11 in '11 : Things I Learned in 2011 (Part 1 of x)

I meant to write a "30 Things I Learned Before Turning 30" post a while ago (read: before I actually turned 30 on 10/23/11), but it never happened. I should seize this opportunity -- as I'm writing -- to get this going before long. GO, MOMENTUM, GO!

So here it is, the first part of "11 in '11":

1/11 : I probably will never have a big wedding.
I suppose for those who know me well, you're first thinking, "Uh, Chung, you're considering marriage???" Why, yes! It's a possibility, like living underwater or Cameron Diaz winning an Oscar for Charlie's Angels: 4. But after seeing the work/time/money/stress that goes into making a big wedding happen, well, I would never inflict that upon myself or Dima (via me being stressed -- he doesn't handle me being stressed well).

In my head, I would just drop off a few postcards to folks with a date, time, and locale and friends and family would arrive and be informed that the free dinner is in celebration of our mutual executive decision to make "it" "official" (no, I don't think I'm using enough "quotation marks" -- why do you ask?). I know, I know: I'm quite the romantic! I imagined the recited vows would actually go something like this:

Verbatim.

2/11 : "Don't let yesterday take up too much of today."
I saw this poster awhile ago and really fell in love with what I interpret to be its core message: regret is a waste of your life. (Sometimes I think it's talking about nostalgia as well.)

I don't think I've ever been big on regret. Are there things I wish I never did? HECK YEAH! But breaking things and being incredibly embarrassed or publicly humiliated? Not the end of the world, apparently. Trust me.

So I forge forward, and so should you. My current life philosophy/motto/belief:

And yes, I can believe in impermanence without reducing myself to pure Hedonism. I don't think responsibility and kindness need to disappear in the face of (quietly impending) doom.

...to be continued....