TUESDAY TWO - HAPPY LAST TUESDAY AND LAST DAY OF 2013

(Somewhere in Utah, near Monument Valley - July 2013)

I was about to finish this Tuesday Two post for the last day of 2013 (December 31^st) when my husband asked if we could go to a movie.  He said that we should leave right away to catch the matinee.  We thought we could get the senior discount rate in addition to the reduced fare for the early show.  Being a “dutiful and submissive” wife (yeah right), I stopped blogging and went to the movie with my husband.

(Santa Barbara, California - July 2013)

It costs only $4.00 each ticket for the 4:30 show but we spent $15 for a combo of large popcorn and large strawberry Slurpee.  For a smaller combo, we would only save $1.50.  This is the reason why we have become a society of “supersize” and fighting (losing to) the epidemics of obesity!

What movie did we see?  We saw “Hobbit, the Desolation of Smaug”.  I closed my eyes 2/3 of the time.  Even my husband admitted that there were too many fighting scenes.  Be warned of the ending if you are planning to see the movie – that is all I am going to say ….

(A pair of sea lions having a political debate - California, July 2013)

OK, back to the last day of 2013 – here is looking back at a few major events by the numbers:

33 – My family and I have been living in America for 33 years.  We have come a long way from the first day (January 1980) when we arrived in New York City from the refugee camp in Indonesia.  We are thankful to be living in America and did our best to be productive citizens.

(Benjamin at Elephant Feet, Highway 160 in Arizona - July 2013)

52 – I reached another milestone on my fifty-second birthday.  I am thankful to celebrate one more birthday.  It is not too bad being older when compared to the other option. 

24 – My husband and I celebrated our 24^th Wedding Anniversary.  It has not always been “happily ever” but we weathered the tough times and continue to grow old with each other.

26 – We also celebrated our 26^th Anniversary on July 4^th when we saw each other across the crowded cafeteria at the United Nations and it was “love at first sight”!

(Lovers Rock, Utah - July 2013)

5,150 – Our annual road trip in 2013 was from St. Louis to San Francisco.  It took 12 days and a total of 5,150 miles including visits to Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks, spent a few days in SF, drove along Pacific Coast Highway (Big Sur/CA Route 1), visited Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, and took the long way home thru Hoover Dam (Arizona/Nevada), Monument Valley and Arches National Parks (Utah).

Compared to other years, I would say that 2013 was an uneventful and smooth-riding year.  It was not the best but definitely not the worst.  It was a typical year with many setbacks and challenges.  With the new year, we are ready to move forward, to continue to keep calm and carry on …

HAPPY NEW YEAR (I AM LAUGHING WITH YOU, NOT AT YOU)

I am not laughing at you, I am laughing with you.  As the old saying, “Laughter is the best medicine”, let’s celebrate the new year with the best medicine of belly-shaking laughs. 

Let’s also remember to “laugh something off” when someone acting like an idiot or making stupid comments.  My wishes to you in the coming years that you will have the mental and physical strength to overcome all the difficulties come your way and that you will have the love and support of families and friends to help you reach your goals/hopes/dreams.

I never care for the expression, “Laugh and the world laughs with you; weep (cry) and you weep (cry) alone”.  Here is my version (and it is a better version), “Laugh and the world (or those around you) might wonder what you are up to; go ahead and cry if you must, only those who really care about you and those who really matter to you, would cry with you”.

Thank you for laughing with me (through my little boring blog) and thank you for allowing me to laugh with you (reading your stories).

Happy New Year and Best Wishes in the coming years!