busy month of may

i am somewhat ashamed about the recent silence in monkey life, as it has been rather full of nice things. i am almost finished with wrapping up gabe's businesses.  there was much merriment in toronto as former nebraskans- my best mexican friend and adopted japanese sister from the doctoral prog days have come up for a visit. we have not seen one another for a long time and weirdly enough, it was as if time have never passed. we ate and drank like... we used to, i suppose, hahaha.  very unusual for monkey in toronto though, late nights (well, early i guess, wrapping up and arriving to home at 3 am) fueled by superb beer selection (if you are in toronto, check out bar volo. amazing. simply put) and great food.  we went chinese, sushi, izakaya, persian, kensington market fruitstalls, coffee shops, aforementioned bar volo, markham area chinese/japanese all-you-can-eat (at which point, mexican and canadian friends became... comatose), vegetarian/vegan, pizza...  though we used to cook like there's no tomorrow while we were in nebraska, i suppose there were just too many choices to pass up on in this city.  no complaints so far.  i cant wait till our next gathering.

and then there are some more things to be dealt with. on 4 june, i am riding a tincan across the puddle to go see the other minnow, which has been greatly anticipated by both minnows.  it will include much merriment, which have not been set in stone yet, but i am thinking there will be more pints/riots/music/etc.  i will be greeted by no less than cooke's version 3.0 of mahler 10.  minnow asked which version i prefer, as there are numerous 'reconstruction' of the piece (poor mahler didnt finish it. but then he knew that the end was coming so...) and i had to reply with no cheekiness, all sincerity: solti's.

solti never approved of any of the franken-mahler reconstruction of the 10th . ha ha.  too bad that some musicologists are just... too... enthusiastic.

and the latest business also involves writing many thank you cards.  the most i have written in a day was... 53. in total, i think it is some ridiculous number like 60+.  my shoulders have seized up and they are complaining rather consistently and bitterly. i wonder if i can carry my backpack after all for the flight. sigh.  it is a real nice thing to be able to appreciate all the kind gestures from everyone, during this particularly demanding time (esp. for the parental units and granny), but lemme tell you. after 20 cards or so, the feeling (not the merit or appreciation, mind you) of gratitude decreases rather abruptly, until by 53, you are somehow closer to homicidal.  i dont really understand the transformation, but han solo (as seen on the top corner of the picture) was kind enough to ward off any mad man who was willing to disturb monkey with sharp pen.

death by ball point pen would be rather tedious and painful, said han solo. ha ha ha.

then there were much using with pens and paper, which are somewhat personal in nature (ie. it will be closer to impossible to decipher what they mean, without contexts, nothing salacious i think?), but since some of them are really funny i am daring myself to put up a few. i hope you enjoy. and re: the mouse who gets run-over by the pollens- i had the most disgusting chest/sinus infection i could ever remember. breathing through straw. guk all over the cavity of head and body.  green industrial strength snots and stuff. i wonder if it would be clear once dry? *gag.

- i have no idea where these three blind mice came from. but they surely were silly enough. so in middle of squicking through skype tin, we let them stay and see what happens.

surely, one of them got run over by the allergens. the recent temperature changes brought a massive blooming madness to the city and i think that was partially responsible for the green snots. mmm.

so thus, defeat. but i want to make a point that often a defeat is not about 'losing,' but 'giving up.' ha ha ha. i tried to feel better and move around and do stuff while i was stuffed but it was not possible. so pollen win. monkey fail.  at least i can breath again. thank the lord.

anyways. i am still behind. there are notes to write, letters to reply, emails to be sent, call be made (grrrrr), and thank the lord, time waits for no one and i will be on the metal can shortly. yay.  it's not that i want to run away from my life in toronto. it's just that i am ready for a change of scene.  it's been a real busy month and i am hoping that i can retain all the beauty that life have showered me with.  what a lucky monkey.  love to you all!