Two-Zero-One-Two

Jay Sean's "2012":

As 2011 wraps up in a few hours, I wanted to look back on my 2011 Resolutions and list out my 2012 Resolutions.  Last year, I wrote the following:  "As I look back on how things turned out over the past few years, I classify those periods as the following:  2009 was a year of hurt, 2010 was a year of healing, and 2011 will be a year of living...living, loving, and appreciating life more than ever before."  Standing here a year later, I could not agree more. 

Below were the resolutions I wrote for 2011 and commentary is included in green:

1. Exercise more:  Youth is amazing.  Your metabolism works like a little hamster running in its wheel.  We all know it will catch up to us one day, though, and I want to be prepared for that day.  My goal is to run 3 miles with out stopping.  I would also like to tone up my arms, abs, and glutes.  Better health in general is a good selling point, too. - I did exercise more, especially during the first half of the year.  Although I did not make it to 3 miles, I did manage to get up to 2-2.5 miles without stopping.  I'm still proud of making it that far, and I'm not finished with it yet.
   
2. Pass the CPA exam:  It's a beast.  You can do it.  First time around! - CHECK!!!!!!!!
   
3. Capture the memories:  I can spend hours looking at old photographs.  They are priceless, and I want to take more pictures to remember these days.  Maybe I will try to also write more entries here and fill them with photos.  It would probably make this blog more interesting... - This was a great resolution that I'm so glad I kept.  I did the 30-Day Photo Challenge in May, and I took so many pictures of my senior year in college, I don't feel like I missed much.
   
4. Cook more:  Learn new dishes, and make them with style.  Taste remains the most important factor, but serving beautiful dishes is an art. - I learned maybe 3 or 4 new dishes this year.  The result is not as impressive as initially hoped for, but we'll say I met this one to some degree.
   
5. Get a boyfriend:  I know, I know.  This sounds terrible, like a I'm a desperate, naive, hopeless, pitiful, little girl.  Whether this is true or not, I wrote this down because I want to be more open to dating.  I've guarded myself for a long time.  Granted, I know it was the right thing to do because I wasn't ready to date again.  I'm ready now, though.  I am a bit picky when it comes to guys, but I believe I will find someone who is worth waiting for. - I honestly did not believe I would go on a date with any guy this past year, but who knew that I'd blow this one out of the water lol.  A few weeks ago, I did speed dating for the first time in my life.  I guess I "dated" 17 guys in 2 hours...We can debate on the technicality of it, but It was a fun experience, nonetheless.  I'm glad I did it.

With 2011 coming to a close, it's time to look forward to 2012.  If I had to describe my outlook for 2012 in one word, I would say this will be a year of discovery.  After being out of college for a few months, I'm starting to feel this need to push myself to try new things in my new working life.  23 is too young to become complacent, and there are so many things still on my ever-growing bucket list.  With that, here are my resolutions for the next year:

1. Continue exercising:  I still want to reach that 3 mile mark.  The most difficult obstacle that stands in the way is finding the time and motivation to exercise during busy times at work.  My cousin, L, also recommended I try Ashtanga Yoga.  I'm still debating about whether to get a gym membership, but from what I hear, there are usually special deals in January...If all else fails, there's also Zumba dvds!
2. Learn to use my camera:  I received a Nikon dSLR as a graduation present.  It's really awesome, but I want to learn about all of the features that a tricked out camera like that holds.  I've seen friends post photos and projects they've done, and I love looking at them.  Hopefully, I'll turn this into a serious hobby.
3. Make macarons:  Macarons are one of the hardest desserts to make.  They look so delicate, and achieving the right texture is not easy.  I've made a few batches over the past few months.  They either ended up too sweet or not the right texture.  This one is going to be a tough one, though.
4. Find what I'm passionate about:  I was talking to one of my friends from high school, M, and when I told him that I wasn't currently passionate about my job, he made it a mini life goal to help me discover what I do have a passion for.  It was funny to watch M get so riled up over this, but I will admit, it got me thinking.  Life can be extremely interesting and meaningful if we make it that way.
5. Open my heart:  I will continue my previous resolution of getting a boyfriend lol.  I've been pretty open lately to getting to know people and going out on dates.  The next step is actually letting someone get close, which is not something I do very often.  Going on the premise that I do find a guy that I like, I want to try to give him a fair chance and not compare him to my past.

Cheers to all of the wonderful memories of 2011, and best wishes for 2012!

How Much Money is LOVE Worth?

