On the road

I've been trying to explore new things this year. New conversations with interesting people, new challenges at work, new creative projects with friends, new relationships, new boundaries...  It's been busy, scary, invigorating, and slightly overwhelming at times. :)

Here are a few highlights:

L.A.
I've found opportunities to head to L.A. with work in the last few months and it's felt like I've been working in the Spider-Verse. I've been working in new spaces and with new teams, but it all feels very familiar. :) It's been great for connection, inspiration, and growth, and continues to remind me of how fortunate I am to work for such an amazing company.

Maria
My friend Maria is an incredible singer/songwriter and I've fallen into managing her because I believe in her so much, and because she does (most of) what I say. ;) It's turning into a great partnership, with her talent and my ability to move things into action, and we're just getting started!

Leaders
I've made it a point to talk to leaders who are accessible to me, and to do my best to build a relationship of some kind with them. I'm hoping to find new pathways, and I'm getting to know some exceptional people in the meantime.

Relationships (friendships)
There are so many people in my life right now that it's a bit hard to manage, but it's rich and diverse, and I'm finding boundaries where necessary, and I'm so very grateful.

I guess sometimes you have to just get on the road, even if you're not sure where it's going.

The shows

May 24, 2018 - May 19, 2019

Modest Mouse - not great sound... which was a bummer.
The Humans - lots of talking for a subtle message at the end.
A Walk on the Moon - a sweet, late, coming of age story.
Flying Lotus/Little Dragon - an unexpected adventure.  How did we ever get home... :)
Soft Power - creative, impactful, thought provoking, magical.
The Miracle Worker - wonderfully performed.  A timeless and inspiring story.
Gomez - Mel's favorite band, and for a reason.
School of Rock - energizing!  Very entertaining.
Jake Shimabukuro - always an impressive performance.  Music that hits your soul.
Boys II Men - Google concert.  Nostalgic.
Smashing Pumpkins - super nostalgic and kind of dreamy.
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - fun, energetic.
Sara Bareilles - an inspirational talk and a heartfelt short performance.
Jason Mraz - fun.
Lauryn Hill - a concert I've been waiting for for YEARS, and it was SO WORTH IT!!
Oh Sees - so much energy and so much fun!
Sweat - I can't remember how I felt about this one... but, the fights were pretty cool.
On Your Feet - delightful in a way I didn't expect.
Ani DiFranco at Hardly Strictly - Ani DiFranco for free in the park was lovely.
You Mean To Do Me Harm - thought provoking, well performed.
Sofar Sounds concert - intimate concert, local artist, great experience.
Seen/By Everyone - had some interesting things to say about social media.
Men on Boats - well performed, interesting take on early pioneers from a female perspective.
Christine + The Queens - so much charisma!  Theatrical, fun.
Soiled Dove - great performances, fun circus!
Waitress - I liked it, but it didn't blow me away like I thought it would.
Kjartansson "Romantic Songs of the Patriarchy" - interesting.
Volta - had an act that COMPLETELY BLEW MY MIND.  I also got to work with the "skippers" at Google which was a blast, and we had a lovely moment after one of their shows as a result.
SFIHHDF - still one of the best shows in town. :)
Cardboard Piano - beautifully performed, and the fights worked!
A Bronx Tale - I wanted to like this, but the story fell a bit short.
Dear Evan Hansen - wonderful, heartfelt, delightful and then so honest with so much growth.
Ice on Ice - um... what was this about... ??  But, super fun night with Fan and Joan.
Come From Away - incredible look at a community that came to the rescue of stranded passengers from flights that were re-routed on 9/11.  Lovely.  Delightful.  Inspiring.
Seascape - an interesting look at humanity and evolution from the perspective of lizards.
Words that Move - spoken word story performances.
Paradise Square - I wanted more from this, though it was wonderfully performed.
Late Company - great performances, impactful story.
Metamorphoses - beautiful, fun, touching, creative, heartfelt...
Gryphon Trio - complex
TILT - fun
La Ronde - enjoyable in a way I didn't expect.  An interesting exploration of intimacy.
Jose Gonzalez + The String Theory - the conductor was amazing, the music complex and wonderful.
Yoga Play - the acting wasn't strong, but it had some nice messages and good humor in the second half.
Home - magical, interesting exploration of life in a home and whatever that means.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - great performances, and they pulled kids apart on stage. !!
Oakhella - a community coming together around music and art.
Airbnb Design-Talks: Julia Bullock - an interesting talk and art installation and an incredible display of humanity and process.
Mutek - visual, interesting, an inspiring night out with Rika and friends.
Latino Comedy showcase - not all Latino... and, only partly funny. :)
Weightless - exquisite, touching, elating.
The Jungle - didn't love it... felt rushed and hard to process.
Importance of Being Earnest - delightful performances, really sweet and funny.
The Dandy Warhols - bad sound, groovy

Soft Power

Last year, I saw a musical called Soft Power.  Twice.  

