Sending off 2010

I recently got a new haircut. Instead of going to my regular stylist, I lugged my lazy derriere to the neighborhood salon (which is 7 minutes away) and surrendered my hair to the no-nonsense-efficient-as-heck ajumma whose scissors snipped snipped snipped in a blur of metallic color. I wound up with a very proper middle school student bowl cut. The haircut isn't bad at all, it's just that seeing my old(er) face underneath that style of youth is somewhat disconcerting. It'll grow out. It's only hair.

Another year is gone. I worked hard and played hard but could've done more serious thinking, read more books, been more compassionate, exercise a bit more. Things left to do for the following year.

I've been very fortunate in many aspects of my life. I'm especiallly fortunate in the people who surround me. Family and friends who tolerate my neurotic extrovert type A personality - they are the ones who help me live my life to the fullest, however sappy that may sound.

Several of my wino friends met up for a 2010 goodbye gathering. We congregated at Doma's. Gina cooked the meal, MJ arranged and set up the whole thing, SH brought wine and gifts, I provided dessert.

And the champagne is chilling.

Gina's made-from-scratch olive pomponette was excellent.

Store bought tuna cubes (from Dongwon) were interesting, perfect canape size.

Oysters on the shell. In Korean, to differentiate them from shucked oysters, they're called 'seokhwa' (석화), literally meaning 'stone flowers'.

"Hamburg steak" under sunnyside eggs and garlic chips.

A "mess" of potatoes and cabbage - Gina's homey dish.

We had several bottles of wine that night.

Dry apple pie, peppermint and chocolate pie, vanilla ice cream,
mini peppermint and lemon meringues.


It's the year of the rabbit next year.
I had brought along a tiny bunny to photograph.
(Originally a cell phone accessory. Cut off the strap, made a cap to hide the fastener.)
Doma gave us plush bunnies that double as speakers when connected to a MP3 player.


Cheers!


May the new year bring you all the happiness and joy and growth to make life meaningful.
See you next year.