In this strange and weird ‘isolating’ time period, I’ve been enjoying the excessive amounts of television I’ve both taped and am watching ‘live’ shows.

I’ve really been happy watching this evening’s episodes of ‘Little Big Shots’ with Melissa McCarthy (it was a wonderful and fun musical one!) as well as the crazy antics on ‘American Idol’...and I’m not even halfway through yet!!! It’s made enough of an impression to pause the show to post about it!

Due to social distancing protocols, all recreational facilities in my building are closed...therefore I went for my first walk outside this year!

Even though it was a nice reminder as to why I like to exercise outside, it's still a leeeetle tooooo early in the year as my ears were definitely feeling it.

So if I go out tomorrow morning....earmuffs it is! ;p

Social distancing

Wikipedia’s definitely of ‘social distancing’ is a set of nonpharmaceutical infection control actions intended to stop or slow down the spread of a contagious disease. With the main point of social distancing is in hopes to reduce the probability of contact between persons carrying an infection, and others who are not infected, so as to minimize disease transmission, morbidity and ultimately, death.

Why this necessity at this time?

Unfortunately, the entire world is dealing with coronavirus (COVID-19), an infectious disease caused by a new virus that had not been previously identified in humans. The virus causes respiratory illness (flu-like) with symptoms such as a cough, fever and in more severe cases, pneumonia.

It’s so debilitating as even though it doesn’t discriminate to any age, it seems to mainly affect older people and people with pre-existing medical conditions. (Note, parents in this category...even though I’m just past the second point.)

Therefore, even though it goes against my will...social distancing it is...for now.

'Leave a Light On'

Alex Karev's sendoff from the Grey's Anatomy Series March 5, 2020

I made the decision to not watch yesterday's episode that was another one of Grey's original character's closing storyline...partly because I had read some articles giving me an idea of what was to come but the reviews seemed to be negative.
However, after reading Ellen Pompeo's message:
Hi here I go again … Thank YOU! You are truly the best most passionate most loyal fans anyone could ever ask for. Because of you we got to make great tv... because of you we got to make television history! I say often life is hard and thank God it is because like I tell my kids... it shows us what we are made ...of how strong we really are and let's face it... without the lows there would be no dancing it out or celebrating this incredible experience we call life. Thanks to our national treasure @therealdebbieallen and the writers for giving Alex Karev the best send off. Thanks to @shondarhimes for creating the most amazing character. For me personally for Karev to go back to the beginning... was the best possible storyline. It pays homage to those incredible first years and the incredible case … that created a foundation so strong that the show is still standing. So let's not be sad. As our fearless leader DA always says let's PULL UP and celebrate the actors the writers and the fantastic crew who make this show come to life every week. No matter what the challenge or how tired we all are in the end... you keep us going..... That is worth dancing it out over! So much love and gratitude to you all. Xo E
it made me WANT to watch it to make my own judgement on how Justin Chamber's character was wrapped up.

I must say that I disagree with a lot of the negative comments. I'm mainly surprised by the reaction as I personally loved the flashbacks and approve of how they wrapped up the storyline for this character who's been on this journey with Meredith since the beginning. It really does give new meaning to leaving the light on!

This is my conclusion. I’m including a timeline of grey’s characters and the seasons they were on for:

as well as an image as to what happened to the characters:

...that is all!

Call of the wild

So I went to see this movie per mom’s request yesterday.
It’s a sweet movie about a big-hearted dog named Buck and how his domestic life as just a dog is turned upside down when he’s uprooted from his home in Cali and shipped to the Alaskan Yukon in the 1890s. Going through chapters in his life that included being part of a mail-delivery dog sled team, the movie shows how Buck experiences the adventure of a lifetime as he ultimately finds where his place is in the world.

Definitely a bit of an emotional roller coaster seen through the eyes of a dog.
Plus there was this added bonus of seeing Harrison Ford as one of the main characters as well. Won’t spoil the ending. 😉

Totally worth seeing.

Leap year

Was spent wonderfully with the family as we went to the Bell lightbox for a dinner at Luma, with a wonderful display of seafood (I got the burger), finishing off with dessert and coffee with bailey's.

YUM!!!

I've included two photos of the cn tower as well, we had seats with the wonderful view!

Afterwards, we went to the Princess of Wales to see the fabulous River Dance!!!

