Day one:  We were on our way to San Francisco for a day and connecting with a flight to Maui the next day.
Our flight was delayed because another flight was oversold and we had to wait for some Chicago passengers.  However, because of this delay, a hairline fracture was discovered on our plane’s windshield.  We sat on the tarmac for 4 hours before safety inspectors concluded we could not fly. 
Airline: Go home. Come back tomorrow – same time, same seats.

Day two: We were on our way to San Francisco…..
We showed up for our rescheduled flight and it took off without a hitch. Five hours into the flight, the captain announced that we had to make an emergency landing due to our hydraulic systems failing. On top of this, our plane was too heavy to land so we were dumping fuel in order to land safely — uh, given that our hydraulics were out.  We landed in Tokyo, where I promptly ran to the bathroom to toss some cookies. Food poisoning from the plane.    

With a spiked fever, chills, and flu-like symtoms, I passed out at Narita while waiting for a hotel voucher. While I sort of passed out, Jeff checked us off of our flight by calling the airline. We got rebooked on another flight. We were sick of the all the rudeness and yelling  displayed by some of the fellow passengers toward the Narita groundcrew. We finally got our hotel voucher at 12 midnight and got on buses arranged by the airport. We were awoken by an earthquake at 3 am. Luckily it wasn’t that serious for us to evacuate the hotel. 

Day three: We’re on our way to….
We showed up at the airport for our rebooked flight to SFO at 4 PM.   (Our orginal flight we were supposed to be on had already taken off at 2 PM.)   The flight that we got rebooked on — well, had mechanical problems and was now delayed until 9 pm that night.  The airline agent at the counter shook his head and just sighed on our behalf.  He felt so bad for us that he managed to get us on a direct flight to Hawaii instead — skipping San Francisco altogether.  We had to wait until 9 PM that night anyway and took a red-eye to Hawaii.

Day four: We arrived in Maui.
Arriving after all the delays — made our trip all the  more sweeter. We were so happy to arrive and see our friends. It was so nice to see them at the airport and we were off to Mama’s Fish House. 

We had a lot of fun. It was so heartwarming to be amongst old, dear friends. I especially enjoyed taking turns to cook.
Here is a photo!

One of the most memorable things about our trip took place on the last day, on the way to airport – to catch our return flight to Hong Kong.   There was an old man who was walking along the town of Paia.  We were all feeling sad that we had to leave Maui and all go our separate ways. As this old man was walking, he would bow, blow kisses and touch his heart. He blew kisses at every car, including ours. It was as if he was blessing us as we continued on our journey —  whether it’d be a flight, a trip to the gocery store, work, etc.  It was slow, methodical, graceful, just so giving  and it was towards strangers. 

At this moment, it was us that felt blessed, to have spent long summer days with friends (in Maui!!), basking in the sun, getting sun burnt, cooking, playing, and just being together. It’s what matters most and it’s what I’ll remember.  Now, even when I walk to work along Ladder Street, I think of him from time to time and feel lucky to have experienced that blown kiss. I guess you can say, I’m still feeling blessed.  

***

Here are two more photos!

I was able to stay still for a second before.....

My usual pose. Crazy Antics!

A couple of weeks ago, I went to Shanghai. I met some old friends there from San Francisco and it was just so nice to see folks from home! Happily, these friends MOVED to Shanghai! So, they are close by to visit any ‘ole time! They have two little girls and one of them loves, and I do mean, LOVES butter on her bacon! We all went out to brunch at Mesa and they have a children’s play area. Once the food arrived, we had to call the girls back to the table to eat their food. Of course, they really didn’t want to eat, they would rather play.

However, once their dad mentioned, “You can have butter on your bacon! Just the way you like it!”

One of the girls came running to the table and sat herself down. Imagine that! All it took was butter and bacon.

Let me say this again. Butter. Bacon.

Hmmm….what is the something in your life that makes you drop everything and lure you back?

*********

I just got back from visiting Stockholm, Sweden and Copenhangen, Denmark last week.  The last time I was in Stockholm was back in October of 2008, it was cold and the days were super short. This time, it was different because the days were bright, sunny, and long. The sun didn’t set until about 11 PM and then, it wasn’t really all that dark — the sky made you feel like the sun could burst out at any given moment and by 3 AM, it would!

The air was crisp in the shade of lilac trees and warm in sunshine along the waterfront. I went running at 4 am (it was Jeff’s idea really to do this!) and was back for my hotel breakfast by 6 am. Along the way, I’d see little ducklings with their proud parents, cygnets and their mamas, and tons of goslings with their ever protective parents! It was sort of surreal.

