penny was here...dot.com

Rewind!

= September 2005 =

For one of my oldest friends...Pat (middle) -

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LADY!

and then...

= December 2009 =

Quote of the Month?

This falls under the 'Quote of the Month' category, but could very well be the Quote of 2011 (and we're only one month in...)

What to say when you want your gfs to stop tagging along on your date...

IT'S THE END OF THE ROAD LADIES!!!

C.M.

Rewind!

A new category for my posts...something to reminisce.

So do we still look the same or what?? The first pic chosen for this post is of Hen since this idea was partly bc of him and the old photos on his comp...

= March 2004 =

Please send me any old photos you can find...this will be fun.

ハッピー ニュー イヤー!

 

2011...here at last!

This past year seemed to have gone by so fast but still couldn't end soon enough and left bittersweet feelings. It was a truly tough year (but one which we got through).

Last month I sent a lucky candle holder down a river in Bangkok in hopes that all my troubles would float away. And it began to...

I finally discovered the root cause to my woes, which was...me hoping and waiting for things to happen which never did. Hoping for people to make things right, hoping situations would improve (again by other people). I came to a sudden realization that I had the ability to make things right and improve situations on my own, as it is MY LIFE.

What a liberating feeling.

I had moments where I felt like I was drowning. And I have no doubt that I will feel that again, but at least I know I can swim and stop waiting for someone to rescue me.

I entered this new year just how I had wished, at peace.

So let me take this time to reflect on the good of 2010:

1. Most hilarious moments of 2010 (when I think about them I still laugh)

OUTDOOR hottub on my birthday and things hanging loowww

CHIKA trying to climb a tree during Hanami season

CHIKA singing and dancing in her sleep

HENRY saying "sumimasen....un beeru" to the waitress during his visit to Tokyo

GOING through security at McCarran Airport and watching Lena's tub of lotion get confiscated

YAKATBUNE bday celebration for Chika turned awry

HOOTERS Tokyo during a typhoon (on Halloween Day) - seven bottles of cava, countless wings, a bday celebration, the cleanest bathroom ever in Tokyo, the cordest beer, Hooters member card, an argument and never going back there as a group AGAIN.

HEARING about the abandoned jelly boobs

 

2. Unforgettable moments of 2010

JOINING GS

AMALIA was born

TOMATO nabe at my apartment

ALICE breaking her arm snowboarding (not a good memory, just an intense one)

HANAMI Season

GIRLS "Hangover" Trip to Vegas

BEING asked to be a Godmother

THE SOUND of nothing at the Bvlgari Resort in Bali at night

VISTING Nikko

JOGGING in Tokyo, Bali, London, Florence and Hua Hin

MY FIRST trip to Florence

OUR 1st Extended Family Reunion and Portrait in Thailand

FORGETTING Kendo's group bday gift in the taxi and having him call to find it

 

3. Lessons learned in 2010

JOGGING is awesome

RECOGNIZE what's bad for you and stay away (no you can't just have one...)

REMEMBER your own self worth

YOU'RE not too good for office politics (you're gonna have to bite the bullet)

I'M not as shy anymore

I LIKE RAW Japanese sea bass (suzuki) and yellowtail (hamachi or buri)

HUA HIN is a beautiful place

SCOTCH Whiskey is not just for old men  (Macallan 12-yr)

US CITIZENS need a visa to visit Shanghai

I am sure I am missing things which should be on these lists...let me know if you can think of any. For now, I want to say thank you to my friends and family for helping me get through yet another year and wish everyone a happy and healthy 2011 ahead :)