Here's a proper way to close out the new year, because it involves the Japanese tradition of the Daruma doll and a gift to my favorite Daruma Doll street vender.

During the holiday season at Epcot in Disney World, I always enjoy meeting my favorite street vender at the Japan pavilion. She used to be around more often as the storyteller, entertaining the masses with traditional Japanese stories, including my favorite one about the Young Fisherman. She would always pick out someone in the crowd and interact with her while telling the story.

There would be a point in the story when she would play the turtle as she swims the fisherman through the water greeting the fish, the squid and the seaweed. I have a knack of standing at one particular spot and doing a sort of seaweed dance where I hold my hands up over my head and do a sort of seaweed body dance. Hence the nickname she gave me as Mr. Seaweed as she would remember me by face to this day.

I wanted to give her something before she goes back home for the year, so I drew her a little picture of her new Tanuki Daruma Doll vender character. She loved it. I hope she comes back next year. I always enjoy seeing her. I even got myself a miniature Daruma Doll to make a wish for the coming year.

For those not familiar with the Daruma Doll, you start the year by painting the doll's left blank eye as you make a wish, and when your wish comes true, you paint in the other eye. It is built so when you try to knock it over, it rolls back upright as a symbol of determination and not willing to be knocked down by anything.

And yes, that is an awesome shirt I am wearing, thank you for asking. :P

So, hope you all have a Happy New Year! Celebrate the best way you can, stay safe and I will see you all in 2014!