Northern Lights, Fairbanks, Alaska

Northern lights (aurora borealis) is a natural light display in the Earth's sky, predominantly seen in the high latitude regions (around the Arctic).

According to Wikipedia, "auroras are produced when the magnetosphere is sufficiently disturbed by the solar wind that the trajectories of charged particles in both solar wind and magnetospheric plasma, mainly in the form of electrons and protons, precipitate them into the upper atmosphere (thermosphere/exosphere) due to Earth's magnetic field, where their energy is lost."

In plain English: the light that's visible to our eyes is a result of electrically charged particles colliding in the atmosphere.

For this reason, there is no guarantee that you will get to see auroras. And even if you see it, there is no guarantee that it will always be as dramatic and brilliant as seen on postcards.

On the night that we went on the tour (12/28/17), it was forecasted to be a level 2, which meant low activity. Nevertheless, the sight of beautiful emerald lights appearing in the night sky, was breathtaking no matter how faint.

I'm so happy that I was able to capture it with my camera.

How about those colors?  Green is the most common color of auroras. When particles collide with oxygen, yellow and green are produced. Interactions with nitrogen produce red, violet, and occasionally blue colors.

Was it worth staying out in minus 17 degrees Farenheit to view the auroras?  You bet!  And I would definitely do it again.

Thank you Mother Nature!

Thanksgiving 2012

So Thanksgiving came and went.  Another blessed year for the Wu Family. Nothing dramatic or extraordinary has happened.  Days of our lives passed by calmly and smoothly, like a little stream of water flowing through a quiet forest.  For that, I'm thankful.

The family got together for our annual turkey fest.  Jennifer made a beautiful 24 pound turkey.  She is getting better and better with that turkey with each year's practice.  It was juicy and moist.  Caitlin is now Jennifer's efficient kitchen help.  Carli made her first appetizer for the party.  Brandon is developing a low tone voice and he is now 12.  And guess who will be joining us next Thanksgiving? Little Justin Wu will be here in March 2013.  Yes, another new family member for the Wu clan.  For that, I'm thankful.

This Thanksgiving though has been a traumatic one for few families outside my world.  Sad news after sad news over the holiday weekends.  Family being killed on a shopping trip.  Family being swept out to sea while enjoying a stroll at the beach.  What a horrible pain losing your family any time, let alone during the holidays, and especially painful right after a family Thanksgiving gathering.  I can imagine what the surviving family members must be going through right now.... my heart goes out to them and I hope that they find peace some time soon.

This just goes to show: life is unpredictable.  We must be thankful and be grateful for what we have today.  We hope to have what we have today tomorrow and everyday, but I guess no one can guarantee that will always be the case.

So, hold on tight.  Kiss it.  Treasure it.  Say Thank You every night.

Here Comes the Dragon!

So Year 4710 begins today.  The bunny hopped away and the Dragon takes over.  People are excited because the Dragon is the most prestigious sign on the Chinese zodiac, and it's associated with royalty, power and good fortune.  If we could, we all would want to rub some good luck off its skin/scale.  Yes, we can all use extra protection as we start the new year.

A new year always brings excitement and a bit of apprehension.  So easy to look back but so hard to predict ahead.  I only wish for another peaceful year where everyone I know is healthy and safe.  Be happy.  Be content.  Be brave.  Be yourself.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Merry Christmas!

Robert and I will host the this year's Christmas Eve dinner at his house.  His family, mine and our dogs will all be together as one big family.

I asked everyone to wear something RED for dinner.  Let's get some color in our pictures, I said. And, I was peppered with questions:

"Can I wear a red bow?"
"Does a red scarf count?"
"How about red underwear?"

I just have to chuckle.  My family. Gotta love them.

Merry Christmas everyone.  The best gift in the world is to share a joyous night with your family.  I count my blessings.

I'm Very Thankful

THANKSGIVING 2011.  Jennifer claims Thanksgiving as her holiday and every year she goes all out in making the turkey and making this day very special for the Wu family.

Another great family holiday came and gone.  Can't believe that it was already a week ago when we gathered at Jason and Jennifer's place for the holiday meal.  It took Jennifer a month to plan and two weeks to put things together, and couple of days to get ready.  And just like that, it was here and gone.

