The End of Magnets&The Beginning of Lighhouses

Everybody has a love for something. That’s why people fanatically seek and collect coins, spoons, stamps, seashells, and postcards. The variety of treasure list could go on forever. What is yours? My infatuation used to be magnets from the places I have visited. For those who toured our home, were astounded by the enormous collection of magnets displayed in the utility room using stainless steel baking pans.


I have gradually grown out of this fairly expensive hobby, perhaps due to the fact that I am running out of wall space to display. But everyone needs some sort of material fixation to keep our sanity, at least I do. But what happens if the item that we are fond of is something too humongous to be held or to be owned such as a building structure? No sweat. With the aid of digital photography, my virtual collection for the world’s most beautiful light houses has begun! Please enjoy this picture gallery exclusively created by me, the new lighthouse hunter.

The four lighthouses shown below are located at Outer Banks, North Carolina.

A total of seven lighthouses shown below are located in Maine.

Go Fish

It was a sudden cast of shadows over a cloudless sky when I first found out about our company’s vacation policy revision. This change revokes employee’s right to carry over the unused vacation days to the following year. I was extremely frustrated because it was such a short notice that there were only a few weeks left before this policy took its effect.

Melissa, my best female friend in town, is a regional sales manager as well as a road worrier with a flexible work schedule. She has accumulated 4-week of vacation after working loyally for a giant greeting card company for 20 years. We have been contemplating on a visit to Atlanta ever since we met yet we never managed to find the opportunity. With the extra vacation hours on hand to consume, I immediately thought of Melissa and she gladly accepted my last minute invitation. Lucky me!

Departing on Sunday, April 13, we cruised leisurely along I-85 across NC, SC, and GA with multiple coffee breaks and shopping sprees at the outlet malls. It took us 7 hours, which was 3 hours longer than the normal travel time, to arrive at our final destination. The famous Georgia Aquarium located in downtown Atlanta was our main agenda during this visit. We toured this colossal gallery filled with six million gallons of saltwater in one short day.

No sense to wait for that expensive scuba diving trip to the Caribbean because you could duplicate that visual effect right here in a 100-foot-long underwater tunnel. There was also an interactive exhibition, which enabled us to "pet" several sea creatures including Horseshoe Crab, Sea Stars, even baby Stingrays and Sharks while they were in motion. Have you seen Moon Jellyfish? Do you know how enormous the Goliath Groupers are? If any of your answer to the above questions are no, then you might want to add this aquarium to your “100 Places to Go Before You Die” list. The miracle of God’s creation is truly beyond comprehension. So let’s “Go Fish” and let the ravishing aquatic species captivate and mesmerize you!

Universal Studio Adventure in Orlando

WenJen is my best friend from college. This is her biography in a nutshell. She used to work for a world trade organization in Taiwan for many years. She resigned from her glorious “frequent-flier” job in Taipei to complete a life dream of studying overseas. She left her young toddler and husband behind and relocated to the US to pursue a MBA degree at the University of Maryland.

WenJen daringly agreed to tag along on a 1200-mile road trip with us during her spring break. So this crazy idea must have been the desperation of “abandoning” the family plus the stress built up from a busy semester at this top 10 business school. Our friendship survived gracefully after six days and five nights of long hours together. It turned out that WenJen was one of the most easygoing "third wheels" we ever had. She is an omnivorous eater, sound sleeper, yet not a party-pooper! We just love having her around!

We kicked off our Florida journey at sunny Daytona Beach. Arriving at Universal Studios, the interactive fireworks, amazing 3D movies, the horrifying roller coaster rides, and the whitewater rafting splash kept our momentum alive for three full days. The virtuoso performance of the dual piano at the City Walk adjacent to the theme park was the most perfect way to wind down one of our thrilling yet exhausting days.

My high school friend, Tammy, and her hubby, Alvis drove up from West Palm Beach just to meet us for supper in Orlando. It was a 170-mile dinner date for these parents-to-be! I still cannot forget the juicy succulent Bulgogi (Korean style BBQ) that we ordered at the restaurant. Catching up with old friends while indulging ourselves with authentic delights from the Far East was indeed the highlight of our trip. What a fulfilling vacation it was!

60th Birthday: An Airport Surprise

Telling lies is considered immoral under "normal" circumstances. Keeping secrets from our love ones triggers guilt, creates anxiety, and most importantly obstructs the trust of friendship and family bonds.

Annie was so emotionally overwhelmed with a secret that she became Sleepless in Kewaskum.

The truth was, for the first time in her life, she began to lie to her best friends of 30+ years. It was a favor that we had asked of her a month earlier, which imposed a White lie for Annie to carry around in the Snowy White Wisconsin Winter. She concealed the facts about Tim's trip and convinced Ron and Sandy to go on a detour to the airport on Saturday, Feb 16. It was the day that Tim departed from Charlotte and arrived at the Milwaukee airport. My father-in-law, Ron, almost fell off the lounge chair when Tim snuck up on him from behind. My mother-in-law, Sandy, was roaming around the ticketing area when the glimpse of her son suddenly shocked her.

To surprise Ron, in honor of his 60th birthday, was the most creative and the sweetest present we could come up with. Yet to startle Sandy, who is as much of a "control-freak" as I am, was indeed a triumph in this conspiracy. Mom and Dad were astonished, speechless, and head over heels. It was the very first unannounced visit in the family history! This article is devoted to Annie, for her sealed lips as well as the impeccable logistics to complete such an impossible mission.

