The vast, immeasurable, and remarkable universe of The Internet brought near some things that felt hidden behind walls of privileged traditions, untold generational knowledge, and elite upbringing. So, that's what Sunday dinners look like. Shall we summer in Portland? Not Portland, Oregon; no, Portland, Maine. Either by fact or fiction, I have conviction that we can join in on new discoveries that have been happening for decades all around us. Attainability, interest, and approachability are fine fruits of having Resources at your fingertips.
Sola
Thursday, March 20, 2025
Monday, February 1, 2021
Anthology
The old, the sappy, the happy and hopeful poems of my youth to the present.
Masks
By Shel Silverstein, Everything On It
She had blue skin,
And so did he.
He kept it hid
And so did she.
They searched for blue
Their whole life through,
Then passed right by-
And never knew.
Dream Deferred
By Langston Hughes
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?
If I Can Stop One Heart from Breaking
By Emily Dickinson
If I can stop one heart
from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.
Quotes
Friday, January 22, 2021
January 2021
It's a season of changes and beginnings, and I've been forming old habits to offset the new year.
Currently Reading: Two books, and then some. First, I recently finished "How to Communicate," a psychological self-help guide that explains common blind spots in the individual and provides helpful tools for successful communication in close relationships. Second, I am midway through A Promised Land. It is like a juicier, detail-packed and intimate account of Becoming. I have to say, President Obama writes his biographies in a way that is coherent and articulate; it's always easy to follow and refreshingly honest.
Currently Listening: I've been listening to music every day lately. It's necessary to have a good playlist when working from home. I have a playlist titled "Places We Don't Walk" (yes, nod to Bruno Major -- although the compilation is not entirely in his realm or music genre, it's a good starter for the soundtrack). This playlist is a closer look into my thoughts, my mood, my zone. I'm listening to it now, and I already feel toned down -- in the best way possible.
Quote of the day: "I asked them to describe their world as it was and as they would like it to be. It was a simple exercise I'd done many times, a way for people to bridge the reality of their communities and their lives with the things they could conceivably change." - A Promised Land, Barack Obama, 2020
Until next time.
Thursday, January 9, 2020
300 Movies in 2020 (extending to 2021... yikes.)
- Parasite* -- this was a must-watch.
- The Marriage Story* -- an intimate look into the realities and heartaches of marriage and its eventual fall.
- The Report* -- one of my favorite drama/political movies of last year. I mean, Adam Driver.
- Joker
- Train to Busan* -- I'm awfully late to this one. But nonetheless, I get why it's a top box office. Almost an unbelievably five-star cast.
- Okja
- Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
- Hustlers
- Frozen II
- 6 Underground (Netflix)
- Burning* -- definitely not for all tastes, but a slow burning plot through an art house lens. An incredibly captivating cast - with the exception of one (Yeun -- to be frank, I did not find his portrayal of his character too convincing).
- The Farewell
- Little Women
- Ford v. Ferrari
- Soul
- Mirani* If you did not enjoy Yeun's performance in Burning, but want to give it another shot -- try Minari. A raw, inclusive lens into the Korean American's immigrant's story in the 80s. Not cliche, and has an appreciative dose of humor and wit.
