6 things...

Please excuse this trip recap interruption for a quick update of my day-to-day life. Here's what's been going on with me:

1. Finished up my in-office gig. I really loved the office, staff, and work, but it's nice to be back at home after nearly 10 months of back-to-back fill-ins. It's my natural instinct to try to pile on the assignments, but I'm also trying to make more of a conscious effort to slow down, put the computer away, and enjoy life. See: cuddle time above.
2. I've been listening to the podcast Serial. It's about the murder of a high school girl and the conviction of her ex-boyfriend, who seemed like a stand-up guy. The reporter delves back into the details, and it's so enthralling! I listened to seven episodes over the past few days.
3. Back to cooking. The bonus of working from home: My procrastination breaks include simmering something on the stove. My mom's stoked. It's funny that in a city of over-achieving, career-driven people, a conversation with mom goes something like: "Hey, my article is going to be published in a book!" "That's nice. What you make Erik for dinner?" Old-school Chinese moms, man.
4. Getting adjusted to fall. After a few dreamy warm days, the chill set in and reality struck: Winter's around the corner. I've been extra sleepy and hungry…ready to hibernate!
5. But also getting excited for tropical climates. The silver lining is that I'm off to warmer weather soon. This weekend, I'm headed to North Carolina, the following I'm off to Maui, and then, in January, it's Costa Rica with the ladies.
6. It was the three-year anniversary of my dad's passing a few weeks ago, so he's been on my mind. He dedicated his life to taking care of his family, so I think the best way to honor him is to be happy, try my best, look after my mom, and appreciate every single day.