What is my utopia? I Googled the web for a journal prompt, and this was the question that I got.

My utopia would be a place where I could live exclusively with my boyfriend, with our families just down the street, in a cozy, serene house or apartment big enough to accommodate our needs as well as comfortably furnished, with perhaps a nice 70″ TV and maybe a sonorous surround system. Ideally, neither of us would have to work, but each would have a steady income, and we would spend our days sampling fruit tarts, green tea parfaits, Japanese chocolates and candy drops, and go shopping everyday at every mall and street in Vancouver, then return to our happy home and recline in each others’ arms on the sofa to watch TV or DVD’s together till the lights dim for bedtime. We would frequently meet up with parents and other family to have a round of golf or badminton, or some late Saturday morning dim sum, and round off our weekends with plays in theatres, movies, and dinner parties in winter, and kayaking, amusement parks, and stargazing in summer.

My utopia would have the typical requirements: world peace, zero crime rates, an endless abundance of natural resources, no earthquakes (or other natural disasters), and human-controllable weather. The most significant things that people must worry about would be what to wear to the next work event, or whether to switch to a Mac or stay with PC’s, or how to cook fish for dinner. In the midst of this comfortable, carefree world, my boyfriend and I would live in our own little microcosm, surrounded by a furry lining of family and friends.

The part about not working and still having a steady income is great, isn’t it? I suppose that’s the most unrealistic part about my utopia, since everything else is achievable—that is, until I get to the “world peace” part. But hey, I tried.

I had the best Christmas of my life! Needless to say, it was spent with my boyfriend and family.

I hunted all over for the best Christmas present for him. I went out shopping for a gift several times, but could find nothing that seemed worthy. In the end I got him two gifts: first, a gift basket full of exquisite Japanese chocolate, candy, and snacks, and wrapped in clear wrapping paper, with gorgeous blue and gold ribbons (see below). Second, an iPod Touch.

Notable gifts:

• Winter coat I wanted for quite a while, and I love it even more now considering who got it for me (from Steven ♥)
• Various lovely bouquets and a stunning violet orchid (from Steven & family ♥)
• Swarovski apple charm, which I attached to my crystal bracelet (from Mom ♥)
• Money (from Daddy ♥)
• Swarovski doggy figurine, now sitting happily on my piano (from Mrs. Woo ♥)

Yeah, I like Swarovski.

CAN’T WAIT FOR BOXING DAY TOMORROW!

My boyfriend and I have some really priceless moments at this local pet store chain, Pet Habitat.

Once, we were in the one at Metrotown, and were looking at the dogs on display behind a glass wall with other shoppers. One middle-aged woman leaned forward intently to peer at the dogs, and BAM, bashed her forehead against the glass. It wasn’t light, either—she hit her head so hard that the impact resounded through the store and made all the shoppers turn to look. It was all we could to do contain our laughter, and we ran into an aisle where she couldn’t see us before surrendering to mirth. The woman acted like nothing happened.

Then, today, at the Richmond Centre branch, we saw a Maltese puppy take a dump with its rear in full-frontal view. Extremely graphic. But the big shocker came when, after its business was completed, the dimwit turned around, sniffed its own fresh excrement, and started to eat it. We waited for the dog to realize that it was making a mistake, but it didn’t. Minutes passed and it continued to consume its own crap. The dog visibly enjoyed this activity, making sure to gobble up every last morsel till nothing was left, and repeatedly licked its chops in delight. The dog finished everything before the treats had even cooled off. It was definitely a priceless moment that will be forever cherished and looked back on with fondness.

I hate it when people say things like, “Just be yourself!” That’s such a stupid, clichéd piece of crap. Why should people “be themselves”? What if “being yourself” means that you should succumb to your psychotic sociopathic nature and become a serial killer?

Not to steal the thunder of people who keep repeating that phrase like a mantra, but please think about what you are saying. By telling people to be themselves, you are validating laziness and a lack of self-discipline, and suggesting that they should forgo efforts to improve themselves and instead just settle for “being themselves.”

If you’re one of those people who uses “Just be yourself” as a generic all-purpose advice line, then please: next time someone comes to you with a problem, and you’re thinking of saying, “Oh, just be yourself,” consider whether or not this person actually has traits meriting improvement. I’m sure that if you tried, you’d be able to find some actual good advice languishing deep in the recesses of your brain.

I’ve been browsing this site just now. It’s quite interesting, I learned a lot of unusual things that I didn’t know before!

Here are ten interesting ones to share with you:

1. The average chocolate bar has eight insect legs in it.
2. A pig’s willy is shaped like a corkscrew.
3. The film Titanic cost more than the Titanic itself.
4. Some whales commit suicide.
5. Kissing for one minute can burn 26 calories.
6. Albert Einstein could never remember his telephone number.
7. Most car horns beep in the F key.
8. Charlie Chaplin once came third in a Chaplin lookalike contest.
9. The longest fart recorded lasted 2 minutes 42 seconds.
10. 130 cups of tea would be a lethal dose of caffeine.

I hope you learned something new too.