As always, the family started with a toast and a round of Thank You to each one of us.  Yes, we are thankful that the family is always there for one and other providing unconditional love and support.  Yes, we are thankful that in this difficult time, we still have jobs and we still get to splurge a little bit.  Nothing fancy, nothing big but we were able to enjoy things within our means.  And yes, we are thankful that we are all able to celebrate Thanksgiving together.  Nothing is more important than that.  Unfortunately, for some families, that was just not possible due to unpredictable circumstances.

Personally, I'm thankful that life is very good to me.  Things can always be better, but I am thankful for what I have today.  I'm also thankful that I have the ability to do better tomorrow.

Thank you, Jennifer, for making this beautiful 20-pound turkey.  It was yum!

Here We Go Again

Resetting for the new year. This means to learn from the past and do better going forward. Remember, you had some practice, so this should not be too hard. While at it, do something new, because you need to practice for next year too.

It's already day 3 of 2011. Lucky me got another day of holiday. I actually got to relax a bit today since I did my normal chores on Friday. Yes, one thing that I'll have to do more this year: find time for myself.

Going back to reality tomorrow. Everyone back to the daily grind. Christmas seemed so long ago although it was only a week ago. Yet, this year's Christmas will be here before we know it.

So much to do. So little time. Happy New Year, everyone!

So There Goes 2010

Closing out 2010. Like finishing up a great book, read the last page with an ahhh and place the book on the shelf. Time to open another new book called 2011.

Hello 2011! My horoscope says something about being a transformational year for me. Transformational huh? I like that. This means I'll have to plan ahead, be ready and take action when the opportunity arises.

So there goes 2010. Taking with it all good and bad. What have I done in 2010? I started 2010 asking myself to "share" and I did what I could to keep that commitment. It might not have been much, but knowing that I might have brighten up somebody's day made 2010 a good year.

Ho-Ho-Ho 2010

So another holiday season is upon us. Actually, the holiday season started way back around Halloween. Pumpkin orange and black just didn't mix well with red and green. Oh, in between, there was the autumn color of Thanksgiving too! Ugh!

Why the holiday season means shopping, shopping and more shopping? Don't we do that regularly already? I really don't appreciate the commercialization of this otherwise special season. It cheapens the spirits. Heck, it devalues the meaning of Christmas and other holidays by focusing on material goods.

What's Christmas? I was at Union Square last Thursday evening on my way to meet the DFS peeps. Lights were up. Trees were decorated. Ice rink was ready for those who wanted to skate in the rain. A homeless guy was singing off-key Christmas carols....Now, that's Christmas!

What's Special about this time of year? To me, the best part of the holiday season is the chance to catch up with folks whom I don't get to see often during the year. Sharing holiday cheers and catching up on the year's happenings is what's special. I met up with the DFS folks last week and I will be getting together with the Party America folks next week. To me, that is the essence of the holiday season.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

I'm Thankful!

Thanksgiving 2010. Another turkey day is here and the family gathered for our annual turkey dinner. Look around. Everyone is present. Can't ask for more.

Mom and Dad are doing great. The second generation Wu kids are getting old. The third generation Wu kids are growing up and starting to find their own identities. Weren't we so young once? Seemed like only yesterday...

I'm thankful that everyone is healthy and safe. We may not be rich but we are wealthy because we have each other. We get to love and hug our parents, siblings, honey and the little ones. Not every family is so lucky. So treasure what we have and enjoy that turkey. Not every turkey is as lucky as us.

Thanks again to Jennifer who tackled that 23 pound turkey. Another great Thanksgiving and another one for the memory.

Merry Christmas!

Can't believe it's another Christmas! Didn't we just had the last one? Did the earth speed up spinning?

Looking back, it was pretty pathetic this time last year. It was a grey, depressed and cheerless holiday season dragged down by the economy and all the financial crisis. Everyone knew it was going to get worse and no one was looking forward to the new year.

But the new year came anyway. We all faced it head on and people find ways to strive. Here we are at Christmas time again. I say we all have something to be merry about. For me: family, love, friends and health.

Despite the continued greyness around us, splash some happy red and spread the Christmas cheers. Things can only get better from here.

Merry Christmas to us all!

Sent from my iPhone.

I'm Thankful!

Thanksgiving 2009. We gathered at Jason and Jennifer's house for our annual turkey dinner.

Another turbulent year for the world, fortunately, our family is going through it without major hiccups. Life is not always perfect, but we got more than some others: health, jobs, creature comforts and we have each other.

