In memory of M - 10 years later

Nov 26, 2015 is a day I will not forget.

If you've been reading this far, you would have remembered I wrote an entire post about M back in 2015 around this time to commemorate my first cat. 

I just can't believe it's been 10 years already. It almost felt like it was yesterday.

So many things have happened in 10 years, which I wish he was still around to see and celebrate my milestones. It's hard to forget your first pet. 

While I was in the kitchen today, there's that particular spot on the floor that I still remember he would spend his last few hours struggling to breathe, just laying there helpless, with tears in his eyes. And it made me sad. But knowing that his soul is now free and that he's no longer suffering, it helps to put all this anxiety at ease. 

Over the years, I had collected a few charms from Pandora to commemorate him, along with my own family charms. It took a while, but the charm bracelet was finally done, and I do plan to wear it in remembrance of him. 

Now that we have 2 additional cats since 2018, they have definitely occupied time and making new memories. But I'll never forget M. Because of M, I am still able to love those around me.

Thank you M. Thank you for growing up with me, for the great memories, for the love. I hope you are having fun up there with your friends on rainbow bridge.

<3

2025 - A new journey

For those who have been checking in and reading this blog, thank you for keeping up! I know it's been a really long time since I last updated here. But all is well.

2025 has been quite a rough ride for me health wise. It began from a pre-existing injury that I had many years ago and I guess my body decided, yes 2025 is the year to be crippled. I will use the next post as a more detailed medical update. All is well now though.

Since my last post, I haven't gone on any vacations out of the country (lame), haven't bought any handbags (lame), haven't bought any heels (lame) and this is all thanks to inflation (lame), but I started a new obsession with Sanrio's character: Kuromi (lame). I still love Stitch though! Still my favourite Disney character. 

Big shout-out as well to the team for Stitch movie, as it was the only North American movie in 2025 to cross the $1B mark back in July!

Build-A-Bear workshop has massive Sanrio characters that can be purchased online (but for some reason not available in stores here in Canada). Small and regular size characters are all available in store. So, what did I do this time? I ordered a massive Kuromi. Decided to stuff in stores. I remember we brought the shell to the store and the look on the employee's face when she realized it was not the regular sized character, but the massive size one. "Yeah, this is going to take at least 15 minutes to fill."

She was not joking.

Unfortunately there aren't any clothes from the store that will fit these massive characters. The only thing you can buy is the character's themed tie but that's about it. You might have to find clothes at a children's clothing store to fit these massive bears. In the meantime, Kuromi will remain naked.

Next up: cars.

No, I did not buy any new cars (lame). My Genesis and Cayman S remain with me. Aside from the one cruise that I did in April with hubby and friends, the rest of the time I had to put a pause this year on car cruises and meets due to the medical issues. It sucks, but it is what it is. Hopefully 2026 car season will be a better outcome. Otherwise I live vicariously through other people's social stories. 

Our beloved date spot (Koi Klaw) unfortunately closed back in April so we had to finish up our remaining credits and claim our massive plushie prizes. I'm not sure if another similar company will be taking over, but for now it remains closed. 

I will now save my energy for the next post, as it will detail the majority of my 2025 journey. Stay tuned.

2024 - Conclusion

Once again, another year is coming to a close. Crazy how time flies, and what a year it has been!

2024 was another year of learning for me and new discoveries. The only difference is, I did not have to navigate this year all by myself. I closed off 2023 with a new love, and began 2024 with love, with each and every month trying to improve on such love. So far, it's been going quite well. I am truly blessed to have found my love after all these years.

In summary, 2024 was mostly smooth sailing. There were many good times, shocking and sad times, and moments of development. 

There were less car cruises this year, but lots of parking lot meets. I made sure to attend as many as I could to socialize with the usual groups, to take in new scenery and so forth. One thing that I'm constantly reminded of is how short life really is. 

One of the very first Porsche friends that I met back in late 2018 had unfortunately passed away in October. It came as a huge shock to everyone as this was very unexpected. The family made very difficult decisions at the end of life, and donated his organs to save others' lives, because that was also the kind of person he was - one who was caring, loving and selfless. He sacrificed his life so he could save others. Wilfred, you will always be a hero in our eyes. 

