In February of this year, I wrote the following:

July 2006 – Maternal Grandfather at age 96. He’s with grandmother now.

November 2006 – Paternal Grandmother at age 83.

February 2007 – Paternal Grandfather is in the ICU after a car accident right across from our house, at age 88. Critical condition. Decisions are being made.

Fuck. All in one year – 4704 on the lunar calendar. Starts with four, ends with four. I should have known. [Four is an unlucky number in Chinese culture.] Three more days until the new year…

I still miss them all.

Blogging daily. Think I can handle it? With the help of Twitter, I think I should be fine. It will, however, encourage me to write more anyway. I’ve been slacking off this year since other aspects of my life became busier. My profile page is: here.

I have been coffee shop hopping the last few days. Not drinking coffee, but chai. There are some gems out there. Wish I’d discovered them sooner. Perhaps then I might have pursued a writing career instead – any excuse to hang out in a coffee shop regularly!

Questions: here!

Appetizer: Name 2 things you would like to accomplish in 2008.

I want to pass that awful CPA exam that I have been wanting to pass for the last couple of years. I’m horrible at this! I also want to get in shape. I’m not in bad shape, just would like to be HEALTHY. I’m going to start by running… I have the shoes already.

There is so much more that I could add to the list, but here I am – starting small and slowly. I don’t want to overwhelm myself. My last horoscope read along the lines of getting to know myself and developing the relationship with myself. This week’s says:

Lake Vostok is as big as Lake Ontario, but no one on earth knew about it until 1996. Scientists who had been drilling through Antarctica’s thick sheets of ice discovered it two miles below the surface. Here’s what they were able to find out about the ancient lake: Hermetically sealed off for at least a half million years, it gets no sunlight, has an average temperature below zero, and may harbor life forms as exotic as those on other planets. And yes, it’s in a liquid state, for reasons you can read about at tinyurl.com/2lq79d. All that, Libra, is prelude to the following announcement: Lake Vostok will be one of your Prime Metaphors in 2008. I predict you will dig deep to discover an ancient, pristine mystery at the bottom of your life. In my astrological opinion, you should explore it thoroughly, driven by both an innocent sense of wonder and a robust analytical curiosity.

Same deal – discovering oneself. I’m down for that.

Soup: With which cartoon character do you share personality traits?

Not really sure on this one. Cartoon characters are great in that whatever personality traits they possess, it’s always in some exaggerated form. Entertaining, but not sure which would be most similar to myself.

Salad: What time of day (or night) were you born?

I was born at 1:50 in the morning. That would probably explain why I can stay up so late and why I function best late at night. Or it could be a bunch of bullcrap that I use as an excuse not to go to bed on time.

Main Course: Tell us something special about your hometown.

San Francisco is my hometown. I don’t think it needs me to talk about how special it is. Everyone’s already heard stories here and there. I guess one cool thing since it was in the middle of the Gold Rush is that it is sometimes referred to as “Old Gold Mountain” in Chinese!

Dessert: If you could receive a letter from anyone in the world, who would you want to get one from?

Not sure yet. Most likely if I could choose the TYPE of letter, I would want to receive an acceptance letter from somewhere.

I only like some of the lyrics, so I went and struck everything else out.

Baby Baby
When we first met, I never felt something so strong
You were like my lover and my best friend
All wrapped into one with a ribbon on it
And all of a sudden you went and left
I didn’t know how to follow
It’s like a shock that spun me around
And now my heart’s dead
I feel so empty and hollow

And I’ll never give myself to another the way I gave it to ya (to ya)
Don’t even recognize the ways you hurt me, do ya (do ya)?
It’s gonna take a miracle to bring me back
And you are the one to blame
And now I feel like – ooh!

You’re the reason why I’m thinking
I don’t wanna smoke on these cigarettes no more
I guess that’s what i get for wishful thinking
Should’ve never let you enter my door
Next time you wanna go on and leave
I should just let you go on and do it
‘Cause now I’m using like I bleed

It’s like I checked in to rehab
And baby, you’re my disease
It’s like I checked in to rehab
And baby, you’re my disease
I’ve gotta check in to rehab
‘Cause baby you’re my disease
I’ve gotta check in to rehab
‘Cause baby you’re my disease

Damn, ain’t it crazy when you’re loveswept
You’d do anything for the one you love
Cause anytime that you needed me, I’d be there
Its like you were my favorite drug
The only problem was that you was using me
In a different way that I was using you
But now that I know that it’s not meant to be
You gotta go, I gotta wean myself off of you

And I’ll never give myself to another the way I gave it to ya (to ya)
Don’t even recognize the ways you hurt me, do ya?
It’s gonna take a miracle to bring me back
And you are the one to blame
Cause now I feel like – ooh!

You’re the reason why I’m thinking
I don’t wanna smoke on these cigarettes no more
I guess that’s what i get for wishful thinking
Should’ve never let you enter my door
Next time you wanna go on and leave
I should just let you go on and do it
‘Cause now I’m using like I bleed

It’s like I checked in to rehab
And baby, you’re my disease
It’s like I checked in to rehab
And baby, you’re my disease
I’ve gotta check in to rehab
‘Cause baby you’re my disease
I’ve gotta check in to rehab
‘Cause baby you’re my disease

Oh – Oh
Now ladies gimme that..
Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh-Oh
Oh Oh Ouh Oh
Now gimme that
Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh-Oh
Oh Oh Ouh Oh
Now ladies gimme that..
Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh-Oh
Oh Oh Ouh Oh
Now gimme that
Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh-Oh
Oh Oh Ouh Oh

Oh

You’re the reason why I’m thinking
I don’t wanna smoke on these cigarettes no more
I guess that’s what i get for wishful thinking
Should’ve never let you enter my door
Next time you wanna go on and leave
I should just let you go on and do it
‘Cause now I’m using like I bleed

It’s like I checked in to rehab
And baby, you’re my disease
It’s like I checked in to rehab
And baby, you’re my disease
I’ve gotta check in to rehab
‘Cause baby you’re my disease
I’ve gotta check in to rehab
‘Cause baby you’re my disease

Was that more than half the song?

