Lien-Thanh's Blog: 2017: My Year in Review

January

I bought my first ukulele, which rapidly descended into an obsession. My goal was to learn 365 songs in 365 days. Along the way, I managed to convince a number of my friends to join in my new hobby, and Bill made several videos for us throughout the year.

Bill's high school friend Mike visited us during one of his conferences and was a terrific guest. We went hiking, ate lots of Japanese food, and visited a Buddhist temple.

Double Rainbow

Eating Takoyaki: Japan 2010, Hawaii 2017

As a Christmas gift, Bill took me on a surprise date. He wouldn't tell me anything other than to dress comfortably, and I was very nervous throughout the hour-long car ride. Our destination was Outstanding in the Field, an elaborate farm-to-table event. I ate many oysters.

My friends Jenn, Joe, Dawn, and I spent a few days on the Big Island where we went snorkeling with dolphins, visited Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, saw green sand and black sand beaches, held seahorses, and watched lava flowing into the ocean.

Black Sand Beach

Seahorses

Lava!

I took Bill jetskiing as a belated birthday gift. Neither of us had tried it before and we had a blast.

February

Bill and I ran the Great Aloha Run, an annual 8-mile race that benefits some charity.

Stealing a Baby

March

For my birthday, I went out on one of those ridiculous party bikes I've been secretly wanting to try for some time, where you pedal from bar to bar on a birriciclo. I just learned that word for this blog.

At Some Bar

A number of my family members visited: Ba who turned 90 this year, Mom, my sister Lan, and her husband and 2 children. Highlights included hiking, touring a Macademia Nut farm, celebrating Pi Day with too many pies, spending a weekend at the Disney resort Aulani, and taking a boat to the sandbar.

4 Generations of Girls at the Sandbar

Albatross' Annual Mating Dance at Kaena Point

Lan made me a beautiful octopus painting while she visited, to go along with her shark and grasshopper paintings.

Bill hates it when I stand here, but someone has to hang up those beauties!

April

Like last year, Bill took me waterfall rappelling for my birthday, only this time the waterfall was taller and scarier.

We had a puppy play date where we got to see our 3 foster puppies, all looking healthy and happy.

4 Siblings: Oyvind, Zoltan, Gozer, and Mindy

Jenn, one of my best friends, was deployed to Afghanistan. We managed to keep in close touch for the long 6 months she was away. I made her this ukulele art as part of a care package.

May
Lisa-Sun, a theater buddy from college, visited us. She tried out both snorkeling and paddleboard yoga for the first time.

Hanauma Bay

Manoa Falls

Paddleboard Yoga

Lava Tube

Bill and I went to Tulum, Mexico for his friend Heather's destination wedding. We rode ATV's, ziplined, biked, hiked, and snorkeled in lots of cenotes.

First ATV Ride

Cenotes

June
Bill and I made a stop in NYC on our way to Europe, where we visited my friends from high school: Khaled (+ his husband Paul), Jenna, and Shab. We marched in the annual Pride Parade and saw some musicals.

Pride Parade

July
We were joined by our friends Satomi and Joe in Europe where we hiked the Tour du Mont Blanc, a 100 mile trek that goes through France, Switzerland, and Italy. On the way home, Joe, Bill and I stopped by London to catch some West End shows.

Bill on my shoulders at Lac Blanc

August
My friends from high school Deby and Khaled visited, as well as Khaled's husband Paul. It was a packed week that included snorkeling, hiking, ziplining, visiting Shangri La, watching fireworks, paddleboard yoga, swimming at the beach, and spending a day at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Snorkeling with Dolphins

Kailua Beach

Upside-Down Ziplining

Makapu'u Point

Our babies all turned into one year old dogs, which called for another puppy reunion.

Mabel with All Four of Her Puppies

Our friend Stephanie visited to celebrate her birthday. We played ukulele, visited the Polynesian Cultural Center, and took a tour of Iolani Palace.

Iolani Palace

Bill and I grew our first papayas!

October
Jenn returned from Afghanistan, and we went to the Disney resort Aulani for a welcome-home staycation.

Ukulele Duo Together Again At Last

I joined my friends Matt and Liz at the Humane Society where they adopted a dog!

Koa with Her New Family

Bill and I made our first furniture together: a dining room table with benches and stools.

I got Lasik and said farewell to all this junk. It was very painful, but worth it in the end.

Jenn, Joe, Bill, and I went camping in Kauai. We backpacked the Napali Coast, went on some day hikes, and took an airplane tour. On the first day, I got heat exhaustion while backpacking, which was both miserable and embarrassing.

Bill Hauling Both Packs on the Napali Coast While I Was Ill

Airplane Tour

Kalepa Ridge

November
For the first time, I made it up to the North Shore to see the sunflower fields, which only bloom a couple weeks each year.

Sunflower Fields Forever

Bill and I went to CA to join his Aunt Patti and her family for Thanksgiving. We kept ourselves busy with running, biking, hiking, eating, and seeing the musical Hamilton.

Turkey Trot

December
We threw an ukulele-playing Christmas party.

8 Ukulele Players!

My close friend Paige moved to the mainland, and we threw her a mystery dinner party before she left.

50s Night

Jenn and I visited all 3 ukulele factories on the island.

Jenn with her new uke

My friend Joy and I came up with an idea to create a Rubik's Rainbow which she photographed and photoshopped for me.

I made bath bombs to give out as gifts this year. In doing so, I learned my lesson that many people do not take baths, or even own a bath tub.

Christmas Gifts

Christmas Card

We made a total of 5 costumed ukulele holiday videos, and even recorded one on the beach.

Christmas in the Sand

My friend Jamie stopped by for a quick layover after her vacation in New Zealand, on her way back to Portland. It had been 18 months since I last saw her.