Got shat on.

So a day and a half after I decided to post pictures of springtime, of tulips and bright green grass on an open field, and happy polar bears carelessly swimming about, guess what happens.

Mother effin Nature decides to crap on my day.

I woke up to about four inches of that white fluffy stuff I thought I had escaped from when I moved out of Canada. Its the second week of March in Asia and there is snow shin deep.

On my bus ride here to school this morning, the scene was absolutely breathtakingly gorgeous though. The mountains and farmland were covered in thick innocent whiteness and it was misty out so you couldn't quite focus on anything. The sun was still rising and you could see it poking through from the fog.

It was beautiful and so I forgive Mother friggen Nature for crapping on my day.

And from now on I will not refer to anything spring until it has actually sprung.

Ha Ha Ha Happiness...

1. Feeling a little down and going to a bookstore with hopes of finding that PERFECT book. And then actually finding it and after each page you think to yourself "Ohmygod this is the best book ever" and as you near the end of it, you find excuses to put it down after every chapter just so you could prolong the pleasure and joy of it. (I.e. History of Love).

2. The sunshine that filters through my windows and creeps onto my bed.

3. Walking Keiko under a blanket of blue sky and white clouds in the springtime.

4. The smell of lilacs and the way it reminds me of summers in Ottawa and drinking Caesars with J-- under a large patio umbrella.

5. When I come home after a long weekend a way and Keiko comes running at me full speed, mouth smiling, tongue out, tail wagging, ready to pounce on me and shower me with kisses.

6. Waking up before noon on a Saturday morning and having the whole day to yourself.

7. When I teach Beatrice something and it seems like she'll never get it, but then surprises me, and gets it! For example, she walks all over my laptop and it makes me so mad. Real mad. And for about 5 days every time she crept over my keys, I would push her away in anger. I thought I’d have to taser her, but then one day as she was walking next to my laptop, about to walk across the keys to get to the other side of the table, she pauses, and cautiously decides to walk BEHIND my screen and at that moment I almost cried. Instead. I just picked her up and smothered her face with kisses.

8. Hearing a song again that was lost in my youth and it brings back memories of a certain time and place when I first heard it.

9. Falling asleep early and getting up before the sun does.

10. Smiles from strangers.

11. Being told I look like someone.

12. The feeling I get right after I finish teaching a lesson and the kids say "Bye teacher! See you later!"

13. My students. They're smiles, head nods, hallway greetings, and eagerness.

14. Running into a friend unexpectantly.

15. Hugs.

16. Heated chairs in the subway.

17. Cafe American for 1000 won at the Paris Baguette in Munsan.

18. Walking into the Paris Baguette in Munsan and seeing that my Cafe Americano is
already being made for me.

19. Twin two-year-old boys that sat on the subway across from me in matching Thomas the Tank Engine sweaters and red boots last Saturday who smiled and waved at me when I was coming home from a night out in Hongdae feeling like shit. They made me burst out in a toothy grin.

20. The Dipper.

21. Backyard bon fires.

22. Dwight Shrute, Seasons 1-3.

23. Long bus ride talks with I.P. about love and life and our role in it.

24. Finding that perfect drunk.

25. When the headline of the Toronto Star's front page story has none of these words in it: "gangs, murder, rape, child, abuse, bomb, attack, Jane-Finch, gun-wielding, terroists..."

26. Being needed.

27. The couple of days that exist right after winter and just before spring. When the prospect of warmth looms and your body bubbles with anticipation, excitement, and dreams of all things you'll do in the upcoming months.

28. Being caught off guard. In a good way.

29. Watching the feel good movie of the year and feeling really friggen good.

30. Love stories.

31. Polar bears.

32. Running.

33. Screaming at the top of my lungs.

34. Taking my camera everywhere.

35. Getting lost on those days where I really have nowhere to be.

Get in mah belly!

I am going through some old pictures that I have stored on my USB stick and came across these particular ones and they made me smile. This was last summer at the best sushi restaurant in downtown Toronto. My parents had just gone to California so I decided to treat my little sisters to some delicious sushi.

I haven't had sushi in the longest time, I think I may just have to go to Japan very soon.

I hope, Leanne, that at least you're getting some back home :)