Vsauce's video:  How Much Money is LOVE Worth?

Terrible Presents Make for Good Times

Jimmy Kimmel's Youtube Challenge:  I gave my kid a terrible present!

Mies Container

Hooters has been known for their wings, even though I was never a fan of them.  So what's on the trend radar nowadays?  Apparently, a hip restaurant in Seoul, South Korea with handsome waiters is.  Oh my.

CNNGo covered this trendy restaurant, called Mies Container, in an interesting article entitled "Mies Container restaurant:  A tasty, trendy Hooters for women."  Read it.

The following youtube clip shows a more detailed look at the inside of the restaurant.  It's a bit long, but if you skim through the video, you get an idea of the atmosphere.  The big barrels and metal bowls are a bit too industrial for my tastes, even as my daydreams go wild over potentially meeting a waiter who sweeps me off my feet and coincidentally looks like Hyun Bin. Perhaps some of the magic is lost through the grainy internet stream.  But realistically, how romantic does a garage setting usually turn out to be?

I must admit, the concept is intriguing.  What girl doesn't wish to meet a cute, friendly guy?  And now there are dozens of them waiting in one place at Mies Container!  The likelihood of actually finding a date at this place is unrealistic, but it's fun to window shop.  I finally understand why guys like the wings at Hooters.

---
I couldn't resist posting a picture of Hyun Bin...now he would make a great Christmas present!

http://visitkorea.or.kr/ena/HA/content/cms_view_316160.jsp?gender=M

Listening to...

Ry Cuming's "Always Remember Me"

Hello, Holidays!

Justin Bieber's "Mistletoe" music video:

Although I would not want to be under the mistletoe with Justin Bieber - despite all his baby boy swagger and  coolness, he's way too young for me - I like listening to this song because it puts me in the holiday mood.  And with another Thanksgiving gone by, the holiday season is officially here!

As I was driving home from dinner tonight, I started thinking that it would be nice to be with somebody right now...namely a tall, dark, and handsome somebody since I might as well make the most of this wish.  Is it just me, or do the holidays bring about a longing for companionship to other singletons as well?  Why is this?

My hypothesis is that one, it is cold, so it would be nice to have another person to snuggle up with and stay warm.   It's probably an evolutionary trait.  In March of the Penguins, the penguins huddle together when it gets cold, as well:

http://btr.michaelkwan.com/2011/08/19/movie-reviews-arthur-2011-and-march-of-the-penguins-2005/

Two, people finally have time to slow down from their busy lives and travel home to be with family.  This could go two ways. Either you enjoy the time with family so much, you want to keep adding to it.  Or you've spent a little too much time with your family, and you'd like an extra person there to entertain you and help you eat some of the leftover turkey and ham.

Three, this is the season of giving and sharing.  The holidays are usually a special time, and it would be nice to have someone to share these special moments and memories with.

Best of luck to all the singles out there who are looking for some holiday love!  I hope everyone finds a shawty (or a Bieber) to kiss under the mistletoe this year.

Black Friday

I'm not a Black Friday fanatic, but I can appreciate a good deal.  Happy Black Friday!

Yeah, so I like this commercial...

Happy Thanksgiving!

http://scbrown14.blogspot.com/2010/11/happy-thanksgiving.html

Happy Thanksgiving!  I'm thankful for my family, the people in my life, all of the great memories, and for promising times ahead.

Evolution

One of my favorite quotes is from one of my coworkers,

"You're just higher on the evolutionary chain."  

It's a great response to sayings such as:

• "The computer adds for me."
• "I don't get the recommended amount of sleep at night."
• "I only had 3 wisdom teeth.  I don't know what happened to the 4th."

http://icanhascheezburger.com/2009/12/13/funny-pictures-owlcat/

Trust

If someone loses my trust, is that more valuable than if I lose someone else's trust?  My ego would say, "Of course, my trust better damn well be worth a lot!"  But you must also consider that you have a reputation to maintain and a conscience to pacify.

As we grow out of childhood, we learn, often by firsthand experience, that other people can hurt us.  Sometimes they hurt us by accident due to lack of foresight.  Sometimes they hurt us out of necessity so we can grow up.  And sometimes they hurt us for their own benefit.  It is this last scenario that wrings out the innocent trust we have for others in our hearts and tints it with suspicion.

Can I blame someone for looking out for Number 1 if it is at my expense?  They were only abiding by the rules of Survival of the Fittest.  I would definitely still feel angry, and justifiably so since I need to look out for Number 1 as well.  But there is an emptiness that is left behind when trust is lost.

Interestingly, older people are more trusting than younger people, even though they have had more chances to be hurt in life.  A more optimistic view could be that they have had more opportunities and life experiences to see the good intentions of others prevail.  As B.C. Forbes puts it, "Better to be occasionally cheated than perpetually suspicious." The following article talks about the demographics of trusting people: http://pop17.com/social-trust-who-trusts/.

As unemotional as this post has been, it does honestly hurt like a son of a bee sting to learn that a friend or confidant has betrayed your trust.  I do believe that if people felt truly sorry for their actions, trust can quickly be rebuilt on a more solid foundation.  In the grown up world, though, there is no teacher to say who was right or wrong; there is no feeling of justice.  Without remorse, what is the value of forgiveness?  And without forgiveness, how can we truly trust again?

http://pop17.com/social-trust-who-trusts/

Crazy Fast Hand Cake Lady

I read about the video below on humortechblog.com.  She's like a machine!

 

Jelly Bean Fever

Kina Grannis is a great artist, and so is her new music video for "In Your Arms."  This first clip shows the making of the music video:

Here is the official music video for "In Your Arms":

I can't help but admire all of the time, energy, and patience this team put in to make this 3 minute video.  It's wonderful.  The whimsical quality of the clip, which ironically was created with such meticulous precision, fits perfectly with Kina's style.  She has a refreshing quality to her voice, and her songs make me feel more carefree.  I missed her show when she came to Austin last spring, but hopefully I'll get to catch one of her performances in the future.  Definitely on my bucket list.

Chemistry Lesson

The best sort of humor...nerdy!

http://humortechblog.com/2011/03/chemistry-humor.html

Not-As-Angry Birds

 http://www.laughingbug.com/anger-management-angry-birds/

Human LCD

Take This Lollipop

Here's an interesting article about a site that adds to the eerie spirit of Halloween.

Reven8e...aka Revenge

"Revenge is a dish best served cold."

This proverb has been around for centuries.  According to Wikipedia, the unofficial, official source of information, the phrase comes from the 1841 French novel Mathilde by Marie Joseph Eugene Sue - "La vengeance se mange très-bien froide."  I remember the first time I heard this line was in 9th grade English.  We were reading The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe, and those words have stuck in my mind ever since.

There is something so intriguing about revenge.  Perhaps it is the complexity of the plan that is so interesting.  Of course it cannot be too obvious, else the plan would not work.  Or maybe it is the sense of awe you get when you see a master player calculating five steps ahead of his opponent.  And on top of it all, you don't feel guilty seeing the other person get hurt because they deserved it.

I feel all of that when I watch the new ABC show, Reven8e.  And no...that 8 is not really an 8; it's supposed to be an infinity sign...yeah, I know, it looks like an 8 to me, too.  Probably part of a ruse to make the logo look more intriguing.  I guess it could also represent that revenge is a never-ending cycle.

http://therecoveringpolitician.com/the-rp/the-rp-an-open-letter-to-the-producers-of-revenge

Anyway, I was surprised I got so drawn into the show.  I thought it would appeal more to the Desperate Housewives audience, but this show is so full of drama, I couldn't stay away.  As explained by the all-knowing Wikipedia, here is the plot summary:

"Emily Thorne (Emily VanCamp), whose real name is Amanda Clarke, moves back to The Hamptons to take revenge on the people who caused the death of her father David (James Tupper) and destroyed her family. When she was a little girl, Amanda's father was arrested on terrorism charges and tried for treason; her life was destroyed. She ended up in juvenile detention and on her 18th birthday inherited the wealth of the company her father invested in. She changed her name to Emily Thorne and decided to take revenge on the people responsible."

So far, each episode has shown the fall of one of the people who wronged Amanda or her father in the past.  Each show also has a title that invokes a theme that runs in the same circles as Revenge:  Trust, Betrayal, Duplicity, Guilt, Intrigue, Charade.  These people play dirty and are sometimes downright evil.  How can you like something so bad?  Doesn't that sound familiar...

Aside from the interesting plot, I think the actors are really good looking, too...especially Joshua Bowman. On the show, Bowman plays Daniel Grayson, the son of the family at the top of the social ladder in The Hamptons.  He's so handsome.  And his smile always gets me lol.

http://www.theinsider.com/tv/45321_Joshua_Bowman_Talks_Revenge_Spoilers/

Although weekdays aren't nearly as fun as the weekend, TV shows like Revenge give me something to look forward to.  Revenge airs Wednesdays at 10/9c.  See you tomorrow!

---

Currently listening to Katy Perry's "The One That Got Away"

Bon Qui Qui

The last clip posted reminded me of Bon Qui Qui!  Okaaaay!  Angela Johnson is hilarious, and I wish I could watch her perform live.  Below is my favorite clip of Bon Qui Qui at King Burger:

Quarter Close

So, I survived my first quarter close.  The last two weeks have been pretty tiring.  Getting in before 7:30 am and leaving the office around 8 or 9.  I must agree that when you work, you have enough money to do what you want to do, but the TIME!  Where does it all go?

Anyway, to make up for lost time, here's a funny clip my friend sent:

A Late Night Laugh

I was up late tonight eating one of my favorite snacks, Brownie Bites, and flipping through Reader's Digest.  The jokes are pretty good, and here's one that made me chuckle:

"You know, when you get back together with an old boyfriend, it's pathetic.  It's like having a garage sale and buying your own stuff back." -- Comic Laura Kightlinger

I Will Remember

"Please Remember" by LeAnn Rimes

I haven't written about my ex in a long time...but tonight is one of those nights when I can't escape the memories.  It came about when I typed in my last name in a Facebook search to see how many friends I had with the same last name, which is very common, and of course R's name came up in the search.  I noticed that it said "Add Friend" on the right side, and I immediately thought "DAMN IT!" I should have unfriended him long ago.  But what's done is done.  It's amazing how childish I can feel in the playground of Facebook.

Your first love will always have an effect on you, no matter how long ago it was or how much it hurt to say goodbye.  I moved on a long time ago, but maybe now, there won't be anymore traces of him in my life moving forward.  No matter how hard he tried not to hurt me, or didn't try, his actions have always affected me after we separated.  Part of it was because his actions were callous.  And part of it was because there were sprinkles of old memories of us left in my heart, like sugar sprinkled in coffee which can never be separated again.

Now that our lives have finally taken different paths with no more roads or bridges to connect us, maybe I will start to look back on our experiences together, not as bad memories, but as the sweet memories they were of loving for the first time.

I'll end this post with my favorite memory, my first kiss.  I remember it was a cool fall night at school.  We decided to go to the main mall as usual and lay under the trees, looking at the Capitol building lit up in the distance and at the stars even further in the distance.  We were laying down talking about something, which escapes my mind now, your arm was bent at the elbow, and your head was resting on your hand.  Then, you leaned forward, and you kissed me.  I had butterflies in my stomach, and I remember smiling.  I believe you said, "That was nice," and then kissed me again, which surprised me.  I felt so happy, nervous, and excited, and I couldn't believe I'd just had my first kiss.  And second kiss, I guess.  It was like something out of a movie.  A few years later, I would walk by the main mall, and I would think about that kiss and smile.  Whether you remember this memory, I will never know, but I will always remember.

Two Baby Bears

http://parkhyuna.tumblr.com/post/9281864324

Bingo

60 is the new 20...or maybe 20 is the new 60?  Recently, I've been going to play Bingo in the Heights, formally known as Lodge #88, which is a reception hall that turns into a Bingo hotspot every Thursday night.  Even though the main game doesn't start until 7:45 PM, people start claiming their tables before 6:00 PM.  A lot of people in their 20's frequent the place, but there are also families and older crowds that come, too.

Some things that make Bingo in the Heights so great:

• Random quirky comments from the crowd.  Corner!  O-69!  Bird Legs (B11).  I18 - That's what she said....
• Staff who work the hall.  Most people here look like they're retired and come here because they enjoy it.  They are pretty funny, too.  Last time I went, the crowd was being loud, and the bingo caller told us, "I teach 3rd grade, and you all are just as bad as them.  The difference is I can't put you in timeout."
• $5 for a whole night of fun.  I probably spend 3-4 hours there hanging out with friends.  Actual play time is about 2 hours with breaks in between each game.  And for just $5, you play 10 games that have different prize amounts ranging from $100 to $600.  My friend P actually won $300 tonight!  It got intense, and my heart even raced for my friend, when we saw he only had one number left.  Gambler's rush lol.

It's rare to find good old clean fun nowadays.  I'm sure there will be many more Thursday nights spent here.  

Give

Recapping their dances from this season of America's Got Talent, the Silhouettes performed last night with LeAnn Rimes singing "Give".

