新年快樂~ (Happy Chinese New Year!)

My being fond of eating situation didn't get better but worse during Chinese New Year~ I was very excited, like I have euphoria for few days and my eating pattern had became a joke amount my cousins and nieces by the end of 圍爐 (Chinese new year eve dinner).

I was walking with my Mum as she wanted some 圓仔冰 (shaved ice). I didn't had any, coz I had already had some of my favourite 雪花冰 (snow flake ice). I really like Chinese New Year in Taiwan, because the atmosphere was so happy and busy everywhere. My stomach suddenly was craving for 哪種拜拜用的糕仔 (special powdery coin-size cakes for worshiping ancestors) so I started looking for them. After a couple of stalls, I finally found one who was selling it.

"How much do you want?" The young owner asked me kindly.
"Er..err...Can I just have....3?" I felt so embarrassed to even ask.
"...Huh? Oh...Okay..." I am sure he was surprised that someone would buy so little. "In that case, don't worry about the money. How much do you want? Is it enough?" He put a handful of those powdery cakes into a plastic bag.
"Err...that's more than enough! Are you sure you aren't gonna take my money?" I was so embarrassed that I wanted to dig a hole on the ground and hided!
"Here you go. Happy New Year!!" He gently passed the bag to me with a big smile and refused to take any money from me.
"Thank you so much!! Happy New Year to you too, Sir!" I said with my face red!

Then, I started enjoying the powdery cakes that I always enjoy during new year, except this year it had a rather embarrassing story behind it. Before I finished them all, I saw the jerk stall with those sweet dry meat and my stomach again was crying out "I want it!!". I was trying to grab my Mum to come with me, but she used the excuse of the busy traffic, so I had to cross the street alone. My guess would be she had found the previous conversation rather embarrassing and she knew that I was going to do it again! And...she was right~

"Hey...can I just buy very little?" Here I was, asking my 101 shameful question again.
"Hum...well, you can just taste it for free here, but if you want to take it away, you have to buy it." I picked two different favours with an area of 25cm2 each into the bag and went to pay for it. The owner couldn't help but laughing at my selection and said,
" They are two different prices. But anyway, I'll just weight them together and use the cheaper unit price for you. Here you go. Happy New year!!" I am sure he had never meet this kind of nitpick costumer! 根本就是來找碴的嘛！

Before we walked into Grandpa's place, I smelled something so buttery! I was nimbly looking around like a cute(?) little squirrel. Right~~ Fresh waffle~~ mmmmmmm.....Waffle~~NO! Bad Anita! B..ut...but..NO! NO!! I quickly came to my sense and pull myself into the house (with my Mum hurrying to grab me out of the 犯罪現場 (scene of crime) and me looking back my 無緣的鬆餅 (unfortunate waffle)). By the time, I entered the house, I have finished my last powdery cake and started feeling a little bit of thirsty (Oh, No!). So, of course, it's time to get some 珍珠奶茶 (bubble tea) and of course if there were 鹹酥雞 (spicy crispy chicken) available, that would be just perfect!! After I had done my field study on where to get the best bubble tea (no spicy crispy chicken on that day. I was so disappointed!), I had a plan so cunning you can put a tail on it and call it a weasel! I tried to be a lovely aunt by offering my nieces to take them out for some bubble tea. But they said no (How could they?!). I kept asking, persuading and in the end, I was begging them...to let me take them out so it wouldn't look so bad. But....they only kept giggling at my immature intention without coming with me. So I had to go with my Plan B - Go by myself! However, the most accursed thing was 30 mins after they had seen me drinking my shameful bubble tea alone, they decided to go and got them themselves!! Kids!!

The following night and the next day gathering was also very busy and exciting with a lot of relatives (14 and 39 respectively) and food (again!). Mum noticed my euphoria and had to remind/warm me it's time to stop eating...

Sign~ I just can't control my excitement during Chinese New Year. However, after all, I haven't had a real Chinese New Year for 4 years! Of course, I had to make up for it!

A bubble tea a day keep my perfect body away

I have been drinking bubble tea everyday for 3 days straight!

Then I went out to renew my national ID and tried to get some VCD out, I just can't help it, but getting some bubble tea along with some 香雞排 (crispy chicken steak) (coz I couldn't get my favourite - 鹹酥雞 (spicy crispy chicken)) or 熱狗 (hot dog) (coz I thought it has slightly less calories than 鹹酥雞 (spicy crispy chicken)) ! Yeah, Right~ But it was so yummy!

Sign...If I keep allowing this happen, soon I will be a BIG FAT Anita....but my self-control system is just so helpless when it meets bubble tea and spicy crispy chicken.

My future...

After thinking about my future for 2 months, I slowly come to some decisions.

I really enjoy the research environment at Bio. No doubt, the freedom, the ideal pure goal and the people are most attractive to me to spend another 4 years+ time of my life. Being a student and doing research are something I really enjoy in the last 6 years. However (here we go...), I feel that I would really like to see what the real world like. I probably am going to hate it and find it very boring within 3 months, but if I don't try it, I will never know. It's probably not gonna be fun, but would be definitely different, and I find that very challenging at the moment.

Actually, I change my mind quite often these days. Not because I really love to do more research, but being afraid of the real world. If I am doing a PHD now, it will be because it is the easiest way out, not because I really LOVE to do it.

I thank you all at Bio for your friendship and support especially when things aren't doing so well personally or research wise in the last 2 years. Believe or not, the most difficult part of this decision is leaving you guys.

I don't know what the real worldis like, but I heard that they eat ppl. I'll update you all after I have a taste of it (Of course, I'll be the survivor in the cruel real world. I am 打不死的小強 (the unbeatable cockroach)！).

