Unplugged Happiness

While taking a two year hiatus on blogging on the Cynful Wire, I have been reflecting on the pursuit of happiness. If writing keeps me happy, what should I write (other than poetry)? Every day of the year seemed to be playing endlessly on repeat.... Having to bargain my way with every day mindless hum drum -- unpleasant road-raged drivers or commuters too eager to plop their faces onto a smartphone screen to take notice of anything else. This is my typical every day bus commute: a man taking two seats on a full bus, blissfully oblivious playing a game on his smartphone; he must have paid double fare for the seat of his backpack while an elderly lady hangs onto the rail for dear life. A mere "hello, excuse me" elicited no acknowledgement out of this gentlemanly stranger.

Try this point challenge, especially if you take public transit. Count how many people (including ourselves) have their eyes glued onto an electronic device screen. One point per bus passenger. Add 10 points if you see a driver texting and driving.

It has been three weeks since I have de-activated my Facebook. Since then, I have been able to focus on my studying a whole lot better -- rather than spending time on writing updates on studying. Laughable, isn't it?!

Unplugging from Facebook can seem terrifying at first -- but then, I remember how exhausting it is to keep up with up-to-the-minute details on my family, friends and acquaintances' lives. It has been amazing how much my stress levels has dropped -- without realizing how I unhappy I was, comparing my busy uneventful life with that of others. It also stopped me from living vicariously through others and having to worry about "being watched" closely -- or if a post would portray me as a narcissist. Quitting Facebook doesn't mean I am turning anti-social; if anything, it allows more face time. (Ironic, isn't it?) If anyone wanted to keep in touch, I'm only a phone call or an email away. Even better, I am finding the time to write thoughtful snail mails --things that only seem possible in times before the era of social media.

Another unplugging challenge is obvious: cellphone use. Figure out how much your smartphone usage is costing you on an annual basis. Factor the 3% average annual inflation cost -- so, multiply the cost of your annual cellphone bill by 1.03. If you are in a cellphone contract, multiply that number by the total number of years. Say, without including how much the cellphone costed, here's a rough estimate: an average of $55 per month x 12 months x 3 years x 1.03 x 1.03 x 1.03. That cellphone will eat away at least $2,163.41 over the span of 3 years -- $680.00 annually that could grow slowly at 1.20% in a tax-free savings account. Now, include the initial cost of your cellphone minus what you could sell it for -- does keeping in contact with everyone has to cost us our limb? Then, note how many impulse purchases we make from having convenient access to the Internet. Can we differentiate needs from wants?

Being plugged in kind of reminds me of a scene in the Pixar movie Wall-E. It is the part where humans would sit comfortably obese in their chairs, doing everything through a screen, oblivious to the existence of a swimming pool.

Once we start looking beyond our personalized bubbles, then, we can be more aware of how our actions can impact others and ourselves. To do good as a eco-global citizen requires more than liking an environmental or activist group -- it requires our genuine passion and planned action. We have to be good loving neighbours to be respectful citizens. Go ahead -- be fearless, unplug and be happy!

PSA: Facebook Places

Facecrook... beg your puddin', Facebook is getting cleverer each time with each new launch of a platform or an application. Just over a week ago, Facebook Places was just briefly talked about in the newspapers. I just found out today that I had to play with privacy settings YET once again.

What is Facebook Places? In a nutshell, it's a genius viral marketing tool. Your friend checks you in or you decidedly to "check-in" at your favourite location(s). Marketers understand the N-generation far too well: N-geners are far more technical savvy and more easily influenced by their peers. However, is this method ethical if privacy issues were taken into consideration? Facebook seems to have lengthy and complicated opt-out processes if you do not wish friends to "stalk" you. Facebook Places deserves this:

Now, to effectively opt-out of Facecrook Places, there are four steps.

1. Privacy settings > Applications/games/websites > Information accessible through friends > Uncheck Places

2. Privacy settings > customise settings > set "Places I check in" to "ONLY ME"

3. Privacy settings > customise settings >Friends can check me in to places > select disable
   

4. Account settings > Notifications >turn Notifications off for Facebook Places.

See, it's a lengthy opt-out process.

Easy Recipes

I am starting a food blog despite the fact that I'm not a talented food photographer. It is basically a compilation of recipes that are a) easy to make, b) won't break your budget, c) healthy.

