Thank You

Before I start, I thought two pieces of information would be worth sharing:

1) Remember my 40-year old Korean roommate from the summer sublet? Mr. Stoic Eyes and Grimly Set Lips? Mr. Threesome with Teddy Bears? Well he recently e-mailed me offering to share his place for the winter if I should happen to stay in Boston. In other words, he misses me. Did I tell you this guy was married? If I am able to complete the life of a married man who is halfway through his expiration date, imagine what I can do for girls my age. Eazy.

2) There is a Youtube video of Celion Dion's single "My Heart Will Go On" accompanied by footage from Titanic. It's 4 minutes and 26 seconds, and quite frankly, the most stirring, poignant 4 minutes and 26 seconds I have been a part of. Do you want to know whether love is real? Listen to my girl Celion testify. She says her heart will go on wherever you are. That's right - both near and far, boys and girls. Anyway I mention this because I recently found out that Titanic was actually a passenger steamboat and not some fancy cruise ship. So that means if Leonardo and Kate had made it, they might've actually started a family together in the U.S. I don't know, that really broke my heart.

Ok, now back to the present. I've been thinking hard the last couple days trying to sum up 2010 in some eloquent, bigger-than-myself commentary on our generation's zeitgeist, the kind of discourse about our identities, beliefs, and behavior set in the background of a supremely satisfying hope for progress that is at once sobering and uplifting. I wanted to deliver that deep, ethereal shit about our challenges and successes as a civilization that shakes you to the core, the ornate expressions and the vibe of interconnectedness (immigrants and black people, you too!) that make you think as you drive home, "Goddamn, the world is in good hands and I fucking love life." But I started thinking about 2010, and the first and only things that came to my head were people I should thank. And people I kind of love, to the extent that Min Lee can love. Which, in retrospect, got a serious upgrade for a reason I can't explain. I will remember 2010 as the year I really cared about people who deserved that from me a while ago, as well as the strangers who didn't. Because when I think about all people, good and bad, I can only wonder about the thoughts and emotions that cross their minds, the minds of which I know nothing about, and marvel at the seconds which turn into minutes which turn into hours which turn into days and years during which they grew, learned, and interacted, unbeknownst to me, to arrive at the moment of our encounter. Oddly, that fact strikes me as very beautiful.

So aside from thanking my awesome family and friends who have made this year and my life in general a pleasure to live, I am grateful for the following special people/entities, knowing I am making flagrant omissions:

-Harvard security guards and police department: There have been times, I admit, when I have seriously questioned your intimidation factor and physical ability to chase down younger scoundrels with fresher legs. And the litany of unsavory accident reports this year is certainly not encouraging. But I know you're always concerned about our safety and doing your best, and I appreciate the extra vigilance sent my way when I'm walking outside with my hamper at 3 a.m.

-Harvard dining/cafeteria staff: I still don't understand how pad thai can taste sour, and why General Gao's chicken and General Gao's sauce are served on separate days. But I know there is a method to your madness, and I certainly appreciate your sincere efforts to cater to the tastes of us Asian folks. Thank you for delivering the most nutritious and culturally sensitive menu possible. I love your tater tots and fried calamari. Cafeteria staff, thank you for always being courteous and friendly and asking us how our days are going - it's a great pleasure.

-Boston weather: Cloudy and rainy days here and there, lots of wind, and capricious as always, but a lot milder than the end of last year, me thinks. Also, you were beautiful in the spring and summer.

-Quad Life: Living in the Quad has been a terrible inconvenience at times, especially waiting for the shuttle in the winter. But I love my giant single where I can blast The Next Episode, and the unobstructed view of night sky from the Cabot yard. I am also thankful for the sense of community and removal from hubbub of Harvard Square, unique to the Quad.

-Drunk girls: I hate to say this but I absolutely love how I seem way more fucking awesome when you are intoxicated out of your minds. You always laugh even when I am not trying to be funny and give me hugs over and over, as if you are continually meeting me for the first time. I try to keep an eye out, though, because yes, bad things happen when you are drunk enough to mistake me for your dad.

-Server at Chipotle: I still haven't learned your name after all these visits but I am thankful for the generous portions of lime-cilantro rice, fajita vegetables, and marinated chicken, the deftness of your hands that leave them safely nestled in the embrace of mother tortilla, the casual inquiry about my interest in obtaining a cup of water, and the cheerful "How is your day going?" within the 10 seconds of wrapping the burrito in foil, placing it in the red basket, and processing my debit card payment. If you were a chick, I would've asked you out already.

-Atdhe.net: Thanks to your courageous defense of every human being's right to enjoy Laker games, I have not missed the fourth quarter of a single game this season. This also means I fail to get any work done from about 12 to 1 a.m. but hey, life is about setting priorities.

-Kobe Bryant: You nearly shot the Lakers out of their 2009 NBA Title and are sucking right now. But you are the reason I've been watching the Lakers for the last eleven years. As I've watched those pull-ups and fadeaways clink off the rim this season, I am realizing I took you for granted when those used to be automatic.

-LeBron James: Your unique brand of douchebaggery has made Kobe look like a saint. Thank you.

-And last but not least, my blog readers: "I don't care who you are, where you're from, what you did, as long as you love me."

Thanks y'all for a great 2010.