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"Be renewed in the spirit of your mind." - Ephesians
4:23
This is where I have written about some of my interests. Please visit this page again for updates because
I have a tendency to change my mind.
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M U S I C
I love music! It is a truly beautiful
and universal language. My favourite instruments are the cello, drums, and piano. I really enjoy singing, and every once in
a while, I will perform as a soloist in my church. Talk about making a joyful NOISE unto the Lord!
While I listen to
a little bit of everything, my music collection is mostly pop. Here are some of the songs I am listening to this month:
"Don't
Know Why" by Norah Jones
At one point this song seemed to be playing everywhere, but with its jazz feel and vivid lyrics,
I still enjoy hearing it.
"Fallen" by Sarah McLachlan
I have been a fan of Sarah McLachlan's music since her
Solace CD. Her songs have so much bittersweet emotion.
"I Need You" by Jars of Clay
This powerful song about
one's relationship with God poses an interesting metaphoric question: do I want shelter from the rain, or the rain to wash
me away?
"Xia Yi Ci Lian Ai" by Elva
The rough translation of the title is "The Next Time I Fall In Love". Elva
is from Taiwan, so she sings mostly in Mandarin Chinese. The song is very upbeat.
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This is Phoebe, my 2001 Toyota Prius. I was one of the first in the US to
drive the hybrid electric car. Since then, I have driven over 300,000 miles in my Prius and hybrid cars have become
part of everyday culture.
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"I wished that I could
fly away / Instead of kneeling in the sand / Catching teardrops in my hand..." - Norah Jones
"Though
I've tried I've fallen / I have sunk so low / I messed up / Better I should know..." - Sarah McLachlan
"I only had a second to spare, but all the time in the world to know you're there..." - Jars of Clay
"Wo xiang lian ai (I want to fall in love) / Oh baby you're the one for me / Yes you are..." - Elva
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M O V I E S
My favourite movies:
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Elizabeth loves this movie,
and we used to sing the songs together when she was two years old. I also use this movie to teach my students about US history.
Casablanca (1942)
Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. The best movie ever made. Period.
The Blues
Brothers (1980)
Features one of the most outrageous car chases in cinematic history.
Bill and Ted's Excellent
Adventure (1989)
Before Speed and The Matrix, Keanu Reeves was Ted "Theodore" Logan from San Dimas, California.
Whoa.
The Professional (1994)
Natalie Portman is one of my favourite actresses, and this is her film debut.
Supercop (1996)
Filled with comedy and fantastic stunts, this is one of Jackie Chan's best.
Titanic
(1997)
This movie has a special place in my heart because the first time I saw it, I was with a friend who remains very
dear to my heart.
Life Is Beautiful (1998)
I didn't think it was possible to make a comedy about the Holocaust,
but Roberto Benigni is wonderful in this movie. Buon giorno, principesa!
Next Stop Wonderland (1998)
I love
the bossa nova and samba music in this very sweet romantic comedy.
Run Lola Run (1999)
This German movie provides
an adrenaline rush with a techno beat.
Shaolin Soccer (2004)
This movie is a hilarious and bizarre
hybrid of soccer and kung fu.
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I travelled to Fiji for the millennium celebration (December 1999) to enjoy
the beaches of the South Pacific and watch the sunset.
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One of my goals in life is to visit all 50 states in the Union. To date, I have been to 43. These are
the remaining states to visit:
Alaska
Arkansas
Hawaii
I would also like to visit all 7 continents,
but I have yet to be in Antarctica, Africa, or South America.
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T R A V E L
I am not on tour at the moment, but check back for upcoming dates and cities,
as well as photos and stories!
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S P O R T S
One of my favourite sports is American football. I enjoy watching college football,
especially the Georgia Bulldogs and Washington Huskies, but I seldom play the sport these days...
I also enjoy
watching and playing soccer. I cheer for the US national team (of course) and Arsenal of the English Premier League.
Another sport I enjoy both as a player and a spectator is baseball. When it comes to watching baseball, I like the Atlanta
Braves and Seattle Mariners. My favourite player is pitcher Randy Johnson.
And depending on whether I am getting
touch with my masculine or feminine side, I like to watch Australian Rules Football and rhythmic gymnastics.
I
enjoy ice skating and snow skiing, but I am not very good at either one. (I tell people I have gone down a black diamond ski
trail, but that's only because I made a wrong turn off the blue square trail.)
In warmer weather, I like playing
tennis. I have played on hard court, grass, and clay surfaces. (Clay is my favourite.) I enjoy bicycling, swimming, and volleyball
as well. In 1995, I took part in the Seattle to Portland bike ride - 200 miles (320 km) in two days.
And finally,
there is one sport that I must admit absolutely fascinates me: curling. In Canada, it is a national pastime, but here in the
US and especially down south, curling is nonexistent.
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I love ballet. It is truly poetry in motion. The Atlanta Ballet is terrific,
especially in the area of modern dance. I also like the Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle. The PNB has a wonderful version
of The Nutcracker, with sets and costumes designed by beloved children's author Maurice Sendak.
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Here are some of my favourite restaurants:
FOGO DE CHAO
www.fogodechao.com
A Brazilian style steakhouse featuring all the meats you can eat. Pricey, but worth it for the food and service. When
Jennifer goes, she usually focuses on the lamb chops. I affectionately call it the "silence of the lambs".
THE VARSITY
www.thevarsity.com
An Atlanta institution since 1928. I usually get a chili dog, onion
rings, and a frosted orange drink. Not exactly the healthiest of foods, but it tastes so good!
IVAR'S SALMON
HOUSE
www.ivars.net
A Seattle tradition dating back to 1938. I love alder-smoked salmon.
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F O O D
As a person of Chinese descent raised
in the American South, food for me is more than nourishment for the body; it is sustenance for the soul and a culture in itself.
My
family often expresses love through the provision of food. Even though I am perfectly capable of getting my own food, my parents
like to place food on my plate.
I remember when I was a high school student, I baked a birthday cake for a classmate
I really liked. (It was a fantastic cake, but she still rejected me.)
When I entertain friends from out of town, the
tour I give is as much about what we eat as it is where we go and what we see.
Here are some of my favourite foods:
chocolate
A
day without chocolate is a day wasted.
gelato
Italian style ice cream. I really like straciatella, which has chocolate
chips and cream.
espresso coffee
I enjoy flavoured lattes and mochas, but I also drink shots of espresso. When the
mood strikes, I will also eat chocolate covered espresso beans.
Krispy Kreme glazed doughnuts
If you can get them
hot and fresh, the doughnuts simply melt in your mouth.
dol sot bi bim bap
This is a Korean rice dish served in
a heated stoneware bowl with spicy vegetables and an egg. For the best flavour, mix all of the ingredients together in the
bowl before eating.
sushi
Or as we like to call it here in Georgia, bait.
fish tacos
Originally from Baja
Mexico, these are small pieces of lightly battered and fried fish, served in a warm tortilla with shredded cabbage, jalapenos,
and fresh salsa.
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Seattle remains my second home. I lived
in Seattle while attending the University of Washington. The city has undergone many changes since then, but I guess I have
changed quite a bit as well...
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B O O K S
Here are some books I am reading or
have enjoyed in the past:
The Holy Bible
It's a history tome, a love letter to us from God, and an instruction manual
for living, all in one timeless book.
Anne of Green Gables series
by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Fuel for the vivid
imagination of kindred spirits.
The Diary of Anne Frank
Her life remains an inspiration to the world. I was able
to visit the house in which she hid from the Nazis. It was a very moving experience.
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Anne Frank
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