Some of my favourite online recipe sites are such:
www.allrecipes.com
www.makantime.com (for authentic Southeast Asian cuisine)
Then, to (shamelessly) promote my food blog, here it is: http://cynniebuns.wordpress.com

Earth and a Sea of Roses

(image source; perhaps a painting/drawing might ensue)

I'm sailing on a sea of roses
Scent of spring is in the air
It's the land of happy pill doses
Love and humility everywhere

If that is how heaven is ---
That kind of quiet soothing blissfulness
But earth is crying;
She's used, abused for the comfort of living
Stripped of her beautiful birds and trees
Cellular signals confuse the bees
Why can't we see more empathy? We can take some responsibilities
Recycle and reuse; make earth feel and look pretty
Live life in humility

This is heaven; what goes up will still come down
It saddens me when nobody gives a damn 'til they hear the sound
of thunder crashing, of earth shaking
Grieved and hurt, heaven's turning to hell
Tainted love, she's got to ring the death bell

I'm on a ship that sails on the sea of roses
It doesn't sink when the thorns encloses over us
Storms and beasts are some of life's happy feasts
Drunk with love from fermented yeast

That is how heaven is ---
That kind of joyful lovingness
But greed and hate
seems to be Earth Mother's fate
Raped of her precious metals and fuel fossils
Acid rain on rose petals and wastes from paper mills
Why aren't we ashamed? We are all to blame
Money doesn't buy true beauty
Life life in humility

This is heaven; we live what we make it to be
It's a huge garden for thousands of species to roam free
It's not just for you and for me
For the future, heaven can be better
For the past, we can treasure what has last

Love heaven, love earth
Rose buds of hope and a new birth
Love heaven, love earth
On a sea of roses, we will surf


- Cynthia C., written March 29, 2009

Cynful Indulgence presents: Where to eat or dine in Edmonton?

You might be surprised to hear that you don't have to travel any further than Edmonton for fine variety of restaurants. Sure, you could go to the Taste of Edmonton to indulge your taste buds for sample size portions. Alternatively, you could pick up a SEE or VUE magazine and browse through reviews. Or, you could look at these suggestions and use google to find what other reviewers have to say about them. Sorry, food photography isn't really my thing when it ought to land on my taste buds first.

Fast bites for breakfast/lunch
A. Shine Cafe
If you work in downtown, a notable cafe with delectable choices for breakfast and sandwiches/salad for lunch is neatly tucked right along the walkway to Canada Place. So far, I have tried an egg, havarti cheese, spinach English muffin at $2.95. At first I was skeptical -- the near-by affordable breakfast places I have frequented up to that point were just OK.
It is quite the priviledge to be served by the chef himself; he is the owner of the cafe. He went to culinary school at SAIT. You might want to read his work biography if you do decide to pop by the cafe. When I took my first bite at my office desk, I was in breakfast heaven sans bacon.

B. Pho King
Okay, don't laugh at the name. Decent prices and amazingly delicious Vietnamese food. The owner's sister-in-law is an amazing cook. Don't fancy pho or vermicelli? There's breakfast all day! Furthermore, they have Happy Hour for a certain time after 3 pm.

C. Handy Bakery
It is ALWAYS dangerous to carry your debit or credit card there. Mouth-watering pastries and various variety of fresh bread.... If they have this on the menu: "lasagna, garlic toast and caesar salad" and if they still have some available, it is worth a try. Caution though, you might get hooked and would look forward to the next time it's on the menu. It was always a good day at work when the indulgence of cream horns and custard tarts from this bakery are being shared at work. Oh, hope you won't be counting calories. After all, letting yourself indulge DOES involve burning some calories.

CULINARY TREASURES: The journey around the world in Edmonton
A. Ethiopian: Blue Nile
Yes, there are restaurants that serve sheesha. Co-Co Di was a popular spot until it got burnt down. The Blue Nile offers both exotic food (on the main floor) and sheesha (in the basement). Do not be turned off by using your hands to eat. The food is delicious; it is actually quite fun to tear a piece of this sour-dough wrap/flat-bread and eat it with meats and/or vegetable.

On a side note, Sabzy Cafe (Persian cafe on Whyte Ave) also offers sheesha. Reviews would be unavailable for this cafe since I haven't tried it yet.