The long days and the warmth of the sun made me realize that this is what an internally happy and ever optimistic person must feel all the time.  In this beautiful Scandinavian sunshine constantly on your back and shoulders it was like getting a hug from the sun or the universe, however you want to interpet it, or just call me a drunk on sunshine hippy — but not new age! Please!

********

Just a quickie mention. When I went to inquire about a train ticket from Arlanda airport into Stockholm’s city center — the lady at the counter said to me, “Well, you are under 26 years right? You can get the discounted tickets.” I almost jumped over the counter to kiss her, but I instead laughed and laughed — like the little girl I used to be.

I had read his bio wanting to know where he studied yoga. What struck me was that it said he studied palmistry and used to do this as a living.  Amid his stretching, I jokingly held out my hand and said to him, Do you have time?

He walked over to me and told me to put my hands together as if I was going to pray. He then instructed for me to pull my hands apart and he took my right hand. He then cupped my hand a couple of times as if I was going to ask for spare change.

He then spread my hand back and bent my fingers away for the palm. He then, pulled me closer to the window for better lighting. The whole time he was looking at my right hand, I kept asking him questions like:

Will I have children?
What do you see?
Will I move from Hong Kong?
Will I win the lotto?
Will I grow old with my husband?
Will I ever see a double rainbow?
Will I get to travel more?
Will my business be successful?
Will I get a second helping of dessert?

He would look at my palm and then looked at me a couple of times, but said nothing.

I then started to make statements instead.

I want to travel.
I want to grow old with my husband.
I want my business to grow and expand nicely.
I want to have three children.
With this last statement — he sort of smirked, let go of my hand and walked back to the front of the room to start our class.

I yelled after him.
Wait! …but what did it say? Aren’t you going to tell me what my palm said?

He looked at me and replied:

It said nothing good. It said nothing bad. Just live your life like it’s  normal.

But I pestered him. What about children? Will I have them?

His reponse: You should.

Other students started to file into class and he said,

Ok. Please close your eyes, palms together and take a deep breath.
Now, take a loooooong exhale.

I did just that. I let things go, with my exhale.
It was good advice. Just live your life.

I scolded a teenager on a bus sitting in a seat reserved for the elderly, telling her that she needed to give up her seat and get up NOW for the elderly man who was leaning on his cane right in front of her. (I was standing next to the eldery man.)   I had to tell her twice because she had her headphones on full blast.
She gave me a mean look while getting up and said, “Ok, I got up. OK?” and
I said to her, “You SHOULD have offered.”  I didn’t go on a full tirade outloud with  ”kids these days…” because I’m hopeful that she didn’t represent all the kids. She was just a kid that, on that particular day to me, didn’t have any manners, nor compassion.  Luckily, I know plenty of children who are kind and well mannered.  

I told Susie this before that the sitcoms for kids today, hardly teach them anything good. The all seem pretty snarky to me. It’s horrible.  However, when it comes down to it, it’s what you are taught at home.

Which brings me to this other point that Susie and I were gabbing out. Respect of other people’s property. If you borrow something (this means, it’s not yours and you will return it!) - treat it with respect and return it to the owner in the same condition in which you borrowed it.  This includes books from the library! 

Ok, I think I got rid of what has been on my mind lately. Yes, I feel old fashion and old in general, but folks, it’s time to return to some decency.

Lana, thanks for the cool photos!

 This cute market is near our apartment and I just love how it looks
during the day and night. I haven’t been able to capture how it looks at night, but
Lana was able to! She is much more patient. This market also reminds me of the movie,
Amelie.  There is a “green grocer” store that sits on a corner like this. Check it out and watch for it if you missed it!

I don’t really like photos of myself. However, Lana was able to take this shot and I like the composition. What do you think? 

Thanks for taking the time to visit, Lana! Miss you and the rest of the clan.

One of the things I want to share though, is a story about who comes through for you.  As some of you know, my side gig, August Table, has been growing. Our first store, Perch is still selling our products, and we are still selling at the SFMOMA store in downtown and at SFO airport.  We also got picked up by The Gardener in the San Francisco Ferry Building.  However, we wouldn’t be selling our products if it  weren’t for my BFF, Susie and her superduperhusband, Steve.

Yes, this is a shout out! Thank you so much, Susie and Steve!!

In October, I was all snug in Orange County at their house waiting for our shipment to arrive and then, we had planned out a nice long weekend in San Francisco to delivery our products. We had heard from our customs agent that our ship arrived but due to the recent cargo bombing attempts from Yemen – all items would be hand inspected. Yep. This means a big delay since it would take forever to go through each cargo, box, and crate by hand.

