Archive for 'December 2008'
Retinal detachment of my right eye
My god! I am suffering from retinal detachment of my right eye. I am now seeing my laptop in curve shape, but I still insist on doing something and some works with it. I hate feeling that I can’t do anything.
I felt my eyes not feeling so well a week ago. My eyes were tearing horribly in one of the mornings, but I thought it was caused by the strong sunshine of Florida. I was wearing contact lenses. In fact, I only wear it once or twice a week when I go out in H.K. The rest of time I only wear glasses at home. However, I did wear it for three weeks during the time I was in Miami. I started to see things in curve shape in the morning of 22nd, the day I left Miami. My eyes were so hurt while I was doing the security check up in LAX. It was so stuffy in there, so my eyes kept tearing. The security check up was annoying. People need to take off jackets, socks, and shoes. I was in the line more than 30 mins, and suffering from my eyes’ pain.
I rushed to see the doctor right after arrival at home. I had my appointment at 3:30pm of Christmas Eve. My doctor told me my retinal detachment was caused by aging due to my long term short sight issues. I have been having very strong short sight for 27 years, so you can imagine. My left eye is fine, but seems that it will suffer the same problem sooner or later he said. He wrote me an urgent letter that I need it for the operation in hospital. It’s holiday here on 25th and 26th therefore I will be in the hospital on 27th. He told me that some people need to stay in the hospital for few months. I almost freaked out. It’s impossible. I only expect to stay in the hospital for few days after the operation. I hate staying in hospital for New Year Eve and my birthday. LoL
My mother keeps complaining why I didn’t have check up recently, but how I can expect that would be happened. It even happened right after I had so much happy time in Miami. Who could imagine that? No one knows what happens in the next minute. Anything could be happened.
Life is short, seize the day! To love anyone and to do anything with courage, not wait until it’s too late. Nah, I won’t get blind. ^_^;
3 commentsSelf satisfaction
I am so happy these days in Miami. It’s not just I am in the beautiful place under wonderful sunshine, it’s the reason that this place does motivate me. I feel satisfied spiritually with my work and my mind. I am full of energy. I am in action of doing anything that makes me feel good.
I had a very good presentation on Saturday. My CEO and my director gave me very positive comments on my action plan. My director did have my performance assessment with others colleagues. They gave me high score I am very surprise. My director told me that everyone does like me in the office. She is very happy to have me on board, and have me to be part of their family.
I have never thought that I would be so spoiled in here. My CEO suggested me taking a day trip today, and even asked the driver to take me around. Therefore, I went to Seaquarium.
People here are very friendly, and being so down to earth. They are easy to close with. Once I get back to H.K., I will start to learn driving and Spanish.
2 commentsMiami Seaquarium
I was a bit disappointed with the Seaquarium. I think its size is about 1/10 of our Ocean Park in H.K. I thought it should be very big. In fact, I didn’t consider to go to the Seaquarium, but I had already been all the major sight seeing places of Miami. Seaquarium is the only choice. I only saw the performances of killer whale and sea lion, then I left for a small beach nearby in Key Biscayne. The sea animal shows were just ok.
Glad that I didn’t sit in the front, as many people got completely wet by the killer whale while it jumped up.
The small beach in Key Biscayne
The weather was so nice today. I got a bit of tan. It was so nice to be under the sun. It’s absolutely summer here. I wish I could stay in here for Chrismas and New Year Eve, but I am leaving tomorrow. LoL I will be back again though in April. ^_^ I love you! Miami!
Mexican night out
I had a nice casual dinner in a Mexican restaurant along with their great live music playing for my companion. I sat by the road, enjoyed so much the outdoor atmosphere. The performer sang so well.
Here is the one he sang “You are beautiful”
And some Spanish songs, romantic, isn’t it?….all the songs he sang…
After he finished his part, three kids were doing performance. They should be under 10, Mexicans. They sang very well, and sang like adult. They tried to sell their CDs after they finished singing. They mainly asked women audiences. I was one of their targets. I refused twice, but they kept asking. Four of them surrounded me. I asked a little girl on my right how much it costs, but she replied in Spanish. Then a little boy on my left, who replied USD5.00 for each CD. Then that little girl on my right said USD10.00 immediately. I looked at her in funny way. The boy on my left said to her immediately “No USD5.00!” In the end, I paid USD5.00 , because it was hard to refuse little kids when they kept asking. I saw others who also paid USD5.00 for their CD. That little girl was so tricky, My God! only around 10! Of course, she knew I am not a local. After I bought their CD, they wanted to take photo with me with my camera, so we had a photo taken together. They are so little, and act so PROFESSIONAL. They even sign on their CD. I bet they have been around many places, and always doing live performances on streets. I do feel sorry for them as they are in such young age.
Here is my steak Nacho…
American McDonald
My colleague needed to buy food for workers who worked in the warehouse overtime on Saturday therefore she bought many hamburgers in McDonald. This is my first time to visit McDonald in the U.S., and was so empty the day we went. McDonald is always with a brunch of people in H.K.
Top 10 reasons why I love food in the U.S.
These are very personal reasons. It may not apply to everyone. It’s also nothing related to cultural issues. It’s just my personal thinking and idea. It’s absolutely up close and personal.
1. I love all kinds of sandwiches, absolutely any kind! Steak sandwich, Roast Beef French Bauguette, Pastrami Sandwich and Cuban Sandwich are all nice. All these are fancy sandwiches in H.K. (Well, we don’t have Cuban sandwich in H.K. I presume.) They all are expensive, needless to say our portions are much smaller. Taste is about the same as western food of H.K. is well known good.