I came up with this wild idea (go figure!) since my week-long business meeting in Texas stretched over the weekend. It sort of made sense to me to arrange a trip for Tim to spend some quiet time with his folks back home. It was only a two-night stay but the excitement during the month-long planning and the electrifying memory are going to last for many years to come!

Our Dining Room

Guest Bedroom Decorated with Chinese Scrolls

In Remembrance of a Special Dog "HAPPY"

It was a walk in the raining Fall of 1992 that changed my family forever. I was a senior in high school and several of my classmates gathered in the school to cram for the upcoming exams on a typical Saturday. After a short lunch break on our way back to the campus, an intermittent crying sound caught our attention. Following the noise along a brick street, soon we discovered six soaking wet puppies, shivering in the muddy bushes.

Later that day, I decided to take home one of the puppies. Not knowing how my parents would react to the "wild animal" was uneasy enough but the idea of abandoning this poor little thing devastated me even more. Anxiousness mixed with excitement, my emotion escalated further as the bus approached closer to home. It was the longest and one of the most overwhelming "Route 216" bus ride ever. Mom's reaction was predictable but Dad was suprisingly supportive. It was after some screaming, a hour-long debate, and negotiation between Mom and Dad that we decided to welcome this lost puppy to our family.

"There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven:
A time to be born and a time to die

A time to weep and a time to laugh"

On March 8, 2007, it was the day for Happy to say goodbye as he passed away peacefully in my parents' arms. This pencil drawing, which is my own artwork, is dedicated to Happy, my family, and all the jolly fun times that we have spent together in the past 15 years.

Extreme Makeover-Hair Edition

Order is good. Mostly. It makes sure that the earth is revolving in the same way as it has in the past to bring out the sunrises and the starry nights. Habits are good, too. Most of the time. The morning espresso, the afternoon tea, and the Sunday newspapers provide not only stability but also comfort to our daily lives. But stick too much to the same order or habit we lose. We lose creativity and the opportunity to discover. Over the new year holiday, I decided to have my same old 10-inch long hair chopped off. It was the type of change that involved a great deal of discomfort and risks. But If I had not taken such chance, I would never have the luxury to experience the fresh new look! During this new year, I challenge you to learn a new hobby, explore a few new words, or even take a road less traveled. May you uncover treasures and joys that were once hidden in the old path!

Our "Adoped" Baby Girl: Telister

September 24, 2005 holds a very special meaning for Tim and I as it was the day we met each other for the first time. On this very same day, a baby girl named Telister was born in a rural area of Africa. The ending of our "desperate" single lives was the beginning of Telister's deprived childhood. This is a true story... For $35 a month, she no longer suffers from hunger and is able to get clean drinking water and warm clothes.

We were introduced to Worldvision, a Christian-based nonprofit organization, through our dear friends Scott and Melissa whom have been proud child sponsors for 8 years. We entered our first date as a child's birthday on the website and found this little girl. Every year as we say cheers and give a toast to our anniversary, we also celebrate the birth and pray for the happiness for Telister, our "adopted" child from the other side of Earth. We might never get to meet her in person, yet knowing that we are making an impact on a life of a total stranger is far more rewarding than we have ever imagined!

Creating a Soothing Living Space

I have always dreamed of becoming a homeowner. But the reality of living in such a spacious two-story house with 0.5 acre of greenery was more than just a "let's buy a house" decision. It was truly a dream-come-true to me! It was the freedom of space that rekindles my desire and passion for arts and creativity. The picture represents an overview of our living room. For the family and friends who have visited us, I hope our home is not only an eye-opening retreat but also serves as an inspiration. As for those whom have not gotten a chance to stop by, we await your visit!
I find it unusual that people no longer decorate with tapestry which used to be such a commonality. The creation of picturesque landscape on fabric just fascinates me!
You might also notice an abacus on the wall. Sadly, I have forgotten how to perform arithmetic processes using this thousand year old "counting frame". Yet the memory of carrying a 12-inch long Japanese abacus (算盤) to an after school class was still vivid.
This is the "cafe by the window" with a full view of our front garden and neighborhood street. Often we enjoy a cup of grande latte and a relaxing conversation here in this corner. The coffee table was our 2006 Christmas present. It was exclusively designed and handmade by my father-in-law, Ron. The picture does not do justice to the true beauty to its craftsmanship!

Christmas Greetings from Chapel Hill, NC

This is the third Christmas we celebrated together! Tim's parents flew down to North Carolina from the snowy West Bend, Wisconsin and we all gathered together at Chapel Hills, where Tim's brother and his family reside.
We went to Duke University Chapel for the Christmas eve service and had dinner at Outback Steak house afterward. The highlight of the holiday was the gift-opening. I started the gift-hunting early Spring and I have completed the shopping list by the end of October. I was so proud! All the presents were meticulously picked out and neatly wrapped. I took some "laminated camouflage film" from work and used it as a wrapping paper. It was such a fantastic idea! Besides the cool looking multicolor, the film is heat & UV & tear resistant! Could you imagine trying to open a gift wrapped by an adhesive film laminate expert? ^_^ It was such a great reward and pleasure to see how much Tim's family enjoyed our presents! The thoughts and the efforts we put in to make each holiday the most unforgettable one not only brought the two of us closer together but also strengthened the family bond!

Moroccan-Style Daybed in Living Room

The focal point of our living room is a Moroccan-style daybed with a shimmering canopy. Two bookselves are filled with a variety of Oriental decors. The leather chair sits on the right was handmade by Tim's Dad, who is an amateur carpenter with extradinary skills and talents!