I had a return flight from SFO back to Hong Kong on Sunday, November 14th. I had been in the States for about a month, timing it with the arrival of the shipment. The Universe, however, had other plans. It turns out, we didn’t get our shipment until Friday, November 12th at 9 PM. Yep. So, that meant we had to count and sort 2000+ dishes, and pack everything for a Saturday delivery and then, take me to the airport on Sunday.

Steve and Susie went to bed around 10 pm, after helping to unload the dishes and counting out some of them. I had to call my mom to help out too. My mom and I went to bed around 4 AM. Steve and Susie woke up at 530 AM loaded the car for our drive up to San Francisco and woke me up at 6 AM to make the drive. We pretty much drove up non stop and made our deliveries. However, I could not have done this alone without Steve and Susie’s willingness to help and go all out and I do mean all out for me. I can’t thank you enough, really. So, I just want everyone who is reading this blog (thank you for reading!!) to know that they really came through for me.  They did it with such enthusiastic support. The best part? Although it was stressful, we still had fun!

Well, alright, alright, alright — who came through for you this past year?

A side note:
This is my favorite band right now…and I just love how they sing these songs.
Check it out!

Neon Trees Animal (Acoustic version)

Neon Trees Baby (Acoustic and just better than the original!)

It’s funny, you just never expect to learn a lesson from simple things.

But, you do!

Here’s my little story.

I’ve been taking pottery for about a year and a half now.  I enjoy it tremendously and really like my teacher and classmates.   My teacher is a positive light that beams encouragement and good words toward her students.  For example, instead of calling me impatient (which I am) she calls me eager.  When a student thinks they’ve ruined a piece of pottery — she tells them to look at it from a different angle. When a student simple throws away their work, she tells them to let go. Let go.

In pottery class, I’ve been working with 3 types of clay: regular stoneware clay, black mountain/lava rock clay, and white-ware clay.  The regular clay feels like play-doh. The black clay is gritty and it feels like the apricot facial scrub.  The white clay feels like brie cheese at room temperature.  The white clay is the most difficult, yet most fun, to work with. I can make the rims of my bowls and cups, paper thin. I have been making a lot of sake cups and mini pedestal stands to put away charms and necklaces.

With each piece that I mold and then have to trim, I tell myself, “don’t get too attached to this thing. You don’t know how it’s going to turn out.”

Yesterday, I had ten items to trim and sculpt before firing it in the kiln.
I worked on 9 of the pieces and saved my “favorite” for last. During the whole time I was working on the nine pieces, I did not get attached and things turned out really well. I ended up liking the two vases, and six sake cups, and medium size bowl even more than I thought I would. I was happy to let them go be in the firing queue, so that their shape can be finalize.

I then relished the fact that I was to work on my “favorite” piece. It was a little rice bowl, paper thin around the edges and the lines were really good. I just had to trim the footing so that it would be an even nicer bowl.

I centered it on the wheel and very gently, folded three little nubs of clay to hold the work in place so I could trim its footing. I was done and lifted the bowl up and that’s when I noticed  a piece of the bowl’s rim was missing. I looked down on the wheel and there it was, the piece that was there — still being held by the clay nub I used to hold it onto the wheel.

SIGH.

It was the one piece I allowed myself to be attached to and here it was, ruined.

I went straight to my teacher and she rattled off different things I could do save it. I could make a little piece of lattice and patch it. I could make a little coil and patch it.  I was just so sad. The best thing I did however, was to put it aside.  I decided to let it go. Didn’t want to struggle over it. Didn’t want to mope over it.

After lunch, I came back to work on it.

I took a different color piece of clay and patched it up.  The outside of the bowl showed a perfect “u” shape that had a different color. The inside of the bowl, showed a slightly smeared patch of  clay that looked like it was painted on.

It looked really nice to me and I showed my two classmates and they were asking me how I did it.

There were asking me like the whole thing was intentional!

They really liked the effect! I said, it all stated with a mistake and a ruined moment…or what I thought was ruined.

I couldn’t believe it. I like it even better than before!
There is something to be said, about letting go and not struggling. I didn’t force it to be what it wasn’t meant to be, and it turned out better than I had expected.

I feel like I will approach things more on these terms. I won’t get too emotional or too attached over things I cannot control.
It’s not worth it. Letting go and walking away made me see things more clearly — like allowing yourself to see it from a different perspective.
This is how one can approach some things — in a positive manner and work with it as it presents itself.

It’s so much more peaceful this way.