2. Coffee here is fantastic! I enjoy so much the coffee here especially the so called Cuban coffee.
3. Great salad! I am not a salad person, but I am completely addicted to salad in here. They are unbelievable delicious especially those Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad, Salmon Platter, etc. The shrimp cocktail is unbelievable delicious no matter where I have it.
4. Awesome dark chocolate! Everyone gave eachother chocolate in the office since Christmas is approaching. The dark chocolate here is so tasty with very low price. Let’s say USD5.00 for two boxes of Fer Rondnoir dark chocolate. We don’t even have dark chocolate of Fer Rondnoir in H.K. Godiva chocolate only costs around USD3.00 for a big pack. It’s so expensive in H.K.
5. Grilled Chicken Fillet, Grilled Salmon fillet, whatever fillet they are….they all are so tasty. The grilled dishes are just so nice.
6. Pizza here is so exotic. I love them, but unfortunately they are huge. I can’t finish the whole all on my own. I wish I could share with someone here for a very nice pizza dinner. The smallest size of pizza is 16″ on all the menus of restaurants here, included food delivery service. This is the family size in H.K. We all share the pizza. I did see a family of five having a 16″ pizza each person on the table in an Italian restaurant of South Beach. Two of the family members were also kids. No kids can finish a 16″ pizza all on their own in H.K.
7. Desserts are rich in taste but they are of any kinds. There are many choices to choose, and in good price. I can have a big piece of cheese cake under USD3.00. in common restaurants. It’s impossible to have this price in H.K. with such big size and good standard.
8. Microwave food here is delicious. I don’t like microwave food at home as they don’t usually taste good. I guess microwave food is not so common in H.K., so we don’t aim to make them any better. Every family cooks at home, so we don’t need microwave food. I found the majority of my female colleagues don’t cook. They usually order food delivery.
9. Supermarket food here are all great. There are many to choose from. Just look at the cheese and yogurt sections, the choices are more than I can imagine. USD4.89 for 12 cups of yogurt is such a nice price. Such diet is more expensive in H.K. Our yogurt doesn’t contain real fruits inside the content though. They do in here. Cookies, muffins and bread here are gorgeous. Milk tastes sweet and is very fresh. I can find milk with Vitamin A, B, C, D here. We only have milk with calcium in H.K.
10. I can eat all kind of fishes with “no bone” in here. They all are simply fillets. Chinese fish cooking is always with the whole piece of fish therefore, bones are not taken off at all. I really hate eating fishes with too many tiny bones. My mum knows it, and always complains I don’t eat enough of her fish dish. LoL
I am not a rice person, so I am totally fine without eating much rice these days. I did only eat some as side dish, the local Cuban style rice. They are cooked in Italian way. I am also not a traditional Chinese eater so I am totally fine without Chinese food at all.
Well, American diet can make the majority fat that all my colleagues agreed. They said American water can also make everyone fat.^_^; Well, I am happy that I have some weights gained during the period I am here. I got no problem with weights, so I don’t complain all these fatty diet. I just enjoy them. I only complain that my weights didn’t go to the area I want. They all go to my tummy!!! This is horrible! LOL
My another Cuban sandwich for lunch. I totally fall in love with this Cuban piece of delicious. I just love the taste of hot Swiss cheese mixed with mustard, pickles, ham and roast chicken covered with crispy Cuban bread. In fact, you can only find Cuban sandwich in Key West and Miami, Florida, in the U.S. I love Insalata Caprese so much. It’s so freshy with fresh Mozzarella, Basil and tomato. It’s something I can clean my stomach very well.
My lime cheese cake and my tin soup for dessert and dinner. It’s nice with oyster inside the tin soup.
If I could cook properly in my kitchen, I certainly will enjoy so much everything I cook. I will cook steak with lots of mushrooms and peppers. It’s too smelly to cook in my kitchen as the smoke doesn’t go away.
I lived in England and N.Z. British supermarkets were a bit off from meat, fruits and vegetables during the period I was in there. Choices of vegetables, dairy products, seafood, meats, fruits, bakery were awesome for selection in N.Z. I remembered. American supermarkets are good in average for all these categories I found.
Okay, enough for my food passion of the day! How can you believe someone who loves food so much and never put on weights?? Well, I did have a bit of improvement this time…..:P
No commentsHappy Christmas Joyce!
I found a very nice gift on my desk this morning. It’s a card and a pack of handmade cookies. My colleague is VERY sweet. She made cookies for the whole company! We all got the same gifts. I asked her if she got a BIG oven at home. She said not exactly, but she needs to make many of them, and this task hasn’t been completed yet. I was on her first gift list, so I got it the first day. ^_^ HAPPY CHRISTMAS JOYCE! You are happy! Everyone knows!
Thirsty
I drank 36 bottles of 500ml water in three weeks. I always feel thirsty since I came here. I guess it’s related to the food. Meat, pasta, pizza, sandwich and salad are kind of dry food. I do feel very thirsty after I eat them. I had Caesar Chicken salad for lunch, and made my own pasta for dinner. It seems pasta is my only choice for cooking in my room as the smell is so strong that doesn’t go away if I cooked steak and such….
I cooked my pasta with the Triple Pepper Salsa sauce. It tastes so good.
My first experience of rice cooking with microwave
I bought this from the supermarket. It’s with uncooked rice and sauce. It’s just microwave food. I have never tried to cook rice with microwave though. It’s very tasty. A good try! I like the box package too, very good quality.
Cuban coffee
This is the coffee I like very much. My colleagues have it everyday. It’s like the Italian Espresso, but it’s size is even smaller than common Espresso. It’s strong, rich and very sweet. I can’t have it too often as it’s too rich for me.
