Counting all Your Blessings When It's New Year Eve....

Remember one of the Christmas song says,"when it's the time for the Christmas, count your blessings one by one..."

I guess for me tonight is "When it's the time to eating dinner alone at the New Year Eve, count all my blessings one by one..." :) One of the biggest blessings I have is that I can still see my dearest grandparents in person. And, this year, I even received two big "red pocket money" from them!

Life cannot be perfect, what else can I say? At least the dinner is a gourmet spinach salad with grilled salmon and orange. Sprinkled with a little bit cheese, almond flakes, and sesame oil.

Dad would be very proud of me that I got all my luggage unpacked for my trip from China the last week and the laundry is done. Home, nice and clean, smells the aroma of green tea.

Dad always says that don't leave today's work to tomorrow. How can I not to do the laundry tonight? Otherwise, that would be leaving this year's work to the next year. Horrific thoughts indeed!

2010 Recap

What has happened in this roller-coaster year, when the high got sky high, the low almost sinked to the bottom of the ocean?

The biggest highlight is probably my faith in God. In spite of my on-going tireless rebellious battle with Him and trying to charge ahead with my own efforts, I finally got to the point that I must admit his love and guidance towards me. This progress actually has made a significant change in my life and outlook towards the future. Gosh! Probably only God and I myself knows that how incredible I am now typing those words.

The second one is my career. Made some progress and validated that I am in the end not a lousy product manager at all. :)

Another thing I can think about of this year is that it IS FILLED with pampering and shopping. Uncle once told me over a cup of coffee that I should treat myself nicely or nicer. I nodded and smiled. What else can be easier than accomplishing that goal? I think I definitely have over-accomplished the goal in 2010.

The last thing is the fun I had from travels and photographing. Made all the way to South Africa, the furthest point from the San Francisco bay area. As far as the photographing, some minor progresses. Good enough. :)

The low points? Let's not talk about that tonight. :)

P.S. The picture of me drinking bubble tea at the top of HuangShan Mountain in China the last week.

Snack at 2:00 in the Morning

Uncle and auntie were treating the "kids" that day and took us out for a day of endless fun, starting from shopping, playing MaJang, spa, dinner at my most favorite restaurant specializing mushrooms...

Mind me adding a side note? I would still very much want to debate with them whether I still belong to the "kid" category. :)

2:00am in the morning, my cousin complained about being hungry again. Then, immediately, we headed over to KFC.

Uncle is our waitor and free-of-charge. :)

Mom and auntie were enjoying the very much Chinseslized American fast food - Chinese fried donuts with soy milk!

I looked so puffed up because I was tireeeed!!! It's 2:00 in the morning. Damn it! This is why I said I no longer belong to the "kid" category. Only those real "kids" are so energetic at those ungodly hour. Look at my cousin!

Hongcun - An Ancient Village in China

Located in the southwestern foot of Mt. Huangshan, Hongcun was first founded in the Southern Song Dynasty (about AD. 1131-1162), with a history of about 900 years.

Hongcun is a place isolated from the hassles and bustles from the modern life, simple, tranquil and peaceful.

The style of the architecture is simple, non-pretentious, and elegant, blended perfectly with the natural environment, the mountain at the background, the lake and streams surrounding the entire village.

Its most distinct feature is its ingenious water supply system. A stream flowing from a hillside spring behind the village runs into a ditch, and subsequently the front yard of every house.

Walking around the village, I feel as if I am so far far away from the real life. And this one is probably by far my most favorite of the trip.