Lick me, I'm a salty treat!

We have this lunch time baseball league happening at the university (3 innings, everyone bats, takes about an hour/hour and a half). I am not the world's greatest athlete, by any stretch. I'm better at the solo sports (running, biking, swimming, etc), and I tend to avoid team sports - in part I think because I am concious of my (lack of) ability.

So, I have avoided this lunch time league. I felt that everyone would be way more awesome than me, and that I would just mess people up. And, some people seemed to take the game really seriously.

However, last week they were short of players, and the person who most seems to take the game seriously was away, so I said I would play. We got there early, and warmed up with a game of catch. That was all right - I threw, I catched. I made some wild throws, I missed some catches, but hey - it was warm up - who didn't, and who cares?

Then, the other team was up to bat and I played right field. I basically stood there, and watched the ball. Nothing ever ends up in right fied. Finally, I went up to bat. This was the moment I was dreading...I was afraid I was going to swing like a goof, and miss every time. Well, I didn't. I made a fairly solid base hit. I got out at first, but the girl on first made it to third.

Since then, I have played two more games. Sometimes I back catch - which I love, and sometimes, stuck in right field. And, I have become a decently predictable hitter. I hit between the first base man and the pitcher. It often gets me out, but it helps out my team mates. And, today I scored, for the very first time! So awesome.

I am happy, and salty - it's a balmy 28°C, with a humidex of 35 °C. My sweat of lunch time has evaporated, leaving me flavoured like a potato chip.

I bet that looked odd

So, I had a craving for Reese's pieces the other day (Mel, if you are reading this, I know you can comiserate). Of course, I walk down to the snack machine in our building to buy a pack. On my way back up the stairs, I started to read the ingredients...

Sugar, partially defatted peanut meal, blend of vegetable oils (contains hydrogenated palm kernal and soybean oils), dextrose, nonfat milk...

"How strange," I think to myself, "they take the trouble to defat peanuts, and use nonfat milk, but add oil. I would rather have full-fat peanuts, full-fat milk, and no added oils!"

I am walking with my head down, staring at this pack of candy with, I am sure, an intense look of puzzlement. This is when I look up, to see one of the lead researchers in our building walking towards me.

"Hi," he says as he smiles and nods.

I manage to mumble hi back, but boy do I feel embarressed. I mean, that must of looked rather odd.

You know you're friends when...

There are lots of things that could probably complete that sentance. The one I am thinking of, and is fairly widely used, is "when you can travel together". Certainly, that can make or break a lot of friendships. Sometimes, you feel closer together after. Sometimes, you never want to see the other again!

When I loaded up a car with three other girls from work and headed out to New Mexico last winter, the guys back at work were predicting some major personality clashes. You see, two of us are perhaps "alpha female" types. Well, they were wrong. I am only hmm...obstinate about some things.

The other "alpha female" and I are still friends, and she frequently brightens my day by sending me emails. Today, I was feeling uber out of the loop and detached from everyone, and she put me in the greatest of moods by discussing...our next road trip!

This time, I will be the one honey-mooning without my husband (last year it was her).

There are lots and lots of details to work out, but I have something new to look forward to.

Back from Vancouver!

I had a lot of fun this weekend. I think I was expecting the weekend to be more stressful, more of an endurance, but really, it was great.

Friday night Sang's sister (not the one getting married!) and her friend picked us up at the airport, and drove us to the hotel where the bridesmaids were staying overnight (in order to be close to where the reception was). We hung out, had a few drinks, and then caught a ride to Sang's mom's house.

Saturday we rushed so we could show up early for family pictures. I was so tickled that I was considered family. Sang and I have been dating forever (okay, only six years), but we are not married yet. Nevertheless, I am in all the pics. One of my favorite moments was when the bride came into the photo studio and said "wait, my sister isn't here yet!"

The photographer looked at me, looked at her, and then looked at me again, as if to say "you mean, this isn't your sister?"

(the bf and i are of visibly different ethnic backrounds. so, we are impossibly genetically related. i do however realize that not all family relationships are genetic, but i still found this funny)

After pictures we ran some errands, and had some very short down time - Sang and I caught a 30 minute nap, only to be awakened by his mom telling us we were leaving in 10 minutes. Argh! Thankfully, we are naturally goodlooking, so it didn't take us long to get ready! ;P

We went to the restaurant, and as family, were one of the first ones there. Again, I was happy because I was put to work - a true sign of being accepted as part of the family, which is something I truly appreciated. The dinner was incredible - 10 courses. We started eating at 8:00 pm and weren't done until 10:30/11:00 pm.

I was sitting at a table with Sang's B.C. friends, and I think I could call them my friends, too. They all love Sang so much, that they are ready to love me too, just because of who I am to him. They were trying to tell me what a great guy he is, but really, I am way past convincing! It was super fun to swap stories though.

Sunday was low key. We hit a mall - and I found my wedding shoes, I think. Yay! I just need to try them on with my dress. We also hit an oriental grocery store, and bought some nummy treats for the plane ride home.

And now, we're back!