Aaaaahh…a sigh of relief to learn yet another life lesson, even at this age!

One of my dear friends said to me, it’s like envisioning what you want and focusing on a happy place.

Other friend said, it’s quieting the mind and thinking of nothing.
Riiiight. Shuuure.
And just how do you do that?
How do you think of nothing?
Have you tried it?
It’s difficult not to have your mind wander, isn’t it?

Back in the US — I remember having a conversation with my doctor.
He said to me: I think you need to relax and try meditating.
me: I meditate.
doctor (looking surprised): Really? When?
me: When I drive to work or am on BART.
doctor (laughing): That is NOT meditating! Try again.

If I were to meditate in a traditional setting, my mind usually wanders about one or all of the following at some point:
Mexican food how I love it so and why can’t I find it here in Hong Kong;
what should I make for dinner;
if I have enough sugar and cream for tomorrow’s coffee;
what gym classes will I take today or tomorrow;
what I should make in pottery class this week – sake cups or little bowls;
did I take my vitamins; and
who invented liquid soap and why.

See? It’s hard to think of nothing! 
Do you have tips and pointers you’d like to share?

Right now, I’ve taken up yoga. We’ll see how that goes.
I’ve so far learned how to breathe more correctly. It’s deep breathing, really.  No, it’s not sighing.  I know it sounds funny, but really, I’m breathing again and it’s a start. Right?

Of course, I had to do a pass on it.

I then lamented to my husband:
Oh, my earning power has been put on hold. I am making nothing now being here in Hong Kong and not working in the traditional sense! I should just go back to planning.

He then reminded me:  Sure. Go back to getting a job here in Hong Kong in planning.  You could do that, but would you be happy?

The answer of course, was: NO.
I didn’t enjoy being a planner here in Asia. I maybe had one or two projects I actually enjoyed and was proud to participate in — but over all, the masterplan and designing of “new cities” which were basically “american suburban models” that would still be car/oil dependent made me super super guilty and sick to  my stomach. I couldn’t do it. Anymore. I really believe that there are other ways than clearing out slums –  where people vested their whole life into making a home for themselves — a better place.  We could be assisting the people rather than displacing a community. Many of the projects I worked on — I knew the neighborhoods (although some folks would call it otherwise) would just be bulldozed to the ground.  For what?? A new office park with loads of parking of course!  or some high end housing development that mimics some quasi-Mediterranean-Laguna-wannabe-hills estate housing with 3 car garages.  SIGH.

See, this is why I couldn’t go back to being a planner in Asia. Some friends in the states don’t get that the MAJORITY OF THE WORK IS LIKE THIS HERE! See?? This is why I don’t work as a planner?? Do you understand this now?? So, don’t ask me why I don’t work as a planner in Asia ok? Just don’t.

So, back to the title..”would you BE happy?”

Yes, I am happy.  I have to do what I believe in. I have to stand by it.
If I can’t sleep at night because of my job during the day, and worry what will happen to all those displaced folks — who am I then? What would I stand for and what am I working for?

So, yes. I am happy, as long as I don’t have to do that kind of planning.

I had to stop myself from booking a flight home to San Francisco. Sigh.
So, what was I going to do about it? Well, I thought I would try yoga and some sort of calming teas.
Sorry if this sounds “New Agey” but it’s not — for real.

So, I get this new tea. I am a coffee drinker.  However, I was thinking I will give tea a go ’round.  The tea says it promotes “emotional balance’ and it would chase my blues away.  The writing on the package did convince me to buy it. It said, and I am paraphrasing here, the tea’s special formula would have a calming effect and help to chase my blues away.  It would lessen my anxiety.  It would expel those everyday stresses.  This is EXACTLY what I need!    I didn’t read the whole thing, but I walked up to the counter and bought the tea.   Sold.

When I got home, I showed Jeff the box of tea.  Jeff is a tea drinker. He usually has a cup of tea every night.  I was excited to try the tea and feel the blues being chased away. Blues be gone!  I sat down with a cup of my magical tea. I picked up the box and reread the promises I believe to be true. Then, I see a little asterisk. I hadn’t seen that before.  I follow the little symbol down to the bottom of the box. The little * was waving at me and pointing to this: “These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.”

I showed Jeff.
He laughed and said, “Well, honey, looks like you got yourself a cup of bologna there.”
We both started to laugh.

It was so funny to believe that I could brew a cup of magical tea and make my blues go away. Funny thing too…at that moment, I hadn’t yet taken a sip, but Jeff’s statement made me laugh and, my blues did disappear.
So, I guess you could say, it did work!