Soft Power - noun

1. a persuasive approach to international relations, typically involving the use of economic or cultural influence.

Soft Power, the musical, was about the 2016 election... but, what it was really about was the power of art and culture, and how easily we're influenced into belief systems without thinking twice about them.  And, how much power that holds.  And, how maybe it could change everything if done right.  

And, then, all of these amazing movies hit the screen. 

Design

Design done well is delightful.

It's: sweet moments, a feeling, an ease, a surprise, a perfect view. It's the process of making magic for others to discover.  

The dishwasher

Once upon at time I met a dishwasher.

I was in a bar in Old Colorado City one night, and a friend of a friend's new husband asked me what I did.  I said I was an Account Executive for VoiceSteam Wireless, which I thought sounded really important because it had the word "executive" in the title.  He asked me if I liked it.  The question surprised me, so I said something quick like, I guess it's okay -- why, what do you do?  I'm a dishwasher, he replied.  I asked if he liked it.  He said that he loved it.

He used to work 70 hours a week in tech with more money than he knew what to do with.  One day, his boss called him into his office and offered him more money for more of his time.  He was valued by the company, stressed out, and never saw the people that he loved so, instead of taking the offer, he quit his job and took a job as a dishwasher.  As a dishwasher he would go to work, get paid enough to survive (granted this was in Colorado Springs a million years ago), and then go home and spend time with the people that he loved.  And, he was so happy. :)

Not long after I met the dishwasher, I quit my job, packed up my bags and my inspiration, and moved to the Bay Area.

My parents' 50th wedding anniversary

They didn't want a party, so we booked a vacation rental in the mountains for a few days and then a special dinner back in the Springs on the night of their actual anniversary.  Then, we secretly invited friends and family to be a part of the celebration by asking them to send along their wishes....  💖

Run the world

These two...

I got to head to LA to see the fashionistas, Pam and Kim, again!

Here's the list:

Davenport’s
Spruce Goose - YouTube office
Fabulous homemade dinner and CAKE(s)
Shopping on Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Gjelina
A walk on Venice beach
Whiskey and cigars at Bar Jackalope with our adorable bar host and the lovely Gillian

Have you ever had an experience where you find yourself in the presence of people you admire and who inspire you so much, and then they give you the most amazing compliment?  These two said that they just feel better after spending time with me.  !! 💗

...I mean, I did get them to watch Spider-man: Homecoming... ;)

Galentine's day

Galentine's Day was the best Valentine's Day I've ever had.  5 girls, 5 cards exchanged, 6 tiny bouquets (we were ready for 6, just in case), simple decorations, finger food, a bit of alcohol, and a loooot of laughter.  💛💛💛💛💛

Just Korean

In 2015, I did a DNA test with 23andMe (that's the photo on the left).  And then, last week, I saw there was an update to my data (that's the photo on the right).

This is what I wrote in 2015.

"As you probably know, I was adopted from Korea and have always claimed to be Korean but, throughout my life, lots of Eastern Asians have claimed me as their own, stating that I definitely look like whatever they are...until recently when everyone seems to think I'm Japanese. Aatman got me a DNA test for my birthday this year and it turns out that I'm Korean, Japanese, and a little Chinese!"

😐😑😐
And, now I'm just Korean again.  

Tahoe

I went on a last minute trip to Tahoe with some friends over the MLK holiday weekend which happened to fall right before my birthday this year.  As a result, my friends decided to plan a surprise celebration for me while we were there!  It was so sweet!!  ...and, a little shocking how completely oblivious I was to the cake they made right in front of me. :) Needless to say, I was very surprised!

The weekend started out a little rough, though.  We were all coming off of busy work days and had so much to do.  When we finally made it to Bao and Fiona's place it was already pretty late.  We quickly packed up the cars and went to grab dinner before we hit the road.  While at dinner, the car we had rented was broken into and all of Alex's stuff was stolen.  Jason lost a bag as well.