Loving smiles are like a bunch of magic keys that can open puzzled minds

Kiril Vasilev

Met up with Cat at the Sheppard Center, Longo’s Starbucks during her lunch hour for a pre-birthday drink catchup.

Even though it was a bitter sweet flashback to our coffee catchups from back in the day, there was also some unfortunate news of her mom going through what I’d gone though a year and half ago...just under less fortunate circumstances. Ai yah...

I can only wish for the best in this situation, god willing.

Either way, wishing a bestie who I’d met when we’d studied French in Tours, France back in our undergrad uni years the most enjoyable day with hubby, Jeff come Monday. #Monsieurbolo

Vanessa Bryant's tribute to Gianna and Kobe

Eulogy delivered at their memorial in Los Angeles' Staples Center on February 24, 2020

Gianna Bryant
My baby girl. Gianna Bryant is an amazingly sweet and gentle soul. She was very thoughtful and always kissed me good night and kissed me good morning. There were a few occasions where I was absolutely tired from being up with Bianka and Capri, and I thought she had left to school without saying goodbye. I text and say, "Not kiss?" And Gianna would reply with, "Mama, I kissed you. You were asleep and I didn't want to wake you." She knew how much her morning and evening kisses meant to me, and was so thoughtful to remember to kiss me every day. She was daddy's girl, but I know she loved her mama, and she would always show me and tell me that she loved me. She was one of my very best friends.

She loved to bake. She loved putting a smile on everyone's face. Last August she made a beautiful birthday cake for her daddy, and it had fondant and looked like it had blue agate crystals. Kobe's birthday cake looked like it was professionally decorated. She made the best chocolate chip cookies. She loved watching cooking shows and "Cupcake Wars" with me, and she loved watching "Survivor" and "NBA on TNT" with her daddy. She also loved watching Disney movies with her sisters.

Gigi was very competitive like her daddy, but she had a sweet grace about her. Her smile was like sunshine. Her smile took up her entire face, like mine. Kobe always said she was me. She had my fire, my personality and sarcasm, and she was tender and loving on the inside. She had the best laugh. It was infectious. It was pure and genuine.

Kobe and Gianna naturally gravitated towards each other. She had Kobe's ability to listen to a song and have all the lyrics memorized after listening to the song a couple of times; it was their secret talent.

She was an incredible athlete. She was great at gymnastics, soccer, softball, dance, and basketball. She was an incredible dancer, too. She loved to swim, dance, do cartwheels and do jumps into our swimming pool. Gigi loved her TikTok dances.

Gigi was confident but not in an arrogant way. She loved helping and teaching other people things. At school she offered the boy's basketball coaches to help give the boys' basketball team some pointers, like the triangle offense. She was very much like her daddy and they both liked helping people learn new things and master them. They were great teachers.

Gigi was very sweet. She always made sure everybody was okay and she was our shepherd. She always kept our family together. She loved family together. She loved family traditions, and family movie night was important to her. She always looked out for everyone. She was very much in tune with our feelings and wanted the best for us.

Gianna was smart. She knew how to read, speak and write Mandarin. She knew Spanish and had great grades and kept them up all while becoming a great basketball player. She was president of school spirit, on school council. She was director's assistant for her school play just like her big sister. She was looking forward to graduating eighth grade and moving on to high school with her big sister, Natalia. I am so happy she was given the opportunity to know that she was accepted to the same high school. She was really happy.

Gianna made us all proud and she still does. Gianna never tried to conform. She was always herself. She was a nice person, a leader, a teacher, wearing a white tee, black leggings, a denim jacket, white high top Converse and a flannel tied around her waist, and straight hair was her go-to style. She had rhythm and swag since she was a baby. She gave the best hugs and the best kisses. She had gorgeous, soft lips like her daddy. She would hug me and hold me so tight. I could feel her love me and I loved the was she looked up at me, it was as if she was soaking me all in. We love each other so much. I miss her so much.

She was so energetic. I couldn't keep up with her energy. She lapped Natalia and I on track once. She was about six years old. We let her have a head start and she still dusted us. I miss her sweet kisses and cleverness and I miss her sarcasm and her wit, and that adorable sly side smile followed with a grin and a burst of laughter. We shared the same "cat that ate the canary" grin. Gigi was sunshine. She brightened up my day every day. I miss looking at her beautiful face.

