I like cars but I'm not very knowledgeable about cars like Lucas or Andy.  I'm not a mechanically inclined though.  I can check my tire pressure & fluid levels and that's pretty well the extent of my mechanical skills. Oh - I can also change the wiper blades.  The other day, I went to the garage to change my summer tires to my winter tires.  The guys in the garage don't mind when the customers go to the back.  So I watched them work on my car and chatted with them.  They were very patient with any questions I had which I really appreciate. There was another customer there with the same model car as mine although his is a later year.  We poked into each other's car.  He had Momo steering wheels and Recaro seats which were really nice.  By coincidence I also bumped into my cousin at the garage.  He also knows the mechanics so it was like a boys night out at the garage.  All that was missing was a poker game, cigar and whiskey.

Later that day I went with J to get his new winter tires.  As we were pulling into the lot of the tire place, I saw Acuras, Lexus, Civics, a VW GTI, a couple of Bimmers, Subaru BRZ etc... I told J "I bet there are a lot of Asians inside."  I was right.  Even the staff were almost all Asians.  There was another BRZ that pulled in and the driver was barely out of his teens.  I can't believe he drives that although they aren't that expensive.  While we were waiting, I just stared at the Asian guys rims on display and the nice cars outside.  J and I dropped in on a dealer afterwards to check out a car he was interested in.  To J, he feels a car is only a vehicle that gets him from point A to point B safely.  He doesn't get excited about them.  I pretty well fondled all the new cars even though I wasn't in the market for a new car.

It was a nice car day.  I feel so manly now.  I think I'm gonna put on my jock strap. 

This is a nice time lapse video of Toronto by photographer Ryan Emond.  It's an interesting and creative perspective of my city!  

Planet Toronto from Ryan Emond on Vimeo.

I saw these planes on the way to Remembrance Day ceremonies.  I hope these ceremonies will continue for many, many years.  It's so easy in our lives to forget the sacrifices many have made for us.  The planes are Harvards with their very distinct and loud engine. 

The planes are just starting the missing man formation.  I wish I got a better shot (from the front). 

I hope you all took some time today to remember all those that served and their families too.

Believe it or not, I met up with another Xangan recently.  He also blogs anonymously although he hasn't updated much recently.  I was surprised when he contacted me.  He was in town visiting relatives and for some sightseeing.  I was able to find some time to meet him for lunch before he flew back home.  So some of you may wonder - what do anonymous blogger do when they meet?   We chatted for quite some time over lunch.  It was mostly about family, work and catching up on what we've been up to.  Although I think I asked more questions since he hasn't updated recently.  The conversation was easy and the time flew by much too quickly.  I am glad I had a chance to meet him in real life. 

When I got back to work, I took off my fake mustache, coloured contact lens, wig and make up.  Just kidding...

It's funny when I started this blog that I had no intention of turning it into any type of interaction (virtual or real).  It was just a place for an online journal.  But little by little - that's changed. 

p.s. in case you were wondering no one took pictures.  But I didn't check if he had a spy camera in his eye glass (yikes!). 

I played tour guide for a couple of my relatives a few weeks ago.  These pics were taken at the Distillery District.  This old part of Toronto dates back to 1832.  The distillery there started at 1837.  It continued until 1990 when it stopped and became a film location.  It then transformed into a arts and culture / retail / tourist attraction.  There's more history here in this link.  It's a pedestrian only place and it's small enough to be easily seen in a half day or so.  It was a cool & bright sunny afternoon when we eventually got there.  Due to time constraints, we didn't spend a lot of time there.  It's a nice place to explore with a brewery, galleries, restaurants, and interesting stores.  

A lot of the parts from old machines from the sites are on display.

I wanted to hang a for sale sign on this truck... "just a bit of surface rust"

But my conscience was guided by a higher being.

There's some interesting modern sculptures here.

I think this was near a day care centre.  I wonder if any of the kids have nightmares about this thing.

That's it... back to my Sunday chores.

Here's some recent food pics.  I didn't cook any of it though. 

Roast beef cooked by my brother and his wife, it was medium rare inside. 

Peking duck - yummy.

Lobster w/ ginger and green onions. 

