borderline insanity

New Yorkers are an inherently crazy bunch. We tout our jam-packed schedules as a sort of badge of honor. After all, if you're busy, you must be in high demand--and that means you're popular and powerful, right? I must confess that I'm no different. Take last year, for instance: I was juggling my job (well, thanks to layoffs, technically two jobs) with training for a triathlon, fundraising for a charity, and co-writing a book. Oh, also moving in with Erik and taking my aging dad to Taiwan for his high school reunion. I didn't exactly handle it with grace. There were a few meltdowns, namely one in a Taipei hotel when I couldn't log on to e-mail an assignment. I've been pretty busy lately, but my new goal is to care less about what I should be doing and focus more on what I am doing. First step: Relaxing in Montauk next week.

cultural appreciation

Last night, Erik and I went to our lovely new neighbors' housewarming party. She's from Mexico and he's from Colombia, so, by the end of the night, their guests cleared out a space in the living room to salsa. It made me really appreciate being surrounded by different cultures, which is ironic because I hated being Chinese when I was young. Being called out for your dried squid sandwich and having to translate your mom's broken English at K-Mart? Soooo embarrassing. Why did my family have to be different? As I matured, of course, I came to realize how lucky I am to have parents that sacrificed so much to come to the United States. And I'm grateful that I can speak Mandarian and cook jia chang dou fu. Erik, on the other hand, is Cuban and Colombian, which is where he gets his unchecked enthusiasm and passion. And that's a big reason why I love him so much.

short cuts

These days, I'm recognizing that it's easy to be curt, mean, or grumpy when you're feeling hectic and overwhelmed. That's the path of least resistance. But I'm trying my best to rise above that natural tendency to stay positive and upbeat. After all, I have so many things to be thankful for: the best family, friends, and boyfriend; happy home; and so much more. One thing that helps me keep perspective? Twitter. Don't laugh! My brother clued me in that the Dalai Lama actually tweets. So every morning I wake up to his serene face and wise creeds. Today's quote: "The most compassionate form of giving is done with no thought or expectation of reward, and grounded in genuine concern for others."
P.S. Pic of my older brother in Coney Island. He's awesome. Look at him!

Beijing to Brooklyn

When I was 19, I made a rash decision. Since I didn't love my freshman year of college, I decided to spend my next semester as far away as possible--quite literally. That's how I ended up living in Beijing, China for six months. Now this was before the free market gates truly opened (not to date myself), so it was lightyears away from the North Carolina suburbs. It was thrilling to wait in line at the Communist-run commissary (kind of), elbow old tai tais to get on the bus, and soak up the hustle, bustle, and smog of Beijing. That semester really opened my eyes to a world beyond the neighborhoods I knew, and, for the first time, I realized that I really could do something exciting with my life. I also made some lifelong friends, like my buddy Chris here. Now he lives in Tokyo with his wife, Saki, and I had so much fun catching up with him last night. My favorite memory? Dragging a still-very drunk Chris and Matt to catch a 20-hour train to Guilin, China, then stepping off that smelly car and facing the breathtaking karst mountain range that I thought only existed in Chinese watercolor paintings. It still gives me goosebumps.

different point of view

I guess I don't really examine my reflection much on a regular basis, because every time I watch a clip of myself I'm surprised by my appearance. How did I get so tan? When did I grow out my bangs? Most importantly, why can't I get my face to look like that when I apply my own makeup? Maybe it's time I invested in a full-length mirror.

yummmm.

I'm feeling rather smug right now. Tonight I whipped up a fantastic dinner with my CSA bounty: Pan-seared salmon with dill sauce, green salad, sweet yellow corn, and a peach cobbler for dessert. (I added blueberries on top for a burst of color.) See? Delicious dinners can be healthy! By the way, I've totally been prepping, cooking, and baking to avoid what I really need to be doing: work. Sigh. Well, at least my procrastination techniques are tasty...

monkey cat

The weekend is finally here and the only being more excited than myself is a grey nugget of a cat named Mimi. I can tell because she keeps nudging her head into my computer and making noises. (She squeaks and squeals instead of meowing, which is why Erik nicknamed her Monkey.) She's soft and chubby, and there's nothing I love more than cuddling up with her and and my handsome boyfriend on our couch. Every night, no matter how busy we are, our little family snuggles for at least 30 minutes before we break to design, write, or pace back and forth. It's absolutely heavenly.