Hello, hello. Can’t believe another two weeks have passed since my last post. How lame am I? Well, first I must say Happy Chinese New Year. It’s the year of the rat, which means my mother is turning 60. Wow. My perception of age is all screwed up. I still think of myself as a young adult and my parents as 50 y/o. Geez, I really need to get with it.

So anyway, CNY was cool. Since I lamed out on my coworkers for Christmas (meaning everyone else handed out gifts…), I brought in a big box of pineapple cakes which my coworker Paul described as a pineapple Fig Newton. The next day, John and I also made jiaozi. Following this super easy recipe, John made the filling and I sat for 90 minutes to wrap 100 dumplings. They turned out super tasty. We’d gotten a nonstick skillet just for the dumplings (guotie style is the only way to go) and man, the brown crispy bottom was perfect, just like how Wu ayi used to make them. I made John take pictures for proof, which is always needed in my case.

Just to make sure it wasn’t all a fluke, I also cooked some up the other day for my friend Tina. She was crazy impressed. Ha, that’s how low the expectations are for me. 🙂

In other news, we had some peeps over for dinner a week ago. Got the place all spic and span. Made our usual go-to dinner party meal: Costco beef tritip pot roast. The evening’s guest of honor was my friend Joe’s girlfriend. All of us had been hearing so many great things about her (doctor, rock climber, hiker, conference speaker, hottie, etc.), and this was the night to finally meet her. Ever the skeptical, John insists there’s no way she’s all those things. “She’s a phantom girlfriend. She sounds too perfect.” I disagree. Perfection is possible. Already, I can name at least two people who I would consider perfect. Sure, they aren’t everywhere, but they are there. And I notice (envy) them. Anyway, the point is, she got sick and had to bail last minute. John says that only furthers his point, “I knew it! She’s not real.” But I think it’s really sweet that Joe is completely enthralled with his new lady. The Salad Years are good times.

I do hope to meet her some day soon. She sounds quite inspiring actually.