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i was happy to find the 10 gallon aquarium heated at 74 degrees this morning (and crystal clear to boot). it means everything is working so now i can start adding the plants. i planted the brazilian sword (Spathiphyllum tasson) which i discovered online that it's not really an aquatic plant and won't do well when completely submerged (it will have to come up once i get the tank established). and the cabombas i got, i think they might be ambulias (does anyone care, though?), but i planted them all the same (ambulias are easier to grow). i also transplanted the algae-infested mondo grass from the minibow into this new tank. tomorrow i'll set up the carbon dioxide generator and start injecting CO2 into the water.

my mother brought an tao and his wife back from the cafe after they spent most of the morning at the harvard natural history museum. after she left, an tao and his wife made some chinese meatball soup which they shared with me. in return i answered more questions about america. an tao's wife was particularly fascinated with families that have more than one children, since they're only allowed to have one child per couple back in china.

in the evening i went back home to belmont to have dinner with my parents (homemade noodles). i was also able to mediate the family crisis that'd been boiling over this weekend. still keeping the car, i drove myself back to cambridge.

i got a big day tomorrow, one that requires me to stay awake tonight. i promised my aunt i'd take her to the airport at 4am, which is usually about the time i go to bed. afterwards, i'm driving an tao and his wife to chinatown for their 3 day tour of new york, philadelphia, and washington. i'm excited that we'll finally be getting some snow this week, and hope there's enough accumulation to qualify as a classic new england winter experience.