As I become more conscious about being more sustainable and living with less (because living with more doesn’t necessarily make you happier), this has affected how I shop. I don’t shop as much and I’m more conscious of what I buy, but I feel more content that I shop for things I already have in mind of what I want, like and “need”. This gives me more opportunity to appreciate the things  in my closet more and not feel too quickly to just donate or throw away clothes. I guess my fashion self is evolving.  

All of the people who know I like food recently asked me, “Have you watched ‘Ugly Delicious’ yet on Netflix?” I’ve responded to all of them a simple “no” but I finally watched a couple episodes last night on my TV screen while multi-tasking (on my phone, tidying my room, etc.) and I see why my friends and family have asked me about the show although I was going to watch it anyway! I was surprised at one episode when David Chang was talking about how important food was in his life as a child watching his mother cook constantly and how that transformed his life. I couldn't believe at that moment I got teary because I definitely understand the childhood connection with food as it triggers so many memories, mostly good ones. The show covers good current topics about food but perhaps what really captured my attention is the similarity in emotional food experience with David. 

I like to eat. I like to cook sometimes. I like to window-shop and see what's new out there. I like to look at furniture design and home décor. I like snail mail and using my favorite stationery to write to my friends and family. I like to travel sometimes and sightsee places I've never been before. I like to listen to k-pop and go to k-pop concerts (nothing can compare to their concerts' energy). Now, why does it feel hard sometimes to express my likes out loud? Perhaps I just hate icebreakers and introductions.

With my birthday creeping up really soon and facing the fact that I’m getting older (and reflecting on what I’ve done so far in my life), I can’t help but feel the need to escape reality. I’ve been feeling an internal pressure to conform to society for so long seeing all the social steps people are taking around me, yet I’m not nearly on that path at my age. Is something wrong with me? Am I not being realistic? Let me escape for a moment and enjoy life with just me. There’s so much I can learn about myself when I reflect on my own and feel a sense of happiness. However, I don’t want to steer away from the fact that I do experience loneliness. Don’t we all, especially in today’s world? 

If you looked at me and talked to me a few years ago, my clothing personality would be pretty definitive: “traditional” - tucked-in shirt, mid- to -high-waisted pants, dress shoes. Now, I think I’m much more versatile, and it never came to my realization until someone said to me, “I don’t know how to pinpoint your style since you change your looks every day or all the time.” This is true! I mean, some days I’m in the mood for color-blocking minimalism and some days I’m dressed like a k-pop star, but a close friend explained to me, “You may wear a lot of different looks, but at the end of the day, it’s all put together the way only you would do it; you’re still you.” Ah-ha! So, no matter what look I go for, I still piece it together the way only I would put it together! My point is, it’s still me under all these various looks...but I am still a chameleon. Confusing, huh? But if you get it, you get me! 

I’ve never been to KCON before, and I definitely wanted to go one year. I never thought it would be this year since I wasn’t too thrilled about the concert lineup, but I needed to enjoy myself and I decided to tag along with my cousin last-minute. I went to KCON LA on Sunday, the last day of the convention, and I had so much fun! Who knew?! The convention was great, but the concert was even better and more than I expected. I’ll go again for sure, but I’m so glad I took the chance to go this year. Now I’m having feelings of KCON withdrawal. Until next summer!

If anyone knows me when it comes to music, one genre of music that I have been listening to on-and-off since I was in junior high would be k-pop. If anyone knows k-pop these days, everyone knows that the summertime is perfect for new summer music from girl groups like Sistar and Wonder Girls. I don’t know why I didn’t share this before, but I remember last summer, I was driving out of the gym’s parking lot and minding my own business listening to BIGBANG in my car, and suddenly, I heard this man in the car behind me who shouted “Whoo-hoo! Go, k-pop! WHOO!” I chuckled while I continued to drive off. I thought to myself, I have never heard a grown man profess his love for k-pop so passionately.

Life really does seem to be filled with paradoxes. At a time like this, especially this current generation, we are more than ever uncertain about what we want with our lives, mainly our occupations. Maybe we have too many options out there, maybe the middle class is ever-growing and our generation is much too spoiled and cushioned - we know no struggle but the struggle of what we want with our lives. So when someone asked me recently what I want to do these days in terms of profession, it was difficult for me to say one clear answer, but I can hear it in the person’s voice that she knew the answer for me but didn’t say - perhaps I am supposed to figure it out but I find it ironic how we talk about how much we only know ourselves when sometimes others see something in us that we can’t see or realize until later.