The rental car was insured and the cabin already paid for, so we exchanged the car, worked through some of the new logistics, and decided to still head to the mountain after a good night's sleep.  Alex stayed behind to start working through his losses.  :(

The rest of the weekend was full of friends and games and mountain air and gorgeous snowfall and yummy food and the most delicious birthday cake ever.  We also worked in some snowy walks, a bit of yoga, Lola time (Kelly's dog), and an Alex tribute snowman.  :)

2019

2019 started off with happy wanderings around the city with Alex and Jason and some others we collected along the way.  :)

Then on New Year's Day, Anna finally took me on the 10 hills trail she's been telling me about for years.  :)  We brought Kelly and Lola with us.

A sweet and simple start to the year. 

Paris

Paris started off lovely.  The Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, great weather, great friends, great art, and my mom was with us on her first trip overseas!

...and, then my mom got sick and had to be admitted to the hospital.

First thing of note:  If you're in a foreign country and have to go to the hospital, go strait to the American hospital (if there is one) no matter how far away it is.  If you're in a socialist country, local people may think the American Hospital is very expensive, but there's a good chance it will be significantly cheaper than healthcare in America.  It will also likely house the top doctors/surgeons in the region, most people in the hospital will speak at least a little English, and it'll be an all around nicer facility than the public hospital.

Second thing of note:  If you end up in a public hospital but want to transfer to the American hospital, the public hospital can provide you with all of the information, tests, scans, etc. they've done for you to take to the American hospital (as to not have to do them all over again).  Do not hesitate to move if you think you should.

My mom has severe digestive issues, meaning occasionally her intestines twist up and she is unable to pass anything.  When this happens, she can't eat or drink without vomiting and needs to receive fluids and nutrients intravenously.  It's very hard on her and we're unclear on what triggers the problem.  Mom's intestines twisted at the beginning of our 4th day in Paris.

I don't think it's worth going into all of the details as some can be assumed from the things of note above and I'm not sure I'm up for re-living the rest of it -- but, what I would like to say is how grateful I am for the amazing and generous people in my life. 

Joanna: a friend from my old soccer team who relocated to Paris.  Joanna came to the public hospital with a cell phone charger adapter and food, and then translated for us with the doctor, ultimately ensuring a very smooth transition from the public hospital to the American hospital.  She stayed with us from about 10pm to about 3:30am and kept me sane until my mom was comfortably settled.

Mel: my dear friend who invited us to Paris to celebrate her 60th birthday!  Mel was there for a month and let us stay in the airbnb she rented for much longer than we had intended, making sure I had a comfortable place to come home to and a place to bring my mom when she was released from the hospital.  She was also an amazing emotional support throughout the whole thing, checking in, letting me talk and cry, and making sure I just knew she was there for me in whatever way I needed (in the middle of her birthday vacation!!!).

Vasilia: a friend who was also on the trip for Mel's birthday.  Aside from being another amazing emotional support, Vasilia made sure that I ate -- giving me gifts of energy bars and snacks with sweet notes to cheer me up.

Jassara and Nancy: friends also there for Mel's birthday.  Jassara and Nancy helped with food, smokes, hugs, and good energy.

Remi and Hasna: the night nurses at the hospital.  Both Remi and Hasna were competent and capable, allowing me to feel comfortable leaving my mom for the night.

Dr. Gueroult: the doctor.  Dr. Gueroult was intelligent, empathetic, and professional (even with the colorful purses and printed pants).  She listened intently and instilled confidence immediately.

Anne: my boss.  Anne told me to not worry about work and stay with my mom as long as I needed.

Kathy: my cat sitter.  Kathy stayed for a week longer than booked without blinking an eye.

I also had other friends and family checking in throughout the process and it all meant so much!

We were in the hospital for 7 days, managed to avoid surgery twice, I learned the train systems quickly, and properly greeting and asking if someone spoke English became second nature.  It was a difficult week, but we couldn't have asked for better circumstances.

Au revoir, Paris.  Merci.

Yosemite

My friend Fan invited me to join her on a trip to Yosemite a few weekends ago.  I had never been, so it was a big treat for me!

Fan wasn't planning to head into the valley (the part of Yosemite from the pictures), but said it would be easy for me to hitch a ride with someone if I wanted to go, so I ended up riding in with Fan's twin sister, Fawn, and her friend Phi. :)

Fawn and Phi claimed to not be very active people and said they would probably do more walking than hiking, which was fine with me -- but, in the middle of the day, some friends in the group said they were by the waterfall if we wanted to meet them, so we decided to go.  It was much more of a hike than we had expected, but Fawn and Phi seemed to be up for it!