Over the years, I have learned to appreciate and enjoy what I already have in life and not what I want in life. HAVING is a good thing. WANTING will keep you itching for more. Wanting to win the lotto just can't beat having the opportunity to share the

Thanksgiving turkey (and all the trimmings) with the ones you love. That, is priceless!

Life is good all things considering. For that, I'm thankful!

p.s. Again, I'm thankful that Jennifer tackled the 25 pound turkey. Great job, sis!

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.

Leader of the Pack

Move over Golden Pig. We won't see the pig for another twelve years. Further, no golden pig for another 60 years.

So what animal am I? If I tell you, then you know my age. In Chinese/Asian cultures, it's ok to ask what animal a person was born in. Depends on whether the animal is before or after you, you can more or less figure out the age. Clever, isn't it? But, you do need to know the 12 animals and the order they finished in the astrological race.

The rat ushers in Year 4706 tomorrow. It leads the other 11 animals to start this new 12-year cycle. New parade of animals. New beginning. New hope.

To learn more about the rat and his friends, check out: The Year of the Rat .

Happy Chinese New Year, everyone. May this brown rat bring you joy and prosperity!

Bring It On, 2008!

Well, here's a big HELLO to the new year.

Woke up to a pretty blue sky. Sun was already out shining down on earth. Everything looked colorful and bright. 2008 arrived looking very pretty.

Made coffee. Popped Pillsbury cinnamon rolls in the oven. Soon, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and sweet baked pastries filled the house. Ahhh... I'm burping happy bubbles!! I hope the rest of 2008 will be like this morning - comfy, relaxing, and pleasing.

Read Dear Abby on morning paper. Abby offered some advice on resolutions JUST FOR TODAY. This is my take away (for everyday):

• Don't dwell on thoughts that depresses me.


• Correct those things I can correct and accept those I can't.


• Don't be a mental loafer.


• Make a conscious effort to be agreeable.


• Do something positive to stay healthy, and


• Refrain from improving anybody but myself.

With that, I welcome you, 2008!

I'm Thankful...

Thanksgiving 2007: James, Jason, Jennifer, Caitlin, Brandon and Carli all came home for dinner. The family really wanted to have this dinner together because we were thankful that we made through another year. It has been a rough year. Mom's stroke turned our lives upside down, yet, we are grateful that WE'RE STILL WHOLE. Sadly, some of our friends and relatives have an empty seat at their Thanksgiving dinner this year. We are so lucky that we are able to celebrate the holiday with our mom and dad and each other.

What's Cooking? No turkey. We had roast pork and seafood paella but the side dishes had the traditional Thanksgiving touch: green bean casserole and brussel sprouts roasted with baby potatoes and apples. We started with prosciutto wrapped mango, salami wrapped candied fruit and cheeses and ended with pumpkin pie and sweet potato pie. Everyone pitched in to make the food but we cheated on desserts. I must have done pretty good because all was gone - no leftovers. Wow!

So another Thanksgiving has come and gone. Life has ups and downs but there is always something to be thankful - health, family and happiness. Treasure the moment now.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Happy Golden Pig

The Chinese lunar year begins February 18, 2007. It's year 4705 and the year of the golden pig. It's not easy being golden (not every pig is so lucky); it only comes around every 60 years. Cheers to all of us who are able to experience the golden pig. May everyone have a very prosperous new year!

Happy Year 2007!

Here we are, third day into the new year. So far so good. What awaits us this year? Only time will tell.

The new year began damp and cold. A typical cold winter day and a great day for HOTPOT. It must have been a good idea because lots of our friends had hotpot dinner on New Year's Eve.

Mom and I decked the table with pretty plates, matching bowls, chopsticks, spoons, ladles, wine glasses, etc...It looked very festive. Halfway through, power went out. A big section of the neighborhood went pitch black. What timing! But, power or not, we were having our hotpot. At least no electricity required. Mom got spare cans of gas, and we had plenty of candles. It would have been cool if we got hats with top-mounting flashlight. We ended up with a lovely candlelight dinner - couldn't call it romantic because RK wasn't with me. It was quite fun as we fished food in semi-darkness and strained to see what we put in our mouths.

Lesson learned: improvise! It just might turn out much better than the original plan.

Happy New Year!

Ho-Ho-Ho

Work off at 2pm. I decided to go down to Union Square to do some people watching. It has been a while since I'm part of this excitment, or rather, hectic commercialism.

People are here and there... Everyone is busy shopping for Christmas gifts but I wonder how many of them will be back the day after Christmas to return the stuff they bought today...