From that moment on, we did a couple of memorial cruises for him, as well as a cars and coffee event dedicated to his life. It's heartbreaking to know that we won't see him again on this Earth, but we all know that he fought a great battle and that he will always be the fun loving guy we all got to know. Thank you for bringing all of us together.

This fall, I also had the honour of attending the EDTNA 2024 national conference held in Athens, Greece. I was one of two presenters (the second being my PCM), and representing the only Canadians. Woohoo! It was definitely a surreal experience as this was my very first european nephrology conference. As always, the networking events were always very insightful. In between the conference, I got to check out the beautiful city of Athens with my man. And this leads me to this...

Ladies, if your man doesn't walk you from the hotel to the conference (and carry a pair of nice shoes for you to change into when you get to the conference), you need a new man. I've never been this pampered before, but it was the sweetest and unexpected move. He took care of things while I was away at the conference and made sure to pick me up once the conference was done so I didn't have to walk back to the hotel by myself. He was also my tour guide, as he researched all the local areas and then took me once I had free time. I felt so safe, so loved and pampered. This was the best workation I've had, and wished I could've stayed longer to explore Athens with him. When you are with the right person, everything feels so right.

There were also 3 weddings to attend this year for friends (and more to come!). All the weddings were so beautiful with the amazing bridal parties. Cheers to all for a wonderful married life!

Towards the end of the year, we had to deal with a family emergency, in which I stepped away from work indefinitely until things stabilized. Again, this reminded me how fragile life really is, and to embrace those around you. Don't forget to say I love you to your loved ones.

Which leads me to .. life is so short.

Take chances. Tell that person you like them. Who cares about embarrassment. The worst case is things might get awkward, but YOU can control how you act around others. YOU can control how you say things. How YOU act around others. You want to get to know that person a bit better? Ask them out. Who cares if you're a girl waiting to get asked out by a guy. Just ask the guy. There's no harm. I was one of those girls before who would wait until a guy asked me out. I never had the courage to say anything without it being awkward. But guess what. I finally grew a vag and told him my feelings. What I got in return is a future husband. 

Believe in yourself. Take chances. No regrets.

Versace Aevitas Pumps

Let's begin by saying these are my very first Versace anything. How did I come across this item? They were having a sale on their website so I decided to check out the items.

Originally I wanted some sort of boots. But they didn't have it in my size, so I kept scrolling. And then I saw these.

I think this is one of those YOLO moments. I've always had basic classy things, nothing too crazy. I figured this was the time to go a bit crazy. They're called the Aevitas pumps. In metallic pink. I went ahead and ordered it online from the Versace website. I can't remember how long it took for delivery but probably about a week and a half. 

Here are some pictures and reveals!

 

Now I am about 5'6 or so. With these pumps, it shot me up to about 5'9ish. 

My first time wearing them was on my birthday. They are pretty snug, but that's probably because they haven't been broken in so everything felt very tight. It was a bit tough to walk in, and I have to admit, I did get foot cramps in the beginning because of how stiff it is. I'm sure with more wear, it will be much better.

All in all, I don't have regrets getting these. They are pretty hideous and cool. Can't wait to wear them out more this year!

2024 - A New Era

Happy Belated New Year! Cheers to 2024! 

I hope you are all well whoever has made it this far in reading my random thoughts over the years. I broke my promise that I would not wait too long between posts, and yet I have not posted anything in almost a year. Time to play catch up because it was A LOT! I will leave work out of this one because everyday has been a blur for the past year. I will however shift it to ... love adventures.

The last post I wrote was about dating apps. And it felt like I had totally given up on love (at least on finding anyone on dating apps). I kept believing that maybe it was a sign I would be single forever, that it would be my final fate. I was ok with it, yet my heart still was longing for love, hoping that I would still meet someone somehow. My first step was to get out of my room first because I wasn't going to find love if I stayed in my room forever (or maybe they'd find me).

