Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, folks. Here’s to 2015 being a helluva lot better than 2014. (Above is a little sneak peak at an upcoming post about our trip down the Pacific Coastline earlier this year.)

(T-Minus 1) A Thankful Ten Days Until Christmas: Christmas!

It’s Christmas Eve! Let us rejoice, for it is time to EAT! And drink! And open presents! Day -1: I am thankful for Christmas cheer! (And Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus . . . ) I love almost everything about Christmas. From the twinkling Christmas lights to the music to the food! Starting in November, I start […]

(T-Minus 2) A Thankful Ten Days Before Christmas: Mama and Papa Yang

I may be somewhat biased— okay, I’m definitely biased— but my parents are the cutest parents on the face of the planet. Day -2: I am thankful for my parents There isn’t enough I can say about my parents to express my gratitude for them raising and loving and caring for me. Where does one […]

(T-Minus 3) A Thankful Ten Days Before Christmas: Traveling

Ever since I was an infant, I have been traveling. My mother managed to haul me and two suitcases full of necessities to Asia before I turned one. Since then, between moving all over the country with my parents, I consistently returned to Asia every few years to visit my parents’ families. That’s probably where […]

(T-Minus 4) A Thankful Ten Days Before Christmas: Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum

Once upon a time, many years ago, when my brothers and I went to the beach for a family vacation, I was lying on the beach, sunbathing, when all of a sudden, I felt cold ocean water being dumped on my back. A pair of voices appeared. “It’s a BEACHED WHALE! Hurry! We need to […]

(T-Minus 5) A Thankful Ten Days Before Christmas: Photography and the Little Things

I get the distinct feeling that my eyes look more goldfish than human. Today, anyway. I’ve been feeling like a sick monkey all day. My head feels like a time bomb, ready to explode, and my nose is bright red and about to fall off my face, I’ve rubbed it so much. I’ve gone through […]

(T-Minus 6) A Thankful Ten Days Before Christmas: This Guy (and Sunsets and Stuff)

He’s in my shot. Again. Whatta jerk. I am kidding, of course. Sort of. No, really. I am. He actually messaged me last night and asked when I was going to get to the “people” part of my 10 days of Christmas thankfulness. Pish posh! So impatient! Day -6: I am thankful for this guy […]

(T-Minus 7) A Thankful Ten Days Before Christmas: Flower Power

I am freezing. I’m sheathed in multiple layers (I have leggings on under my pants), have a woolen hat on, and a scarf is wrapped around my head, face, and neck like a hungry, pink-and-white-checkered boa constrictor trying to devour me, its ice cube prey. No joke. I wear my hat and scarf for warmth. […]

(T-Minus 8) A Thankful Ten Days Before Christmas: Nighttime Strolls

My friends thought I was crazy. “You go for walks at night? Through the Tenderloin*?” Repeated questions spoken with incredulity. Um, yes. Walks at night. Through the Tenderloin. Once you’ve made it past Taylor and Market in the direction of Union Square, you’re golden. Just, uh, don’t tell my mother. *The “Tenderloin” is one of […]

(T-Minus 9) A Thankful Ten Days Until Christmas: Coffee

Day -9: I am thankful for coffee What’s your crack cocaine? (Hey, perhaps it’s crack cocaine itself, in which you might want to consider rehab . . . ) For me, well, I guess it’s coffee. Now mind you, I’m not actually addicted to caffeine. Yet, anyway. I didn’t start drinking coffee until my last […]