She was always so good. A rule follower. I knew I could always count on her to do the right thing. She was the most loving daughter, thoughtful little sister and silly big sister. She often helped to carry the littles' baby bag and playing with them, and she loved helping with Bianka and Capri. Bianka loved going to the playground, swimming and jumping on the trampoline with Gigi. I used to tell Gigi I though Koko considered her her favorite sister. Capri would smile from ear to ear when Gigi walked into the room and Capri reminds me a lot of Gianna. They look alike and just smile with their whole face - pure joy.

We would not be able to see Gigi go to high school with Natalia and ask her how her day went. We didn't get a chance to teach her how to drive a car. I won't be able to tell her how gorgeous she looks on her wedding day. I will never get to see my baby girl walk down the aisle, have a father-daughter dance with her daddy, dance on the dance floor with me and have babies of her own. Gianna would have been an amazing mommy. She was very maternal ever since she was really little.

Gigi would've most likely become the best player in the WNBA. She would've made a huge difference for women's basketball. Gigi was motivated to change the way everyone viewed women in sports. She wrote papers in school defending women and wrote about how the unequal pay difference of the NBA and WNBA leagues wasn't fair. And I truly feel she made positive change for the WNBA players now, because they knew Gigi's goal was to eventually play in the WNBA.

I am still so proud of Gianna, and she was kind to everybody she met for the 13 years she was here on Earth. Her classmates shared many fond stories with us and those stories reminded me that Gianna love and showed everyone that no act of kindness is ever too small to make a difference in someone's life. She was always, always, always considerate of others and their feelings. She was a beautiful, kind, happy, silly, thoughtful and loving sister and daughter. She was so full of life and had so much more to offer this world. I cannot imagine life without her. Mommy, Natalia, Bianka, Capri and Daddy love you so much, Gigi. I will miss your sweet handmade cards, your sweet kisses, and your gorgeous smile. I miss you, all of you, every day. I love you.

Kobe Bryant
Now for my soulmate. Kobe was known as a fierce competitor on the basketball court. The greatest of all time, a writer, an Oscar winner and the Black Mambe. But to me he was KobKob, my Boo-Boo, my Bae-Boo, my papi chulo. I was his VeBe, his principessa, his reina, Queen Mama -- Mambe -- and his [inaudible nickname].

I couldn't see him as a celebrity nor just an incredible basketball player. He was my sweet husband and the beautiful father of my children. He was mine. He was my everything.

Kobe and I have been together since I was 17-and-a-half years old. I was his first girlfriend, his first love, his wife, his best friend, his confidant and his protector. He was the most amazing husband. Kobe loved me more than I could ever express or put into words. He was the early bird and I was the night owl. I was fire and he was ice, and vice versa at times. We balanced each other out. He would do anything for me. I have no idea how I deserved a man that loved and wanted me more than Kobe. He was charismatic, a gentleman, he was loving and adoring and romantic. He was truly the romantic one in our relationship. I looked forward to Valentine's Day and our anniversaries every year. He planned special anniversary trips and a special traditional gift for every year of our marriage. He even handmade my most treasured gifts. He just thought outside the box and was so thoughtful even while working hard to be the best athlete. He gave to me the actual notebook and the blue dress Rachel McAdams wore in "The Notebook" movie. When I asked him why he chose the blue dress, he said because it was the scene when Allie comes back to Noah. We had hoped to grow old together like the movie. We really had an amazing love story. We loved each other with our whole beings, two perfectly imperfect people raising a beautiful family and our sweet and amazing girls.

A couple weeks before they passed Kobe sent me a sweet text and mentioned how he wanted to spend time together, just the two of us, without our kids, because I am his best friend first. We never got the chance to do it. We were busy taking care of our girls and just doing our regular everyday responsibilities. But I'm thankful I have that recent text. It means so much to me. Kobe wanted us to renew our vows. He wanted Natalia to take over his company and he wanted to travel the world together. We talked about how we would be the fun grandparents to our daughters' children. He would have been the coolest grandpa.

Kobe was the MVP of girl dads, or MVD. He never left the toilet seat up. He always told the girls how beautiful and smart they are. He taught them how to be brave and how to keep pushing forward when things get tough. When Kobe retired from the NBA, he took over dropping off and picking up our girls from school since I was at home pregnant with Bianka and just recently home nursing Capri.