About a month after my post last year, I had a couple of coworkers come up to me to try and set me up with people...people they either knew or were of friends of friends. The good thing about it is at least someone knows they exist. Now, this could go either good or bad: if things go well, then everyone is happy. If things go bad, the friendship/relationship would be awkward.

At that time I was still a 50/50 in meeting new people. I ended up chatting with both guys that were referred to me (man, this sounds like a job interview). One was a gentleman and successful and we had a few dates here and there. The other was a bit more socially awkward and spoke a lot about himself. Never met up with this one as he would ask me after midnight if I wanted to meet up the next day for lunch, so he was dropped for inconsideration of my time. 

As things progressed with the first guy, I had to remind myself that I was not going to be dating around for fun, but for marriage purposes. Is he the one? As nice and successful as he was, I didn't feel that feeling of "he is the one". People tell me all the time...when you know, you know. You can't force it; you'll end up resenting him (same with guys). I always hate having to tell someone that although they're a great person, this wouldn't work out between us because of ABC. But it is better to tell them than waste everyone's time.

After that very interesting month, I decided to just go back to my usual self: the workaholic with a car cruising hobby. I promised myself I wouldn't dare find another guy in the car community so participating in cruises and rallies would be fine. I wasn't participating to find love, but to enjoy the hobby. I aimed to keep my mind busy and not sulk on what I didn't have.

Until he came back.

Well actually, I had already met him 6 years prior in a non-car community setting (hallelujah). But to finally say I found love (and organically too!) is so rare these days. It's funny how love is, and how God works in mysterious ways over the years. The main difference this time? I can finally say I know that feeling. The right feeling. The feeling of true love. The caring type of love. The calmness that love brings. The exciting type of love. 

Ladies and gentlemen, I have found my one. The one to be with for the rest of my life. 

I will leave my journey of love on the next post. This time, I swear it won't be a 2025 post. For those who are still single and waiting on love, you will want to read the next post. Don't give up on love.

Dating Apps 2.0

Remember when I said you wouldn't find me on any dating apps?

It still holds true to this day. 

There is a but though. BUT......

In 2022, I did sign up for ONE app. It was not one of the very common ones (Tinder, Bumble or Hinge). I decided to give it a try. ONE TRY.

I lasted for about 3 weeks. Not even a month. And then I quit.

That's how disgusting these dating apps are.

Let's rewind back to sometime in 2022.

I decided to sign up, upload whatever pictures I thought would bring out my beauty, and figure out how to use the darn thing. Because it was a free app, it only allowed certain amounts of guys for you to view for the day. Then you'd have to wait 24 hours to get the next batch of guys. If I paid money, I would get to see every guy who had liked me and choose who to connect with. Sounds like a waste of money.

I saw all these hearts and likes in my account when I signed back in. Unfortunately I could not see them all because I'm a cheapskate and didn't pay for the app. But I figured I'll get through that list eventually. Someday.

There were a good amount of Asian guys on there. Some of them I recognized from school. I kept telling myself I should message them to say hi.

Let's forward to the ones who did match with me.

I don't remember how many I matched with, but I could count on one hand how many normal conversations I had with the guys. The rest were either weird, very desperate, or ghosts. By ghosts, I mean he would say hello. I'd say hello. His next reply would be 5 days later. Then on the last day before the messages expire, he would ask if he could have my number. UMMM I don't think so. I don't even know you. Goodbye.

The other one started off the conversation with "hey, want to meet up for coffee?" UMMM no, I don't even know you. No icebreaker? I get that people don't want to waste any time but this was way too fast.

Another was from a local church. We did have a pretty good conversation for the first few days. Unfortunately it died off on the last day before messages expire. But he did invite me to check out the English service one day if I was up for it. Thank you kind sir.

Of all the guys I spoke with via messages, I only ever met up with one guy for dinner. He seemed nice and decent. Except for the fact that he kept pushing to watch Turning Red at his condo. Maybe I'm not used to this current dating culture but I did inform him that I was not comfortable going to anyone's place on a first date. The fact that I had to repeatedly say it just showed how much this person really cared. Non existent. 