Since it’s Christmas day and nothing was open, we did what we normally do on Christmas day – went to see a movie. Opted for Juno with its good ratings. Headed over to Emeryville to watch it since the sister’s former roommate lives out in that direction. Otherwise, I would’ve suggested seeing it at the fancy new theater in Japantown where you can pick your own seats and everything.

Anyway, what a cute movie! Sure, the dialogue is unrealistic and extremely sarcastic. It entertains though, and I loved it. I was laughing out loud. And of course, Michael Cera’s character, Paulie Bleeker, is absolutely adorable too.

So I really did give free hugs out yesterday. MJ and I made signs at her place, and then we headed out to Union Square. At first, we were really shy. Our signs were rolled up, hidden from plain sight until we were sure that it was going to happen. Others showed up with their signs too, so we got cranking. What a rush!

Here’s some photographic evidence: Free Hugs Campaign SF. I think more people took pictures of us than we took of ourselves. Lots of tourists, after all.

Quite a few takers, as well as a lot of people who just walked on by. That was fine. It was what it was. Apparently, I’m not a bad hugger. You know, some people opt for the sideways – one arm up, one arm down… Mine was more firm and both arms around with a slight side of head to side of head. Lots of practice yesterday! I had fun and would do it again. We’re saving our signs for another time.

UGH – one is HUGE and in a very obvious spot. Very annoying. Very ugly. I put some toothpaste on it to dry it up a bit, but it’s still massive and difficult to miss. Luckily, my family loves me and will only mention that I have toothpaste on my face. They don’t mention the alien growing out of my skin.

On a brighter note, S called me this morning. He never calls. Ever since we broke up, it’s usually me calling him, me bugging him. However, the best part is that it’s never really awkward. He’s hilarious as ever and never fails to bring a smile to my face. So it started out a good morning.

It’s nice to have a long weekend. I am certain that I will be working at some point, but at least I am not stressing out as much as I was earlier this week.

Remember the Free Hugs campaign? If not, here’s the video: Free Hugs Campaign. I will be giving out free hugs tomorrow! Kinda stoked about it. Not sure what to expect.

The coming months will be a favorable time to work hard on improving your number one relationship: you know, the one between you and yourself. So I hope you’ll have a lot of long, deep, sympathetic conversations with yourself in 2008, even as you cut way back on the scattered, careless, unloving conversations. To get your pep talks off to a hot start, go to a mirror that makes you look your very best and unleash a hail of wild praise and outrageous compliments toward the gorgeous genius gazing back at you.

I like the sound of this. 2008 is time to work on my relationship with ME!

One evening, my sister and I ended up at Green Apple Books. And it was on this fateful evening that I picked up ~$60 in sale/used books. In dollars, it’s not a lot. However, when most are on sale or are used, that’s a lot of books. They were quite heavy! The most recent client is a bus ride from home, so I have been filling up on some of my recent purchases: Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. In less than a week’s bus rides, I was finished with the first book. The second, I’m about halfway through.

I really enjoy Sedaris’ writing style. It’s subtle humor. You’re reading along, la-la-la, and then he makes a funny. It’s great. I’ve been reading with post-it notes in case I find something interesting/ funny/ possibly touching. Here’s what I’ve stickied:

p23: “…we witnessed what we would later come to recognize as the rejuvenating power of real estate. It’s what fortunate couples turn to when their sex life has faded and they’re too pious for affairs. A second car might bring people together for a week or two, but a second home can revitalize a marriage for up to nine months after the closing.”

p140: “Movie characters might chase each other through the fog or race down the stairs of burning buildings, but that’s for beginners. Real love amounts to withholding the truth, even when you’re offered the perfect opportunity to hurt someone’s feelings.”

p166: “We tried explaining the benefits of a nice long cry – the release it offered, the pity it generated – and he laughed in our faces. The rest of us blubbered like leaky showerheads, but for him water production was limited to sweat and urine. His sheets might be wet, but the pillow would remain forever dry.”

I was really disappointed in how little I was reading. I’m glad that I am able to work on it now. BART rides to work will be shorter, but I’m sure I will figure something out. 2008 is just around the corner. There is so much I want to accomplish in the year. I feel like I haven’t DONE a whole lot in 2007, but at the same time, my life is so different from what it was a year ago. By the end of 2008, I will be on my way to recovering from orthognathic surgery. That’s exciting and scary all rolled into one!

Last night, I got together a group of girls for the night out. Several hours were spent at Bourbon & Branch, a 1920’s speakeasy. The drinks were tasty, and the atmosphere was perfect for relaxing and pushing aside troubles. It was worth the price, especially with such great company. Since we did not make reservations, we ended up in the “library” portion of the establishment. Passwords, secret doors – it was awesome.

There are plans in the works for another girls’ night out in the area. I’m rather excited that it worked out so well. Everyone got along. Sometimes I feel like a line, connecting dots. It is such a great feeling when things work out so well. These may be my happier moments.