Half Way to 48.

This is how I felt on my birthday:

Ok, maybe that's a little dramatic.

(video from a KTV night in May while visiting my friends in Shen.zhen).

But I did feel a little misplaced because my dearest dears are no where near me. Most are scattered throughout the states, and many lovies are on the other side of the world in Chin.a.

But in the attititude of celebration and thankfulness I want to pay tribute to the year 23 and bid it adieu...

23 Things that happened when I was 23:

1. dressed up like a cat for Halloween then rode the Chin.ese subway.

2. traveled by myself to a new country for the first time

3. was diagnosed with a disease for the first time (hopefully last)

4. hosted Christmas at my house for the first time

5. graduated from Concordia University Irvine with a 3.9 GPA, earning a masters degree

6. recieved a full scholarship for a PhD - contemplated denying it, then decided to go for it

7. held an orphan that would die a week later

8. raised funds for over 12 orphan surgeries

9. saw a movie being filmed in Chicago

10. stood on a train for 15 hours

11. was peed on in a grocery store by a toddler

12. taught 265 graduate students

13. was visited in Chi.na by my mom and sister

14. had a Chin.ese boyfriend then learned the hard way about chin.ese cheating culture

15. lived through an earthquake in Tai.wan

16. scuba dived in Thailand and lived with a Thai family for 3 nights

17. took care of a blind orphan baby overnight in my apartment

18. visited a friend in Malaysia

19. went on a boat cruise for one in Singapore

20. rung in the new year on a train with old friends

21. fractured my ankle

22. learned how to knit

23. visited a dinosaur archeology site

Oh and...ate blood for the first time. and liked it.

Cheers to 23. Here's to hoping 24 will bring a new slew of chances to learn, grow, and laugh.

Walk slow. xoxo.