I’ve always been a big smiler. Plenty of people do a fake, closed-mouth smile when they take a picture, but I broadly grin away with a twinkle in my eyes. It comes very naturally to me and I don’t quite understand those who make the motions of smiling, but don’t look genuine at all. Is it that hard to flash a truly warm and happy smile? Maybe I’m just a happier person in general so it’s easy for me to tap into that to produce a smile that I mean. Of course there are also those people who just don’t like their smiles (but why not? All smiles are beautiful if they’re genuine). I think more so than the physical attributes of a smile is the expression and intention behind it. When you’re expressing positive emotions, it exudes that sense of goodness and that’s all that should matter. Smiles are great for lightening up a mood or sharing a brief bond with someone, but really, doesn’t it just make you happier? 🙂
365great Day 356: smiles
Coming on one year
I can hardly believe it’s been nearly a year since I started my 365great project. So much has changed since then that I don’t even recognize my life as it was back then versus how it is now. Did I really manage to fit all that into one year? My priorities have shifted completely and my outlook on life has drastically shifted. It’s been an interesting period of my life and these efforts have taken over my nights for a long time. I’m looking forward to having some more time at night and I wonder how things will change once I finish up the series.
I already have my next idea ready, but I’ve learned from this one that a daily challenge takes up way more time than I’d like, so I’ll try something weekly now. I know Panda is looking forward to having more time with me at night. Will it really free me up that much more? Perhaps. I’ll probably still be thinking about it but now I won’t have the self-imposed pressure to have to put something together every single day. I’ll still be posting my normal blog posts but this sort of themed post will take a backburner. Just 10 more days to go!
365great Day 355: salted duck eggs
I always avoid eating egg yolks, but the one exception is when it comes to salted duck eggs. For whatever reason, the brining process makes the yolk a consistency that is grainier, which I enjoy. Or perhaps that’s just how duck yolks are? Whatever the case, I grew up loving these eggs, which are super salty and work well with a nice bowl of porridge. The yolk gets really oily with these when they’ve been made well and that oozing is a welcome sign of a tasty yolk. It’s one of the few stranger food items that I do eat. I’m not into crazy weird stuff and this is about as “weird” as my taste goes. I guess this falls under the “I love just about anything salted, preserved, or brined” category of preferences. Those things tend to be crunchier and of course saltier. Perfectly to my taste and I think they’re all great!
365great Day 354: jade
Growing up, we always had some sort of jade jewelry around. I remember my cousins each had a piece carved into the animal of their Chinese zodiac sign, which they wore on red strings around their necks. I had fun little pieces, like Buddhas and tear drops and even a pair that formed a heart – perfect for best friends to share. When I graduated from college, a few of my aunts and uncles were able to make it over. One of my aunts gave me a jade bracelet. It’s one of those that is never meant to be taken off. We carefully squeezed my hand through and got it on… over five and a half years later, it’s still here and I’ve never removed it! In Chinese culture, jade is believed to have protective powers and it becomes an extension of your body. It is probably one of the luckiest pieces of jewelry you could ever give or receive and is rife with tradition. Keeping it close to your body is supposed to be good for your qi, ensuring a good flow of energy throughout your body to help you maintain good health. No wonder it makes a great (and very meaningful) gift!
365great Day 353: Instagram
For the longest time, I avoided getting on Instagram. Many of my friends were surprised, since I’m always taking pictures so they figured I’d love the platform. However, I always had this impression that it’s very artsy, with a certain pressure to share images that are amazing. I love pictures, but I certainly didn’t know how to filter and post-edit them into pretty works of art. I didn’t think I had much to contribute to the platform. I’m also very indecisive when it comes to which effect I like best, so it would take me ages to put together something. One day, I just decided to try with a few adorable pictures of animals. I had fun with it and slowly began to ignore any thoughts I had that I should be posting only captivating shots. It’s now become a great way to share little moments of my day – observations, experiences, and thoughts. Interestingly, I’ve found it to be a useful place to find cool brands I want to buy from too!
365great Day 352: family
Families can be so wacky, but they’re what you get to grow up with. I mostly grew up on my own as an only child with just my parents around. When I was young I’d go back to China to visit my relatives, spending the summer with them. I don’t see my relatives often, but when I do we pick up right where we were the last time we met. I don’t need to stay in touch with them when I’m not around and I hear news through my parents if anything interesting has developed (marriages, children, and retirements). Ours is a typical Chinese family separated by a vast ocean – my nuclear family unit is used to doing things on our own. Sometimes I find myself meeting more distant relatives when I go to China and I start losing track of the connection. All that matters is that family will welcome you with open arms and support each other. It can be beautiful, it can get ugly, but the strong bonds make it great in its own way.
365great Day 351: vacations
It’s always nice to get some time off to go enjoy something outside of work, school, or your general obligations. Taking a vacation changes up a routine, offers a reprieve from any buildup of stress, and encourages people to explore a different environment. Sometimes it’s as simple as a day trip to a point of interest. Or, maybe you go all out and plan an intensive couple of weeks getting totally out of your comfort zone. Maybe you’re the type to revisit a favorite spot time and time again. If you’re like me, you revel in trying out a new city or country. Whatever the case may be, vacations are a chance to have some fun, relax, and step out of your “regular” life. When I was in China a few years back, I saw this group of Buddhist nuns – even they take vacations! No matter who you are, a vacation is a great break to work into your life.
365great Day 350: buffets
A never-ending supply of food? How does that not sound good? Buffets may not have that signature dish that you can get time and time again, but they offer so much variety that you don’t have to settle for just one type of dish. It’s a nice time to sit and take the pace slowly while trying a little bit of many dishes. If you pick carefully, there are some delicious choices. There will definitely be some misses, but that’s what sampling is useful for. I always have a hard time choosing just one entree at a restaurant, so buffets are great because I can graze among many choices!
365great Day 349: community
I’m looking forward to getting to know a bunch of my neighbors and being involved in the HOA here. It’s so nice to at least have a sense of who you’re living around and be able to share a smile and a wave sometimes. The community feel is gaining traction and I expect it will be a lot easier when the weather is suitable for more outdoor activities. A strong community can be so important for the environment we live in and I plan on doing my part to make ours friendly, interactive, and fun. While there are some neighbors who aren’t that sociable and won’t engage with the community, it seems that many are open and willing. I hope to take up a few of them on their offers for meals. It’ll be a fantastic way to bond and grow closer as a group. Our area is really coming together and I’m excited to see how it all goes. I’m sure it’ll be great living here.
365great Day 348: WordPress
My absolute favorite blogging platform is WordPress. It’s simple enough for anyone to use, yet extremely powerful for more robust needs. I’ve been maintaining my blog with it for years and the features just keep growing. It’s professional and constantly improving. You can create and manage your own website through their interface, sharing whatever content you please. You can go with WordPress.com if you just want to dabble and don’t need your own domain. Or if you’ve got your own domain, WordPress.org makes it easy to put together a wonderful site. Best of all, it’s all for free! Such great offerings. 🙂