When Kobe was still playing, I used to show up an hour early to be the first in line to pick up Natalia and Gianna from school, ad I told him he couldn't drop the ball once he took over. He was late one time, and we most definitely let him know that I was never late. So he showed up one hour and 20 mins early after that.

He always knew there was room for improvement and wanted to do better. He happily did carpool and enjoyed spending time in the car with our girls. He was a doting father, a father that was hands on and present. He helped me bathe Bianka and Capri almost every night. He would sing them silly songs in the shower and continue making them laugh and smile as he lathered them in lotion and got them ready for bed. He had magic arms and could put Capri to sleep in only a few minutes. He said he had it down to a science, eight times up and down our hallway.

He loved taking Bianka to Fashion Island and watching her play in the koi pond area and love taking her to the park. Their most recent visit to the koi pond with the evening before he and Gigi passed. He shared a love of movies and breakdown of films with Natalia. He enjoyed renting out theaters and taking Natalia to watch the newest "Star Wars" movie or "Harry Potter" films. They would have movie marathons and he enjoyed every second of it. He loved the typical tearjerkers, too, and he loved watching "Stepmom," "Steel Magnolias," and "Little Women". He had a tender heart.

Kobe somehow knew where I was at all times, specifically when I was late to his games. He would worry about me if I wasn't in my seat at the start of each game and would ask security where I was, at the first time out of the first quarter. My smart ass would tell him he was not going to drop 81 points within the first 10 minutes of the game. I think anybody with kids understands that sometimes you can't make it out the door on time, and eventually he was used to my tardiness and balled out. The fact that he could play on an intense professional level and still be concerned by making sure we made it to the game safely is just another example of how family comes first to him.

He loved being Gianna's basketball coach. He told me he wished he would have convinced Natalia to play basketball so they could have spent more time together, and he also wanted her to pursue her own passion. He watched Natalia play in a volleyball tournament on her birthday, January 19, and he noticed how she's a very intelligent player. He was convinced she would have made a great point guard with her vision of the court. And he told me he wanted Bianka and Capri to take up basketball so he could spend just as much time with him as he did with Gigi. Kobe always told Bianka and Capri that they were going to grow up, play basketball and 'mix they ass up.' Now they won't have their daddy and sister here to teach them, and that is truly a loss I don't understand.

I am so thankful Kobe heard KoKo say, "Dada." He is not here to drop Bianka and Capri off at pre-K or kindergarten and he will not be here to tell me to get a grip when we have to leave the kindergarten classroom, and he is not going to be able to walk our girls down the aisle or spin me around on the dance floor, singing PYT to me. But I want my daughters to know and remember the amazing person, husband and rather he was. The kind of man that wanted to teach future generations to be better and keep them from making his own mistakes. He always liked working and doing projects to improve kids' lives. He taught us all valuable lessons about life and sports through his NBA career, his books, his show, 'Detail,' and his 'Punies' podcast series. We are so thankful he left those lessons and stories behind for us.

He was thoughtful and always wrote the best love letters and cards, and Gigi had his wonderful ability to express her feelings into paper and make you feel her love through his words. She was thoughtful like him. They were so easy to love. Everybody naturally gravitated towards them. They were funny, happy, silly, and they loved life. They were so full of joy and adventure. God knew they couldn't be on this Earth without each other. He had to bring them home to have them together. Babe, you take care or our Gigi. I got Nati, BiBi and KoKo, and we're still the best team.

We love and miss you, Boo-Boo and Gigi. May you both rest in peace and have fun in heaven until we meet again one day. We love you both and miss you forever and always, Mommy.

Pop’s Chock’lit shoppe flashback

Courtesy of Times Square Diner - Strawberry milkshake!!!

This diner was introduced to us by one my father’s bridge couples who live by us. There’s actually a bridge party occurring at one of the couple’s place in Mississauga. We’d gone to their place after a nice ‘Turtle Jack’s’ dinner at Erin Mills Town Center. There, I enjoyed a nice plate of French Onion Burger!

Delightful!

Now, I’m taking this time reading a chapter for work...might as well take this time to increase my knowledge and understanding! Besides, I’ll reward myself with dessert afterwards as a job well done. 😉

Happy Family Day!

