Our family photos, as well as an archive of our family letters, can always be seen at http://www.terragalleria.com/family 2023 saw us returning to pre-pandemic activities: family Tet celebration, international travel, art fairs, gyms, and more. When we asked the children where they wanted to go, they always mentioned Japan, so we arranged to travel there in mid-April, our first international family trip since the pandemic. We thought that limiting ourselves to the region around Tokyo would make for a relaxed journey, but it didn't turn out so. We took a while to get used to the train system, confusing because the network is operated by multiple companies and requires multiple connections for trips out of the city. Trains for differing destinations share the same platform within minutes, so you have to know when to catch your train - a piece of information provided by Google Maps. We spent an entire day riding various trains to Hakone and back without getting a good view of Mt Fuji because the final section of the Hakone Ropeway was closed. Even though we had hotel reservations, we didn't even make it to Nikko and had to improvise instead, because Vi-Van had (yet another) nervous breakdown from all the stress and could hardly check out of the hotels in time. She was mostly interested in shopping for the cute items that fill Japanese stores as gifts for her friends back home, while Minh-Dan wanted to see sights and eat at well-reviewed restaurants - he had a $200 wagyu steak dinner in Tokyo. Fortunately, both of them were interested in capybaras, and on a day when their cousin Luan joined them, petting specimens of the world's largest rodent was a highlight of their trip. In the coastal town of Enoshima, Vi-Van spent two afternoons at the Enoshima Aquarium with Lanchi, while Minh-Dan and Tuan walked Enoshima Island. Despite being only an hour away from Tokyo’s urban core, it felt like a world away. Our return to California was a relief for everybody. Tuan had lost more weight than he did on any wilderness trip, and it took weeks for Vi-Van to return to her usual self. We were a bit wary of another family trip, but the children were excited enough about the October 14, 2023, annular eclipse - the last of its kind visible from the country until 2044 that they didn't mind the 1400-mile road trip and associated camping and hiking. We were initially planning to view the celestial event from the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, but due to the cloud cover forecast, went all the way to Great Basin National Park. On the morning of the eclipse, it appeared that clouds moved just in the wrong direction, but we enjoyed being able to look at the sun without eclipse glasses. That all campgrounds and accommodations were filled up was not an issue, as we easily found a spot for dispersed camping on nearby public lands. They are under the supervision of the Bureau of Land Management, which generally allows people to camp anywhere, while the National Park Service allows camping only in official campgrounds. The last time we had a similar trip out West was in 2016, so it was nice to pitch a tent and start a campfire in the mountains again. At the beginning of the year, Vi-Van passed her driver's license test on the second attempt. On one of her first solo drives, not knowing how those EV things work, she was stranded when the Prius's battery went flat, along with her cell phone's battery. The stress of the entire situation triggered her first mental episode, during which her past trauma and struggles came to light. It was heartbreaking to realize that she had been fighting with mental and emotional difficulties while trying her best to achieve what she thought were our expectations. After taking a semester break from school to focus on her mental health, she regained enough stamina to continue her studies at Evergreen Valley College, and also started an online store to feature her crafts: https://www.etsy.com/shop/fishpenguin. She frequently draws, paints and occasionally bakes a fancy cake. Besides creative activities, Vi-Van enjoys reading, spending time with her supportive partner Omar and her small group of friends, and shopping for treats at the Japanese/Korean supermarkets. Minh-Dan parleyed his appetite for cooking classic dishes from scratch into an independent study project. Instead of playing shooting video games, he switched to driving simulations with an accessory driving wheel and clutch. This probably helped him learn to drive quickly and get his license almost in time for the start of college in August, majoring in business at San Jose State University. He increased the time spent with his circle of friends, hosting a couple of summer parties in our backyard, and participating in soccer games. He also developed an interest in building up his body, which was overdue since having gained height quickly over the last two years had left him skinny. Applying himself to this new pursuit with his usual obsession, he takes advantage of the SJSU gym several times per week and also exercises at home. His improved strength was noticeable when we went back to the climbing gym for the first time since the pandemic. Not to be outdone, Tuan continued his regimen of daily morning exercise alternating between running and strength training, except on hiking days and on Saturdays when for more than half a year, he persisted in trying to surf with Lanchi's younger siblings Bi and Ti, resulting in only a few seconds standing on the surfing board despite dozens of hours in the water. When Minh-Dan celebrated his 18th birthday in September, our household became officially all-adults. We don't anticipate becoming empty-nesters for a few more years since both Vi-Van and Minh-Dan attend local colleges. They are now able to drive themselves to school and wherever they want to go, providing Lanchi with a new reason to worry. In addition to scratches and dents on all sides, we had to take the Prius to the body shop for the replacement of two doors. Besides Lanchi's younger brother Y, her younger sister Ti also joined our household. In the aftermath of her amicable divorce and the closure of the start-up company where she worked, we offered Ti our side yard to build a "tiny house" as her temporary residence. She took half a year, with help from other family members, to experiment with converting a kit for a basic shed (called "cottage" by Tuan) into her cozy, beautiful space. Lanchi's mother had a little health scare when her heart rate and blood pressure plummeted (fixed by a pacemaker), and is also more prone to falls. As a result, Ti and Phi (Lanchi's sister who lives next door), with their dogs in tow, take turns keeping mom company. In June, Ti and Phi started to join Lanchi and Tuan on their weekly local hikes, and often have a "happy hour" before the communal meal is served to our extended family of ten - we have one meal a day, with each family member taking turns to cook. During the year Tuan had visited a few photographers, however, our only social event of the year was an evening in San Francisco for a screening of the feature-length documentary Out There: A National Parks Story where he makes a substantial appearance. Lanchi is as busy as ever, continuing to fill the house with plants and shipping out dozens of boxes weekly. She resigned from The Main Gallery in Redwood City, but in the summer, she resumed attendance at Bay Area art fairs for the first time since the pandemic, despite a chronically low inventory that now also includes wooden jewelry. In February, for a break from the record-wet winter, she traveled with her brothers and sisters to Hawaii, and in May she joined Ti and Phi for two weeks in North and Central Vietnam. In pursuit of an elusive night photograph, Tuan heeded the call of the wild for an adventurous trip to Alaska national parks in September with his friend Tommy. Three of his older national park photographs appeared on US stamps, but for the most part he photographed only locally, focusing his efforts along a 20-mile section of the semi-urban Coyote Creek Trail. A summary of his year's photographic practice is at https://qtl.us/4aKxzPo We wish you and all your loved ones a lunar year 2024 of the dragon full of happiness, health, prosperity, and success, and hope to hear some news from you Tuan, Lanchi, Vi-Van, Minh-Dan, Peanut 3373 Meadowlands Lane, San Jose CA 95135 (+1) 408-706-0894