sunnysideup Thank you series: I Love New Years!

New Year is my favorite holiday! :) It's offers a fresh start, and it's celebrated with a bang -sumptous dinners and much awaited countdowns. This year I make no resolutions but I list my goals and targets. I feel and claim that this is going to be a great and superb year. And to welcome the new year we tried to replicate that feel of our dinner date last year at MGM Grand, Macau. We're not chef's but we're pretty much happy with what we've come up with.

This is our take of home made "fine dine" food and atmosphere. Can't wait for the next event as I look forward to another fine dinner with good conversation. Nothing beats the simple joys of good food with loved ones.


Happy New Year everyone and all the best! :)

Thank you series: New Year Countdown in Macau

My husband and I welcomed the new year at Macau. We booked a hotel and stayed a night. Here's our video of our day and the countdown! :)

Happy New year everyone!

sunnysideup perspectives: I chose to be happy

I started this blog with a commitment to choose happiness. It is my decision to choose to see life positively even when things are not going well or when we don't get what we want. It's easier to choose to rant and be irritated, actually, but I choose otherwise. Once in a while I fail but I get up and try again. Everyday I try to look for reasons to smile and be thankful. I just think that we should live each day with gratitude for all the blessings we have - while we still have them.

In my quest to choose happiness I also carry a few to thoughts to help me, and before this year ends I'd like to share them with you. Maybe it can also help you . . . relax and choose to live with a smile.

1. The grass is always greener somewhere else.

We all know this but we always seem to forget it. There is so much wisdom in this phrase and we should always remember it. To me, it simply reminds me to be grateful and to avoid comparing. It is our nature as humans to always want something. It is good sometimes because it shows ambition and determination, the sad part is we never seem to be satisfied. We always want something else.

Once we acquire or achieve that thing or dream, we want the next big thing. It's a vicious cycle that we can control. Besides if we never decide to settle, we never will - and we may find ourselves constantly in search for something or for someone.


2. Life is not fair.

I remember reading this somewhere and it helped me. It carries truth that may be hard to swallow but its the truth. Life is NOT fair and no one ever said it is. Life is just a journey designed for us to enjoy and learn from. It is not a perfect journey and we should accept this truth. Let go and just enjoy the ride.

3. Be where you are.


We tend to think and worry about so many things that we forget to live today. We think about our next meal, our next career, our next event or activity. We do two or three things at once, and fail to enjoy that moment. A moment that once passed will never come again.

To be where I am is the hardest of all but it has the most impact. It reminds us to focus and give our best today, where we are and to whom we are with.

This would mean that we:

• listen and participate in our conversations
  
• chew and taste our meals
• enjoy our drives
  
• smell the flowers
  
• stop to smile and compliment somebody
• plus so much more!
  

Happy New Year everyone! Let's choose to be happy and enjoy life!

sunnysideup perspectives: Fat pigeons and fishes

During our recent visit in a park, I noticed how fat the fishes and birds got. As soon as they see a human - possibly with feeds - they scurry to get food, unaware of the possible dangers a human can do to them. They’re so used to having people feed them they’ve grown big and lazy.

Just reminds me how too much comfort and convenience is NOT good for both animals and people. Complacency can never be good. This is also a good reminder for us since it's almost a new year and we've not heard the last of the global financial crisis.

I think this is natures way of reminding us, me in particular, to always persevere and do our best.

For more photos, please visit my photo blog.