Appreciation for you: Happy New Year!

Dearest all,

Many of you have emailed and expressed well wishes with the coming year. I'm sorry I was late responding in kind. Some expressed surprises that I was so quiet. Here's my official excuses and my appreciation for you.

A few weeks back, I rushed back to LA immediately after my finals to help care for my sister, who just had her 2nd C-section for Zack's delivery. Yes, I was babysitting Katie (one-year-old), Zack (one-week), my only sibling (many-weeks-young). My iron chef prowess was pushed to the limit. Strictest schedules and unparalleled cleaning standards guided my survival.

My practical training ended this morning as I flewred-eye back to Boston. (As usual, can't really sleep being squeezed like a zombie; while the sparkling unlimited-cell-phone-weekend-minute neighbors provided the lullaby.)

It's great to be back: my router pronounced dead after several hours working with layers of tech supports, downloading upgrades; no food in the fridge;car's snow-covered and frozen with ice--won't start;dark apartment with burnt light bulbs; overdue bills;66F to 25F bitter cold; a paper I still owe my advanceinvestment professor from last semester.

Red-eyed, thirsty and hungry, I cracked a big smile: hey, I have so much to be grateful for this new year: you guys! True friends are one in a million!

Anyway, as passionate as I am with friends, I'm recycling my appreciation for you (too lazy and fragile to rewrite). Most of all, my feelings for youremain upbeat, passionate, and, huh, just about thesame year after year.

Here's the "updated version" to say I truly appreciate your friendship and look forward to experience life with you in the New Year..

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I'm very grateful for you making our lives so much richer, each in your special way.

I'm happy because I have you; I'm motivated because of you. The jokes you forward, the conversations, the struggles we went through, the times you lent a helping hand, they all make an indelible impact. They inspire, recharge, and heal.

As loud and obnoxious as I am, I don't express my appreciation for you often, and loud enough. I truly treasure and cherish you being there. More passionately, for you being you!

Rather than focusing on what's missing in our lives, I will continue to make life a big treasure hunt, seeking beauty and joy that's already among us.

I look forward to continue an exciting, colorful, and glamorous life in the new year; because you are in it!

Thank you for everything and may the New Year be the best year for all of us yet!