The name of the game: "No jetlag!"
The objective of game: "No jetlag!"
I'm back in Hong Kong and have started to catch up on work (IPO activity has palpably picked up), church (preparing for fellowship EM), Tyndale course (two final papers due in the next couple of weeks), and also hanging out a bit with my brother who came over right after I left last June (can you please go to sham shui po and help me pick up a router?)
No jetlag!
Thankfully, I have been able to get generally adequate rest at night, though I was hoping for more rest by the excuse of a typhoon -- an excuse that didn't pan out since it hit on Saturday night and was clear by 6am on Sunday morning. However, I still need to instill discipline to control my ever-erratic sleeping patterns on a continuing basis.
I also had a wonderful trip (pictures on Facebook, of course) with some of the following experiences:
Outdoor wedding (Toronto) - If you receive an invitation to an outdoor wedding, ensure to go early, lest you end up in the overflow seats outside the tent under the strongest rays of the beating sun (at high noon, no less). So much for trying not to tan (I slightly burned.) It was a beautiful wedding though, with wonderful weather!
Preston and Bolton, Lancashire, UK - Two recondite cities I am sure most people would never visit during their lifetime. It was worthwhile to explore these two tiny cities in advance of actually moving here (chances are slim now, if any) because while David and I believe there are aspects of the monastic spirit that are worth emulating, we don't agree on extreme asceticism.
Boston, MA, USA - Did you ever notice that the outdoor 'office shot' of Cage, Fish and Associates actually showed the faint name of the actual Boston building chosen taken as their office? The name is Congregational House and is located on 14 Beacon Street. If all goes well, perhaps I may become more acquainted with this city as I search my soul since there is so much more to life... though I am not referring to what love has to bring.
The Rockies, AB, Canada - The first and only time I came here on a cross-country family road trip when I was about 14. At that time, it was fun to step foot in tourist hotspots but without the appropriate appreciation one ought to have for the mountains (and lakes and glaciers) and their designed and created beauty.
When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him? -- Psalm 8:3-5
London, UK - This city is unique its cosmopolitanism though built upon a strong British history and culture. Despite having no outstanding indigenous cuisine, we thank God for Wagamama -- count: 4. (And once in Boston!)
Toronto, ON, Canada - Of course, as my hometown, it is a deep joy that I express in catching up with old friends as we encourage each other in the race. Swiss Chalet count: 2, Marche count: 3, Tim Hortons count: too many to count! (Unfortunately I did not stumble on any lemon-filled timbits.)
GRE - I completed it with a decent quant score and a passable verbal score; writing assessment score to come. As usual for standardized American examinations, I found the exam tedious and archaic - could they at least update the software from a monochrome interface found in computers manufactured by AST, a company that disappeared from the market over 10 years ago? (Though somehow a specimen of their computers remains in our basement at home in Toronto.)
While I don't believe in their testing strategy, I must admit the little vocabulary studying I have done has been beneficial in my general reading, especially of older books such as Richard Yates Revolutionary Road (if you're not one to read, go watch the movie -- it's good!) as well as assisting with everyone's favourite pastime, the Times Spelling Bee.
Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.