Happy happy

The last leg of my holidays has arrived - annual ski trip to Tahoe! I'm excited and sad at the same time. When I get back from Tahoe, I will have to hop on a plane to Tokyo the next morning.

Being home was more wonderful than I can express - all the things you take for granted on a day-to-day basis when you live here all the time: family, friends, good & cheap food (especially, food that doesn't taste like sweet soy sauce), driving, freedom of expression, freedom of thought, freedom of action, people who say what they mean (and more importantly, your right to say what you mean), holiday consumerism (which is part of the holiday joy), all of these things and more - these are the things I cherished every single second during my trip home. It was so so so so so so so so so so so so wonderful to spend time filling dumplings with my family, chatting over tea and fruit with my grandma, shopping till I dropped, laughing and catching up with friends, doing everyday couple things with El Hombre without feeling rushed for time, driving over the Bay Bridge, eating Gordo's burritos, playing video games with my teenage cousins and opening gifts with family. All of it was perfect. One thing I am grateful for with respect to my exile in Tokyo: it makes me appreciate the things I have at home so much more. My life is full, and I am grateful to God and the universe.

That being said, I'm looking forward to closing the door on 2009 and welcoming all that 2010 has in store.