6 things...

I did this week:

1. Gussied up and did a fancy photo shoot.
2. Hung with the parents in North Carolina.
3. Watched Hangover 2 (silly and entertaining) and read Secret Daughter (oh so good).
4. Cranked up the air conditioner. Hello, summer!
5. Saw dear friends, ate delicious barbecue, and tooled around the Brooklyn Flea.
6. Had a few delightfully lazy days.

greetings from NC

Happy long weekend, everyone! I'm reporting in from North Carolina, where I'm visiting my parents. As much as I like to joke about the dullness (no TV or Internet), it's been nice going at a super-slow pace these past two days. Also, my parents shrink every time I see them. They're so cute I almost can't handle it.

Pics: From this morning's run in Umstead Park.

half time

Saturday I ran the Brooklyn half-marathon! While I didn't quite meet my sub-1:50 goal, I got a personal best (1:51:01). Go me. It was a really different race for me: At the start line, I realized my iPod was out of juice—the horror! Since I always run with music, the thought of spending two grueling hours in silence nearly made me call it quits. But after that initial freak-out, I began to enjoy the rhythm of thousands of feet striking the ground and heavy breathing in unison. It was kind of magical (okay, corny but true). I tracked my time on my Garmin and pushed myself so much that I was completely wiped out the rest of the day. I felt a little delirious at the half-ter party/barbecue and it wasn't until I crashed hard that I felt normal again. Phew!

the rapture

So, um, I hate to break it to you, but, uh, tomorrow's going to be our last day on Earth. At least, according to some religious zealots. While I'm not big into the whole extreme Christianity thing, it did inspire me to wonder...what would I do if it was the end of time? I would be sad that I never got to see my brother get married; been able to be a mother; and travel to all the places I want to visit. But I think I would be particularly grateful that this life allowed me to follow my dreams; make it in New York City; smile and laugh every day; and be head-over-heels in love with a bearded guy and chubby cat.

little letters

Dear rain,
I know you're trying to make everything green and lush, but can we take a breather? At least on Saturday, when I'm running the Brooklyn half, okay?

Dear little legs,
You're perfect just the way you are—scars, crooked knees, and all. Thank you for taking me where I want to go, and allowing me do all of my crazy feats.

Dear women in the Nordstrom Rack dressing room,
Don't be so hard on your bodies. Beauty is relative, and there's nothing more attractive than healthiness and confidence.
P.S. Women are supposed to have a little extra padding here and there!

Dear popcorn,
You are the best snack ever. I'll be seeing you (plus nutritional yeast and cayenne pepper) in a few hours.

Dear life,
I love you.

sky's the limit

Remember when I said 2011 was going to be an awesome year? Well, not to brag or anything, but I called it. I'm simply loving life as a freelancer, and Erik's company is blowing up! Plus, I recently learned that my friend's husband just landed the coolest job ever, while a surf camp pal is taking her business full-time. Just goes to show that big dreams and hard work really do pay off. Happy happy!

the art of nothingness

After working like crazy all weekend, I finally finished my story yesterday and gave myself the evening off...to do nothing! Let me first explain that it's against my nature to laze about. I come from a long line of do-ers (as long as I can remember, my dad would pick the carpet clean of dirt while watching TV), so it's in my genetic makeup to constantly be working, cleaning, seeing, exercising, or socializing. But I've decided that I'd like to try to learn the art of nothingness; to master the skill of sitting still without the little wheel in my brain going round. Last night I dipped my toe into that pool: I tuned out my deadlines and that pile of dishes in the sink, and read part of a book and watched the tail end of a cheesy girl movie. It was pretty delightful. I should do nothing more often.

industrious Sunday

Here's the view from my computer right now. I'm listening to REM and writing about snacks. Erik's blasting Nate Dogg and designing Wu-Tang shirts. Hope you're having a lovely day. xoxo

week wrap-up

Don't you just love this flyer? There's also a sticker on the Williamsburg bridge that says "You Only Live Once" Barbara Kruger-style. It's the the perfect inspiration on my morning run. Anyway, let's see, my week was pretty routine, as far as my 2.0 freelancing life goes. Besides meeting deadlines, I had a few work breakfasts/lunches. Wednesday I went to an event for Erik, where Big Boi performed Outkast songs within a few feet of me. (!!!) I also swam, ran, and biked; caught up with pals; and curled up with The Fighter last night. As for this weekend, I'm on deadline so I have to work a bunch (boo!), but tomorrow I'm doing the NYC AIDS walk with the MTV crew. So there you have it -- a week in the life of me.

on being asian...