We ended up running into our friends on our way up the trail and their way down.  They weren't staying the night and wanted to head out before it was too late, but said the waterfall was just 30 minutes in and it was worth it to keep going.

The waterfall was beautiful!  When we made it to the trail near the base, we discovered that the trail turned into rock steps that you could take all the way to the top and look down!  I really wanted to go to the top.  Fawn and Phi said I had done a good job of pushing them along that far, so why not? :)

We made it to the top with no problem and the view was majestic.  It felt very worth the climb.  Fawn noticed the rocks at the top were a bit slippery with her shoes, though, so we would all take our time with the rock steps on the way back down.

When we got back to the base of the waterfall, there was this path that went off of the main trail to some rocks much closer to the waterfall.  I really wanted to go there too, so I asked Fawn and Phi what they thought.  Phi didn't want to go.  She was moving pretty slow and would meet us at the bridge.  Fawn wanted go with me.

There were signs saying to not go off of the trail, and the walk out looked steep and rocky, but it was nothing I hadn't done before.  A guy had just said to us that it was a bit dangerous, but there were a bunch of people out there so we weren't worried.  We started hiking out.  I was leading the way and Fawn was following me.

There was a spot on a steep part of dirt that was a little slippery, so I called back to Fawn to be careful in that area.  I'm not sure if she heard me because she was farther behind me than I had expected, and seconds later I could hear her falling toward me.

!!!!

A lot of what happened next is hard to remember.  I knew Fawn was falling really fast and I would have one moment to catch her, and that it would have to be done exactly right to both stop her and to make sure she didn't take me with her.  I can't seem to remember if she was in danger of falling off of the cliff or into rocks, but it felt critical for me to grab her and I had to make the decision fast.  As I turned around, I leaned into the hill and grabbed her by the leg as she came past me.  Her body flipped around and her glasses went flying into the dirt, but she stopped.

We awkwardly readjusted ourselves in the dirt for a moment, processing and checking to make sure everything was okay.  Fawn said she was okay, both emotionally and physically, and that she still wanted to go to the waterfall.  So, we brushed ourselves off and hiked very carefully the rest of the way.

We sat down on a big rock close to the water's edge when Fawn pulled up her pant leg and noticed she was scrapped up a bit.  As we were checking it, I realized that I had thrown my first aid kit into my bag to hold my money.  I was super excited I had it!

"Do you need a gauze pad?  Or scissors?  Or, I can blow the emergency whistle!  Oh, are you bleeding, I have rubber gloves!"

"Um, I think I just need a bandaid... "

"I have tweezers!  Or do you need a stinger wipe?  Or an antiseptic wipe??"

"I'll take the antiseptic wipe.  I know you really want to use your first aid kit, but I think I just need a bandaid."

"Do you want a butterfly bandaid, or this kind of bandaid....?"

I gave her the biggest bandaid I could find.  :)

Fawn cleaned herself up, applied the bandaid, and then we sat for a while in the midst of the waterfall, doing our best to appreciate the power, beauty, and scale.  Now that things felt a little better, I said with a bit of levity, "You almost died and I totally saved your life."  She smiled and thanked me for catching her.

It wasn't funny to us until we were in the car ride back to the cabin trying to figure out what had happened.  The only things we could come up with were that Fawn was falling really fast and we both felt like she was in danger, but we couldn't picture anything but the trail being really steep.  Then I remembered that the first thing Fawn said to me when she stopped was, "What did it look like?".  She started laughing and said, "That is what I said!  I wanted to know what it looked like cause I was in it and couldn't picture it."  I started to laugh too.  "How did I respond?".  She said, "You said, 'I don't know...'".  Then we laughed very hard to the point that Phi said she was worried about us because it sounded nervous.  I could feel it in my body that I needed to either laugh or cry.

After telling the story back at the cabin, one of the girls on the trip said, "So, I guess what we've learned is that we should hike with you because you can catch people AND you bring a first aid kit!".  Haha.

I don't think I've ever felt so clear and so scared in my life.

#Baofi

On a perfectly cloud covered slightly rainy day, Bao and Fiona got married for the fourth time.  :)

I'm not sure why there were four times -- though I think one was at city hall, then Singapore (Fiona's family), then maybe Vietnam (Bao's family?)?  ...I guess after that much practice you would expect that the fourth time would be flawless, regardless of the wavering weather -- and, it absolutely was. 💖