Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Today is Chinese New Year's Day. Out with the old, in the with the new~ :) Happy Year of the WoofWoof!

My oldest and youngest aunt, Gramma, Dad, bro, and I had dinner at Dad's last night to celebrate. Middle Aunt went up North to surprise her middle daughter (I wish I could have visited, too!). The 2 traditional foods we had were a whole fish and chicken, and we made wraps/spring/rolls.

Random: I need to avoid writing in passive voice. I really need to get used to it for my report writing.

Afterwards, I convinced Dad to come to Gramma's w/ the rest of us...b/c not everybody wanted to spend the night there, yet nobody wanted him to spend it alone. So, we all crammed into Pastor Aunty's NICE ride, and she happily chatted away about how she's been doing this really great devotional book with law school cousin. (BTW, I can't remember if this was my first time in her car??) We had a really enjoyable night at Gramma's. Pastor Aunty was being a really cute kid; she was so excited at the sight of Gramma's ginormous TV, that she kept talking about it, and calling me and my bro to come watch "My Fair Lady."

No wait, rewind. Pastor Aunty called my bro and I over to give us the highlights from the first few chapters of The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, and tell us how we really should get the book and go through it with each other. Poor Pastor forgot that she had gotten this book for many of us, one Christmas. The ironic thing is that I've had it w/ my books under my desk for the longest time (I've tried to go through it at least 4 times, but failed getting past the first 5 chapters) and I finally put it away in my closet just maybe a week ago! I'll dig it out again. I may fair better if I got the book for my best friend and went through the chapters w/ her. Then again, it may be difficult to find a time to reflect with her. I'll have to give this some thought.

Oh, Pastor Aunty eventually remembered and we confirmed/told her that she actually gave the book to us one Christmas. Anywho, that is another thing to add to my list of "things to do AFTER I (finally) quit work."

This morning, we had a Sunday service...around Gramma's breakfast table. :) Pastor Aunty whizzed through the stories of the disciples trying to cast out demons (Matthew), bleeding woman getting healed (Mark), and paralyzed man lowered through the roof being healed (Mark), and summed it up with pointing out the varying degrees of faith these people (and their friends) had, and what having faith in God did for them. It was actually a great power sermon. Pastor Aunty liked the idea so much that she's thinking of having us do this once every while. I think she set February 11 as a get-together day...I duno if for a sermon or to celebrate all 3 of her kids being home. :)

We went back to Dad's to eat some more, and then I brought Aunty of 2 genius kids back to Torrance, for Genius Uncle to pick her up. Aunty Genius is a real character, too. I'm even more fascinated by her nowadays, since she works w/ a kid with autism. She, too, has some great stories.

Dude, the whole family thinks I'm totally nuts and really unhealthy b/c all yesterday and today, I was freezing when all the adults -- who are more than twice as old as me -- were just fine w/ their shirt and sweater/jacket. They all talked about it so much, that I'm sure they're gonna go home and tell them what an old lady I am. =P They suggested I take/drink Ginseng. Ew. I'd rather be cold and wear lots of clothes than drink ginseng (barf).

Come to think of it, I'm gonna blingo that right now and see if ginseng really does increase circulation/make my hands warm.* Dad used to make me take the powder when we lived w/ Gramma in Alhambra. I can still vividly remember. I'd be standing in the kitchen on the brown tile, and Dad or gramma would spoon the ginseng powder right into my mouth. Gag. A fat lot that did me.

*wow, ginseng is widely claimed to be a panacea. =O Dude, I could totally use ginseng for the increasing memory part and decreasing stress factors!

Hm, perhaps I should hurry and go get another blood test before lose my insurance. At least when I quit work, I'll get to start gyming again (also on my list), and getting my circulation going to heat my body up (according to Pastor Aunty, which totally makes sense, right?).

Welp, I better go synthesize some more as I sit here wrapped up in 2 blankets...