Now we go into this whole "who pays for dinner on the first date?" I recalled asking him if he wanted to split the bill, but some guys end up footing the bill, which he did. I thanked him for that. We then agreed to grab a bubble tea, of which I said I would grab the bill. I'm not used to the whole "let's split 50/50". I think it's lame. If you invite me, you grab this bill. I'll grab the next. None of this BS 'let me pay you back $26.87. JUST NO.

It seemed like a good first date. But it wasn't the right click for me. Then again, I only met the guy this evening. Maybe I just need more time.

The night ended off with a thank you and a hug, and then one last invitation to go back to the condo for a movie. I politely declined and waved goodbye (as my mind was worried about making it to work the next morning). 

The next few days we chatted on text. He asked if we could go for another date, and there was just something holding me back from accepting that. I didn't know what it was, but it just held me back. The next few days texting back and forth, he was quite open with sharing various food pictures and condo pictures, except I noticed he would say stuff like "I'm hanging out with my friend tonight. Her and I will just be chatting and watching a movie." It's 1am bro. What kind of chatting are you doing. 

Another would be catsitting for a girl friend. Ummm you're catsitting for less than 12 hours? Doesn't make sense either. Cats will be fine without company for 12 hours.

While he was my longest connection on a dating app, it ended rather quickly with him ghosting me. When guys complain about girls ghosting them, it also happens to girls too! But I was so relieved it was over. I guess in this current culture, it's normal for everyone to be dating 25 people at once. There's no more of the "let me focus on one person first and if that doesn't work out, I'll just try again later with someone else." NOPE. No more of that. 

My mind has not gotten used to this culture. The whole let's sleep with 25 people or more until I find the right person. No thanks. I don't want to have a relationship with a STD or STI. I'm good.

The next guy I never met in person. We had a good chat for days as well, until he stopped messaging for whatever reason. About 2 months later, he messaged to say hello!! It's been over half a year and I have not responded back.

After this, I ended up deleting the app for a few reasons. One, because of a family emergency. Two, because I realized if I wanted to go out and meet all these guys, I would have to make time out of my already packed schedule to meet these strangers. Unfortunately I couldn't commit to that. There was also no guarantee that they would commit either. Three, most of the guys on these apps are looking for something casual. 

This was the beginning and end of my dating app adventure. I'm definitely not signing up for anymore. It was too much for my brain to handle. 

Here's to hoping I can find love the normal/natural way (sans dating apps).

2023 - HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

 It's officially 2023!! 

Well, Happy New Year to all of you readers. Thanks for continuing to read my random posts. It's crazy how I've had this blog since I was in high school, which seems like a VERY long time ago. Almost 20 years to be exact. Man, I feel old.

I guess you are wondering why I've kept it for so long. I don't know if I have an exact answer. Part of me is thinking this is almost like a personal diary (except for those who know this link). I can always go back to it and re-read the years and laugh about it. In a way, it's like I've watched myself grow. The other reason is looking back on various events, handbag purchases (haha), and they all have a sentimental value to me. I also appreciate the good and bad that I have blogged about over the years. A lot of my friends who started blogging with me in high school are no longer doing that (unless they have secret pages that I don't know about) as they are all busy with life, and that's understandable. Life takes over and then you forgot you have a blog. I'll aim to keep this going for as long as I can.

Well, we are still in this pandemic after 3 years. It's gotten to the point that people are just sick and tired of it. Ultimately, the people who are the ones that are tired from it are the health care workers dealing with COVID cases. ICU has been bombed with cases during this last wave (to be honest, I've lost count of which wave we are in right now). Omicron variant has sent people into ICU faster than the previous waves. I haven't been into the ICU lately but have friends who work there and they are all burnt out from this pandemic. During Christmas, it was the worst 2 weeks of my entire career. I was helping to staff the unit and it was a logistical nightmare trying to staff all the sick calls, LOA, family emergencies during the holiday. Management said it was the worst Christmas season they've ever dealt with as well. I have never pulled that much OT in a short time span. Everyone who is working doesn't want to work for the money. Those who were off didn't want to come in. It only left very few choices, and ultimately I ended up staying for either 10, 12 or 16 hours at a time. It's exhausting.

