extortion, in n out and finance grades, oh my!

wow - almost 2 months since my last post. i suck. (and have a gazillion thoughts swimming around in my head that need to get out!). it always feel like life is moving fast, there's always something hectic happening and all i wanted was to lie around in my pjs, eat my mom's cooking and watch movies for the break.

regardless, i guess it makes for interesting experiences. had a lot of great/weird/thoughtful experiences over the course of the holidays, some of which were the following:

• Semi-dislocated my shoulder on a ski trip to Steamboat, Colorado in December. Only movement limitation i have now, it seems, is the ability to play air hockey. i think i'll live. At least now i can do the Chicken again.
• Traveled around Myanmar with 26 of my relatives on a bus for two weeks. Conclusion? I love my family! They know how to eat good food, grow old and still have fun with passion, and be selfless when it means the most.
• Mazlow's hierarchy of needs was greatly at play on my 2-week trip to Myanmar. I never thought i would appreciate electricity, a modern toilet, dry clothes, clean feet, hand sanitizer, bug repellent, or In 'n Out SO much.
• Seeing my parents' old houses, neighbors and neighborhoods, universities was a once in a lifetime experience (it was their first time back in 30 years). for the practical, rational people that they are (not a single tear or sentimental thought came out of their mouths), i know it meant a lot to them.
• Got stuck on a one-lane road on a rainy, muddy mountain for 7 hours because of a truck stuck in the middle of the road! The solution: dig out part of the mountain and manually carried over rocks so cars can pass. the gatekeeper had fallen asleep and was the one who let all the cars/trucks come up to cause the congestion. what the??
• My mom got extorted at airport security on our way home. I was pissed and scared and beside myself. But it was $10 which = A LOT to them and minimal to us. I am so lucky and privileged to be who and where i am in the world. and i can't jump to conclusions about the oppression and corruption about a country like Myanmar without better understanding the sacrifices and way of life of those who are forced to live in it.
• Despite all the madness, i'd go back to Myanmar in a heartbeat. The people are kind and open, the food amazing, and the land and sights breathtaking. two weeks was too short.
• Family is just like high school. Relatives peg you a certain way (the smart one, the airhead, the baby etc.) and whatever you do, good or bad, reinforces that image to them. Anything that conflicts with that image is a one-time exception. No matter how you grow or change as a person, this stereotype is virtually inescapable.
• New Year's Eve is overrated. I arrived in LA from the airport, had in n out and fell asleep just after midnight. it was fabulous.
• This year, LA to me = blackouts, flashflood warnings and a wet Rose Parade for the first time in 60 years. boo.
• And i now think 30 degrees here back in Evanston is great weather. who am i?
• Christmas cards, post cards and thoughtful phone messages (even when one knows a person is, say, out of the country and won't pick up) are little things that mean a lot to people.
• One of my all-time greatest achievements in business school thus far: getting a 89% on my Finance final. it doesn't sound like a lot, i know. in fact, it isn't even an A. but you don't understand how much of a finance jock i'm not, how much i wannabe and how far i've come. yes, i am a dork.

i just vomited a long bunch of things (believe me, there's still a lot running through my head right now) so if you've gotten through all of this, i am v. impressed and feel like i owe you a puppy.

anyway, happy new year everyone! hope your lottery winnings, wedding rings and hot models become a reality this year!