2010 in Review: Most Memorable Moments

My top 10 in chronological order. They’re all unforgettable in their own way:

1. Watching the Winter Olympics, from the opening ceremonies to the gold medal wins. For me, the Men’s Curling gold was the most satisfying, as I used to curl and had been following it closely. (Unfortunately, due to a writing group meeting, I missed the win in Men’s Hockey.)
2. The launch for the anthology The Dragon and the Stars at the Merril Collection, which was quite well-attended.
3. Just seeing the Grand Canyon was incredible, but the best moment of the trip was conquering my fear of heights, forcing myself to walk the entire length on the glass bridge of the Grand Canyon Skywalk.
4. Celebrating our 7th anniversary at CUT by Wolfgang Puck in Las Vegas. The Kobe beef sashimi was simply divine, as was their porterhouse steak.
5. My 40th birthday party at the Duke of York. I’m very thankful to have so many friends come.
6. Walking my mother down the aisle at her wedding.
7. After standing in line for 2 hours, finally seeing Michelangelo’s David in all its magnificence in Florence. Pictures really don’t do it justice.
8. In Italy, meeting my stepfather’s side of the family for the first time and seeing my aunt and uncle from Taiwan for the first time in decades. My Taiwanese uncle and my new step-uncle transcended cultural and linguistic barriers with the help of wine and accordion.
9. Looking up at Mount Vesuvius from the forum in Pompeii, and realizing how incredible it was to be standing in a slice of frozen time.
10. My writing group’s 24-hour story challenge, when some of us gathered at Stephen Kotowych’s house and wrote Writers of the Future-style. I got little sleep but it was worth it.