My first anniversary in USA

How time flies in the blink of an eye, one year had passed by since I arrived on Feb 24 2006!

During this period, I would like to thank my colleagues/friends who had helped to make life easier here. To BJ for her great help at work. Delores who keeps asking me to 'hit the button' for the coffee maker because she knows I am a coffee addict. Vladimir for the many talks, walks and dinners. My swimming buddy, Greg. Eduardo, Greta and cute Mathias for the many road trips to Sam's club, Washington DC, etc. To Fero, my fellow Catholic companion at mass. Ernesto and Tom for their guidance and valuble inputs for my work.

My apartment is almost back to its original state when I first moved in one year ago. I had shifted most of my stuffs but I still need to clean up. Now I am sleeping in my sleeping bag. My kind landlord had offered me to shift in earlier. Have to gather my act and get this done and over with!

Had enough of winter, looking forward to spring

There were only two snow falls in this winter season but I had enough of it. Coming from a tropical country, experiencing snow was exhilarating initially. However, as snow froze to ice or became too thick to walk and wind chill brought already freezing temperature further south, the harsh cold reality set in. Slippery roads and power outages from fallen trees/branches or heavy frozen power lines were some of the inconveniences experienced. Worst, some people even died from the cold!

Spring, O Lively Spring, come quickly to break your sister, Deadly Winter's cold spell to bring forth live from the frozen soil.

Happy Lunar Pig Year

This is my first Chinese New Year (CNY) spent away from home! Usually, I could feel the festive spirit two weeks prior to CNY when my family was busy stocking up goodies and cleaning the house. In Baltimore, it just felt like normal working days.

CNY eve was especially important to me since my family would gather to thank God for the blessings He had showered on us for the past year and shared a steamboat feast. Abalone, braised duck, fried chicken wings, etc. Thinking of them made me drooled. Chinese reunion dinner on CNY's eve is akin to Western culture of Thanksgiving (occurring on the fourth Thursday of November).

I spent CNY eve by calling home in the morning (since Singapore is 13 hours ahead) to wish my family health and peace. Then, I went to Sam's Club with Eduardo and his family to buy grocery. I bought a snow sled since it was on sales and spent the afternoon sledding away. I could not imagine sledding as being tiring but it was. My new kind landlord, Edwin invited me to join his friends and colleagues for dinner. I was so filled up by the food on the table and I drank two bottles of Singapore's own brew, Tiger!

Wishing all my readers a happy, healthy and peaceful piggy year!

My 'repeating' song on Valentine's Day

Always on your side by Sheryl Crow and Sting

My yesterdays are all boxed up and neatly put away
Every now and then you come to mind
'Cause you were always waiting to be picked to play the game
But when your name was called, you found a place to hide
When you knew that I was always on your side

Well everything was easy then, so sweet and innocent
But my demons and my angels reappeared
Leavin' only traces of the man you thought I'd be
Too afraid to hear the words I'd always feared
Leavin' you with only questions all these years

But is there someplace far away, someplace where all is clear
Easy to start over with the ones you hold so dear
Or are you left to wonder, all alone, eternally
This isn't how it's really meant to be
No it isn't how it's really meant to be

Well they say that love is in the air, never is it clear,
Try to pull it close and make it stay
Butterflies are free to fly, and so they fly away
And I'm left to carry on and wonder why
Even through it all, I'm always on your side

But is there someplace far away, someplace where all is clear
Easy to start over with the ones you hold so dear
Or are you left to wonder, all alone, eternally
When this isn't how it's really meant to be
No it isn't how it's really meant to be

Well they say that love is in the air, never is it clear
How to pull it close and make it stay
Butterflies are free to fly, why do they fly away
Leavin' me to carry on and wonder why
Was it you that kept me wandering through this life
When you know that I was always on your side

Frustrated at not getting my hair cut!

Majority of hair saloons require making an appointment and they closed by 6pm. I had attempted twice to get my hair cut at separate saloons but failed because I was late. I had booked the latest so that I had more time to work.

I can understand the business sense of filling up the working hours by requesting appointments but what about the customer who need to work normal hours too? Do we have to take leave just to cut our hair?!

My first snow angel

Woke up this morning to a snow-covered day. On my way to work, I took time to take these pictures.

Indeed, each season has its own beauty for us to marvel and contemplate.

When I reached the lab, I could not resist the pristine snow-covered field beckoning me to make a snow angel. I wore my lab coat and gloves to prevent me from getting wet. Eduardo was there to take pictures of me in action. Some said my snow angel looked like a butterfly or a ribbon. I was freezing when I completed the snow angel. My first snowman will have to wait since the snow was flaky (not sticky).

Down at the Inner Harbor, the stagnant water was frozen near the pier, considering the harsh temperature (average -6 degree Celsius). Even cars had icicles forming. Ice cream anyone?

Test your captioning skill

My captions for these pictures: "There are U-turns in life", "Half coverage" and "Car catches cold too"

Do leave your interesting captions behind.

Thank you.

Thank you, Guardian angel

Yesterday, I helped Fero to move to his new place. There were two incidents of accident but I scraped through without injury.

First, we were shifting a heavy metal cabinet onto a truck when one of us lost grip and the metal cabinet slammed against a dolly. My right palm could feel the impact. Any inch closer, my hand would be crushed between the cabinet and the dolly.

Second, I was carrying a sofa up a narrow, dimly lit flight of stairs when I felt a sharp pain across my right shoulder blade. I knew there must be a nail. On my way down, I saw two nails jutting out. Wonder who was that careless and unsafe! My skin was not cut. I would have to go for a tetanus jab if there was a wound.

Thank God for sending his angel, my Guardian Angel, to watch and protect over me!

Angel of God,
My guardian dear,
To whom his love,
Commits me here,
Ever this day and night,
Be at my side,
To light and guard,
To rule and guide.
Amen.

Towards driving and an identity

Two days ago, I went to Motor Vehicle Administration to apply for a learner's permit at Mondawmin Mall. The customer officer rejected one of my two proofs of Maryland residency. I was fuming for making a wasted trip!

Yesterday, I went back to apply again. I hit jackpot when the same person served me (it would have been better if this was a lottery). This time I brought along my lease document. My friend who brought hers went through smoothly and I verified the lease document was included in the official list of sources of proof. He said that they do not accept this as a proof but without conviction. That was when I knew he was just being nasty and making things difficult for me!

Next, things went smoothly where I was complimented by the administrative officer. She said, "It's a pleasure processing your application for coming prepared without all the nonsense." The reason being I had already attended the 30 hour of theory lesson, where I had to sit in a 3-hour class every weeknight for two weeks in winter!

The vision test was interesting. Other than reading off the smallest alphabets, it included testing your peripheral vision where you need to identify which side had orange flashes from the corner of your eyes. I was expecting the flashes upfront.

After this station, I was sent to take my Law Test, consisting of 20 multiple choice questions. The passing grade was 17 (85%) within 15 minutes. I skipped three questions with the intention to answer them at the end. To my surprise, after the last question, there was a message stating that I had passed.

For the final stage, I had to wait for an hour to pay a $50 application fee. I was expecting to receive my card immediately but was disappointed when it would be mailed to me within 30 days.

Anyway, I am glad that I will have the learner's permit which serves as an official identification card (ID). I had been asked to show my ID at pub entrances, student hostel and shopping counters when using my credit card. As I do not like to carry my passport around, I was refused at times or some would accept my Johns Hopkins ID card.

Now, I just have to wait till July to take my driving test and meanwhile, I have to log 60 hours of driving.