I have not been able to write consistently since I came back from Finland-more than a year ago-reminding me of the diaries that my mom use to give us every year for Christmas.

Every year, my mom gave her kids a new diary to write in and every year, we would start out the new year with the belief that this year we would be faithful to it. By March, the diary was long forgotten. For me, the reason I stopped writing was because I felt so whiny recounting the details of my life. I was told that you should never read what you have written because you will become too self conscious of yourself, thereby voiding the whole therapeutic experience of writing. Well I did it anyway. And so I never was able to faithfully keep a diary.

My mom and I chatted a bit today and she reminded me again that I had not updated this blog in several months. Hearing that I realized something about writing in diaries/blogs/journals/etc. I did not have to be about my inner turmoil (boring!) but like an Annie New Service (ANS for short). If no one appreciates this blog but my mom, that would be OK.

So here it goes another try!

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The view of the Olympic Range and the Ballard Canal from our apartment in Fremont (the so called Center of the Universe)