Stir fried filets of fish

Four fruit pie from Dufflet

(strawberry, apple, rhubarb and blueberry)

Lemon Parfait cake also from Dufflet

I need to be awake in about 4 hours.  Insomnia is a slow form of torture.  I'm sure I'll eventually go crazy from the lack of sleep.  Maybe it'll take months or hopefully years.  By then the zombie apocalypse will happen.  I'll be with a gang of survivors and someone will say:  "Matt will take the night watch - he never sleeps!"  I'll guard the camp with my sword and a gun.  I can picture myself with a mean looking scowl - meaner than Clint Eastwood's.  My body will be lean and buff.  My pristine white tshirt will be barely able to contain my biceps, triceps, deltoids and all those other muscles which I've forgotten from Biology class.  

In other news, everyone in my family is sick from some bug.  If they aren't coughing, they are sneezing.  I have the sniffles and so far it's starting to fade away. I don't like hanging around sick people but duty calls. 

What's interesting is that I suddenly remembered that dad also suffers from insomnia.  I remember he would stay up reading till the wee hours of the night.  Maybe I inherited this gene or trait.  My siblings don't have this problem.  I told my brother a couple of years ago that I sometimes take pills at night to sleep.  He laughed and jokingly said that's what booze is for. I crave sleep more than I crave food or sex.  A good night's sleep is like drinking a cold glass of water in a desert.  Maybe in a few days, I'll write a more coherent and intelligent entry.

There have been more job cuts in my business unit.   They were fairly senior people and not entry level positions.  This is what happens when you don't meet targets - you have to cut cost.  So far I've been lucky but that axe feels like it's getting closer.  Oh well, it's not the end of the world if I get cut.  I'm sure I'll find a way to survive even if I have to take a job that pays less than half of what I make today. 

My sister lost her job a few weeks ago.  She showed up for work one day and was told the company has gone under.  It was really unsettling for her and the people that worked for her.  She's working on a couple of leads right now and I hope those come through. 

In other news, dad's oncologist has ordered bone scan and CT scan.  He hates those test and he kept telling the doctor he was fine and not in any pain.  But I know he sometimes will lie just so that he can avoid visiting the doctor / hospital.  I keep telling him while there isn't a cure, the doctors can at least help him deal with the pain and discomfort.  But he is stubborn.  I told him once that he might complain of a headache if he got beheaded.  He chuckled and said that's probably true. 

Despite all of these, I'm still thankful for what I have.  I had a wonderful meal with J and his family last night.  I played a bit with the kids but I cannot stand watching the cartoons that they watch.  Tomorrow, I'm at my brother's place with his extended family for Thanksgiving dinner.  I'm not crazy about the big crowd (somewhere between 16 to 18).  I know my sister will make a fuss about the soup she is bringing.  Dad will be cranky because he isn't allowed to drink.  But I just try to cherish the time we have with the family and raise a toast to the ones that aren't with us anymore. 

I was assembling a floor lamp last night.  I was on my knees trying to figure out the cryptic instructions and slowly making progress.  It was getting uncomfortable so I lowered my hips.  If I did it properly, my butt would have been resting on my heels.  As I lowered my hips, my ass bumped into something.  I thought it was the box and didn't think too much about it.  Then I heard "ssssssssssssss...." and wondered what that noise was.   I felt liquid in my butt.  I turned around and realized I've sat on a can of silicone spray.  It sprayed silicone lubricant in my butt.  WTF!

I had just used the lubricant on a couple of parts and put the spray can down behind me.  When I leaned back, I "sat" on it and it sprayed right through my pants and boxers into you know where.  Is this stuff poisonous?  I tore off my pants and ran into the shower. 

Anyone joking about lube on my butt will be met with a very stern look from me.   I am not amused. 

When my siblings and I were young, my mom would tell us that dad used to sing to her when they were dating.  She giggled and laughed when she told us the story.  We all laughed at this unbelievable story.   We've never heard dad sing before.  Then one day, she was telling the story again when dad was in the room.  So he sang the song and pretended to chase after her.  We were laughing so hard at the two of them.  It was one of the very few times I saw dad out of his typical Asian father role.   He continued singing while we laughed hysterically.  After he finished, they both went back to whatever they were doing. 

I'm not sure why I thought of this tonight.  I had a tough time remembering which version of the song they liked.  I chose this version because dad also had a deep voice.

Did you sing to your loved ones or vice versa?