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2011 began tumultuously for me and was punctuated by alternate periods of doubt and confidence, tears and laughter, teaching and learning; most importantly, it was a year that brimmed with meaningful, personal connections, both new and renewed.  I wouldn't have had it any other way.

On the right, the moleskines that I've gone through in the past three years; on the left, two new ones that I received this Christmas from two separate sources.  A testament to how much my family and friends know me.

the best part of being home for the holidays: playing the piano for hours on end, taking alarm-free naps at 2pm, 4pm and 8pm (darn jet lag), and spending time in the kitchen with my mother, whose knowledge of tried-and-true classic chinese pastry recipes is impossible to exhaust.

good tidings for Christmas, and a happy new year :)

This is the christmas display at the MUJI store that I like to frequent during lunch hours.  I was glued to this table for a good ten minutes looking at every single item.  I want them all, from the whimsical christmas tree down to every last silly sumo skittle. 

(I confess that I am a MUJI-addict.  Perhaps one day I really will go work for Kenya Hara.)

It's been ages since i last updated my etsy shop!  These two cards have actually been hanging around for quite awhile now -- I've just been rather distracted since I stepped into Asia.  See the cards in detail here.

my ukelele's not lonely no more :)

i walked into the music store fully intending to buy a cheap, crappy second-hand guitar. 
really, i should know myself better by now...

I'm (finally) slowly but steadily wading my way through the backlog of photographs.  These are from back in May, when my cousins took me to Sanxia District to walk the famous (and very touristy) Minquan Old Street.

Built during the Japanese occupation, the street is lined with beautiful brick archways, typical of Japanese colonial architecture in Taiwan.

My little nephew had just knocked out his front tooth by a bad fall the previous day, and was not in a very happy mood.  All is momentarily forgotten, though, when ice cream is present.

Walking out of the main street and towards the Zushi Temple, passing by stall after stalls selling croissants and pig's blood cake.

We lazed on the sunny bridge for a good hour or so, watching the spintop man do his spintop throwing tricks -- a real performance complete with rope, fire and balloons.  It was a perfect afternoon.

the brutal summer has finally passed, and it seems that overnight, all the golden rain trees on DunHua NanRoad erupted in bloom.  it brought a huge smile to my face on my way to work.

the yellow flowers are in perfect harmony with the yellow cabs and the yellow construction barriers.

the golden rain tree, or "flame goldrain tree" as this sign declares, is native to Taiwan (hence "formosana" in its latin name).  eventually, the yellow blossoms will turn purple, then dark red.  i've never seen it used so effectively as a street tree.  the passersby must have been amused seeing me taking photos after photos on my iphone.

Dun Hua Nan Road is one of my favourite boulevards in Taipei.  The right-of-way is wide enough to accommodate not one, but two of these linear parks in between the one-way roads.  Though not very practical for pedestrians who are trying to get from place A to B, these parks are perfect for those seeking a little solitude in the middle of one of the city's busiest financial cores.  Lately I've begun to take afternoon strolls here when I need a break from the office.

the view from my office window.  Fall, my favourite season, is here at last, thank goodness.