Not Your Typical January 1
Posted on January 2, 2012 by Ching under Confessions.
While everyone else was sleeping off their hangovers yesterday morning, Brian and I were wide awake. We both got up early and put in a few hours of work.
We have this Filipino superstition that what you’re doing on the first of the year is what ends up happening the rest of the year. For instance, if you’re broke on the first of the year, then it’s going to be a really rough year. If you’re having fun on the first of the year, then it’s going to be a really fun year. LOL.
Our tradition has always been to have sex either at midnight or sometime on January 1 to ensure that we have a good, active, happy sex life the rest of the year.
Last year, we were stuck in Las Vegas on January 1 and all of our travels the rest of the year were wrought with mishaps just as our superstition foretold. Remember how I got stuck in Atlanta a couple of months ago? When we got back from the East Coast this summer, we almost got stranded in Kansas City when our car wouldn’t start. When Brian was coming home from New Hampshire, Wichita got hit with a crazy storm and they wouldn’t let their plane land. The plane circled several times until they were almost out of gas. They finally had to get rerouted to Oklahoma City for refueling. Then they had to wait for a different pilot. I was stuck waiting for him at the Wichita airport for at least five hours, not knowing what was going on or what to expect. I think the only trip that went according to plan was Brian’s trip to Vegas for the SAP conference. But that’s because he did some serious reconnaissance. Not only did he have a Plan B, he had a Plan C and Plan D just in case. LOL.
This year we wanted to ensure that we had a productive work year so we both go up early on January 1 and decided to do some work. If our superstition holds, we should be getting up early and should be productive the rest of the year.
We also both made it a point to go to the gym. I did my usual Sunday Zumba fitness class with Amie and then Brian came and joined us for an intense ab workout after class. We’re hoping that by working out on the first day of year, we will continue our focus on our health and fitness throughout 2012.
That night we went to the Cole’s residence for movie night. We watched the movie 2012
The one thing we made sure to avoid was shopping. We didn’t want to start the year off spending money because we wanted 2012 to be a year of saving. We did buy pizzas at Papa Murphy’s, but I don’t think food counts unless we don’t plan on eating the rest of the year.
Last year was really fun and was a really great year for us all the way around, but it was also a very expensive year. We made some really good investments by switching gyms and getting some personal training to really focus on our health and fitness and we’ve had some really good results, but we spent a lot of money on BS also. I guess we really didn’t have a choice but to replenish our wardrobe after we both shrank in size significantly. Now that we have all the clothes that we need and are pretty much at the size that we want to be (I still want to lose 10 more pounds, though), we’re determined not to spend any more money. We have to save, save, save for that mortgage down payment (specially since we actually lost money on our first house).
So there you have it. That’s how we spent the first day of the new year. We actually got up early again this morning. Brian set our usual alarm because we wanted to get up as though we were going to work today. Figured this way, we won’t be sluggish when we both report back to work tomorrow.
I’m really excited for what this year will bring. Barring any disasters like the world ending etc. I think it’s going to be an amazing year that is even better than the last. Happy New Year, everyone!
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The Year that Was… 2011
Posted on January 1, 2012 by Ching under Life.
- We started off the year a little rough when we got stranded in Las Vegas on the very first day of the year.
- Brian and I celebrated Valentines in Lawrence.
- I experienced my very first Zumbathon when we did the “Party Hearty” benefit for the American Heart Association. I had a blast attending both the East Central and West Central events. Later in the year, I got to participate in the “Party in Pink” Zumbathon for the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
- I was thinking that I would pick up disc golf this year. I bought the necessary gear and everything, but the summer came and went and Brian and I never did find the time to go to the frisbee golf park.
- I kicked butt raising money for Big Brothers Big Sisters. I surpassed my $500 goal and raised over $800 this year. For the first time ever, I was the top fund raiser for our area. Although, I think that was only because Amy decided not to participate this year. =P
- Jenni returned to Catholicism. Surprisingly, hell didn’t freeze over.
- Grandpa’s health started failing this year so we decided to bring our annual Easter celebration to Cherry Creek. Grandpa passed away on December 13. Brian took his passing surprisingly well. I think it was because he had been coping with the idea of losing his grandfather for months.
- Hai moved to Denver.
