Dragon Fruit

One of the things I love about visiting a big city like Las Vegas is that I find unique things I can't find in Salt Lake. After dinner tonight, Wendy took me to a chain Chinese supermarket and I saw these dragon fruits. Aren't they just beautiful?

The skin is bright pink and green, the inside meat is purple with black (poppy seed like) seeds. It's tasted like a kiwi. YAY for trying new things ...

First birthday gift of the year ...

My friend, Kristen (aka "Pinky"), knows that I've had a wee bit (HUGE) crush on Nathan Fillion, an actor. So, when I met up with her and "the girls" last night for dinner, she presented me with my birthday gift -- his autograph! Love it! ♥

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Memento

Five years ago, when I was given my 10-year service award, I took the money and used it help finance a portion of my trip to Seattle/Canada. While I visited some great places, the trip was a bit of a nightmare because my not so great travel companions. I had nothing spectacular to remind me of my 10-year service award, other than a few photos in which forced smiles were plastered on the faces of the people in them and a refrigerator magnet of a Canadian Mountie.

When they acknowledged my 15th anniversary with the firm this past December, I was determined that I would make a better choice. I settled on a white gold London blue sapphire ring. Pretty, huh? Love it! The best part is I got it on a GREAT sale this past weekend and I still have money leftover which I'll use on an upcoming trip to Las Vegas. I love it! The ring is definitely a much better memento than the fridge magnet.

Thinking Pink: Nathan Fillion: Mission Accomplished

All I have to say is: PINKY ROCKS!!! I can't wait to get my autograph!

Click the link below to read all about it.

Thinking Pink: Nathan Fillion: Mission Accomplished

Ringing in 2011

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Happy New Year Wish

I found the following poem by Joanna Fuchs online and it expresses my sentiments perfectly on this day.

My Happy New Year wish for you
Is for your best year yet,
A year where life is peaceful,
And what you want, you get.

A year in which you cherish
The past year’s memories,
And live your life each new day,
Full of bright expectancies.

I wish for you a holiday
With happiness galore;
And when it’s done, I wish you
Happy New Year, and many more.

Happy New Year!
Hauoli Makahiki Hou!
Selamat Tahun Baru!

Barley Tea

It is called "Mugicha" in Japan, "Boricha" in Korea, it is simply roasted barley tea and it's one of the most wonderful things to have on cold dreary days like today.

It is caffeine-free. My google search also tells me that it is a very nutritious cooling drink that helps bring down fever; useful for those suffering from bronchitis and asthma; may help improve blood sugar level; help in reducing bad cholesterol levels; help facilitate proper digestion; may help in cleansing the body of toxins and is believed to be good in relieving early symptoms of colds.

A scoop of roasted barley in a 2-liter pitcher of hot water. Let it steep for about an hour (I like to make it before I go to bed and let it steep overnight), reheat (although it is also wonderful cold in the summers), add a bit of honey or sugar to sweeten it and ... ahhh -- all is right in the world.

Say what?

I got a baked potato bag for Christmas with the following instructions:

Wash and dry potatoes [about the potato].

Wrap potatoes in a paper towel [about the potato].

DO NOT PIERCE SKIN! [about the potato]

Place potatoes in bag and the microwave [about the potato], as usual, according to manufacturer's directions until done. [According to manufacturer of what? The potato? "God, please direct me as to this potato."]

They laughed at me when I asked aloud, but I think something was lost in the instructions ...

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Christmas Fun 2010

Gingerbread houses at the Grand America Hotel:

(This one made me smile -- cookie kids making snow angels ... too cute!)


Lights at Temple Square:





Merry Christmas!
Mele Kalikimaka!
Selamat Hari Natal!

Childhood Cartoon Characters

Making the rounds on facebook this past week was a request to change profile pictures to a cartoon character from your childhood, with the goal of increasing awareness in the fight against child abuse. I changed mine to the earliest cartoon character I can recall, Bobo, the blue bunny with green hair from a children's magazine I grew up reading in Indonesia.

Imagine my surprise yesterday when I saw a facebook friend's posting saying that she had heard that the people who had started this campaign are actually a group of pedophiles (which claim isn't supported in any way -- even by the article she posted on her page). Another friend, Dave, posted a comment in response to this that hit the nail right on the head, "If your kids are accepting friend requests from strangers just because they have cartoon profile pics, then you've got some teaching to do." AMEN! Some people are just total buzz killers.

In the mean time, I am really enjoying the stroll down memory lane and seeing the different cartoon characters from the 70's and 80's.