B. Chinese:
There are plenty in the city. It depends on what you want or your location within the city.
Dim Sum
For chinese breakfast ("dim sum"), there are a few in the south-side. "Beijing Beijing" is a great note-worthy place for dim sum, with quite reasonable prices. It is very busy in the weekends; after a certain time in the morning, you would have to wait for spots.
Mirama and Century Dynasty are good for dim sum too; it's not difficult to find a dim sum place in Chinatown. Fast service, good food. Likewise, Good Buddy at Northgate is a great place for dim sum as well.

Dinner -- dining with a group of people
Great seafood!
You might want to learn how to use the chopsticks properly before the peaches and shrimp arrives on the lazy susan at Wok King. (Or save one and put it in your spare bowl!) This restaurant is two stores away from the Garden Bakery in Chinatown. Even though not known by many people, it is often packed on big occasions such as Chinese New Year.
Great hot-pot!
A great way to enjoy food and company is to bond while cooking fresh ingredients. Tantalizing sauces to dip your food in: peanut sauce, satay sauce, and so on. The broth is always amazing closer to the end of the meal. The hot pot restaurant to indulge at is Spice Kitchen. It serves barbecue grill and other entrees as well if you do not have enough people to share hot pot with. Spice Kitchen is a seafood lover's heaven! Fresh mussels, shrimp, scallops, fish.... Reminiscing the food they have got there is making me hungry!

C. Korean:
Bow down to Bul-go-gi House. Located close to Faculte St. Jean, this family restaurant offers a great selection of authentic foods at reasonable prices. You would have to try the way they prepare their beef. Every thing there is to die for... even their deep fried won tons.

All you can eat buffet barbecue at Korean Village. Keep in mind, however, that over-eating brings discomfort. Please enjoy responsibly.


Wait, there are even more note-worthy eateries/restaurants in Edmonton, but I shan't spill it all. The best part of indulging while eating out is the process of discovery and be pleasantly surprised by it all. Just take a walk or drive around the University of Alberta campus, Whyte Ave, 109 st, 99 st (two German restaurants can be found here) for a start. Well, the rest usually depends on the experiences of whom you know. Or, even better, join the Taste of U tour if you can. (It is a lot cheaper than the Taste of Edmonton -- it's free! Plus, you get to shed calories walking from cafe to cafe. A risk-free way of trying new places.)

Bon Appetit!

Shoes

Shoes... They walk the talk for you; they help provide good posture and confidence. Well, that's provided IF they are klutz-proof too: you should be able to run in them down the stairs at midnight, away from the prince.

Here is a question for all females: have you ever found a shoe that is a) comfortable, b) stylish or trendy, c) durable, AND d) practical? Or is it often accompanying opposites: b) and not a) or vice-versa.

Shoe shopping is often a daunting task: once you buy a pair of shoes, they are often non-returnable despite the fine print on the bottom of the receipt. (I hate shoe shopping; it's sort of like speed dating: try them on, five minutes later, on to the next pair.) When it comes to shoes, impulsive buying: creating logical reasons for irrational purchases -- can be very costly. Not just your wallet, but your nicely pedicured feet.

Here are top things to bear in mind when buying a pair of cutesie fairy tootsies:

1. Comfort: How would this pair of shoes feel on concrete? (Most shoe stores probably spend quite a bit on their flooring to provide support for cute and painful shoes.)
   
2. Purpose: How much movement would be required? Would it provide the support I need?
3. Stability: What is the probability of tripping in these in front of a cute guy? (Unless you claim to be a stuntswoman needing a guy to break her fall)
4. Budget: Is this classified under a "need" or "want"? A shoe store may be asking at a killing price for the very last cute and comfy pairs of darlings; however, unless you are satisfying an impulsive appetite, you might be able to settle for the next relative pair of affordable cutesies... elsewhere.
5. Origin of Make: Are the materials ethically obtained? How were the shoes made? (What are your ethical values?)

Maybe it is mission impossible to find shoes that strongly fit in both ergonomic and aesthetics segments. Or, maybe there can be shoes that are physically appealing than Crocs. Until such a pair arrives, I would be having fun re-organizing my shoe shelf in the mean-time.

Scotty the Guardian Dog

Next year, I will pledge against cancer by cycling for the cure. For now, however, I will just draw to help my boyfriend's grandma lighten up; I wish I could visit, but it's not easy getting time off from work. Thank you for continuing to keep her in your prayers.

This picture was first done by hand, then the colours are enhanced using an open-source drawing tool. This was the original: