2008 Rough Sketch

Welcomed the Birthdays and Chinese New Year

Heart broken still and exhausted on all levels

Quit my job to get on the needed exile

Packed and vacated my beloved apt on West 55

Flew back to China on Continental Airlines

Stayed with parents with father's recovering from Surgery

Sleepless at night due to the heat and noise of road work which lasted all summer

Read Pamuk My Name Is Red

Was there in China (traveling on the train) when the earthquake hit the western province in the region where I visited and lived in 1994, with a film crew

Being interviewed on local Radio program on sponsoring an orphan from the quake, representing "Overseas Chinese" among the sponsors

Traveled to Vancouver, and visited Portland, Oregon for the first time where I saw lot of Roses and the fireworks of July 4th

Watched Painted Veils 6 times, non-stop,on the flight from Beijing to Vancouver, since the entertainment system was broken and that is the only film playing, and fell in love with both the doctor played by Edward Norton and Edward Norton

Traveled to different places back in China and saw the cities, lakes, wineries

Saw the Olympics in Beijing

Soul cleansed and heart warmed in Cambodia

Swam in South China Sea and swam at night under the stars and loved it

Celebrated Angela’s birthday with her in the bar on the top of Koolong Tower overlooking Victoria Harbor, the view is unbeatable; this is considering I once enjoyed the full view of Manhattan from the Jersey side

Shed 10 pounds out of training, swimming and sweating in sub-tropical weathers

Drank lot of coffee at local café bars with sisters at home town

Being happy with myself by alleviating a long-term guilty toward family for never being there for them

Met old friends at hometown and went karaoke together, very embarrassed to only able to sing old songs by being out of date with Chinese pop culture or just being out of date

Ate burning Spicy Duck head that is addictive, like pain

Being happy with myself

Being happy with myself for being true

Being happy with myself for fitting the really old jeans again

Back to New York in time to see the Elections

Fought with Mouse at the steeply-priced rental walk-up and won and now peacefully co-exist--out of each other's way

Reflected on true friendship

Started looking for a job in this recession time

Started looking for a job in this holiday time

Read a lot of Kierkegaard

Read and loved Out of Africa

Read update of people I care about, relieved and proud

Kept emotionally charged by Revolutionary Road both the film and the book

Did not go to Mexico

Miss the smile

Miss skiing, snow and speed

Miss driving and road trip

Refrained from drunk or holiday’s blue emailing

Settled some debt on the last day of the year with blood-sucking credit card company, New Year resolution is more financially savvy with personal finance at a tough time, and cook more and better

Love the city still, especially when it snowed today

Getting ready for the little house party in Williamsburg and the L train

Getting ready for 2009

Wish you a Happy New Year