Here's a ridiculously impressive clip of Cirque du Soleil on the finale of AGT as well:

Music Memories

Sometimes when a song comes on, all you need to hear are just the first 3 seconds, and it brings you back to the old days when life was more carefree and sunny days reminded you of summer.  Here are some songs that brought back memories for me:

1. Elementary School - Shania Twain's "Woman In Me" & Spice Girls's "Spice" Albums
2. Middle School - Savage Garden's "Truly, Madly, Deeply"
3. High School - Michelle Branch's "All You Wanted" and Sixpence None the Richer's "Kiss Me"
4. Early College - The Postal Service and Regina Spektor because that's what my roommate played a lot during freshman year.  Also anything by The Fray...I really like their music.  A lot of times, I don't understand what they say because their words slur together... so I usually have to go look up the lyrics.  But their instrumentals are good, and the music often strikes a sad, but beautiful chord with me.
5. Later College - A lot of randomness lol.  It might be too close to the present to really know which songs are more distinct in my memory, but some of them off of the top of my head include Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" because of Glee, Iyaz's "Replay", Cali Swag District's "Teach Me How to Dougie", Katy Perry's "Firework" and many more...

Currently, I've been driving to and from work, and I hear Adele's "Someone Like You" on the radio everyday.  I happen to like this song a lot, so I don't flip the channel when I hear it.  Adele's voice is so strong and filled with emotion.  Now, if only she'd get over this bronchitis soon...

Silhouettes

I've been watching the finale of America's Got Talent, and I love the modern dance group, Silhouettes.  They didn't win, but my favorite performance was when they danced with LeAnn Rimes singing "Give."  I'll post a link to that video once it's uploaded to youtube.  Until then, here was one of their prior dances to "Imagine Me":

Miss Universe 2011

I just caught the end of the Miss Universe 2011 pageant, and Miss Angola, Leila Lopes, won.  She's so pretty!  Congrats, girl!

http://adventuresofabeautyqueen.com/2011/09/11/abqs-top-15-miss-universe-2011-contestants/

Valencia

After our stay in Madrid, we took a 2-hour train ride to Valencia, which is located on the eastern coast of Spain.  This city is more of a relaxing vacation place rather than a tourist attraction site.  There seemed to be fewer foreigners here, but the people here were probably the friendliest people we encountered on the whole trip.

We only stayed 3 days in Valencia, which was the perfect amount of time for this city.  Below were my top 3 places to visit while there:

1)  El Saler

El Saler is about a 30-minute bus ride south of Valencia's city center.  There is a more frequented city beach called La Malvarrosa, but I much prefer taking the trip out to El Saler.  It is a lot cleaner and quieter, and a perfect place to spend hours on the beach lying under an umbrella.  (I'm not too keen on tanning since I don't want to increase the risk of getting skin cancer or burned.)

We forgot our camera/batteries the day we went to El Saler, so this is actually a picture of La Malvarrosa.  It was a little overcast, but it's prettier on a sunny day.

El Saler

http://www.spaincenter.org/turismo-spain/comunidad-valenciana/valencia/el-saler.htm

2)  City of Arts and Sciences / Turia River Bed Gardens

I group these two sites together because the Turia River Bed Gardens leads right to the City of Arts and Sciences. The Turia was an old river that dried up, and the city has revitalized it to make it into a 7 km long park.  Each section has it's own theme, and there are a lot of people just running or biking along it.  We only walked 1/3 to 1/2 of the garden towards the south end because there wasn't much to see in the other half.

The City of Arts and Sciences is cool to walk around.  The futuristic looking architecture was unique, and I think it would fun to go there for New Year's or outdoor concerts.  It was pretty expensive to go into the aquarium and museum, and we weren't too interested in going to the planetarium, so we just took pictures from the outside.

3)  Walking Tour

We did a walking tour of La Lonja, Mercado Central, Cathedral and Miguelete, Plaza de la Virgen, and the Torres de Serranos one of the days.  I hit most of the top sites listed on this website, which I think was 

La Lonja - Old Silk Exchange

Cathedral and Miguelete

Plaza de la Virgen - I loved the marble tiles outdoors.  It gave the city extra finesse.

Torres de Serranos - Climbed the towers for €1.25 student price

The Real Madrid

One of my favorite shows that I used to watch in high school was Globe Trekker.  I always liked hearing that boingy noise at the beginning of every episode, and my favorite traveler was Megan McCormick.  That would be a pretty sweet job to have.  No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain would also be a cool job to have, but I digress.

