(Almost) An Accident!

There is an interview section with OmniTV this afternoon, so I need to drive downtown. After the recording, and the time was about 3:30pm, in my way back to Richmond. I had a car accident ... almost.

The traffic actually was kind of slow like what you would expect during the day traveling on Main Road, towards south direction. My car stopped, as the first car at the traffic light when facing perpendicularly with King's Edward Road, which is considered a main road. I as in the right side, the slow lane, while next to me, the fast lane was a red 4x4 truck seated with two guys. The traffic light turned green and like every time I did, I pedal on the gas and allow the car to accelerate from it's static position. My eyes were naturally facing forward. Then, the incident happened ... in a split of a second. In the corner of my left eye, I somehow felt the truck next to me was making a abrupt stop. My brain was not really thinking but my natural response, and I must admit it's a unconscious response, was to stop my car too! When my car was almost stopped, I heard a loud crash sound not too far from me. My head turned to the direction of the sound, then I saw a white Mercedes-Benz  C-Class sport car crashed into the left head of the truck. The truck didn't really move a lot, but the Mercedes-Benz then took a longer distance to stopped, almost in the middle of the road and not too far from where my car was. Luckily nobody was hurt. Despite the hard crash sound, I would have expected a much bigger damage to both the cars. Thereafter was the usual stuff of getting the insurance things sorted out.

Until I gained back my own conscious I only then learned I was having some serious body sweat. If I did not respond and stopped my car, surely the white Mercedes-Benz would have crashed on me after crashing on the truck. And as it would have crashed on the left side where the driver was sitting, I am not sure if I would need to be hospitalized. Highly probably, it's a "Yes"!

Everyday we are living, enjoying things that we took them for granted. One incident after another, the message is loud and clear that we cannot take things for granted, and yet granted, we took things for granted and seldom we would show our appreciation to things that are already in our possession.

Thank you for the reminder! Thinking of it ... I am still in sweat!

Yesterday Was A Sunday!

It was cloudy and outside temperature was a little low, though still comfortable. Esther needed to go downtown for a performance, so we got up, had our breakfast and traveled to China town. The performance place is quite special. It locates on Columbia Street, between East Pender and East Hastings, right in the door step of Yin Ping Benevolent Society, as yesterday, it was their 90th Anniversary and therefore the performance.

It's after noon when they started the Chinese dancing program. It's very interesting that when they were performing the Chinese Opera (people singing the Chinese traditional songs), there were not many audience, and as soon as the Chinese dancing program started, the audiences gathered around, and the tourists started to take out their cameras and camcorders to take photos and videos. I also observed that there are some visitors who might have traveled long distance to join this event.

When Esther's performance was near the end, Olivia and I walked back to the car-park and at the corner of Columbia Street, there was a guy painting on the wall.

He simply used some brushes and some simple tools and without sketches he painted very well on the walls. Next time when you are around in Columbia Street, I would assume his works would have finished and you can take some good photos of them. They are quite nice.

Then, we returned to Richmond while some friends were waiting and we had lunch together. After the lunch, I went for an afternoon nap and by the time I woke up, it's about time to attend the evening mass. I totally forgot my medication (pain-killer) and therefore we rushed back home after the mass, took the medication before we went to the restaurant to join everyone for the Sunday dinner. It's very nice to learn everyone has enjoyed their week, spending outdoor camping, fishing trip and overseas visits, and sharing of their great moments during the trips. Life is about sitting among friends and listening to their enjoyable moments. So nice!

You Will be Missed!

Tomorrow is the Father's Day! To make this year's Father's Day special is because of my diagnosis of cancer and the proclamation my life expectancy of 6 to 8 months (counting from end February, 2010). It's kind of hard and harsh to predict what would happen in 12 months' time, especially when the possibility of the odds are there and being defined. For a guy (like me) who is used to organizing and planning, it's a surprise that he is unable to stand firm for things of a year's time-line. Though, what I learned, and now start to enjoy, is to "live the moment" and to "live the day". To feel the now, to enjoy the now, the today, the present! I am sadden when I start to think about if I am around the same time next year. My eyes water when people told me "You will be missed!" (*And lately, as you can imagine, I have been hearing this phrase many times, in some case, many times within an hour!) Then, I need to learn, it's an accurate expression of the feeling, and I should feel gifted that "I will be missed!" I then also learned how to reply, with half joking tone, I said "Don't just miss me then, try to take good care of me now!" (Hahahah!)

Yes, I mean it. I don't mind to be missed by you anytime in the future, and you know well that I cannot be too certain if I would know I am missed or you are missing me, etc. However, I am surely aware and actually feel it if you miss me now and you care about me now. All the gifts of the positive energy and the love & care that you are exercising on me!

5 ex-colleagues of mine formed a delegation. They arrived in Vancouver last Saturday (12/June) and leaving today (19/June). We know each other for 20-25 years and the relationship between us go further. It's very solid and nice feeling when we hug each other, when we can share some memories and when conversation are filled with laughter. It's always hard to say goodbye, especially when the next meeting date/time is not well defined. I still have to thank you for coming all the way just to meet me (and hug me) and the physical love & care that I experienced with first hands. "You also take good care of yourselves and have a safe and smooth trip back home!"

(The above photo was taken this morning in front of the Radisson Hotel in Richmond.)