Tatiana's Wanderings

2019 Yearly Recap!


This is the 2019 recap. Fitting for the last day of the year, no?


JANUARY

* Hung out with Vanessa and baby Cassidy pre-surgery at Lansdowne: Fresh Elements bubble tea, good dumplings at the food court, GOLDEN DRAGON SUSHI, and more! She helped me open the ridiculous eyedrops bottles, too! [Jan. 7]

* Had eye cataract surgery at Mount St. Joseph's - yikes! Luckily, I had love and support from my friends, and my parents DID drive me home! [Jan. 10]

* Had a one-day followup appointment at the eye clinic. Thank goodness that Barry was able to drive me! Things looked healthy! [Jan. 11]

* Crashed at Deb and Dylan's for about a week. Declan and Elysse liked me from the start, and it was pretty interesting and funny. ("I have my dad's old phone, Elysse." "Did he die?!" Haha!) Lots of meals and Swiss Chalet plus lamb and ribs and packed lunches! I appreciated their support, for sure! [Jan. 11-16]

* Had my one-week followup appointment at the eye clinic. My eye still looked healthy and there is no need to rush on any new glasses! I got hit up for cash at Vancouver City Centre, but I said NO. He should have fucked off instead! [Jan. 17]

* Had Hiero's birthday party: glow-in-the-dark bowling at Grandview Lanes! Dylan and Deb kindly gave me a ride back, and Mom did NOT have to insert herself into our post-church plans by thanking them for "looking after" me! [Jan. 20]


FEBRUARY

* Got a chance to three-way call with Kate and Pothead Mike right after the hockey game, which the Canucks won 4-3 in a shootout against the Flames! It was pretty good to hear their voices as we chatted about a bunch of things including Ed Kemper and the RCMP tank in Surrey. [Feb. 9]

( Highlights and lowlights! )

PRODUCT WARNING: No more Nivea lotions in my apartment - the pump just suddenly goes down without warning, making it impossible for me to pop it up again!


Today is National Dumpling Day! I called Chrystal at work at 11:40 to see if we were still on for tomorrow's Birthday Dinner #3, and WE ARE! The Canucks played Arizona tonight at 7 in Preseason Game #8 (the last one!), and lost 3-2. Deb said that they could take me out to Korean food tomorrow night, but I'm not free due to the aforementioned plans. Next week on the 4th sounds fine, especially since it's a non-hockey night! I also banned someone from the Fearsome hockey group for typing in very mangled English (it would just annoy me even more throughout the year), and making every comment into some kind of slam freeform poetry.


From the V4F Discord server: Dumpling typology chart - now I want siu mai, hahaha! QUIRKY COINCIDENCE because it's National Dumpling Day today, Sept. 26!




Telisport Putsavage?!




From Julie: Kirk Fonoimoana?!




From Julie: Jarkel Fanning?!

Paulo and I were trying to figure out where everyone else wanted to meet, so eventually I said "fuck it - let's meet somewhere nearby." The hospital Starbucks it was! We just managed to get the 407 at Alderbridge after ascertaining that everyone now wanted to meet at House of Dosas on Kingsway; like we were saying, we don't care if people want to do something later, JUST PICK A LOCATION TO MEET! After Paulo went on ahead at Brighouse (the elevator took a while), I got on the next train and checked my text messages. We figured out what had happened and set up King Edward as a meeting place. He did apologize ("my bad") and explained, so of course I accepted that.

We finally made it to the House of Dosas at about 6:20 and met Holly, Brian, and Darryl. I had a lamb vindaloo dosa while Paulo added a buttermilk lassi to his dinner; when we heard that he hadn't eaten all day, I said that he should have walked over to my place for some instant noodles! No, that wasn't a joke! I did PM him my address when I got home just in case. We talked about cricket, virginity, porn stars, Halloween, Good Friday / Easter, Direct Tap, a new job, a casual stress-free work culture, and maybe doing something later. It was a good time, and I did like my spicy lamb vindaloo dosa!

Later, Brian drove us to the Dark Manor on Fraser Street. It was so fucking dark in there that I couldn't see a damn thing. Luckily, I waited near the washrooms and Holly actually came out. Brian tapped a bar stool, so at least I knew where that was. There was a Zombie drink where you could only order two of them (Brian thought that was a gimmick), there was a communal huge bowl of alcohol with LONG drinking straws (SHARE OUR BACKWASH!), we needed candlelight to read the menu, and we watched Paulo and Darryl get progressively more wasted on the one Zombie drink. I did have some of Brian's beer when he offered. After that, I wasn't in the mood to drink more, so when Brian asked if I wanted to, I said no. He ended us dropping us all off at home, by the car, or near Marine Drive Station. Talked about zero-waste, weekend plans, seeing family, Jeremy being so wasted that he couldn't get home himself (and then having to pay a fine and get his car back from a towing place the next day), Garden and Nanaimo (near the old VCEFC!), and hanging out again tomorrow at the music bingo. (I declined) I got in at 8:40.


Spicy lamb vindaloo dosa from House of Dosas on Kingsway!




Beneath The Floorboards: For four brave souls. Bourbon and malt whiskies, sherry, lemon, orange, maple, and a blend of exotic spices.




Zombie: A potent mix of rums with falernum, lime, bitters, grapefruit, and secret spices. Two per guest.




Charleszetta Waddles?!

This DILBERT comic strip on introversion from May 10 is from Reddit. Tina: "Are you going to the department meeting?" Dilbert: "Yes, as soon as I plan my route. I have seven co-workers who I need to avoid on the way. Three are nonstop talkers. The other four ask me for something every time I see them. I've mapped their likely locations, and I'm working out an avoidance path. Yes, I think I can do it." Tina: "Is that my name on your list of employees to avoid?" Dilbert: "I didn't say it was a perfect system."




Crown: The stolen CROWN.




Crystal: A ball made of CRYSTAL.




In the FINAL FANTASY I DAWN OF SOULS version, Matoya's Crystal Eye is described as "A transparent orb of crystal."




Whistle from Princess Toadette: Beautiful music fills the air.




The SUPER MARIO FANTASY ADVENTURE party tries to use the Herb from Matoya. "Yuck! This medicine is too bitter!" Yeah, we should just leave that for the elven Prince of Elfland...