Ames treated me to a cupcake last night, after we went to see the 2020 Oscar movie, Parasite, in theatres yesterday. As we’d had a family dinner at the Hot House Cafe, I decided to save it for brekkie this morning...

DEliSH!!!!!

We also stopped by Vaughan Mills Mall this arvo as mom and Ames did some quick shopping. During this time, I enjoyed a nice tall chocolate cookie crumble Frappuccino with no foam that was supposed to be a mocha Frappuccino, but whatevs if the order was messed up? I go ‘okay, way to go and try new things...’.

Not bad, if I don’t say so myself...

east side marios chicken parm sliders

Déjeuner aujourd'hui, YUM!!!

Life is too short to be bogged down and be discouraged. You have to keep moving. You have to keep going.

Kobe Bryant
This was one of his quotes that was shown on the memoriam that Billie Eilish sang during the Oscars. Although, they seemed to have missed some big names like Luke Perry and Cameron Boyce to name a few.

And after having a Sunday Mexican brunch with Abbeyites, Karina, Faye and their better halves, Kristy and Marc, we're hoping the k-squared have a safe trip over to Oz next Wednesday. I've many mixed feelings about another change in all our chapters...after all, Dr. T's already left for Oz at the end of last year...now these girlies are going over to join. Mind you, Kristy's originally from Tassie so it'll be an amazing return to home for her. As well, to fix her shoulder that's awaiting surgery that she cannot have here.

It's a farewell to another abbeyite as this is another big life change. On the other hand, this is another incentive for me to visit oz again in the hopefully near future. At least NOW that I have a 'steady' source of income again, I can work towards this goal! As the quote goes, keep moving and keep going...

So the deed is done ☹️

I have ever so reluctantly left my toastmasters group.
The group I’ve technically not really been a part of for about a year now because I hadn’t paid the membership fee since it’s renewal near the end of last year.

It NOW feels really permanent as I’ve even left the MSI Toastmasta!!! chat group... NOW it’s real.

C’est tout.

The Good Place Series Finale - January 30, 2020

I watched the finale on THE date it played but it had really struck a chord with me. Enough to re-watch and make notes of my favourite quotes!

Including:
Janet - What do you think happens when people walk through the door? It's the only thing in the universe I don't know.

Eleanor - I don't know either. The wave returns to the ocean. What the ocean does with the water after that is anyone's guess. But, as a VERY wise not robot once told me (chidi), 'the true joy's in the mystery'.

Janet - I hate to see you walk through the final door at the edge of existence. But I LOVE to watch you leave! (Eleanor taught her)

Eleanor - You got a John Locke quote or piece of Kant-ian wisdom you can throw at me?
Chidi - Those guys were more focused on rules & regulations. For spiritual stuff, we have to turn to the east. Picture a wave. The ocean. And you can see it, measure it, it's height, the way the sunlight refracts when it passes through. And it's there. And you can see it. And you know what it is. It's a wave. And then it crashes on the shore. And it's gone. But the water is still there. The wave is just a little different way of the water to be. For a little while. But that's just one conception of death for a Buddhist. The wave returns to the ocean. Where it came from. Where it's supposed to be.
Eleanor - not bad, Buddhists.
Chidi - Not bad. None of this is bad.

So ever since I began my new job, my boss was so kind enough to help me assimilate and learn my new role by borrowing a book explaining the duties and background to the purpose of my job. I've been going to our building library to read it and go back to my studying days. As the content is interesting and helps explain what I've been doing, I've really appreciated this. However, many outside forces keep interrupting me and this has become annoying and disruptive which makes me so internally enraged.

To help with my simmering emotions, I've literally had to read these quotes to help calm me down again...and so the day has been managed, for now...

January 26, 2020: RIP Kobe Bryant...

as well as his 13-year-old daughter (Gianna) and seven others who were killed in a devastating helicopter crash on Sunday in Los Angeles.

Such a tragic loss that occurred the same day as the 2020 Grammy's...as well as at the beginning of the Year of the Rat, Chinese New Year.

So long, farewell...

I attended MSIT (mon sheong inspired toastmasters) last night again after nearly 2 years (give or take approximately 21 months).

It was nice to visit and see the changes, as there has been many. Mainly that except for the President (who actually only came BECAUSE I was attending), I recognized no one. All the members were new to me. Ah well, such is the toastmasters club life, especially still so new.

