Cat's Meow

Now this is a dinner:

It's the schnitzel and sausage special, at Cafe Katzenjammer, my 2nd favourite restaurant in Vancouver (my favourite, of course, is Al Watan).  It comes with two sides, of which which I picked red cabbage and fries.  I mean look at the food: it's gorgeous!

The beer's pretty good too (although the Hacker-Pschorr brand's better):

I went to the Cat's Meow (Katzenjammer) for dinner tonight, with Sanjit.  We had a good heart to heart conversation, the kind that are sometimes difficult to have, but always helpful.  Difficult, because they bring out some things that are hard to talk about, and yet helpful, because in talking about them, we learn and grow.

The conversation began with a simple question posed by him.  It had to do with my past love.  What happened to her?  What happened with her?  This is a question that I have yet to broach with my west coast friends.  It's just too painful.  And yet, it's an entirely appropriate question, and I applaud his courage in asking it.

I responded that I would give him a short response, after which I'd change the topic and move on.  We ended up talking about this issue for over an hour.  Not my idea of a short response.

I'd made it my goal on this trip not to see 杨 静 怡, and I'm determined to make it stick.  My past 3 trips here have ended in agony because of the emotional earthquake that seeing her gives rise to.  And to date I've done alright on this trip.  I've thought about her, but haven't been tempted to call.  But the conversation this evening set off feelings similar - although not nearly as intense - as seeing her on previous occasions has.  Some of the things we talked about I will ponder for the remainder of my time here.  In a way I feel that hope has sprung alive again.  Can't explain it.  And this, even though the content of our conversation did not lead towards or warrant such hope.  And yet, against hope, I hope.