Dating Strengths Explained
Financial Situation - You've got your financial situation under control, which is a very desirable quality. Be careful to avoid guys who are only interested in your money. Sense of Humor - Guys are attracted to people with a good sense of humor. Be sure to put yours on display! Spirituality - Your spiritual side brings you peace and balance, and keeps you grounded. This is attractive, as you can help reinforce this quality in other people. Adventurousness - You are willing to try new things and be spontaneous. You want to get out there and really live, and you will attract people with a similar love of life. Friendliness - Your friendliness makes you approachable and fun to be around. A wide circle of friends also works to your advantage on the dating scene.
Dating Weaknesses Explained
Shyness - You know all too well the limits shyness places on you. Putting yourself out there in social situations may be difficult, but essential to your dating success.
Dating Strengths and Weaknesses Quiz by Dating Diversions

: : 3 Things : : Questions and Answers : :

THREE NAMES YOU GO BY:
- Kello
- Carolla
- Penguin

THREE SCREEN NAMES YOU HAVE HAD:
- piccadilly
- polaris
- kisaragi

THREE PARTS OF YOUR HERITAGE:
- Chinese
- Hongkie
- Banana

THREE THINGS THAT SCARE YOU:
- people
- more people
- talking at people
..ah, hell, let's just say EVERYTHING scares me. Biggest. Chicken. Wuss. Ever. ^-^

THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS:
- water
- a pen
- books!!!!!!

THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW:
- mismatched socks
- grey stripey hoodie
- and a slightly-distracted, perplexed expression. ^-^

TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE:
- i think apples and passionfruit are the best fruits in the world
- i quite like taffeta
- i like to mix things up (literally.. and figuratively >_o)

THREE PHYSICAL THINGS ABOUT THE OPPOSITE SEX THAT APPEAL TO YOU:
- eyes
- smile
- not looking like my brother? haha.. okay.. uh.. hands?

THREE THINGS YOU JUST CAN'T DO:
- eat a duckie (uwaaaa! donnie-quarkles!!)
- remember how to play cards
- surf

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES:
- reading
- baking stuff
- exploring

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO REALLY BADLY RIGHT NOW:
- go home & sleep!
- have a hot bubblebath (ohh, i miss baths..)
- muck about in rain-puddles or freshly fallen leaves

THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO ON VACATION:
- Europe
- Japan
- Antarctica

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE:
- save a life
- be independent
- be comfortable in my own skin

THREE WAYS YOU ARE STEREOTYPICALLY A WOMAN:
- I have much love for the shoes ^-^
- I have much love for the chocolate ^-^
- don't mind a bit of eye-candy either.. >_o

THREE WAYS YOU ARE STEREOTYPICALLY A GIRL:
- LOVE playing dress ups
- LOVE bubblebaths
- LOVE my collection of plushies!
(and.. sometimes.. I think boys are YUCKY! ahahahahahaha!)

THREE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO TAKE THIS QUIZ:
- kazaren
- kuks
- ..you! ^-^ aaaa, i'm kidding. take it only if you're bored, ne?

..playing with fire. again. *chuckles*

So i took this test, right..

Greed:	Medium
Gluttony:	Low
Wrath:	Low
Sloth:	Medium
Envy:	Very Low
Lust:	Very Low
Pride:	Medium

Take the Seven Deadly Sins Quiz

But then I took this one too..

The Dante's Inferno Test has banished you to the Seventh Level of Hell!
Here is how you matched up against all the levels:

Level	Score
Purgatory (Repenting Believers)	High
Level 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers)	Low
Level 2 (Lustful)	Very Low
Level 3 (Gluttonous)	Moderate
Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious)	Very Low
Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy)	High
Level 6 - The City of Dis (Heretics)	Very Low
Level 7 (Violent)	High
Level 8- the Malebolge (Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers)	Moderate
Level 9 - Cocytus (Treacherous)	Moderate

Take the Dante's Inferno Hell Test
Dante's Inferno Hell Test is based on Dante's Divine Comedy, written in the early 1300s by Dante Alighieri
Background Information About The Dante's Inferno Test

So am I good? Am I bad? ^-^ Guess I'll have to read the book & find out in more detail.

a new addition to the family

So Monty the Fairmont has moved on to greener pastures (I hope) and a shiny new car has arrived!

He's a cute little blue Suzuki Swift and I've named him Caboose (after Michael J Caboose from RvB) for reasons only the similarly-geeky will understand. ^-^
(He has.. um.. quite a spacious interior.. a bit of an airhead.. heehee..)

He has gorgeously shiny little alloy wheels and some foglights and a small nose and an almost non-existent arse and I love him. ^-^ *snuggles* I'm struggling to wait until 48 hours have passed and I'm allowed to stick things on his freshly-tinted windows..

eating inappropriately..?

what do you do when your female coworker tells you that you're eating grapes in a provocative and "distracted-sexy" fashion?

..hey, baby, how you doin'? ;)

*snort*hahahahahahahaha!

..uwaaaaaaah.

my spirit is crushed.

my grannie called the other night and told me that the larp cheongs I bought for her in Sydney are too "aarng", and are difficult to chew..