So I just finished reading this week New York magazine's cover story, an eloquent-but-obvious commentary on how our Confucian-rooted culture paves the way for a life of repressed passivity. While a lot of what he says is true—we're taught not to rock the boat, to put our heads down and work—the piece has a bittersweet tone. You feel like being Asian was a burden for this guy. While I definitely had my share of culture identity crises, I'm so thankful that I'm Chinese-American. Here are just a few reasons why:

1. I don't shy away from work. Sometimes Erik jokes that my childhood stories sound like child slavery. As a kid, I pretty much spent my weekends mowing our lawn and raking leaves; school days were occupied with studying, playing sports, and practicing piano. Although it did suck some of the time, I know that I'll never fail at something that matters to me because I'll keep toiling away.
2. My parents sacrificed everything for me. It's no wonder that the pressure was laid on thick: We represented our parents' hopes and dreams for the American life. It was heavy, but my parents always went beyond so that I could have a better life. That taught me an important lesson: selflessness and whole-hearted love. (Granted, it did take me a long time to realize this because of the whole repressed-emotion thing.)
3. I identify with so many people. Being first-generation is like being part of a shared community. Whether you're from Africa or Eastern Europe, we can relate with stories about how our parents embarrassed us with their traditional culture.
4. I'm happy being me. Growing up Asian in the South was no cakewalk. But that struggle helped me become the person I am today: Someone who's not afraid to be the "other" in the room, who understands what it's like to be handed a racial slur (it happens more frequently than you think), who straddles Chinese and American cultures. Those things have given me the confidence to stick up for myself and find my own version of happiness. In the end, not having a mold to follow forced me to carve out a life that is distinctly my own.

this month's lunch money

Since I've been eating most of my lunches at home, I've been able to make a few more donations. Oh my gosh, putting a little something towards helping people and/or fighting a devastating disease makes you feel so good. But don't take my word for it; try it yourself. Here are the causes that are near and dear to my heart...

* The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training
* Swim Across America
* The Multiple Sclerosis Society
* Japan Earthquake Relief

6 things...

...I did this week.

1. Worked on my new patio table. It only took us two years and me going freelance to take advantage of our ginormous Brooklyn patio. (I'm also growing a flower and herb garden. Hooray, life list.)
2. Drank Ed Hardy rose wine at an impromptu dinner party. Even though there was a striped tiger and tribal tattoo on the label, it was surprisingly delicious.
3. Dusted off my goggles and went to swim practice with my triathlon gals.
4. Went to a few press events for my job(s). Bad part: Having to comb my hair. Good part: Seeing editor pals.
5. Drank beers at my first barbecue of the season. Wahoo—I love spring!
6. Got our first flat-screen television. Hello, 21st century, so nice to meet you.

40 seconds in Nicaragua

I call this "experiments in iMovie."

little letters

Dear Cuisinart ice cream maker,
You were the best kitchen purchase I've made in a while. Don't tell Slow Cooker though, okay?

Dear Self,
When that little voice in your head says "stop talking," listen to it instead of babbling on awkwardly.

Dear Brooklyn half-marathon and New York City triathlon,
I'll see you (all too) soon. I'm getting ready!

Dear swimming pools in New York City,
I wish that you were bigger and less chlorinated.

Dear sense of humor,
Thanks for getting me through the crazy days.

Dear boyfriend,
I love that you iChat me pictures of baby tasmanian devils. They have made me giggle all day!

unpredictable

Uh oh. This post is going to make me sing that horrible Jamie Foxx song all day (un-pre-dict-abbblleeeee). But that's beside the point. What I mean to be writing about is how hard it is to plan out my schedule as a freelance writer/editor, because sneak attack projects and revises can pop up at anytime! And, for a semi-control freak like me, that can be slightly unsettling. I'm rolling with it. To give me some semblance of order, I've devised a "triage" system on my dry-erase board: First thing in the morning, I jot down a list of work things I need to do in the order they need to be done. Off to the side, I scribble down personal errands, like wash dishes, go to the grocery store, and exercise. Then I tick off tasks; if my attention wanders or I need a break, I tackle one of my personal items. Of course, as emails ding into my inbox, that list often gets shifted around. But at least it keeps me from freaking out! Oh, and yes, I realize that the image above really should be of my triage board. But that's way on the bottom of my list...

feeling content

The weather is perfect and rooftop barbecue season is in swing. My friends and family are healthy and happy. My outdoor patio is my makeshift office. Erik and I laugh all day long. Sigh. I couldn't ask for anything more.

Photo: the view from Ben's roof