I'm Thankful!

THANKSGIVING 2008. The holiday came and gone. The turkey was cooked and eaten. But, thankfulness stays. I'm very thankful that it was another good year with no major hiccups. Life may not be perfect but I really can't complain.

I'm thankful that mom and dad are relatively healthy. Mom continues to improve. I'm thankful that Robert, James, Jason, Jennifer, Caitlin, Brandon and Carli are healthy and safe. Oh, I must add Karen to the list now. What a great girl to enter James' life!

I'm thankful that I have true friends and more friends reconnected via Web 2.0. Friendship is precious and I treasure every one of them. Thank you for being there for me!!

The world may not be perfect but it was a perfect evening for the family. Being together is the most important thing for me and I'm thankful that I have the opportunity.

And I'm very thankful that Jennifer was the one who tackled this 22-pound turkey.

We're Underwater. Can You Hold Your Breath?

Dow Jones tanked big time. Another 445 points today. The Market is now below 8,000. S&P is at its lowest since 1997. The Bay Area median house price is down 46% from this time last year. What else is down? Well, oil price, after a record high this summer, is now way down. The only thing that's up is unemployment. AND THAT'S NOT GOOD!!!

So what's wrong with our economy? Most of us are at a loss and we, the average people, are wondering why are we part of this mess. We are just victims. We, the average people, did not play big on the stock market and did not buy houses that we can't afford. Yet, we are being sucked underwater by the pull of this big sinking ship along with those who created this mess. We can only swim as fast as we can to stay afloat and wondering WHY? WHY? WHY? Ugh!

The Worst. I had to lay someone off today. The worst part was that it had to happen at the worst time of the year, the worst of the job market, the worst of worst of everything. I felt the fear and the helplessness. But what can I do? Who is next? How many more? Will it be me down the road?

In addition to the ground sinking, the sky falling. Our world is collapsing like a super nova. What awaits us? I hope it's not the black hole.

Be safe everyone. I wish you all the best!

This Week in New York

Two things happened this week during my visit to New York: the presidential election and my birthday.

This election was historical either way; my birthday was memorable. I celebrated my birthday with cousin Chin-Huey and her husband at a Portuguese restaurant in Newark after I took the subway and then the train to New Jersey. Never thought I would have celebrated any of my birthdays there and with them. Funny how life goes. It was a fun night.

How about the NY underground?? Huge! Like a complicated maze! So many people and so many exits. Need to have strong legs and fast feet to run from one platform to another to catch the transfers. My ride was: Subway S from Grand Central Station to Time Square --> Subway 2 to NY Penn Station --> NJ Transit to Newark. It took an hour and about $6.

Subway: human sardine cans. This is what New York commuters have to go through everyday. It makes our BART ride a breeze. Happy to have experienced it once so I can talk about it. The NJ transit train moved slower than expected. Somehow I was expecting it to zip through like a bullet train.

The Grand Central Station is beautiful and big. The New York Penn Station is even bigger. People rushing here and there - kind of like ants hurrying in and out of different tunnels. The Newark Penn Station is split on two sides of Market Street. Ching-Huey and I couldn't find each other because we were waiting at different side and different end of the station.

Note to self: pick a corner and stay.

The Big Chill. It rained all week but not cold at all. The biggest chill has to be the global economic crisis that is turning countries upside down. One bad news after another. The rain was very suitable for the mood especially in Manhattan.

Home Sweet Home. Glad to be back and leave the cold and misery outside.

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

A Sign of the Time

None Are Left. Virgin America has gone over to the other side now that it's charging $2 for a headset; no more bottle water for the free taking, and no napkins unless asked - - and you only get one single sheet. All the amenities that I still got to enjoy just 3 months ago are gone.

If You Can't Beat 'Em, Join Them. OK. I can take that. Things are expensive and cost control is vital. If JetBlue, US Airway and other airlines can charge $7 for pillows and blankets among other things, then VA can play the same game. But, what's up with no "hi" and "bye" by the door as you board and leave the plane? Are they not free anymore?

The name of the game: Cut, Cut, Cut.