What made me happy thses weeks - Apr 3 - May 29

Sorry for not updating but a lot has happened:

#1: Finished and submitted my thesis proposal; just the proposal, not the whole thesis but it is still 50 plus pages. Now awaiting for the supervisor to review and comment, then it is back to the drawing board.

#2: Went on a 3-day skiing trip to Sunshine and loved it; we rented a vacation condo and literally skied for 3 day; okay, it was more like 2-half-days and 1-full-day. The second day I signed up for a day-long lesson and it really was worth the money; I improved a lot. Before this trip, I had a 5-hour lesson at the local Snow Valley ski hill and by the end of the Sunshine lesson, I was able to go down the blue hills (green = beginner, blue = intermediate, black = advance, hence black diamond and double black diamond).

My best friend Sonya and her boyfriend Ian were also there and we had so much fun together; in the next season, I am going to first invest in some decent clothing and gears, then take more lessons all winter long! Black Diamonds here I come!

#3: I officially resigned from being on the condo board, neither as the president nor a board of director; I am too busy but the real reason is I am just tired of people making no effort trying to resolve difficult situations by discussing with others. I think a lot of times we all forget how important it is to have a face-to-face conversation with our neighbours to resolve our differences; I guess having a discussion is harder then just sending a warning letter or taking drastic actions ...

#4: Attending many cultural events and worked out at least 2-3 times a week; feeling very fulfilled both my mind and body. In the summer, I am planning to sign up for some weight training and yoga classes. In the fall, I am already a season subscriber to Alberta Ballet and Broadway Across Canada, now I plan to add Citadel Theater subscription to the list and attend more MET Opera events at the Cineplex.

#5: Filled 9 planters with beautiful annuals from the local greenhouses; pictures to follow next post. Tried growing more seeds but the results weren't that great, maybe only 20% survived and still too weak to be transplanted outdoor.

#6: Participated in 2011 Mitsubishi City Chase with my buddy Linda! Since how it was our first time, we were pretty clueless. Turned out one of the clues was release on the Facebook the night before the race and there were a lot of strategies involved which we didn't anticipate. Do it again and better next year.

#7: Looking forward to cat-sit for my friends Abigail and Daniel; pictures to follow next post. Also looking forward to a small weekend Calgary trip with the Woodwards. Last but not least, can't wait for the summer festivals (Capital EX, Cariwest, Fringe, Heritage Festival, Street Performers, Taste of Edmonton) to begin.

#8: Celebrate volunteerism like there is no tomorrow - I signed up to volunteer at the MacEwan Convocation and for the MacEwan Dragon Boat team this year, I hope my arms don't fall off ... I am considering to volunteer for some of the above festivals this summer and the Crisis Line in the Fall as well ... Give back, people, give back!