Prince William?!

I took the bike out to revisit my childhood today.

There were some surprises on the way which reminded me of a lot of little Anita (Well, I am still little :P). Some places were gone, some places were ruined, and some places were the same, except like me, becoming older (I meant....mature, meaningful and important!).

Then, subconsciously I took a right turn and astonishingly found myself into a community where I found it very familiar. I decided to follow the road of my childhood memory to give someone a visit - my primary teacher.

After so many years, I wondered whether or not I could still find the place. And the most important, whether or not she is still living at the same place. I was a bit nervous while I knocked on the door.

*knock* *knock*

".........." No one was answering and I started feeling that it was a bad idea.
"H..ello~~Is....there anyone home?" I felt quite silly and rude, but I took the courage to ask in the end. (No...I have never played that game when I was a kid...Ummm...maybe just a few times :P). I didn't even bring any gift with me for her...
Just when I was about to turn around, there was a sound from the back of the house. "Y...es, who is it?"

She saw me with a stun (of course, it's because I was stunning!) and I kindly helped her with my name. Of course, she remembered me, just not my name. She even know which year I was born and who else were in my class! I quickly updated her with all the important milestones in the last couple of years.

"So, you have a boyfriend, right?" Here we go, the normal question of my age. *nod* *nod* *^_^*
"Taiwanese?" *Shock head* *^_^*
"老師 (Teacher), do you want to see his picture?"
I actually don't know why I did that. Normally I behaved like I am shamed of him (Quote and complain from my bf). I think I was either so happy to see her or I have been improving my girlfriend learning lesson (Hey there, see how much I am proud of you now...:P).

"Wow!!! He is so cute and handsome!!!" She amazed.
*cough* *cough* "What...what?! Really?" I was almost chocked as I was eating the fruit.
"Yes~ He is so cute like Princes William in England. Don't you think?" She was staring and admiring the picture for so long that I was afraid that she was going to eat it. *You can't keep him!* *Give it back*
"......." I silenced. ^_^""

I was 三條槓 ( three lines at the back of my head, like those Japanese comics book). Of course, he is cute, but Prince William? He is much......*cough* *cough*.

Anyway, I thought I would write this down to suck up a bit as he always thinks I am shamed of him. I hope this will slightly make it up for him :P, won't it?

I can't breath!!!

It's WINTER and guess what's the temperature!!! It's 20-29 degree today and it was 28 when I went out earlier!!!

Hot~Hot~Hot! I can't breath!

Auckland is about 15-24 degree....SUMMER!

無可救藥的愛作夢 (Helpless daydreaming)

Since I was offered this 3 days job, my parents and I have been working on our daydreaming skill!

• Maybe they are gonna pay me NT$10000 per day!
• No? Fine. I'll just take it as an experience!
• Maybe this American visitor is very cute and attractive!
• Maybe he'll think I am such a talent and offer me a high paid permanent job in his company!
• Aha! That way the rest of my life is sorted!
• What should I wear? Hum...maybe they will even give me some 製裝費 (money for outfit)!

What? None of above?! I was made redundant (before my first day of work?!)!!! The agency couldn't get hold on the American client so they had to say sorry to me!!!! *Sniff* *Sniff* All my effect turns into NOTHING! (Gee...Wake up! Daydreaming girl! It was nothing right from the beginning!)

• Are they going to give me redundancy pay?
• Can I ask for mental compensation?

*Shaking head* 真是沒救！(helpless!)

Lasik laser eye surgery

Going through this Lasik eye laser surgery is the bravest thing that I have ever done after bungy jumping!!!! I think I must have had a too boring life here in Taiwan for too long to ever consider it. Even when I think about it now, I still can't believe a person as 龜毛 (irresolute and indecisive) and ridiculous overcareful as me would have done it!!!! Would I recommend anyone to do it? Well, not if you are 櫻櫻美代子 (very bored) wanting to find some adventure in life or/and such a gambler like me!!!

I was freaking out while I was lying there. However, I was told that I was a very cooperated patient so the operation went very smoothly. The surgical team said, from their experience, female patients are much calmer than males and don't move as much as males. One of the nurse explained that very wittily,

" Yes, that's because females are too scared to MOVE and
guys are so scared that they move indiscriminately"

Did I laugh? No way! I was too scared to move (exactly!) coz they had only had done my right eye!!!

I am okay after my surgery so far. Not blind yet, maybe in 10+ years, who knows :P. 24 hours after the surgery, my worst eye was having a 20/20 (1.0) version while the other is 24/20 (1.2) last Friday. I am going to see the doctor again this Wednesday and hopefully my test will tell me more about the recovering. In a way, the surgery was a success so far, but I am still not 100% ease or celebrate it yet as I can still see some glare and I have to put different eye drops into my eyes every couple of hours to prevent infection and help recovery.

There are some regretful side effects that no one has warmed me and now I am suffering...

1. I couldn't do any reading, watch TV or computer for 24 hours. That was the most boring time in my whole life. I had to LISTEN to the TV!! Fortunately I had 3 different eye drops that kept me busy. My life entertainment depended on those "every 1-2 hours", "every 4 hours" and "right after every meal" eye drops. How exciting!!
2. I haven't washed my hairs for 5 days coz I am too chicken to do so. Mum said that's nothing. During 坐月子 (the month that after delivery the baby), she couldn't wash her hairs for a whole month! (Chinese tradition!) Well, I guess, I better start getting used to it! And yes, I haven't used any cleanser to wash my face nor any lotion...:(