. . . know anything about this photo? Where it came from? What was going on? Etc.?

I’ve seen it several times on the internet and I think it is hilarious and would love to know the story behind it. I can’t even imagine what it might be. Anyone? Anyone?

Woo-hoo! We’ve booked our honeymoon now. We’re waiting until Tet – the Vietnamese New Year in February – when we both have a week off of work. We fly to Singapore on the 13th and spend one night there, then on to Bali on the 14th. We’ll spend 3 nights in Sanur – the same place we stayed last Christmas – and then 3 more nights in Nusa Dua. Fly back to Vietnam on the 20th.

We were thinking about going to Malaysia or Thailand or somewhere else, but the flights and hotels worked out best for Bali – and plus we really like it there. I’m looking forward to the food again already! Will have to ride my bike a lot between now and February to burn off the holiday/wedding pounds and to preemptively strike against the pounds I’m sure to put on in Bali.

It’s December 30th here today – I can’t believe 2009 is already over with! We were thinking about going out of town this weekend because we both have Friday and Saturday off of work, but apparently everyone else in Vietnam had the same idea because the flights and hotels were all full. It’s just as well – we’re both still pretty worn out from the wedding. So we will have a quiet weekend and New Year’s here in HCMC.

Happy New Year to everyone! Peace!

. . . why people go on honeymoons directly after their weddings. I’m tired as hell and could use a few days with nothing to do but to chill out. I have to work this week, but if Thao and I can find somewhere that’s not already booked solid this weekend, we may try to get away for a few days since both of us have Friday and Saturday off already for New Year’s.

I keep meaning to do a longer write-up describing our wedding activities over the weekend, but haven’t gotten to it yet.

Here are a few more:

Thao’s bouquet of lotus flowers:

Bouquet and ao dai aftermath:

Thao’s brother Tam, my stepdad, my mom, and a surprisingly fat-looking me:

Thao’s other brother, Phuc, and his daughter, Bao Ngan:

My mom and Thao’s Aunt Thu:

Drunken late-night freakery with the wedding cake:

Confetti-back (when Thao took her dress off she had confetti plastered to her back):

At breakfast this morning on the rooftop deck where we got married last night:

The view from that deck:

The mid- and upper-level decks above the main deck where we got married:

Thao hugging some fat guy in front of the Christmas tree at the Majestic Hotel:

My mom and stepdad – who right now are on their way back to the U.S. – took literally thousands of photos while they were here, so there will no doubt be many more to come, but here are a few that they took at our wedding in Long An and at our party last night in Saigon:

Beat that green dress?

Mom (in her ao dai) and Thao’s mom (in hers):

Thao and my mom and Tim’s head:

The emcee, my stepdad, Thao, me, Thao’s mom, my mom:

Cooling off – it was only about 100 degrees out in the delta. I kept telling people that if we were to do it over again, we’d get married at a cooler time of year, like maybe late December . . . oh, wait . . .

After wardrobe change number one (I have no idea what I am doing with my mouth – maybe I’m eating something? – or why I am posting this photo on my blog):

Making our grand entrance at last night’s party in Saigon:

Wifey:

Proof:

Our bed at the hotel:

Awww! Kissing through the heart made of towel swans:

Yes, we are now officially married. Had the wedding ceremony out in Long An yesterday and it was very nice. Tonight is the wedding party in Saigon. More later!

It’s 6:30am on the 26th and I have been up since 5am and am about to go get married. One thing I never thought I would say on my wedding day: “Damn my dress has a lot of snaps.” It took me about half an hour to get them all snapped – then I promptly stepped on the hem of my dress and undid all of the snaps again. Someone else is going to have to help me snap back into this thing.

Hope everyone had a nice Christmas! More updates later.

It’s Thursday night here – about 8:45pm Christmas eve. Doesn’t feel like Christmas at all. Hot as hell today. We had a lot to do today – buying all of the last-minute stuff we needed before the wedding. I now own a wedding ring – it finally hit me that I’m getting married in two days when I picked up the rings from the jeweler. Wow.

My mom and stepdad made it back from their trip to Cambodia and Hoi An – seem to have had a good time. I met them downtown for dinner. Thao is out in the countryside. Traffic is insane tonight – I’ve literally never seen in this bad before. Everyone’s in the city checking out the Christmas lights. I was glad to get out of that mess and back down to District 7.

We’re having lunch at the new Intercontinental Hotel here. Supposed to be really good. We’ll see.

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

Two-days and I will be Mr. Thao!

Peace.

Barack Obama’s approval index number dropped to a new low today.
Rasmussen reported: The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Tuesday shows that 25% of the nation’s voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President.

Forty-six percent (46%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -21. At the end of his second term President George W. Bush had a 43% disapproval rating.

My mom and stepdad are now in Hoi An, Vietnam. They spent two days in Cambodia and had a very nice time – thought it was interesting and the people were very friendly. They’ll be in Hoi An until tomorrow (Thursday), at which time they’ll fly back to Saigon. So far, except for an apparently crazy taxi ride from the airport in Danang to Hoi An, their travel has been uneventful.

Three days and counting until you can start referring to me as “Mr. Thao.” People keep asking me if I’m having cold feet and/or “going to call it off.” To the contrary, I’m very excited about it and can’t wait! I wish we could go on our honeymoon immediately after we’re married, but we’re going to wait until February when we both have a full week off for the Tet holiday. But that’s the only thing I’d change.