One Nineteen Oh-Nine

Dear Friends,

Happy new year! It's been forever since I posted on the blog.. about five months to be exact (sorry!) But it's a new year and a new start and attempt to keep up with the blogging :) Overall, things are good with me. Work is going ok and with five months to go, I'm really looking forward to the end of residency (even if I still feel like there are a billion things I don't know). That and I still need a job - keeping my fingers crossed.. Life in LA is pretty good. Jeff is getting ready for his wedding and Harsha is attending over at USC. We're all moving out at the end of June and going north - Jeff and I to the SF bay area and Harsha to Seattle. We've resolved to try to take more advantage of the LA scene since we're only here for a little longer.. Sadly, my creative life is at a trough right now. Gotta try to pick that up.. That and my working out at the gym. I want to work on my cardiovascular health (since I'm huge enough already.. ha ha.)

What follows is a brief summary of the last five months in pictures.. but first (and most important) thing first, Amy and I got engaged! :) I popped the question around new year's and she said yes... woo hoo!


We went on a hike at Half Moon Bay near SF..

Our nice room at the bed and breakfast..

I proposed in the room near the fireplace.. Amy had been expecting the ring so many times I think I threw her off and really did surprise her :) In case, you don't know, Amy is making the "WOW" expression.. (thanks, Lin!)

In September, I did a rotation in the Pediatric ER... in Hawai'i!


My friends, Alice and Terry.. they were so nice, I crashed at their place for a month :)

On the beach at Kailua..

Amy came to visit too.. here she is giving the shaka in our rental convertible..

We also had plenty of visits to the beach..

Viet also came to visit on his vacation! We got lots of shave ice..

Macadamia syrup pancakes.. those were very good..

The view from the top of Diamond Head

Amy came to visit in October...

We went to see Wicked.. it was pretty good.. kind of neat to see what they can do with the old school special effects now that we're used to movies with CGI.. fun musical..

A little stop on our drive down to the OC to visit friends..

I also went up to SF to see Amy...

Amy set up a picnic in Golden Gate Park for our date day..

I'm not drunk in this picture, just very good at acting drunk.. later, I did get drunk though :)

Penguins at the new Academy of Sciences Museum..

Whoa! Amy's in Africa.. watch out for those zebras! The diorama exhibit..

Chameleons are pretty cool... Overall the museum is very nice, if a bit pricey ($25).. gotta get there early to get planetarium tickets too!

Amy and her friend Leslie from elementary school.. she's probably going to be our maid of honor..

Our friends Rebecca and Hugo also got married in Sacramento..

Their reception was a lot of fun. Both the families sung a lot and they had a mariachi band!

These kids were busting it out all over the dance floor.

The happy couple and us :)

For Amy's birthday we went to Monterey and to the Aquarium..


Amy on an old train car..

Yep, it's her birthday..

Amy can't get enough of those penguins..

These jellyfish were really cool.. I wonder if you can keep them in a home aquarium?

We stopped by Amy's friend's house and went to the beach with them.. here's me doing the crane pose..

Amy's family at home

Amy ran the California International Marathon in Sacramento in December..

Amy and her friend, Brian, getting up at 4am to get ready..

I raced along in the car and met them at various points on the road.. this is at mile 21!

Amy at mile 25.. right before the finish and still running. I was tired just from driving/walking around trying to follow them..

The big time medal! Finish time was about 4:10.. pretty good..

And last I just came back from SF where I did two weeks at the poison control center. It was a great rotation because all the days ended at noon and I could see friends and hang out with Amy.

Ryan, Cheryl, Kristin and Eugene... after a meal at Koi Palace.. best dim sum in the bay area..

Riding around on the carts at Ikea..

Amy's Xmas family picture.. They wanted to include me so I think I'm in :)


Getting sausages at Rosamunde's in the Haight..

The windmill at Golden Gate Park..

A closer up of the base of the windmill.. what are those holes for?

Only one way to find out..

We both liked this picture..

It was unseasonably warm in SF.. we went to ocean beach and walked around.. people were burning old Christmas trees for bonfires.. I guess it's good to put them to some use :)

And for those of you (if any) who stuck it out this far. A final picture of the bling :) I tried to be different and got a non-diamond ring. Turned out pretty well :)

I hope everyone is well and the new year brings the best for all. There's plenty coming up including a visit to Houston, Boston, NYC and, of course, our very own wedding.. More details are they emerge. Take care, everyone and don't forget to drop me an email or call if you have time!