It's Saturday Again!

It's a long awaited Saturday because the SUCCESS Chinese Help Lines staff and volunteers planned for a BBQ outing. Originally, the weather forecast was saying "cloudy with 40% chance rain", but starting the noon time, the rain, though soft and small, was kind of non-stop and make the front car window quite wet. It's very thoughtful that the organizer has planned a few tent for the location, and when I arrive there, they have started enjoying the hot-dogs, and I also see some deserts coming along way. It's only a pity that I did not wear appropriately for the location and I was feeling chilling inside. Therefore, I did not really stay for long. I chatted with only a few of the volunteers, took a few photos and have to apologize and left.

I hope you all understand that although the encounter was short, I felt very warm inside me as I haven't met you guys for long. It's good to shake hands and hug with you guys in order to feel my existence and also to show you physically that I am progressing well (except that my spine still hurt me even under pain control). No doubt that I shall continue to try my best to progress and yes please continue to provide me with all the prayers and best wishes! Thank you!

In the evening, after 6 months hard practices, Olivia's performance with Vancouver Academy of Dance (VAD) took place in Gateway Theater in Richmond. It's actually the second day of performance. The whole evening is packed with great performance, starting from a dance paying tribune to Michael Jackson (or simply put MJ), and then hip-hop, ballet, Jazz and Modern dance, Chinese dance, ball room dance and even acrobatic. The performers age from 2 and above and it's really an enjoyment to see them perform. It's also quite incredible that how Ms Annabel Ho has built VAD up and now in it's 15th anniversary. Great job!

The show wouldn't finish until the clock passed 11pm. This also means that I have been sitting for 4 hours and it's a kind of long record for me. I was feeling a little uncomfortable at the beginning, but then slowly I altered my position every now and then. This uncomfortable feeling can easily be off-set by the nice feeling of meeting up with old friends at the location. When I lied down at my bed finally by mid-night, I can almost hear my spine saying "thank you for relaxing me as I needed it badly"! All I can say to my spine, "Sorry about this, but you have brought me such a wonderful evening and thank you for that!" Hahahah!

There have been a few other things happened also yesterday. For example, the Blackhawks won the Flyers of 6 to 5 in the first game of Stanley Cup final. It was actually a very nice game to watch as both sides played very well and very close! Then, LA Lakers also won Phoenix Suns by 111 versus 103 in Game 6 of the Western Conference. The final now is set for LA Lakers versus Boston Celtics. Being the Canadian is not too happy as both the final teams for the Stanley Cup are from the US, while Steve Nash, who is the icon of Canadian basketball in US now lost and will not join the final. In sport, I guess it's more important to enjoy the game itself. Just like life, it may not go the way we want, but at least we can find our way to enjoy it (or merely to reduce our sufferings)!

It's such a wonderful day! Thank you everyone and wishing you all the best, and good health!

A Step Forward - Normalization!

A lot of things happened these two days and I am making good progress towards normalization of daily life. There are quite a few things that I have not done in the past three months, and quite a few things for the first time in the past three months, i.e. since the time when I was hospitalized and diagnosed with my cancer. It's both memorable as well as an indication of the improvement that I have made.

Last evening (22nd May, 2010) was Esther's Chinese Dance performance in Michael J. Fox Theater in Burnaby. It's organized by the Chen Ling's Dancing Academy, and standing in the middle is her teacher, Ms Zhang Jun. The show overall is a success and it's my first time to attend a public performance show, where I set for 3 hours. A record of my continuous sitting time. I also took a lot of photos and HD movies.

This morning, with the plan to normalize my daily life, Sunday breakfast gathering is set in a local restaurant and three other families joined to chit chat on various things. Although the gathering was short (about an hour as usual), the feeling was very nice and especially a step towards normalization. I zipped the "milk tea" (Hong Kong style) and it's nice although I have not tasted it for over three months!

Then, Esther, Leo, Olivia and myself attended the 12:00 noon Mass at our Parish. The 12:00 noon Mass usually are filled with not so many people and the atmosphere is quite relax. We met with a few friends and Parish goers, and both Father and Sister recognized me almost instantly and congratulated me on the progress I made, or at least I am able to attend church myself after 3 month's time. Thank you for all the prayers by our Parish families, I am so glad that at least today I am able to attend the church by myself and I shall continuous to work in this direction. Leo later collected the Parish photo album and it's really a joy reading those family photos inside the album. They are all very nice and well taken. It's an album and a record for the Parish, and it's filled with smiles, happiness and joy.

The Black Hawks (Chicago) won the Game 4 against the Sharks (San Jose) and entered the final of Stanley Cup. They are likely to meet with the Flyers (Philadelphia) unless miracles happens to the Canadiens (Montreal). Then later today will be the NBA Western Conference to watch how Lakers (Los Angeles) are going to perform today. Last but not least, the TV series LOST, being the Season Six and having the Finale (2.5 hours) this evening, it's going to be very enjoyable to watch and a certain kind of "lost" feeling afterward. Consider it's been six years that Leo and I have been watching this TV series, we developed a certain kind of feeling with them (the characters). Six years is a long time! Or at least six years is NOT a short period of time!

Life is so good and so enjoyable! Let's all live an enjoyable life!