- Lord of the Rings
- The Irishman
- The Godfather
- 2001: A Space Odyssey
- American Beauty
- The Suspect
- Midsommar
- Uncut Gems
- Jojo Rabbit
- Booksmart
- Bombshell
- Dolemite is My Name
- 1982 Kim Ji Young
- The Host
- Extreme Job
- Along with the Gods
- Memories of Murder
- Snowpiercer
- The Handmaiden
- New World
- Secretly Greatly
- Mother
- Old Boy
- Forgotten
- Babel
- The Usual Suspects (NYFA)
- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
- The DaVinci Code
- Her
- Get Out
- The Girl on the Train
- The Pianist
- The Post
- Prisoners
- Swiss Army Man
- Punch Drunk Love
- Into the Wild
- Beautiful Boy
- Searching
- Kramer vs. Kramer
- The Godfather II
- Shindler's List
- Silence of the Lambs
- Braveheart
- Chicago
- Green Book
- Moonlight
- Birdman
- The King's Speech
- Le Mis
- Hunchback of Notre Dame
- Citizen Kane
- Casablanca
- Psycho
- The Graduate
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
- Life is Beautiful
- Memento
- The Godfather
- Jaws
- Back to the Future
- Robocop
- Scent of a Woman
- Pulp Fiction
- Goodwill Hunting
- Ghostbusters
- Cast Away
- Taxi
- Inglorious Basterds (Netflix)
- Boyz N The Hood
- West Side Story
- Gran Torino (NYFA)
- The Vow
- Hidden Figures
- Nausicaa Valley of the Wind
- Green Book
- Once
- Burlesque
- Mid 90s
- A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (NYFA)
- A Scanner Darkly
- Chef
- Goodnight Good Luck
- Tropic Thunder
- Bernie
- Little Miss Sunshine
- Dallas Buyer Club
- Blow
- Weird Science
- Home for the Holidays
- Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
- The Favourite
- The Game
- The Theory of Everything
- An Education
- Lion
- Like Crazy
- The Birdcage
- The Love Punch
- Doubt
- The Prestige
- Tootsie
- August Rush
- The Next 3 Days
Thursday, September 14, 2017
A New Wave: Ethical Fashion
Take care of the clothes already in the closet. This is perhaps the climax of ethical fashion – because long-term sustainability is directly linked with proper care. Showing careful concern for already-produced items gives it its maximum life in your closet.
Level Two: Shop less. Choose better. (Only buy pieces you love 100%).
- You wear the $19.90 swimsuit to the beach, but the padding falls out and becomes irretrievable.
- The $7.99 denim jeans you put in the dryer comes out two sizes smaller.
- You go out wearing a set of $5.80 earrings, and lose the left pair.
- The $2.80 ring turns your finger green.
- You save the $58.00 fur coat to wear in the winter, but unfortunately it’s only May.*
Six months later, you don’t recall any of these purchases because they are all either lost or un-wearable. Whatever is left of the purchase gets shoved in the back of the closet, or in a donation bag to Goodwill.
Buy with intention, thought, and love.
Level Three: Buy second-hand. Upcycle.
Go to The Vintage Collection
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Thursday, August 17, 2017
Walden by Henry David Thoreau
Wednesday, August 2, 2017
Furniture Inspo

Monday, July 10, 2017
Ever Be
Your love is devoted like a ring of solid gold
Like a vow that is tested like a covenant of old
Your love is enduring through the winter rain
And beyond the horizon with mercy for today
Faithful You have been and faithful you will be
You pledge yourself to me and it's why I sing
Your praise will ever be on my lips, ever be on my lips (x4)
You Father the orphan
Your kindness makes us whole
And you shoulder our weakness
And your strength becomes our own
Now you're making me like you
Clothing me in white
Bringing beauty from ashes
For You will have Your bride
Free of all her guilt and rid of all her shame
And known by her true name and it's why I sing
Your praise will ever be on my lips, ever be on my lips (x4)
You will be praised
You will be praised
With angels and saints we sing worthy are You Lord
(x2)
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
I Like You by Sandol Stoddard Warburg (excerpt)
when I am feeling sad
You don’t always cheer me up right away.
Sometimes it is better to be sad.
You can’t stand the others
being so googly and gaggly every single minute.
You want to think about things.
It takes time.
I like you because if I am mad at you,
Then you are mad at me too.
It’s awful when the other person isn’t.
They are so nice and hoo-hoo
you could just about punch them in the nose.
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The Olsen twins have always been a big part of my childhood (I grew up watching Mary Kate and Ashley TV series, Full House, most of thei...
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This weekend, Justin and I took a break from the dreadful heat waves in my hometown and cooled off at the Santa Monica beach in Califor...