License to Chill

So last week was really crazy. Not only was I behind a couple of projects at work, but I found out I had jury duty and went through the long and tedious process of jury selection. It took a couple of days, but I was eventually dismissed with others when they finalized the list of jurors.

During those two days, I didn't really do anything except sit and listen and read when I was able (I brought my Freakanomics book). But for some reason, those hours spent in the courtroom just left me exhausted. Oh and I've been having insomnia lately too, so I'm sure that didn't help. Anyway, I had scheduled myself to be somewhere those same evenings, too but I guess I should have just gone home. At one point, I was really feeling like I was coming down with something bad. And it's taken me a while now to get over that lingering feeling I'm getting sick.

There are days I push myself to do way too much than I should. Doing things for others, or doing things that I think will be good for me. I even stress when I feel I can't be more creative! Eh, I just need to chill!

So I go visit Steve's page the other day, and lo and behold I was granted a license to do just that. Well, he gave it to everyone I know, but I for one want to use it. So, with Steve's permission to post this, here's my official LICENSE TO CHILL!

Happy Valentine's Day!

"The Love Mug"

Be good to one another - today and each and every day! =)

Lion Dance

How funny (since I just posted about it yesterday)... I went to a local shopping center after church today and they actually had a Lion Dance happening there, complete with firecrackers.

From Wikipedia: "During the Chinese New Year, lion dancers from martial art school will visit the store front of businesses to "choi chang" (picking the greens). The business would tie a red envelope filled with money to a head of lettuce and hang it high above the front door. The lion will approach the lettuce like a curious cat, consume the lettuce and spit out the leaves but not the money. The lion dance is supposed to bring good luck and fortune to the business and the dancers receive the money as reward. The tradition becomes a mutual transaction."

Here's a couple of videos I found (this first one features the more cutesy characteristics of the costume)


This one is more the dance...

Sun Lin Fi Lok!

That's "Happy New Year!" in Cantonese. Or "Xin Nian Luai Le" in Mandarin. Chinese New Year is an important festival that traditionally begins on the first day of the first lunar month in the Chinese calendar and ends on the 15th, called the Lantern Festival. I'm not actually from China, but as a SF Bay Area resident, I've been fortunate to have been to Chinatown and see the Lion Dance, hear the firecrackers, and eat some really good food! This year, the New Year festival takes place from February 7 - 21.

I'm currently hosting a group ATC swap and one of the cards I made is of a Lion Dance at Chinatown.


I've been lagging with my drawings lately (been in kind of a slump), but here are some pictures I took over the last couple of years at SF Chinatown.

Here's the main entrance...


Lots of banners and decorations (looks like they still had the holiday ones up)...


At a Dim Sum restaurant. Uh, you probably don't want to know what this is...


One of the many stores selling really cheap souvenirs...


A dragon display at one of the stores...


An evening photo of some lanterns hanging...


Have a Happy New Year! And "Kung Hei Fat Choi" to you... which my friend told me really means "Good luck to you, and hope you get lots of money!"

I Love You This Much Award

The wonderful and awesomely talented Emila Yusof gave me this beautiful "I Love You This Much Award".

Oh, I love it! And I also love the following awesome folks and their blogs/sites:

Emila / Zari / Jeff / Eslina / Pascal / Bearuh / Katrice / Joan / Ms. Froggie / Mike / Brian / Pati / Val / Steve / Georgina / Jo / Chickengirl / Moony / Pickledog / Kathy / Michelle / Cecilia / Esmeralda / Kat Blue

1. If you get tagged (and want to play along), write a post with links to blogs that you love,
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme.

Share the Love! =)

I Received an Award!

Eslina, whose "Ocean and Me" blog always makes my day, gave me a "You Make My Day" award! *EDIT* I also received this from wonderful Zari - Wow! I feel SO blessed to have received this from such sweet friends... THANK YOU!!!

I'd love to pass this on to the following who are not only extremely talented artists, but just about the nicest people you could ever meet:

1. Jeff Brame (Well, I think he's received several of these already, but one more won't hurt. I always look forward to seeing his wonderfully drawn characters and fun style. Some of his illos and ATC's are sooo funny -- I'm still laughing over the custodian fairy!!!)
2. KStyles (I've always admired her bold use of color and clever takes on the Illustration Friday challenges. Her drawings brighten everyone's day!)
3. Steve (My goodness, he is incredibly creative! I really like the fact that he continually challenges himself with different art mediums, styles, techniques, you name it! And he challenges his students to do the same. How awesome is that?)
4. Georgina (Talk about creative! Wow, her clean style, lovely patterns and drawings make everyone who visits her blog smile! She is also extremely generous and so kind to share her gift of art to others)
5. Joan (Her artwork is simply amazing! Her pencil sketches of even everyday type objects are full of life and character. I love her posts and descriptions of her drawings too... how many people can liken their purse to a rainforest?)

I am thankful to all of you and your wonderful blogs for always making my day! =)

Bookmark Winners!

I took all the names and put them in this bowl.


Then I randomly picked the following names to receive these handmade bookmarks...


Hope you like what you will receive! I'll be mailing them off in the next few days.

Also, as you probably already know, the "guess this book's title" answer is...


"Freakanomics" is actually quite a fascinating read, in which an economist explores particular issues and answers questions such as, "What do schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers have in common?" or "How is the Klu Klux Clan like a group of real-estate agents?" I'm sure you've asked yourselves the same questions...hahaha. Anyway, Jeff Brame was the first to guess correctly and will also receive a bookmark.

Congrats to all the winners and thanks to all who participated!