- I hired a personal trainer and started getting really serious about my health and weight-loss goals. John helped me go from wearing size 6 pants to where I am now — in size 2 pants and even some 0s. Switching gyms really helped. We dropped our YMCA membership and joined Genesis instead. I’m finally back to being myself again. Brian made me get rid of all of my old one-piece bathing suits because I look decent in bikinis again.
- We saw James Taylor perform twice. The first time was at the Intrust Bank arena in May and then the second time with the Boston Pops at Tanglewood in Massachusetts.
- We attended the Symphony in the Flint Hills for the first time. It was really cool. We discovered Wamego, Kansas and a couple of wineries on the way home the next day.
- We spent 4th of July in Boston and the East Coast area. We had a lot of firsts that week. It was our first time in Connecticut, where we discovered a new vineyard with our pals Jay and Becca. (That’s Connecticut with a “C” not with a “K” – mind you.) We got to see the sights and casinos and go river tubing in Farmington. We got to ride Segways for the first time. Tour the Sam Adams brewery. Watch a baseball game at Fenway Park ON 4th of July. Visit Martha’s Vineyard for the first time.
- I got to Slip ‘N Slide for the very first time at Carolyn’s 2nd birthday party. It was quite comical. I don’t think I’ll ever live that down.
- I started the Invisalign process. I’ve never had braces before so this is a whole new experience for me.
- I had my first ambulance ride and trip to the ER during what was the most exciting anniversary celebration ever.
- We returned to Healing Waters for the first time after boycotting them for several years.
- We met Cousin Tracy’s fiancee Jeff for the first time.
- I learned that I have nodules in my thyroid. They’re not cancerous, but Brian is still lobbying for the removal of my thyroid.
- We celebrated the first anniversary of Brian’s UN-sobriety at Zoobilee.
- I got to experience Holiday Galleria for the first time, thanks to Gina Ann. We got to hob nob with some really sexy firefighters.
- I got to play paintball for the first time. I didn’t play the year before. I only took pictures.
- I got to visit Nashville for the first time through a business conference. It was my first time at the Grand Ole Opry.
- Kevin and Kasey got married. It was also this year that Kevin returned to the family.
- We made our annual Black Friday shopping trip, but with more people this time.
- I got to undergo my very first biopsy, which wasn’t really scary until right before the procedure.
- Brian and I got to watch a production at Mosley Street Melodrama for the first time.
I’m sure there’s tons more stuff that happened that I’m missing from this list. 2011 was quite a year. I look forward to many more fun years just like it, minus some of the “excitement” that happened that we could all do without.
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Our Little Talks
Posted on January 1, 2012 by Brian under Life.
I received my first issue of “Men’s Fitness” today. A gift from my Sister-in-Law Jenni for Christmas.
Here is how the conversation went.
Me: If I look like Robert Downy Jr. when I am his age I will be Ecstatic!
Ching: You’re going to have to start doing a lot of drugs.
These are the types of little conversations we have.
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Stocking Up at Thai Binh
Posted on December 31, 2011 by Ching under Shopping.
Another thing we did while on Christmas break was do some grocery shopping at the Asian supermarket. We needed to stock up on staples like rice and suka. We were almost out of Jasmin rice. We use Milagrosa. I know that brown rice is better for you nutritionally, but I can’t give up my white rice. I like to eat it with everything.
White rice is to me what Datu Puti suka is to Brian. He puts it on everything. So we stocked up on that too. We got four bottles, which should last us a while, as long as I can keep Brian from practically drinking the stuff. We also got some tocino and longonisa and some other stuff.
Speaking of drinks, coconut juice was on sale so I got myself several cans.
They also had whole papaya and large avocados at the store.
I didn’t buy any though, because Brian doesn’t like that stuff. It would have been difficult for me to consume them before they spoiled and I don’t like wasting food.
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Brian Wants an iMac Like This One
Posted on December 31, 2011 by Ching under Wishlist.
We were at Best Buy the other day over Christmas break looking for some new workout headphones for Brian. He got these really cool Skullcandy earbuds
While at Best Buy, we stopped by the Apple section and played around with the floor models. Brian wants one of these gigantic iMacs. I had it in my mind that I wanted a 13″ MacBook Air
Hopefully, around this time next year, I’ll be typing my resolutions on a MacBook. Gotta start saving!
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