Regardless of the feeling of being included (they asked me to be the timer), I’ve sadly come to the conclusion that even though I am still on the MSI Toastmasta!!! group chat (as I had originally requested as I was a founding member and hadn’t planned on leaving), this may be an indication that my time is up.

Mostly because the group has drastically changed and isn’t a priority for me at all. Actually, to be completely honest, partly due to location and the members (wink wink), if I DO continue with toastmasters, I would probably sign up with my friend, Winnie’s (Eglinton Yonge Toastmasters). However, THAT is ALSO still a ways to go.

Until then, as Bill Lee and Julie Andrew’s song from ‘The Sound of Music’ goes...

It's been so long since I've last been to Frankie Tomatto's!!!
Mind you, I cannot stuff myself at buffet's like in the times long past....BUT it's always nice to have MORE options! (Literally just grabbing small bite-sized portions...)

Enjoyed a great dinner with Jordan last night at Stack a smokehouse specializing in bbq food. It's been much too long since I've last been there and the bbq ribs, mac & cheese with my additional s’mores shake was VERY FILLING!!! (BUT worth every bite)

This is especially nice after starting my new job. Major perk is that even though I go in part-time, it's actually at a wage which works out well so that I can do more than just work... :)
As well, the office environment is so welcoming and I hope this will be a nice long term project...fingers-crossed!!!

'I like to say David is yolo koko...you only live once so keep on keeping on, man. Keep on struggling with this & learning this and learning this...and growing!'

Said by Stevie Wonder in David Foster: Off the Record
Totally agree with Stevie on this sentiment...it's all about learning and growing through the struggle!

So in preparation for the upcoming year of the Rat, went to Art Inn Runway, a salon at Pacific Mall (that I go to now) to get a haircut on Saturday! I even have my preferred hair stylist, Benson (riiiiiight?!?!?!? SUCH an artsy stylist name, lol)! Personally though, I didn't want it cut too short so just a couple of inches...

Afterwards, we (even Ames!) went to Niagara to relax. Caught a show by The Voca People at the casino where the premise is that a group of performers dressed all in white with red lips. The Voca People claim to come from the Planet Voca (somewhere behind the sun) where all communication is based on music and vocal expressions. Their motto is "Life is music and music is life". During the show, The Voca People are supposed to sometimes mingle with the crowd...during THIS performance, one of the performers tried to sit on my lap (I was sitting in the aisle seat) but as my purse was in my lap, the performer jumped off like something made my lap unpleasant! It was the PERFECT prop!
Went to the Canyon Creek Chophouse for dinner where I had a Kansas City Steak Soup (slow roasted prime rib, carrots, celery, onion and garlic) and Prime Rib Sliders (prime rib on baked buns, cabernet jus and horseradish sour cream) as my meal. I also had a bit of Dad's Peppercorn New York striploin and some avocado from Ames' salad, yum!

After coming home in the early afternoon, I'm now catching up the tv movie I'd taped off of the W Network called Love In Winterland with Italia Ricci & Chad Michael Murray. Normally I don't go out of my way to tape cheesy tv movies BUT because I saw that Mr. Murray was in this, I was hooked! One of my crushes from back in the day in One Tree Hill with another cutie, James Lafferty....why not? Shelley and I used to LOOOOOOVVVEEE catching the show in between our studies during school! Such pretty faces to look (not just the guys) at in the show. Even though the show's ended since 2012, I'd still watch reruns if they played it (like Gilmore Girls :)) He's still quite the hunk and even though I'm just at the beginning of the movie, I'm totally rooting for him and Ally! Why not?

Aiming to get a good night's rest as tomorrow I begin another chapter...hopefully a longer and not as much struggling in this one! *fingers-crossed*

The day's been a turmoil of feelings but it's come out positive and can only go up now...woot! 👍

You've made this day a special day by just being you. There's no person in the whole world like you and I like you just the way you are.

- Fred Rogers

Enjoyed New Years in Niagara and went to see 'Little Women' at Fairview mall with mom thanks to Louie's movie tix present!

As this is the beginning of awards season, the Golden Globe Awards is happening this weekend and so in an effort to clean up all my taped shows, I've been binge watching 'A Very Brady Renovation' and 'The Masked Singer'. ;p