George W's John Hancock

Last night, after delivering the State of the Union, George W. autographed programs and bulletins and hats and anything that people could throw at him as he was departing. Yes, are you as incredulous as I am? People were asking for his autograph. Even after hearing that they need to approve more "intelligence monitoring". Hah. Crazy.

Here Stands the Iron Maiden

If you make her unhappy, or at least her keeper unhappy, you are beaten, poked, prodded, and locked inside while held standing up by four inch nails that are driven into your body from the outside. She provides little air, and gives no quarter. She is cold, unyielding, and unmovable. Some consider her rigid and uptight. She carries an impressive lineage, with some ancestors dating back to the 11th-12th century Europe. She stands boldly, arrogantly -- solitary in the dark dungeon of Castello di Amorosa, deep in the vineyards of Napa Valley.

Me and My Mum

** When this was originally posted, I said that chrysanthemums are "hoa mai" in Vietnamese. And I am soooo wrong. They are not hoa mai, but are "hoa cuc". But, they are still beautiful! My apologies for the mistake -- I'm forgetting my Vietnamese too quickly! -HAT, 2/2/08

The trip to San Jose was great. I ate too much, and spent too much money, but I did manage to buy a huge yellow mum -- so gorgeous. I've never seen a mum as beautiful before, so I happily handed over $20 and headed home, just me and my mum, seat-belted to the back seat next to Paco. Anyway, the golden mum is an auspicious symbol of beauty and good fortune because in Vietnamese, it is called "mai" (btw, my mother's name), which sounds similar to "may" as in "may man" or "lucky". For new year's celebration, it is important to fill our homes with symbols of good luck. This is a central belief -- that if we surround ourselves with goodness and luck, then we will ourselves inherit such goodness. Even though I usually don't believe in those things, as we enter into the Year of the Rat, I feel good about having such beauty in the house. It can only be a good thing to know that we ourselves are carriers of goodness, and knowing that such goodness comes from within, just as it surrounds us in the images of simple flowers, well, it's just wonderment over and over and over.

The photo is courtesy of Paco.

11Things to Do for Tet

As with every culture's new year celebrations, Tet carries many traditions, superstitions, myths, folktales, etc. that imbue these special days with deep meaning. Nowadays, we follow them for fun. We follow them because of family traditions. We follow them to honor our cultural roots. Or, we follow them not at all. There are too many traditions and superstitions to list them all, but here are some:

1. Clean house top to bottom, including painting, especially the door.
2. When sweeping, never sweep out the front door, or luck will go out the door.
3. Wear new clothes. Red is an auspicious color. No unlucky black.
   
4. All debts are paid or forgiven. No grudges kept. Return all borrowed items.
   
5. The first day of the year, nothing should be swept out, because you'll shoo good luck away for the rest of the year.
6. Never cut anything during new year's b/c you'll cut your luck (&/or longevity) in half.
7. The first person to walk through your door will bring you luck. So find the right person w/ the right name, birth year, etc. to be the first to cross your threshold in the new year.
8. When leaving your house for the expected new year visitations, the first thing you see will bold well or ill for your new year. (Those who see bad omens when leaving their house will often go back home, wait, then depart once again just for a fresh start.)
9. Visit family sites, graves, altars, etc.
10. Buy water or give water gifts b/c water suggests that in the new year, money will flow in like water.
    
11. Receive lucky Li Xi envelopes filled with money!!! (Unless you're married, in which case you don't receive lucky Li Xi envelopes but you'll have to give red envelopes to single folks. Oh, the joys of married life.)
    

Cavernous

Stored in this cavernous cellar are thousands of barrels of wine. Great wine. I am jealous that I do not own a castle and thus cannot store barrels and barrels of goodness in the underbelly of my dwelling place. Alas, alas. Imagine playing hide and seek in this space!