Carjackings. There's been so many of that happening. 

2022 was a record of how many cars were stolen from Toronto and shipped overseas for profit. Majority of them are still SUVs (Lexus RX, Honda CRVs being the top ones, F150 pick ups, Raptors are also common). I didn't really hear of sports cars being stolen. I mean, if they're stealing SUVs to use for illegal smuggling, bombings, driving over uneven terrains, then surely a sports car would be useless for that.

I was wrong.

Near the end of 2022 was when a friend had their Ferrari F12 TDF in bright orange carjacked late in the evening. Stolen from Forest Hill area. This story blew up all over social media, especially within the car community. Everyone had their eyes on this car.

Eventually the car was found parked in a handicap spot, underground at an apartment. It was not the police who found it. But a car spotter with a very keen eye. If it wasn't for him, the car would be long gone in a shipping container destined for Dubai. 

Unfortunately that is what happened with another local car enthusiast when his GT3RS and jeep were stolen off his driveway. He was not very lucky with recovering the vehicles. The Jeep was found to be in Montreal. The RS was missing for 4 months, until another car enthusiast spotted it on a Dubai website for sale in late December. Early this month, that post went viral. Many people were bombarding the shop with messages of selling stolen vehicles from Canada. Eventually their social media shut down, and the listing for the RS was removed from their website.

Really, none of us are safe. If you own a sedan or SUV/pick up, you're at risk of having your cars exported to Africa or Middle East. If you own a luxury sports car (depending on model and how limited they are), they could end up in Dubai for the very wealthy.

My advice? If you live in a house (whether it's detached, semi or townhouse), walk backwards into your home. It sounds stupid and may look like you have serious mental issues, but it's the only way that you will get to see your surroundings. Stare people down if you have to. Make yourself look crazy so no one approaches you. Once you turn your back and head towards your door, that's the window of opportunity for someone to run up behind you and attack. 

If you're out shopping and heading towards your car, always be aware of your surroundings. If you can, do a quick scan before approaching your vehicle. I usually do a full 360 to ensure my tires are all inflated. Considering how low profile my cars are, I don't expect anyone to be hiding underneath the car, or in it as my back seats are very small or non-existent. However, people can still put tracking devices underneath your car if they really want to follow you home. And that's why you walk backwards into your home.

Handbags.

Oh boy. Thankfully I have not bought too many in the past year. I did add on a Louboutin tote bag (which I can always review in another post). I am also awaiting a custom bag locally that will have a Porsche emblem on it to match the car. Until then, I think I am done with purchasing. It's insane how much they have increased prices over the years. Unless something REALLY catches my attention, I will sit on the side lines for now. Then again, I say that every damn year.

Dating.

Man, what is with the dating scene these days? When they say there are so many options in hospitals, they're lying. Unless they mean patients, which is against the rule anyways. I'm not adventurous enough to roam the city and find random people to befriend. There's also not much time as I'm mostly working (that's on me though, as I could technically make time, but I choose not to). Everyone suggested 'try the dating apps!' 

Ok so here's my story. It's actually not that interesting. But I signed up for ONE dating app just to try it out. It was free, but they only send you limited suggestions per day. As a woman, you get to choose who you want to connect with, but you can only do that in a limited amount per day. If you pay, you can see everyone's messages. Keep in mind, I'm not that desperate to find anyone. And I'm definitely not paying if I'm not desperate. 

When they say dudes are always being ghosted, I can disagree. Women also get ghosted too. I remember striking up normal conversations, starting off with "hi, how are you" or they had a common interest, you ice break by joking or something. The guys' responses would take days before they acknowledge anything. After almost 7 days of on and off random conversations, they would either stop talking, or ask "want to meet up?" Yeah, no thanks. 

My favourite is when one guy messaged and just asked let's meet up. UMM NO. Maybe if I want to die tonight then sure.

I only survived 3 weeks before quitting it entirely. Part of it was because I wasn't that desperate to date. Part of it was because of a family emergency. 

All in all, those dating apps have made me NOT want to date anymore. It's such an entirely different world out there. I'll just date my cars. 

Alright, that's it for now. Must do some chores.