The first stop of my 20-day Eurotrip was Madrid.  My friend X and I did a lot, but my top 5 places to visit were as follows:

1)  Palacio Real de Madrid (Royal Palace of Madrid)

We weren't allowed to take pictures inside the palace, but the artwork and grandness were stunning.  It's unlike any place I've ever seen in the US, and there is a lot of culture and history behind the site.

2)  Toledo / Cathedral of Toledo

Toledo is a World Heritage City that is a 30 minute train ride away from Madrid.  It was the old capital of Spain before Madrid.  The quaint old city is built so closely together that you can walk the winding streets and visit most of the sites within a day.

My favorite site in Toledo was the Cathedral of Toledo.  Of all of the churches I visited in Spain and Paris, this Cathedral was at the top of that list, too.  Don't be deceived by the picture of the outside of the building.  Inside is huge!  The altar is ornate, and sometimes you just don't know where to look because there are so many things going on with all the decorations.  It is truly a site to see.


3)  Real Madrid C.F.'s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium

I'm not a big futbol fan, which is probably akin to saying someone doesn't like puppies (How can you NOT like puppies?  They're so cute).  However, we visited Santiago Bernabéu, and I thought the self-guided tour was great.  Seeing the field, taking pictures with pictures of players, pretending to be sitting in club seats...it's pretty cool.

4)  Museo Reina Sophia

Aside from the Reina Sophia, there is the Prado Museum which is the largest and most famous art museum in Spain.  I chose to list the Reina Sophia here, though, because I enjoyed the collections and exhibits on display  more than the ones I saw at the Prado.  My opinion may differ next time I go.  People should try to visit both museums if possible.

 

5)  Retiro Park

This park sits to the east of the center of the city and it is huge.  There are not many flowers in this park, but the water areas are nice to look at.  We rested our feet for at least an hour in front of fountain because it was so peaceful.  There is also a glass house structure that has a slide inside of it.  We didn't try it out, but if I had not been wearing a dress, I might have.

Other Notable Sites

• Plaza Mayor
• Templo de Debod (Egyptian Ruins)
• Bull Fight
• Puerta del Sol - Street performances at night

X and I spent 5 days in Madrid, including the day trip to Toledo, which I think was long enough to do everything we wanted to do.  What struck me about the city was that the streets were so clean, the metro system is extremely well-kept (the nicest I've seen so far) and fast, and most of the dogs were off their leashes and were well-behaved.  Although many people visit Madrid, it doesn't feel overrun with tourists.  Madrid is very culturally rich, the people are pretty friendly, and it's a city I would recommend for others to visit if they ever find themselves in Europe.

A Teardrop

How many emotions are stored in a single teardrop?  The love for a person.  The heartache for missing someone.  The hope that that person is in a happier place.  Ba Noi, today, your children and grandchildren say goodbye to you.  I pray that you are smiling down in Heaven with Ong Noi at your side once again, and I send my love to you.

http://www.travellerspoint.com/photos/gallery/tags/visa/

I'm Baaaaaaaaaaaack!

So much has happened this past month.  As a quick update, I came back last week after a 3 week vacation to Spain and France, and I just started a new job this week.  It's been pretty busy, and I've been tired from adjusting to my new schedule.  Hopefully, I'll get into a routine soon.

For this next month, I plan to blog about my trip to Europe and travel related thoughts.  This next week is going to be hectic, so my posts will be sporadic.  But it's nice to be back!

As always, here is a video that I just can't get enough of:

The 4th

I'll be headed off to Spain and France in a few days!  I've been a bit busy lately, but there's nothing like living in the moment!  Before I take off for the next few weeks, I wanted to leave a link to The Best Obnoxious Responses to Misspellings on Facebook, which is good for about an hour worth of chuckles.

And in the spirit of 4th of July, here is one of my favorite music videos, Katy Perry's Firework!

Snapshots in Vietnam

After the one-week trip to Phu Yen, the group traveled an additional week to Hoi An, Da Nang, and back to Saigon.  Below is the rest of my trip in photos:

Phu Yen:   Sunset at the beach

Cricket made from a palm leaf

Cham Tower in Phu Yen

Ghenh Da Dia in Phu Yen

Private beach in Phu Yen

Lunch stop on the way to Hoi An

Hoi An:  Ancient town lit in lantern lights

Floating paper lanterns

Lantern making

Da Nang:  Marble Mountains (Ngũ Hành Sơn)

Stairway to Heaven

Ba Na Hills Cable Car

View from cable car

Buddha Statue

1487 meters above sea level

View from the top

Saigon at Night